TRANSCRIPT
After a year of quiet negotiations, a deal is now on the table.
National cabinet have signed off on a new $12.6 billion five year funding agreement for the vocational and training sector, which the government hopes will address critical skill shortages in important areas of the economy.
Skills and Training Minister Brendan O'Connor says the number of jobs on the critical occupation list went from 153 to 286 in a twelve month period before they were even elected.
"That underlines the challenges we face, so too the agenda of the government - and indeed I'd say of all governments - to respond to the need to deliver net zero emissions by 2050. That cannot happen without the supply of skills."
The announcement has done little to move the Coalition off their main message, which remains focused on referendum recriminations.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has told Channel 7 he believes the referendum was driven by Anthony Albanese's self interest.
"He was just after his moment in Australian history. He was going to be the great Bob Hawke figure, and Australians have paid a big price for that because he's divided our country. And the task for us now is to get back to basics."
But Anthony Albanese says claims that the referendum was Labor's campaign is disrespectful.
"It took Indigenous Australians out of the equation, and showed no respect for what they had done over years, having been requested by Tony Abbott as Prime Minister to set out the form of recognition that it should take."
A new analysis released today seems to vindicate the government's insistence that the Voice referendum was what First Nations communities wanted.
The Australian Electoral Commission information shows that polling areas for the referendum with the largest proportion of Indigenous Australians heavily backed the constitutional change.
Census data shows that of the 10 polling booth catchment areas at the referendum with the highest Indigenous population, nine of them returned a 'yes' vote.
Meanwhile, the important has not crowded out the urgent.
A day after the Australian Parliament expressed its support for Israel on the floor of both houses, the Israeli Ambassador Amir Maimon has addressed the Liberal's party room.
The Ambassador has told the gathering that Israel remains committed to defending itself.
"For me, and the only thing that I will say in front of the camera is that since October, the seventh at 630 in the morning - and I was in Israel when the Hamas attack the people of Israel in the southern border - we're in a war, a war that we didn't start nor ask for, but we are determined to win."
The federal government says it remains focused on the welfare of Australians in the Middle East, with two more repatriation flights touching down in Dubai, bringing almost 200 more passengers to safety from Israel.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles says there are no more trips organised at this stage.
“We believe that these flights do meet the immediate demand on the part of Australians to leave Israel. That said, we are keeping a couple of Air Force planes in the region as a contingency over the coming days."
But around 45 Australians remain in Gaza with limited access to water, electricity, fuel and food after Israel imposed a total blockade on the conflict-stricken territory.
Australians still in the region have been advised to move to the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza in case a humanitarian window opens.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong says there is no guarantee this will eventuate or how long it would remain open - but talks are ongoing.
"Australia calls for safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza and the rapid establishment of a humanitarian corridor. And we support the work of the United States, Egypt and others towards this goal. We continue to monitor the humanitarian situation and we stand ready to provide further support."
