TRANSCRIPT
- The Prime Minister spruiks Labor's budget
- US President Donald Trump denies that security messages accidentally sent to a journalist contained classified information; and in football
- The coach of the Socceroos says the task now is to maintain the momentum after a win against China
The Prime Minister says Australians on an average income will be two-and-half thousand dollars better off* due to tax cuts unveiled in last night's federal budget.
Labor is set to deliver two more tax cuts in 2026 and 2027 - on top of the stage 3 measures that rolled out in 2024.
A worker on an average income will receive $268 from July 2026, rising to $536 in the following year.
The measure is projected to cost $17 billion over the next three years.
Other cost of living measures include a $150 energy bill rebate for every household, cheaper medications, and $8.5 billion to lift bulk-billing rates.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australians would feel a positive impact from the budget.
"Every Australian will get a tax cut and it builds on the tax cuts that have begun this year so that average workers will get $2,500 dollars as a result of the measures we’ve put in place. Measures that were opposed by the Opposition. They want to cut everything: cut your education, cut your health. The only thing they don’t want to cut is your taxes."
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Opposition Treasurer Angus Taylor says the Coalition will not support the government's tax cuts, labelling them an "election night bribe" that will do little to address Australians' falling standard of living.
Mr Taylor did not rule out the Coalition introducing tax cuts of its own, as Opposition leader Peter Dutton is expected to deliver his budget reply speech tomorrow.
Instead he said his party's economic blueprint would focus on cost of living measures and national security.
Mr Taylor says the government's budget would fail to relieve prices pressures for struggling families.
"No pathway back to the stand of living we had. In fact what we saw was an election night bribe. Seventy cents a day in a year's time. That is the best this Treasurer can do for Australians who are suffering as never before."
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Aged care workers can expect a wage increase if the Labor government wins the upcoming election.
$48.7 million over three years has been allocated in the federal budget to cover the cost of the increase in award wages.
This builds upon the $291.6 million over five years from 2024-25 to continue the delivery of aged care reforms and implementation of recommendations from the Royal commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
Nearly $50 million in additional funding is to go towards supporting First Nations organisations to deliver culturally appropriate aged care assessments.
Tom Symondson from Ageing Australia says they wanted to see more.
"We had called for investments in digital readiness, in making sure that our providers are ready to implement the new act on 1 July, and we'd also called for assistance to prepare themselves to take on huge numbers of new older people who are going to need care."
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US President Donald Trump says his administration will look into the use of social media app Signal by top White House officials.
It comes after revelations that Mr Trump's national security adviser, Mike Waltz, added a journalist to a Signal group chat discussing plans for military strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, earlier this month.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance and other top security officials were also in the group.
The journalist, Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg, did not reveal details of the strike at the time.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, President Trump defended Mr Waltz, while appearing to insult Mr Goldberg.
"The attack was totally successful. It was, I guess, from what I understand, took place during that it wasn't classified information. So this was not less of a now it's classified information. It's probably a little bit different. But I always say you get you have to learn from every experience. I think it was very unfair the way they attacked Michael. He's a good person. The person that was on it just happens to be a sleazebag."
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In football, Australia is a step closer to qualification for 2026 World Cup, after a 2-nil win against China.
Goals from Jackson Irvine and Nishan Velupillay helped to secure the result.
The win over China has meant Australia, retains the second automatic qualification spot in Group C.
Socceroos coach Tony Popovic says attention now turns to the crucial final games remaining in Group C - against Japan and Saudi Arabia in June.
"We were in front when we started the window; and can we stay there at the end of the window. So we did our part, we got six points. We extended our lead to three. So we're in a good position. It is in our hands, but we have to get the job done. Wonderful two games coming up. First to Japan in Perth. It will be a special match and we're looking forward to that."
