And that’s where we’ll leave you this evening. Here’s a snippet of what we learned today.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese attended the inaugural mass and met His Holiness Pope Leo XIV.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Australia to put more sanctions on Russia.
Albanese said he continues to put pressure on Russia to secure the release of Oscar Jenkins.
The electorate of Bradfield will go to an automatic recount after independent Nicolette Boele defeated Liberal Gisele Kapterian by 40 votes.
Greens leader Larissa Waters says the upcoming North West shelf decision will be the new environment minister’s first test on climate.
The boss of the federal climate change department is the latest senior public servant to call it quits after the election.
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, says there will be “no new taxes” in tomorrow’s state budget.
NSW’s rent reform is “the biggest step forward for renters in a generation” according to the state’s premier Chris Minns.
A major Australian energy company acknowledged that carbon offsets do not prevent or undo damage caused by greenhouse gas emissions and apologised to its customers.
ABC managing director Hugh Marks appointed Freya Campbell as director of communications ahead of an expected overhaul of the public broadcaster’s operations.
Vodafone accused Telstra of “dramatically” overstating its reach by as much as 40% for more than a decade and misleading customers.
A major industrial manufacturer in Tasmania will pause production in a decision that could affect hundreds of workers in the north of the state.
Two bushwalkers have been rescued overnight after becoming stranded in bad weather and suffering from exposure in Mt Field national park.
More heavy rain and strong winds are on the way tomorrow for New South Wales, with frosty mornings and mostly clear days around much of the rest of the country.
Thanks so much for your company today. Join us again bright and early tomorrow for a state budget, an interest rates decision, and much, much more.
Updated
Pesutto admits he ‘should have handled things better’ in dealings with Deeming
Victorian Liberal MP John Pesutto has said he accepts he “should have handled things better” in his dealings with Liberal MP Moira Deeming.
Speaking to ABC Radio this afternoon, Pesutto said:
I’ve reached the process where I’ve accepted that, that I should have handled things better at the time … I do accept that on reflection, I think often about what I might have done differently or should have done better, and I accept that, but I want to assure our listeners that my purposes were always such that I wanted the party to be the best it could be, the broadest it could be.
As we reported earlier, Pesutto’s friends launched a GoFundMe on Friday, just hours after the former opposition leader was ordered by the federal court to pay $2.3m in legal fees following his loss in a defamation case brought by Deeming.
A second, fake GoFundMe, purporting to be him, was also “launched without consent”, Pesutto said.
Pesutto said he is “doing everything I can to possibly avoid” being declared bankrupt, which would make him ineligible to sit in parliament.
Updated
Major Tasmanian smelter to pause operations
A major industrial manufacturer in Tasmania, the Liberty Bell Bay smelter, will pause production in a decision that could affect hundreds of workers in the north of the state.
The facility, which produces alloys added to steel, is owned by GFG Alliance, headed by the embattled British businessman Sanjeev Gupta.
GFG bought the smelter in 2020. There were about 250 workers at the facility at the time.
The company has blamed challenges securing ore supplies, used to create alloys, for its decision to pause production.
A GFG spokesperson said:
Due to ongoing challenges with ore supply, Liberty Bell Bay has no option but to enter a period of limited operations.
Price volatility globally and the imposition of tariffs in the US have also impacted operations.
The Tasmanian government said in a statement:
The Tasmanian government has been and will continue to maintain very close contact with Liberty Bell Bay and the broader GFG Alliance group as it works through this situation.
We will respond accordingly with our focus on ensuring the well-being of the workers, suppliers, contractors and community impacted by this pause.
GFG’s steel operations in the South Australian town of Whyalla fell into administration earlier this year due to widespread financial problems.
First Dog on the Moon is here to teach us all about semicolons.
‘Troubling’ inquiry risks exacerbating antisemitism, advocates say
Jewish Australians have warned a “troubling” inquiry risks exacerbating antisemitism by focusing on just one form of racism.
A NSW parliamentary inquiry examining the issue of antisemitism began on Monday with evidence from Jewish groups across the political spectrum. But some advocates said the inquiry itself and potential subsequent action could stoke the fires of antisemitism by treating one form of racism separately from others.
Jewish Women 4 Peace Action Ready Group founder Stephanie Cunio told the inquiry:
It can fuel antisemitism by having a focus on racial hatred towards one group to the exclusion of others. It’s not helpful for us as Jews, and it really needs to be looked at broadly.
And it also isolates us, we’ve had a lot of problems with social cohesion between Jews and Muslims and Palestinians in Australia, and isolating it doesn’t help.
Cunio said spending time at an encampment at the University of Sydney that was protesting in response to Israel’s bombing and ground assault on Gaza was “uncomfortable” as a Jewish woman, but it helped her understand where the protesters were coming from, she said.
She stressed that being “uncomfortable” about the actions of the Israeli government was distinct from experiencing antisemitism or racism.
Her perspective contrasted with the Australasian Union of Jewish Students’ view of universities as “flashpoints for antisemitic activity”. The union said:
Given that the majority of Jewish Australians identify as Zionist, it is not credible to claim that threats or acts of hostility directed at ‘Zionists’ cannot also be acts of antisemitism.
Australia’s 39 universities unanimously endorsed a new definition of antisemitism in February. The definition includes harassment that impedes Jews’ ability to participate as equals in educational and social life. But it has been contested by human rights groups as curbing political speech.
Coalition of Women for Justice and Peace founding member Janice Caulfield said the scope and framing of the NSW inquiry was “troubling”, telling the inquiry:
It is built on a contested definition of antisemitism that risks conflating legitimate political expression with racial hatred.
The inquiry continues.
– AAP
Updated
The nail-biting contest in Bradfield continues.
At the start of the day, Liberal candidate, Gisele Kapterian, was in front of independent Nicolette Boele by a wafer-thin margin of just 43 votes but how quickly things can change in tight contests.
After a few hundred pre-poll ballots were counted, Boele is now 40 votes in front, though the margin could change over the next few days as the preference distribution and scrutineering processes begin.
The Australian Electoral Commission site shows all but two votes – postal ballots – have now been processed.
Either way, it is almost inevitable there will be a recount in Bradfield given how few votes there are between the lead candidates.
