The World Today

A major provider of outside school hours care has assured that it has taken steps to address past failures in its child protection policies. The leaders of the YMCA are giving evidence at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

A long-anticipated review of the coalition's climate change policies will look into a carbon 'baseline' system for the power generation industry that would act as an industry-specific carbon price. The move comes as Energy and Environment minister Josh Frydenberg drives a debate about the future of the power grid in the wake of the South Australia blackout, with reliability of supply a key issue.

President-elect Donald Trump is generating tensions with China. The Chinese Government has now lodged a complaint over the US President-elect's conversation with the Taiwanese President, at a time when the region is already volatile. The Lowy Institute's East Asia specialist, Aaron Connelly, is launching a report today on Indonesia's more independent role in the region. He says the unpredictability of the new US administration is a concern.

Police have opened a criminal investigation into a dance party fire in California, which has killed at least 30 people. Rescue workers expect to find more bodies as they push deeper into the charred ruins of the converted warehouse. Many people were living illegally in the building which has been labelled a death trap.

Details have been revealed about the ten most prescribed and most expensive drugs on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in the past year. The most expensive drugs for the Government were approved in March, and within just four months they had already cost tax payers one billion dollars. But people who have been cured by the drugs say despite the small number of people being treated, the spending is justified.

The Federal Environment Minister is defending the amount of money being set aside to help protect the Great Barrier Reef. A joint state and federal report has been handed to UNESCO, to update the organisation about what Australia is doing to improve the health of the World Heritage site. Earlier this year, experts warned the reef would be threatened if more than eight billion dollars wasn't spent on improving water quality over the next decade. Experts say the deteriorating health of the reef is an indication that Australia needs to reconsider its emissions output.

Federal Coalition MPs and Senators are heading home from Canberra, relieved to have finally resolved the long-running impasse over the backpackers tax. It's a triumph for the Treasurer Scott Morrison, but it was only achieved at the eleventh hour, and only after the Greens approached the Government, offering support in return for $100 million for Landcare. This morning the Government says it's happy to do deals with anyone in order to get things done.

Landcare was the surprise winner from the deal made with the Greens to secure passage of the backpacker tax. The volunteer organisation, which cleans up farmland, public land and waterways, has scored an extra $100 million as part of the negotiations. Landcare has had its funding slashed by around half over the last few years and this money won't go all the way in making up the difference. Meanwhile, farmers are just relieved that they have certainty backpacker tax. Nick Tana, who's a major vegetable exporter and employer of backpackers says he's disappointed about the political process, but at least he can plant next season's crop and have some certainty that he'll have enough staff to harvest it.

The International Monetary Fund says Australia should boost infrastructure spending to protect against a global downturn, even if it means a slower reduction in the budget deficit. It says more government spending would increase growth and help maintain Australia's top investment ranking. Global credit ratings agency, Standard and Poor's, has threatened to downgrade the Triple-A credit rating if the budget doesn't look like it'll return to surplus by 2021.

Australia's religious leaders have written to the Prime Minister urging him to pass laws that will stamp out slavery in Australia. There are estimates more than 45 million people worldwide live in some form of slavery, including over 4,000 people locally. Here, slave-like conditions are prevalent in parts of the agriculture and restaurant sector. Countless products are also imported here that were made using slave labour. Representatives from all major religions have told Malcolm Turnbull that it's unacceptable and tough measures are needed to stop it.