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1 – BRUSSELS COUNTER-TERRORISM
Four police officers have been shot and injured during counterterrorism raids in Belgium that ended in a police shootout. The shootout began at around 3pm local time, when two suspects opened fire on officers, leaving four policeman injured, one critically.
One suspect has reportedly been killed during the raid, whilst two others were still on the run, according to local media reports. The mayor of Brussels, where the raid took place, said the suspects had barricaded themselves in an apartment initially, before fleeing the scene via rooftops.
A southern section of the city was sealed off by Police as they hunt the fleeing suspects.
2 – MORRISON PLAYS DOWN TAX CUTS
Treasurer Scott Morrison has played down his earlier claims that the government’s upcoming budget would propose tax cuts for average Australian wage – earners. Morrison has called these tax cuts a priority since becoming Treasurer, but attempted to lower expectations yesterday in Melbourne.
MORRISON: In the other areas, say in Personal Income Tax, it has to be something that can make a difference. The best way to drive income tax ultimately is off growth. So our focus is very much on ‘let’s drive the growth’.
Shadow Treasurer Andrew Lee hit back at the Treasurer after yesterday’s comments.
LEE: Isn’t it extraordinary that ever since he’s taken the job Scott Morrison has characterised Bracket Creep as the great moral challenge of our time, and now he seems to be walking entirely away from it.
3 – ANTI-CSG PROTESTING LAWS
Protestors of Coal-Seam-Gas in New South Wales could face fines of $5500 and up to seven years imprisonment if new legislation passes under the Baird government. Despite protests outside NSW Parliament House yesterday, the bill passed its second reading in the Upper House last night with the support of the Australian Shooters and Fishers Party.
The new laws also mean gas and coal exploration sites will be recognised as mines, however multiple amendments of the bill are still to be voted on today.
These laws comes after a series of protests across the state this year ended with people chaining themselves to coal-seam-gas equipment.
4 – TURNBULL’S SLOGAN SCRUTINY
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s innovation campaign slogan has come under scrutiny, with Federal Labor citing a possible breach in guidelines and calling for an investigation into the 28 million dollar campaign.
TURNBULL: There has never been a more exciting time to be alive than today, and there has never been a more exciting time to be an Australian.
The Prime Minister has regularly used the phrase over the past six months, as the campaign broadcasts on television, social media, online and in print. Labor’s Pat Conroy says guidelines state campaigns should be objective and not directly promote political party interests.
CONROY: Anyone who’s passed a bill before has no idea what the ads are for or what they mean, so I think it’s a colossal waste of money but I’m really concerned that it’s a possible breach of the guidelines that say you can’t include party slogans. (18 secs)
SPORT
Tyler Wright has eliminated Stephanie Gilmour in the quarter finals of the Roxy Pro in the Gold Coast. Moore will move into a semi-final clash against defending champion Carissa Moore.
WEATHER
It’s currently 21 degrees in Wollongong, with showers and a high of 22 degrees.