The fact that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s popularity is still “highly unsatisfactory” will be “worrying” for Labor, says former Howard government minister Peter McGauran. Mr McGauran’s remarks follow the latest Newspoll results. “He got rid of a lot of the barnacles affecting the government’s standing,” Mr McGauran told Sky News Australia. “They thought they could start to begin to recover now. “The fact that they’re still in the doldrums, the Opposition are competitive even though the government’s got its nose in front, and the Prime Minister’s popularity is still highly unsatisfactory, will be worrying for them.”

Nationals Leader David Littleproud says Australia should “back ourselves as a country” by using “reliable, cheap energy” like nuclear. The latest Newspoll suggests voters are backing the Albanese government’s plans for renewable energy projects and sovereign manufacturing. Labor is ahead in the two-party preferred vote 51 to 49 per cent. “Even in The Australian poll where they’re trying to say that the Australian people have given a tick to Albanese’s plan about manufacturing solar panels, giving subsidies for that, the question goes to the heart of do they want manufacturing in this country,” Mr Littleproud told Sky News Australia. “We all do, but how it’s sustainable isn’t through giving subsidies that the Australian taxpayer can only afford for a certain amount of time; it’s actually setting the fundamentals to underpin that, which is reliable cheap energy … which nuclear energy can provide the manufacturing sector. “There’s a clear difference between ourselves and Labor, and polls are showing that Australian people are more and more open to understanding that there is a technological solution. “We should back ourselves as a country.”

Tech Council of Australia Acting Chief Executive Ryan Black has outlined AI’s potential to boost the economy by $115 billion a year by 2030 in his pre-budget submission. Mr Black believes this is possible through countering the “60-year low” in Australian productivity growth. However, there are concerns this AI boost will replace jobs. Mr Black told Sky News Australia that there is no cause for concern as “AI augments jobs rather than replaces jobs”. “It automates tasks within a job,” he added. “It allows them [workers] to focus more on the high-value aspects of their job.”

Katherine Bennell-Pegg will be the first astronaut to represent Australia in space. Whilst there have been other Australian astronauts who have travelled to outer space, they have represented other nations like the US. She recently graduated from the European Space Agency in Germany. Ms Bennell-Pegg, who was raised in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, will return to Adelaide to work at the Australian Space Agency. Whilst at the Australian Space Agency, she will prepare for missions to the International Space Station and beyond.

Former US president Donald Trump is set to stand trial in New York City over hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Mr Trump has been charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records for his alleged role in the hush money scheme prior to the 2016 Presidential election. This trial could be the first of four he will face as he also juggles his time on the campaign trail for the 2024 US Presidential election. The former US president has pleaded not guilty to the charges, claiming they are politically motivated. He has criticised the process, calling it a “witch hunt”.

Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes has labelled the Albanese government as the “definition of hypocritical” after Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen called Peter Dutton a “liar” for delaying the release of his nuclear policy. Opposition leader Peter Dutton is being criticised for delaying the release of his nuclear energy policy. The Coalition was set to unveil the full details of its nuclear plans before the May Budget. “It’s a pretty big call there for Chris Bowen to come out calling Peter Dutton a liar when, at no stage, did they admit the lies that they told over the changes to the stage three tax cuts,” Ms Hughes told Sky News Australia. “I mean, this government is absolutely just the definition of hypocritical.”

Assistant Defence Minister Matt Thistlethwaite says Opposition leader Peter Dutton “can’t be trusted” because he “can’t deliver” on his nuclear policy commitment. Dutton is being criticised for delaying the release of his nuclear energy policy. The Coalition was set to unveil the full details of its nuclear plans before the May Budget. “The Opposition leader gave a commitment and if you can’t deliver on that commitment, then he can’t be trusted,” Mr Thistlethwaite told Sky News Australia. “They’ve been spruiking this policy for about 12 months now, and the Australian people have the right to know what this policy is all about, particularly where the Coalition are planning to situate these nuclear power plants.”

Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes has clashed with Assistant Defence Minister Matt Thistlethwaite, asking “how many lies” the Albanese government can tell. Dutton is being criticised for delaying the release of his nuclear energy policy. The Coalition was set to unveil the full details of its nuclear plans before the May budget. “Hypocrisy is thy name, Matt,” Ms Hughes told Sky News Australia. “You went to an election with a pledge for $275 to come off power bills – over 100 times committed to by now Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. “He promised, along with many of your Cabinet colleagues, that there would be no changes to the stage three tax cuts. “How many lies can this Labor government tell? “We are not the government, Matt; you are.”

Israeli forces have killed 22 Palestinians, most of whom were children, in another airstrike in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, according to Palestinian Health Authority officials. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says pressure will be increased on Hamas in the coming days. “Instead of retreating from its extreme positions, Hamas builds on division within us; it draws encouragement from the pressures directed at the Israeli government,” Mr Netanyahu said. “As a result, it only tightens its conditions for the release of our hostages. “It weighs down our heart and refuses to release our people. “Therefore, we will land additional and painful blows on it, and it will happen soon.”

A deteriorating global economic outlook may reduce forecasted growth for Australia in the May Budget. Treasury is reviewing its December forecasts that Australia’s economy will grow by 1.75 per cent in 2024-25. This is according to The Australian. The review is due to slowing activity in key economies, raising the prospect of a reduction in growth. Treasurer Chalmers warns the global outlook is ‘fraught and fragile’, citing slower growth forecasts in key economies like China, Japan and the United Kingdom.

