Sky News host Danica De Giorgio calls for a royal commission into the COVID-19 pandemic handling by former premiers who inflicted “so much misery and pain” onto Australian citizens. “As if we needed more proof of how much we need a royal commission into Australia’s handling of the COVID pandemic, to hear from the pandemic premiers who inflicted so much misery and pain,” she said. “Many of them have now left politics, so you’d think they would have had time to reflect on the decisions and what could and should have been done better.”

Sky News host Andrew Bolt says the Albanese Labor government is facing “another embarrassment” with Senator Fatima Payman “junking” Labor’s rules and policies. “I am stunned, I mean … this Albanese government has another embarrassment today, well it is its youngest senator, a Muslim, she has threatened to quit the party, the issue is Palestine,” he said. “You would actually think this Senator, Fatima Payman … would know better than anyone the dangers of militant Islam because her father fled the extremist Taliban.”

Sky News host Andrew Bolt says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gave Australians a “clue” into why he will not sack Senator Fatima Payman from the Labor Party. “You have to ask why hasn’t Albanese sacked her already from Labor? Why is she of all the Labor MPs able to break the Labor rules yet stay in the party,” he said. “Albanese today gave a clue; he doesn’t want to upset Muslim voters.”

Sky News host Caroline Di Russo has criticised some media commentators after blaming US President Joe Biden’s “dire” performance during the first presidential debate due to being exhausted. The CNN presidential debates on Friday covered issues concerning US voters on immigration, inflation, abortion, defence and climate. However, the debate was marred by Biden’s bumbles and stumbles throughout the debate. “You look at it, and you're so embarrassed for what’s going on screen your throat tightens up, and that’s how I felt about the US debate,” Ms Di Russo said. “It was dire, and I don’t think anyone watching that is living in hope. “It was even interesting just watching some of the commentary on the debate, and some media commentators were like, oh Biden looks a little tired today, and I’m like, really, is that where you're still at.”

International relations contributor Paul Monk says the Democrats “have to decide” whether they will “change candidates” for the 2024 US presidential election. The first debate between US President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump was held last week. “I think the dilemma for the Democratic Party and the people who manage it – they’re the ones we should be looking at closely,” Mr Monk told Sky News host Peta Credlin. “They should’ve made this move a long time ago, and now we’re getting closer and closer to the election. “If the election was to be held tomorrow, there seems no doubt he would win in a landslide, so the Democrats have to decide if we change candidate, if we switch horses in mid-string, is that going to help or harm [their] cause.”

International relations contributor Paul Monk says there is “no doubt” Donald Trump would win in a “landslide” if the election was held tomorrow. The first debate between US President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump was held last week. “Trump is clearly leading,” Mr Monk told Sky News host Peta Credlin. “If the election was to be held tomorrow, there seems no doubt he would win in a landslide, so the Democrats have to decide if we change candidate, if we switch horses in mid-string, is that going to help or harm [their] cause.”

International relations contributor Paul Monk says the Democrats “need” to say Kamala Harris was “chosen on the basis of identity politics”. The first debate between US President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump was held last week. “They [the Democrats] need to be willing to say Kamala Harris was chosen on the basis of identity politics, and we didn’t expect that she’d become president, and we need somebody now who will be presidential from the get-go,” Mr Monk told Sky News host Peta Credlin.

Sky News host Rita Panahi reacts to baseball fans cursing at pro-Palestine protesters interrupting a game. The fans could be heard yelling at the protesters, telling them to leave. “This baseball crowd has no time for pro-Palestinian protesters using America’s pastime to push their political agenda,” Ms Panahi said.

A royal expert has revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will never be forgiven by Prince William and Princess Catherine. Former royal correspondent Charles Rae appeared on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show to speak about the brothers’ strained relationship. Rae also discussed the possibility of the two couples reconciling and who should make the first move. “Well, I think it is down to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to make the first move. Whether or not it would be accepted by William and Catherine, I doubt very much it would be,” he said. The former royal correspondent believes the Sussexes will never be forgiven because of Meghan Markle. “I don’t think it’s ever going to happen and I suspect one of the driving forces in not making it happen is Meghan herself,” he said.

Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell says Labor Senator Fatima Payman has been “exiled” and will be abstaining on everything amid controversy over crossing the floor in the Senate. Ms Payman issued a statement saying she has lost contact with her caucus colleagues following her suspension and believes some members are “attempting to intimidate” her into resigning from the Senate. “I said earlier in the program I reckon she’s leaving the Labor Party,” Ms Clennell said.

July 1 marks the new financial year and a raft of changes to government payments are coming into force. With an election around the corner and cost of living biting hard this year, there are more than usual. The biggest changes are the stage three income tax cuts, which the Morrison government legislated in 2018 and tweaked by the Albanese in May’s budget. About 2.6 million Australians who earn minimum wage will get a 3.75 pay increase. Superannuation is also set to change, with employers required to pay 11.5 per cent, up from 11 per cent, and paid parental leave being boosted by two weeks. Labor’s electricity bill rebates are being rolled out as well, with $75 deducted from every household’s power bill per quarter.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says it would have been “tougher” for Australians if inflation was still at “six per cent”. “I know that families, many of them are doing it really tough, but they would’ve done it tougher if the inflation rate was the same as the one that we inherited, which was six per cent,” Mr Albanese said during Question Time on Monday. “We are increasing wages, having tax cuts, energy bill relief, freeze on medicines, making a substantial difference with all these practical measures.”

Keep the Sheep founder Ben Sutherland discusses the implications of Labor’s live sheep export ban on Western Australian farmers. “Pretty horrendous, there will be people exiting out the merino industry, no wool,” Mr Sutherland told Sky New Australia. “Obviously, there will be no live export, so those animals will be blocking up all the abattoirs and all the other markets we've got going on.”

Australia’s version of Forrest Gump has become just the eighth person to run around the world. Tim Franklin has averaged a marathon a day for 576 days. The Australian athlete ran across five continents, 19 countries and 26,232 kilometres before finally ending his journey.

The Australian’s Political Editor Simon Benson says both the Liberal and Labor party’s primary votes are “down” according to recent polling. Mr Benson said it is “quite rare” to have “both the major parties going backwards”. “The only beneficiaries out of this have been the Greens and independents,” he told Sky News Australia. “What this tells you is that the nuclear debate … has certainly taken some bark off the Coalition.”

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has welcomed Governor General Samantha Mostyn following her appointment at Parliament House. “Most importantly, her excellency possesses a decency and humility which will see her connect with everyday Australians and dignitaries here and across the world,” Mr Dutton said. “Your excellency, we have every confidence that you will not only carry out your commitments as Governor General with honour but that your conduct and character will be befitting of the honour and history of this great office. “Our nation is grateful for your service to come.”

There could be blowback to Anthony Albanese’s decision to suspend Senator Fatima Payman indefinitely from the Labor caucus with a key vote looming in parliament. There will be a vote by Labor to ban the live sheep export. The vote itself is now set to pass because Labor, as of today, is believed to have the numbers to push it through. Ms Payman is understood not to be too happy with her treatment that happened on Sunday.

Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell discusses Labor’s cost of living relief which comes into effect today. “The tax cuts, $23 billion into the economy, but the Treasurer denies that they will cause inflation.” Mr Clennell said. “That forecast, which everyone was hoping would lead to a rate cut at the end of the year or early next year, is looking very rubbery, and even Jim Chalmers knows that.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the Albanese government has turned “two big Liberal deficits” into “Labor surpluses”. “The governor of the Reserve Bank has said that those two surpluses are helping in the fight against inflation,” Mr Chalmers said. The Treasurer said the government designed this cost-of-living relief “in a way that puts downward pressure on inflation, rather than upward”.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the Albanese government is “rolling out substantial and meaningful and responsible” cost of living relief. “We are doing as much as we responsibly can, conscious of the constraints in the budget and the pressures on inflation,” Mr Chalmers told Sky News Australia. “What we are doing today, in addition to rolling out this substantial and meaningful and responsible cost of living relief, is we’re doing it in a way that puts downward pressure on inflation rather than upward pressure on inflation. “Were it not for what we are doing … inflation would be even higher in our economy.”