Updated
Frosty conditions forecast for eastern states
More heavy rain and strong winds are on the way tomorrow for New South Wales thanks to a low pressure trough lying off the east coast, while southern Australia can expect some cold mornings and cool winds, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Heavy rain, strong winds and large waves are likely to hit parts of the NSW coast, while the Hunter and mid north coast districts are expected to get the bulk of the rain. It will be showery and 21C in Sydney. Elsewhere in the state things are more settled, with morning frosts possible in the south followed by sunny days.
Severe frost is possible across Victoria tomorrow, followed by a dry and sunny day. Melbourne will get as low as 1C overnight, followed by a daytime maximum of 18C. The frosts will extend across South Australia, with Adelaide also expecting a sunny day and 18C. It will be cold and frosty farther south in Tasmania too, with Hobart looking at a top of 16C.
Queensland can expect morning fog across the southern inland with the possibility of frost and temperatures below 2C in some areas. A few showers about the south-east, but otherwise mostly dry and sunny, with 24C degrees expected for Brisbane. In Canberra, a top of 16C is expected with dry and partly cloudy conditions.
Western Australia will be mostly dry and sunny with Perth heading for 23C. There will be some morning frosts in central Australia, where temperatures are likely to drop below zero degrees overnight, followed by a cool and sunny day. It will be partly cloudy in Darwin and 31C.
You can watch the full forecast here:
Updated
Bradfield goes to automatic recount after independent defeats Liberal candidate by 40 votes
Nicolette Boele is the provisional winner in Bradfield, according to election analyst Ben Raue and ABC’s Antony Green, as the AEC reports there are no further votes to count. However, because the margin is so close – just 40 votes – it will go to an automatic recount.
Just an update. There are no votes left to count. Nicolette Boele is the provisional winner but Bradfield will go to an automatic re-count.
— Antony Green - elections (@AntonyGreenElec) May 19, 2025
Updated
Bushwalkers rescued after suffering from exposure in Tasmanian national park
Two bushwalkers have been rescued overnight after becoming stranded in bad weather and suffering from exposure in one of Tasmania’s national parks.
A search and rescue effort was launched on Sunday night after police received a message at about 10pm from a satellite device alerting them to the pair, who were found near Lake Newdegate in the Mount Field national park.
Acting Insp Paul Johns from Marine and Rescue Services said in a statement on Monday:
Two bushwalkers required assistance after becoming stranded at the Newdegate Hut due to suffering from the effects of exposure. The weather prevented the party from walking out of the area and concerns were held due to further deterioration of weather conditions.
The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was dispatched, however, due to weather conditions and cloud it was unable to safely land, and a search and rescue team was deployed to walk to the area.
The rescuers – two police rescue officers and two wilderness paramedics – reached the bushwalkers just before 3.30am this morning. The bushwalkers were treated and airlifted out by helicopter at 9am when the weather improved.
Johns said:
This rescue is an example of how it’s imperative to only bushwalk if you are prepared – both with physical capability, and equipment to keep you safe. Bushwalkers should always prepare for the worst, and carry sufficient warm clothing and food, and emergency communication devices.
Police reminded bushwalkers to heed weather warnings, to take precautions if they do venture out, including taking sufficient communication devices (mobile phones, charging banks and personal locator beacons), ensuring they have enough food, water, spare clothing and shelter, and to cancel plans when bad weather is due.
Updated
With that excitement of a shift in the dial of these close electorate contests, that brings our time together on the blog to an end and I now leave you in the excellent hands of Stephanie Convery.
As Sarah Basford-Canales flagged earlier, and climate 200 convener Simon Holmes à Court has pointed out on social media, we might still be far off knowing the final result in Bradfield as a recount might be on the cards. Typically, any margin of fewer than 100 votes is fair game to trigger a recount.
with the count winding down in #bradfield, @Nicolette_Boele is currently ahead… by just 20 votes.
— 💧simon holmes à court 🦋 (@simonahac) May 19, 2025
don't pop the champagne corks yet… hundreds of votes left to count, and then we can expect a recount. pic.twitter.com/vf0ANWsjqu
Bradfield independent takes 19-vote lead
The Australian Electoral Commission’s website shows Independent Nicolette Boele has pulled ahead of Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian by 19 votes in the electorate of Bradfield. The count continues with 268 votes remaining to be processed.
Updated
ABC managing director Hugh Marks has appointed Freya Campbell as director of communications ahead of an expected overhaul of the public broadcaster’s operations.
Marks, who began his five-year term in March, said earlier this month he is reviewing whether the ABC needs to “do everything” or could “spend our resources more wisely on doing fewer things better”.
Currently the executive director strategic communications at UNSW Sydney, Campbell will start at the ABC in July and replaces Nick Leys.
Campbell:
I’m excited to join the ABC at a time when trust in media has never been more important. Like so many Australians, I grew up with the ABC’s iconic 7PM News theme signalling the nightly ritual of trusted national and global news beamed into the family lounge room.
My media consumption across platforms has evolved over the years but the ABC has remained my preferred source of entertainment and information.
Interest rate cut would boost economy, Acoss head says
The Australian Council of Social Service (Acoss) is calling on the Reserve Bank of Australia to cut interest rates again tomorrow, to help ease financial pressure for people on low and modest incomes.
Acoss CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie said:
With inflation now consistently within the RBA’s target range, further interest rate reductions are clearly needed to avoid further harm to people under severe strain. Raising interest rates has dramatically increased financial stress among people with low and modest incomes. They need more relief – and fast.
Goldie said another rate cut would also deliver a much-needed boost to the economy.
In recent years people have seen their real incomes fall and economic growth has stagnated. In fact, the only thing that has kept us from recession is welcome and much-needed investment in essential publicly funded services like the NDIS, childcare and health.
Low unemployment is an opportunity, not a problem as some economic commentators suggest. There is no sign that reducing unemployment further would risk a fresh outbreak of inflation. The priority must be achieving the government’s agenda of inclusive full employment.
The RBA must cut rates to help ease financial pressure and get incomes growing again.
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AI chatbot will be used to analyse NSW housing data
Following from our last post, you may be wondering what the New South Wales government will actually do with its new AI tools.
The government has agreed to give data on development and rentals to the UNSW research collaboration to make it easier to track how fast new homes are being built and how tight the housing market might be.
Researchers can use them to model how different policy decisions would impact aspects of the housing crisis.
One of the new analytical technologies is a map tool with an AI chatbot feature, which allows users to ask simple questions about the housing data and then see that visualised and mapped out around the state – but for now, only members of the research collaboration are allowed to use it.
