Live: Record number of 'shonks' banned from NDIS

The Australian federal government has announced a record number of individuals, dubbed 'shonks,' have been banned from the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) this year. The government aims to curb fraudulent activity and protect the integrity of the scheme, which provides vital support to people with permanent and significant disability.

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I think one of the hardships people have is if they can't feed themselves. And another hardship is if they don't have a house and they're put out on the street and they're living in a car.

In separate political developments, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has floated a proposal to allow Australians earlier access to their superannuation funds. This idea, discussed with News24 and Seven, aims to alleviate financial pressure caused by the rising cost of living. Barnaby Joyce, a supporter of the proposal, argued that individuals should have more respect and autonomy over their own money, suggesting that hardship, such as inability to feed oneself or facing homelessness, should qualify for early withdrawal.

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Surely it's their money and we should give a little more respect about what they can do with their own money.

Meanwhile, Independent MP Allegra Spender is advocating for a national gun buyback scheme, urging all states and territories to follow New South Wales' lead. Spender, whose electorate includes Bondi Beach, highlighted the scheme as a crucial step towards national safety, particularly in the wake of last year's terror attack. She noted that while gun buybacks alone may not prevent terrorism, reducing gun ownership has historically made the country safer. The NSW buyback program is expected to remove up to 274,000 firearms from circulation.

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I think my community would genuinely welcome New South Wales getting on board with this, but I think genuinely have questions why the other states won't get on board as well.