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National
Henry Belot and Tory Shepherd and Emily Wind (earlier)

National cabinet announces housing plan – as it happened

Anthony Albanese Max ChandlerMather Peter Malinauskas United States Australia DoorDash Greens California Daniel Andrews Penny Wong
Anthony Albanese hosted the national cabinet meeting with state and territory leaders at the Commonwealth Parliament Offices in Brisbane on Wednesday.
Anthony Albanese hosted the national cabinet meeting with state and territory leaders at the Commonwealth Parliament Offices in Brisbane on Wednesday. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

What we learned today, Wednesday 16 August

Thanks for joining us on the Australia news live blog today. That’s where we’ll wrap up our coverage – here are some key developments:

Enjoy the Matildas match tonight. See you back bright and early tomorrow morning.

Updated

NSW Labor warned of risks before appointing Josh Murray

Recruiters hired to find NSW’s new transport boss warned the man later handed the position was not adequately experienced, AAP reports.

Josh Murray’s appointment as transport secretary in July has become a thorn in the side of the Labor government as it defends the former corporate affairs boss as the right man to manage the state’s $178bn travel network.

Mr Murray, a chief of staff to the former Labor premier Morris Iemma who later spent 15 years at construction giant Laing O’Rourke, was shortlisted after the head of the transport minister, Jo Haylen’s office requested he be interviewed.

Documents tabled in parliament on Wednesday show a progress report by the headhunting firm NGS Global listed Mr Murray as “under review or not recommended to proceed”.

It described his experience as somewhat relevant but largely in corporate affairs or as a chief of staff and without the “level of operational complexity required” for a transport secretary.

Updated

Get your Afternoon Update!

If you’re just catching up on the news now, we do a very handy and easy to read wrap of the key headlines and our journalism. It’s called the Afternoon Update. Get involved.

NBN submits new pricing plan to consumer watchdog

Internet users could have some NBN charges removed as the company behind the network launches a fresh attempt to get a pricing proposal approved, AAP reports.

NBN Co has submitted a new pricing plan to the consumer watchdog for consideration. The proposal, also known as a special access undertaking, would see capacity charges removed for those on plans of 100 megabytes per second (Mbps).

It also proposed setting a minimum wholesale price for those on 12, 25 and 50 Mbps tiers, as well as a maximum of $55, regardless of the amount of data used.

The proposal would also see annual changes to wholesale prices limited to the change in inflation.

NBN Co’s chief regulatory affairs officer Jane van Beelen said the proposal would help to meet the expected increase in data demand in the next two decades:

By eliminating capacity charges from the NBN home fast (100 Mbps) and above wholesale speed tiers, we are giving retailers great price certainty and providing a pathway for more customers to enjoy the many benefits of our highest speed tiers.

By reducing (capacity) charges and committing to adjust data inclusions over the next three years, we are providing high-value products that will smoothly transition to flat rate wholesale pricing on our 12, 25 and 50 Mbps speed tiers.

Key event

‘Every unfair rent increase is Labor’s fault’: Greens

The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, has criticised today’s housing announcement after a meeting of national cabinet, arguing it doesn’t do enough to ease pressure on renters.

Earlier today, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, accused the party of standing in the way of new social and affordable housing.

Here’s Bandt’s response:

From now on, every unfair rent increase is Labor’s fault.

Labor has every seat bar one at national cabinet, and it’s now clear Labor’s policy is for unlimited rent increases.

Pressure from the Greens has put renters on the national agenda and secured $2b in new funding for public and affordable housing. However, Labor is not spending nearly enough to address the massive public housing shortfall, and with a $20b surplus up his sleeve, I call on the prime minister to deliver more at Labor’s national conference.

Eighty organisations representing renters and people facing homelessness agree we need to limit rent increases. We need to keep the pressure on federal Labor and every premier around the country to make unlimited rent increases illegal.

Updated

It’s all getting very exciting, isn’t it.

Tasmania bans Nazi salute in Australian first

Tasmania has become the first jurisdiction to ban the Nazi salute, with penalties of up to three months in jail on the cards for first-time offenders, AAP reports.

The laws, which also prohibit the display of Nazi symbols, have passed the state’s upper house and are expected to come into effect later this year.

Here’s the state’s attorney general, Elise Archer:

We strongly condemn any display of hate in our community. This [law change] is the first of its kind in Australia and will contribute to the creation of a safer and more inclusive Tasmania.

The federal government is moving to ban Nazi symbols, with a proposal introduced to parliament in June. But it doesn’t cover the salute.

Victoria is among several states to have banned Nazi symbols and has flagged plans to also outlaw the salute.

Updated

Lobby group for renters far from impressed

Fair to say advocacy and lobbying group, Better Renting, is not overly impressed with today’s national cabinet announcement. It’s executive, Joel Dignam, seems a Woody Allen fan too.

Renters have been served up reheated leftovers, but we are tired of eating the scraps from the master’s table. The commitment to limit the frequency of rent increases is hollow: about 90% of renters already have twelve-monthly rent increases, and the real issue is the size of rent increases, not just the frequency.

Without limits on rent increases, reducing the frequency could actually make things worse. Jurisdictions should look to build upon the model in the ACT and require landlords to obtain tribunal sign-off for rent increases above a certain threshold.

There’s an old Woody Allen joke about two women eating out and one of them says ‘the food here is really terrible’. The other replies: ‘Yeah I know, and such small portions.’ That is what national cabinet is offering today: a terrible offering, and very little of it.

The prime minister sees today’s announcement, summarised in this tweet, in a very different light.

Updated

Labor MP says Assange saga has ‘gone on too long’

We’re bouncing around a few stories this afternoon. The chair of parliament’s joint intelligence and security committee, Labor MP Peter Khalil, has been speaking about Julian Assange.

The US ambassador to Australia, Caroline Kennedy, indicated this week that Assange could potentially return to Australia via a plea deal.

Here’s what Khalil told the ABC:

This has gone on too long and this should be brought to a close and resolved, and that is a position the prime minister has taken at the highest level.

The family of Julian Assange and the legal team have some decisions to make, obviously, if that type of offer is put on the table.

That’s a matter for them to determine and they have to make those decisions in consultation with Julian.

I know that there’s some reluctance obviously from the family, for Julian to travel to the US to enter into that kind of process and there’s a concern there. At least that’s what I have heard from some members of the family I have spoken to.

House price retreat in the rear mirror, ANZ says in new forecasts

With the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, declaring the national cabinet has today lifted the target for new housing to 1.2m over five years (from 1m previously), it’s worth a reminder of what commentators are predicting for the market.

ANZ (and others) have been plotting a rebound in housing prices since February, even as the Reserve Bank lifted interest rates (in February, March, May and June). With the ongoing housing shortages, ANZ expects dwelling prices to rise 5-6% this year, 3% next year and 4-5% in 2025.

Since about 2010, Sydney prices have risen more than other state capitals (which is probably not a surprise), but the overperformance of places such as Hobart might.

Perth’s relative underperformance is also quite stark.

Anyway, as ANZ’s report notes, rising population has put the squeeze on rental vacancies and pushed rents higher.

National cabinet’s gestures towards limiting rent increases to once a year and standardising eviction grounds and minimum standards don’t look like they will have much of an impact on the rental market anytime soon.

Updated

But what about extra time?

The Bureau of Meteorology are very helpful here, as always. They seem pretty sure tonight’s match won’t be headed to extra time and penalties. Can they forecast the score too?

I wasn’t here for a long time, but I had a good time and now will leave you in the eminently capable hands of Henry Belot.

Updated

Albanese and national cabinet agree to build 1.2m new homes over five years

Prime minister Anthony Albanese says these reforms are a big deal:

And here are some details, thanks to AAP.

  • 1.2m new homes to be built in the next five years, starting from July 2024.

  • The new target is an extra 200,000 homes than previously pledged as part of the national housing accord target.

  • $3bn to be used for a fund for the states and territories to build the new homes.

Albanese said:

An additional 200,000 homes with $3bn allows for an incentive of $15,000 per additional home, over and above the one million that had previously been agreed to.

A $500m housing support program would also be set up for local and state governments to start housing supply in well-located areas.

Leaders also agreed to a suite of rental reforms, which involved moving to limit rent increases to once a year and implementing minimum rental standards.

