Australia politics live: crossbench turns up heat on PM over free vote on gambling ad ban as two Liberals ejected from question time

4.56am GMT

Police accused of ‘vast overreach’ after expanding search powers over much of Melbourne
Inner Melbourne Community Legal has accused Victoria police of “a vast overreach… that will infringe on civil liberties and freedoms of people visiting the city”.
The force has declared the entirety of Melbourne CBD and large parts of surrounding suburbs as a “designated area” for six months, which gives police officers far greater search and move on powers.
The designation will make it an offence to resist police searches in the area, which can be conducted without a warrant. Police will also have greater power to move on people who may be wearing face masks or headwear, including if they are used to protect themselves from pepper spray.
In a statement, Inner Melbourne Community Legal said there had been no discussion with police about the decision.
The designated area includes the CBD, Docklands, Southbank, the sporting precinct including the MCG and Rod Laver Arena, and parts of East Melbourne and South Melbourne.
IMCL’s chief executive officer, Nadia Morales, said the declaration was unprecedented both in its geographic scope and length of time:

This is complete overkill by Victoria police to designate such a large area for six months.
What it means is that a police officer or protective services officer can stop and search anyone, no questions asked, at any time in the CBD and its surrounds.
People who are stopped randomly by police tell us it is humiliating and makes them feel like they have done something wrong.
Removing the need for police to suspect a person has committed a crime takes away civil liberties, the right to privacy and to move freely, from all Victorians who enter the CBD these holidays right up to past Easter.

Victoria Police has been contacted for details on why it believes the six month designation period is necessary.

Updated at 4.58am GMT

4.48am GMT
Victoria police expand warrantless search powers over large parts of Melbourne with no reason given

Victoria police has declared the entirety of Melbourne CBD and large parts of East and South Melbourne as a “designated area” for six months, which provides officers with greater search powers without a warrant.
The declaration makes it an offence for anyone to stop or resist police from conducting “pat down” searches, or removing “items of of outer clothing such as headwear, scarves, jackets, etc”:

It is an offence under the Act to obstruct or hinder a police officer or protective service officer in the exercise of a power to stop and search a person or vehicle or to fail to comply with a direction to leave the designated area.

The announcement also gives police the power to demand people remove face masks that may allow them to conceal their identity or protect themselves “from the effects of crowd-controlling substances”, such as pepper spray:

A police officer may also exercise their power under the Act to direct you to leave the designated area if you refuse to remove a face covering.

Designated areas are often declared to allow police to deal with major planned protests or demonstrations. In this case, the declaration has been made from 30 November to 29 May, 2026.
A reason for the six-month period has so far not been provided by Victoria Police.
The force has the power to make designated area declarations under section 10D (1) of the Control of Weapons Act 1990.

Updated at 4.50am GMT

4.42am GMT

Thank you all for following along on the blog with me today, I’ll leave you with the brilliant Henry Belot for the rest of the afternoon.
I’ll see you back here bright and early tomorrow.

4.37am GMT
ABS announces questions on gender and sexuality to be included in 2026 census

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has confirmed the topics and content of next year’s census, including questions on gender and sexual orientation.
The last census, in 2021, did not include questions on gender or sexual orientation. The bureau issued a “statement of regret” for not including these questions in 2023, after complaints were made by Equality Australia and the Human Rights Commission.
But in August 2024, the Albanese government quietly dumped a proposal to include the questions, prompting another backlash from peak advocacy groups.
One month later, the treasurer said the government had listened to the community and would restore the two questions.
Questions released by the bureau on Tuesday show Australians aged 16 or older will be asked whether their gender is:

Male, Woman, Non-binary, or any other self-nominated option. People will also be able to tick “prefer not to answer”.

The question related to sexuality will ask Australians aged 16 or older whether their sexuality is:

Straight, Gay or Lesbian, Bisexual, Don’t know, Prefer not to answer, or any other self-nominated option.

