More Australians are experiencing mental distress and loneliness in 2024 and are having difficulty accessing support services. It has emerged in the latest Mental Health Monitor – which has been tracking Australia’s mental health trends – that 40 per cent of Australians have poor or very poor mental health. Australians for Mental Health Executive Director Chris Gambian discussed the latest findings. A survey conducted in the report stated that the main source of pressure being experienced related to people's work. “We are losing on average one person every second day in the construction industry to suicide, it is a devastating statistic – it is by far the worst, sort of, health and safety problem within the construction industry,” Mr Gambian told Sky News Australia. Mr Gambian continued, “78 per cent of people are saying that they don’t think that their local MP is putting mental health and wellbeing first”. If you or anyone you know needs help: Lifeline: 13 11 14 Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800

University of Moncton Astronomy Professor Francis LeBlanc has described the “spectacular” moment when the moon passes between the sun and earth. At least five million people travelled to watch the total solar eclipse across North America. Mr Leblanc labelled the celestial event as “spectacular”. “It was like looking at a whole in the universe, just pitch black and we saw the corona come out,” he told Sky News Australia. “It was my second solar eclipse that that I have seen, and this one was above anything I have seen before.”

Astronomer-At-Large Fred Watson has shared his raw reaction to the solar eclipse from Texas. Hundreds of millions of people in America gathered to witness the continent’s first total solar eclipse in eight years. “We had an almost miraculously clearing of the sky, just before the sun was covered completely by the disk of the moon,” Mr Watson told Sky News Australia. “It was really remarkable. “It was quite a sweaty afternoon until the moon was covering the sun, and the temperature did drop.”

Solar eclipse chaser Dr Sarah Marwick opens up on what it was like to watch the total solar eclipse in America and why she has travelled worldwide for the past 25 years to watch it. “So I can officially now say I’ve seen seven eclipses, it's amazing,” she told Sky News Australia. “They’re all different but this is just as good. “It’s awesome, it’s totally awesome in every sense of the word. “But it's also an emotional impact so it's not just about seeing it … the photos can’t really do it justice because it's more about almost the sense of the universe aligning up for you at that moment. “Normally the moon and the sun just do their thing and we don’t pay attention to them but this moment we see them, and it makes you incredibly privileged and incredibly lucky but also makes you feel so small and insignificant at the same time. “

At least five million people have travelled to watch the total solar eclipse across the US. The eclipse turned day into night first starting in Mexico. Cheers were heard from spectators as the moon crossed paths with the sun. Almost 3,000 people sat in camping chairs with solar viewers on eventually casting them into darkness for several minutes. Arkansas was next to witness the eclipse,though not experiencing it for as long as the previous cities. Hundreds packed stands in Illinois and Indianapolis to watch the event.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to carry out a Rafah invasion, arguing the invasion of the southern city is needed for a victory. During a video statement on Monday (local time), Mr Netanyahu said “This victory requires entry into Rafah and the elimination of the terrorist battalions there.” “It will happen, there is a date,” he continued. Israel's National Security Minister has warned Mr Neanyahu that his administration is under threat unless he pushes forward with the offensive. Mr Netanyahu made the announcement, despite negotiations underway between Israel and Hamas on a potential ceasefire and hostage release deal.

Sky News host Liz Storer says it is “unbelievable” how Scotland’s new hate crime laws continue to amass thousands of complaints. Scotland passed new hate crime laws which have been the subject of controversy with many questioning whether it removes freedom of speech. “This is just unbelievable,” she told Sky News host James Macpherson. “Especially to anyone who has been to a soccer game, same with footy games really. “Do me a favour, cancel soccer altogether.”

Sky News host James Macpherson says Scotland’s police were overwhelmed by hate crime complaints after a soccer game over the weekend. Scotland passed new hate crime laws which have been the subject of controversy with many questioning whether it removes freedom of speech. “Now on April Fool’s Day – which was very appropriate – The Scottish government introduced hate speech laws which made it illegal to stir up hate against protected identity groups,” he said. “Within just 24 hours there were literally thousands of complaints, but that was before the weekend, and on the weekend there was a massive soccer game, and you know soccer hooligans are known for their chants and they can be a little bit racial at times. “Lawyers were warning and police confirmed that not only could people at the stadium complain about hate speech from other supporters … but people watching the game in the comfort of their loungeroom at home listening to the chants on TV, they could ring up police and they could report a hate crime coming through the television set.”

Sky News host Liz Storer says “things heated up” over the weekend in the standoff between Elon Musk and Brazil. Elon Musk faces a legal investigation in Brazil after refusing to take down far-right accounts on his platform X by order of a Supreme Court judge. Mr Musk called for the resignation of the judge after ordering the multibillionaire to block the accounts. “Here we have Brazil ... threatening Elon Musk and his platform with fines and other punishments,” Ms Storer said. “He is simply saying line in the sand, I am happy to go to court as many times as you guys drag me and stand up for freedom of speech – literally across the world at this point.”

