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Federal Education Minister Jason Clare has accused Peter Dutton of misunderstanding the value of the federal education department, after the Opposition leader raised the possibility of sweeping job cuts.
The Opposition Leader has said the Coalition would not cut overall school funding from current levels if elected, but argues cuts to parts of the federal education department are possible.
Mr Dutton says he is considering making school funding conditional upon whether states pledge to get rid of what he calls a "woke" agenda that he believes has affected schooling.
But Minister Clare says Mr Dutton doesn't understand what he would be cutting.
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A re-elected Labor government would advocate for a real wage increase for Australia's three million lowest paid workers.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the move is the right thing to do.
In a submission to the Fair Work Commission [[as part of its annual wage review]], Labor is arguing that the minimum and award wages be increased in an "economically sustainable" way.
It says a real wage increase should be consistent with inflation returning sustainably to the Reserve Bank’s target band of between 2 and 3 per cent.
Visiting a childcare centre in the Melbourne suburb of Croydon South, Mr Albanese says staff there would benefit from the push for a wage increase
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The Opposition Leader, Peter Dutton, says he would be better than Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in dealing with U-S President Donald Trump.
The White House says Mr Trump has been receiving phone calls from world leaders seeking exemption ahead of a new wave of tariffs to be announced in coming hours - on what Mr Trump has called Liberation Day.
A lot remains unknown about the scope of the new trade tariffs and how they will actually be implemented, but businesses, consumers and investors have expressed concerns about an intensifying global trade war.
Mr Dutton says Mr Albanese is perceived overseas as being weak.
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Flood-hit communities in Queensland New South Wales continue to experience heavy rainfalls.
The Bureau of Meteorology is warning that will see the flood risk extend to last weeks.
Flooding in the region is considered the worst in more than 50 years.
The movements of ex-tropical cyclone Dianne has triggered evacuations in rural communities in Queensland and New South Wales - with impacts also forecast for remote communities near the Northern Territory's Alice Springs and Uluru.
Dean Narramore, from the Bureau of Meteorology, says the higher water levels in the river systems will lead to more flooding.
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Federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against the man accused of fatally shooting the UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel in December.
In a statement, US Attorney General Pam Bondi says she has directed federal prosecutors to seek the penalty for what she called a "premeditated, cold-blooded assassination".
Luigi Mangione has been charged in both New York state and US federal court.
His lawyer has sought clarity on how simultaneous federal and state charges would work, calling the situation "highly unusual."
Attorney Danny Cevallos is the co-founder of criminal defence law firm, Cevallos & Wong.
He told MSNBC it is a significant development.
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In sports, the Australian Olympic Committee has announced the organisation's new CEO will be former Labor senator Mark Arbib.
He replaces Matt Carroll whose eight-year tenure ends next month.
Mr Arbib was the Federal Minister for Sport for the two years until 2012, which saw him create the National Anti-Match-Fixing policy.
A-O-C President Ian Chesterman says the appointment ensures the Olympic Movement in Australia is in great hands, and that the organisation is well-positioned to maximise the opportunities on the road to Brisbane and beyond.