The reforms included developing a nationwide policy for a requirement for genuine reasonable grounds for evictions.

The Greens had opposed the federal government’s $10bn Housing Australia Future Fund over a lack of support to renters, with the minor party calling for rent freezes.

But the prime minister said the Greens were standing in the way of new social and affordable housing. He said:

This is an initiative that shows how serious we are as state and territory governments across the political spectrum as well as the commonwealth, understanding that supply is the key.

You cannot say you support increased housing supply and vote against the Housing Australia Future Fund.

The prime minister said moving towards nationally consistent laws on renting would make it easier for renters.

National cabinet also agreed to a new national planning reform blueprint, which would look at planning and zoning measures to increase housing supply.

As part of the blueprint, medium and high-density housing would be promoted in areas close to public transport, while approval pathways would be streamlined.

Updated

Somebody did actually shout out a question about the Matildas at the prime minister after he called a close to the press conference, and I’m surprised he didn’t take the opportunity to fling a green and gold scarf around.

Updated

‘No simple one day, one week, one month solution’ on housing, Albanese says

The final post-national cabinet question to prime minister Anthony Albanese is back on housing. He says again that it’s a long-term supply issue, that they looked at home ownership, renters’ rights, the impact of short-term accommodation, but there is “no simple one day, one week, one month solution”. And he calls for the senate to pass the government’s Housing Australia Future Fund bill:

We’re all prepared to look at the full suite of reforms across the housing sector. That’s why historically, if you look at the previous 10 years, there was very little engagement from the commonwealth in any housing policy, except for programs which some had found actually led to an increase in costs rather than a decrease.

My government is determined to fulfil our responsibility, as I care deeply about housing. The Housing Australia Future Fund was the centrepiece of my second budget reply. And … I will continue to argue that it should be supported.

Updated

Albanese says he’s open to discussions with Thorpe on issues he cares ‘deeply about’

Now a journalist has brought up senator Lidia Thorpe’s press club speech, and her calls to cancel the voice referendum, and comments on the Aboriginal deaths in custody report and the Bring Them Home report. Will he compromise?

Albanese says he’s had a “number of respectful discussions” with Thorpe and is “open to having discussions about issues that I care deeply about”:

The way to advance reconciliation in this country is for a yes vote to succeed at the referendum that will be held in the last quarter of this year. And that is doable from my perspective. Everyone will come to their own decision.

Updated

Next he’s asked about a stimulus for construction to boost supply.

He says:

I’m very conscious that treasurers ... have been discussing issues and we as a commonwealth government have been discussing issues of financing … but it wasn’t the focus of today’s meeting.

Updated

Prime minister Anthony Albanese says there are timelines for plans to have a consistent policy on evictions and limiting rental increases to once a year. He again says they are being “practical about moving forward”.

Albanese says rent freeze will ‘make it worse’ and wants focus on supply

A reporter has accused the prime minister of having nothing new for renters. “You’re wrong,” he says, and talks about the limits on what the commonwealth can do:

Different states have different jurisdictions with respect. They have different rules. Not every state has any restrictions at all … what we’re doing is moving towards greater national consistency and making a practical difference. What we know though, is that the idea of if you just have a rent freeze, there is no jurisdiction in the country that is arguing for that … indeed, we believe that will make it worse. The key to addressing these issues is supply and that’s why we have focused our attention on supply.

Updated

Boosting housing supply shows ‘how serious we are’ in addressing housing crisis, Albanese says

I’ll get you the details of the housing agreement shortly. Albanese is being asked about the decision not to cap rental prices, which is what the Greens are demanding, and whether today’s measures to boost housing supply will get Greens over the line. He said:

This is an initiative that shows how serious we are, state and territory governments across the political spectrum [with the] common understanding that supply is the key.

That’s putting “downward pressure” on prices and helping renters, he said.

Updated

Anthony Albanese speaks after national cabinet meeting

Prime minister Anthony Albanese has just kicked off the post national cabinet press conference. He says cabinet agreed to a “national planning reform blueprint with planning zoning land release and other measures to improve housing supply and affordability”.

Don’t zone out! Much more to come.

Updated

Just as well Matildas goalie Mackenzie Arnold is as pressure resistant as a submarine hull:

Josh Nicholas brings you some dire news with some handy graphs:

Dozens of longstanding temperature records tumbled across Australia during an unusually warm July, as scientists warn the climate crisis is accelerating.

Deloitte Australia chief executive replaced at inquiry by chairman

Deloitte is appearing at a NSW parliamentary inquiry into the government’s use of consultants this afternoon.

Greens MP Abigail Boyd has opened proceedings by questioning why the firm’s chief executive, Adam Powick, has decided not to appear.

When Powick appeared at a similar senate inquiry last month, he conceded his salary was not worth seven times that of the prime minister’s.

His concession came after an at times testy exchange with Greens senator Barbara Pocock and created a headline for many media outlets, including Guardian Australia.

Deloitte Australia’s chairman, Tom Imbesi, told Boyd he’d decided to appear before the inquiry himself.

We looked at the terms of reference and we reviewed who we felt the most senior people were that were relevant to that terms of reference so that we’ll be able to come here and respond to any questions.

Clearly, conduct is important time from the top. And as chair of the Australian firm, I felt that I was appropriate to come and talk to those matters.

Thanks, Emily, off like the wind to prep for tonight’s match. Personally, I may need beta blockers. Or wine.

Thanks for joining me on the liveblog today. I’ll leave you with my colleague Tory Shepherd who will be with you for the next little while!

First we had the NSW SES using the Matildas hype to encourage people to prepare for the cold front.

Now, we have the Victorian country fire authority using the Tillies “game plan” to highlight the importance of smoke alarms:

Not gonna lie, I’m genuinely obsessed with these media teams.

Social services minister shares action plans ending gender-based violence

Minister for social services Amanda Rishworth has shared some photos on social media from today’s launch of action plans to address gender-based violence:

She wrote:

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan is the first dedicated plan to address violence against women and children in First Nations communities and was developed in true partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders.

For the first time, all governments have agreed to six measurable national targets, describing the specific changes we strive to achieve through the Action Plans.

The First Action Plan set targets to end violence, including a 25% annual reduction in female victims of intimate partner homicide.

You can read the full plans here.

Updated

Housing, skilled workforce, Indigenous voice: Albanese outlines national cabinet agenda

Prime minister Anthony Albanese has spoken ahead of today’s national cabinet meeting.

He outlined what is on the agenda today:

[We’ll be] discussing housing, but also any context of the cost-of-living pressures families are under around the country due to the global pressures that are there on inflation, as a result of both the Russian invasion of Ukraine that has had an impact on global energy prices, that have some flow through to global inflation, but also the aftermath of the pandemic.

He said housing supply is “key” to addressing pressures on people trying to get into the housing market, as well as renters.

Also on the agenda is looking at how businesses can gain access to a skilled workforce, healthcare and education, and the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum:

I acknowledge and thank everyone here for the fact that every state premier and chief minister is supporting a yes vote in the referendum, in the interests of recognising First Nations people, but also having the opportunity to listen to them on matters that affect their lives so as to get better results.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese (centre) is seen during today’s national cabinet meeting with state premiers and Territory leaders at the Commonwealth Parliament Offices in Brisbane, Wednesday 16 August.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese (centre) is seen during today’s national cabinet meeting with state premiers and Territory leaders at the Commonwealth Parliament Offices in Brisbane, Wednesday 16 August. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

Updated

NSW police to investigate prior opportunities to intervene, given domestic violence history for western Sydney woman

The NSW police offered details of what the critical incident investigation will look at:

In terms of responding to that call last night, the circumstances surrounding why there was no attendance, and the timeline from last night through to this morning, is part of the critical incident investigation to understand and determine the why, and to look at that timeline.

The officer said the call made this morning was made by a woman, not a man.

I don’t believe it was by the victim, but by other members inside the house.

The officer also said there is a history of police involvement with both people.

A reporter asks:

When you say there is a history with police, is there a history of domestic violence?

Officer:

Yes there is.

The police officer said the critical incident investigation will examine whether there was any prior opportunity to intervene, given the history of alleged domestic violence.

Lifeline 13 11 14

Updated

Man in police custody after fatal stabbing of woman in western Sydney

NSW police just spoke to the media from western Sydney following the fatal stabbing of a woman this morning.

