As Australians mark National Sorry Day, the Albanese Labor Government will support Stolen Generations survivors with $3.5 million for community-led healing services through the Healing Foundation.

The $3.5 million package will ensure Stolen Generations organisations are supported to deliver a range of activities such as wellbeing and cultural healing workshops, on-Country camps and, importantly, the documenting of survivors’ experiences.

As Australians mark National Sorry Day, the Albanese Labor Government will support Stolen Generations survivors with $3.5 million for community-led healing services through the Healing Foundation.

The $3.5 million package will ensure Stolen Generations organisations are supported to deliver a range of activities such as wellbeing and cultural healing workshops, on-Country camps and, importantly, the documenting of survivors’ experiences.

The Australian and Indonesian governments reaffirmed their strong commitment to working together to protect precious water resources at the 2024 World Water Forum in Bali, Indonesia.

Both governments announced an ambitious plan for water resource projects under a Memorandum of Understanding on sustainable water resources management, signed by Minister Plibersek and Minister Suharso Monoarfa in 2023.

TOM CONNELL, HOST: The Coalition says it will tackle rorts in the student visa system to help bring migration levels down. If elected, the Opposition will target 80,000 people who are on at least their third visa by raising their application fees. The Department of Home Affairs has revealed there are currently 132 students living in Australia on their tenth student visa and 156 on their ninth. The Opposition says it will not slash the intake of international students at regional universities in the same way it intends to with the Top Eight.

Assistant Minister Patrick Gorman will represent Australia at the 10th World Water Forum in Bali, Indonesia from 19–21 May.

The forum will discuss opportunities and challenges in managing water resources under host Indonesia’s theme of ‘Water for Shared Prosperity’. This includes ensuring equitable and enduring access to water and sanitation services in the face of climate change (and changing weather patterns).

The forum brings together heads of state, ministers, local authorities, universities, think tanks, NGOs and private sector representatives. 

TOM CONNELL, HOST:  Welcome back – a big week, of course, a budget, a budget in reply. So who better to thrash this out than our regular Friday panel. Joining me now, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman, and former Liberal MP who dreams at night of being the member for McKellar again one day, Jason Falinski. Gentlemen, thanks for your time.

I'll start with you, Jason. Because that'll put you in a good mood, I'm sure.

JASON FALINSKI, FORMER LIBERAL MP FOR MACKELLAR: Yeah –

The Australian Government is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Holly Kramer as President of the Remuneration Tribunal for a period of five years commencing on 1 June 2024.

The Remuneration Tribunal is an independent statutory authority that determines and reports on the remuneration of key public offices. This includes members of the Federal Parliament, judicial and non-judicial offices of federal courts and tribunals, secretaries of departments, full-time and part-time holders of various public offices and principal executive offices. 

In another major boost for women’s sport, Australia will host the next Women’s Asian Cup.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced Australia as host nation for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026.

It follows Australia’s successful hosting of the FIFA Women’s Football World Cup last year and will again bring the world’s best female football talent to our shores.

Hosting major sporting events, like the Women’s Asian Cup, boosts local tourism, trade, employment and infrastructure.

RICK HIND, HOST: The budgets are coming thick and fast for the Top End. This time yesterday, I was in the budget lockup for the NT budget. Last night, Treasurer Jim Chalmers delivered his third federal budget. There's $300 off power bills, whatever your income, and there's $319.50 a week for something called a Commonwealth Prac payment, to be paid to 73,000 eligible nursing, midwifery, teaching and social work students per year. So, how do these two piles of documents interact?

ABBEY CULLEN, HOST: Good morning, you are with Abbey this morning on the Goldfields 981 Triple M. On my line I've got Patrick Gorman, the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister to talk about all things to do with the Federal Budget announcement. Good morning, Patrick.

PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER AND ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE: Good morning, Abbey and good morning to your listeners.