TRANSCRIPT
- The PM faces questions on viability of AUKUS following tariffs
- Record number of people enrolled for the upcoming federal election
- Melbourne United strike two-year deal with Fabijan Krslovic
The Prime Minister has faced multiple questions around the viability of Australia's submarine deal with the United States and the UK, following the United States' global tariffs.
The questions follow concerns that tariffs imposed on Australia will make the manufacturing of submarines far more expensive.
Anthony Albanese says he's confident about the AUKUS deal, insisting repeatedly that he supports the existing arrangements Australia has with the United States.
"I'm confident about AUKUS because I've had those firsthand discussions with the President of the United States, and also with more than a hundred members of Congress and the Senate during my state visit to the United States. I'm also confident that people, when they make an assessment, know that this is in Australia's national interest, but it's also in the national interest of the United States."
The Prime Minister added that while the election caretaker period is a factor in Australia's negotiations with the United States, the government continues to engage with the US.
Mr Albanese says he welcomes the President's comments overnight that he's willing to negotiate with countries under 10 per cent baseline tariffs.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton says he wants to be the Prime Minister of Australia who can restore home ownership and strengthen small businesses in the country.
Speaking at a Leadership Matters breakfast in Perth, Mr Dutton says it's unreasonable that older Australians are working for longer to support their children with monthly home loan repayments.
The Opposition leader cited his party's fuel excise cuts and $5 billion housing grants program, but says the Coalition is best placed to address this issue because of their economic and business expertise.
He also flagged policy to support small business.
"I'd watched the highs and lows of the eighties and nineties where the building industry was in bust and boom, and I want to create an environment for other 19 and 20 and 21 and 25 year olds to see that a reality for them as well. We've said that we want to provide instant asset write off to small businesses to make sure that they can invest and defray some of the tax that they might have to pay at year's end."
A record number of people are expected to have their say in the upcoming federal election.
The number of people enrolled to vote has reached a new high as the Australian Electoral Commission confirms the figure is over 18 million with three weeks until Australians cast their ballots at the May 3 poll.
Compared to the 2022 election, about 870,000 more people have been enrolled, representing a five per cent rise.
The vast majority of this growth came from those who have turned 18 and were enrolling to vote for the first time.
The electoral commission will conduct the ballot draws for candidates at midday today.
A woman has given birth to another person's baby after their fertility care provider mixed up their embryos.
Clinic Monash IVF, which operates across Australia, has apologised after a patient at one of its Brisbane clinics had an embryo incorrectly transferred to her, meaning she gave birth to a child of another woman.
The error was identified in February after the birth parents requested their remaining embryos to be transferred to another IVF provider.
The company said in a statement that instead of finding the expected number of embryos, an additional embryo remained in storage for the birth patients - with an investigation confirming an embryo from a different patient had been incorrectly thawed and transferred to the birth parents.
The birth parents were notified of the mistake within a week of the incident being discovered.
Lawyer Sam Macedone told Channel Nine the mistake creates serious legal complications.
"It's a very complicated situation because she's the birthing mother and she's been looking after the child for two or three months or whatever. So the question now is whether, if it's someone else's egg, can she apply to have the child transferred to her by way of adoption or otherwise, if it's her egg, can the donor, if he knows who he is, make a claim for access at other situations? It's a very complicated area. There's no precedent."
Monash IVF chief executive Michael Knaap apologised for the mistake and said the company would continue to support the patients.
And in basketball,
Melbourne United have bolstered their side with the addition of NBL title winner Fabijan Krslovic on a two-year deal.
A 199-game veteran, Krslovic was part of the Tasmania JackJumpers line-up that pipped United for the 2024 championship.
The 203cm player brings a wealth of experience and rebounding power to Melbourne, who have been runners-up for the past two seasons.
