President-elect Donald Trump received a ‘rock star’ reception at an Ultimate Fighting Championship event in New York. Donald Trump had front row seats at Madison Square Garden with UFC boss Dana White. Mr Trump entered the arena to loud music and waved to the roaring crowd. MMA star Jon Jones performed the ‘Trump dance’ before handing over his UFC champion belt to him. Mr Jones thanked Trump in his victory speech. Robert F Kennedy Jr, Tulsi Gabbard, Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk joined the President-elect at the event.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has criticised Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ announcement on making it mandatory for businesses to accept cash for essential items as “nothing more than a thought bubble”. The federal government is launching a mandate to make it mandatory for businesses to accept cash for essential items. “From what I can see so far, it’s nothing more than a thought bubble and I think probably a distraction from the Treasurer who should frankly be spending his time on working out how to bring down inflation,” Mr Dutton told Sky News Australia. “We need cash in our society – that much is obvious – and there’s a trend in terms of cashlessness, but we still have the need for a currency in our society.”

Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume says Australians are “poorer under Labor” and the biggest driver has been inflation. A cost of living committee has found Australia's living standards are tanking. Ms Hume has urged the Albanese government to call a National Cabinet to try to convince states to limit spending. “The evidence is in, people are poorer under Labor,” Ms Hume told Sky News Australia. “This committee has had two years now to collect evidence from right across the country … and it’s very clear that Australians living standards have collapsed under Labor. “The biggest driver of that collapse has been inflation.”

Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume says the Coalition is committed to a “sensible and practical” transition away from coal. Global mining giant Glencore has intervened in Australia’s energy debate, arguing the country will need to use coal for longer in order to keep prices down and remain competitive. “A Dutton Coalition government is 100 per cent committed to net zero by 2050, but most importantly, is committed to a sensible and practical transition away from coal, via gas, towards nuclear, to make sure that we can keep costs down for consumers in the long run,” Ms Hume told Sky News Australia. “We know that coal is going to be part of our energy mix for a number of years still.”

Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume says the Coalition is committed to a “sensible and practical” transition away from coal. Global mining giant Glencore has intervened in Australia’s energy debate, arguing the country will need to use coal for longer in order to keep prices down and remain competitive. “A Dutton Coalition government is 100 per cent committed to net zero by 2050, but most importantly, is committed to a sensible and practical transition away from coal, via gas, towards nuclear, to make sure that we can keep costs down for consumers in the long run,” Ms Hume told Sky News Australia. “We know that coal is going to be part of our energy mix for a number of years still.”

Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume says the Albanese government’s policies have kept inflation “higher for longer”. Ms Hume has urged the Albanese government to call a National Cabinet to try to convince states to limit spending. “Labor’s policies have kept inflation higher for longer here in Australia, and Australians are paying the price,” Ms Hume told Sky News Australia. “Labor’s policies have kept inflation too high for too long.”

Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume says the Coalition is committed to a “sensible and practical” transition away from coal. Global mining giant Glencore has intervened in Australia’s energy debate, arguing the country will need to use coal for longer in order to keep prices down and remain competitive. “A Dutton Coalition government is 100 per cent committed to net zero by 2050, but most importantly, is committed to a sensible and practical transition away from coal, via gas, towards nuclear, to make sure that we can keep costs down for consumers in the long run,” Ms Hume told Sky News Australia. “We know that coal is going to be part of our energy mix for a number of years still.”

Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume says the Coalition is committed to a “sensible and practical” transition away from coal. Global mining giant Glencore has intervened in Australia’s energy debate, arguing the country will need to use coal for longer in order to keep prices down and remain competitive. “A Dutton Coalition government is 100 per cent committed to net zero by 2050, but most importantly, is committed to a sensible and practical transition away from coal, via gas, towards nuclear, to make sure that we can keep costs down for consumers in the long run,” Ms Hume told Sky News Australia. “We know that coal is going to be part of our energy mix for a number of years still.”

Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume says the Albanese government’s policies have kept inflation “higher for longer”. Ms Hume has urged the Albanese government to call a National Cabinet to try to convince states to limit spending. “Labor’s policies have kept inflation higher for longer here in Australia, and Australians are paying the price,” Ms Hume told Sky News Australia. “Labor’s policies have kept inflation too high for too long.”

Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume says the Albanese government’s policies have kept inflation “higher for longer”. Ms Hume has urged the Albanese government to call a National Cabinet to try to convince states to limit spending. “Labor’s policies have kept inflation higher for longer here in Australia, and Australians are paying the price,” Ms Hume told Sky News Australia. “Labor’s policies have kept inflation too high for too long.”

Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume has criticised the Albanese government for its public sector spending which has been the “biggest driver” of inflation. A cost of living committee has found Australia's living standards are tanking. Ms Hume has urged the Albanese government to call a National Cabinet to try to convince states to limit spending. “The biggest driver of inflation has been public sector spending, at both state and federal levels, and it not just the Coalition that are saying this – it is the IMF; it is the Reserve Bank,” Ms Hume told Sky News Australia. “The only way to deal with a national crisis is with a national response.”

Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume says the Albanese government’s policies have kept inflation “higher for longer”. Ms Hume has urged the Albanese government to call a National Cabinet to try to convince states to limit spending. “Labor’s policies have kept inflation higher for longer here in Australia, and Australians are paying the price,” Ms Hume told Sky News Australia. “Labor’s policies have kept inflation too high for too long.”

Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume has criticised the Albanese government for its public sector spending which has been the “biggest driver” of inflation. A cost of living committee has found Australia's living standards are tanking. Ms Hume has urged the Albanese government to call a National Cabinet to try to convince states to limit spending. “The biggest driver of inflation has been public sector spending, at both state and federal levels, and it not just the Coalition that are saying this – it is the IMF; it is the Reserve Bank,” Ms Hume told Sky News Australia. “The only way to deal with a national crisis is with a national response.”

Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume has called out the Albanese government over its “misguided and ideological” energy transition plan. Global mining giant Glencore has intervened in Australia’s energy debate, arguing the country will need to use coal for longer in order to keep prices down and remain competitive. “State governments are now paying coal-fire power generator owners to keep coal in the system for longer, and that’s because of Labor’s … all eggs in one basket approach that is not delivering either net zero by 2050, nor is it delivering lower power prices,” Ms Hume told Sky News Australia. “That’s despite the fact that Labor promised that power prices would come down by $275. “They haven’t; they’ve shot up potentially by, in some places, by more than $1,000 just in the last few years, and that’s because of Labor’s misguided and ideological approach to the energy transition.”

Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume has criticised the Albanese government for its public sector spending which has been the “biggest driver” of inflation. A cost of living committee has found Australia's living standards are tanking. Ms Hume has urged the Albanese government to call a National Cabinet to try to convince states to limit spending. “The biggest driver of inflation has been public sector spending, at both state and federal levels, and it not just the Coalition that are saying this – it is the IMF; it is the Reserve Bank,” Ms Hume told Sky News Australia. “The only way to deal with a national crisis is with a national response.”

Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume has criticised the Albanese government for its public sector spending which has been the “biggest driver” of inflation. A cost of living committee has found Australia's living standards are tanking. Ms Hume has urged the Albanese government to call a National Cabinet to try to convince states to limit spending. “The biggest driver of inflation has been public sector spending, at both state and federal levels, and it not just the Coalition that are saying this – it is the IMF; it is the Reserve Bank,” Ms Hume told Sky News Australia. “The only way to deal with a national crisis is with a national response.”

Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume has called out the Albanese government over its “misguided and ideological” energy transition plan. Global mining giant Glencore has intervened in Australia’s energy debate, arguing the country will need to use coal for longer in order to keep prices down and remain competitive. “State governments are now paying coal-fire power generator owners to keep coal in the system for longer, and that’s because of Labor’s … all eggs in one basket approach that is not delivering either net zero by 2050, nor is it delivering lower power prices,” Ms Hume told Sky News Australia. “That’s despite the fact that Labor promised that power prices would come down by $275. “They haven’t; they’ve shot up potentially by, in some places, by more than $1,000 just in the last few years, and that’s because of Labor’s misguided and ideological approach to the energy transition.”

Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume has called out the Albanese government over its “misguided and ideological” energy transition plan. Global mining giant Glencore has intervened in Australia’s energy debate, arguing the country will need to use coal for longer in order to keep prices down and remain competitive. “State governments are now paying coal-fire power generator owners to keep coal in the system for longer, and that’s because of Labor’s … all eggs in one basket approach that is not delivering either net zero by 2050, nor is it delivering lower power prices,” Ms Hume told Sky News Australia. “That’s despite the fact that Labor promised that power prices would come down by $275. “They haven’t; they’ve shot up potentially by, in some places, by more than $1,000 just in the last few years, and that’s because of Labor’s misguided and ideological approach to the energy transition.”

More than $1 billion originally earmarked for union-backed construction projects in Queensland’s Olympic and Paralympic Games budget will now be saved. Fresh Treasury figures reveal the savings will come from suspending the Best Practice Industry Conditions, which was announced last week. This cost-cutting measure represents one-fifth of the $7 billion funding package.

More than $1 billion originally earmarked for union-backed construction projects in Queensland’s Olympic and Paralympic Games budget will now be saved. Fresh Treasury figures reveal the savings will come from suspending the Best Practice Industry Conditions, which was announced last week. This cost-cutting measure represents one-fifth of the $7 billion funding package.