The officer said police were called to a St Marys home about 8.40pm last night over concerns for a man’s welfare.

Officers were then called to the home about 6.45am today after reports of a stabbing.

Police provided medical assistance to a woman, including CPR, and an ambulance also attended. However, the woman sadly passed away at the scene.

Following this at 7.30am, a man attended Campbelltown police station. That man is currently in police custody and is assisting police with the investigation.

A critical incident has been declared and an investigation into the matter has been launched.

Updated

Matt Canavan calls banks to halt closures of regional branches during Senate inquiry

The Senate rural and regional affairs and transport committee is calling on banks to halt their closures of regional branches while an inquiry is undertaken.

This week, the senate established an inquiry into the impacts of regional bank closures across the country, due to report back on 1 December.

Chair senator Matt Canavan said the closure of regional bank branches hurts local communities and businesses:

They have been told to ‘try online banking’ which just leaves them in the lurch. It’s simply impossible for a storeowner to deposit their daily takings, and get the change they need from online banking.

I call on all the banks to stop closing branches until they can hear how their planned closures would affect local communities and towns.

According to his statement, the call is supported by Coalition, Labor and Greens senators.

Matt Canavan
Matt Canavan is chair senator of the rural and regional affairs and transport committee, which is calling on banks to halt their closures of regional branches while an inquiry is undertaken. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Updated

National Press Club: Main takeaways from Lidia Thorpe’s speech

And that concludes senator Lidia Thorpe’s appearance at the National Press Club. Here are some key takeaways from her speech and subsequent questions:

  • Thorpe argued that the Indigenous voice to parliament is a “window-dressing for constitutional recognition” and that the referendum should be called off.

  • She is instead calling for a national treaty to be established to address First Nations issues, such as land and sea rights and financial compensation.

  • Such a treaty would require national leadership to establish the correct frameworks, Thorpe said, representing individual nations and functioning similar to that of local government.

  • She said the King “has to be at the table” for any treaty negotiations.

  • Thorpe suggested that if the government worked to implement the recommendations of the deaths in custody royal commission and Bring Them Home report, it might sway her to the yes camp.

  • She also met with prime minister Anthony Albanese as recent as last week to discuss this.

  • No matter if the referendum ends with a yes or no vote, Thorpe says she will continue to advocate for treaty.

  • And finally, Thorpe said members of the Blak sovereign movement have been in discussion about possibly running candidates at the next federal election.

Updated

Thorpe says ‘internal racism of the Greens’ made her leave and that others should be able to do same

Referencing senator David Van, a reporter asks Thorpe whether a senator elected to parliament on a party ticket should be allowed to remain as an Independent if they quit.

Immediately Thorpe acknowledges “that’s also about me, let’s be honest!”

She said that if someone’s workplace “is not tenable”, you should be allowed to leave and represent in another form.

That’s what happened with me, personally. I couldn’t deal with the internal racism of the Greens. And in terms of that other senator [said], that’s up to their party. You know, completely different reasons.

Updated

Blak sovereign movement to consider running for next election, Thorpe says

Thorpe is asked whether she would consider running candidates at the next federal election under the Blak sovereign movement:

I’ve asked the Blak sovereign movement what they want to do and they are very excited by the notion. I just don’t want to be the one having to organise them and doing all the campaigning so if that’s what they want to do, then absolutely.

I think that we should have a Blak sovereign movement in a party where we have candidates to really ramp it up and bring truth and healing to this country once and for all.

Updated

Thorpe says Albanese needs to ‘get up to speed’ on implementing royal commission recommendations

Thorpe said the government hasn’t given her a reason why they can’t implement the recommendations from the deaths in custody royal commission and Bring Them Home report.

They’ve actually had no reason why they can’t implement those recommendations. They basically stone walled me for quite a while when I left the Greens. And now, they’re getting desperate and inviting me back in. So yeah, there’s not been a real response to implementing those recommendations.

Speaking on her meeting with the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, as recent as last week, Thorpe said:

Well, I think that he was a bit surprised to hear about my negotiation and my asks. So hopefully, he gets up to speed and comes back with some form of way forward that we can all agree upon.

Updated

‘King has to be at the table’ for any treaty negotiations, Thorpe says

Thorpe is asked about treaty negotiations in Victoria and said that a federal approach is needed:

Well, it goes to show how well the Treaty is going on in Victoria when they’re still logging country… We’ve got seismic testing going on in Gunditjmara country and we have the poisoning of our maternity trees. So the Treaty is, you know, leading the way in Vic! That is not the example to go by in this country.

… We need national leadership [and] we need to create those opportunities for a framework so that they are done right.

Q: Do you want to see a federal treaty as well as state based ones, just to clarify?

Thorpe:

I want to see federal leadership on the conversation. I think that the King has to be at the table.

Updated

Thorpe says reparations for First Nations people ‘would make the country broke’

Thorpe is asked how a treaty would address financial compensation or reparations for First Nations people, and what that would look like.

She said it would be up to each clan and nation to decide, comparing the structure to that of local government:

We’ve got 79 councils there and 38 nations [in Victoria]. It’s possible. You look at the local government structure. We can fit in that through a treaty. We just need to tweak it.

Thorpe claims that the country could go broke from what is owed to First Nations people:

There is a lot of money owed to first peoples. I mean, look at the resources that have been extracted over 200 years. You know, we don’t want to send the country broke. I’ll put that out there now. Otherwise, we could with what is owed.

… I could send Daniel Andrews a bill as a traditional owner. But I’ll save him from that.

When asked for an estimated figure, Thorpe reiterates:

It would make the country broke. That’s why we need to negotiate.

Updated

Yes or no outcome, Thorpe will continue to fight for treaty

Guardian reporter Sarah Basford-Canales asks Thorpe:

If there is a no victory, by what mechanism will justice for First Nations people be achieved when many progressives will feel demoralised and the no-campaigners can claim a mandate for stopping change?

Thorpe says she will continue to fight for a treaty, whether there is a yes or no result:

I don’t think a yes or no result is going to make any difference regardless of what it is. If it’s no, well, we know that the country is racist.

Later, Thorpe said:

I think even with a yes vote outcome, then it’s still a denial of what the Blak sovereign movement is about, and it’s hand on heart do-gooders who think that they know best for us. And that’s a form of racism as well.

Updated

Thorpe says if government acts on Indigenous report recommendations she could potentially move to ‘yes camp’

Thorpe is asked whether there is anything the government could offer that would move her into the “yes camp” for the voice to parliament.

She responded that she is “absolutely” open to conversations and negotiations:

I started negotiating as a Greens Senator, and I continued as an Independent senator to negotiate how we could have those recommendations implemented as a matter of urgency.

I pleaded with the attorney general, and I also mentioned to the PM last week that this would potentially get me over the line. I’m not asking for all of the recommendations all at once. I’m asking for my people, I’m pleading for my people, that they implement those recommendations, because that will save lives.

When Thorpe mentions recommendations, she is pointing to the recommendations outlined from the deaths in custody royal commission and the Bring Them Home report.

Updated

Thorpe says now is the time for a 21st century treaty

Lidia Thorpe acknowledged that treaties can be broken, and have been in the past, but she believes there is now an opportunity to have a treaty of the 21st century:

We can learn all of the lessons from our brothers and sisters around the world. Treaty is what we make it. It has to come from the people. And the best part - you don’t need a referendum for a treaty. Just a government who is willing.

… This is our chance to mature as a nation. To have the hard conversations with each other and ourselves. To confront the racism we have always been socially conditioned to accept, internalise and perpetrate. To sit with the uncomfortable truth. See it and grow from it. Because right now, there is an ongoing colonisation but no colonisers. Racism, but no racists. And when we begin to tell the truth, that we can heal together as a nation, and from this healing, Treaty will bring peace.

Her speech has concluded and questions have just begun, which we will bring you shortly.

Updated

Thorpe says ‘native title is racist’ and wants land discussions via a treaty

During her speech, Lidia Thorpe reiterated her call for a treaty. Last month, she responded to the yes and no voice pamphlets by saying treaty was “the only way forward”.