NSW residents interested in tracking the development applications around their suburb – and there are many, if community Facebook groups are any guide – will have to wait a little longer for their own mapping AI tools.
Updated
Fake GoFundMe account ‘launched without consent’, Pesutto says
Victorian Liberal MP, John Pesutto, says it “defies comprehension” that someone would create a GoFundMe account purporting to be him, as the target on another set up by his friends grows to $500,000.
Pesutto’s friends launched the GoFundMe on Friday, just hours after the former opposition leader was ordered by the federal court to pay $2.3m in legal fees following his loss in a defamation case brought by the Liberal MP Moira Deeming.
In a statement on Monday, Pesutto said he had been made aware of a second GoFundMe account “that purports falsely to be from me”. He went on:
This account is fake and has been launched without my knowledge or consent … I am grateful to friends and supporters who have launched a genuine GoFundMe page simply to help raise money so I can pay what I have been ordered to pay and continue serving the people of Hawthorn. Why anyone would try to sabotage these efforts defies comprehension.
Pesutto’s friends’ fundraiser says they are raising money to prevent a “worst-case scenario”, where Pesutto would have to declare bankruptcy.
If this were to occur, he would have to resign from parliament and a byelection in Hawthorn would be called in his seat of Hawthorn.
Their initial target of $70,000 has since grown to $500,000. Almost $120,000 has been raised since Friday.
Updated
Woodside gas project decision government’s first test on climate, Greens leader says
Greens leader Larissa Waters says the upcoming North West shelf decision will be the new environment minister’s first test on climate.
The environment minister Murray Watt earlier this morning confirmed he intends to stick to the current deadline of May 31 in handing down his decision on Woodside’s gas extension in WA’s north, after a six-year assessment process involving state and federal authorities.
Ahead of visiting WA today, Watt told ABC Radio:
I have had some preliminary briefings from my department about this last week. I’ll be expecting some more formal briefings in the next few days, so that I’ve got plenty of time to work through them and make that decision.
Waters made a statement on social media platform Blue Sky shortly after midday:
The North West shelf decision will be the Gov’s first test on climate: will they approve the dirty gas carbon bomb of Woodside’s Burrup Hub extension? You can’t protect the climate or nature by approving a project that would use 91% of the government’s net zero 2050 carbon budget.
The climate and environment crises are the defining issue of our time.
… The Greens are ready to work constructively with Labor in this parliament. Minister Watt will need to decide whether to work with the Greens to stop new coal and gas, or cosy up to the LNP and polluters to undermine the transition to clean, cheap, job-creating renewable energy.
Updated
Federal climate change boss quits
The boss of the federal climate change department, David Fredericks, is the latest senior public servant to call it quits after the election.
Fredericks announced his retirement as secretary of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) and from the commonwealth public service on Monday morning.
In a message posted to the department’s website, the veteran bureaucrat said it was “time for me to move to another phase of my life”, including spending more time with his children.
Retiring now also gives my successor the opportunity to engage with our ministers and lead the department as early as possible in the new term of the Albanese government.
Fredericks was tapped to lead the department after it was established when Labor returned to power in 2022.
Before that, Fredericks was Scott Morrison’s industry department secretary during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The departure comes less than a fortnight after Glyn Davis announced his decision to resign as Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet secretary, effective 16 June.
Updated
Sydney school locked down after reports man threatened staff
St Andrews Cathedral school in Sydney’s CBD was placed under lockdown by police this morning after reports a man had threatened staff.
Police said in a statement this afternoon that officers attended the school at about 9.45am after reports the man had returned to the campus.
Police searched the building, on the corner of Druitt and Kent Streets, with the assistance of specialist resources.
The man could not be located despite an extensive search of the grounds, police said, so the lockdown was lifted and the operation concluded.
An investigation is now under way and police are making inquiries to locate the man.
The school became the focus of media attention in 2023 after teacher Lilie James was killed by Paul Thijssen in the school’s sports centre where they both worked.
Updated
RBA rate cut could offer fix to housing shortages, Minns says
New South Wales premier Chris Minns has pointed to interest rate cuts as a potential fix for housing shortages while shying away from cutting taxes on developers or homebuyers in his upcoming state budget.
The Reserve Bank is expected to cut its key interest rate tomorrow, lowering borrowing costs, with another two cuts expected by the end of the year. Minns said that would help speed up housing supply growth:
Hopefully in the coming months, interest rates decline, access to finance and capital become cheaper, you will see people commit to finance and the capital they need for new housing.
Most local councils in Sydney are behind on their construction targets, recent data has indicated, with advocacy group Urban Taskforce claiming the Sydney region is already falling short by more than a third.
While high costs of building roads and utilities contribute to construction delays, Minns shied away from industry calls to cut developer taxes that cover infrastructure costs, though he didn’t rule out such a measure, saying: “The door will never be shut.”
The premier ruled out moving away from stamp duty paid on buying homes and replacing it with a land tax, speaking a month ahead of handing down the NSW budget, and a day before the Victorian government hands down its own.
Stamp or transfer duties are imposed on purchases of new homes, which some economists say drives up prices and stops people from moving to homes that better suit their needs. Victoria will tomorrow extend the tax break on the duty given to off-the-plan homebuyers and NSW already gives first-time buyers a break, but Minns said he wouldn’t scrap the tax and bring in a smaller annual land tax:
[Homeowners] have already paid an enormous amount to the NSW government in stamp duty, [so] if I turned around and said, “Thank you for that, we’ll use that, we appreciate it, now we want you to pay an annual land tax,” well, I think people would be absolutely furious.
Updated
AI map tools to track progress on NSW housing targets
Artificial intelligence analysis of housing and development will be used by the New South Wales government, premier Chris Minns has said.
New AI map tools are among those to be used and accessed by the state government, the University of New South Wales and industry and advocacy bodies in a new collaborative project, which Minns said would help track progress on housing targets. He said:
We will listen to it, we will grab data from it, we will implement it for positive change.
The technology at the new Housing Analytics Lab would be especially useful given the shortage of planning professionals, according to UNSW’s Prof Chris Pettit:
With technology moving at such a quickening pace and a shortage of planners and other built environment professionals, it is important we train them up and equip them with the right skills and knowledge to appropriately harness these emerging technologies.
In an apparent reference to US president Donald Trump’s funding threats against American universities, Minns said the sector was “essential” to solving social issues:
In some parts of the world universities are under a great deal of pressure. They’ve got hostile politicians questioning their worth, questioning their values, questioning their value to the taxpayers and their community but this lab shows universities are absolutely essential institutions.
