Your afternoon Briefing: PM defends call to send Turnbull to oceans conference

Good afternoon, readers. PM says Malcolm Turnbull still has a role and Julia Gillard’s portrait unveiling draws an old foe.

Good afternoon, readers. Scott Morrison defends his call to send Malcolm Turnbull to an oceans conference and Julia Gillard unveils ‘different’ portrait and guess which old foe turned up.

*****EXCLUSIVE PREMIUM LOCKED CONTENT - THE AUSTRALIAN and News.com.au OUT***** Former Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull and his wife Lucy arrive at New York's LaGuardia Airport for an extended holiday. Queens, New York, USA. Sunday, September 2nd, 2018. (Angus Mordant for NewsCorp Australia)

Turnbull ‘still has a role to play’

Scott Morrison has dismissed reports of a rift with Malcolm Turnbull, defending the call to send him to an oceans conference.

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Former PM Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott at the Former PM Julia GillardÕs official portrait unveiling event at Parliament House in Canberra.Created by award-winning artist Vincent Fantauzzo, the portrait was commissioned by the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) for ParliamentÕs Historic Memorials Collection on Ms GillardÕs recommendation. Picture Kym Smith

‘My visibly different portrait’

Julia Gillard unveiled her ‘visibly different’ portrait and for a few moments, the former prime minister and Tony Abbott delivered a grudge-free blast from the political past.

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New South Wales State Opposition Leader Luke Foley reacts during Question Time in the Legislative Assembly at NSW Parliament House in Sydney, Wednesday, October 24, 2018. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins) NO ARCHIVING

‘Bring it on. I’ll dish dirt too’

NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley has threatened to “talk’’ about four NSW ministers if the government continues attacks on him over a sexual harassment allegation.

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Australian actor Geoffrey Rush (left) arrives at the Federal Court in Sydney, Wednesday, October 24, 2018. Rush is suing Nationwide News for defamation. (AAP Image/Brendan Esposito) NO ARCHIVING

Breast graze, maybe. Grope, no

Actor Geoffrey Rush said in court today he “possibly” inadvertently grazed the breast of a female co-star.

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Saudi Arabia and Times story

Living in fear of Riyadh’s reach

The murder of Jamal Khashoggi and a rise in forced repatriations has sent a wave of unease through Saudi dissidents living abroad.