The Australian’s Foreign Editor Greg Sheridan says the 88 per cent vote of support for Russian President Vladimir Putin is “an obscenity”. Putin has maintained office as prime minister or president since 1999, with the three candidates on the ballot barely making a dent to challenge his winning streak. Many Russians at home and abroad have banded together to protest their leader and claim the election is predetermined. The Russian president’s primary political opponent, Alexei Navalny, died suspiciously in an Arctic prison after being sentenced to 30 years in prison. Mr Sheridan joined Sky News host Andrew Bolt to discuss Putin’s election win.

Former Labor senator Stephen Conroy says Paul Keating meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is not “outrageous”, but Australians will judge him for it if he continues to "spout their propaganda". “Is it some sort of outrageous thing that happens, no,” he said. “In general, in this issue, what it again demonstrates is China want to play and interfere in Australian politics. “If Paul Keating is dumb enough to go to a meeting and then continue to spout their propaganda. “Well, we will all be able to easily judge him.”

The Australian’s Foreign Editor Greg Sheridan says the West is “so addicted to welfare payments”. Mr Sheridan joined Sky News host Andrew Bolt to discuss the threat of war on the West and if funding should be prioritised to Defence. He said that the “insanely expensive green energy transitions” are cutting into spending limits. “They’re not going to spend on Defence. “Our own government has gone quiet, won’t say boo on China.”

GXO Strategies Director Cameron Milner says it is “appalling” for Trade Minister Don Farrell to undermine the importance the United States plays in the defence of Australia considering the “assistance” they played in World War Two. “I find it appalling, I live in Brisbane … if not for the US, we would not have been able to defend against Japan and the hyper aggression at that time from Japan,” he said. “World War Two was won because of American assistance. “And Australian grit, and hard work. “It is appalling that we would forget that history so quickly and dismiss the importance of AUKUS.”

REA Group Economist Anne Flaherty says Australia is seeing “very strong” clearance rates as right across the country the rates are remaining above what they were six months ago. “We have continued to see clearance rates hold really quite strongly particularly in Melbourne, so a clearance rate of 69 per cent there is very strong,” she said. “Across the country, actually, the clearance rates are still remaining above what we were seeing six months ago, especially towards the end of last year. “Expectations around interest rates having peaked are really one of the key drivers here, people are feeling much more confident about how much they are going to be repaying in their mortgages over the coming year.” National total auctions are sitting at 2,093 with clearance rates hitting 63.3 per cent in Sydney. South Australia’s clearance rates are the highest at 77.3 per cent with a total of 66 auctions in the state. In partnership with REA.

More than 34,000 extra households are now suffering hardship because of their energy bills according to the Australian Energy Regulator. It says that 1.7 per cent of customers are now on hardship programs, compared with 1.2 per cent in the final quarter of 2022. The average hardship debt is around $1,692 – down on a year earlier. Though energy companies are required to have schemes to manage hardship, the AER says indicators shows these programs are not yet fully effective. Tomorrow the AER will hand down its latest draft determination for the 2024–25 Default Market Offer for gas and electricity. It's expected to confirm the second consecutive year of 20 per cent plus electricity price rises.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth says “every member” of the Albanese-Labor government wants people to keep more of what they earn. This follows Australians experiencing a big win with the paid parental leave scheme being expanded to 26 weeks after the first part of the reforms passed through Senate on Monday. “This is evident with our tax plan which from the 1st of July every single taxpayer will be getting a tax cut with 11.5 million Australians getting a bigger tax cut under Labor,” Ms Rishworth said during Question Time. “But it’s also evident in our historic paid parental leave legislation that has passed the parliament today. “Now as a result of our bill that has passed the Senate from the 1st of July, working families will have access to more paid parental leave with the scheme expanded by two weeks each year until we reach 26 weeks – a full six month in July 2026.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has welcomed new Member for Dunkley Jodie Belyea to Question Time on Monday. Labor held the seat of Dunkley in Melbourne’s southeast on March 2 in a by-election prompted by the passing of Peta Murphy, Ms Belyea’s predecessor. “I’m delighted to welcome the new member for Dunkley, and the newest member of our Labor government, Jodie Belyea,” Mr Albanese said. “The excitement and the pride that you feel today is shared by everyone who has been part of your journey to get here. “Your wonderful family who I have got to know, your campaign staff, all the people who believed in your including of course our beloved friend the remarkable Peta Murphy, the former member for Dunkley.”

Queensland Premier Steven Miles has ruled out building a new $3.4 billion Olympic stadium at Victoria Park. The Premier claims he cannot justify building the stadium while Queenslanders struggle with the cost of living crisis. Mr Miles spoke at a press conference on Monday to explain his decision to reject the Victoria Park stadium plan from the Olympic review. “I asked when it was clear the direction the panel was heading in, I indicated to our public servants that we needed another option,” he said. “We were aware the panel would consider those two options and I asked for more detail to be done on an option two.”

Severe Tropical Cyclone Megan has made landfall in the Northern Territory’s Gulf of Carpentaria. The weather system is producing flooding rainfall while winds up to 200kmph threaten the area, as well as the potential for a storm tide. The system is moving over the Peron Islands, with 203.8mm of rainfall on Centre Island. A warning still exists from Port Roper inland to Borroloola and McArthur River Mine while also out toward Mornington Island. The system is expected to make landfall at its strongest, but will move west on Tuesday through the Northern Territory.

