TRANSCRIPT
Labor and the coalition have signed a deal on controversial legislation around electoral reform, with critics arguing the deal disadvantages crossbenchers.
Under the proposed reforms, Australians will only be able to dive $50,000 to political candidates and donations over $5000 must be declared.
The deal between Labor and coalition has cleared the path for the legislation to pass parliament by Thursday [[13/03]].
Crossbenchers say the reforms entrench incumbency, benefiting major parties while limiting the amount independents and crossbenchers can receive.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the changes are about getting big money out of politics.
"I think that getting big money out of politics and getting more transparency is important. That is Labor's view, but we have 25 votes out of 76 in the Senate"
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Police are now investigating a video showing two nurses saying they would rather kill than treat an Israeli patient.
The two nurses, who have since been fired, were wearing New South Wales Health uniforms when appearing in the video alongside an Israeli influencer, after being paired in a public live video chat.
David Ossip is the President of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, he says the video is alarming.
"It is of profound concern that individuals can brazenly proclaim that they have provided inferior medical treatment to individuals on the basis of their race or religion. And scandalously claim that they have killed certain patients, but just because they are Israeli and that that could be within the confines of the law. "
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A new report has found that after 28 years, only six per cent of the Bringing them home report recommendations have been clearly implemented.
The Bringing them home report was made to support Stolen Generation survivors and their families in 1997.
The new report, released by the Healing Foundation, recommends a National Healing Package of priority changes to enable remaining elderly survivors to live out their days with dignity.
The Healing Foundation’s C-E-O Shannan Dodson has told S-B-S that action is urgently required.
"What we're really calling for is all political parties, all governments, churches, institutions, anyone that has contact with Stolen Generation to survivors to commit to a national healing package. Because the reality is that survivors are dying on a daily basis, we've already lost too many survivors this year in the last few weeks alone. And we really need to ensure that there's this urgent and prioritised action for survivors before it's too late."
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The Greens say HECS debt should be cancelled altogether, as changes to lending requirements involving HECS debt seek are introduced in order try and to make home ownership more achievable for Australians.
At the request of federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers, financial regulators have today [[12/02]] agreed to clarify guidance to lenders and tell banks they can reduce serviceability and reporting requirements for HECS debts.
Previously, requirements were holding banks back from providing mortgages to some prospective borrowers - with banks citing uncertainty around how to treat student loans when calculating a borrower's income.
While many are welcoming the changes, Greens Senator Penny Allman-Payne says ignoring the debts won't fix the problems.
"A much better option than ignoring a HECS debt would be to wipe the HECS debts altogether. We know that HECS debts have blown out of control for young people in this country, and they are a real weight around the neck of young people who are trying to move forward with their future."
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The federal opposition says the federal government should not buy embattled Rex Airlines if a private buyer cannot be found
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the government is considering the purchase of the regional carrier, among a range of other options.
Should Rex be nationalised, it would mark the first time in three decades that the government has owned an airline, after Qantas was privatised in 1995.
But National Party leader David Littleproud says the aviation industry should be dealing with their problems themselves, rather than relying on the government to bail them out.
"I don't want the taxpayer to have to prop up what should be a commercially viable enterprise. The reality is we're to prove that until they took a change of course, and it's difficult for then other smaller aviation companies to actually compete with the Australian taxpayer if we enter it. So what needs to happen is that we need to accelerate the process to allow the solution to be created by the aviation sector themselves. "
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Western Australia is bracing for strong winds and rain as Tropical Cyclone Zelia moves slowly towards the coast.
The Bureau of Meteorology says, after forming rapidly overnight [[12/02]], Cyclone Zelia is currently a category one and is situated 280km west of Broome.
The bureau says the weather system could strengthen to a severe category three by Friday.
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In cricket, Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc will miss the upcoming Champions Trophy tournament for personal reasons.
With captain Pat Cummins and also Josh Hazlewood out injured, it means the Australians will be missing their three best fast bowlers in the 50 over format.
Australia's first match in the tournament is on the 22nd of February against England in Lahore.
Meanwhile, one of the stars of Australia's recent Test series win in Sri Lanka is under a cloud.
Spin Bowler Matt Kuhnemann has been reported for a suspected illegal bowling action.
He'll now need to have his action tested to prove it is legitimate.
It is being reported he will be banned from bowling in international cricket until the testing takes place.
