There was a “bit of a shock” this week in the leadup to the first US presidential debate after a new poll put “Joe Biden ahead of Donald Trump”, says Sky News host James Macpherson. It is the first time since October 2023 that Mr Biden has been in front of the former president in the polls. Mr Macpherson sat down with Sky News host Danica De Giorgio and journalist and commentator Brad Polumbo to discuss the latest US polling.

Sky News host Paul Murray slams the Albanese Labor government over three pay rises in one term as the number of Australians working multiple jobs rises close to “a million people”. “Cost-of-living is the front and centre … affecting your life, your friend’s life, your family’s life,” he said. “12 interest rate rises since this prime minister came to office, of course, it does not matter for Albo and Chalmers, because they, of course, just last week got their third pay rise this term, the second highest in a decade, the highest in a decade was the one before this, three in one term, $600,000.”

Sky News host Paul Murray says former US president Donald Trump is “not doing much” for debate prep against President Joe Biden as instead he is telling stories and jokes at rallies. “Donald Trump is not doing much debate prep … Biden is currently at Camp David,” he said. “Hopefully he brings props with him.”

More than 80,000 birds will be culled in New South Wales after bird flu was found at a second farm in the Hawkesbury region. The property has been in lockdown since Wednesday. CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness said the strain is different to the one that has been found in Victoria and likely came from a wild bird.

King Charles may make an appearance at The Everest race day in Sydney after changes were made to his tour dates. The Daily Telegraph reports the King has had to scale back his tour of Australia and cancelled his trip to New Zealand. Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys says His Majesty is “officially invited” to present the $5 million ‘King Charles the Third Stakes’ trophy at Royal Randwick.

A Westfield in Adelaide has been evacuated over reports of an armed offender. Police have confirmed an incident is underway at Westfield Marion at Oaklands Park. There are reports of an armed offender, although it’s not yet known if anyone has been injured. Shoppers have been evacuated from the centre. Police are now on the scene and are telling people to stay away from the area.

UK Professor and Academic Matthew Goodwin slams Rishi Sunak ahead of the UK general election. The UK general election is set for July 4 “What has he [Rishi Sunak] actually given the country?” Mr Goodwin says. “He’s given us the highest tax burden since the 1950s and 60s; we’ve got the highest rates of legal migration that we’ve ever had. “The British Tories have mainstreamed woke ideology.”

The common themes in this global surge of inflation came from the “post-COVID policy”, says Crawford School of Public Policy Warwick McKibbin. “Policy during COVID; of loose monetary, loose fiscal policy,” Mr McKibbin told Sky News Business Editor Ross Greenwood. “Plus the war in Ukraine pushing up energy prices.”

Institute of Public Affairs Associate Fellow Dr Sherry Sufi says while Australia is “not a perfect country” there is “a lot of positive”. Dr Sufi has recently written a book titled ‘Australia on Trial: Accusations and Defence’. “The book, from my point of view, is fairly uncontroversial,” Dr Sufi told Sky News Australia. “It makes three claims: that we’re not a fundamentally racist country, we weren’t built on stolen land, and we do have a way of life worth defending. “Look, we’re not a perfect country. “We weren’t a perfect country when we started off; we still aren’t a perfect country, but there is a lot of positive that we should spend more time celebrating rather than constantly talking about the bad things that happened.”

Sky News host Rita Panahi has questioned whether Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez is “ok” after she lost it at a rally in the Bronx. “Talking about losing your grip on reality and sanity, bartender turned congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and a couple of far-left Democrats held a rally in the Bronx,” Ms Panahi said. “The Democrats’ rally sadly … only had a few hundred in attendance, and they were treated to this absolute cringefest. “Ask yourself: is AOC ok?”

Institute of Public Affairs Associate Fellow Dr Sherry Sufi says Australia is “not” a “racist country”. Dr Sufi has recently written a book titled ‘Australia on Trial: Accusations and Defence’. “The book, from my point of view, is fairly uncontroversial,” Dr Sufi told Sky News Australia. “It makes three claims: that we’re not a fundamentally racist country, we weren’t built on stolen land, and we do have a way of life worth defending. “They’re the three claims that I’m making in this book.”