The census general manager, Jenny Telford, said the publication of questions was an important milestone for the bureau:

Today’s release … follows a period of extensive public consultation and testing to ensure the census produces high-quality data that reflects contemporary Australia.

Updated at 4.55am GMT

4.36am GMT

Tl;dr here’s what happened during question time

Chris Bowen got the brunt of the questions today, pushed on how demanding his COP role would be and when energy prices will come down.
The Coalition tried on the “part time minister, full time president” line again, but because they couldn’t direct it at Bowen (MPs should be referred only by their titles) Milton Dick shut it down. He also kicked out Dan Tehan for saying it several times.
Bowen hit back, saying there’s been bipartisan support previously for international roles, and attacked Sussan Ley over her worldwide travels while she was environment minister.
The crossbench pushed the prime minister on taking action on online gambling advertising. Chaney asked Albanese if he’d allow a free vote on the issue – the answer was essentially a no.
Overall the general vibe was a lot more rowdy today, there were several warnings, and two MPs kicked out including Tehan and Liberal MP Cameron Caldwell.

4.27am GMT

Hill warns Coalition ‘you can’t out-Pauline Pauline’
The assistant minister for immigration, Julian Hill, has hit out at the Coalition and One Nation for stoking an increasingly “toxic debate” on immigration in Australia.
Speaking at a conference at the Australian National University in Canberra on Tuesday, Hill said the parties are seeking to “generate anger, trade on the ancient human instinct to fear people who are different, or to foster division for some belief in short-term partisan gain.”
But he warned the Coalition of forgetting the lessons of One Nation’s rise in the late 1990s, when leader Pauline Hanson first rose to prominence for attacks on Asian immigration.
She was suspended from the Senate on Monday after a stunt in which she donned a burqa in the chamber and disrupted the sitting. Hanson has a bill to ban face coverings before parliament now.
Hill said former prime minister John Howard understood how to deal with Hanson.
“As Penny Wong said last week, you can’t out-Pauline, Pauline,” he told the conference.

The Labor party knows this with respect to the Greens political party – you can’t out green the Greens, and do not ever try. They are populists and not actors of good faith.
Their political business model is as a party of protest not a party of progress – similar in that sense, actually, to One Nation.
To try to accommodate them is to legitimise them. Many voters then conclude - why buy the lite version?

Hill praised the shadow immigration minister, Paul Scarr, for pushing back on Coalition rhetoric around “mass migration” and said Liberal and National MPs were “running around spreading fear and nonsense”.

Updated at 4.29am GMT

4.16am GMT
Question time ends

Liberal MP Cameron Caldwell is kicked is out during the final dixer.
And with that, question time is over for another day.

Updated at 4.18am GMT

4.15am GMT
Pressure builds on government over inaction on gambling ads

The Independent MP Kate Chaney, who sat on the gambling inquiry with the late Labor MP Peta Murphy, says the government defends itself by saying it’s taken more action than any other government – but she points out that those actions were taken before the report and its recommendations were released two and a half years ago.
She asks the PM whether he will allow a free, conscience vote on the issue. Albanese says no (essentially):

I am also leader of the Australian Labor party and we are a political party, not a bunch of individuals … what we do is we make decisions, we make decisions in our caucus.

The Liberals are having an absolute field day as Albanese says that. The PM continues, and says there will be more done to tackle problem gambling.

We will have further measures, but we won’t do it by pretending that you can just wave a wand and fix things immediately with one piece of legislation. We will continue to do it piece by piece to make a difference.

Updated at 4.28am GMT

4.09am GMT

Nationals join Coalition attacks over power prices
Nationals MP Andrew Wilcox asks Chris Bowen – when will businesses in his electorate see their bills drop? Bowen again says that renewables are the cheapest form of energy.

I believe September was the first month in Australian history we got more electricity from renewable energy than coal and October was the first month when we got renewable energy supplying 50%. This is progress. It takes time to build up.

