SBS News in Easy English
Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Labor's Treasury spokesperson Jim Chalmers have appeared in a debate at the National Press Club in Canberra.
Mr Frydenberg is defending his government's economic management, telling the Nine Network they are managing the economy in very difficult circumstances.
"The COVID pandemic, the war in Ukraine are both the main factors that are driving up higher inflation globally. And you heard yesterday from the Reserve Bank in their own words, the main drivers of higher inflation were global factors. So the Labor party will seek to criticise us when interest rates go down, and they'll seek to criticise us when interest rates go up. But, it's completely unreasonable to expect that emergency cash rates at just 10 basis points would stay there indefinitely."
But Labor's Treasury spokesperson Jim Chalmers has told the ABC the Prime Minister's credibility is in doubt.
"Not just by the interest rate decision that was taken yesterday but the this full-blow cost of living crisis on his watch, which is all about falling real wages, prices which are absolutely skyrocketing out of control, and then you get the interest rate rise on top of that to add to the pain and that's why consumer confidence this week has plummeted."
More than 200 public schools across New South Wales have been forced to close today as teachers strike for better pay and reduced workloads.
Thousands of teachers have gathered outside the state's Parliament House seeking two hours of extra planning time and a pay rise between five and 7.5 per cent.
New South Wales Education Minister Sarah Mitchell told Nine Radio the disruption to students and parents caused by the strike is disappointing.
"It's disappointing, you know there seems to be a determination, they are hell bent on disruption and this industrial action, the strike that is happening today, the walkouts that continue when government MPs visit schools, the refusal to enact any new policies which actually has students at the centre. They seem to be just hell bent on this disruption for kids. It's incredibly frustrating but we will continue to work in good faith, I want to get a fair and reasonable outcome here."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says recent evacuees from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol are safe.
A United Nations brokered ceasefire has reportedly broken down, with the city's mayor saying over 200 civilians are still trapped inside the plant.
Mr Zelenskyy says Russian troops are not following agreements, and are continuing with massive strikes on the complex.
"Today, 156 people arrived in Zaporizhzhia, including women and children. They spent more than two months in shelters. Just imagine, for example, a child is six months old, two of which he spent underground hiding from bombs and shelling. Finally, these people are completely safe. They will get help."
At least two people are dead and dozens are missing, thought to be trapped under rubble, following a building collapse in China.
It's alleged a false safety report was issued for the six-storey structure in Changsha province, resulting in the arrest of eleven people.
A video posted by Chinese state media shows rescue efforts at the building, with some being taken away in stretchers.
Nine people have so far been rescued.
In sport,
Novak Djokovic is through to the third round of the Madrid Open.
The World No.1 beat French tennis player Gael Monfils ((GAYL mon-FEES)) with a 6-3, 6-2 win in the second round.
It means the Serbian tennis star will now face off against English player Andy Murray.
