Happy budget day. Ahead of the budget release tonight, the government has confirmed there will be increases to welfare payments while forecasting lower than expected inflation in 2023-24.
The details of the welfare payments, and everything else budget-related, will be revealed after 7.30pm AEST tonight on our special budget page, or you can read the Morning Mail tomorrow and we’ll have a wrap of the key points.
In the meantime, you can be the treasurer and build your own budget by exploring this interactive.
There’s also a bit happening overseas today, with Canada expelling a Chinese diplomat and Israel bombing Gaza.
Top news
Sacked Qantas workers protest at high court | The court today began hearing an appeal from Qantas against rulings in the federal court that its decision to outsource the jobs of 1,700 ground handlers in 2020 was unlawful. Outside the court, Labor senator Tony Sheldon joined sacked workers in condemning Qantas for its “illegal” actions.
Police accused of trying to derail Brittany Higgins case | Notes from meetings between Brittany Higgins and a counsellor were given to Bruce Lehrmann’s lawyer by police in a move that a prosecutor feared was an attempt to “derail” the case, the inquiry investigating the prosecution of Lehrmann has heard. Shane Drumgold SC, the ACT director of public prosecutions, is the first witness at the inquiry, which was established by the ACT government after it said there had been a “number of complaints and allegations” about the trial.
Teals vow to push Labor on weak gas tax | The Albanese government is not going far enough in taxing fossil fuel giants on the Australian gas they’re extracting, teal independents say. A “very disappointed” Allegra Spender, independent MP for Wentworth, said “it doesn’t come close to giving Australians a fair share from the super-profits made from their resources being sold overseas”. Analysts say the tax changes will deliver little if any extra revenue.
Melbourne lockdown residents compensated | The Victorian government has offered a settlement in a class action with residents forced into a sudden Covid-19 lockdown in public housing towers in Melbourne in 2020. About 3,000 residents lived in the Flemington and North Melbourne towers at the time of the lockdown, and will collectively reap $5m in compensation.
New youth detention centre in Cairns | The Queensland government has confirmed it will build the facility “to improve community safety”. However, child welfare advocates warn First Nations children will be disproportionately affected, with Indigenous children already making up 62% of Queensland’s youth detention population.
Israel bombs Gaza | An apartment building and a house were struck by Israeli warplanes, according to witnesses, leaving twelve people dead – three of whom were senior Islamic Jihad commanders.
Canada expels Chinese diplomat | A Canadian intelligence report accused the diplomat of trying to intimidate a Canadian lawmaker critical of China’s treatment of its Uyghur Muslim minority. China’s embassy in Ottawa said it “strongly condemn[ed]” the expulsion, had lodged a protest with the federal government and would “resolutely take countermeasures”.
Game of Thrones prequel paused | The writing of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight – a prequel set 100 years before the events of Game of Thrones – has been paused due to the Hollywood writers’ strike. Author George RR Martin confirmed the news, throwing his “full and complete and unequivocal support” behind the striking writers.
New Zealand child missing in cave | Search and rescue teams are looking for a child in a cave system in Whangarei, Northland after a school group got into difficulty this morning amid torrential rain and flooding. The search was suspended as night fell and is expected to resume at first light tomorrow.
In video
What exactly happens inside the federal budget lock-up? – with Amy Remeikis
It’s political nerd Christmas. Journalists are locked up without phones or access to the internet and they’re not freed until the treasurer takes to the floor of the parliament to deliver the budget speech. Amy Remeikis walks through the budget lock-up process in this five-minute video.
What they said …
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“First Nations communities have deep bonds with rugby league and are part of our fabric at all levels, from grassroots participants and fans to the Indigenous stars who light up the NRL and NRLW.” – NRL statement
The sporting body today declared its support for an Indigenous voice to parliament.
In numbers
Australia’s biggest lender has benefited from higher rates, but warns that borrowers are under pressure from rising mortgage and living costs.
Before bed read
What’s the best way to lower your laundry cost? Simply do less of it. It’s expert-approved and saves time as well as money.
“In general, our frequency of laundering is way above that required for sanitation,” says Georgia McCorkill, a fashion lecturer at RMIT. Rather than putting everything in the laundry at the end of the day, develop new habits and systems to keep clothes fresh.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: ODIC. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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