Wilcox tries to make a point of order to push Bowen to say exactly when power bills will drop. Milton Dick’s not having that point of order; he says Bowen is being relevant and warns, “No more points of order if you do not like the answer, OK?”

Updated at 4.12am GMT

4.04am GMT

Crossbench target Bowen over safeguard mechanism
Bowen’s getting hit by the crossbench now too. The independent Nicolette Boele presses the energy minister on the government’s safeguard mechanism, asking when Labor will review the mechanism and whether Bowen will adopt a recommendation by the productivity commission to reduce the pollution threshold.
Bowen says the review will begin next year, as laid out in the bill’s explanatory memorandum.

I am pleased with the way the safeguard mechanism reforms are working thus far.

On the recommendations of the productivity commission, Bowen says they will be considered as part of the review next year. You can read more about the mechanism here:

Related: Australia’s biggest industrial polluter receives millions in carbon credits despite rising emissions

Updated at 4.06am GMT

3.55am GMT

Coalition continues power price attack lines
When will the power prices come down – it’s the opposition’s third go asking that question. This time Michelle Landry says a business in her electorate has seen bills skyrocket, and forced it to hold off hiring “over 100 new staff”.
Bowen says he agrees that Australians “deserve a government focused on reducing energy cost and modernising energy.”

Renewables are now the most cost-competitive offering globally for new electricity generation. It costs 40% or 50% lower than the nearest fossil fuel option.

He takes aim at the opposition with the now well-worn line that the Coalition had “22 failed energy policies over ten years”.

Updated at 3.58am GMT

3.49am GMT

Bowen on the defensive over power price rises
The shadow cabinet secretary, Andrew Wallace, asks a similar question to Young and says a business in his electorate of Fisher has seen its bills rise 23% since June – so when will they start to drop?
Bowen takes a similar approach to his answer, saying that renewables are the cheapest form of power, and laying blame on the Coalition for overseeing “ten years of denial and delay and neglect”.

As Treasury has said not pursuing and I quote, ‘not pursuing net zero by 2050 is risking lower economic growth low investment export opportunities and higher energy prices’.
As the Grattan Institute energy director [said] and I quote, ‘there was very little I can see in the Liberal party’s plan which would bring down power prices’. We know that because their plan is cobbled together to save the leadership of the leader of the opposition in a vain attempt – it’s not about Australian businesses, it’s all about Liberal party internal politics.

Updated at 3.58am GMT

3.43am GMT

Bowen, faced with Coalition power bill attacks, brings up batteries
Liberal backbencher Terry Young puts the spotlight on Chris Bowen again, asking when energy prices will come down. He says a business in his electorate paid 47.5% more for its power bill last month compared to November 2022.
Bowen says he’s happy to have the debate and spruiks the government’s home battery program, which he says has seen more than 136,000 Australians install a battery.

136,000 batteries, that is how it is going … [it’s] going great and they will continue to go strong because Australian households and businesses, they know that what is good for your pocket is good for the planet and it is true of households and businesses and countries.

At the end of the question, Milton Dick tells David Littleproud he’s “had a good go” interjecting, and better stay silent the rest of QT or face a similar fate to Dan Tehan (who was booted a little earlier).
Littleproud laughs and checks his watch – he’s got to hold it in for another 35-ish minutes.

Updated at 3.48am GMT

3.37am GMT

Crossbench continue hammering Labor over lack of gambling ad reform
To the crossbench: Andrew Wilkie says to the prime minister that he’s spoken to Labor backbenchers who want gambling advertising banned. So he asks, will the government allow a free vote on the issue?
Anthony Albanese gives something of a non-answer, but says again that the government has done “more than any other” to reduce gambling harm.
The government still hasn’t responded to a Labor-chaired report which made more than 30 recommendations and was handed down two and a half years ago. Albanese says:

Our Labor caucus makes decisions, which is why we have done more than any other government since federation to tackle problem gambling and we will continue to work as a caucus and as a government to continue to work on these issues.

That’s the whole answer.

