Good morning. It’s Monday 16th May, and here’s a round up of the latest news.
The Greens to outline priorities in the case of a hung parliament
With five days to go until the federal election, the Greens are outlining their priorities, if they hold the balance of power after the poll.
The party is officially launching its campaign in Brisbane today.
In his speech, leader Adam Bandt will announce urgent action on climate change, dealing with the cost of living crisis, and progressing the Uluru Statement from the Heart for Indigenous people will be their main priorities if they have to negotiate with either the Coalition or the Labor party to form a government in a
The Greens currently hold one seat in the House of Representatives and nine seats in the Senate.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison plans to begin the day campaigning in Brisbane, while Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese is in Perth.
Finland and Sweden to join NATO
Both countries have decided to join the alliance due to security concerns, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Finland shares a border of around 1,300 kilometres with Russia, although Russia insists it is no threat to Finland, and Russian president Vladimir Putin told his Finnish counterpart Sauli Ninniesto in a phone call on the weekend that Finland's decision to join is a mistake.
Finland and Sweden must be approved by all 30 current NATO members in their domestic parliaments before they officially become NATO members.
Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson gives a press conference after the Swedish governing party, the Social Democrats, decideded to support a Swedish NATO application. Source: AAP / Fredrik Persson/EPA
Economists concerned over Coalition's housing policy
The proposal would allow first home buyers to access up to $50,000 from their superannuation balance to put towards the cost of a property purchase.
But the McKell Institute says the policy would reignite house prices and deplete retirement savings.
The Institute's chief executive officer Michael Buckland told SBS News the policy flies in the face of all available evidence.
"One of the key findings of our report was that the people who will get into the housing market and use their money from superannuation are those who would get into the housing market anyway," Mr Buckland says.
"So what this does is it doesn't allow new people into the home market. What it does is allow new people to bring forward their house purchases."
"Now that's a really important distinction because what it means is that while people might be able to enter the housing market earlier, they are going to be paying more for their house. So that's a big additional cost just for a few extra months."
Ukrainian soldiers are seen with new military weapons in Donetsk, Ukraine on 14 May, 2022. Source: Getty / Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Russia seeks to capture the Donbas
in the east with missiles, targeting command centres and arsenals as its forces seek to encircle Ukrainian army units in the battle for Donbas.
Russian forces have been driven out of the area around the city of Kharkiv in the northeast in the past two weeks, their most rapid losses since being expelled from areas around Kyiv and the north of Ukraine at the start of April.
Russia is now trying to capture the two eastern provinces known as the Donbas.
Its forces have been pushing down from the city of Izium south of Kharkiv in an attempt to surround Ukrainian forces between Izium and Russian-controlled territory around the city of Donetsk.
Thousands attend flood relief concert in Lismore
Thousands of music fans have braved wet weather to enjoy a rock concert staged especially for flood-affected residents in northern New South Wales.
The concert, called One From The Heart, was held in Lismore for the local community who have been reeling from the impacts of at least two major floods in the region since the beginning of the year.
Music veteran Daryl Braithwaite was one of the high-profile acts to appear.
"It was such short notice, but to be able to be a part of the gathering of groups to play for the people and bring a bit of happiness for a couple of hours," he said.
"I think music, more than any other profession, can help out. In a minuscule way, it can lift people's spirits."
