SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $3–10 BILLION

The Coalition has conceded its prized surplus to fund a federal stimulus package that — while set to be presented Tuesday and settled after Wednesday — could be worth up to $10 billion, The Australian ($) reports. However, in a Sydney Morning Herald article detailing Labor’s call for unemployment support for casual workers, that figure is only listed at over $3 billion.

TALKING POINT: Despite pressure from Labor, Centre Alliance and the Greens, Social Services Minister Anne Ruston has ruled out raising Newstart as part of the “short term” initiatives, The New Daily reports.

A DIVIDED NSW COALITION

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro’s public support for a One Nation bill to open up uranium mining and nuclear power has provoked outrage from colleagues, with one senior Coalition minister telling the Sydney Morning Herald they would quit cabinet before supporting the bill.

FUN FACT: This makes two potentially dicey energy bills for the Berejilkian government in as many workdays, with a NSW upper house committee last week rejecting proposed “downstream emissions” changes for coal mining approvals.

ESSENTIAL SERVICES SUSPENDED

The West Australian Labor government has quietly suspended essential services — namely, maintaining bores and generators — across 25 abandoned or infrequently habited remote Indigenous communities, The Australian ($) reports.

The suspensions — which include an area evacuated due to fire and flood, and another that has acted as a rangers’ camp — come as part of heavy investment from the state government in 10 of the largest remote communities.

WAIT, WAIT, THERE’S GOOD NEWS!

Finally, in what has to be the first good bit of news in literal weeks, Australia has won the Women’s T20 World Cup for the fifth time, thumping India by 85 runs at the MCG,  the ABC reports.