The government's defending its decision to halve the fuel excise to bring petrol prices down.

With the war in the Middle East is disrupting global fuel supply, the government's halving the tax paid on fuel from today to make fuel cheaper for Australians.

Economists have warned that could worsen inflation, with the move expected to cost the government $2.5billion....but the Assistant Treasurer says there's room in the budget.

Meanwhile, US president Donald Trump says the US could end its military campaign against Iran within two to three weeks.

Mr Trump initially said the operation would take four to six weeks, and its now week five of war.

He insists America be leaving soon, but says he wants to "knock out everything they have" in Iran.

And new data shows the number of Aussie kids up to date with their vaccinations has fallen.

The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance has found the proportion of one-year-olds up to date with vaccinations is at its lowest point in 12 years.

Experts say the decline could cause more deaths from preventable diseases.

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Experts say the government's plan to make fuel cheaper may take weeks to lower consumer prices.

With the war in the middle east disrupting global fuel supply, the government is today halving the tax paid on fuel to lower prices - but service stations must first sell fuel they've already paid tax on, so it could be some time before the cheaper petrol hits the bowser.

While other countries are rationing fuel and making working from home rules, the prime minister says Australia's a way off restrictions like that.

New data shows house prices rose in every capital city except Melbourne and Sydney in March.

Numbers from analytics company Cotality show the divide between cities has widened, with Perth's prices surging more than 7 per cent, while Melbourne's are down 0.9 per cent.

Cotality says that's down to demand and availability of houses.

Economists expect prices to ease as buyers weigh up interest rate uncertainty and the impacts of the war in the Middle East.

And King Charles has confirmed he'll visit US president Donald Trump later this month, despite rising tensions over the Iran war.

Just before the visit was announced, Mr Trump lashed out at the UK on social media for not getting involved in the conflict, saying countries like the UK will have to start fighting for themselves without American help.

But the US president has also posted that his meeting with the King will be "terrific."

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Israel says it's planning to destroy Lebanon's border villages in the same way it demolished parts of Gaza.

Israeli soldiers have been inside southern Lebanon for weeks, with Israel saying it's fighting Iran-allied Hezbollah militants.

Israel's defence minister says his army plans to destroy villages - like it did in Gaza - to create a so called security buffer around 30 kilometres north of the border.

Lebanon's accussed Israel of making a landgrab for its territory, with authorities saying Israeli attacks have killed over 13 hundred people and displaced hundreds of thousands who are now facing a humanitarian crisis.

Meanwhile, as the US-Israeli war in the Middle East continues to disrupt global fuel supply, the Australian government says it doesn't want to go down the path of fuel rationing.

The ABC's revealed government modelling from the start of the conflict showed rationing could kick in when fuel reserves drop to 10 days worth.

But Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says that was 'speculation' and the government's working to avoid rationing altogether, with reserves still sitting around the level they were at the start of the war.

The tax paid on fuel will be halved from today, which is expected to bring down bowser prices in the coming weeks.

And new data shows a decline in the number of Aussie kids up to date with their vaccinations.

The numbers show 80 thousand children under five did not have all the vaccines they were meant to by the end of last year.

Experts say the decline could cause more deaths from preventable diseases.

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House price growth has slowed and in Sydney and Melbourne prices are dropping.

Analysts expect people to tighten their belts this year over the Middle East war and inflation.

As the war in the middle east continues to cause chaos for global fuel supplies, the federal government's not expected to name a benchmark or date for fuel rationing.

Indonesia's introduced fuel rationing in response to the global crisis - but the Australian government says it's focussed instead of shoring up supply and prices, halving the tax paid on fuel from today to bring costs down at the bowser.

Experts say it's unlikely the government will set a firm deadline for any potential rationing in the future, because of uncertainty around supply and the risk of sparking panic buying.

Meanwhile, US president Donald Trump's once again hit out at western allies on social media, telling them to "go get their own oil."

He says his allies will have to learn to "fight for themselves" without American help, saying countries should take oil from the Strait of Hormuz - the key oil supply route Iran's blocking.

In retaliation for attacks on their country, Iran's armed forces have threatened to attack US companies in the region like Microsoft, Google, Apple, Tesla, and Boeing.

And Victoria police remain at the property where fugitive Dezi Freeman was shot.

Freeman was on the run for seven months after he shot and killed two police officers last year, fleeing into the  bush.

Police found him and shot him dead ar a rural property on Monday, after a three hour standoff.

The brother of the property's owner says the owner wasn't in the state when the shootout happened and did not know Freeman was living there.

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US president Donald Trump's told western allies to "go get their own oil" as the US-Israeli war in the middle east continues to cause havoc for global fuel supply.

It's the latest of many online attacks against US allies, singling out the UK this time and saying countries should "learn to fight for themselves" and take oil from the Strait of Hormuz - the key oil supply route Iran's blocking.

It comes as Iran's armed foces say they'll target US companies in the region from today in retaliation for attacks on their country.

The list of companies includes Microsoft, Google, Apple, Tesla and Boeing.

Meanwhile, the Australian government's new rules to tackle sky-high fuel costs have passed parliament - including a bill to halve the tax paid on fuel.

Motorists are being warned it may be a week or so before that has an effect on prices at the bowser.

In Indonesia, the government's rationing fuel and introducing work from home rules, but Anthony Albanese has said he's focussed on shoring up supply rather than imposing restrictions - with a bill to create 'strategic reserves' for fuel and critical minerals also passing parliament.

United Nations body UNIFIL has opened investigations into the deaths of three peacekeeping troops in Lebanon, killed in two seperate explosions.

It comes as Israel expands it's military assault of southern Lebanon, saying it's planning to destroy Lebanon's border villages in the same way its military demolished parts of Gaza.

UNIFIL says it'll look into the origins of the projectiles that killed its peacekeeprs.

House prices across capital cities have risen more than two per cent over the first quarter of this year.

New Data from analytics company Cotality shows the divide between different cities has widened, with Perth's prices surging more than 7 per cent, while Melbourne's are down 0.9 per cent.

Economists expect house prices to slow throughout the year thanks to interest rate changes and war in the Middle East.

And scientists are warning a beloved Aussie bird could be extinct within 40 years.

New research show Superb Fairy Wren numbers are declining due to climate change cutting their breeding seasons short and wiping out the insects they eat.

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