The latest Newspoll suggests voters are backing the Albanese government’s plans for renewable energy projects and sovereign manufacturing. The polling shows both major parties have lifted a point in the primary vote. Labor’s primary vote sits at 33 per cent, while the Coalition is up at 38 per cent. Labor is ahead in the two-party preferred vote 51 to 49 per cent. Anthony Albanese remains the preferred prime minister at 48 per cent – 13 points ahead of Opposition leader Peter Dutton at 35 per cent.

Daily Mirror Royal Editor Russell Myers says there are reports King Charles wants to attend the Royal Ascot. Mr Myers joined Sky News host Caroline Di Russo to discuss the King’s willingness to attend the Royal Ascot despite his cancer diagnosis. “Of course he had a very scaled-down schedule over the last few months undergoing his cancer treatment, we had only seen him sparingly at public events meeting the Prime Minister or other members of the public in very, very small groups at Buckingham Palace. “However, we did see him on Easter Sunday in a larger group outside Windsor Castle, I am told there is definitely an appetite to get him back to more public duties over the next couple of months. “Definitely he does want to go to Royal Ascot if he is well enough to do those other events as well, so hugely positive news from the palace.”

Sky News host Caroline Di Russo says Prince William and Queen Camilla’s royal duty fulfilment amid Catherine and the King’s health concerns is a real “balancing act”. “Regardless of her position, Catherine is still a sick mum,” said. “And William is a dad trying to hold it all together for his family. “On the public side of things, William and Camilla have done the best they can to keep up with official duties while Charles and Catherine recover. “It is a balancing act between focusing on official engagements and reassuring the public of Catherine and Charles’ respective recoveries.”

News Corp columnist Louise Roberts says Prince Harry’s upcoming trip to the UK is causing “a bit of angst” within his brother William’s circles. There is plenty of speculation around Prince Harry’s next visit to the UK. “It’s not as though Harry can do a quick in and out ... given the news that we all know, of course that his father has cancer and his sister-in-law has cancer,” Ms Roberts said. “There is some suggestion that a meeting will be arranged between the estranged brothers. “If Harry just sort of dashes in and out, it won’t be a good look for him, he has to be very careful of the optics on this trip.”

Daily Mirror Royal Editor Russell Myers says Princess Anne is getting the “recognition she deserves” filling in for the King and Princess of Wales. Mr Myers joined Sky news host Caroline Di Russo to discuss Princess Anne appearing more often while King Charles, Kate Middleton, and Prince William step back from the public eye. “There’s no stranger to Princess Anne rolling up her sleeves and getting on with the job. “She’s definitely had to do that moreso over the last couple of weeks. “There has been sort of a missing of members of the Royal Family over the last few months certainly with the King, the Princess of Wales, Prince William is of course taking an extended leave over Easter.”

Daily Mirror Royal Editor Russell Myers says Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been criticsed for not making any statements on King Charles’ or Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnoses. Mr Myers joined Sky News host Caroline Di Russo to discuss the Sussexes’ response to their family members’ cancer diagnoses. “There is an awful lot going on in the palace that we’ve discussed over the last few weeks, of course the King is still undergoing his treatment for cancer, we had the Princess of Wales taking an extended leave of absence as well because of her chemotherapy. “Harry and Meghan have kind of just got to get on with their job, but we don’t really know what their jobs are at the moment. “We’re still awaiting what these new Netflix series would be and a lifestyle project for Meghan, a polo executive producer role for this new polo show on Netflix for Harry, however it hasn’t really gone too well for the Netflix and Spotify deals.”

Sky News host Paul Murray says the media loves anything which will discuss the “end” of the Liberal Party. “The media loves anything that will be the end of the Liberal Party – the evil party that’s been holding back from the awesomeness of leftism for a while,” he said. “Well, this weekend, just amazingly this weekend we got the launch of two people who want one job. “Two women who think that they can job share the job of the Member for Higgins at the upcoming election. “Now, interestingly former Liberal seat but currently a Labor seat, and not one of the seats that was listed as a potential target seat by the people who would end up funding their campaign.”

Boss Energy has reopened the Honeymoon Uranium Mine in South Australia after being closed for around ten years. Australia is the world’s fourth largest exporter of uranium, having recently been overtaken by Namibia, Sky News Business Editor Ross Greenwood said. However, Australia still has a ban on the use of uranium to generate electricity on our own shores. Even Western Australia has a complete ban on mining uranium, even though it could have some of the world’s biggest reserves. Boss Energy Managing Director Duncan Craib joined Sky News Australia to discuss the reopening and what it could mean for the nation’s energy industry.

Wine growers have pleaded directly to Victorian MPs to prevent one of the nation's leading grape regions from becoming the home of Australia's largest solar farm. If approved, 80 per cent of Venn Energy’s proposed 800ha Cooba solar farm would be built within the Heathcote region. Colbinabbin winemaker John Davies says plans for the solar farm will put the state’s best farming soil under threat and should be preserved for producing high-quality agricultural products. “This will decimate wine tourism in that area,” Mr Davies said. “Because it will be right in your face – you can’t avoid it.”

The red tape for Queensland development approvals is set to be slashed under a plan to bolster housing. The streamlined program will see some development approval times cut down from an average of four years to 75 days. Expressions of interest are now open for developers to submit designs. Queensland Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon says the program will prioritise projects close to public transport services and will include at least 15 per cent of affordable housing. The program is under the state's Homes for Queenslanders plan which aims to deliver 53,000 social homes by 2046.