Petrol tax cut to keep the nation running Josh Frydenberg’s budget will slash fuel excise by between 10c and 20c for six months to give ­immediate cost-of-living relief for motorists and lock in $17.9bn for nation-building projects. ’We warned envoy on China threat’ Solomon Islands Opposition Leader Matthew Wale says he warned Australia last year the Sogavare government was negotiating a security agreement with Beijing. Kitching ‘was warned of Wong bid to oust her’ Senior Labor figures warned Kimberley Kitching that Penny Wong wanted to remove her from the party’s tactics committee 18 months b ..read more

'Butcher' Putin 'cannot remain in power': Biden The White House has been forced to deny Joe Biden was calling for regime change in Russia after the US  President labelled Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine a “strategic failure". I am no 'mean girl': Gallagher breaks silence on Kitching Katy Gallagher says she doesn't deserve the 'mean girls' label and says she never had harsh words with Kimberley Kitching. Kate and William must know the royal show is over Even if no one had snubbed the royal couple or made a mockery of them in Jamaica, there would have been muttering about how embarrass ..read more

Iced out, Russia's Jeff Bezos feels the burn Severstal’s experience shows how Western sanctions are convulsing some of Russia’s largest and most internationally connected companies. Frydenberg falls back on his loyal base in $3m seat battle The Treasurer is facing a strong challenge from an independent and is relying on 12 years of goodwill in Kooyong to stave off defeat. We must stop the woke mob from white-anting the West Can we be confident that enough citizens would fight a defensive war against China when our own education system seems bent on convincing everyone that the West is evil and ..read more

PM’s $2bn jab to beat pandemic resurgence Scott Morrison has tipped in ­almost $2bn to clinch a deal with Moderna to produce 100 million mRNA jabs under a 10-year plan to pandemic-proof the nation. Coalition pledge to track the terrorists Convicted terrorists will face unprecedented tracking and supervision when they are freed from prison under an $87m budget boost. Barty to chase new dreams in court of life The simplicity is breathtaking. Ash Barty doesn’t want to play tennis any more. And so she’s not going to play tennis any more. Can we get her a start in the federal election? The Barty Pa ..read more

Higher rates, slow growth ‘a risky mix’ A dangerous mix of higher borrowing costs and slower growth over coming decades could cause a doubling in government debt and undermine the country’s financial health. Putin’s offensive in Ukraine ‘stuck’: German Chancellor Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has stalled despite the daily assaults inflicted by his troops, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz  says, insisting Kyiv can 'count on our help'. Ukraine’s ‘bio-labs’: how Russian propaganda went mainstream A former US congresswoman and a high-profile journalist have been caught doing Putin’s dirty ..read more

Russia losing elite fighters in Mariupol battle More than a dozen members of the Russian special GRU forces are said to have been killed as Ukraine busts myth of '10ft tall Slavic ninjas'. Albanese leadership 'failing at the first hurdle' The Opposition Leader has come under fire for refusing to probe bullying claims within Labor, after the death of Kimberley Kitching. Barty retirement bombshell: Aussie star shocks world Australian tennis legend Ash Barty has made the stunning decision to retire from tennis at the age of 25 saying she ‘has nothing more to give’. Watch her announcement video he ..read more

'There's nothing left of Mariupol, only ruins' Two 'super powerful bombs' rock Mariupol as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky asks Pope Francis to mediate peace talks. PM blasts Albanese's bullying 'double standard' The Labor leader has 'fallen at the first hurdle' by failing to address bullying within his own party, Scott Morrison says. Ukraine brings back agonising realpolitik decisions for America The US has to decide whether to return to the days when it held its nose to foster good relations with unsavoury regimes to better confront a larger danger emanating from Russia. Porn pics major ..read more

'There's nothing left of Mariupol, only ruins' Two 'super powerful bombs' rock Mariupol as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky asks Pope Francis to mediate peace talks. PM blasts Albanese's bullying 'double standard' The Labor leader has 'fallen at the first hurdle' by failing to address bullying within his own party, Scott Morrison says. Ukraine brings back agonising realpolitik decisions for America The US has to decide whether to return to the days when it held its nose to foster good relations with unsavoury regimes to better confront a larger danger emanating from Russia. Porn pics major ..read more

'There's nothing left of Mariupol, only ruins' Two “super powerful bombs” rock Mariupol as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky asks Pope Francis to mediate peace talks. Will Biden ignore security to meet Zelensky? This might be an occasion where geo-strategy and domestic politics mesh, a fantasy moment come true for the US president. Billiards, cycling and collecting property: How our billionaires relax It’s not all work for the big players on The List: The Richest 250. They wind down in various ways, from the sporty to the leisurely – or just collecting ritzy houses. Labor split over calls f ..read more

Jobless bill plunges to historic low The unemployment welfare bill is set to plummet, with the budget revealing ­almost 200,000 fewer people claiming the dole by 2023 than forecast last year. Liberals gunning for ‘fake independents’ The Liberal Party has launched a website attacking ‘fake independents’ linked to Climate 200. Future road user charges loom as pump tax take slumps Motorists will need to pay road user charges to plug a looming shortfall in fuel excise revenue and fund transport infrastructure as drivers shift to electric vehicles. Labor’s lobbying plot thickens Queensland’s taxpay ..read more