TRANSCRIPT
- The Prime Minister tells big supermarket chains to stop treating customers like fools
- The federal Opposition says its nuclear power plan is the only way to get to net-zero- by 2050
- Tony Popovic strikes a patriotic note, as he takes on the job of Socceroos coach
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says big supermarket chains have to stop treating customers like fools.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission say it will sue supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths for promoting misleading discounts on hundreds of everyday supermarket products.
Mr Albanese says there's no room for such behaviour, particularly with current cost of living concerns.
"Shoppers are on the hunt for discounts when they do their weekly grocery shop, because every dollar matters when people get to the check-out. Advertised discounts need to be genuine each and every time. Specials need to be real because household budgets are tight. I welcome the ACCC standing with supermarket shoppers."
This comes as Mr Albanese has unveiled the draft of his government's new mandatory Supermarket Code of Conduct.
Under the new Code will Aldi, Coles, Woolworths and Metcash will be subject to multimillion-dollar penalties if found to be in serious breach.
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Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton claims that nuclear energy is Australia’s only chance to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
While stopping short of detailing the upfront cost of his plan to establish more nuclear power plants, only calling it significant, he says nuclear energy will be cheaper and more consistent.
He says the government's current renewable-only plan is a disaster.
"When energy costs are high it's not only Australian homeowners and renters paying high power bills, your supermarket pays more to refrigerate food. Your baker, your butcher and cafe pay more to run their business. Our farmers pay more to grow and harvest their crops. Our manufacturers pay more to produce and to package goods. Our builders pay more to construct homes."
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The federal government has announced it will provide an additional $10 million in aid to the UN to help combat the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The aid will be particularly targeted at helping women and girls.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong says that rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian relief must reach civilians.
While agreeing the funding is crucial, Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi has urging the government to go further by imposing sanctions on Israel and stopping the two-way arms trade.
Since last October, Australia has committed 82.5 million dollars in humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
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Queensland’s new sexual consent laws have come into force – seeking to improve the experience of victims of sexual offences in the state.
The changes include the affirmative consent model, along with the criminalisation of stealthing.
Queensland laws previously defined consent as being freely and voluntarily given by a person with the cognitive capacity to give it.
The new laws require consent to be "agreed" rather than just "given".
Additionally, the act of stealthing – being when a partner secretly removes a condom during sex – will now attract a maximum penalty of life in prison.
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Landlords in New South Wales will no longer be able to reject pets without a valid reason, under a proposed shake-up of rental laws to be introduced to parliament next month.
Under current rental laws, a tenant can request to keep a pet, but the landlord can refuse without providing any reason.
Premier Chris Minns, who made a pre-election promise to make pet ownership easier for renters, says his government is moving to modernise the rental market.
"As I said, one-third of NSW residents renting and pet ownership above 60 per cent in the state, it stands to reason that there are literally thousands, if not close to a million, people who are renters who have a pet in NSW. We need to make it as easy as possible. The state, we don't believe, is making a radical change. Simply bringing us into line with every other jurisdiction in the country."
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New Socceroos coach Tony Popovic says he will make sure pride in representing Australia is paramount amongst his players.
51-year-old Popovic has been officially introduced as the successor to Graham Arnold, who quit last week.
He's moving back to Australia from Croatia to take up the role, after a whirlwind recruitment process.
A three-time A-League Coach of the Year, Popovic represented the Socceroos 58 times as a player.
He says he wants to instil in his players what was instilled in him in his playing days.
"We need to make sure that every player understands that honour is number one- to wear the shirt, and wear it with pride, and represent your country and your family, and I'll make sure that that is the first part that is instilled with this group. And the second part is that we play better than the Socceroos have ever played. That's the second part of the challenge. So, you've got to link the two. And, if we link the two, we, really, with those values, can do something special."
