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TRANSCRIPT:
The Easter long weekend has been marred by a string of road fatalities across the country.
In the latest incident, a driver has died after crashing his car into an embankment at Merriwa in the New South Wales upper Hunter area.
On Saturday, in far-north Queensland, a 31-year-old man lost control of his quad bike in East Palmerston, a rural farming area near Innisfail.
Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler has told Nine's Today program there have been six road deaths in Queensland alone since Thursday.
"Very very tragic. Behind all of those numbers is a person, a family, a loved one. And what we're seeing time and time again is dangerous driving behaviours, including speeding, drink and drunk driving, driving whilst fatigued. Driving whilst distracted and not wearing seatbelts play a part in all of these tragedies."
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Relief from crippling fuel costs has begun to flow after the federal and state governments cut the fuel excise.
But the combined savings, worth more than 30 cents per litre, have not offset the full impact of expensive global oil due to the trickle of supplies coming through the Strait of Hormuz.
University of Sydney associate economics professor David Ubilava says it would take a while for supply chains to be restored to their pre-war states, even if the fighting stops and the vital waterway reopens.
Meanwhile Energy Minister Chris Bowen says Australia's supply of fuel reserves has now been extended.
"Everyday that goes past, there are more orders being made and more fuel being delivered. That takes the confirmed order book forward. And that's a good thing. And we're now a bit into April. And we have secured, contracted legally binding supply well into May now. But as I have always said, we're not going to overpromise - in terms of months ahead. There will be challenges and concerns, which we will continue to work through."
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US President Donald Trump has ratcheted up pressure on Iran.
He has threatened in an expletive-laden social media post to target Iran's power plants and bridges on Tuesday if the strategic Strait of Hormuz is not reopened.
Iran’s culture minister has called Trump an "unstable, delusional figure" in response.
Sayed Reza Salihi-Amir says Mr Trump's changing positions make it hard to take him seriously.
"Iranian society generally does not pay attention to his statements, as it believes he lacks personal, behavioural, and verbal balance, and constantly shifts between contradictory positions."
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Christians of various denominations from the Gaza Strip are celebrating the first Easter since a ceasefire paused the devastating war in the territory.
At the Holy Family church in Gaza City, Catholic observers young and old have gathered for a traditional Mass, which George Anton has described as a blessing.
"There is great joy, especially after the ceasefire and after nearly three years of suffering and being unable to celebrate all the holy holidays. Our entire people were unable to celebrate, but today we in Gaza had the opportunity to perform all the Easter rituals and ceremonies. People are somewhat relieved and more stable."
Meanwhile, Jerusalem’s holiest places are near-empty.
Some faithful have prayed outside the Western Wall and across the holy site on vantage points - but Israeli authorities have capped gatherings in the city at 50 people.
Local resident Issa Kassissieh says he is saddened to see the lack of people around to mark Easter.
"Usually pilgrimage coming, especially in this day, Palm Sunday, everybody holding to welcome Jesus to come here but very sad because of the war and it's really, I wish this miracle of this Holy Week, it happened peace and then everybody can come back to celebrate with us for next year and happy Easter and happy Palm Sunday from Jerusalem."
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Back home, and one of Australia's most-famous churches is reporting an increase in Australians doing it tough this Easter period.
The Reverend Bill Crews leads the Uniting Church at Ashfield in Sydney's inner-west, which offer free meals to anyone in need.
He says that service has been sorely tested this long weekend.
"The whole Easter period, we have just been overloaded with the numbers of people coming. They're queueing around the block to come and have a meal. Hundreds of people are coming here."
