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“I regret that when I was making these observations at the Writers' Festival the nature of the free-flowing panel discussion means they were not surrounded by every quote substantiating them which would have – and had – been included in what I had said earlier on the ABC.”
ABC journalist Laura Tingle on the controversy surrounding her comments that Australia is a “racist country” on a panel at Sydney Writers’ Festival. You can read her statement here.

1,153
How many executions Amnesty International recorded in 2023, the highest number since 2015. The charity also suggested there were many more carried out in countries that do not publish their data, including China.

2003
Finding Nemo was released in the U.S. and Canada, after its premiere in Los Angeles on 18 May.

Prices rose by 3.6% in the 12 months to April 2024, new figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show.

Inflation figures for April are up 0.1% from the previous month. It’s the second consecutive month where an increase has been observed.

It comes two weeks after the Federal Government projected that inflation could drop below 3% by the end of this year.

Inflation measures price growth. It uses prices in around 90 categories (e.g. fruit, rent, furniture) to measure this.

Today’s figure means everyday goods and services cost 3.6% more in April 2024 than they did last April.

While inflation increased slightly for the month, prices have been gradually falling since a 7.8% inflation peak in December 2022.

Some of the biggest increases in the 12 months to April were across alcohol and tobacco prices (up 6.5%), housing (4.9%), and transport (4.2%).

The ABS also calculates a ‘seasonally adjusted’ inflation figure. This number excludes categories subject to fluctuating prices throughout the year like petrol, seasonal produce, and holiday travel.

This figure remained at 4.1% for the second consecutive month.

Inflation is a key consideration for the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) when it determines changes to the cash rate — the interest it charges commercial banks for short-term loans.

The RBA wants inflation to get to 2-3%. To do this, it has increased interest rates several times since 2022. The idea is that this takes money out of circulation, taking pressure off prices and reducing inflation.

It has chosen to keep the cash rate unchanged at 4.35% over its last four meetings, as inflation has continued to moderate. The RBA makes its next decision on the cash rate in mid-June.

Reconciliation Week is underway for the first time since last year’s failed Voice referendum.

The aim of the week is to improve relationships between First Nations and non-First Nations people through reflection and celebration.

This year’s theme is ‘Now More Than Ever’.

Organisers say it’s about acknowledging setbacks to reconciliation efforts between First Nations and non-First Nations Australians over the past 12 months.

Reconciliation Week, now in its 28th year, includes events like art exhibitions, seminars and ceremonies.

It starts on 27 May each year, marking the anniversary of the 1967 referendum that removed Constitutional clauses preventing First Nations people from being considered part of Australia’s population.

The last day of reconciliation week, 3 June, marks the 1992 Mabo decision recognising native title.

This year's theme aims to encourage ongoing reconciliation efforts following last year's failed Voice referendum.

The request for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament came from the Uluru Statement from the Heart — a statement endorsed by the Government outlining the path to formally recognising First Nations people in the nation’s Constitution.

The proposed Voice would have been a representative body for First Nations people to advise on policies that affect them. On 14 October, the majority of Australians voted against this proposal.

The referendum has raised concerns about effective truth-telling processes, which are a key part of reconciliation.

Truth-telling refers to the sharing of ongoing or historical truths, such as land dispossession and colonial conflict, to support reconciliation.

Reconciliation Australia and UNSW examined effective truth-telling practices in a recent study. It found that truth-telling should be led by First Nations communities, recognise the ongoing impacts of past policies, and aim to improve First Nations outcomes.

Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney said Reconciliation Week is a chance “to reflect on the past and take action towards a more reconciled Australia” after what she called a “difficult” year for many First Nations people.

Burney and other leaders are expected to attend Reconciliation Week events at Parliament House throughout the week.

Act Now, Stay Secure

What you need to know

The number of cyber attacks is on the rise and these attacks are getting smarter, which is why it’s more important than ever for Aussies to be savvy about their cyber security.

What you can do to be more secure online

Act Now, Stay Secure. Learn simple steps to protect yourself online at actnowstaysecure.gov.au

A King’s College London study found evidence that exposing young children to peanuts can reduce their risk of developing an allergy.

It said those who avoided peanuts at a young age were more likely to be allergic than people who’d consumed peanuts during infancy. The study concluded that “long-term prevention and tolerance” is possible with food allergies.

UK woman Saundra Glenn got an unexpected ride to a music festival over the weekend — with Coldplay singer Chris Martin, who was on his way to perform.

The singer offered the 64-year-old a ride in his car after seeing her walking to the venue.

Glenn told the BBC she has osteoarthritis and was headed to the accessibility box office at the ‘Big Weekend’ festival when Martin spotted her.

She posted a selfie of her with Martin in the car on X, and said: “What a booming amazing time. And what a decent bloke.”

The country has been rocked by another story of men’s violence against women, after a Perth man killed a mother and daughter on Friday.

It’s believed the man, a licensed gun owner, was looking for his ex-partner at the time of the incident. In the wake of the incident, the shooter’s daughter has issued a public statement about what she says is a failure by WA Police to adequately address safety concerns she and her mother had about her father.

She claims she “raised the alarm” about her father three times, and was ignored by police. In today’s podcast, we’ll discuss what we know about the incident, the investigation now being launched by WA Police and how the WA government has responded.