What we learned today, Thursday 4 May
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 has revealed that one of the biggest federal budget measures will be billions of dollars to fund a 15% pay rise for aged care workers.
Labor is one step closer to passing its $10bn social housing fund through the Senate, after reaching a deal with the Jacqui Lambie Network.
The suspended Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming has written to her party colleagues telling them she is commencing legal action against the leadership team following an ultimatum to the party’s leader, John Pesutto, to publicly exonerate her of being affiliated with Nazis.
The Albanese government has been told to take “urgent action” on poverty in the May budget after an inquiry heard evidence of women using rags because they could not afford pads or tampons, and people on income support struggling to survive.
A letter from one of the panel members of the Northern Territory’s fracking inquiry says the Fyles government has not fully implemented key recommendations, including those aimed at reducing the risk new gas developments pose for the climate.
The eSafety Commission says it is concerned about social media being “weaponised” during the Indigenous voice referendum, reporting a spike in abuse and vilification reported by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in recent times.
National Australia Bank has recorded a 17% surge in cash profit to $4.07bn over a six-month period, underpinned by rising interest rates.
Have a lovely evening, everyone. We will be back with you tomorrow morning.
Updated
Voice referendum will be the biggest electoral event in Australia’s history
The electoral commission says the coming voice referendum will be the biggest electoral event in Australia’s history, and potentially the most complex.
The Australian electoral commissioner, Tom Rogers, told the Senate inquiry that they expected 17.2 million voters to cast ballots in the referendum, the most of any electoral event in the nation’s history.
He also noted “increasing and divisive social media commentary”, as well as the large number of voters, combining “to make this one of the most complex events the AEC has ever delivered”.
Updated
