PropTrack Senior Economist Paul Ryan says there has been a “really strong correlation” between population growth numbers and home price growth over the past year. Mr Ryan said Perth saw the “strongest population growth of 3.6 per cent". “We’ve seen Perth prices up 16 per cent over the past year,” Mr Ryan said. “Brisbane and Sydney both recorded really strong population growth numbers and have both hit really strong home price growth as well. “The real outlier has been Melbourne.” In partnership with REA.

400 tons of food for Gaza leaves Cyprus, two men injured in Sunshine Coast stabbing, police uncover the mushroom murderer used several social media aliases, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong addresses deportation bill, 43,000 inactive homes across New South Wales, explosion in Indonesia after major fire, and police raid Peruvian president's home.  See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

The Labor government in South Australia are “ignoring the pleas of everyday South Australians,” says Liberal MLC Ben Hood. Mr Hood said the South Australian Labor governent isn’t “focused on cost of living”. “They’re not focused on dealing with the energy crisis,” he told Sky News Australia. “They’re not focused on small business and backing the family but chasing down every ideological rabbit hole with their pet causes. “Unfortunately, they’re the ones that have to undo this.”

Sky News host Rowan Dean says the South Australian Labor government’s decision to push ahead with a state-based Voice has “backfired”. Mr Dean described it as an “embarrassment for Labor”. “We all voted against the Voice but no Labor … thinks it knows better,” he said. “Just over nine per cent of Indigenous Australians in South Australia turned out to vote following a resounding no vote in the federal referendum.” Liberal MLC Ben Hood joined Sky News hosts Rowan Dean, Rita Panahi and James Morrow to discuss South Australia’s state-based Voice.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong says Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and the Coalition are in a “mood to make sure that they say no to whatever they can”. Ms Wong’s comments come after the Coalition and Greens united to reject the government’s proposed deportation bill. The Foreign Minister said what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the government was hoping for was that Mr Dutton would “act like an adult”. She said they were hoping Mr Dutton would “look to the national interest rather than the political interest”. “His party room and he are in a mood to make sure that they say no to whatever they can, even if it’s a sensible piece of legislation,” Ms Wong told Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the immigration reforms are “making Australia’s immigration system stronger”. Ms Wong said it was about ensuring that people who don’t cooperate with a requirement to return “can be penalised”. She said it was “one tool and not the only tool” that the government would use to “try and ensure we keep a sensible, strong migration system”. “There’s an issue that we are seeking to address, and we’ve worked through that,” she said. Ms Wong sat down with Sky News Australia to discuss the immigration reforms.

Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell says it’s been an “extraordinary” week in Canberra as the federal government sought to rush through “draconian” immigration laws. The attempts at the legislation – which would have forced immigration detainees to go home – failed after the Opposition and Greens teamed up in the Senate to send the laws to a parliamentary inquiry. The Opposition claims the process was “too rushed” and “unintended consequences” needed to be scrutinised. “One of the extraordinary things about this is that the government feels it cannot say why it is acting so urgently because it doesn’t want to be seen as interfering with the High Court or affecting legal decisions,” Mr Clennell said. “Last week, the government expected the Opposition to support the legislation ... now the government believes the Opposition owns this detainee problem as well as them after it didn’t support the bill.”

Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is “hawking” the Solar Sunshot program as a “future made in Australia”. “The PM was out just ahead of the Easter break at the site of the Liddell power station ... talking up $1 billion in the budget aimed at manufacturing solar energy in this country – the Solar Sunshot program,” he said. “Together with the Hydrogen Headstart program and the National Reconstruction Fund, the PM is hawking this as a future made in Australia. “That theme, as well as the cost of living, will dominate the budget.” Mr Clennell pointed out that it was an “interesting” announcement as Liddell is one of the sites Opposition leader Peter Dutton is expected to announce as the possible site for a nuclear power plant when he releases his energy policy before the May budget.

US President Joe Biden warns Russia will have consequences for using Americans as bargaining chips. The statement comes on the anniversary of Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich’s arrest for spying in Russia. President Biden has labelled Russia’s actions as “appalling,” saying he will impose costs should they continue. Mr Gershkovich became the first US journalist arrested on spying charges in Russia since the Cold War. The US President and Mr Gershkovich’s family said they will continue working to bring him home.

It has been a dramatic time for the Royal Family as King Charles and Princess Catherine both battle cancer, placing enormous strain on already depleted royal ranks. However, despite the enormous challenges facing the Palace, royal experts and insiders have told Sky News that the House of Windsor remains strong. “There’s been so much said and written and speculation online that these medical diagnoses are signifying the end of the British monarchy, that this is a monarchy in crisis – it’s absolute nonsense,” royal commentator Victoria Arbiter said. Ms Arbiter also said the King was ready to get to Australia. Survivors: The Royal Family Fights Back premieres Sunday night at 7pm AEDT on Sky News.

