EV chargers could be installed in apartment buildings after $1.5m investment boost
Electric vehicle chargers may soon be installed in the basements of over 400 apartment buildings across Australia as part of a $3.4 million investment in EV charging technology, according to AAP.
Sydney-based company ReadySteadyPlug announced on Wednesday plans to expand its charging network following a $1.5 million investment from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).
This funding will enable the company to target up to 428 electric vehicle charging points, aiming to remove a significant barrier to EV adoption.
The announcement follows record sales of new electric cars in Australia in March and comes after automotive groups called for certainty regarding charging infrastructure.
Instead of charging owners’ corporations or residents for installing high-speed charging equipment, ReadySteadyPlug uses standard power outlets combined with software to provide load management and metered charging in car parks.
“It’s just like charging your mobile phone,” ReadySteadyPlug CEO Jukka Sintonen told AAP.
Jarome Luai confirms move to PNG Chiefs
Jarome Luai will become the face of Papua New Guinea’s NRL team after confirming his departure from Wests Tigers to join the PNG Chiefs in 2028 on a tax-free contract, AAP reports.
Luai has signed a two-year deal with the Chiefs, including an option for a third year. He and his family recently traveled to Port Moresby on a private jet, where he was welcomed by PNG Prime Minister James Marape.
Upon returning, the Samoan international expressed to the Tigers his desire to join the Chiefs as a foundation player for their inaugural 2028 campaign.
Luai is allowed to leave the Tigers due to clauses in his five-year contract, currently in its second season, which permits him to activate options to stay or leave after years three, four, and five. The 29-year-old has informed the Tigers he will remain on a $1.2 million annual deal in 2027 but plans to move to the Chiefs thereafter.
As part of PNG’s introduction, Luai’s salary will be entirely tax-free.
Labor’s tech levy could entrench big news outlets’ dominance, local media warns
Local and community media groups have cautioned that the Albanese government’s plan to compel big tech companies into media deals may primarily benefit large commercial outlets.
The news bargaining incentive, announced recently, targets tech companies that do not negotiate with news publishers.
The Local & Independent News Association (LINA) and Community Broadcasting Association of Australia, representing smaller outlets and some larger ones like Crikey and The Conversation, expressed concern that the incentive could exclude smaller publishers and reinforce media concentration in Australia.
They suggested redesigning the incentive to allocate tax revenue as grants to new publishers, supporting diverse and underserved communities.
“The news media industry has been through the fire and needs support to regroup and produce news that is helpful to communities,” said LINA’s executive director Claire Stuchbery.
Victoria opposition would cap public sector executive pay if elected
The Victorian opposition announced plans to cap public sector executive pay if elected in November.
Jess Wilson will reveal that the Coalition intends to cap base salaries for new senior public sector contracts at the level of the chief justice of the Supreme Court, currently $598,248.
This cap will apply to new hires and any renewed or renegotiated contracts, with annual increases aligned to state wage growth. The opposition estimates this policy could save over $20 million by 2036.
The announcement follows reports that the Victorian independent remuneration tribunal granted special approval to bypass maximum remuneration bands for three executives, including an executive program director at the state's infrastructure delivery authority earning $834,319 annually, exceeding the maximum band by over $260,000.
“Under Labor, the number of public service executives has tripled but crime is up, our roads are in disrepair and it takes longer to get an ambulance. It’s time for a fresh start that prioritises the basics. Only a Liberal and Nationals government I lead will restore financial discipline and put the focus back where it belongs,” Wilson said.
NSW to open two regions for gas exploration
The New South Wales government announced on Wednesday plans to open two regions in the state's far west for gas exploration, AAP reports.
The Bancannia and Pondie Range troughs, located north of Broken Hill, will be available for gas project applications to complement the existing Narrabri Gas Project.
The government stated this move is necessary to ensure reliable power supply over the coming decades, citing forecasts from the Australian Energy Market Operator indicating gas shortfalls across the east coast.
Additionally, the application fee for exploration licenses will be reduced from $50,000 to $1,000 to encourage investment.
The state’s natural resources minister emphasized that any prospective projects will undergo independent planning assessments, including consultations with traditional owners and alignment with the state’s emissions targets.
NSW aims to reduce emissions to 50% of 2005 levels by 2030, a goal that requires further decarbonisation of the state’s power supply, according to the independent Net Zero Commission.
One Nation remiss to miss candidate’s Labor ties, Joyce says
Barnaby Joyce acknowledged that One Nation may have erred by not inquiring about a star candidate’s past ties to the Labor Party.
On Monday, Nine newspapers reported that One Nation’s nominee for the Farrer by-election, David Farley, sought Labor preselection in 2021 and donated to the party in 2023.
Joyce, former deputy prime minister and One Nation member, said Farley was not asked about his Labor involvement.
“What we did know about David is the process that he went through. We didn’t ask that question so maybe that’s remiss of us. And even if we had, it wouldn’t have made a difference. We’re more interested in where you are now than where you have been in the past,” Joyce told ABC’s 7.30.
Joyce also stated politicians should accept One Nation as a significant political force or risk being overtaken by it. He indicated the party would push for its key policies if it holds the balance of power in a minority Coalition government.
Liberal frontbencher James Paterson acknowledged the Coalition faces challenges in the Farrer by-election, telling 7.30:
“We know we are not at an electoral high point nationally and we know that One Nation’s appeal at the moment appears to be, especially concentrated in regional and rural electorates … [But] if people do want to see change … vote for a Liberal or National who can actually change the government.”
Queensland health minister still has major concerns about Thriving Kids
Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls expressed ongoing concerns about the federal government’s Thriving Kids program, which plans to transition children under nine with mild developmental delays and autism off the NDIS. Queensland remains the only state yet to sign on, with full implementation expected by 2028.
