A daily 5 minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Welcome to SBS News in easy English. I'm Deborah Groarke.
The premier of Victoria has indicated the state could announce the end of all its COVID-19 restrictions soon, including its pandemic declaration.
Victoria has already said close contacts of positive cases no longer have to isolate for seven days, and that venues don't have to make people sign in or prove they're vaccinated anymore.
Now, Daniel Andrews says that with the current pandemic declaration expiring on July the 12th, he hopes to be able to announce getting rid of even more rules - if the health experts agree.
“I don’t know what independent expert advice I’m going to get in the days leading up to the 12th of July. It’s my hope that we don’t need that, or we see something less than that, or we need some other arrangement. That’d be terrific."
The legislation that gives the Premier power to declare a pandemic and the health minister responsibility for public health orders was the subject of daily protests on the steps of parliament last year.
Australia has boycotted Russia during a meeting of the Group of 20 nations.
A group of finance ministers and central bank governors walked out of the room when Russia’s representative sought to speak at the meeting of the world’s biggest economies.
Federal finance minister Simon Birmingham says many Australian officials were attending online, and joined the boycott by turning off their computer cameras.
Meanwhile Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been criticised for making comments about children with a disability during Australia's leaders debate last night.
The debate was held in Brisbane between Mr Morrison and Labor leader Anthony Albanese, and broadcast on Sky News.
A woman told the Prime Minister NDIS funding had been cut by 30 per cent for her four year-old autistic son, and asked him what the future of the insurance scheme was.
Mr Morrison told the voter his government was fully funding the NDIS, but there has been an overwhelmingly negative public reaction for the following statement.
"Jenny and I have been blessed. We've got two children that don't - who haven't had to go through that. And so for parents with children who are disabled, I can only try and understand your aspirations for those children. And I think that is the beauty of the National Disability Insurance Scheme."
The Prime Minister has since defended his comment.
He says it was made "in good faith" and that the woman who asked him the question did not seem to react badly to what he said.
Australia is not the only country having a leaders debate, with the leading candidates in France's presidential election also appearing in a televised event overnight.
The current French president Emmanuel Macron is facing a strong challenge from his far-right opponent Marine Le Pen in the presidential election, which will be held on Sunday.
During the debate, Mr Macron accused Ms Le Pen of having links to Russia through loans that her party has taken out from a Russian bank.
"I believe again you were one of the first European politicians back in 2014 to recognise the outcome of the annexation of Crimea... Why did you do it? And I say this with great gravity tonight. Because for our country, this is bad news, because you depend on the Russian power and you depend on Mr. Putin.”
The Russian military looks to be close to taking control of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol.
Russian forces have been repeatedly attacking the city for weeks, and Ukraine says Russia is now dropping bombs on a steel mill where hundreds of people are in hiding in underground tunnels.
Ukraine says Russia has agreed to establish a way out for around 6000 women and children, as well as the elderly, from Mariupol.
A Ukrainian military officer has also posted a video message on Facebook asking for the world to help them get out.
"This is our appeal to the world. This could be the last appeal of our lives. We are probably facing our last days, if not hours. The enemy is outnumbering us ten to one. They have advantage in the air, in artillery, in their forces on land, in equipment and in tanks. We are only defending one object, the Azovstal plant where, in addition to military personnel, there are also civilians who have fallen victim to this war. We appeal and plead to all world leaders to help us."
I'm Deborah Groarke, this is SBS News in Easy English.
