CANBERRA, ACT, May 21 -- The Treasurer of Australia issued the following media release: Western Australian resources company Arafura Rare Earths will ramp up rare earths mining and create hundreds of jobs in Australia following support from the Albanese Government through the Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve. The Government has committed $1.2 billion to establish Australia's Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve. Following the Albanese Labor Government confirming the project will be eligible...
CANBERRA, ACT, May 21 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release: A West Australian man is scheduled to appear in Perth Magistrates Court today (21 May, 2026) charged over alleged plans to sexually abuse a child overseas. The AFP arrested the man, 49, at Perth Airport yesterday afternoon (20 May, 2026) as he was about to board an international flight. He was charged with one count of grooming a child outside Australia for sexual activity, contrary to section 272.15(1) of ...
CANBERRA, ACT, May 21 -- The Treasurer of Australia issued the following transcript: Note Subjects: 2026 Budget, tax system, housing, start‑ups, gas tax, economic inclusion and international comparisons Ruby Jones: Treasurer, welcome to 7am. It's great to have you on the show. Jim Chalmers: Thanks very much, Ruby. Thanks for having me back. Jones: It's been just over a week since you released the Budget and it's fair to say a lot of people don't like it. Polls suggest that more tha...
CANBERRA, ACT, May 21 -- The Prime Minister of Australia issued the following media release: HOST: Right now, we've got the Prime Minister on the phone. G'day Albo. HOST: Albo! ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: G'day. How you going? HOST: Good mate. Now, I don't know if you've been prepped for this, but on the release of the, of the Budget. Was it last week? I think it was the Budget last week, but Corey Oates, our own football expert, was able to decipher the budget and put it into footy pa...
SYDNEY, May 21 -- Australian Prudential Regulation Authority issued the following media release: The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has revoked Eric Insurance Limited's (Eric's) authorisation to carry on insurance business in Australia under the Insurance Act 1973, following a request by Eric's deed administrators. Eric appointed voluntary administrators on 28 July 2025 and, following a meeting of creditors, executed a deed of company arrangement (DOCA) on 19 September...
SYDNEY, May 21 -- Australian Prudential Regulation Authority issued the following media release: The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has intensified its oversight of banks, insurers and superannuation trustees as geopolitical tensions, artificial intelligence (AI) and growing complexity in global markets reshape the risk environment. The update is contained in the latest edition of APRA's System Risk Outlook report, which provides an overview of risks and vulnerabilities affe...
CANBERRA, ACT, May 20 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release: A West Australian man is expected to face Perth Magistrates Court today (20 May, 2026) charged with six counts of possession of child abuse material.   The AFP arrested the man, 31, this morning after investigating information from authorities in the United Kingdom about an Australian user allegedly accessing a darknet forum where child abuse material wa...
CANBERRA, ACT, May 20 -- Australian Federal Police issued the following media release: Editor's note: An image and recording of today's press conference from the summit is available via Hightail. Fiji Police Force and the AFP have today launched a Pacific Transnational Crime Summit in Fiji to combat the growing threat of illicit drugs, as a new International Joint Investigations Team will be set up in Colombia to target traffickers. Fiji Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu, AFP Commissioner K...
CANBERRA, ACT, May 20 -- The Treasurer of Australia issued the following transcript: Note Subjects: the Budget, tax changes, Australians activists detained Rafael Epstein: Jim Chalmers, thank you for coming in. Jim Chalmers: Nice to see you, Raf. Thanks for having me back. Epstein: I do want to give you time to talk about detail, but I want to ask about politics first. Have you lost control of the debate on the Budget? Chalmers: Of course not. Obviously from some quarters there will be...
CANBERRA, ACT, May 20 -- The Prime Minister of Australia issued the following media release: ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Kumanjayi Little Baby was just five years old and should have had her whole life ahead of her. This wonderful young soul, who I got to speak to her mum, her grandfather, and her grandmother today. She was cherished and loved and they're going through the worst of devastation, and at this time they've asked that they be allowed to go through the Sorry Business with the p...