Sky News host Paul Murray says Australia is in a situation where any and every industry becomes the “scapegoat” for the government. Mr Murray accuses the Labor government of dodging accountability for the cost of living crisis by blaming the Reserve Bank’s rate hikes and supermarket price gouging. “The government pretends that they have no control, no capacity to be able to change the things that will change your life,” Mr Murray said. “What we have is of course the great sport of bank bashing now being appropriated to other industries; industries that employ a lot of people, that pay a lot of tax. “Today, we see that supermarkets are now going to put into the same position as banks have been – specifically the Reserve Bank.”

Nationals Senator Matt Canavan says the interim supermarket review is a “smokescreen”. The review was conducted by economist and former Labor minister Craig Emerson. “It’s a smokescreen … because the government is trying to hide the fact that under its watch your grocery bills have gone up by more than 20 per cent,” he told Sky News host Paul Murray. “That’s just on the ABS figures. “I mean for some certain products in your trolley – they’ve gone up by much more than that.”

Headline Advisory Director Andrew Carswell says Labor’s “true colours” are being shown with Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s “conditional” support for Israel. “The true colours are being shown here,” he said. “Penny Wong was longing for, she is not on their side of Israel. “Her support for Israel has always been conditional. “It has always been measured.”

‘To Di For’ podcast host Kinsey Schofield says Princess Kate’s parents are trying to deal with their severe debt crisis “in private”. Her comments follow reports from The Times that the royal’s parents Carole and Michael Middleton are in severe debt due to their party business. “What we do know is that the Middletons are attempting to pay this off,” she told Sky News Australia host Rita Panahi. “It’s not like they’re not trying to, they’ve also not asked … any of their children – James, Pippa, or the Princess of Wales for any sort of help whatsoever and they certainly haven’t reached out to the British Royal Family to ask for help. “It’s something that they’re trying to deal with in private.”

Sky News host Paul Murray says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is still “licking his wounds” in the loss of the “$450 million” Voice to Parliament referendum. “The government was not that amazing, in fact, opinion polls have shown that up to 80 per cent of Australians believe the government was not doing enough when it came to the cost of living,” Mr Murray said. “When it came to the number of people that had been let into the country … all voters, Labor voters, Coalition voters and anyone else all believe that the immigration levels were too high. “59 per cent according to the Resolve poll. “The prime minister still licking his wounds from spending $450 million of your money, not on fixing the streets of Alice Springs … to get his moment in history.”

Strategic Analysis Australia Director Peter Jennings says the Albanese government “desperately” needs to look at its response to the issue people smugglers. A group of people, reportedly Chinese nationals, were located in remote Western Australia on the weekend. The boat's arrival is understood to be the third illegal maritime landing on Australian soil in under six months. “It’s not just accidental that three boats have arrived,” Mr Jennings said. “What that probably means is that more are on the way or will be soon.”

Sharri exclusively reveals Israel may block Australia's special advisor in investigating the air strike which killed aid workers in Gaza. Plus, Geoffrey Majzner, brother of a Hamas victim, joins live from Tel Aviv. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

Australian Jewish Association Dr David Adler says Australian politicians are not siding with Israel for a “political advantage”. Mr Adler joined Sky News host Chris Kenny to discuss the six-month anniversary since Israel declared war on Hamas for the terrorist organisation’s attacks on October 7. “There’s something quite deep going on here,” he said. “If you are from an ideology that is into any of the ‘isms’ – socialism, communism, Islamism, in other words, ideologies that are opposed to Western civilisation which is based on Judeo-Chrisitan values. “Then almost reflexly, consciously or unconsciously, you attack the place where the Judeo-Christian values began, which is Israel.”

Sky News host Rita Panahi slams a “pathetic” women’s basketball coach over her “coward” response when asked about trans inclusion in women’s sports. Dawn Staley, the head coach of the University of South Carolina women's basketball team, was asked about the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports. "I am under the opinion [that] if you are a woman, you should play. If you consider yourself a woman and you want to play sports or vice versa, you should be able to play,” Staley said. Ms Panahi criticised the coach for being a “reality denier” as she threw female athletes “under the bus”. “Women cannot compete against men and to pretend otherwise is to deny reality,” she said. “Men are stronger, faster, bigger and its unfair on female athletes to ask them to compete against male bodies.”

Former immigration minister Philip Ruddock has slammed the Albanese government as “foolish” for sending a message to people smugglers. A group of people, reportedly Chinese nationals, were located in remote Western Australia on the weekend. The group has since been sent to Nauru. The boat's arrival is understood to be the third illegal maritime landing on Australian soil in under six months. “The situation under Labor was going to be different to what it was under the Coalition,” Mr Ruddock told Sky News host Chris Kenny. “All that does is send a message to the people smugglers that they have got an opportunity to be able to sell the opportunities to get on boats at a cost. “It’s obvious that it works.”

Former immigration minister Philip Ruddock says Australia’s approach to immigration should be to take those “most in need”. A group of people, reportedly Chinese nationals, were located in remote Western Australia on the weekend. The group has since been sent to Nauru. The boat's arrival is understood to be the third illegal maritime landing on Australian soil in under six months. “You don’t get most in need if you’re getting the people who are on boats who have got money to pay a people smuggler,” Mr Ruddock told Sky News host Chris Kenny. “To put them in the front of the queue, to ensure that others who have a greater priority for a place are left out.”