Here is a look at what is making news around the country today.

Today’s national news includes the Albanese government abandoning stage-three tax cuts, proposed legislature wanting smart TVs to highlight free-to-air channels, Reserve Bank of Australia holding rates at 4.35 per cent, and “Reckless Renewables Rally” protests Dam Project in Canberra.

Politics                                                                                                                                                                   

Smart TVs must highlight Australian free-to-air channels

Manufacturers of new smart TVs will have to prominently display Australian TV channels to ensure local networks are not crowded out by streamers, under draft legislation released by the Labor government, The Guardian reported. The so-called prominence legislation has been designed to guarantee local, free-to-air TV services Seven, Nine, Ten, SBS and ABC are easy for Australian audiences to find on smart TVs.This will ensure the dissemination of local news and emergency information as well as support the local creative and communications industries.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/feb/06/free-to-air-tv-prominence-legislation-australia-proposal-streaming-channels

Nation

Albanese government abandons stage-three tax cuts

The federal government has walked away from the three-stage reform of the country’s tax system that would have incentivised individuals to work harder and recognised bracket creep penalised those who did work harder, the Herald Sun has reported. The move has sent a message that the federal government cannot be trusted on matters that attack middle-income earners.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/jeff-kennett-hard-work-amounts-to-little-in-albaneses-australia/news-story/5788dcd7460e4514bd817c11d1b4b6eb

Economy

Reserve Bank of Australia holds rates at 4.35 per cent

The peak of mortgage repayment pain may have passed as the Reserve Bank left its interest rate unchanged for a second meeting in a row. But the bank noted inflation “remains high” and added that “a further increase in interest rates cannot be ruled out”, The Guardian has reported.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/feb/06/afternoon-update-coalition-to-back-stage-three-changes-boy-charged-with-of-queensland-grandmother-and-man-scales-55-storey-melbourne-tower

Regions

Canberra protests Dam Project

Two South Burnett MPs plus two local residents were key speakers at a noisy anti-renewables rally held outside Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday, Southburnett.com.au reported. The “Reckless Renewables Rally” was organised to provide a platform for groups to express their concerns over the speed of the rollout of solar, wind and pumped hydro projects across Australia. Speakers claimed major environmental damage was occurring, with species being driven to extinction. They also objected to the use of the word “farm” in project descriptions, emphasising that “farms” grow food.

https://southburnett.com.au/news2/2024/02/06/canberra-rally-attacks-dam-project/