Thorpe told the Press Club today that a treaty would provide First Nations people with the opportunity to negotiate on matters that affect them, such as land and sea rights:

The courts recognise that terra nullius is a myth and that this land is ours. But instead of land right, we got native title. A token gesture that has caused many disputes in our communities. And that can be extinguished by the government of the day with the flick of a pen.

People need to understand that native title is not land rights. Native title is racist. Native title forces us to claim our own land and justify our existence and connection to the coloniser! The coloniser then decides if it is legitimate. It’s an insult beyond words.

Thorpe said she wants to have discussions about land back, which could be facilitated via a treaty.

Updated

Lidia Thorpe says Indigenous voice is 'window-dressing' and should be called off

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe is outlining her criticism of the Indigenous voice to parliament proposal at the National Press Club in Canberra.

We’ll get to to questions from reporters soon, but here’s a selection of her speech so far.

The voice is the window-dressing for constitutional recognition. We have rejected constitutional recognition before. It is a 20-year-old Howard-era policy, created with the explicit purpose of undermining sovereignty, self determination and land rights for first peoples.

The voice is the easy way to fake progress without actually having to change a thing. It is a destructive distraction absolving government of its continued crimes.

Thorpe has also called for the referendum to called off, telling the audience it has caused “harm and division”.

We should call off the referendum. It has caused nothing but harm and division. And, for what? There won’t be change until this society changes. Until this society’s thinking, values, attitudes and systems have been revolutionised in order to ensure real self determination, we cannot continue the legacy of the Australian colony.

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe at the National Press Club
Independent senator Lidia Thorpe told the National Press Club on Wednesday that she would not stop fighting for a treaty. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Updated

Seven West Media’s profits dive 31% despite record TV audiences for Women’s World Cup

The roaring success of the Matildas has delivered Seven record-breaking television audiences but it wasn’t easily monetised, according to the broadcaster.

Seven West Media’s chief executive, James Warburton, told analysts on Wednesday that it was hard to fit ad breaks into football:

There’s no ads during play, during extra time, during penalty shootouts, so it’s quite limited in terms of its commerciality.

The popularity of the Women’s World Cup does give Seven a lift when it comes to programming, but is not the money generator many people assume. Here’s how Warburton put it:

It drives our schedule and drives our dominance.

Price and Mundine to give speeches at National Press Club at later date; Dutton also invited

Over at the National Press Club, SBS’s chief political correspondent, Anna Henderson, is introducing senator Lidia Thorpe who is about to give a speech.

Before Thorpe begins, Henderson said the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has been given an invitation to speak at the club, as well as the shadow minister for Indigenous Australians, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price.

Senator Price has accepted an invitation to speak and is in the process of finalising a date.

And another prominent No campaigner, Warren Mundine, has postponed his date but has committed to another date.

Updated

Lunchtime recap

If you’re about to sit down for your lunch, here’s a quick recap of what we’ve learnt over the past few hours:

  • The Victorian deputy premier, Jacinta Allan, has defended her colleague Lily D’Ambrosio following reports alleging a branch of the Labor party linked to the minister forged the signatures of deceased people on membership forms. Read the full details here, and more from D’Ambrosio here.

  • The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, said “there’s a time and place” for the documents to be released in relation to the safety of Taipan helicopters following the death of four servicemen in an interview on 2GB.

  • AAP reports that One Nation’s leader, Pauline Hanson, has had a legal victory after overturning $250,000 in defamation damages awarded after she made claims about the conduct of an NSW ex-senator. Read the full details here:

  • Agriculture officers have been given the power to stop and search cars and trucks near the Queensland border to try to stop a potential fire ant infestation.

  • A new report has found that work for the dole rarely leads to a job and fewer than 15% of unemployed people have ever had a positive experience with the government’s mutual obligations system.

  • The federal government has partnered with the National Rugby League to establish the new Pacific Rugby League championships. Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Australia will co-host the tournament this year.

  • And don’t expect any confirmation today about a one-off public holiday if the Matildas win the world cup: the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has said it won’t be on the agenda at national cabinet today, after all.

Updated

Antipoverty advocates: ‘mutual’ obligations punish us for being poor

Continued from last post:

Jay Coonan, spokesperson for the Antipoverty Centre, said the report showed again why the government ought to scrap the mutual obligations system:

This is a system that punishes us for being poor. ‘Mutual’ obligations exist to deter people from accessing welfare, not to help us find a suitable job. The Albanese government, like the Morrison government before it, traps people in poverty by making ‘mutual’ obligations a requirement to access below-poverty-line income support.

Terese Edwards, CEO of Single Mother Families Australia, said:

People locked out of the workforce, cycling in and out of paid work, or underemployed would benefit from a radical overhaul of Workforce Australia. A superior approach would be abolishing mutual obligations and enabling job search support for all people seeking employment.

Removing the punitive and onerous demands would produce savings that could be reinvested into an enhanced participation fund for social security claimants. Creating a new model that is community-led, responsive to local workforce needs and well-placed to meet the aspirations of each community.

Updated

Report finds work for the dole rarely works

Work for the dole rarely leads to a job and fewer than 15% of unemployed people have ever had a positive experience with the government’s mutual obligations system, a new report has found.

The Antipoverty Centre, in conjunction with GetUp!, conducted in-depth surveys with more than 600 unemployed people and those with experiences of Australia’s welfare system, and particularly with mutual obligations, which requires welfare recipients to participate in particular activities – like applying for a certain number of jobs or volunteering – in order to continue to receive welfare payments.

The report, released today, found that only 14.24% of respondents could recall a positive experience with the mutual obligations program, and even fewer – 2.22% of respondents – felt that it was at all useful to them. An overwhelming 93% of respondents said mutual obligations had a negative effect on their mental health.

More than 85% of respondents said a job agency or other provider of job-related services had made a mistake or otherwise caused a problem with their welfare payment.

Mutual obligations are compulsory for most jobseekers.

Updated

Where people will be watching the Matildas match tonight, via AAP:

More than 80,000 people are expected to pack a sold-out Stadium Australia tonight as the Matildas take on England in the semi-finals, while thousands of others will tune in from live sites around the country.

They include the Fifa Fan Festival at Sydney’s Tumbalong Park, where more than 202,000 people have already enjoyed the site’s food, games and music throughout the tournament.

In Melbourne, AAMI Park will be transformed from sports stadium to live site, with the must-win game broadcast on the big screen.

In Perth, thousands are expected to descend on Forrest Place in the CBD and Perth Rectangular stadium to watch hometown hero and Matildas star Sam Kerr.

Dozens of other fan zones have been set up across the country, while millions of viewers will tune in to the semi-final from home or their local pub.

Nearly 12 million viewers have watched the Matildas’ matches live throughout the tournament.

Updated

Prime minister Anthony Albanese has shared some photos from his announcement earlier today that the government, in partnership with the National Rugby League, will establish a Pacific Rugby League championships.

We brought you details about this earlier on, which you can read here (or by scrolling further back on the blog).

Queensland health minister emphasises collaboration between state and federal governments on domestic violence prevention plans

Queensland’s health minister, Yvette D’Ath, also spoke about the launch of the domestic violence prevention action plans and said it involves collaboration between the federal government and the states.

We must have collaboration and we must work and share information together, collect data, to make sure that we have the resources we need, the focus we need on programs and policies, the funding going where it needs to go, and making sure that we’re supporting the providers in this sector to build capability and capacity and have the workforce that they need.

Importantly, our programs have got to make sure they’re not just supporting victims and survivors but also making sure we work with perpetrators to stop the cycle of violence in this country and that’s what these action plans are focusing on.

Updated

Minister for Indigenous Australians on gender-based violence within community: ‘that reality has been seen and accepted’

Linda Burney said the ministers and advisory committee have taken an important step in “identifying an issue that was not spoken about five or 10 years ago, and that’s violence within the Aboriginal community”:

It is something profound that this is taking place. We live in a country where Aboriginal women and children experience violence [and death] at a much worse rate than other women.

It’s not a competition, but that’s the reality. And that reality has been seen and accepted and that is why today we are seeing the launch of these two action plans.

[The plan] recognises the way in which the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities want to address these issues, both at a community level, but also a family and a personal level as well, which is absolutely crucial to addressing the issue.

Updated

The minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, is currently speaking to the media about new targets set by the government to address gender-based violence, with specific action plan for First Nations communities.

