Australia politics news LIVE: Anger as prominent Yes advocate and comedian Adam Hills defends Voice spitter with four outrageous words

Sky-high prices for Australia’s commodity exports and strong job growth helped the federal government deliver a record surplus of $22.1 billion.

The 2022/23 financial year surplus is the first time in 15 years that the government has brought in more revenue than it spends.

The last surplus was achieved under John Howard’s coalition government in 2007/08 – shortly before the global financial crisis.

Labor will celebrate a surplus well above the modest $4.3 billion forecast in May’s budget.

It also marks a dramatic improvement on the $77.9 billion deficit forecast in the Coalition’s final budget last year.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said a stronger budget would provide the basis for “building everything we want to do for our people and our society”.

“The $100 billion recovery delivered in our first year in office is the largest nominal fiscal improvement in Australia’s history.”

Comedian Adam Hills has defended the university professor filmed spitting on a man at a Voice Yes rally.

Shocking footage went viral on Thursday showing Emeritus Professor Denise Ferris, from the Australian National University, spitting at activist Andrew Thaler at an event in Cooma, south-east New South Wales.

Today, Hills, a staunch Yes supporter, defended the decision with four shocking words: “talk shit, spit”.

Hills went on to clarify that he didn’t think either party had demonstrated particularly admirable behavior.

“I don’t think you should spit on anyone else.” I also don’t think you should call someone a “stupid b***h,” he said.

His apparent defense of the actions taken by Professor Ferris sparked a wave of criticism from his supporters, who encouraged him to rise above the fighting.