Good afternoon. Reactions to Labor’s budget are rolling in, with the Coalition, Greens and independents saying there’s not enough cost-of-living assistance.
“There are millions of families who aren’t getting any assistance in this budget, who thought they were,” said the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, who is so far yet to back an increase to welfare payments. The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, was also critical, saying “cost of living measures in the budget don’t address the scale of the rental, housing and poverty crises the country is facing”.
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, responded to the criticism, calling them “predictable political responses from our opponents”. And if you missed our editor Lenore Taylor’s budget analysis, read it here.
Top news
Police, political conspiracy claims in Higgins case | It’s “possible” that some police and politicians were involved in a conspiracy to ensure Bruce Lehrmann, who denied raping Higgins, walked free, the chief prosecutor in the trial told an inquiry today.
Navy cost blowout | A $45bn program to build nine new Hunter-class frigates for the Royal Australian Navy faces “significant” cost blowouts, according to a new audit report. Design issues had already driven up the cost by $423m so far, but the report added: “At January 2023 the project was forecast to exceed the whole of project budget approved by government by a significant amount.”
Sydney teacher caught filming up skirts | Eric Wong has pleaded guilty to two counts of filming a person’s private parts without consent. But his sentencing has been delayed as a doctor considers whether he has an autism disorder that could impact on jail time.
Missing NZ teen body found | Searchers have found the body of a teenager who died on Tuesday as torrential rain fell during a school trip into caves in the Northland region.
Air New Zealand unveils bunk beds | The airline will charge NZ$400-$600 (AU$375-$560) for four hours in a six-person bunk bed cabin, under its “world-first” design for an economy class sleeper pod. Each pod will include a pillow, sheets and blanket, with the bedding changed between each session.
Louisiana teen shot | The 14-year-old girl was playing hide-and-seek with her friends when she was shot in the head by her neighbour – she survived. Despite the recent spate of neighbour shootings, the Republican response has been to double down on laws empowering people to kill in the name of self-defence.
Thousands missing in Congo flood | At least 411 people are now known to have died in intense flooding and landslides that hit the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s South Kivu province last week. About 5,500 people are still missing, and thousands of survivors have been left homeless.
George Santos charged | Federal prosecutors in New York have charged the embattled House Republican who has been under scrutiny for months by the justice department over questions surrounding his 2022 campaign and finance activities. The exact nature of the indictment is unclear because it remains under seal.
In video
So what’s the verdict on the budget? Well if you’re struggling, your expectations have been dashed, according to Amy Remeikis, who breaks down the budget in this three-minute video.
What they said …
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“This is a budget of missed opportunity, on both the revenue and spending side of the equation … Now is the time to take bold action. This budget contains nothing of the scale needed for a substantial step in the right direction.” – David Pocock
The progressive senator felt Labor’s budget fell short of expectations – read his full comments.
In numbers
Contrary to fears from some economists that the government’s cost-of-living budget could be inflationary, the jobseeker increase is so small it hardly makes a dent, writes Greg Jericho.
Defending the rate increase, the prime minister says the budget “targeted the most vulnerable while not adding to inflationary pressure”.
Before bed read
The booing of Lance Franklin last weekend was not just about Franklin, writes Gunaikurnai man Ben Abbatangelo, “it’s about the ticking timebomb of Black excellence in the purview of the white gaze”. No matter how great a player is or how much joy they bring to the masses, there will forever be a target on a Black player’s back and a willing audience ready to zero in.”
Abbatangelo was also critical of the “anti-intellectual media class that will create, inflate or draw into focus the targets on players’ backs. Like a pack of hyenas swarming a carcass, and aided by a clickbait profit model, their substanceless analysis only creates a self-sustaining, hostile and inflammatory vortex.”
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: TAP. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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• This article was amended on 10 May 2023 to correct the item on the 14-year-old girl shot in Louisiana. An earlier version said in both the headline and the text that she had died.
