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Australians to train ‘Ukrainian mates’ for first time in new military package

Australian military personnel will train Ukrainian troops for the first time as part of a new $87-million military assistance package to help the country in its war against Russia.

Australia will ramp up its aid to Ukraine by sending the country an extra 30 Bushmaster troop carriers – which have been widely praised for their contribution to the war effort – on top of the 60 that have already been promised.

Ukraine’s ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, inspects an Australian Bushmaster armoured vehicle.Credit:Getty

A contingent of up to 70 Australian Defence Force personnel will deploy to the United Kingdom in January to join Operation Interflex, a multinational effort to train Ukrainian soldiers.

No Australian military personnel will enter Ukraine itself.

Read more about Australians who will train Ukrainian troops in the UK. 

Labor hunts for curbs on power price surge

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has cleared the ground for new curbs on energy companies to prevent a price shock that could add $1300 to household bills over the next two years as union chiefs demand rapid action from Labor to stop the surge revealed in Tuesday’s budget.

Chalmers signalled moves to “take some of the sting out” of the price hikes and did not rule out price caps on energy bills or new curbs on gas exporters after the budget forecasts fuelled a dispute over Labor’s pledge at the last election to cut power bills.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said it was too late to stop a 20 per cent increase in electricity prices taking effect. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Australian Workers Union (AWU) national secretary Daniel Walton backed the government on its budget agenda but warned there was “zero space for delay” on the energy crisis and called for an immediate cap on gas prices to save thousands of jobs at companies that could not afford the higher prices.

Read more about Labor’s hunt for curbs on power price surge. 

This morning’s headlines at a glance

Good morning, and thanks for your company.

It’s Thursday, October 26. I’m Caroline Schelle, and I’ll be anchoring our live coverage for the first half of the day.

Here’s what you need to know before we get started:

• Labor hunts for curbs on power price surge, as inflation is the highest since 1990
• Scott Morrison’s apology to Brittany Higgins risked fair trial, according to lawyer
• Australian soldiers to train ‘Ukrainian mates’ in UK
• Renewables surge but world not on track for 1.5 degrees according to the UN
• Labor puts flexible hours in the spotlight with new workplace laws

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