Anthony Albanese announces huge changes for childcare: What you need to know Thousands of families to benefit Childcare subsidies set to increase READ MORE: Millions of Aussies to receive Centrelink payments early By KAT WONG AND DOMINIC GIANNINI FOR AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: 22:21, 11 December 2024 | Updated: 22:22, 11 December 2024 e-mail 28 View comments Families will be guaranteed three subsidised days of childcare while $1billion will go towards expanding quality and access as Labor sharpens its election pitch. If Labor is re-elected, families earning less than $530,000 will qualify for the scheme to replace an activity test that has been described as punitive, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged as he launched the policy. 'You don't help families under pressure by pricing them out of child car,' Mr Albanese told party faithful in Brisbane on Wednesday. 'You don't set Australia up to compete and succeed, by holding children back or leaving them behind.' It would benefit about 66,000 families, Mr Albanese said. The activity test requires parents to be in paid work to access the subsidies. 'Parents don't need to go through a bureaucracy or work a certain number of hours to want the best possible education for their child,' Mr Albanese said. Commonwealth childcare subsidies would increase $3.1billion over four years, supporting an extra 200,000 kids to receive early education, an upcoming mid-year budget update will reveal. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) has pledged that his government will guaranteed three subsidised days of childcare if Labour wins the next election There were an extra 34,000 more early childhood teachers employed and 125,000 in training, he said. 'We are training more early educators and we're paying early educators more,' Mr Albanese said, pointing to a legislated 15 per cent pay rise. The $1billion fund, rolling out from July 2025, will focus on putting services on school sites where possible and supporting the growth of high-quality not-for-profit providers. The three-day childcare guarantee will replace the activity test from January 2026 and will cost $427million over five years. Advocacy group The Parenthood said helping kids in their early years was critical with one in five children starting school 'developmentally vulnerable'. This increased to two in five among Indigenous kids, chief executive Georgie Dent said. 'When children arrive at school behind it is incredibly difficult for them to catch up to their peers over the course of their life,' she told Sky News. Deputy Liberal Leader Sussan Ley was critical of the activity test being scrapped, saying childcare spots were at a premium, especially in rural towns. Childcare subsidies would increase $3.1 billion over four years, which will support hundreds and thousands of kids according to a mid-year budget update (pictured stock image) Long waiting lists could dissuade families from moving to the regions, she said. 'We have to have that priority for working families, because that's got to be central to the actual provision of childcare,' she said. But its axing was welcomed by Ms Dent, who called it 'a punitive policy that has locked out as many as 126,000 children, particularly from lower-income households, disadvantaged backgrounds and First Nations children'. Its removal was also welcomed by the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care, with the peak body saying it would help close the gap. But the Greens' early childhood education spokeswoman Steph Hodgins-May said the reforms fell short as parents would still be stuck with high fees and long waiting lists, meaning some children would still miss out. A September Productivity Commission report found children from vulnerable or disadvantaged communities would benefit most from early childhood education but were the least likely to attend. A universal childcare system would ensure every child aged up to five has access to high-quality early childhood education and care for at least 30 hours or three days a week, for 48 weeks of the year, the report said. The best way to achieve this and boost attendance for low and middle-income earners was to scrap the activity test and expand funding for families earning up to $80,000 and households less than $140,000 with multiple children under five. Peter Dutton Labour Anthony Albanese Brisbane Share or comment on this article: Anthony Albanese announces huge changes for childcare: What you need to know e-mail Add commentNoneabus ps88 room 。

Sports on TV for Monday, Dec. 23Stock market today: Wall Street gains ground as it heads for a winning weekOn Wednesday at around 6pm, thousands of social media users in parts of the UK reported an outage with Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The social media giant reported that a “technical issue” had left users unable to access its services. DownDetector, a website that monitors social media outages, says the three cities hit worst by the outage were London, Manchester and Glasgow. Other major cities hit hard by the blackout were Cardiff, Nottingham and Birmingham. Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there – just doing some last checks. We apologize to those who’ve been affected by the outage. — Meta (@Meta) December 11, 2024 By around 10pm on Wednesday, DownDetector UK said there had been 23,445 reports of Facebook outages, 11,466 Instagram outages and 18,646 on WhatsApp across Britain. In an update issued at 10.26pm on X, Meta said the problem was now nearly resolved. A spokesperson said: “Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there – just doing some last checks. “We apologise to those who’ve been affected by the outage.” Other parts of the world affected include Europe, Asia, South America and Australia, according to DownTracker. To find out if your area is affected, visit: downdetector.co.uk/status/facebook/map .

