The stories we're following: Cash Splash, King Crowned and Take Out The Trash

Vi Truong and Nick Sarlos-Welsh bring you SYN Media's weekly wrap of the biggest stories covered by the news and current affairs team.  Nyah Barnes, Declan Evans, Elizabeth Fouldes, Sura Mishra, Freddie Moffat, Ruby Littler, Tayla Oates, Lizzie Thompson, Vince Trease and Loughlin Patrick report.   Researcher Dr Debajyoti Charkrabarty says Australia’s most marginalised people need federal government support and tells SYN Media what support is expected. The Albanese Government’s first May budget takes on cost of living and the deficit, with a $14.6 billion relief package and an expected $4.2 billion surplus reported. The budget’s cost of living package included a long-awaited proposal to expand access to the Single Parent Payment, lifting the cut-off from 8-years-old to 14. The budget also focused on energy, with the federal government announcing a $2 billion investment in green hydrogen production as it chases its net-zero targets. Warren Mundine and Jacinta Price have merged their separate campaigns against the voice to parliament as the referendum nears and the 'Yes' campaign strengthens. The state Liberal party has voted to expel MP Moira Deeming after she issued a defamation concerns notice to leader John Pesutto about her March suspension. Author Ronnie Scott is fresh from last weekend’s Melbourne Writers’ Festival, and tells SYN Media about queer representation and access to Australian publishing. King Charles and his Queen-Consort Camilla were crowned in the U.K. over the weekend in a scaled back ceremony, as Australians reflect on the monarchy's role. New reporting from Core Logic shows the rental crisis is worsening as prices continue to outpace wages, with Melbourne no longer Australia’s most affordable city to rent in. Missing Tasmanian teenager Shyanne-Lee Tatnell is yet to be found after disappearing two weeks ago, with her Launceston community still searching. A group of researchers have discovered evidence of microbes digesting plastic at cooler temperatures than previously thought possible - but it's not a silver bullet. Ballarat drivers will trial digital licences from July as the state government gears up to rework the system, adding real-time updates and on-the-spot verification from 2024.   On The Beat broadcasts from SYN Media's Melbourne/Naarm studios in the eastern Kulin nation.  SYN recognises this land is unceded and respectfully acknowledges the Wurundjeri people.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.