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TRANSCRIPT
The makeup of the Senate for the next federal parliament has been finalised.
The Labor Party will have 28 senators in the 76-seat upper house.
The Liberal Party-National Party coalition will have 27.
The Greens will have 11.
One Nation will have four.
And independents and other minor parties will have the remaining six.
The makeup has been finalised with the count finally having been finished in New South Wales, where One Nation's Warwick Stanley has picked up the last of the six seats up for grabs.
His win giving One Nation its fourth Senate seat- their equal-best-ever result in the Senate at a federal election.
Speaking to Sky News, leader Pauline Hanson says the good showing can be chalked up to what she calls common-sense policies.
"It's about the best result that we've had since both probably 1998 in votes. The thing is we put out good, common sense policies in February, we actually advocated to look after pensioners, to be able to work, income splitting. Also, we supported the fuel excise tax and getting rid of the alcohol tax. That was a big winner for a lot of the pubs and hospitality venues that need to do that, it was about supporting the Australian people. "
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U-S President Donald Trump's tariffs are being blamed for a drop in Australian retail spending.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released the retail trade figures for April, showing a 0.1 per cent fall in turnover.
There was a 0.3 per cent rise the previous month.
Only Queensland and Western Australia had increases in retail turnover in April.
On an annual basis, sales have risen 3.8 per cent in the twelve months to the end of April, as opposed to 4.3 per cent in the twelve months to the end of March.
Mr Trump's announcement of U-S tariffs on the 2nd of April shook consumer confidence, and took billions of dollars off superannuation balances after financial markets were rattled.
Surveys from Westpac and A-N-Z Bank showed a marked decrease in consumer metrics after Mr Trump's announcement.
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The Yuendumu community is reeling after the death of a second young man in police custody in Alice Springs.
The community is expressing outrage following the death of a 24-year-old man who died after two plain clothes officers pinned him to the floor following an alleged shoplifting incident.
Northern Territory police said in a statement that a short time later, the man stopped breathing and CPR was commenced, adding that the incident is being investigated as a death in custody.
Yuendumu elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, the grandfather of the man who died on Tuesday, says police are not doing their jobs.
"We respect you, how about us? Respect us. You know, we were meant to be working together. But we're not. Police are supposed to be doing their job. In a way that is according to them, but it's all all a mess. You were supposed to serve the community. Protect people."
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A 24-year-old woman has been charged after four people were injured in a stabbing in the Gippsland region of Victoria.
Police in Bairnsdale, a town 279 kilometres east of Melbourne, allege the woman first stabbed a staff member at a supermarket, then a man in a car park, a man at a nearby hotel and a man at a train station.
She has been charged with intentionally and recklessly causing injury.
All four victims were taken to hospital; the first in a serious condition, and the others treated for minor injuries and released.
Investigator Mark Rossiter of Victoria Police says the motivation for the attack is still unclear.
"An unprovoked attack is very rare. An unprovoked attack with multiple victims is even rarer and something I haven't seen locally in Gippsland before. Whilst we're still investigating the matter and the motives - unknown - it doesn't appear to be a targeted attack and it doesn't appear to be any specific motivation."
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U-S President Donald Trump is still praising Elon Musk, despite the businessman walking away from his role amidst criticism of Mr Trump's major tax legislation.
After calling Donald Trump's signature tax bill too expensive, Mr Musk announced his departure from the role as a special government employee.
The world's richest man was tasked by the administration with cutting federal spending through his Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
A former DOGE staffer has told reporters he expects the project to fizzle out without Elon Musk.
But White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt denies that will be the case.
"Well, the entire cabinet is involved and I spoke to the president about it this morning and the entire cabinet understands the need to cut government waste, fraud and abuse. And each cabinet secretary at their respective agencies is committed to that. That's why they were working hand in hand with Elon Musk and will continue to work with the respective DOGE employees who have onboarded as political appointees at all of these agencies."
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Namibia has honoured the victims of the German genocide in their country, as politicians and affected communities voice fresh calls for reparations.
In what is considered the first genocide of the 20th Century, German soldiers killed some 65,000 OvaHerero people and 10,000 Nama people between 1904 and 1908.
Germany acknowledged genocide for the first time in 2021, agreeing to fund development projects worth close to A$2 billion in Namibia, but stopping short of paying reparations.
Dr Eyal Mayroz , senior lecturer of peace and conflict studies at the University of Sydney, tells S-B-S, colonial powers worry about the precedent reparations may set.
"They're also afraid of other colonies suing them. There is a great fear by many ex-colonial powers including the Germans that if they agree to the word reparations then they will be subjected to a new raft of demands and in the legal proceedings against them."
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In rugby league, Canberra Raiders halfback Jamal Fogarty is nominating team mate Corey Horsburgh as a solution for Queensland's State of origin woes.
Queensland's 18 points to 6 loss in game one of the series on Wednesday night has sparked discussion about what, if any changes, team changes the Maroons need to make to win game two in Perth on June the 18th, and keep the series alive.
Horsburgh played for Queensland once, two years ago.
Fogarty says the red-headed forward's form this season for Canberra ought to earn him a second opportunity.
"As a Queenslander, I reckon we probably need someone like Corey. He's got a bit of mongrel and aggression about him, and we need that to go after the New South Wales pack. I love playing with Red every week. I know what he can as a footballer, and what he gives the team. So, I'd like to see the big fellow there. He's been very consistent for us all season as well, so I think it would be a good reward for him."
Horsburgh will have another opportunity to impress Queensland selectors when he plays for the Raiders on Sunday night against the Sydney Roosters, a club that has five players who featured in Wednesday night's first State of Origin game.