Updated
Fisherman bitten by dingo in knee-deep water
A fisherman has been bitten in knee-deep water by a dingo before using his rod to scare off the animal at a popular tourist destination.
The dingo was nearly fully submerged when it bit the man on the back of the leg while he was fishing at K’gari, formerly Fraser Island, in south-east Queensland, rangers said.
The man was fishing alone in the water when he was approached from behind by the dingo near Eurong about 11.30am on Friday, AAP reports.
A Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation statement said:
[The dingo] bit him on the back of the leg, resulting in two puncture wounds and a small superficial laceration which required basic first aid treatment.
The man used his fishing rod to push the dingo away after being bitten. The statement continued:
He was wearing a fishing bag containing a fish, and rangers believe the dingo may have been attracted by the smell.
Rangers have also received reports of dingoes loitering around people fishing on the island “in the hope of getting a free feed”.
They warned dingoes were known to steal fish and bait from anywhere they could scavenge, including vehicles and straight off someone’s line.
Rangers reminded people fishing on the island to stay close to the water’s edge when reeling in a catch and to avoid dragging it across the sand.
Updated
Bradfield and Goldstein vote counts continue
All eyes are on Bradfield and Goldstein today as the final ballots are sorted and counted more than a fortnight after the federal election.
In Sydney’s north shore seat of Bradfield, the gap between Liberal candidate, Gisele Kapterian, and teal independent challenger, Nicolette Boele, is just 50 votes. The Australian Electoral Commission’s site shows there are still 461 votes to be processed that could decide the final result.
The AEC can decide to recount the ballots in contests where the margins are particularly slim. It happened before in the 2016 election when there was fewer than 100 votes between the two final candidates in the northern Queensland seat of Herbert.
Typically, any margin of fewer than 100 votes is fair game to trigger a recount.
And in Goldstein, the gap between the Liberals’ Tim Wilson and independent incumbent Zoe Daniel remains at 206 votes with a few hundred to be counted. The final votes would have to weigh heavily in Daniel’s favour for her to lead at this point but anything can happen, so watch this space.
Updated
Telstra rejects claim it misled the public about the size of its network
Following from the previous post: TPG group executive Kieran Cooney said the allegations were “alarming” and would have cost his company customers. He said:
It appears Telstra has tricked Australians into paying top dollar for coverage they simply can’t get on a regular mobile phone.
We are calling on them to make it right ... Telstra’s conduct could have misled consumers into believing they can get coverage in places that require special equipment.
Specifically, TPG alleged Telstra claimed its mobile network was around one million square kilometres greater than it was because it based its figures on the use of an antenna and repeater.
It also said the network covered 99.7% of the population based on using those same devices.
Telstra recently updated its coverage claims to note that the 99.7 % mark required an external antenna.
The telco has been contacted for comment. The ABC has reported Telstra admitted it updated its website after being contacted by Vodafone but said any suggestion it had misled the public about the size of our network was “completely untrue”.
- AAP
Updated
Vodafone alleges Telstra overstated its network coverage reach by as much as 40%
Australia’s biggest telecommunications company is facing allegations it misled customers by inflating claims of how far its network reached, AAP reports.
In claims levelled by rival telco Vodafone, Telstra is accused of “dramatically” overstating its reach by as much as 40% - for more than a decade.
Vodafone, along with parent company TPG Telecom, said Telstra advertised its coverage based on a signal strength customers could only get if they used a special external antenna and a powered repeater that is usually installed on a vehicle or building.
Its rival said network coverage claims should be based on signal strength a mobile phone would usually get without any extra devices.
Updated
Alarm voiced over surge in FoI rejections
Transparency and integrity experts have voiced alarm over the increasing rate at which freedom of information requests are being rejected.
FoI is a critical tool for holding government to account and ensuring transparency of government information.
On Sunday, Guardian Australia revealed FoI refusals are at record rates, with 27% of Foil rejected outright in the December 2024 quarter. That’s a high not seen since at least 2014-15, data shows.
Transparency International Australia has voiced alarm about the increasing refusal rates. Its chief executive, Clancy Moore, said:
Given the Albanese’s government commitment to transparency, open government and integrity, there is a clear argument to introducing stronger consequences for unlawful refusals, increase funding to the FoI teams and the OAIC, and continue work to foster a culture of openness and transparency in the public sector.
Updated
Victoria debt forecast will not reach $200bn, treasurer says
On her commitment to no new taxes, Symes is asked whether there will be increased taxes. She says:
There is nothing in the budget that changes the tax settings … any of those that would be going up in the ordinary policy, CPI and the like - we have not changed any of the tax settings for tomorrow’s budget.
She also confirms debt forecasts will not reach $200bn. Labor sources had told us the government was “desperate” to avoid hitting that figure. Symes says:
The aggregate will be revealed tomorrow but it won’t start with a 2.
She also says spend on infrastructure will also go down:
Once this [Metro Tunnel] opens, once West Gate Tunnel opens, once Footscray hospital opens, Frankston hospital, 100 new schools …
We are the most attractive state in the country for people to want to move to, so we need to make sure we’re keeping ahead of that growth but it will be less than the peaks [of] last year [and the year] before, and that’s important also because it enables us to meet the next steps, ensuring that debt to the economy is starting to stabilise and then indeed reduce.
Updated
Victorian treasurer on reduction of ‘several thousand’ public sector jobs
Symes says the interim recommendations of the review into the public sector, being led by Helen Silver, will be reflected in the budget, with “thousands” of public sector jobs to go.
We are anticipating several thousand reduction in VPS staff, so for public service, not frontline services.
She said further changes would be introduced as a result of Silver’s final report in June. Symes says:
We have been able to identify initial savings in this year’s budget as a result of some of the decisions that we are taking on the initial advice of Helen, but there will be more advice, and it will become clearer as the final report is released.
She confirmed the final report will include “a comprehensive entity review that is looking at duplication across the public service, how it interacts with the federal government and the like”. Symes says:
We have more entities than I think we need. Helen agrees.