The idea that we are a first-world nation that is doing so well, but yet the issue of family violence is something so prevalent in the broader community, and absolutely prevalent in an overrepresented way in the Aboriginal community.

We brought you the details on the action plans here.

Updated

Pauline Hanson overturns $250k defamation loss

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has had a legal victory after overturning $250,000 in defamation damages awarded after she made claims about the conduct of an ex-NSW senator, AAP reports.

Hanson was ordered to pay the amount in October after the federal court said her comments on Nine’s Today program in March 2019 were “seriously damaging” to Brian Burston’s reputation.

As well as incorrectly stating that Burston had sexually abused a female colleague, Hanson also falsely claimed he assaulted One Nation chief of staff James Ashby without provocation in parliament house, Justice Robert Bromwich said at the time.

But the findings and damages were thrown out by the full court on Wednesday after a successful appeal by Hanson. Burston was also ordered to pay the One Nation leader’s legal costs for the defamation case and appeal.

In his earlier judgment, Justice Bromwich was scathing towards Burston’s general behaviour, calling it “objectively wrong and inappropriate”.

Hanson filed a counter-suit in the Federal Court in November 2020 claiming Burston’s defamation case and sexual harassment allegations against her amounted to discrimination.

That case is still ongoing.

Opposition leader says he believes Liberals ‘put in place a process’ to get Black Hawks as ‘quickly as possible’

Dutton is asked if he has any updates on the Black Hawk helicopters for defence, after the grounding of Taipan helicopters:

I fought the judgement in relation to the Taipan and it resulted in us going away from the Taipan and asking for a replacement, which turned out to be the Black Hawk because our allies use the Black Hawk [and] it’s a proven platform for our defence force personnel.

… In terms of the government’s responses and how timely that was, it’s an issue for them but I believe very strongly that we put in place a process which meant that we could get the helicopters, the new Black Hawks as quickly as possible.

According to Australian Defence Magazine, the first two of 40 UH-60M Black Hawk’s arrived at the Richmond RAAF base on July 30, with a third arriving on August 4. 38 more will be delivered to the army in the coming months.

Updated

Dutton: ‘time and place’ for safety documents on Taipan to be released

Circling back to opposition leader Peter Dutton’s interview with Ray Hadley on 2GB: Dutton was asked about the push to release safety documents related to the Taipan helicopter fleet, following the deaths of four servicemen.

The Senate first requested documents on helicopters in May but were denied due to an internal review after a crash at Jervis Bay. The Greens senator David Shoebridge raised the safety of the MRH90 aircraft again in June. The defence minister, Richard Marles, said the documents will be released later this year.

Dutton said “there’s a time and place” for the documents to be provided:

There’s obviously still an operation underway in relation to the recovery and that’s obviously incredibly difficult, excruciating for the families that are involved and for their colleagues.

I think it demands nothing less than a full investigation… we’ll put pressure on the government to release the details so that people are fully across what happens so it can’t be repeated again.

…[But] families are grieving, the funerals haven’t taken place, and I think at the moment, it’s time is to respect families and the grief that they’re understandably going through.

Updated

The NSW SES is jumping on the Matildas hype, encouraging people to … prepare for the cold front?

They wrote on Twitter:

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail!

While the Tillies prepare for the win, our community members should start preparing for the cold front.

Updated

NSW officials to ramp up Queensland border enforcement with cameras over fire ant fears

Continued from last post:

NSW agriculture minister Tara Moriarty said increased seasonal demand for livestock feed and landscaping supplies increased the risk of fire ants being “inadvertently” carried across the border from Queensland into NSW and police would also be brought in to assist with enforcing the rules.

Moriarty said the restrictions on high-risk materials had been in place for “many months” but police would now ramp up enforcement including by using existing fixed cameras at “key” road crossings between NSW and Queensland.

Moriarty said:

This camera technology is normally used to conduct livestock movement surveillance but will be critical in helping us spot high-risk materials being moved illegally across the border.

NSW has already committed $95 million over the next four years to the National Fire Ant Eradication Program, and we are throwing everything at our efforts to stop fire ants in their tracks because we know the potential impact they could have on our health, our lifestyle and our economy if they crossed the border into NSW.

Updated

Agriculture officers given stop and search powers due to risk of fire ant infestation

Officers from Queensland’s agriculture department and the NSW Department of Primary Industries have been given the power to stop and search cars and trucks near the border to try to stop the illegal transportation of “high-risk” materials that could contain fire ants.

People who live in a designated region in south-east Queensland who are caught transporting materials including soil, hay, manure, quarry products and potted plants into NSW without a permit face fines of up to $1.1m, with penalties of up to $2.2m for companies.

The NSW agriculture minister, Tara Moriarty, travelled to the Tweed Heads region on Wednesday to meet with the “cross-border task force” made up of government agencies who are racing to stop the destructive invasive insect from making it across the Queensland border into NSW.

The discovery of a nest of red fire ants just 5.5km from NSW’s northern border last month prompted calls for urgent action to stop the spread of the pest, which can infest vast areas and inflict a painful bite on humans.

Queensland environment authorities have urgently stepped up plans to eradicate invasive fire ants.
Queensland environment authorities have urgently stepped up plans to eradicate invasive fire ants. Photograph: Lyle Radford

Updated

Wong disappointed about German counterpart’s plane troubles

The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, says she shares the disappointment of her German counterpart who called off a trip to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji over technical issues with her aeroplane.

The minister, Annalena Baerbock, had been scheduled to address the Lowy Institute in Sydney today and was expected to meet with Wong. But Baerbock tweeted that technical problems with the plane had made it logistically impossible to continue the trip – a development the German minister said was “more than annoying”.

In a reply to Baerbock’s tweet, Wong wrote this morning:

We share your disappointment … I appreciated your insights when we met at the G20 [foreign ministers’ meeting] earlier this year. Australia and Germany are aligned in values and aspiration. We have much more to do together.

Safe travels home. We will see you next time.

For more on this story, see the news piece by the Guardian’s Berlin correspondent, Kate Connolly:

Updated

Opposition continues to criticise ‘lack of detail’ on Indigenous voice

The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, is currently speaking with Ray Hadley on 2GB Radio. Dutton is continuing to argue that the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, isn’t providing enough detail on the Indigenous voice to parliament.

We’re adults, we want to make an informed judgement when we vote in October, so please give us the detail. I don’t think that’s a disrespectful thing to ask [for].

Dutton claimed that Albanese “wants to be a Bob Hawke”, declaring public holidays and “crav[ing] that popularity”:

He’s definitely no Bob Hawke, he is no Paul Keating, [and] is certainly not John Howard.

I think Australians are now starting to see that the obsession with the voice has meant [the government has] taken their eye off the ball when it comes to economic management decisions in the last two budgets … That’s what’s resulted in people paying higher interest rates, inflation staying higher for longer and [being in a situation] where a lot of families are struggling to pay the bills at the moment.

Updated

D’Ambrosio says she allowed Labor branch to hold meetings in her office prior to law that banned it

Lily D’Ambrosio said she allowed the Lalor South branch – of which she is no longer a member – to hold meetings in her office prior to changes to the law that banned electorate office staff from campaign work. This has since ceased, she said:

Matters about activities of branches in electorate offices have been matters that were very unclear and opaque for a number of years. Those matters were clarified by changes to electorate office guidelines that came into effect not all that long ago ... That clarified what you can and can’t do in electorate office and that’s the beginning of the end of it. Other matters should be directed to the party.

The Mill Park MP – who is a leader in the Socialist Left faction of the party – was also asked whether she thought the leak was part of an intensifying factional war with the right. D’Ambrosio said:

What people are motivated by is not a matter for me to guess... I just can’t possibly comment on what may or may not be said about me that are anonymous ... What my focus is, is on being the best minister I can be for the best government in the country.

Updated

Lily D’Ambrosio says she has ‘nothing to fear’ over branch stacking allegations involving forged signatures of deceased persons

The Victorian government minister Lily D’Ambrosio says she’s got “nothing to fear” following reports alleging a branch of the Labor party which was linked to the minister forged the signatures of deceased people on membership forms.

The Australian on Tuesday reported that less than 10% of members at D’Ambrosio’s Lalor South branch were still registered following an internal branch-stacking probe. On Wednesday, the newspaper reported at least nine members of the branch could not recall paying for their Labor memberships.

