Australia news LIVE: Dutton blasts Labor on power bills in budget reply; Albanese speaks with new British PM; Business groups fight government over workplace law changes

Key posts

  • Albanese speaks with new British prime minister for first time
  • Dutton goes nuclear with budget attack on energy and appeal to women
  • 1 of 1

Multiple people stabbed, including Arsenal soccer player, in Italy

Milan: A man armed with a knife has stabbed five people inside a shopping centre south of the Italian city of Milan, killing one person, Italian media reported.

On Thursday (Italy time), police arrested a 46-year-old Italian man suspected in the attack, the news agency LaPresse reported.

Arsenal’s Pablo Mari in April 2021. The soccer player was wounded in the supermarket attack.Credit:AP

A supermarket employee died en route to the hospital, according to the ANSA news agency. The wounded included a Spanish soccer player, Pablo Mari, who is on loan to the Serie A club Monza from Arsenal, Lapresse reported.

The motive for the attacks was unknown. Italian authorities said there were no elements to suggest terrorism, LaPresse reported.

Albanese speaks with new British prime minister for first time

London: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has spoken with his new British counterpart, Rishi Sunak, for the first time overnight.

In a statement of social media, Sunak said: “Geography is no barrier to the deep ties of friendship our countries share, as we work together to strengthen our common security, boost trade and support Ukraine.”

New British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak outside Downing Street. Credit:AP

Downing Street said Sunak was “excited” by the relationship between the UK and Australia, which was built on “deep friendship” and a “shared approach to global challenges”.

Sunak welcomed Australia’s strong support to Ukraine, including the recent decision to deploy Australian military to the UK to train Ukrainian forces.

According to a read out, Sunak said: “The Free Trade Agreement, AUKUS and the UK’s potential accession to Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership were all examples of the strength of the relationship.

The pair agreed to meet face-to-face formally at the G20 in Bali next month.

In a tweet, Albanese said it was a “warm discussion” and he looked forward to working together as the two countries build on the close bonds.

Dutton goes nuclear with budget attack on energy and appeal to women

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has urged voters to hold Labor to account for breaking promises on power bills in his budget reply speech, while declaring support for new spending on childcare and stronger measures against family violence in a pitch to Australian women.

In a major address to win back voters, Dutton defended the Coalition’s economic record and blasted this week’s federal budget as a “missed opportunity” that flouted the Labor election promise to cut household power bills by $275.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton during the 2022 federal budget reply speech at Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Dutton blamed Labor for the budget forecasts of a 56 per cent increase in electricity bills over two years and a 44 per cent increase in gas bills over the same period, saying the Coalition could keep prices down.

The speech backed government programs including support for flood victims and higher spending on medicines but did not state a position on the extension of paid parental leave from 20 to 26 weeks.

“We will stand against Labor’s broken promises,” he said of the Coalition in his address to parliament on Thursday night. “We will have a clearly defined, positive and bold plan ahead of the next election to take our country forward.”

Read the full article here.

This morning’s headlines at a glance

Good morning, and thanks for joining me this morning.

It’s Friday, October 28. I’m Ashleigh McMillan, and I’ll be anchoring our live coverage for the first half of the day.

Here’s what you need to know before we get started:

  • Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has urged voters to hold Labor to account for breaking promises on power bills in his budget reply speech.
  • Business groups are in open warfare with the federal government over sweeping workplace law changes they argue will empower unions to trigger industry-wide strikes and rope employers into pay deals without their consent.
  • Indigenous leader Noel Pearson says Indigenous Australians are a “much unloved people” and warned the forthcoming referendum on constitutional recognition could be lost and “our cause may perish in the mud”.
  • Prince Harry’s long-awaited memoir, titled Spare, will be released early next year, the publisher Random House has announced.
  • 1 of 1

Most Viewed in National

Source: Read Full Article

Previous post Rishi facing farmer fury as Truss slammed for keeping hated EU law
Next post Bachelor in Paradise alum Joe Amabile marries Serena Pitt in courthouse wedding