The day that was, Monday 21 March
That’s where we will leave the live blog for Monday.
Here’s what made the news today:
- Peter Malinauskas was sworn in as the new premier of South Australia following Labor’s landslide win in the state election on the weekend.
- Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, could address the Australian parliament next week, Scott Morrison has indicated.
- Morrison also tempered expectations about a big cash splash in the budget next week, stating there wouldn’t be “knee-jerk” reactions to cost of living pressures in the election-eve budget, but there will be petrol price relief.
- Morrison held a virtual summit with Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, where the two leaders pledged greater cooperation between the two countries, including $280m in funding for new projects.
- Labor senator Kimberley Kitching has been remembered as “tough, determined and forensic” at a funeral service in Melbourne.
- There were six Covid-19 deaths reported, with 39,768 new cases, including 14,970 in NSW, 7,531 in Victoria, 6,206 in Queensland, 5,566 in Western Australia, 3,121 in South Australia, 1,304 in Tasmania, 898 in the ACT and 172 in the Northern Territory.
- One of the four NSW deaths reported was a two-year-old child who was previously well and did not have any major pre-existing health conditions.
Thanks for reading. We will be back with the news tomorrow.
Updated
Australia-India leaders virtual summit gets underway
Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, is opening the discussion with Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, at the virtual summit being held now.
He speaks about the Russian invasion of Ukraine:
Our region is facing increasing change and much pressure, and I think our Quad leaders call recently ... gave us the opportunity to discuss Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine, but it also gave us the opportunity to discuss the implications and consequences of that terrible event for our own region in the Indo-Pacific and the coercion and the issues that we face here.
The tragic loss of life underlines the importance, of course, of holding Russia to account, but cooperation between like-minded democracies. I welcome your leadership within the Quad to keeping us focused on those important issues.
Our comprehensive strategic partnership though reflects the ambition that we share and we hold for our relationship, and the pace and scale of that cooperation since we lifted ties back in 2020 has been remarkable, but I’m ambitious as I know you are to make it even closer – particularly when it comes to our economic cooperation which I hope we are able to advance further today.
The government is set to announce a range of funding for cooperation between the two countries including:
- $17.9m for a trade and skills package.
- A new consulate general in Bengaluru.
- $35.7m for a green steel partnership, and research on clean technologies.
- $25.2m to expand the Australian Space Agency’s international space investment initiative with India.
- $28.1m for a Centre for Australia-India Relations.
- A new high commission in Maldives.
Updated