On Wednesday at around 6pm, thousands of social media users in parts of the UK reported an outage with Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The social media giant reported that a “technical issue” had left users unable to access its services. DownDetector, a website that monitors social media outages, says the three cities hit worst by the outage were London, Manchester and Glasgow. Other major cities hit hard by the blackout were Cardiff, Nottingham and Birmingham. Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there – just doing some last checks. We apologize to those who’ve been affected by the outage. — Meta (@Meta) December 11, 2024 By around 10pm on Wednesday, DownDetector UK said there had been 23,445 reports of Facebook outages, 11,466 Instagram outages and 18,646 on WhatsApp across Britain. In an update issued at 10.26pm on X, Meta said the problem was now nearly resolved. A spokesperson said: “Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there – just doing some last checks. “We apologise to those who’ve been affected by the outage.” Other parts of the world affected include Europe, Asia, South America and Australia, according to DownTracker. To find out if your area is affected, visit: downdetector.co.uk/status/facebook/map .

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WASHINGTON — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Defense Department, said he had a “wonderful conversation” with Maine Sen. Susan Collins on Wednesday as he pushed to win enough votes for confirmation. He said he will not back down after allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct. Collins said after the hourlong meeting that she questioned Hegseth about the allegations amid reports of drinking and the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. She said she had a “good, substantive” discussion with Hegseth and “covered a wide range of topics,” including sexual assault in the military, Ukraine and NATO. But she said she would wait until a hearing, and notably a background check, to make a decision. “I asked virtually every question under the sun,” Collins told reporters as she left her office after the meeting. "I pressed him both on his position on military issues as well as the allegations against him, so I don’t think there was anything that we did not cover.” The meeting with Collins was closely watched as she is seen as more likely than most of her Republican Senate colleagues to vote against some of Trump’s Cabinet picks. She and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a fellow moderate Republican, did not shy from opposing Trump in his first term when they wanted to do so and sometimes supported President Joe Biden’s nominees for the judicial and executive branches. And Hegseth, an infantry combat veteran and former “Fox & Friends” weekend host, is working to gain as many votes as he can as some senators have expressed concerns about his personal history and lack of management experience. “I’m certainly not going to assume anything about where the senator stands,” Hegseth said as he left Collins’ office. “This is a process that we respect and appreciate. And we hope, in time, overall, when we get through that committee and to the floor that we can earn her support.” Hegseth met with Murkowski on Tuesday. He has also been meeting repeatedly with Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, a military veteran who has said she is a survivor of sexual assault and has spent time in the Senate working on improving how attacks are reported and prosecuted within the ranks. On Monday, Ernst said after a meeting with him that he had committed to selecting a senior official to prioritize those goals. Republicans will have a 53-49 majority next year, meaning Trump cannot lose more than three votes on any of his nominees. It is so far unclear whether Hegseth will have enough support, but Trump has stepped up his pressure on senators in the last week. “Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” Trump posted on his social media platform last week. On Thursday, Hegseth plans to meet with a Democrat — Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman. Fetterman confirmed the meeting to The Associated Press but did not say whether he was considering supporting Hegseth or what he planned to discuss.SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Thirty locators were recognized during the annual Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Mabuhay Business Awards 2024 held at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC) on Dec. 13, 2024. SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose Aliño said the 30 awardees out of the 1,909 locators were recognized for their exceptional contribution to the business growth of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone this year. Register to read this story and more for free . Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience. OR See our subscription options.Manchin, Sinema prevent Democrats from locking in majority on labor board through 2026 WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats failed in their bid to confirm a Democratic member of the National Labor Relations Board after the Senate rejected a razor-thin vote that hinged on the pivotal rejections of independent Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. If the nomination had been successful, the board would have had a Democratic majority until 2026. President-elect Donald Trump will now have a chance to nominate a replacement. The NLRB is a government agency that handles labor relations and unionization in the workplace. It also has the power to investigate potential unfair labor practices, meaning its leadership is highly scrutinized by business interests and labor groups. The failed vote is another blow to Senate Democrats and outgoing President Joe Biden's agenda. Arizona AG sues Saudi firm over 'excessive' groundwater pumping, saying it's a public nuisance PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes says she is suing a Saudi Arabian agribusiness over what she calls “excessive pumping” of groundwater. She alleges that the Fondomonte alfalfa farm in western Arizona is violating a public nuisance law even though the area has no groundwater pumping regulations. Mayes said Wednesday that Fondomonte's use of groundwater threatens the public health, safety and