Scholarships worth up to $15,000 will be available to more than 250 students to undertake a qualification from a Certificate IV through to a PhD at one of 17 institutions across 36 campuses in regional communities.

These scholarships will give students the chance to experience the great lifestyle in regional Australia while also boosting local communities and education providers.

The scholarships are designed to encourage students studying in regional areas to stay connected with these communities after graduation.

HomeBuilder Extension

The federal government is committed to doing all we can to help Australians get into a home of their own as part of our Economic Recovery Plan for Australia.

HomeBuilder, a grant to build new or substantially renovate, is doing exactly what is was intended to do: drive demand and help to protect the jobs of one million Australians employed in our vital construction sector.

HomeBuilder will be extended to continue to drive confidence and demand in the construction sector and will provide: $15,000 grant (from $25,000) for contracts signed on or after January 1, 2021 until March 31, 2021.

The construction commencement deadline will be extended from three months to six months for all contracts.

Leukaemia drug added to PBS scheme

Patients with one of Australia's most common forms of leukaemia will benefit from expanded access to a breakthrough medicine on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

From December 1, access to Venclexta is extended, in combination with obinutuzumab, for the first-line treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, who have co-existing conditions and are unsuitable for fludarabine-based chemo-immunotherapy.

Up to 500 patients anually are expected to benefit, no longer having to pay more than $69,250 per course of treatment.

Thanks to the PBS subsidy, they will pay $41 per script or $6.60 with concession.