The Australian government is set to discuss a long-overdue deal on health and disability funding, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urging state leaders to accept over $23 billion in extra spending for public hospitals. The plan aims to transfer some costs for services currently provided on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) back to the states.
Albanese has also condemned comments made by former US President Donald Trump that Nato-aligned soldiers, including Australians, "stayed a little off the frontlines" in Afghanistan. The Prime Minister described Trump's remarks as "completely unacceptable".
The Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is due to visit Australia in March and address the federal parliament.
Meanwhile, Victoria is bracing for record-breaking temperatures this week, with some areas expected to experience seven consecutive days over 40C. Forest fire management officials have warned that a bushfire near Carlisle River has left residents in Gellibrand with only one kilometre of land remaining before the fire advances.
Four people were arrested after protests disrupted the start of the Tour Down Under cycling event in South Australia on Sunday. The Extinction Rebellion activists were holding up signs pressuring the event to drop the fossil fuel company's sponsorship.
Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has welcomed the appointment of Greg Moriarty as the new US ambassador, describing him as an "excellent choice". Moriarty is a veteran public servant and former chief of staff to Turnbull.
Albanese has also condemned comments made by former US President Donald Trump that Nato-aligned soldiers, including Australians, "stayed a little off the frontlines" in Afghanistan. The Prime Minister described Trump's remarks as "completely unacceptable".
The Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is due to visit Australia in March and address the federal parliament.
Meanwhile, Victoria is bracing for record-breaking temperatures this week, with some areas expected to experience seven consecutive days over 40C. Forest fire management officials have warned that a bushfire near Carlisle River has left residents in Gellibrand with only one kilometre of land remaining before the fire advances.
Four people were arrested after protests disrupted the start of the Tour Down Under cycling event in South Australia on Sunday. The Extinction Rebellion activists were holding up signs pressuring the event to drop the fossil fuel company's sponsorship.
Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has welcomed the appointment of Greg Moriarty as the new US ambassador, describing him as an "excellent choice". Moriarty is a veteran public servant and former chief of staff to Turnbull.
I'm not sure about this new plan on health and disability funding... it's a bit confusing. They're gonna give some states more money for hospitals but also move some costs back to them? 
It might be fair but could it lead to more bureaucracy and headaches for the states? 
I'd rather see some compromises, like phasing in the changes or giving the states more control over how they spend the funds. That way we can ensure everyone gets the help they need without breaking the bank 
Completely unacceptable and unprofessional. I'm glad PM Albanese spoke out against it 
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That's brutal. Hope everyone stays cool and safe 
Malcolm Turnbull gave him a thumbs up which is always a good sign 
. But, wait, what if we're overreacting? Shouldn't we just ignore him and focus on more important things?
! I hope everyone stays safe. But, you know what they say, "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade" – or something like that 
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. But, is it too early to speculate about his views on climate change? 
They're always making promises but never follow through. Like, $23 billion for hospitals sounds amazing but what's the catch? Are we just gonna have more bureaucrats sucking up our tax dollars? 
And can we please talk about the state of our environment? We're still dealing with bushfires and record temperatures?! It's like, wake up, Australia! We need to take care of our planet before it takes care of us. 
, just thinking about all these things happening in Australia at once is crazy! First, health funding, then Trump dissing Aussie soldiers... seems like there's a lot going on 
. And what's with all these protests and activism? I get that we need to bring up climate change and stuff, but can't we do it without being so confrontational? 
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. Australia needs real progress on healthcare and climate action, not just politicians playing games 
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nato soldiers putting themselves in harm's way is the real thing. 
but let's not forget about victoria & that bushfire 
. The health funding deal is long overdue, so I'll take it while it lasts 
. Can you imagine what kind of diplomacy that guy would bring to a meeting? "Hey, mate, I'm gonna say some stuff that'll make your head spin"... no thanks 
. Bring on the Canadian PM visit – maybe he can bring some much-needed sunshine (and cooler temperatures) with him 
️ btw, what's up with these protests disrupting events? i get where they're coming from but it's getting out of hand 
. On a more serious note, nice to see Greg Moriarty getting the ambassador gig, he's a top bloke 
. Like, remember when we used to be excited about politicians making deals? Now it's just all about who's going to say what and get the funding 
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. Anyway, hope the Canberra heatwave doesn't turn into a real emergency 
. are they trying to distract us from the real issues or just trying to make a point about fossil fuels and stuff? it's not like they're stopping the whole event or anything...just holding up signs for a bit 
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. Guess we'll see some diplomatic vibes then 
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hope it finally starts to make a difference in people's lives. and btw, can we talk about how Donald Trump just dissed Aussie soldiers on live tv 
. And let's not forget about Trump's comments - what a total cop-out 
. Meanwhile, Canada comes in and suddenly everyone's best buds? Coincidence? I don't think so 
. It all feels like a big show to me 
. Mark my words, there's more to this than meets the eye 
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. Like, can't we just focus on getting the funding sorted for our hospitals and stuff without all this drama? And what's up with the protests disrupting the Tour Down Under event? I get that they're trying to raise awareness about climate change but holding up signs and disrupting events isn't exactly the most effective way to do it 
. On a more positive note, it's cool to see Malcolm Turnbull giving Greg Moriarty his seal of approval - hope he does a great job as US ambassador