Thanks for reading the national news blog. We’re going to wrap up today’s coverage and be back soon with more live coverage in the morning.
To recap, here’s a look at today’s major stories:
- Environment Minister Murray Watt has announced a $14 million one-off payment to help support South Australia manage the toxic algal bloom. Now in its fourth month, and with no sign of abating, the toxic algal bloom has killed sharks, rays, fish, dolphins and seals along thousands of kilometres of SA coastline, though the federal government has stopped short of classifying it as a national disaster.
- Mark Latham’s portrait will remain hanging in federal Labor’s caucus room in Parliament House following a decision by the new caucus, but with a note below it condemning his behaviour. The note will read: “In 2017 Mark Latham was expelled from the Australian Labor Party and banned for life. His actions do not accord with Labor values and failed to meet the standards we expect and demand.”
- As politicians returned to Canberra for the first parliamentary sittings since Labor’s big election win, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese implored his bulging caucus to maintain the same level of discipline as it did in the government’s first term, labelling the upcoming period as the “year of delivery”.
- Opposition Leader Sussan Ley insisted the Coalition would not roll over and accept the government’s agenda. Fresh polling revealed Coalition support has fallen since its crushing election defeat in May, which delivered Anthony Albanese a bumper majority for the 48th parliament.
- Nationals leader David Littleproud responded to party colleague Barnaby Joyce’s call for the Coalition to abandon the 2050 net zero emissions target, saying it was crucial to offer a “sensible position” and that it would be no use “trying to achieve the impossible”. Littleproud said the official party position on the target would follow an ongoing internal review, though conceded that supporting such a target cannot occur at the expense of regional communities.
- Health Minister Mark Butler has conceded difficulties in understanding the movements of the Trump administration, as it looks to place trade penalties on Australian goods.
- Activists scaled the roof of a weapons factory in Canberra to shut down its operation in the lead-up to the new parliament sitting. The group scaled the Electro Optic Systems weapons manufacturer in the Canberra suburb of Hume before dawn and unfurled a large banner which read: “Stop arming Israel”. It will be the first of three days of action by the group, AAP reports.
Thanks again for joining us. This is Grant McArthur, signing off.