infrastructure of local communities in rural La Paz County. It's Arizona's latest action against foreign companies that use huge amounts of groundwater to grow thirsty forage crops for export. The Associated Press emailed Fondomonte seeking a response to the lawsuit. US inflation ticked up last month as some price pressures remain persistent WASHINGTON (AP) — Fueled by pricier used cars, hotel rooms and groceries, inflation in the United States moved slightly higher last month in the latest sign that some price pressures remain elevated. Consumer prices rose 2.7% in November from a year earlier, up from a yearly figure of 2.6% in October. Excluding volatile food and energy costs, so-called core prices increased 3.3%. Measured month to month, prices climbed 0.3% from October to November, the biggest such increase since April. Wednesday’s inflation figures are the final major piece of data Federal Reserve officials will consider before they meet next week to decide on interest rates. The November increase won’t likely be enough to discourage the officials from cutting their key rate by a quarter-point. Albertsons sues Kroger for failing to win approval of their proposed supermarket merger Kroger and Albertsons’ plan for the largest U.S. supermarket merger in history has crumbled. The two companies have accused each other of not doing enough to push their proposed alliance through, and Albertsons pulled out of the $24.6 billion deal on Wednesday. The bitter breakup came the day after a federal judge in Oregon and a state judge in Washington issued injunctions to block the merger, saying that combining the two grocery chains could reduce competition and harm consumers. Albertsons is now suing Kroger, seeking a $600 million termination fee, as well as billions of dollars in legal fees and lost shareholder value. Kroger says the legal claims are “baseless.” Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the Year NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is expected to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange for the first time and be named Time magazine's Person of the Year. Thursday's events will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who has long seen praise from the business world and media as a sign of success. Four people with knowledge of his plans told The Associated Press that Trump was expected to be on Wall Street on Thursday to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading, while a person familiar with the selection confirmed that Trump had been selected as Time's Person of the Year. Supreme Court allows investors' class action to proceed against microchip company Nvidia WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is allowing a class-action lawsuit that accuses Nvidia of misleading investors about its past dependence on selling computer chips for the mining of volatile cryptocurrency to proceed. The court’s decision Wednesday comes the same week that China said it is investigating the the microchip company over suspected violations of Chinese anti-monopoly laws. The justices heard arguments four weeks ago in Nvidia’s bid to shut down the lawsuit, then decided that they were wrong to take up the case in the first place. They dismissed the company’s appeal, leaving in place an appellate ruling allowing the case to go forward. Apple's latest iPhones get the gift of more AI as holiday shopping season heats up SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple is pumping more artificial intelligence into the latest iPhones during the holiday shopping season. It comes in the form of a free software update that includes a feature that enables users to create customized emojis within a matter of seconds. The Wednesday release of the iPhone’s upgraded operating system extends Apple’s expansion into AI months after rivals such as Samsung and Google began implanting the revolutionary on their devices. The update builds upon another one that came out in late October. The latest round of AI tricks includes “Genmojis,” Apple’s description of emojis that iPhone users will be able to ask the technology to create and then share. EU targets Russia's ghost fleet shipping oil in a new round of sanctions BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union envoys have agreed a new raft of sanctions against Russia over its war on Ukraine. The EU's Hungarian presidency said Wednesday that the measures will target in particular a vast shadow fleet of ships that Moscow is exploiting to skirt restrictions on transporting oil and fuel. The sanctions are aimed at about 50 of what are routinely decrepit ships. The sanctions will hit more officials and entities alleged to be helping Russia to improve its military technology by evading export restrictions. EU foreign ministers are set to formally adopt the sanctions package on Monday. Can ordinary citizens solve our toughest problems? BEND, OREGON (AP) — Research shows Americans are frustrated with what they perceive as aloofness and gridlock within civic institutions. Citizen assemblies may be able to help. The groups which have direct involvement in decision-making can help “overcome polarization and strengthen societal cohesion,” says Claudia Chwalisz, founder of DemocracyNext. Her nonprofit, launched in Paris in 2022, champions such assemblies worldwide, hoping they can “create the democratic spaces for everyday people to grapple with the complexity of policy issues, listen to one another, and find common ground.” In Europe, examples of such changes abound. In the United States, results are spottier. Making a $1B investment in the US? Trump pledges expedited permits — but there are hurdles WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is promising expedited federal permits for energy projects and other construction worth more than $1 billion. But like other Trump plans, the idea is likely to run into regulatory and legislative hurdles, including a landmark law that requires federal agencies to consider the environmental impact before deciding on major projects. Environmental groups called the plan a clear violation of the National Environmental Policy Act. The chief policy advocacy officer at the Natural Resources Defense Council says Trump should be careful what he wishes for. She said, "What if someone wants to build a waste incinerator next to Mar-a-Lago or a coal mine next to Bedminster golf course?”

