Good morning, and welcome to our live national news coverage Wednesday, June 24. I’m Amber Schultz, and I’ll be keeping you updated on today’s news.
Here are today’s headlines.
The NDIS report is late: A report on reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme is likely to be delayed for a third time, with a longer eight-week inquiry to be held after Labor reached an agreement with the Greens. Proposed revisions to the $56 million plan include reducing the number of participants by 160,000 by 2030.
Paid parental leave has been extended: The government will extend paid parental leave from July 1, allowing families to access up to 26 weeks (six months) at the maximum level of pay. Parents will now receive $1004 per week. More families are also eligible, with the family income limit increasing to $386,525.
Inflation is expected to increase: Inflation is expected to increase despite the drop in oil prices. Inflation data, expected today, could increase by 0.1 percent due to higher input costs from the March closure of the Strait of Hormuz to trade.
UN Peacekeepers have been withdrawn from Lebanon: Under pressure from the United States, UN peacekeepers are being withdrawn from southern Lebanon, where they have served for more than 50 years. The UN shipping agency is also launching a rescue plan to enable about 11,000 sailors stuck in ships in the Gulf to go through the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said Iran has agreed to conduct nuclear inspections, something Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denies.