Updated
Free public transport for under-18s will be ‘game changer’, Victorian education minister says
The education minister, Ben Carroll, is speaking about the plan announced yesterday to make public transport free for under-18s from 1 January. He says it follows advocacy from the social services sector:
This is something we’ve been committed to working on for nearly 10 years. If you go right back to 2016 … a $175,000 [investment] in the city of Wyndham saw it being trialed across 13 schools and some 266 students and what that led to was increased participation, increased punctuality, low student behavioural issues. So it’s been proven over and over again, both in Victoria, in Melbourne’s west, but also around the world - free public transport really does deal with that barrier to access to education and transport. Poverty is a real issue out there for many of our communities. We’ve trialed it in Melbourne’s west and then to be bringing it to right across the state that … is going to be a game changer.
Updated
‘No new taxes’ in tomorrow’s budget, Victorian treasurer says
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, and her treasurer, Jaclyn Symes, and deputy, Ben Carroll, are holding a press conference at the site of the yet-to-open Metro Tunnel’s Parkville station, ahead of tomorrow’s state budget.
Allan says the budget is focused on “families”, “responsible decision making” and the “future of our great state”. She goes on:
Tomorrow’s budget will confirm the first operating surplus for the state of Victoria since the pandemic. We committed to a budget surplus and that is what we are delivering with tomorrow’s state budget, the first since the pandemic, and also to at the same time through that responsible settings, making sure that we’re providing that real cost of living help right now for working people and families.
However, it is worth noting the surplus of $600m is much smaller than the $1.6bn forecast in December’s mid-year budget update.
Symes also confirms there will be no new taxes following feedback from business groups:
I’ve been the treasurer for five months, and I have been listening, meeting, conducting a lot of conversations with industry, with business, and listening to their wants and needs. The message I heard loud and clear from the business sector … was no more taxes. I can confirm in tomorrow’s budget there will be no new taxes.
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EnergyAustralia statement sends message that ‘greenwashing’ is over, advocates say
Parents for Climate’s chief executive, Nic Seton, said it was a “historic acknowledgement”, a “huge step forward” for the company’s 1.6m customers and sent “a powerful message that the era of unchecked greenwashing is over”.
EnergyAustralia’s statement makes clear that offsets should not be used as a license to pollute. It is no longer tenable to market polluting products as ‘carbon neutral’ and lead customers to believe that by signing up they are doing good for the planet.
Seton said the case was not just EnergyAustralia’s program, which ended in July 2024.
It’s about holding companies to a higher standard across the board. Greenwashing isn’t harmless. It’s costing families money, delaying climate action, and eroding trust.
Both Parents for Climate and EnergyAustralia said the settlement followed questions about whether the federal government Climate Active program, which certifies carbon offsets, was delivering what it promised.
EnergyAustralia’s chief customer officer, Kate Gibson, said the company participated in the Climate Active certified carbon offset program “in good faith” but now accepted there is “legitimate public concern about the efficacy of these programs”.
Carbon offsets should not be used to delay or diminish the important work that needs to be done to actively decarbonise. EnergyAustralia is now focused on more effective ways of helping its customers to directly reduce the emissions associated with their energy use.
Updated
EnergyAustralia acknowledges carbon offsets do not prevent or undo damage caused by emissions
A major Australian energy company has acknowledged that carbon offsets do not prevent or undo damage caused by greenhouse gas emissions and apologised to its customers as part of an out-of-court settlement with a climate advocacy group.
More than 400,000 Australians had signed up to EnergyAustralia’s “go neutral” carbon offset program that since 2016 had promised to offset emissions released due to their electricity and gas consumption.
The advocacy group Parents for Climate launched legal action in the federal court in 2023, alleging the company had engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct by claiming it was reducing emissions on behalf of its customers, including by buying international carbon offsets.
The case, which was the first time a large Australian energy company had faced legal action for alleged greenwashing, was set to begin last week before a settlement was reached.
In a statement, EnergyAustralia said it acknowledged that carbon offsetting was “not the most effective way to assist customers to reduce their emissions” and apologised to “any customer who felt that the way it marketed its go neutral products was unclear”.
The company’s statement, agreed as part of the settlement, said:
While offsets can help people to invest in worthwhile projects that may reduce greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere, offsets do not prevent or undo the harms caused by burning fossil fuels for a customer’s energy use. Even with carbon offsetting, the emissions released from burning fossil fuels for a customer’s energy use still contribute to climate change.
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Jane Hume urges Liberals not to abandon net zero target
Meanwhile, Liberal senator Jane Hume has urged the party not to abandon its net zero target as divides over climate and nuclear energy policies threaten the Coalition’s election rebuild.
Hume told Sky News this morning that policies were a matter for each party room, but her personal opinion was to keep net zero.
The electorate has sent us a very clear message what it is that they want in their government.
Abandoning net zero I don’t necessarily think is consistent with that.
- AAP
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‘You can’t get to net zero without nuclear energy,’ David Littleproud says
The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, says “you can’t get to net zero without nuclear energy”.
Littleproud has told the Sunrise program this morning that his discussions with newly elected Liberal leader Sussan Ley on net zero have been “more elongated than normal” due to Ley’s mother’s death over the weekend.
In respect of net zero, that’s a separate discussion that each party room will have at some juncture, that they’ll take a different process to ours, but our policy has been to support it. There are other issues that we’re working through, and I’ll do that when it’s respectful and rightful time to deal with Sussan, and I’m very mindful of that after having just lost a mother.
Pressed whether his party still supports net zero and whether they are still pushing for nuclear, Littleproud said:
I think you can’t get to net zero without nuclear energy. Now, whether it’s specifically the policy that we took around government-owned or whether it’s simply removing the moratorium on it, I think you have to be pragmatic. You cannot do an all-renewables approach and keep the economy going.
Despite Littleproud’s “all renewables” line it is worth noting Labor’s energy plan isn’t all renewables. It says the electricity grid would be largely renewable energy, but backed by “firming” support from batteries, pumped hydro and fast-start gas plants.
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Here is the video if you want to check out Albanese meeting the pope:
‘It’s just instinct’: off-duty officer leaps to rescue of two people off Mornington Peninsula pier
Senior police constable Frank Ferreria was enjoying a walk with his family along Rosebud Pier on Sunday afternoon, prior to commencing his overnight shift, when he noticed a man and a boy in trouble in the water.
The 31-year-old man and 15-year-old boy had been on a family outing and decided to go into the water about 4.10pm. The teenager, who had little to no swimming experience, quickly got into trouble and as the adult attempted to help, both began swallowing water and drifting away from the pier.
