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

Today’s national news includes Foreign Minister Penny Wong reaffirming the government’s commitment to ensuring appropriate security checks are in place for the Palestinians granted Australian visas, Australia’s inflation of 5.4 per cent is within the government’s control, Origin’s top investor junks Brookfield’s revised $10.6 B bid, and Batik Air Malaysia and AirAsia are increasing connectivity between Malaysia and Australia.

Nation

Security and identity checks for Palestinian visas

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring appropriate security checks are in place for the Palestinians granted Australian visas, Sky News has reported. Ms Wong confirmed that 860 temporary visas were granted to Palestinians as well as 1,793 to Israeli nationals. “I would emphasise very clearly that the usual security checks, the usual identity checks, the usual character checks were undertaken on this cohort as they are about all cohorts.” She said it is the government’s priority to keep Australians safe and that includes managing visa arrangements appropriately.

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/penny-wong-defends-security-and-identity-checks-for-palestinian-visas/video/41c5a1efc812cf21deb9cfa58f3fd6eb

Economy

A 5.4 per cent inflation is within the government’s control

Sky News Business Editor Ross Greenwood says Australia’s inflation of 5.4 per cent is “within the government’s control” and they have started to “panic” about infrastructure spending blowouts, Sky News reported. The federal government cancelled 50 infrastructure projects worth $11.6 billion following a review of infrastructure spending released last week. The Department of Infrastructure review recommended 82 projects be scrapped from federal funding, 36 should be rescoped and 156 should proceed. “You can start to see the panic is coming inside the government as well,” Mr Greenwood said.

https://www.skynews.com.au/opinion/sharri-markson/inflation-within-the-governments-control-ross-greenwood/video/07d51791d7b845d99e5ee7fe8f093d0a

Business

Origin’s top investor junks Brookfield’s revised $10.6 B bid

Origin Energy’s top shareholder said it would reject a complex new offer by a Brookfield-led consortium to buy Australia’s biggest energy retailer made after it became clear investors would vote down an earlier $10.6 billion bid, Reuters reported. AustralianSuper, which owns more than 17 per cent of Origin, said that the “latest low-ball offer” strengthens its view that the offer remains substantially below Origin’s long-term value.

https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/investors-expected-vote-against-brookfields-106-bln-bid-australias-origin-energy-2023-11-22/

Travel

Increased connectivity between Australia and Malaysia

Batik Air Malaysia and AirAsia are increasing connectivity between Malaysia and Australia with the launch of new services to Melbourne and Perth, Aviation Week Network reported. Batik will commence nonstop Airbus A330 flights from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne from Dec. 20. Frequencies will be four times per week through Feb. 6, 2024. Meanwhile, AirAsia intends to introduce its first Australian route during the first quarter of 2024. The LCC will connect Kuala Lumpur and Perth daily from March 11 using A321neos, complementing the existing daily service between the cities flown by its affiliate airline AirAsia X.

https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airports-networks/malaysian-carriers-add-australia-service