The latest national news update from the National Indigenous Radio Service.
Compromise in sight for budget savings
Low income earners are likely to keep a $4 a week energy supplement as the federal government gets closer to a compromise with Labor over a raft of measures to save the budget almost $6 billion.
The cuts to what was originally intended to be carbon tax compensation are likely be removed from the government’s omnibus bill of 24 measures.
The ABC reports a dental scheme for children may also be excluded and Labor wants to scale back cuts to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.
Plebiscite to come on Feb 11: report
The Turnbull government is expected to announce the plebiscite on same-sex marriage will take place on February 11 next year, with funding for both the yes and no campaigns.
Fairfax Media reports the question asked of Australians will be: “Do you support a change in the law to allow same-sex couples to marry?”
Cabinet’s decision on the date, question and funding is expected to go before the coalition joint party room today and the ABC’s reporting it’s agreed to allocate $7.5 million in public funding for each of the yes and no campaigns.
Palmer gets a break from QN court hearing
Businessman Clive Palmer will get a two-day break from being questioned in the Federal Court over the collapse of Queensland Nickel.
Mr Palmer will return to court on Thursday. The former federal MP yesterday returned for his second day of questioning by liquidators who are trying to show he acted as a shadow director of the company alongside his nephew Clive Mensink, who was its sole appointed director.
Greens senator says Howard out of touch
Former prime minister John Howard is under fire from pregnant Greens senator Larissa Waters who says his comments about women’s caring duties are out of touch.
Mr Howard said recently that the duties limited women’s capacity and as a result he doubted there will ever be a gender balanced parliament.
But Senator Waters has told ABC TV those comments are out of touch and men need to step up and do more work in the home.
Hinch working on removing passports
Derryn Hinch will discuss his proposal to take passports away from pedophiles who travel to Asia for child sex tours with Immigration Minister Peter Dutton and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The first term senator has told reporters in Canberra the fastest thing he can do is get the passports pulled, which can be done within a few months.
Man charged over Bendigo teen’s murder
A 19-year-old man has been charged with the stabbing murder of a teenager in regional Victoria and will appear at Bendigo court today.
Victoria Police charged the man last night over the fatal stabbing on Saturday of an 18-year-old man at Ironbark, a suburb of Bendigo.
Flood watch remains for Vic
Parts of Victoria could see a month’s worth of rain in one day as heavy rains continue to cross the state and flood warnings remain in place.
Some areas may even see up to 70mm of rain by this afternoon, with a major flood warning in place for the Glenelg River catchment and a moderate flood warning for the Loddon River catchment.
