TRANSCRIPT
- Opposition leader Peter Dutton announces his new frontbench
- Australia's country music stars prepare for tonight's Golden Guitar Awards
- And in Tennis, Jannik Sinner's coach says the ongoing doping case has taken a toll
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has unveiled a long-anticipated cabinet reshuffle ahead of the federal election.
David Coleman is the new Opposition spokesperson for foreign affairs, replacing Simon Birmingham who has announced his retirement from politics.
Mr Dutton says he believes Mr Coleman will do great work in the role.
"He has a great depth of experience in the private sector as well as in the parliament and he has a great affinity with and respect from many of the ethnic communities within his local community."
Melissa McIntosh will take up the Coalition's communications portfolio, replacing Mr Coleman.
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has been named the opposition's spokesperson for government efficiency.
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Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame has worn a T-shirt to a morning tea for this year's Australian of the Year Award finalists, with a message using an expletive to criticise Rupert Murdoch and his media empire.
The event was attended by Mr Albanese and his fiancée, Jodie Haydon, at The Lodge in Canberra.
The couple smiled and greeted Ms Tame, but there was no visible reaction to the statement on her shirt.
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At least four houses have been lost, and more are under threat, in large bushfires sweeping Australia's west.
Hot weather and strong winds have fuelled several bushfires in Western Australia, including one in the Wheatbelt region that has burnt about 11,000 hectares.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of WA homes and businesses are without power.
Western Power says blackouts across the state have been caused by pole-top fires.
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Australia's country stars are gearing up for their night-of-nights, with the Golden Guitar award winners to be announced tonight at the Tamworth country music festival.
Kasey Chambers, The Wolfe Brothers, Troy Cassar-Daley and Tamworth local Ashleigh Dallas lead the award nominations.
Keith Urban is set to appear at the ceremony to be inducted into the Roll of Renown, which honours artists that have made a significant contribution to Australian country music.
Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung musician Troy Cassar-Daley has won 40 Golden Guitar awards - that's the highest number of Golden Guitars Awards ever won by an individual artist.
He told NITV News it took a while for him to get comfortable with the achievement.
"I felt a little bit intimidated by the number - 'cos Slim (Dusty) had 38 Golden Guitars. And Lee Kernaghan (also with 38 Golden Guitars to his name) have always spoken about how scary it is to surpass your heroes' records. It is not easy. But having six nominations (this year) it is scary. And makes me a little bit nervous to be honest. It almost makes you proud to be still around. To be able to have music that you can share with people."
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In Tennis, the Australian coach of Jannik Sinner says the ongoing doping case has taken a toll on the World no. 1.
The 23-year-old Italian was cleared of any wrongdoing by an independent tribunal after twice testing positive for a banned substance in March 2024.
However, the World Anti-Doping Agency has launched an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the decision - and is asking for a ban of "between one and two years".
The case will be heard in April.
Sinner will defend his Australian Open crown against second-ranked German Alexander Zverev in tomorrow's final.
Coach Darren Cahill says the WADA appeal has added to the pressure Sinner is dealing with, but he is coping well.
"Nobody is bulletproof. We all have moments when it gets to you a little bit as well. To a large extent, he finds playing tennis matches to be his safe place. There has been a lot of pressure around him for the last nine months, since April last year. And he deals with it as well as anybody that I have ever seen deal with pressure. He is an amazing young man that has been able to put that to one side."