Updated at 3.43am GMT

3.34am GMT

Ley joins Plibersek in supporting funding boost for 1800 RESPECT
During a dixer, Tanya Plibersek speaks to the government’s funding announcement today to boost support for 1800 RESPECT.
Plibersek says the government’s investments are “beginning to make a difference”, but it’s not going far enough.

We have to acknowledge success when we see it, but do we think we have done enough? Not ever. Not while there is one victim of family domestic or sexual violence will this government rest.
We will continue to work and I know those opposite share our belief that every single one of us has a responsibility to act.

Sussan Ley makes remarks on indulgence to support the funding, and the need to take further action to prevent domestic violence.

Yesterday I read out the names of 74 women who lost their lives in the last 12 months and I made the point of 74 women their lives in a single event the whole country would pause and say what on earth is going on and we need to pause every single time this happens because every single one of those lives is precious.

Updated at 3.37am GMT

3.28am GMT
Dan Tehan booted from the House under 94a

The Coalition continues its prosecution of Chris Bowen, with shadow energy minister Dan Tehan asserting that a former COP president, Alok Sharma, visited more than 50 countries while in the role.
Before Bowen starts, Milton Dick warns again to stop with the labels, and call ministers by their titles (Tehan nods emphatically in response).
Bowen says the role – contrary to the Coalition’s slogan – is not a “full-time job”.

The president of the first Cop I went to was the minister who continued in his role in the Egyptian cabinet while being president of the Cop.
To suggest [it is] a full-time job somehow is … a complete invention. A fantasy. You can say as many times as you like, it doesn’t make it true.

Tehan tries to make to make a point of order and again calls Bowen a part time minister, which Dick is very unhappy with, promptly kicking Tehan out.

Updated at 3.36am GMT

3.20am GMT

Bowen has brought receipts on Ley’s international travel
Continuing on from that first post, Ley tries to make a point of order because Bowen hasn’t said how many days he’ll miss when leading COP climate negotiations.
It’s already getting rowdy today, because when Bowen responds and brings up the international trips of a certain former environment minister (Ley), the House erupts. Bowen says:

Apparently international trip are not appropriate.
This is a recent development, because on 11 July 2021 the minister for the environment announced she would be travelling overseas as part of the Morrison government’s campaign to stand up for Australia’s interests and support the Great Barrier Reef communities and tourism operators [as the] head of the Unesco World Heritage meeting.
The press release says Minister Ley will visit a number of countries.
It does not tell us how many visit there were, we had to read the Australian to find out Sussan Ley travel[led] to more than a dozen countries … to secure support.
That’s what you call a COP out.

Updated at 3.22am GMT

3.17am GMT

Coalition pulls its knives out for Chris Bowen
The energy minister is back in the House today, and the Coalition has whipped out the “part-time minister, full-time president” line for a second day in a row.
Sussan Ley starts saying “welcome back to Australia!”, prompting jeers from the Coalition benches.

How many days of Parliament will [the] part-time minister miss in 2026 and what will be the cost to Australian taxpayers of the minister’s full-time presidential duties?

Bowen – who loves some QT banter – gets up and starts listing off a bunch of former Coalition ministers who chaired international summits.

When you are a patriotic party of government you celebrate national successes, whether you are in opposition or in government.
That is the approach the Labor party in opposition talk when John Howard chaired APEC, with our support.
It is the approach the Labor party took when Tony Abbott chaired the G20, with our support.
The approach the Labor party took to support the appointment of Mathias Corman as Secretary general of the OECD.

Milton Dick has a lot less patience today and warns MPs to behave (he name-checks Angus Taylor, who keeps making interjections).

Updated at 4.34am GMT

3.09am GMT

Ley joins tributes for Graham Richardson
Opposition Sussan Ley also extends her condolences, and says Richardson represents “so much of the Labor party tradition”:

A tough political operator, committed to advancing the cause of Labor. His approach to politics is exemplified by his autobiographical book Whatever It Takes.
He never pulled punches and fought for the labor cause; he was a larger-than-life character who was a constant presence in Australian politics for almost 50 years.

