What we learned; Thursday 27 April
That’s where we’ll leave the blog for today – thanks so much for joining us. Here is a wrap of the day’s biggest stories:
The Albanese government released a review of Australia’s migration system, proposing major reform for the 1.8 million temporary migrants with work rights. An explainer on the changes can be read here.
The move was welcomed by the Australian Council of Trade Unions and Universities Australia. However, Nationals leader David Littleproud shared concerns that regional and rural areas risk being “left behind” by the changes.
The search for an Australian man who went overboard from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship in a remote area of the Pacific has been called off for the day, after a US Coast Guard plane exhausted its fuel supply.
Defence minister Richard Marles announced $3.8bn to strengthen defence bases in northern Australia over the next four years.
Victoria will hold a state funeral for Father Bob Maguire on Friday 5 May.
And when questioned on income support payments, Anthony Albanese said the federal government is “not in the position” to do everything it would like within its first year after inheriting “trillions of dollars of debt”.
Updated
Two dead after Sydney hospital car park crash
Two people have died after a crash in the car park of a Sydney hospital.
Emergency services were called to Nepean Hospital near Penrith at about 3.20pm following reports of a crash.
On arrival, officers were told a car – driven by a woman believed to be in her 60s – allegedly reversed into another car, before hitting a pedestrian – a woman believed to be in her 40s.
According to a NSW police statement the driver and pedestrian were both assessed by NSW Ambulance paramedics; however, they were pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the other car – a woman believed to be aged in her 30s – was treated by hospital staff for shock.
Police have commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Updated