Four people are injured after a shell exploded near a UN patrol in southern Lebanon. The group was made up of three UN staff and a local translator and were on foot patrol when the explosion occurred. Israel has denied responsibility. The UN peacekeeping mission known as UNIFIL said in a statement that the targeting of peacekeepers is “unacceptable”. The origin of the explosion is being investigated.

Royal Agricultural Society NSW CEO Brock Gilmour says the farmers and exhibitors at the Sydney Royal Easter Show are “very competitive” but the “best of mates”. Mr Gilmour joined Sky News Australia to discuss the show’s successful turnout this year. “I think the most important element of our show is the fact that we’re an agriculture show first and foremost,” he said. “It’s all about our farmers and exhibitors – this year our exhibitor numbers are well up on previous years. “They’re very competitive when they’re in competition mode but when we’re outside of that competition mode, they’re all the best of mates.”

Royal Agricultural Society NSW CEO Brock Gilmour says he “couldn’t be happier” with the large turnout at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Mr Gilmour said there were “concerns” in the leadup to the show over how the current economic environment would impact attendance. “As it’s turned out we had nothing to worry about at all,” he told Sky News Australia. “Good Friday was amazing – we had over 120,000 attendees. “Hopefully we’ll exceed 800,000 for the full show, so we couldn’t be happier.”

Private health insurance premiums are set for their biggest jump in five years. Premiums are to increase by more than three per cent after approval by the federal government. The changes will come into effect from April 1, and some insurers confirm prices could rise by as much as 4.1 per cent. Australians could pay upwards of $159 more each year. Elderly Australians face an increase of upwards of $200.

Les Twentyman Foundation CEO Paul Burke says the passing of Melbourne youth worker Les Twentyman has been “quite a shock”. The 76-year-old spent more than four decades campaigning on issues including drug abuse, homelessness, social welfare and prison reform. Mr Twentyman also worked as a schoolteacher in the city's western suburbs, as well as coaching local footy teams. “The outpouring of grief has been extraordinary,” Mr Burke told Sky News Australia. “We’ve got people from across Melbourne and some people from across Australia who are commenting how shocked they are at losing Les at this time.”

Les Twentyman Foundation CEO Paul Burke discusses the “tireless” efforts of the late youth worker Les Twentyman. The 76-year-old spent more than four decades campaigning on issues including drug abuse, homelessness, social welfare and prison reform. Mr Burke told Sky News Australia his last conversation with Mr Twentyman was on Thursday about a project in the Northern Territory. “We’ve been assisting some of the Aboriginal communities up in the Top End – we’re supplying them with clothing and footwear,” Mr Burke said. “I mean, he was just tireless; his reach was everywhere.”

Young Australians and low-income workers are skipping meals as cost-of-living pressures continue to bite across the country. More than 13,000 parents are eating less to make sure their children are fed. This is according to a survey conducted by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Most consumers consider the rising price of groceries to be a major factor in the cost-of-living crisis. The results of the survey will be used in the ongoing Supermarkets Inquiry.

Israel is set to return to the negotiating table with Hamas after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved new talks on a potential ceasefire deal. Efforts to reach a deal for Israel to pause its military campaign in Gaza in exchange for the release of the remaining Israeli hostages have so far been unsuccessful. Mediators will meet in Qatar. They will be accompanied by diplomats from neighbouring Egypt. Mr Netanyahu has vowed Israel will continue fighting until it eradicates Hamas after any ceasefire deal.

Bondi Partners Senior Advisor Peter McGauran says he is “not certain” of a rate in September and thinks it will “more likely be December” or in early 2025. “I’m not so certain [of a rate cut] – there’s two speedbumps in the road,” Mr McGauran told Sky News Australia. “The first is wages growth. Now, the government is funding aged care workers and childcare workers; they’re supporting an increase to the minimum wage, which is fair enough to a point. “We’re seeing a drop in spending except for petrol, electricity and rent, which is beyond people’s control. “The other speedbump is going to be the effect of the tax cuts. They will start from the 1st of July, and there are some economists who are saying that that represents a reduction equivalent of interest rates. “There’s a hope that it will be September; I think it will more likely be December or early next year.”

Bondi Partners Senior Advisor Peter McGauran believes a curfew is the “way to approach” crime in “out of control” towns. Northern Territory Chief Minister Eva Lawler has declared an ‘emergency situation’ in the Alice Springs CBD to combat crime. A two-week youth curfew will be put in place as part of the response. “There are some towns that are so out of control like Townsville, Moree, where there should be a curfew for young people under 18 – no question,” Mr McGauran told Sky News Australia. “I think the curfew is the way to approach it. “We’ve got to try to stabilise the law-and-order issues, the threat to the community.”