source : the age
Health Minister Mark Butler has described a claim that he is set to be the next prime minister as “total rubbish” after shadow treasurer Tim Wilson speculated that the budget would bring about the end of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s tenure.
The altercation took place during a panel appearance on Seven’s Sunrise this morning, in which Wilson and Butler sparred over concessions that were announced yesterday to budgetary tax measures.
Host Natalie Barr asked Butler whether Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers were “getting along this week”, to which Butler responded: “Yes, of course, they are. They work, they work closely. They have, they’ve had a productive relationship for the four years we’ve been in government … this is an enormously productive relationship, which I watch up close.”
Barr attempted to end the interview, but was interrupted by Wilson, who said: “He does watch it up close because I suspect this is the treasurer’s last budget, and the prime minister is probably going to fall with him, and the person who’s going to win out of that is going to be prime minister Mark Butler”.
British police have arrested a 30-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder after a three-year-old boy ended up in a crocodile enclosure at a zoo near Cambridge.
Cambridgeshire Police said officers were called early on Thursday afternoon to Johnsons Zoo in Old Hurst following “reports of an incident involving a three-year-old boy, during which he ended up in the crocodile enclosure”.
The boy was taken to hospital in a critical but stable condition, police said, while a man from the nearby county of Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
“We do not believe the man arrested and the child are known to each other,” said Detective Inspector Verity McCann.
The London Telegraph quoted one witness, Pete Lewis, as saying that zoo staff may have saved the toddler’s life.
Former US president Barack Obama, joined by three former presidents, has celebrated the opening of his presidential museum in Chicago in an extraordinary event that brought together politicians, A-list celebrities, athletes and other internationally known figures.
Bono, John Legend, Christina Aguilera, Marc Anthony and Eddie Vedder took turns on the stage ahead of Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder.
“I hope this centre will serve as an affirmation of just how special, how precious our democracy truly is and remind us what we can achieve when we embrace our shared responsibilities as citizens,” Obama told the crowd.
President Donald Trump was conspicuous both in his physical absence and by not being mentioned by any of the speakers or performers. Trump called the $US850 million centre a “total disaster” in a social media post in February.
AP
Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the announced changes to capital gains tax were a result of consultation, not backlash to the budget.
“The next steps that we announced yesterday are all about providing more certainty for investors, more support for small businesses, and more incentives for innovation,” Chalmers told ABC News Breakfast this morning.
Chalmers said the changes came “because we’ve consulted in a meaningful, genuine way”.
Asked why the government didn’t do that before the budget, Chalmers said the issues had been “a feature in the public debate” for some time.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor says capital gains tax changes announced in the federal budget should be axed entirely, repeating calls for the government to “start again” on its budget after the announcement of some changes.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said yesterday that about 2.7 million businesses could continue claiming a 50 per cent capital gains discount, and also proposed a “new innovative business tax concession”.
Speaking to Nine’s Today program, Taylor called the taxes a “punishment on aspiration”.
“They are imposing a ceiling on ambition and aspiration, and we need them axed,” Taylor said.
US Vice President JD Vance has issued a rare rebuke to Israel, warning cabinet critics of the US-Iran deal to back down.
On Wednesday evening, US President Donald Trump signed a deal with Iran. In the memorandum of understanding, Iran “reaffirms that it shall not procure or develop nuclear weapons”, while the US will lift all sanctions and help create a $US300 billion ($425 billion) development fund for Iran.
The agreement ends the US naval blockade of Iranian ports and reopens the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days.
Several right-wing Israeli cabinet ministers, such as Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, attacked the deal as “bad for Israel and the entire free world”.
Hello and welcome to our national news live coverage for Thursday, June 18. Here are today’s main headlines.
Ukraine attacks Moscow: Ukraine launched its largest drone attack on Moscow in years in a bid to force Russia back to the negotiating table. The attacks wounded at least 17 and hit a major oil refinery. Moscow airport was evacuated and closed for hours, prompting major delays. Russian President Vladimir Putin was hosting South-East Asian leaders at a summit in Kazan at the time, about 700 kilometres east of Moscow.
Israel chastised following US-Iran peace deal: US Vice President JD Vance has rebuked Israeli critics for criticising the US-Iran peace deal. Several right-wing Israeli cabinet ministers, such as Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, attacked the deal as “bad for Israel and the entire free world”. In response, Vance said that it might be wise for politicians not to attack “the only powerful ally … left in the entire world.”
Consultancy giant to be grilled in parliament: More than 30 current and former senior staff at KPMG will face questioning at a federal parliamentary committee hearing following allegations that the company misused confidential client information.
Shark attack victim’s brother speaks out: The twin brother of a shark attack victim has spoken out about shark mitigation strategies following summer’s spate of bull shark attacks and last weekend’s attack at Coogee Beach. Mercury Psillakis died in a white shark attack off Long Reef in September last year. His brother Mike is calling for renewed attention on drumlines.
Before we delve into today’s breaking updates, first a pause for celebration: Last night, three Herald reporters and one of the masthead’s photographers won awards at this year’s Mid-Year Walkley Prizes.
Audrey Richardson, Anthony Segaert and Emily Kowal were each awarded Young Journalist awards at the Walkley Foundation’s Mid-Year Media Prizes, while crime reporter Riley Walter took home the top gong, named the 2026 John B Fairfax Family Young Australian Journalist of the Year.
You can read about the celebration and their groundbreaking work here.
