1 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 1: Hello, Welcome to the update. I'm Sissy Thompson. A record 2 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:11,119 Speaker 1: number of Australians are struggling to pay their power bills. 3 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: The Energy Regulator has released a report highlighting the toll 4 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:17,479 Speaker 1: of cost of living pressures. One point nine percent of 5 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: customers or on hardship plants, up from one point four 6 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:23,959 Speaker 1: percent last year. People in regional New South Wales could 7 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 1: face three day blackouts, with two thousand essential energy electricians 8 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: to walk off the job for seventy two hours every 9 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 1: week until Christmas. It comes during a bitter pay dispute 10 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: than New South Wales government has refused to accept Electrical 11 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: Trade union demands for a twenty four percent wage increase. 12 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:45,480 Speaker 1: The union has told news Corp it won't restore power 13 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: to blackout affected areas unless there's a life threatening emergency. 14 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: A new survey shows most Australians believe hextets should be slashed. 15 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 1: A survey for nine newspapers has revealed fifty four percent 16 00:00:57,240 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: of Australians believe it's a good idea for the federal 17 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: guns to cut debts by a fifth. For the three 18 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:05,840 Speaker 1: million people who still o heex and other student loans, 19 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 1: only twenty seven percent felt it was a bad idea. 20 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: A man is dead after he was found with critical 21 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:16,319 Speaker 1: injuries in Melbourne's southwest. Emergency services were called to Werriby 22 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: last night. Police will interview a fifty five year old 23 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 1: man who was arrested at the scene. House prices around 24 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:25,680 Speaker 1: Australia are on track to fall in January as high 25 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 1: borrowing costs limit demand for real estate. The Financial Review 26 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 1: says the demand will be most acute in wealthier suburbs. Brisbane, 27 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: Perth and Adelaide are likely to be the hardest hit 28 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 1: sport and entertainment, and next in sport. Basketball great Shane 29 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 1: Heels says he laments the fact the Perth Wildcat Bryce 30 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 1: Cotton has never worn the Green and gold. The thirty 31 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: two year old scored fifty nine points against New Zealand 32 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 1: in the latest game, the highest individual score in the 33 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 1: NBL in thirty years. Fans are calling for Arizona born 34 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 1: Cotton to get Australian citizenship to boost the Boomers at 35 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:04,559 Speaker 1: the next Olympics, and the Aussies are continuing their build 36 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: up to the second cricket Test getting underway Friday in Adelaide. 37 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:10,240 Speaker 1: Scott Boland is likely to play in place of the 38 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 1: injured Josh Hazelwood, who's recovering from a side strain. Mitch 39 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:17,799 Speaker 1: Marsh has declared himself good to go despite injury niggles. 40 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:20,839 Speaker 1: In entertainment news, and a long time Neighbour's Star has 41 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: revealed he has terminal cancer. Ian Smith, best known for 42 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: playing Harold Bishop in the soap, has been diagnosed with 43 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 1: lung cancer and will step away from his role. And 44 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: Britney Spears divorce from Sam Ashgari is official. Sam filed 45 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 1: for divorce in August of last year after a fourteen 46 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:41,080 Speaker 1: month marriage. And that is the latest from the Nova 47 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: Podcast team. We'll see you later on for another update. 48 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 1: I'm Susie Thompson.