Nicholls told RN Breakfast:
“We want to make sure that any system that does replace what the Commonwealth is trying to do – and let’s face it, the Commonwealth is cost shifting to the states in regard to this – is able to provide the adequate supports that people need in those circumstances in those early years. … We’re not going to to that until we’re convinced that there is a program that can be done.”
He noted that Queensland and New South Wales have significant obligations due to the number of affected individuals compared to other states and territories:
“We want to make sure we get it right and don’t leave kids who need support and their families out of the considerations we’re taking.”
Australian journalism ‘critical to our democracy’, assistant treasurer says
Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino emphasized the importance of journalism to democracy and explained that efforts to have tech companies pay for Australian reporting aim to address the internet’s disruption of traditional news revenue models.
Speaking to RN Breakfast, Mulino said the plan encourages tech giants to enter commercial agreements with media companies to pay a fair amount for content.
“We know that journalists tell Australian stories. They inform us about what’s going on in our community and the broader world, but also public interest journalism in particular. Independent, high-quality public interest journalism is critical to our democracy.”
He clarified that some platforms like LinkedIn are excluded due to their different market power and nature compared to Facebook, and AI platforms are excluded as they are addressed through other processes.
Nationals leader welcomes effort to get Google, Meta and TikTok to pay for local news
Nationals leader Matt Canavan expressed support for the plan to have tech giants pay for Australian news after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged Google, Meta, and TikTok to negotiate deals with local media to avoid a dedicated levy on their revenues.
Canavan told RN Breakfast he was disappointed that the previous Morrison government’s news media bargaining code had diminished.
“I absolutely do think that the large overseas big tech companies should be contributing to the news services of all Australians. Especially here in rural and regional Australia.
We have seen a lot of our media collapse, especially since Covid. That has had a very big effect on the town I live in, lots of other country towns, where you can’t get your issues elevated as much as you used to without a daily newspaper.
Printed newspapers are really important. Old technology is really important. It just doesn’t work online.”
US alliance still 'robust' despite voter disapproval, Paterson says
Coalition defence spokesperson James Paterson addressed concerns about the US alliance under the Trump administration during ABC’s 7.30 program.
He acknowledged that Australians show less support for the US alliance currently but stated that public opinion does not affect the alliance’s strength.
“I don’t think that actually changes the fundamentals of the US-Australia alliance. It’s still incredibly robust at other levels but I think we should be adult and be honest and acknowledge that that has had an impact on how Australians view the United States. . … It doesn’t mean, though, that Australia’s national interest has changed, even if Australians disapprove of this administration.”
Paterson highlighted Australia’s US submarine bases and the Pine Gap intelligence facility as key ties.
“The alliance is about more than just the personalities of any one commander-in-chief … Frankly, it’s in America’s national interest. What Australia offers the United States, it cannot get from elsewhere.”
Albanese to announce ‘circuit-breaker’ to fast-track mining, energy and housing applications
The federal government has committed new funding to assist states and territories in establishing agreements that allow them to assess and approve projects under new federal environmental laws.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will announce a four-year, $45 million funding package at a mining industry event in Western Australia, describing these bilateral agreements as a “circuit-breaker” to expedite mining, energy, and housing applications.
This “single-touch” regime is part of Labor’s overhaul of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act), passed last year under a deal with the Greens.
Previously, Labor opposed delegating federal environmental approval powers to states and territories, including similar policies proposed by the Abbott and Morrison governments.
If agreements are reached, states and territories will be able to approve projects without requiring separate Commonwealth assessments.
Markets braced for inflation shock
Consumer price data expected later today is anticipated to confirm the significant inflationary impact of the Iran war on the Australian economy, driven by soaring fuel prices.
Westpac economists forecast inflation to rise by 1 percentage point to 4.7% in the year to March, based on monthly consumer price index figures.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics will also release quarterly figures, which are expected to show annual inflation increasing to 4.2%, up from 3.6% in the December quarter.
Inflation was already elevated before the Middle East conflict began on 28 February, and the new data will likely support the case for another Reserve Bank interest rate hike next Tuesday.
Economists predict inflation will accelerate further as higher fuel costs permeate the economy, with Westpac expecting inflation to peak at 5.8% in May before easing to 4.7% by year-end.
For context, the Reserve Bank of Australia’s official target is 2.5%.
However, central bank officials will consider that the Iran war may dampen economic growth, balancing this against the need for further rate increases.
King Charles praises 'ambitious' Aukus in speech to US Congress
King Charles delivered an address to the US Congress, which included recognition of Australia and the Aukus nuclear submarine program, emphasizing the importance of defence ties between the US, UK, and Australia.
He stated:
“Our defence, intelligence and security ties are hardwired together through relationships measured not in years, but in decades.
Today, thousands of US service personnel, defence officials and their families are stationed in the United Kingdom, as British personnel serve with equal pride across 30 American states.
We are building F-35s together.
And we have agreed the most ambitious submarine programme in history, Aukus.
And we do so in partnership with Australia, a country of which I am also immensely proud to serve as sovereign.
We do not embark on these remarkable endeavours together out of sentiment.
We do so because they build greater shared resilience for the future, so making our citizens safer for generations to come.”
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories, followed by Nick Visser with the main updates.
Consumer price data released today is expected to reveal the sharp economic impact of the US-Iran conflict on Australians’ finances.
Internationally, King Charles addressed the US Congress, praising Australia and highlighting the Aukus nuclear submarine program within the context of US-UK defence relations.
More details on these stories and others will follow shortly.