Arriving at parliament on Wednesday, D’Ambrosio said the payment of membership fees was a matter for the Labor party:

I would suggest you direct that question to them. I’m not sure what you’re implying by me signing people up? The party is a very strong volunteer organisation full of people who are really committed to changing things for the better for their local community.

Asked if she had anything to fear if the matter was investigated, she said:

I’ve got nothing to fear. What I say to you is what I said yesterday. There was a review that was undertaken by Steve Bracks and Jenny Macklin ... and these matters that you refer to during that period and the fact is, there were no findings that were made with respect to that. But at the end of the day, it’s a party matter. And really you should be directing these questions to the party.

Updated

AEC confirms payments to parties that received over 4% of first-preference votes in Fadden byelection

Parties that received the required 4% of first-preference votes at the Fadden byelection have each received an initial payment of $11,803, the Australian Electoral Commission confirmed in a statement this morning. (That’s as provided for in the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, for those keeping track.)

​The payments, amounting to $59,015 in total, have been made to Labor, Legalise Cannabis Australia, the Liberals, One Nation and the Queensland Greens.

Updated

Albanese: sports has ability to inspire a generation

Giving a speech to launch the Pacific rugby league championships, prime minister Anthony Albanese said he wants to see more Pacific players, both men and women, come through the ranks of the national rugby league:

People form bonds based on shared experiences. And Australia and our Pacific Island neighbours have long had a passion for rugby league and for sport in general.

… So many NRL stars have Pacific heritage. Indeed, of the Penrith Panther’s starting 13 in the grand final last year, nine of the 13 had Pacific heritage.

At the international level, Pacific nations are making their mark too, with Samoa making the World Cup final last year and PNG making it to the women’s semi-final in the tournament last year.

He said sports has the ability to inspire a generation, pointing to the Matildas and their success during the Fifa women’s world cup:

And the idea 30 years ago, frankly, or 20 years ago, that you would have had full stadiums watching women’s team sport was something that would have been seen as being exceptionally ambitious.

Well that’s long gone.

Now, we have women and girls playing at … elite-level soccer, AFL as well as rugby league. And that is a great thing.

Updated

Albanese government announces Pacific Rugby League championships

The federal government has partnered with the National Rugby League to establish the new Pacific Rugby League championships.

The inaugural Pacific championships will feature women’s and men’s teams from Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga, a statement this morning confirmed.

The federal government will commit $7m over two years so that seven Pacific countries are included in the championships. Games will be played in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea this year, with the 2023 tournament scheduled to take place from 14 October. to 5 November.

Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Australia will co-host the tournament this year and Fiji will co-host the competition with Australia in 2024.

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said this marks the beginning of an exciting new phase of international rugby league competition in the Pacific for men and women:

Geography makes us neighbours, but through sport we build strong and lasting ties across the Pacific family.

The minister for the Pacific, Pat Conroy, said:

Given around half the players in the NRL are of Pasifika heritage, and our shared love of sport, this competition will bring people from across the Pacific even closer together.

The championships will provide a new opportunity for athletes in the Pacific to play and develop professionally, and will inspire a generation of girls and boys across our region.

Updated

Seven West Media praises World Cup viewing performance but says commerciality ‘limited’

Seven West Media managing director and chief executive officer, James Warburton, says the World Cup has been obviously successful but an inability to run ads during play means the network has been unable to monetise the huge audience.

Saturday night’s victory by the Matildas over France was watched by an average of 4.9 million people on the Seven network.

The thing with the Women’s World Cup, is that you got to remember, the audience has been absolutely unbelievable and we’ve loved telling the narrative of this wonderful team – and go Matildas tonight and hopefully all the way on Sunday - but there’s no ads during … play, during extra time, during penalty shootout, so it’s quite limited in terms of its commerciality.

Warburton, who was speaking at the company’s full year results presentation, said half a billion dollars was spent on soccer rights, and Seven could see the potential in a home World Cup after the Matildas played in Tokyo.

And it’s exceeded all of our wildest dreams, but it drives our schedule and drives our dominance moving forward because our entire schedule is built around it.

Updated

Labor’s national conference begins tomorrow

Labor’s 49th national conference will begin tomorrow at the Brisbane convention centre.

It’s the first in more than a decade to be held while the party is in government, and the first where the left factions hold the power on the voting floor.

My colleagues Sarah Basford Canales and Amy Remeikis have outlined a number of policy platform items that are worth keeping an eye on:

Updated

Tim Watts thanks behind-the-scenes workers on rescue of Australians off Indonesia

The assistant foreign affairs minister, Tim Watts, spoke to Sunrise this morning about the rescue of four Australians off the coast of Indonesia.

Responding to criticism that the Australian government didn’t respond quickly enough, Watts said there is a huge amount of work that goes on behind-the-scenes that people don’t see:

As soon as we were aware that these young Australians were missing the department of foreign affairs and trade swung into action, and our consular officials set up teams in both Australia and Indonesia to support the family [and] other members of the travelling group, but really importantly, to coordinate the search and rescue efforts between Australia and Indonesian officials.

… There’s an incredible amount of work that goes on and we express our deep thanks to Indonesian authorities for their cooperation on this effort.

On Twitter, Watts acknowledged that one Indonesian crew member remains missing and said he hopes they are found safe.

We will continue following this today and bring you any updates as soon as possible.

Updated

Victorian deputy premier defends minister over branch stacking allegations

Victoria’s deputy premier, Jacinta Allan, has defended her colleague, Lily D’Ambrosio, following reports alleging a branch of the Labor party linked to the minister forged the signatures of deceased people on membership forms.

The Australian on Tuesday reported that less than 10% of members at D’Ambrosio’s Lalor south branch were still registered, following an internal branch-stacking probe that resulted in a federal takeover of the party and the resignation of four ministers.

On Wednesday, the newspaper reported at least nine members of the branch could not recall paying for their Labor memberships.

Asked about the latest report, Allan refused to weigh in:

These matters were canvassed at length yesterday. Lily D’Ambrosio is an outstanding member of the Andrews Labor government, she works incredibly hard, she’s incredibly committed, particularly to the policy areas she’s working on. Matters of membership – they’re a matter for the Labor party – and Lily will continue to do the great work that she does.

Allan – who is part of the same socialist left faction as D’Ambrosio – also hit back at suggestions the reports were part of an intensifying factional war with the right of the party as it plans for a future without Daniel Andrews as leader:

This is hypotheticals, gossip, speculation ... Others may speculate on other matters but we’ve got a big job to do and that’s what Victorians expect us to do – focus on the areas that Victorians voted for.

D’Ambrosio has rejected the branch stacking claims outright. She said on Tuesday:

I reject any wrongdoing in those inferences that were reported in one media outlet this morning.

Updated

Members of the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security have finished a two-day visit to New Zealand. The committee chair and delegation leader, Peter Khalil, said:

The visit follows the release of a series of important national security statements by the New Zealand government.

Australia and New Zealand are more closely aligned than ever before on the Indo-Pacific security environment.

Updated

Public holiday not on national cabinet agenda: PM

Prime minister Anthony Albanese has told Triple M Hobart that national cabinet, which is meeting in Brisbane today, will not be discussing the proposed national holiday if the Matildas win the Fifa Women’s World Cup.

He said:

We won’t actually be discussing it today. We’re discussing housing and other issues. It’s up to the states and territories what they do. But when the public holiday was held for the memorial day for the Queen, what happened was that a whole range of small businesses went gangbusters on that day with economic activity.

Obviously all the talk about jinxing the Matildas has got to the PM, state and territory leaders. Of course, another national cabinet can be scheduled in the event the Matildas win to discuss this. But there won’t be confirmation of the proposed holiday today.

Updated

US embassy backs Matildas

The United States embassy in Australia has thrown its support behind the Matildas ahead of tonights semi-final match against England, sharing this tweet:

Presumably there’s some shared history there …

Updated

The morning so far

Let’s take a moment to recap what we’ve learnt so far today:

  • Australia has announced it will sign a deal with California to address climate change and protect biodiversity.

  • Prime minister Anthony Albanese will be under pressure to address Australia’s housing crisis when he meets with state and territory leaders for national cabinet in Brisbane today.

  • South Australia’s premier, Peter Malinauskas, said he will be seeking tax changes from the federal government that encourages the market to invest in new housing stock.