Ferreria jumped into the water fully clothed and managed to pull both people to safety, returning them to the pier where they were treated by paramedics.
The ambulance officers in attendance said without the off-duty member’s actions they fear both swimmers may have lost their lives, Victoria police said.
Senior sergeant Rachel Jones said the “incredibly humble” Ferreria turned up to work this evening like nothing had happened, going about his regular duties.
Ferreria said:
It certainly wasn’t how I expected to get ready for work but I’m happy to have been able to assist. I don’t think I did anything overly heroic. I saw some people in trouble and it’s just instinct to dive in there and try to help.
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Sussan Ley says Coalition policies up for review but ‘our values are not’
In that op-ed Ley carries on the sporting analogy to describe how the Coalition will regroup, as “preseason is about to begin and I know my team is hungry to get to work”.
A diversity of opinions is not, as many commentators would have you think, a sign of weakness. My team cares about the future of our party because it knows we have the right values to keep Australians strong and secure.
As leader, I have committed to a full assessment of why we lost the election.
… Our policies are up for review. But our values are not.
The Liberal party I lead will not be altering our enduring commitment to what is best for Australia’s national interest. We will always stand for lower, simpler and fairer taxes – not as an economic ideology but because we trust people to spend their own money more than we do the government.
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Sussan Ley says election loss like like losing footy grand final
Sussan Ley, as the recently elected leader of the opposition, has attempted to grapple with her party’s resounding defeat by deploying a sporting analogy in an op-ed published today in the Australian.
In it, Ley writes: “if you are one of the millions of dedicated footy fans… you will know you can’t always be on the winning side.”
As a Sydney Swans supporter I know after the loss of a grand final, when you get towelled up you don’t give up.
You don’t drop your team or your belief in it either. You get a bag of ice, you watch the tapes and you get to work rebuilding.
You do the work to come back stronger and faster next season.
… Australians sent a clear message at the election. We must listen, change and develop a fresh approach. To take a term from footy, we need to look at our system.
We need to understand what sort of team we are, and we need to come up with a new agenda to take to the Australian people.
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Albanese: ‘Australian people need to be proud of the way that we are seen in the world’
Speaking further about his discussions with world leaders, Albanese reflected on the way in which “Australia is really highly regarded” by the international community:
The Australian people need to be proud of the way that we are seen in the world. We’re straight talkers, we get things done, we’re a multicultural nation. There is no nation that you meet with who doesn’t say I’ve got a nephew, I’ve got someone who I went to school with, I have someone, a connection directly with Australia, that’s a big plus for us.
… I think in Australia sometimes … we talk ourselves down a bit. And part of my job as Australia’s prime minister, and as an optimist, is to talk Australia up. We can have an impact on the world. And the discussions that I had with people, whether they were longer ones, such as with Prime Minister Carney, or shorter ones, were all very warm. That is what we have very much in common.
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Albanese says discussion with pope was ‘personal’ and ‘very warm’
What did Albanese say to the pope when he met him?
It was a very warm discussion. I was introduced to him as the Australian prime minister. He expressed a warmth about Australia, and I told him that it was a great honour for me to be there.
I spoke to him about my mother, [who] is I’m sure looking down from heaven with the biggest smile she’s ever had. The fact that her son was at the inaugural mass of a pope in the Vatican was quite extraordinary. So for me it was a very personal moment as well, and it was a personal discussion. It was very warm.
He expressed his affection for Australia and I told him that Australia’s 5m Catholics would be watching and wishing him well in his pontificate.
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Albanese did not speak with JD Vance in Rome
Albanese says he did not speak with JD Vance while he was at the inauguration:
He arrived quite late, in terms of just prior to the mass taking place, as you will have seen.
Albanese said he had not reached out for a bilateral meeting.
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Albanese says he sought Zelenskyy’s support for Oscar Jenkins
Albanese was also asked if he made any specific requests to Zelenskyy to include Oscar Jenkins part of a potential prisoner swap in the future, and responded:
What we did was to raise in a diplomatic way, seek Ukraine’s further support for Oscar Jenkins. And certainly we had a discussion about not just Oscar Jenkins but other cases as well.
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Asked about Zelenskyy’s request for further sanctions on Russia, Albanese said:
We have 1,400 sanctions currently against individuals or against Russian companies. We continue to look at whatever we can do to place pressure on Russia. It’s important as well that we continue to send the message to the globe that we stand with Ukraine.
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Albanese is asked about extent of Australia-EU defence cooperation
Albanese was also asked about Ursula von der Leyen’s comments about defence, and whether what she’s suggesting would tighten Australia’s coordination of its defence efforts with Nato?
Look this was just a suggestion that Ursula von der Leyen raised, there was no detail further, just it was really an assertion of Europe’s values being consistent with Australia’s values, and in what ways could we explore further defence cooperation.
Pressed further on whether he interpreted her comment in the context of defending, or helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia, Albanese said:
I wouldn’t over-read what Ursula von der Leyen’s statements were, and so I think that would be not accurate. It was a suggestion by the president that the relationship was based upon not just economic relations but based upon our values and part of [those] values is for support for international rule of law. And it’s no accident that Europe has defended the Ukrainian people and so has Australia. We will stand up for their international rule of law.
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Albanese in talks on EU free trade deal, hopes agriculture issues ‘can be overcome’
Albanese has done a doorstop interview in Rome where he began reflecting on attending the pope’s inauguration, as well as discussions he has had while there on the possibility of advancing the Australia-EU free trade agreement.
I was very honoured personally to be there, I found it an incredible privilege and it was good that Australia was represented at the highest level. And I was also very honoured to be able to have a brief discussion with Pope Leo in Saint Peter’s basilica after the mass was held. I look forward to further discussions in the near future with Pope Leo.
… In addition to that was an opportunity to introduce myself to a range of world leaders who I hadn’t met before and to have brief discussions on behalf of Australia.
Since then, we’ve had two bilateral meetings with Ursula von der Leyen of the European Union. We spoke about the importance of free and fair trade, spoke about our respective trade representatives, in our case of course, Senator Farrell, seeing if we can advance the Australia-EU free trade agreement. We know that there were issues in the past over agriculture and we’re hoping that they can be overcome.
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Victoria to record surplus but $1bn below forecast
The Victorian budget, which will be handed down tomorrow, will record the state’s first surplus since before the pandemic – but it’s $1bn lower than what was forecast just five months ago.
