SBS News in Easy English
Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen is confident Australians can continue to avoid blackouts, despite a warning still being in place for New South Wales tonight.
People in New South Wales are being asked to turn off what they can between 6pm and 8pm to take pressure off the electricity grid.
The Australian Energy Market Operator has suspended the electricity spot price market in most states until further notice for the first time.
The move allows the Operator to take control of directing supplies from energy generators to the east coast power grid.
Mr Bowen says every effort will be be made to avoid blackouts.
"So far, we have successfully avoided any blackouts, and any load shedding. The New South Wales grid will be under significant pressure between 6pm and 8pm tonight. Everybody is working all day to try and avoid load shedding this evening. I'm very confident we can avoid blackouts. We'll be working very hard to avoid load shedding. AEMO and the New South Wales Minister, Minister Kean, have asked people nothing essential should be turned off- nothing that's necessary for heating. But, if you have a choice about when to run certain items, don't run them from 6 to 8."
New South Wales and Victoria will introduce an extra year of play-based learning before children start school.
The states say the change will be introduced over the next ten years.
In a joint statement, New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet and his Victorian counterpart Daniel Andrews claim it will be the greatest transformation of early education in a generation.
They also say it will be good for parents' careers, and particularly useful for women.
Mr Perrottet says the earlier children start in the education system, the better.
"We know that early childhood education works. For many years, preschools right across our state have provided our children great opportunities to set them up for school success. And during that period of time, what we've learnt is that starting at preschool makes a real difference to children's educational outcomes and social outcomes."
The national unemployment rate has remained steady, at 3.9 percent.
Economists had expected the rate to be between 3.8 and four percent.
A fall would have seen the rate at its lowest point since 1974.
The participation rate has increased.
The youth unemployment rate has also remained steady at 8.8 percent.
Victoria's crime rate has fallen to its lowest level since 2015.
Data from the state's Crime Statistics Agency shows that in the 12 months to March, the number of offences was down by 11 and-a-half per cent.
Property and deception offences fell six per cent, with 600 fewer home burglaries, and robberies at their lowest level in a decade.
The Australian Formula One Grand Prix will stay in Melbourne until at least 2035.
The Victorian government has secured a ten-year extension to their deal to host the event.
The event has been held in Melbourne since 1996.
Victoria's Minister for Sport, Martin Pakula, says the government is sure it is giving taxpayers good value for money.
"We have driven a hard bargain in the face of extraordinary competitiveness, and we are absolutely 100 per cent convinced, given the massive increase in global interest in Formula One."
The event is usually held in March, and is one of the first event on the Formula One race calendar each year.