Updated at 3.21am GMT

3.06am GMT
It’s question time!

After an intense couple of hours in the Senate, we move over to the House for QT.
Before questions begin, Anthony Albanese marks the death of former Labor MP Graham Richardson.
Once branded the “minister for kneecaps”, Richardson passed away earlier this month. Albanese says “Richo’s” greatest impact was during his role as environment minister.

He was characteristically self-effacing, as he put it, ‘my memory will not be around for very long but the rainforest of North Queensland will around forever’.
There is no escaping the fact that his life was often colourful and sometimes controversial. Yet while he was not perfect, he was always very direct. That much was evident in the famously self-aware title of his memoir: ‘Whatever it takes.’

Updated at 3.10am GMT

2.51am GMT

Hanson’s Senate suspension first since 1979
Pauline Hanson’s suspension from the Senate will see her miss the start of next year’s parliamentary sittings.
After her stunt wearing a burqa into the chamber on Monday, the One Nation leader was censured and suspended for seven sitting days on Tuesday.
If the Senate sits until Thursday this week, as is expected, Hanson will still be suspended for the first four sitting days of 2026.
It is only the fifth time since 1901 that a seven-day suspension has been put in place and the first time since 1979.

Updated at 2.53am GMT

2.46am GMT

Victoria’s new opposition leader guarantees ‘no reduction to frontline services under a Liberal government’
After emerging from the spill victorious last week, Labor immediately accused Wilson of presiding over a plan to cut government services. But Wilson told the CEDA event she would guarantee there would be “no reductions to frontline services under a Liberal government”. She said:

We don’t want to fix the budget for its own sake. We want to fix it because we want to guarantee the essential services Victorians rely on and indeed we want to build on them. We will guarantee essential services because unlike Labor, we can manage the budget.

Wilson also made light of the spill, admitting to the audience that “a week is a long time in politics”.
The premier, Jacinta Allan, will deliver her “state of the state” address at a seperate CEDA event on Thursday.

Updated at 2.48am GMT

2.44am GMT

The new Victorian opposition leader, Jess Wilson, has used a speech at Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) event to propose setting up a bipartisan commission to reduce the state’s debt.
Wilson, who became Liberal leader following a spill against Brad Battin this time last week, told the event she had written to the premier, Jacinta Allan, on Tuesday morning with the proposal.
She said the commission - made up of former Victorian treasurers, senior figures from the treasury department and previous auditors-general - would be tasked with coming up with policies to address the state’s growing debt. This would include recommendations designed to reduce the debt-to-GSP ratio over the short, medium and long term.
The proposed commission would also be able to call for submissions and hold public hearings.
Wilson told the CEDA event Victorians debt was forecast to grow to $194bn in 2028-29, with the government expected to be paying “$1.2m in interest every hour”. She said:

We are now at the point where net debt and the associated interest payments are becoming an existential threat to the Victorian economy. We cannot assume we will simply bounce back out of this. This issue is so serious that I strongly believe we must place this beyond narrow party politics.
This challenge does not get solved by the normal back and forth of parliamentary debates and mud slinging. We have to take the politics out of solving this crisis.

While it is unlikely the government will agree to the proposal, it shows a shift in policy direction under Wilson when compared with Battin, who was criticised by his colleagues amid the spill for focusing too heavily on crime.

Updated at 2.51am GMT

2.40am GMT

Censure doesn’t ‘worry me’ says Hanson
Speaking to the press after being suspended from the Senate for seven days, Pauline Hanson has again defended her stunt in parliament on Monday afternoon.
She says she was “upset” she wasn’t given more time to respond to the criticism levelled at her during the 30 minutes of debate today before the censure motion and suspension motion were voted on.
She says:

Does it [the censure] really worry me? No, it doesn’t. For seven days, not at all. I stand my ground and what I believe in, I will continue to do so.
It will be the people that will judge me. I will be standing for the next election in Queensland, and I will let the people of Queensland judge me whether I have earned my place to be reelected again or not. I will not let these people here judge me.

