Bill Shorten's pitch for Prime Minister begins with a promise of massive investments into health and education, as well as tax cuts on workers income.

In the labor party leader’s budget reply speech, Shorten proposed spending $1.2 billion to ensure almost all cancer scans are free and another $1 billion to create 150,000 apprenticeships.

Shorten also proposed, to match the coalition’s tax cuts, for incomes ranging from 48,000 to $126,00 and an even higher tax break for incomes of $45,000 and under.

Accommodation has been found for 220 students who fled a fire at their residential college at James Cook University in Townsville early on Thursday morning.

No one was injured but 14 people were assessed for smoke inhalation from the blaze, which caused moderate damage to the campus building.

The university's vice-chancellor Sandra Harding said the majority of the students could be accommodated at the campus, with 90 others set to stay with family and friends nearby.

A $1 million pedestrian and cycle bridge will be built across Cabbage Tree Creek – improving accessibility to the $6.5 million Carseldine Urban Village sport and recreation precinct, which is currently under construction.

Member for Aspley Bart Mellish says the bridge will divert locals away from nearby roads and give them safe, direct access to sporting activities and transport.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen — are skipping meetings in France this week as the Group of Seven countries gather to try to find solutions to world security challenges.
 

France's Foreign Ministry has listed the main issues for discussion this week are cybersecurity, the trafficking of drugs, arms, and migrants in Africa's troubled Sahel region, as well as fighting gender inequality. Including ways to prevent rape and violence against women, especially in Africa.

President Donald Trump is set to meet with Chinese vice-premier Liu He at The White House today, with the aim of negotiating an end to the US-China trade dispute.

The President said that talks with China were going well, but only a great deal would be accepted. He said “If it’s not a great deal, we’re not doing it, but it’s going very well”

Over the last year, Washington and Beijing have imposed hundreds of billions of dollars worth of tariffs on each other's imports.

Facebook plans to ban political advertising bought by foreign countries and crack down on fake accounts in the lead up to the Australian federal election.

The day after the election is called, Facebook will temporarily not allow electoral ads bought outside of Australia in an attempt to limit foreign interference.

Facebook’s director of policy in Australia Mia Garlick said the ban will apply to  foreign ads containing political slogans, politicians, and party logos.

Nationwide mortgage defaults are the highest they have been in two decades according to researchers.
 

Independent research from Digital Finance Analytics estimates that over 66 thousand households are currently at risk of defaulting on their mortgage.

The Firm’s founder Martin North says the defaults are rising at a concerning rate.

Oonoonba State School students will return to their classrooms today after receiving significant damage to a majority of the facilities after the floods.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Minister for Education Grace Grace re-opened the school today on the last day of term with help from Member for Mundingburra Coralee O’Rourke..

Ms Palaszczuk said the repair and refurbishment of the school is a ‘wonderful achievement for the school and the wider Townsville community.’

Minister for Housing and Public Works Mick de Brenni says Queensland Labor is providing added certainty and security for retirees, regardless of the type of tenure they have over their homes.

Seniors leaving retirement villages should not have to wait more than 18 months to receive their funds after they decide to leave Mr de Brenni says.

Association of Residents of Queensland Retirement Villages Vice President Michael Fairbairn agrees that seniors in this position often depend on these funds to pay for their next place of accommodation, such as aged care.