The government this morning released some budget figures early, including an operating surplus of $600m in 2025-26. This falls short of the anticipated $1.6bn operating surplus that was forecast in December’s mid-year economic update.
However, the government says its forecast operating surpluses of $1.9bn in 2026-27 and $2.4bn in 2027-28 are an “improvement” from the December update.
The premier, Jacinta Allan, says the government was delivering the “first budget surplus since the pandemic” but at the same time proving “real help to ease the cost of living right now”.
The government says it is also on track to stabilise debt levels and reduce the ratio of net debt to Victoria’s gross state product, which is a measure of the state’s total economic output.
The treasurer, Jaclyn Symes, says:
This is just the beginning. From here net debt will continue to fall as a share of the economy, and we will see continued surpluses in the years to come - allowing us to continue to provide services and infrastructure that Victorians need.
The budget will show net debt as a share of the economy will begin to decline after peaking in 2026-27 and keep falling beyond that. A peak in debt was something economist Zac Gross said he was hopeful to see, when we spoke with him for this piece:
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NSW rent reform 'biggest step forward for renters in a generation'
The Minns government says a “new era in stability and security” for the state’s 2.3m renters starts today with key changes including ending no grounds evictions.
From today the following legislation comes into force including that owners will now be required to provide a valid reason to end all lease types, tenants will now be able to apply to keep a pet in their rental home, and renters allowed to pay their rent using certain fee-free rent payment methods such as direct bank transfer.
Housing organisations have welcomed the new laws but warned in the months preceding today’s laws coming into effect they have been bracing for a spike in evictions.
The premier, Chris Minns, said:
Today marks a significant change which brings the rental market into the 21st century and makes renting fairer. More people than ever are renting, and they are renting for longer, so these reforms improve security and fairness in the rental market.
Minister for housing Rose Jackson said:
For too long, renters have lived with the fear of being kicked out for no reason. That ends today. … This is the biggest step forward for renters in a generation, we’re building a system that’s fair, modern and puts people first.
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Zelenskyy urges Australia to put more sanctions on Russia
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged Australia to put more sanctions on Russia, while prime minister Anthony Albanese says he continues to put pressure on Russia to secure the release of Oscar Jenkins in the pair’s meeting.
The prime minister’s office has released a transcript of the leaders’ meeting on the sidelines of the pope’s inauguration.
Zelenskyy congratulated Albanese on his “historical” election win, while Albanese reaffirmed Australia’s support for Ukraine’s struggle for their national sovereignty, and right to determine their own future.
We have been participants in the discussions that have been convened by Prime Minister Starmer and President Macron. It’s always at strange hours in Australia, some very late-night meetings that I have participated in. We’ve said that if a peace process emerges, we would consider being involved in a coalition of the willing. Until then we’ll continue to provide support.
… We’ve provided now around about $1.5bn dollars in support, primarily military and defence support.
Zelenskyy thanked Albanese “very much for your military support, for your strong words and supporting the coalition of the willing”. He went on to say:
Together we can really move this situation to closer to peace, with pressure on Russia. And we are very thankful for sanctions. I wanted to raise with you also this topic which is very important, to put more pressure, more sanctions on Russia.
Albanese concluded, thanking the Ukrainian leader “for what you have said with Mr Jenkins”.
The Russian so-called courts have brought down an outrageous ruling, and we continue to seek his freedom and his return to Australia, and we thank you for the assistance in that.
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Changes to corporate tax arrangements and policies to make it cheaper to meet climate targets will be examined as part of the Productivity Commission’s wide-ranging inquiries to boost the nation’s stagnating growth.
The commission has released a list of 15 priority areas to sharpen the focus of the five separate reports it is conducting into options to lift productivity across the economy.
Among the priority areas is corporate tax, with the commission asking for feedback on possible changes to “support business investment”.
Former industry minister Ed Husic last year floated the idea of cutting the corporate tax rate to boost productivity, in comments that were sidestepped by the treasurer, Jim Chalmers.
As part of its report into the clean energy transformation, the productivity commission will examine options to reduce the cost of achieving emissions reduction targets and how to speed up approvals of new energy infrastructure.
The commission’s chair, Danielle Wood, said:
Boosting productivity is the only sustainable way to improve Australians’ living standards, but productivity growth has stagnated in the past decade. It’s now at its lowest ebb in 60 years.
Productivity growth isn’t about working harder or about having more ‘stuff’. It’s about making the most of what we have – the skills and experience of our workforce, new technologies, and our resources – so we can get more out of our economy.
In a statement, Chalmers said flatling productivity was “one of the biggest challenges facing our nation”, which was why he commissioned the five reports late last year.
We’re determined to make Australia’s economy more prosperous and productive and this work from the PC is an important part of that process.
Consultation of the priorities will open on Monday and run until 6 June.
Interim findings will be released through July and August, with the final reports due to be handed to the government in December.
Eight people rescued from vehicles in NSW flood waters
The NSW SES has already had to rescue eight people in that area of the Hunter and mid north coast where coastal catchments have already responded to rainfall over the weekend.
All eight rescues were for people in flood waters in vehicles in northern NSW; all persons were safe and one was taken to hospital.
The SES has responded to 346 incidents statewide, with the majority (272) in the northern zone.
An SES spokesperson said:
We are expecting slow moving heavy rainfall to last several days across the mid north coast and Hunter regions, and we are anticipating minor to moderate flooding along coastal catchments.
We’re already seeing those coastal catchments respond quite quickly to rainfall over the weekend and, with the forecast heavy rainfall over the next few days, we’re anticipating renewed rises and many catchments to reach minor to moderate flooding.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast widespread 24-hour rainfall totals of 50 to 100mm. However, there is the possibility for isolated rainfall to exceed 180mm in 24-hour periods.
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Flood watches in place for rivers in Hunter and mid-north coast
Due to the prolonged period of wet weather for New South Wales – with rain expected to fall across the same regions for several days in a row – flood watches are in place for many rivers through the Hunter and the mid-north coast districts, where minor to moderate flooding is anticipated throughout the week, Hines says.
… and we can’t rule out the chance that one or two of them could see major flooding in the coming days.
Some of those rivers where flooding is expected include the Goulburn River, the upper Hunter River, the lower Hunter River, the Gloucester River, the Hastings River, the Nambuka River and the Bellinger River.