RIYADH: The Diriyah Co. signed a memorandum of understanding with the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones, known as SAFCSP, on Sunday to strengthen the digital security of Diriyah city, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The partnership will enhance cybersecurity measures and safeguard the city’s digital infrastructure as it continues to evolve into a modern hub of culture and heritage, SPA added. Under the agreement, Diriyah Co. will join BugBounty, the Middle East’s first cybersecurity research platform. BugBounty uses the expertise of cybersecurity specialists to identify and address software vulnerabilities, which will allow Diriyah Co. and SAFCSP to implement strategies to mitigate potential digital threats. To further support this, SAFCSP will provide specialized training programs to Diriyah Co. employees, equipping them with cybersecurity skills and raising awareness about the importance of digital security. The MoU will grant the company access to SAFCSP’s database of professionals, facilitating the recruitment of cybersecurity talent. The partnership also enables the design of tailored assessments to evaluate candidates’ suitability for cybersecurity roles. In addition, outstanding students with relevant certifications will be identified for potential training opportunities. Speaking about the collaboration, Jerry Inzerillo, group CEO of Diriyah Co., said: “This MoU aligns with Diriyah’s commitment to realizing Saudi Vision 2030, marking a crucial step toward creating a secure and sustainable digital future for Diriyah. Our collaboration with government and private sectors, especially the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones, is essential for empowering the next generation in advanced technology, driving cultural and economic growth.” The partnership will also involve joint cybersecurity projects, including conferences, workshops, and public awareness initiatives aimed at fostering a culture of digital security.No new power links near Ggn IAF depot, says HC

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Former CNN host and Democratic congressional candidate John Avlon blasted his party in the wake of its electoral losses this November, including his own. Former CNN host and failed Democratic congressional candidate John Avlon blasted his party in the wake of its electoral losses this November, including his own. Avlon, who lost to incumbent Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y. , in New York's Congressional District 1 race on Election Day, told MSNBC’s "Morning Joe" on Friday that voters see the Democratic Party as the "status quo" and not strong enough on the issues most urgent most urgent to Americans. "They can’t be the default party of the status quo. I think that’s the most dangerous place to be. And I think right now they are seen that way," Avlon told co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. NO TRUMP BUMP: MSNBC HEMORRHAGING VIEWERS SINCE ELECTION DAY, SHEDS MORE THAN HALF OF PRIMETIME AUDIENCE Former CNN host and former Democratic Party congressional candidate John Avlon said that his party has became perceived as "status quo." (Screenshot/MSNBC) The show brought Avlon on to weigh in on what happened to the Democratic Party this cycle, especially as popular liberal candidates were beaten by Republicans. One major loss they brought up was Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., who conceded to Republican candidate Dave McCormick on Thursday, following more than two weeks of vote counting in Pennsylvania. "Morning Joe" characterized Casey’s loss as a "shot across the bow" from a formidable GOP, and asked Avlon for a postmortem on that loss and others. The former CNN anchor gave an honest assessment, noting that his party failed in speaking to the most important concerns of American voters. "I kept thinking of one of my favorite quotes from Bill Clinton," he began. "He said, ‘People will vote for strong and wrong every time.’ And I think the Democratic Party has a strength problem on the issues that matter most – personal safety and economic security. I think those are the fundamentals." Avlon argued that Democrats were too focused on defense compared to aggressive GOP messaging and then were seen as the status quo. "Democrats got to get off defense and play offense," he said, elsewhere noting that Republicans were able to appear more appealing. ROSIE O'DONNELL CONDEMNS 'MORNING JOE' CO-HOSTS FOR MEETING WITH TRUMP: 'LAST TIME I EVER WATCH' Freshman GOP Rep. Nick LaLota defeated former CNN anchor John Avlon in U.S. congressional race for New York on Election Day this year. (Getty Images) "And so, people will take a chance if they seem like there are bold solutions on the other side." Avlon also suggested that his party did not do enough to address the "civic decline" that Americans have been feeling. "But if people feel that that civic decline is going on, Democrats have to be taking that on and being the leaders of that reform, otherwise they’re gonna get caught up in a wave," he said. Later on in the segment, Scarborough pushed back, saying that the Democratic Party had to address other serious issues, like the "authoritarian" threat of the Republican Party and President-elect Donald Trump’s so-called " threats of retribution " to his political enemies. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Avlon, who repeatedly hammered Trump on such topics during his media tenure, admitted that those issues simply weren’t as "urgent" as the economy and border security. "Look, I think life is a struggle between the urgent and the important. And I think for a lot of people the urgent issues they face are about affordability, right... and about feelings of personal safety." He continued, "And here’s where Democrats gotta get the big things right. If people don’t feel safe, if they don’t feel economically secure, everything else is secondary." Gabriel Hays is an associate editor for Fox News Digital.