A 20-year-old man has been charged over an inmate murder in Sydney, a Matildas statue will soon be installed at Suncorp Stadium, calls for immediate funding for public health heightens, thousands of Tasmanians march against native logging, the Victorian justice system is failing victims, two people have been killed after a shooting in Washington, DC, and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recommits to Gaza offensive. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

The world could see a “revitalisation” of Europe if the United States steps back from NATO and withdraws support for Ukraine, according to ANU North America Director Professor John Blaxland. There are concerns the United States could scale back its support efforts if Donald Trump wins the presidential election this year. The former US president has pledged to end the war "within 24 hours" if elected. Mr Blaxland said the Europeans will need to step up if the United States withdraws funding. “The Swedes joining NATO, the fact that the whole of Scandinavia is now a part of it … essentially a surprisingly united Europe ponying up more they have ever done before,” Mr Blaxland told Sky News Australia.

US President Joe Biden has been spotted wearing new runners believed to prevent the wearer from falling. According to the Inside Edition video report, they stated Biden’s shoes are "designed for maximum comfort and support while walking or hiking”. The “Hoka Transport” is said to have a wide sole and is “no doubt great for stability”, with Inside Edition's report stating the shoe makes the wearer feel like they’re “walking on air”. It was revealed last month Biden suffers from sensory peripheral neuropathy, which causes nerve damage to a person’s foot. Over the years, Biden has been captured numerous times tripping and falling over. In 2021, Biden was seen tripping multiple times while walking up the Air Force One stairs and in 2023, the president fell over during an Air Force Academy commencement ceremony.

Vladimir Putin’s overwhelming victory in the Russian election speaks to a “marked degree of insecurity” from the president, according to ANU North America Director Professor John Blaxland. An exit poll suggests the Russian leader won 87.8 per cent of the vote, keeping him in power for another six years. Earlier, Russians at home and abroad displayed their opposition to Mr Putin on the final day of voting in the presidential election. “This is a man who wants legitimacy, wants to have the façade of people’s support and understandably wants to use that as a tool,” Mr Blaxland told Sky News Australia. “When you control the outcome, you control the numbers and that is essentially what has happened.”

The federal government has reversed its decision to cancel visas for Palestinians entering Australia, Former Prime Minister Paul Keating has been invited to meet with China's Foreign Minister, the 2032 Brisbane Olympics review favours a new stadium, Paramedics in Victoria will take industrial action today, Iceland volcano erupts for the fourth time, 300 seals have been spotted at a nature reserve in northeast China, and China's first commercial spacecraft launch site will be ready for use by June. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

A review into the 2032 Brisbane Olympics has suggested a new stadium should be constructed instead of the controversial Gabba rebuild. Led by former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, the review has recommended a new $2.5 billion indoor arena be created at Roma Street Parkland. It found the cost of the Gabba development would be $700 million more than the Queensland government anticipated. The 60-day review was ordered by Premier Steven Miles due to community unrest. Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli says the review shows the need for an independent infrastructure delivery authority.

Sky News host Paul Murray has defended three-year terms for federal politicians amid calls to increase their time in power to four years. Opposition leader Peter Dutton backed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s call for four-year terms in parliament. The call was also supported by former prime minister John Howard. “Even if you have a one-seat majority, you have it for four years; you don’t have it for three years,” Mr Murray said. “If you are in a minority government, you can stitch it together for four years, not three years. “More power, more money, more control.”

Liberal Senator Dave Sharma says Israel supports the elimination of Hamas as the IDF looks to launch an offensive in Rafah. Israeli troops will be deployed despite international concerns it could endanger the lives of the 1.5 million Palestinians in the area. The Israeli Prime Minister has promised to help facilitate humanitarian aid in Gaza. “Now, obviously, any military operation must minimalise civilian casualties, and the large civilian population that is sheltering in Rafah needs to be protected,” Mr Sharma told Sky News Australia. “I expect Israel will do that, but clearly, they are committed to finishing this war against Hamas and making sure they cannot mount the same kind of terror attacks on October 7 again.”

Liberal Senator Dave Sharma has labelled the Russian election a “choreographed exercise” and urged people to take the results with a “grain of salt” after Vladimir Putin won with over 85 per cent of the vote. An exit poll suggests the Russian leader won 87.8 per cent of the vote. Earlier, Russians at home and abroad displayed their opposition to Mr Putin on the final day of voting in the presidential election, which will see him in power for another six years. “Any credible political opposition was eliminated before the vote, some like Alexei Navalny appear they were murdered by the Russian state security services, others were removed from the ballot,” Mr Sharma told Sky News Australia. “This was a choreographed result that the outcome was known in advance, and they dial up or dial down the turnout and voter support and everything else according to what sort of mandate they want to ensure Putin has for the next six years.”

China’s first commercial spacecraft launch site will be ready for use by June. The launch pad located in South China’s Wenchang City began construction in 2022. It will be a dedicated launch station for Long March 8 carrier rockets. It will boost China’s rocket, satellite and data industry.