  • Malinauskas, much like Victorian premier Daniel Andrews, also said he was too superstitious to back a public holiday if the Matildas win the Fifa Women’s World Cup and didn’t want to jinx them.

  • Back to housing: Greens housing spokesperson Max Chandler-Mather said his party is “more than willing to negotiate” a cap on rent increases.

  • Two national plans have been agreed to by federal, state and territory governments around stopping gender-based violence.

  • Senator Lidia Thorpe said she will deliver “hard truths” as part of her address to the National Press Club later today.

  • Meanwhile, search efforts are continuing for the third Indonesian crew member who remains missing after a boat capsized off the coast of Indonesia. We’ll bring you the latest here on the blog as we learn more throughout the day.

As always, if you see something that you think needs attention on the blog, you can send me an email at: emily.wind.casual@theguardian.com

Updated

Justine Elliot details plans to reduce gender-based violence

The assistant minister for the prevention of family violence, Justine Elliot, has spoken to ABC News Breakfast about the government’s new plan to reduce gender-based violence.

We brought you all the details earlier.

She said rates of domestic violence are too high, with one woman dying every 14 days at the hand of a current or former partner:

We all have to work together to end domestic violence against women and children. We have these targets now and we really need to make this happen because the statistics that we see are horrific.

Elliot said one of the key targets is a 25% reduction in female victim homicide a year. She said consent programs in schools are important and that the government has been working with First Nations communities:

… we know the rates are disproportionately higher in First Nations communities.

We have been working on a range of actions and engaging with men and having a men’s advisory body as well.

Part of these action plans involves having greater support and services for First Nations people in our prisons as well, for both victims and perpetrators.

Aboriginal Counselling Services 0410 539 905 / 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) / Lifeline 13 11 14

Updated

Thorpe says David Adler’s comments ‘water off a duck’s back’

Circling back to independent senator Lidia Thorpe’s interview on ABC RN:

Thorpe was asked about widely condemned comments made by Australian Jewish Association head David Adler, who questioned Thorpe’s Aboriginal heritage.

Thorpe said when she saw the comments in the news, she could only laugh because she doesn’t “have time for ignorant people like that”:

I don’t even know who he is.

I’ve copped that all my life … it’s water off a ducks back for me. I’m not going to waste my precious time on someone like that, I’ve got bigger fish to fry in this space.

Thorpe said it was “racist” to question people’s Aboriginality:

No one has a right to question anybody else’s Aboriginality unless you come from that clan or nation.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Adler said he would not apologise when asked about his comments and said he could not recall the remarks about Thorpe.

Updated

Chris Bowen says green tariffs on imports ‘will take serious consultation’

Yesterday, climate change minister Chris Bowen announced two rounds of consultation over whether Australia should follow the EU and impose green tariffs to avoid disadvantaging domestic companies.

Steel and cement would be the first two products to be considered.

My colleague Peter Hannam has all the details:

Speaking to ABC RN this morning, Bowen said:

Now that we have an industrial emissions reduction policy through the safeguard reforms, everybody sensible would agree it makes no sense to see carbon leakage.

He said it will be a complicated process that took the EU about six years to pull together.

I don’t want it to take that long, but it will take serious consultation. I’ve said that that consultation will occur in two rounds in terms of design and principles and that will report to government next year.

I’ve had a lot of conversations with steel and cement and aluminium industries about this for example. It’s very, very important.

Bowen couldn’t say when we could expect to see the tariffs actually implemented:

That will in part depend on the consultations … [but] when they’re ready.

Energy minister Chris Bowen.
Energy minister Chris Bowen. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Updated

Labor playing catch-up on renewable energy targets, Bowen says

When asked about claims that Australia is behind on its renewable targets, climate change minister Chris Bowen told ABC RN that Labor is playing catch-up:

We had 10 years of a government denying the problem, delaying, and we’re starting in 2022, which is not a great time to catch up [on targets] but it’s the best time available to us.

… It’s pretty fashionable in the column inches of a couple of newspapers in Australia at the moment to say our targets are too ambitious, that we won’t get to 82% renewables and therefore won’t get to 43% reductions. I don’t agree with that.

It is ambitious, but it’s also achievable [and] we have a good deal of work to do … that work is proceeding at a very rapid pace, but yes, we do have an enormous amount of catching up.

Updated

Chris Bowen provides more details on climate change deal with California

As my colleague Daniel Hurst reported this morning, Australia will today sign a deal with California and pledge to collaborate on “fighting climate change and protecting biodiversity”.

Climate change minister Chris Bowen appeared on ABC RN this morning to provide more details on the deal. He said it arose out of a meeting he had with California governor Gavin Newsom last year:

California and Australia actually share a lot in common.

They have about half of their energy generation being renewables, their solar is about 27%, their EV policy is very advanced, so there’s a lot we can work on together and certainly Governor Newsom made clear to me that he was keen to collaborate on things like EV charging.

Bowen said funding for this agreement comes from an existing budget within his department for international engagement.

Updated

Meet the biggest littlest Matildas fans in the universe

Excitement will be building all day today as the Matildas get ready to take on England during tonight’s semi-final match as part of the Fifa Women’s World Cup.

Guardian Australia visited two superfans, Matilda and Sabine Lockwood, at their Sydney home to find out what it takes to be ‘biggest Matildas fans in the universe’:

Updated

Thorpe says she won’t campaign for a no vote on the Indigenous voice

Lidia Thorpe said she won’t be actively campaign for a no vote on the Indigenous voice to parliament.

She said she is instead advocating for peace and justice, and “a way forward” for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights:

We want to end deaths in custody. We don’t want 23,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in other people’s arms except for their mothers and their community. We want real action, Labor are fluffing around the edges with their voice.

Thorpe argued that Blak activists were excluded from conversations around the voice and didn’t have a seat at the table.

Updated

Lidia Thorpe to deliver ‘hard truths’ during press club address

Senator Lidia Thorpe will address the National Press Club today. She told ABC RN her message will centre around why she isn’t backing an Indigenous voice to parliament, and telling “hard truths”:

The central message is basically simplifying what I’ve been saying since I entered this parliamentary domain. It is a message from ancestors and grassroots activists on why we don’t subscribe to the colonial institutions and why the voice is is not a way forward.

I’ll take people on a bit of a journey so that we can educate on the effects of invasion, particularly deaths in custody, and removal of children, the destruction of land and water.

… I’m excited to be invited to appear at the press club. I think that some hard truths need to be told and people in this country should accept what is going on so that we can move forward together, and a powerless voice just won’t address the things that I’ll be talking about.

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe will address the National Press Club today.
Independent senator Lidia Thorpe will address the National Press Club today. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Updated

Targets set to end gender-based violence in Australia

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe has welcomed new targets introduced by the government to end gender-based violence in Indigenous communities.

As reported by AAP, two national plans have been agreed to by federal, state and territory governments around stopping gender-based violence:

For the first time, the action plan sets targets for ending violence, including a 25% annual reduction in female victims of intimate partner homicide.

A dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander action plan charts a path to reducing, and ultimately ending, pervasive rates of family, domestic and sexual violence in Indigenous communities.

It is the first dedicated plan which acknowledges that underlying causes of violence in First Nations communities are different to those for non-Indigenous Australians, and was developed in partnership with Indigenous advisory bodies.

Responding to the news on ABC RN, Thorpe said it was something she was calling on the previous Coalition government to make a priority, so it’s “certainly welcomed”:

It’s certainly well fought for by the many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women out there.

Our needs are different and we need to have a dedicated resource and plan to stamping out not only gender-based violence, but the racism that comes with that when we seek help.

Updated

Albanese under pressure over housing before national cabinet

Everybody’s Home, a national campaign representing housing, homelessness and welfare organisations, is calling on national cabinet to adopt strong nationwide rental reform to ease the housing crisis.

Spokesperson Maiy Azize is calling on the government to end no-cause evictions, limit unfair rent increases, adopt minimum rental standards, and improve compliance:

There’s no doubt we need more social housing but we also need to fix the unstable and unaffordable private rental market.

Many renters are not only struggling to secure a home but when they have one it’s a battle to keep it. Landlords have jacked up rents at an extraordinary pace and are getting away with unfairly evicting tenants and providing them with poor-quality homes.

