Coalition open to extending heavy vehicle road user charge cut, McKenzie suggests

Nationals frontbencher Bridget McKenzie has suggested the Coalition could support extending a cut to the heavy vehicle road user charge.

Labor halved the fuel excise and reduced the heavy vehicle charge to zero for six months after the outbreak of war in the Middle East.

But that is set to expire at the end of June, with the government considering whether to extend that in light of the US-Iran ceasefire deal.

Speaking to Channel Seven, McKenzie has suggested the government keep the cut in the heavy vehicle charge, but hasn't said whether the Coalition would support extending the fuel excise cut.

"The trucking industry has put a sensible suggestion on the table, and the government should look at it," McKenzie says.

Australia has lowered its travel advice warnings for several Middle Eastern countries following the signing of a ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran this week.

Travel advice for Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been downgraded from "Do Not Travel" (Level 4) to "Reconsider your need to travel" (Level 3).

Basically, the advice has been downgraded from the highest to the second-highest warning level.

Some areas in Israel remain at "Do Not Travel", according to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has issued a joint statement with Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Matt Thistlethwaite explaining that the level-three warning "remains a high threshold".

They say the security situation across the Middle East could still "deteriorate rapidly with little warning".

"We continue to urge Australians to postpone non-essential travel," the statement reads.

"If you need to transit these locations, stay as short a time as possible and eliminate unnecessary activities.

"Australia welcomes the agreement between the United States and Iran and continues to encourage all parties to pursue a durable and lasting peace through dialogue and diplomacy."

Early Childhood Minister Jess Walsh says comments made by the shadow treasurer directed at the employment minister yesterday and today were "disparaging" and "weird".

Yesterday, Amanda Rishworth and Tim Wilson clashed on breakfast television over the government's changes to capital gains tax in the budget.

Wilson told the employment minister to "grow up" and "get a breathalyser" in the exchange on Channel Nine.

This morning, Wilson doubled down on those comments, saying the minister was "drunk in denial" over the government's capital gains tax changes.

Speaking to ABC Radio National Breakfast, Walsh says the comments were inappropriate.

"I find them, quite frankly, weird, and I find them unserious and, I find them unbecoming of somebody who would like to be the treasurer of the nation," Walsh says.

"Australians do face challenges today. They need a team that is focused on delivering for them, not making weird, inappropriate comments."

Early Childhood Education Minister Jess Walsh says a $3.6 billion decision to extend wage rises for early childhood workers was made after the May budget.

The federal government will extend a 15 per cent pay rise for early childhood workers for a further two years, and will be tied to a commitment from the sector to keep fees low.

Speaking to ABC Radio National Breakfast, Walsh says the funding will be "fully accounted for" in this year's Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO).

"We wanted to get this right," Walsh says.

"What we're doing with this announcement is locking in this pay rise, which is paying dividends for early childhood educators and for the sector and for children."

Childcare workers have scrapped a plan to walk off the job in July after the federal government agreed to fund a 15 per cent pay rise for another 18 months at a cost of $3.6 billion.

The wage rise was initially funded in 2024 and applied to the pay packets of about 200,000 early educators, but was due to run out in November.

The most recent federal budget in May did not clarify the scheme's future, infuriating the United Workers Union (UWU), which represents childcare workers.

Read the full story from political reporter Holly Tregenza in the link below.

The Israeli ambassador to Australia has refused to say whether his country will cooperate with any investigation into allegations Australian activists on a flotilla to Gaza were sexually assaulted.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has confirmed it has begun inquiries into allegations Israeli defence personnel sexually assaulted Australian activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla.

Speaking to ABC Radio National Breakfast, Hillel Newman says Israel respects the AFP, but says it's wasting its time on what he has described as a "futile" accusation.

Newman says the Israeli government hasn't received a request or complaint from Australia, and has accused the activists of being "professional provocateurs".

"As of now, we have seen no request. No request has been submitted to us," Newman says.

"We respect the AFP. If this is a professional examination, I'm sure we will cooperate. If this a witch hunt and trying to support a wild accusations, then I'm not sure how we will respond to it."

Health Minister Mark Butler has signalled the government won't be making any changes to National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) legislation before parliament.

The bill, which is currently before the Senate, proposes major changes to the NDIS, including nearly $38 billion in savings to the budget.

It was subject to a Senate committee, but its final report, which was meant to be published yesterday, has been pushed back until this Friday.

Butler was quizzed on ABC's AM about how Labor will review the bill in time before trying to pass it through parliament early next week.

"The broad direction of travel of the plan, I'm convinced, is absolutely the right one. It didn't come out of thin air. It reflects really three years of work since the independent review of the NDIS was undertaken way back in 2023 and endorsed by all governments at the national cabinet," Butler says.

Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson has doubled down on comments directed at the employment minister on breakfast television yesterday.

Amanda Rishworth and Wilson clashed on Channel Nine when discussing a Senate inquiry into Labor's changes to capital gains tax.

The Coalition has repeatedly accused the government of rushing the Senate committee examining the legislation over two days.

But the exchange became fiery when Rishworth pointed to Wilson's previous support for changes to Australia's tax settings.

Asked on ABC Radio National Breakfast whether he sounded like a leader in his response, Wilson says he was projecting the concerns of small businesses.

"The frustration I felt yesterday with her drunk in denial was frankly nothing in comparison to the incandescent rage I'm hearing from small businesses around the country," Wilson says.

"I think people want somebody who's going to stand up, show some passions and show very clearly that we get how angry people are."

One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce has warned Pauline Hanson against falling for "gotcha questions" ahead of her first formal address at the National Press Club in Canberra today.

Her appearance follows recent polling that shows a surge in support for One Nation and a successful crowdfunding campaign targeting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Today marks Hanson's first address to the press club since entering federal politics in 1996.

She is expected to face questions from a crowd of seasoned political journalists.

Joyce says he's given Hanson some advice.

"Don't entertain gotcha questions," he says.

"I'm not naive. I've been around this game for a while. She will be a target for tomahawks."

Hello, and welcome to our federal politics live blog. It's great to have you join us here early this Wednesday morning!

I'm Josh Boscaini, joining you live from Parliament House in Canberra, here and ready to bring you all of the day's federal politics news.

The federal government has announced it will extend the 15 per cent pay rise for early childhood educators, costing taxpayers $3.6 billion for a further two years.

And One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson will deliver an address to the National Press Club, her first time since entering politics in 1996.

We've got you covered here on the ABC's federal politics live blog, so strap in and join us!

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