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NSW is wet, with a severe weather warning for mid-north coast to central coast
On to the weather in NSW, which has seen heavy falls over the weekend. Angus Hines, a senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, says it has been a particularly wet night for the northern suburbs of Sydney, the NSW Central Coast and up into southern parts of the Hunter area as well.
Since 9am on Sunday to 6am Monday, the heaviest falls have been 121mm at Wyee and 117mm at Dora Creek on the Central Coast, in Sydney 70mm recorded at Wahroonga and 62mm at Pearl Beach, and around Newcastle 87mm has fallen at Nobby’s Head.
A severe weather warning for heavy rainfall and damaging winds extends through much of the mid north coast district, Hines says, from about Kempsey southwards, and it goes down into the Hunter and even the Central Coast district south of Newcastle. Some of the urban areas included within that warning are Port Macquarie, Taree, Forster, Newcastle and Maitland.
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Watt says idea of a federal EPA has been ‘particularly contentious’
On whether he believes environmental approval should sit with the environment minister or an independent body such as a federal EPA, Watt apologises for sounding like a broken record, saying he needs to discuss the issue with different parties:
This is an area that has been particularly contentious, is what the powers of an independent EPA should be, whether they should be simply a compliance agency and an enforcement agency, or whether they should have approval powers for projects.
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Watt says he will approach environmental reform ‘in the spirit’ of Graeme Samuel review
Is labor committed to introducing national environmental standards to assess development applications against – as was recommended in the Graeme Samuel recommendations?
Watt says:
That was a key recommendation in Graeme Samuel’s review under Sussan Ley. And the way I do want to approach these reforms is in the spirit of Graeme’s recommendations.
He and his team at the time put in a massive amount of work. It did seem to get broad agreement across different interest groups about the sort of package of reforms that was needed. It seems to me to make sense to try to stick to the spirit of those reforms, but it’s a little early for me to commit to any particular recommendations at this point.
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Watt undecided on form environment bill will take
Watt is being asked more about specifics – whether he will continue Plibersek’s approach of trying to reform the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act in stages or look to legislate the reforms all together.
Watt says he hasn’t reached a concluded view but will test the issues with different stakeholders:
There would be some advantages in going along with a fairly similar bill to what we had last time, but obviously it would require some adjustments to get through – but equally I can see some advantages in trying to broaden out that reform and try to have a bigger reform package in one go.
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Murray Watt says his job is to build on environment work done by Tanya Plibersek
Murray Watt, the new environment minister, is talking on ABC Radio National about how his first job is to get environmental laws passed:
I’ve made calls to environment groups, mining groups, business groups, they all agree that we need change. So my job is to build on the work that Tanya [Plibersek] did as the minister and get these laws passed.
… I think that the election result did see a strong endorsement of Labor’s approach to environment environmental protection, which is that we can protect the environment and protect jobs. That’s what we want to do.
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Albanese meets leaders in Rome
Albanese’s flurry of meetings with world leaders while attending the pope’s inaugural mass were immortalised with formal pictures and Vatican-backdropped selfies:
Australia 🤝 Canada
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) May 18, 2025
Great to meet with Prime Minister @MarkJCarney at the inauguration of the Holy Father.
Our two countries have a strong history of cooperation on global issues. And we will work together on closer trade and a more secure Indo-Pacific. pic.twitter.com/lq5T18bUDw
Free trade means more jobs and a stronger economy.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) May 18, 2025
That’s why we’re working towards a free trade agreement with the European Union.
Today I met with EU Commission President @vonderleyen to discuss trade, and our work to support global peace and security. pic.twitter.com/KB4AdV4HAk
Австралія підтримує Україну – зараз і завжди.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) May 18, 2025
Слава Україні!
__
Australia stands with Ukraine, now and always.
Slava Ukraini!@ZelenskyyUa
🇦🇺🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/krIsh0418k
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Hearings begin to determine Qantas penalty for outsourcing of ground handlers
Qantas could be forced to pay more than $120m in penalties, as the final hearings begin of what has been a years-long, costly legal process after the airline was found to have illegally outsourced 1,820 ground handlers.
From Monday, a five-day hearing in the federal court will determine the financial penalty Qantas must pay over the 2020 outsourcing decision, in which the Transport Workers Union (TWU) – which brought the initial legal action that found the outsourcing had been illegal – will call for the maximum penalty of $121m to be ordered.
The outsourcing saga has already seen the airline agree to pay $120m in compensation to the affected workers as part of a deal reached in December, on top of the hefty legal fees covering its defence against the initial legal action brought by the Transport Workers Union as well as subsequent unsuccessful appeals to the full bench of the federal court and the high court.
If justice Michael Lee does decide on the maximum penalty, it would bring the cost of penalties and compensation to more than $240m, well above the $135m Qantas budgeted for in its half-year financial results released in February. It would cap off a costly 12 months for Qantas – in an entirely separate matter in May last year, the airline also agreed to a civil penalty of $100m and $20m in customer compensation for allegedly selling tens of thousands of tickets to flights that had already been cancelled.
Michael Kaine, the TWU national secretary, said the union is calling for the maximum penalty against Qantas to “reflect the scale of its decision” and ensure the financial burden of the legal process meant there was no remaining “business case” for the outsourcing.
Kaine said:
Not only was it an appalling act to get rid of a loyal workforce, it was the biggest case of illegal sackings in Australian corporate history. The penalty to Qantas must reflect this and send a message to every other company in Australia that you cannot sack your workers to prevent them from using their industrial rights.
You can read more about the outsourcing legal process here:
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Albanese spoke to pope of his mother ‘looking down from heaven’
What did Anthony Albanese choose to tell the Catholic leader when he met him?
After being taken into the basilica to greet the pope after the mass, AAP reports Albanese spoke to him about his mother:
I spoke to him about my mother who would be, I’m sure, looking down from heaven with the biggest smile she’s ever had.
Albanese, who was raised Catholic in a housing commission flat in Sydney, often references his late single-parent mother and her influence on his life.
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Good morning!
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says he has been honoured to attend the inaugural mass and meet His Holiness Pope Leo XIV.
While in Rome, Albanese also met with other world leaders on the sidelines, including the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, European Union president, Ursula von der Leyen, and Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Back home heavy rainfall, strong winds, hazardous surf and minor to moderate flooding is expected on the northern New South Wales coast throughout the first half of this week, the SES warns.
The slow-moving heavy rainfall is expected to last several days across the mid north coast and Hunter regions, with the SES having already had to rescue eight people.
More to come soon, let’s get going!
