Can a honeymoon ever have been so short? There's been no gentle easing into government for Labor.
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The new government has been blitzed with problems, from inflation to energy prices to rising interest rates.
One sign of a militant feeling among some workers came in a strike against the pay policy of the NSW government. Thousands of public service workers rallied outside the state parliament in Sydney, in Newcastle and across the region to vent their displeasure over a three per cent pay rise.
Public Service Association members in NSW ranging from prison officers, park rangers, school support staff, and civilian police employees walked out for 24 hours.
The federal government has signalled that it wants pay, particularly the minimum wage, to keep pace with prices. It all comes on top of rising interest rates and energy bills, as the new Treasurer Jim Chalmers acknowledged.
Dr Chalmers said yesterday's Reserve Bank interest rate rise was "very difficult news" for households already under strain from sky-high grocery and fuel prices, and staring down huge increases on their power bills.
He said he was aiming to hand down his first budget on October 25 after providing an economic update to the parliament when it returns in July.
He also said he expected interest rate rises would dampen activity in the economy while affecting house prices and savings.
Scott Morrison - remember him? - may well feel he's glad to be out of it. If he does, he's not saying so but he is back at home and he did seem pleased in the selfie he took at sunset of him dressed in a Sharks jacket and cap and holding his dog Buddy.
The backbench MP and his wife Jenny and daughters Abbey and Lily made the move on the weekend, two weeks after they learnt they were losing access to The Lodge and Kirribilli House.
Mr Morrison confirmed the family's return in a Facebook post.
He may feel haunted by the pandemic. After all, it was the dominant factor in his premiership.
Its effects linger. According to researchers from the University of Sydney and Australia's Mental Health Think Tank, one in five Australians say pressure to pay the bills at the height of the pandemic, when the nature of jobs drastically changed, adversely affected their mental health.
The past has a long shadow, as they've been remembering in Newcastle.
Fifteen years ago, a dramatic sea rescue took place. Battered by winds of up to 100km/h, the crew of the 76,000-tonne Pasha Bulker sheltered together inside as the ship swayed in the storm on Nobbys Beach in Newcastle.
It took rescue teams hours to helicopter each of the 22-member crew to safety one-by-one.
The Panama-registered vessel ran aground on a famous tourist spot, attracting sight-seers and amateur photographers from near and far.
THE NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- NSW public service strike after pay offer
- Selfie announces Scott Morrison and family's return home after election loss
- Very difficult news': Interest rate hike adds to cost-of-living strain
- Why La Nina could become the norm for Australia
- COVID-19 hit mental health and hip pockets
- Expect the RBA to go easy on interest rate hikes from now on
- I was blown away by the size of it': Remembering the Pasha Bulker storm
- Chalmers aims for October 25 budget