Monday's news in under 5 minutes.

We’ve rounded up all the latest news from Australia and around the world – so you don’t have to go searching.

1. Government refuses to say whether same-sex marriage plebiscite will be held this year.

The Prime Minister has refused to commit to when the plebiscite on same-sex marriage will be held even after Attorney-General George Brandis said yesterday that if the government was re-elected there would be a plebiscite this year.

But the Prime Minister’s Office was wishy-washy on the timing, telling AAP it would be held “as early as possible after the election”.

Senator Brandis told Sky News yesterday, “The bill to constitute the plebiscite will be introduced early in the life of the new parliament so that we can have the plebiscite before the end of this year.”

But the Australian Electoral Commission has told a parliamentary inquiry that it would need 29 weeks to plan a plebiscite, meaning holding one this year would likely require an early election.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said it was a “broken promise”.

“This is a new land speed record for a broken promise, made over breakfast and gone before dinner,” he said in a statement.

2. Olivia Inglis dies while competing in equestrian event.

The 17-year-old who died while competing in an equestrian event in the Hunter Valley has been named as the daughter of one of Australia’s best known racing families.

Olivia Inglis died after her horse stumbled and fell on her during an event on the weekend, paramedics were unable to revive her.

Her parents Arthur and Charlotte Inglis watched helplessly.

Equestrian Australia spokeswoman Judy Fasher told The Daily Telegraph, “You can imagine they are traumatised. Unfortunately sometimes horses make mistakes.”

Ms Fasher said the horse fell at fence eight and tragically landed on her.

A statement on Facebook said, “The Scone Horse Trials committee and Equestrian Australia offer their heartfelt condolences to Charlotte and Arthur Inglis and their family for their tragic loss and request their privacy be respected.”

3. Man stabbed in front of children at birthday party.

Children attending birthday parties in a park have been shocked after a man was stabbed multiple times.

Shortly after 12 noon, the man was attacked at the King Edward Parade park. Video from the Ipswich park shows the 55-year-old bleeding heavily as parents tried to move their children to safety.

The footage was filmed by two young boys who had been riding by on their scooters.

Queensland Police Service said that initial investigations suggest a woman, who has now been arrested, stabbed the man.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

4. Women’s salaries peak at 31.

The Westpac International Women’s Day Report, released ahead of the International Women’s Day tomorrow, shows a woman’s average salary peaks at 31, while men peak at 39.

The report found the initial average fulltime starting wage for women is $34,400 compared to $39,000 for men, widening the gender earnings gap to $123.4 billion per year.

The report also shows that 60 per cent women are not proactive about requesting a payrise.

A similar report by the The Australian Council of Trade Unions shows the pay disparity starts early with girls getting 11 per cent less pocket money than boys.

By the time women retire, they have less than half the superannuation of men: $138,150 compared to $292,500. The research also shows 60 per cent women have no superannuation at all, and 38 per cent will retire in poverty.

5. Nancy Reagan Dead at 94.

Former US first lady Nancy Reagan has died. She was 94.

The wife of former US President Ronald Regan died of congestive heart failure.

“Mrs. Reagan will be buried at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, next to her husband, Ronald Wilson Reagan, who died on June 5, 2004,” said a statement.

6. Former PM refuses to buy into new book’s affair claims.

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has refused to buy into claims that there was a belief he was having an affair with his chief-of-staff, Peta Credlin.

In the controversial new book by Niki Sava, “In The Road to Ruin: How Tony Abbott and Peta Credlin Destroyed Their Own Government”, there are claims that Sava NSW senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells told Mr Abbott in February 2015 to be careful about how his relationship with Peta Credlin is perceived.

“Politics is about perceptions,” Senator Fierravanti-Wells is quoted as telling Mr Abbott. “Rightly or wrongly, the perception is that you are sleeping with your chief of staff. That’s the perception, and you need to deal with it.

“I am here because I care about you, and I care about your family, and I feel I need to tell you the truth, the brutal truth. This is what your colleagues really think.”

Mr Abbott told media over the weekend he did not want to “rake over old coals”.

“I know some people do want to rake over old coals but I don’t,” he told reporters. “I think the focus has to be on getting the Turnbull government elected.”

7. Pill testing turns to crowdfunding for support.

The group behind a controversial pill testing trial will turn to crowdfunding to pay for the project.

Fairfax Media reports that Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation president Dr Alex Wodak and Canberra physician Dr David Caldicott have said they will begin a pill testing initiative at Sydney music festivals with or without police or state government approval.

Dr Caldicott said they have had much support for the proposal.

“There is, at it stands, $60,000 for a project that we believe will cost approximately $100,000 or so to run,” he told Fairfax Media.

“We have some significant donors but there is also a groundswell of everyday people who, in offering smaller sums, also want to be part of this.”

He added: “Unequivocally, the majority of people who have contacted us do not appear to be from the group of people who use drugs. It’s professionals, parents, retirees. We never anticipated this level of response. The project has clearly tapped into a very deep feeling about where we are with drugs policy.”

8. Body found in lift a month after it was switched off.

A woman’s body has been found inside a lift in China a month after it was switched off.

Her body was found in a residential building in the central city of Xi’an. The lift had been turned off by two maintenance workers on 30 January. The 43-year-old’s body was not found until workers arrived on 1 March.

One local report said scratches were found inside the lift, one of two inside the building.

It is believed the woman lived by herself in the building.

9. Can’t we even peel our oranges ourselves now?

The founder of Clean Up Australia Day has tweeted an image of peeled oranges on sale saying it reflects “convenience gone mad”.

Nathalie Gordon shared a photo of the peeled fruit on twitter, after she spotted it on the shelves of US upscale supermarket Whole Foods.

Her tweet has since gone viral, attracting more than 80,000 retweets.

Clean Up Australia Day founder Ian Kiernan told the ABC it was “absolutely stupid”.

“Mother Nature packages fruits perfect; it’s just madness.

“Plastics are made mostly from oil, and while it’s durable and has many benefits in the world, plastics are a terrible waste.

“This is convenience gone mad really.

“The more fruits that are pre-cut and packaged just adds to the burden.”

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