The World Today

Federal Labor has delivered more policy today to bolster the case that it can ease housing affordability. The Opposition leader Bill Shorten claims Labor's plans mean working and middle class Australians can again dream of home ownership.

The Productivity Commission has warned against the Federal Government's decentralisation agenda warning it would be costly and impose 'unintended consequences' on the economy. In its 'Transitioning Regional Economies' report released today, the Commission sounds alarm on plans to relocate the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) from Canberra to Armidale in northern New South Wales. The draft report also seeks to explode what it sees as a myth that parts of regional Australia are in demise or even dying in the wake of the mining investment boom.

There's growing speculation that India will reject a fresh attempt by Australia to join multi-lateral naval exercises, because of concerns the move could upset China. The Australian Defence Force has acknowledged it's keen to participate, but says India is yet to say whether an invitation will be issued.

He might remain holed up inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London but US media is reporting that the Trump administration is preparing to arrest the Australian WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange. A warrant is being prepared for his arrest, on charges of leaking classified information. Last week the CIA ramped up its rhetoric against Julian Assange, accusing WikiLeaks of behaving like a 'hostile intelligence service'. But sources close to Julian Assange remain mystified by the latest US move saying any arrest is impossible as long as the Ecuadorian government continues to offer him refuge.

The US President Donald Trump has ordered an investigation into whether steel imports jeopardize American national security, raising the prospect of new tariffs. His administration says Chinese steel imports to the US have reached 26 per cent of the market, but the President says this probe has 'nothing to do' with the north Asian nation.

As the world keeps a close watch on the Trump administration, the analysis continues into the recent Presidential election in the US. Books are now hitting the shelves, examining the result and the country's broader political landscape. And someone with an insider view of Hillary Clinton's political journey is Lissa Muscatine, who now co-owns the Politics and Prose Bookstore in Washington DC.

South Australia's Mental Health Minister has rejected calls to resign, after a damning investigation revealed a litany of mistreatment at a state run elderly mental health facility. The home for dementia patients at Oakden, will be closed after the Chief Psychiatrist found a culture of cover up, over-medication and improper use of restraints. Eight staff have been stood down as a result, 21 have been referred to healthcare authorities and three to police.

National Park rangers from Australia have travelled to Papua New Guinea to help local people learn how to maintain the famous Kokoda Track. The wartime trail is eroding, because thousands of trekkers use it every year, and both Australian and PNG authorities want to improve how it's managed. But they don't want to change the track too much, because they know it's famous for being very tough to walk.

The Federal Government has announced big changes to the hurdles people will have to clear before being granted citizenship. New measures will include a higher standard of English as well as proving they have a commitment to Australian values. But that has sparked a debate about how to define 'Aussie values' that MPs themselves have struggled to answer succinctly.

Is it really possible to weed out potential terrorists by asking them to complete a test on values? The World Today speaks to corporate psychologist Stephanie Thompson about the benefits and pitfalls of this type of testing.