Crawford School of Public Policy Professor Warwick McKibbin says the “key problem” in Australia’s cost-of-living crisis is “low productivity”. The Reserve Bank held rates at 4.35 per cent at its June meeting. “We have a lot of demand in the economy,” Mr McKibbin told Sky News Australia. “Inflation is the result of demand being in excess of supply. “We have no productivity growth, which is the core problem behind our cost-of-living crisis. “The key problem in this cost-of-living crisis is low productivity.”

Crawford School of Public Policy Professor Warwick McKibbin says Australia needs a “comprehensive report” on nuclear before it is implemented as it is a “big step to take”. Opposition leader Peter Dutton announced the Coalition’s nuclear plan last week. “I think the cost advantage has moved towards renewables since we did that report, and I think the delays have reduced in terms of construction,” Mr McKibbin told Sky News Australia. “I think it just needs a comprehensive report before you go down this road because it is a big step to take.”

Former ANSTO Chief Executive Dr Adi Paterson says Australia “can’t afford” to not take on nuclear power. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton announced the Coalition’s nuclear policy last week, including the seven proposed sites for the nuclear reactors. “We can’t afford not to be a nuclear power,” Dr Paterson told Sky News Australia. “The big challenge we’re now facing is … how we can get electrons from solar panels and wind turbines, both of which I worked on … and came to the conclusion that they would not work. “Everybody thinks that solar panels are new – the first solar panel revolution happened 20 years ago, and it failed.”

UK Professor and Academic Matthew Goodwin says the UK Conservative party is “putting themselves” ahead of the country. The UK general election is set for July 4 The UK Conservative party is being investigated by Britain’s gambling regulator following allegations of bets placed on the date of the general election before it was announced. “This is classic Tory behaviour,” Mr Goodwin said. “They’re putting themselves and the party ahead of the country. “There’s also a deeper question here with regard to Rishi Sunak and his administration. “What does Rishi Sunak stand for?”

Sky News host Rita Panahi says she likes Opposition leader Peter Dutton of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as a “man-child”. Mr Dutton labelled Mr Albanese a ‘child in a man’s body’ at the Liberal Party’s federal council on Saturday. “I like that a lot; man-child Albo,” Ms Panahi said. “Airbus Albo out, man-child Albo in.”

Sky News host Rita Panahi has blasted Queensland Opposition leader David Crisafulli for seeming determined to “snatch defeat from the jaws of victory”. “He [David Crisafulli] seems determined to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory,” Ms Panahi said. “[He is] amongst Liberals across the country who have shown zero party discipline, shown zero vision … in immediately pooh-poohing this plan. “I am so thoroughly sick of these state Liberal Parties.”

UK Professor and Academic Matthew Goodwin says there will be a “prolonged civil war” within the UK Conservative Party. The UK general election is set for July 4 “I think what we’ve got here is the beginning of a prolonged civil war between the established British Tory right and a new generation of national conservatives represented by the likes of Farage,” Mr Goodwin says. “Here’s my prediction – we’re going to have a really big Labour majority government, probably the biggest Labour majority in this country since 1997. “There’s this big battle for the right.”

Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell says Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s nuclear announcement “overshadowed” Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Australia. “Peter Dutton’s nuclear announcement overshadowed what would otherwise clearly have been the biggest story of the week – the first visit by a Chinese leader to Australia in seven years,” Mr Clennell said. “Premier Li Qiang’s trip did not come without protests and controversy – with the Australian PM having to have words with the Chinese leader after an embassy official tried to block Sky News journalist and former detainee Cheng Lei at an event. “But, overall, the government is seeing the visit as something that will lead to positive results. “There is a belief that the lobster sanctions on Australian farmers will be pushed out of the way in coming weeks and that there could be some clemency when it comes to Australians in China on death row.”

Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell says the Albanese government went “straight into scare campaign mode” after the Coalition announced its nuclear plan. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton announced the Coalition’s nuclear plan last week. “Seven uncosted government-owned nuclear power plants, Peter Dutton said would be built – one in every mainland state – should he be elected,” Mr Clennell said. “But he is holding back on the details of the cost of his promise, with the capital cost alone expected to exceed $8 billion per plant. “The Labor Party went straight into scare campaign mode, and the PM Anthony Albanese found himself defensive after his MPs put cartoons of fish with three eyes on social media, in a dig at contaminated water that supposedly would come from the plants.”