Key Points
- Parliament to resume for first time since election
- Tasmanian business leaders concerned over state politics
- Venus Williams returns to professional tennis
TRANSCRIPT
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he supports a greater role for the federal government in childcare.
Universal affordable childcare was identified by the prime minister during the recent federal election as the one reform he'd most want to be remembered for.
But the accusations levelled against Joshua Brown, whose 70 counts of alleged abuse at Melbourne early learning centres have raised concerns that the rapid expansion of government subsidies into the sector has not been met with a commensurate increase in safety and scrutiny.
Mr Albanese says he sees the need for a stronger role for the federal government in childcare.
And with Parliament resuming, he says he wants this to be a year of delivery for the government's policy agenda.
"To all the MPs and senators elected to the 48th Parliament, firstly congratulations across the board. It is such a privilege to sit either in the House of Representatives or the Senate. And it is something that none of us should ever take for granted. And it is an honour each and every day."
The first parliamentary sitting since the May election begins on tomorrow.
The second term of Albanese government will see Labor with an increased majority, holding 94 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives after a landslide election win in May.
About 40 politicians are entering parliament for the first time.
---
Business leaders in Tasmania have urged politicians to work together to overcome the hurdle of a hung parliament - and resume parliamentary activity soon.
Saturday's election was the state's fourth in seven years – and the second in two years, brought on by a motion of no confidence in Premier Jeremy Rockliff in June.
It has returned the result of another hung parliament, with neither major party winning the 18 seats required to rule as a majority government.
Negotiations are underway to finalise a power sharing arrangement.
The CEO of the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Michael Bailey says political uncertainty is hurting businesses.
"It is time for Parliament to get back to work. This has been a huge distraction for Tasmanian business, for investment and it is time that we see the Parliament back working again. What we can't afford is to have weeks of horse-trading behind the scenes with governments trying to form. We simply need parliament to get back - and to get on with the job of leading Tasmania."
---
A new report has found Australians living with chronic pain continue to suffer from stigma, with 74 per cent feeling ignored or dismissed; and 48 per cent experiencing prejudice from health professionals.
The research released by Chronic Pain Australia surveyed 5,000 Australians.
It found nearly three-quarters of chronic pain sufferers experience mental health issues as a result of their pain, while nearly two-thirds are unable to work and experience financial strain.
The chairperson of Chronic Pain Australia, Nicolette Ellis, says with around 3.6 million Australians impacted by chronic pain, more effort needs to be made to ensure people can get help.
"Chronic pain is a complex condition to treat and it usually needs a team of health professionals, with different skillsets to help build that person's toolkit. Unfortunately, in the National Pain Report we saw that only 18 per cent of people are referred to what we call multidisciplinary care where they can get access to those different health professionals to help support their care.”
The report calls on the federal government to make chronic pain a national priority through changes like providing more localised funding to primary care and the coding system to recognise it as a health condition.
---
Exit polls show Japan's ruling coalition is likely to lose its majority in the upper house, with 75 uncontested seats out of the 125 needed to maintain control.
The vote does not determine whether prime minister Shigeru Ishiba's minority Liberal Democratic Party remains in power, but increases the pressure on the leader, after the bloc lost its majority in the lower house following elections in October.
A loss at this election would mark the first time in the history of the party that it leads a coalition that does not control either house, and would likely result in calls for Mr Ishiba to step down.
Rising prices, low incomes and burdensome social security payments are among key issues for voters.
---
In sport, former world number one Venus Williams is preparing for her return to professional tennis.
After 16 months away from the sport, the seven-time Grand Slam champion is competing in the Washington Open.
The 45-year-old has won the Wimbledon singles title five times and the US Open twice, as well as 14 Grand Slam women's doubles titles alongside her younger sister Serena.
She has not competed since the Miami Open in March 2024.
She faces fellow American Peyton Stearns in the first round of the Washington Open today.
Williams says after time away, her definition of success has shifted.
"I don't know if I define success at this moment in any sort of way other than believing in myself and sticking to my process... And my process is only known to me. But to believe in yourself isn't always easy. At every moment in the match, you believe in yourself at one point and then not in the other. And that's not easy to do, especially after a layoff. So those are my goals."