Hanson says Australia should look at other countries who have banned the burqa, and insists there’s public support for her stance.

Updated at 2.41am GMT

2.33am GMT

In pictures: Pauline Hanson suspended from parliament for seven days

2.24am GMT

Labor House members asked to prepare in case environmental laws pass Senate on Thursday night
Labor’s lower house members have been told to stay in Canberra until Friday morning in case changes to the country’s environment laws pass the Senate on Thursday night.
The legislation for changes to the EPBC Act would have to return to the House of Representatives if there are amendments in the upper house.

Updated at 2.26am GMT

2.19am GMT

Coalition to release principles on immigration policy before end of the year
The Coalition will release principles for its immigration policy before the end of the year, Sussan Ley told a joint party room meeting this morning.
Off the back of a bruising internal policy battle over net zero and energy policy, the opposition is hoping for a more “constructive”, as one Liberal MP might put it, few weeks to settle its next position.
The shadow home affairs minister, Jonathon Duniam, and shadow immigration minister, Paul Scarr, are holding consultations and open-door meetings with Coalition members between now and the year’s end to thrash out the stance it sells to the public before the next election (don’t stress, that’s at least two years away).
The deputy opposition leader, Ted O’Brien, told MPs and senators to rest up over the Christmas break, noting the Liberals had spent much of the past six months in the headlines. Perhaps not the headlines the opposition party was hoping for, however.

Updated at 2.20am GMT

2.17am GMT
Pauline Hanson is suspended from the Senate for seven days

After she speaks, Penny Wong gets back up to move a motion to suspend Hanson from the Senate entirely for seven days.
There are just a few voices who object to the suspension, and a division is called, but then quickly cancelled as Hanson stands up and says, “you can cancel that division, the people will judge me at the next election.”
Senate president Sue Lines cancels the division, and after that very intense hour, the chamber moves onto its normal, regularly scheduled programming.

2.14am GMT
Hanson doubles down on burqa stunt: 'You dare question me over my respect for this place?'

Hanson doubles down on her stunt yesterday in during the five minutes she has to explain or apologise following the censure motion.
She says the Senate should have allowed her to introduce her bill and debate it, and rejected claims she doesn’t have respect for people of faith.

You denied me and the people of Australia to have that voice, you chose to shut that down.
The parliamentarians that are here, you dare question me over my respect for this place? The senators in this place have no respect for the Australian people when they have an elected member who wants to move something and represent them and have a say.

Updated at 2.21am GMT

2.03am GMT
Babet interjects during Wong's speech and rails against 'radical Islam'

We need to go back to an earlier part of the debate, after UAP senator Ralph Babet interjected during Penny Wong’s speech to claim “I hate radical Islam”.
As Krishani brought you earlier, Wong was speaking about Hanson’s burqa stunt, saying:
“After what occurred yesterday, someone I’m close to this morning spoke about a conversation with her seven-year-old daughter last night and her daughter asked, ‘Mummy, do all Christians hate Muslims?’ That summarised where we find ourselves,” she said.
Babet was heard by Guardian Australia, and by numerous people in the Senate chamber, to have called out “I do” at this point of Wong’s speech.
Approached for comment, Babet did not deny calling out the remark, adding: “Radical Islam has no place in Australia, it is the sword that the radical Marxists will use to dismantle western civilisation.”
The words “I do” can be faintly made out on video recordings of the Senate debate, and were heard by several Senate sources from various political parties. Babet told Guardian Australia he had said: “I do, I hate radical Islam”.

Updated at 2.10am GMT

2.02am GMT
Pauline Hanson censured by the Senate – 55 votes to five

After splitting the motion – the first which the Coalition did not support (except for Andrew McLachlan, who crossed the floor to vote with the government) – the second part, which was the substantive text of the motion, has passed, 55 votes to 5.
As per the motion, Hanson now has five minutes to make an explanation or apology.

