SBS Punjabi - ਐਸ ਬੀ ਐਸ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ

Leading Punjabi comedian Rana Ranbir has debuted as a director with a movie that promises to be a tear jerker.

The tie breaker in the hockey Championship Trophy deprived India of victory in the final match despite putting their most impressive foot forward.

Bans on single-use plastic bags are rolling out across two more states this weekend, with some major retailers already banning the bags nationally.

But while the move generally has support from most shoppers, supermarkets are seeing an increase in customer complaints, with some refusing to pay for reusable bags.

Parents are being urged to sign up to the federal government's new childcare system or face having their payments abruptly cut from next month.

Childcare advocates warn thousands of families yet to update their details could be left with a big bill once the changes are rolled out next week.

Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Alan Tudge has conceded that "bureaucratic stuff ups" are delaying some citizenship applications amid a mounting backlog.

"We are the most successful multicultural country in the world with 28 percent of our population born overseas, who are all well integrated into Australia", said Mr Tudge. 

John Lai contacted SBS Punjabi and shared his experience of very different outcomes for citizenship applications - both he and his wife applied on the same day last year. Whilst his application was approved within four months, his wife's has still not been processed, almost 16 months on.

Minister for Citizenship Alan Tudge has said the government is still consulting about an English test and the waiting period for permanent residents before they can apply for citizenship.

First-home buyers are being told there is no urgency to enter the housing market, with house prices set to remain stagnant in many parts of the country in the next few years.

Economic experts say first home buyers have a good opportunity to make use of the federal government's First Home Buyer Super Saver scheme, especially in the last few days of the financial year, to get a substantial tax benefit.