Updated

Search efforts continue for third Indonesian crew member

Search efforts are continuing today for the third Indonesian crew member who remains missing after a boat capsized off the coast of Indonesia.

Four Australians and two crew members were found alive and rescued yesterday, however the search continues for the third crew member.

Foreign affairs minister Penny Wong expressed gratitude to the Indonesian authorities who led search efforts and Australian officials who assisted, and acknowledged the search is not over:

The search continues for a crew member who is still missing.

Our thoughts are with them and their loved ones.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese said he had contacted Indonesian president Joko Widodo to express thanks for the search and rescue efforts.

Rescue workers with some of the Australian survivors as they reunited with friends on Pinang island, Aceh province, after four missing Australians and two Indonesians were rescued from being lost sea.
Rescue workers with some of the Australian survivors on Tuesday as they reunited with friends on Pinang Island, Aceh province, after four missing Australians and two Indonesians were rescued from being lost sea. Photograph: National Search and Rescue Agency/AFP/Getty Images

- with AAP

Updated

DoorDash fined $2m for breaching spam rules

Food delivery company DoorDash has paid more than $2m in fines over sending over 1m texts and emails that breach Australian spam rules.

Between February and October last year, DoorDash sent over 566,000 promotional emails to customers who had unsubscribed, and 515,000 text messages to prospective drivers without an unsubscribe option, an Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma) investigation found.

Acma chair Nerida O’Loughlin said:

Australians find it incredibly frustrating when they receive marketing messages from businesses like DoorDash after they have taken the time to unsubscribe.

It is unacceptable that DoorDash’s prospective contractors were sent messages without an unsubscribe facility about a business opportunity that they may not have wished to pursue.

The DoorDash app is shown on a smartphone.
The DoorDash app is shown on a smartphone. Photograph: AP

Updated

Greens ‘more than willing to negotiate’ a cap on rent increases

Max Chandler-Mather is again pushed on whether a rent freeze is “mission impossible”, given the lack of broad support.

He said the Greens is “more than willing to negotiate” a cap on rent increases.

We could cap the amount by which rents go up every year, that way we would at least put a shock absorber on rent increases.

…[The prime minister and Labor premiers] need to take responsibility for adopting a position of unlimited rent increases every 12 months and I think people will hold them accountable in the future.

Chandler-Mather said when it comes to the housing Australia future fund bill, the Greens need to “look at the details of the announcement today” and the details of its implementation before deciding if they will support it.

Updated

Max Chandler-Mather grilled over Greens’ stance on rent freeze

Greens housing spokesperson Max Chandler-Mather spoke to ABC News Breakfast ahead of today’s national cabinet meeting, which will have a focus on housing.

When asked about the lack of broad support for a rent freeze and whether he would concede this is “simply not going to happen”, Chandler-Mather said “no, not necessarily”.

We still have to find out the final result today.

Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather.
Greens housing spokesperson Max Chandler-Mather. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Yesterday, NSW premier Chris Minns argued that if a rent freeze was imposed in the next week, all landlords who hadn’t raised their rent already would do so. Responding to this, Chandler-Mather said:

He’s either feigning ignorance about the way a rent freeze mechanism would work or he doesn’t know about it.

Any jurisdiction that introduces a freeze on rent increases or a more moderate cap always backdates the implementation to avoid the idea that a landlord might jack up the rent.

Updated

Malinauskas too superstitious to back a public holiday for Matildas

And lastly, Peter Malinauskas has echoed sentiments shared by Victorian premier Daniel Andrews yesterday that he is too superstitious to now back a public holiday if the Matildas win the Fifa Women’s World Cup.

He said he wouldn’t want to be “jinxing” the team:

In respect to the one-off proposition for the Matildas I also subscribe to the view that we should have been jinxing the team.

I don’t want to be superstitious about tonights result.

As announced yesterday, the SA premier said he would be investing $18m in grassroots women’s sports initiatives:

We worked out that a public holiday was gonna cost us $18m of taxpayers money in terms of public servants wages for industrial conditions, so we’re going to take that out [and invest it] in grassroots sport.

Updated

Malinauskas calls for ‘more compassion’ for renters

When asked about calls for no-fault evictions to be banned, Peter Malinauskas said South Australia has already been making changes to put “far stronger controls” on the way landlords deal with their tenants.

I think there needs to be more compassion shown in the regulatory regime that landlords have to [abide by].

The majority of landlords do the right thing by their tenants, but I think that a regime of rules that certainly considers for genuine hardship that many tenants have at the moment, through no fault of their own, is important.

Updated

SA premier calls for tax changes to ease housing crisis

South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas just spoke on ABC RN this morning ahead of today’s national cabinet meeting.

Housing will be at the top of the agenda. Malinauskas said what he wants to see from the federal government is tax changes that would provide the “clearest possible signal” to the market to invest in new housing stock.

I’m not particularly keen on tax changes that only address existing housing accommodation, [if we’re going] to make tax changes it’s got to be about new stock.

… I can’t do much more than release more land than ever has been before in the history of the state.

South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas.
South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas. Photograph: Matt Turner/AAP

Updated

Thanks to Stuart MacFarlane for getting us started! My name’s Emily Wind and I’ll be with you here on the live blog today – let’s get into it.

Updated

Australia to sign climate deal with California

Australia and California will today pledge to collaborate on “fighting climate change and protecting biodiversity”.

The memorandum of understanding with California – the fifth-largest economy in the world – focuses on cooperation on climate action and ecosystem protection, including through the creation of clean jobs and inclusive economic growth.

The two governments will also issue a joint statement today that lays out some stark warnings about the climate crisis:

The global scientific community has come to consensus around the urgent threats of the climate crisis and biodiversity loss. As we come dangerously close to tipping points of irreversible change, the governments of Australia and California are choosing to work together to address these existential risks.

On the heels of the Earth’s hottest month on record, and having recently experienced similar severe weather events and unprecedented disasters, Australia and California share a pressing and immediate priority in addressing climate risks such as heatwaves, storm surges, wildfires, drought, and flooding.

The agreement is to be signed in Sacramento this morning, Australian time, at a ceremony led by the Australian ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, and the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, who has vigorously pursued international climate deals, including with China.

The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, said Australia was “working with international partners to address the climate crisis, which is the biggest threat faced by the Indo-Pacific”, while the minister for climate change and energy, Chris Bowen, said global collaboration was critical to ensuring Australia became “a renewable energy superpower”.

Australia and California will promise to explore “opportunities to decarbonise the aviation sector and advance vehicle efficiency standards”.

The Australian government says other planned areas of cooperation include nature-based solutions, climate adaptation initiatives, developing clean energy supply chains and technologies, and supporting green finance, investment and climate-friendly business.

Welcome

Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage. I’m Stuart MacFarlane and I’ve got some breaking stories for you before my colleague Emily Wind takes over.

Our top story from Australia this morning reveals PwC Australia did not disclose any real or perceived conflicts of interest to the federal government before it was awarded a $2.3m aged care contract that has been suspended since June amid a continuing investigation. PwC Australia did not respond to questions about why no real or perceived conflicts of interest were disclosed given its paid work in the sector. It referred to an earlier statement that said the firm was “unable to comment on client engagements”.

Anthony Albanese will be under pressure to address Australia’s’s housing crisis when he meets with state and territory leaders for national cabinet in Brisbane today. The $10bn housing Australia future fund has been stalled in the Senate due to a lack of support from the Coalition and Greens, who argue little has been done to adequately address issues experienced by renters. While the fund would provide 30,000 social and affordable homes in its first five years, the Greens had called for a rent freeze. The prime minister said national cabinet would seek to address housing supply as a way of solving the issue and has previously called for an expansion of renters’ rights.

Pictures of a massive, centuries-old tree on the back of a logging truck in central Tasmania have sparked calls from environmentalists for the prime minister to visit the area to see damage being inflicted on native forests. A community member on Sunday recorded images of the large tree, which filled the width of the truck, being taken from a logging coupe in the Florentine Valley. It prompted about 20 conservationists, including former Greens leader Bob Brown, to protest in the forest, about 100km from Hobart, on Tuesday.

And independent senator Lidia Thorpe will reflect on the history of the Blak Sovereign Movement and discuss her opposition to the Indigenous voice to parliament when she addresses the National Press Club today.

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