Updated at 2.06am GMT

1.59am GMT
Full text of Labor’s censure motion against Pauline Hanson

What is the government’s motion? It’s long – but here it is in full:
To move—That the Senate—
(1) Notes that:

(a) on Monday 24 November 2025, Senator Hanson engaged in behaviour in the chamber that was intended to vilify and mock people on the basis of their religion;
(b) Senator Hanson’s actions were disrespectful to Muslim Australians;
(c) Senator Hanson’s actions disrespected the Parliament and were inconsistent with the standards of behaviour that all parliamentarians have an obligation to uphold;
(d) Senator Hanson further disrespected the Senate by refusing to obey the ruling of the chair;
(e) the Senate then took the extraordinary step of suspending Senator Hanson for the remainder of the sitting day;
(f) Senator Hanson refused to comply with the Senate’s order and leave the chamber, requiring the sitting of the Senate to be suspended; and
(g) Senator Hanson’s actions were contrary to the standing orders, a blatant disregard for the authority of the Senate President and disrespected her Senate colleagues and the people they represent.

(2) Affirms that Australia has been built by people of every race and faith.
(3) Reaffirms that Australia is a nation that welcomes different races, religions and views, united by respect for each other and each other’s right to live in peace.
(4) Rejects any attempt to vilify or mock people on the basis of religion.
(5) Reiterates its solidarity with those who have been vilified because of their faith.
(6) Reaffirms that all parliamentarians have a role to play in upholding appropriate standards of behaviour in Parliament.
(7) Calls on those who work in and report on this Chamber to ensure they are not causing harm or platforming harmful actions.
(8) Censures Senator Hanson for her actions, which do not reflect the opinions of the Australian Senate or the Australian people.
(9) Does not regard it as appropriate for Senator Hanson to represent the Senate as a member of any delegation during the life of this Parliament.
(10) Considers Senator Hanson’s conduct in defying the ruling of the chair and refusal to leave the chamber following her suspension amounts to further disorder under standing order 203.
(11) Calls upon Senator Hanson to attend the Senate immediately to make an explanation or apology, of no more than 5 minutes, in accordance with standing order 203(3).

Updated at 2.02am GMT

1.57am GMT

What’s going on with the Hanson censure motion in the Senate?
There’s a fair bit of procedure going on now – here’s what’s happening.
Katy Gallagher moves to close the debate, then the Senate votes on Anne Ruston’s amendment to the government’s censure motion.
That amendment – which is supported by the One Nation senators and Ralph Babet - is voted down by the government, Greens and the rest of the crossbench.
Ruston then moves to split the government’s motion so the two parts can be voted on separately.

Updated at 2.00am GMT

1.52am GMT

Gallagher reminds Senate their job is ‘not to pick fights and vilify and punch down on particular groups’
The final senator to speak is Katy Gallagher, who says Hanson’s comments have consequences that go far outside this building.
She then brings up when the Senate censured Fraser Anning in 2019, when he made “shameful” comments on the Christchurch massacre.

The Senate stood together in this place against Senator Anning when he made unacceptable and appalling comments, and the motion is clear, and again, was moved actually, in that instance by Senator [Mathias] Cormann and Senator Wong working together across the chamber, again, the Senate making a stand, showing leadership, doing the job that people of Australia send us here to do is to pull people together, to unite the country, not to seek to pick fights and vilify and punch down on particular groups, for fun, for content, for a stunt. It’s not what they send us here to do.

Updated at 1.55am GMT

1.42am GMT

Nationals call for ‘respectful and honest debate about migration’ during discussion on Hanson censure motion
Half an hour has been allocated for this debate, before the Senate votes on the censure motion.
Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie says Australia has been “built by people of every race and faith”, but pushes back against Mehreen Faruqi, saying, “pointing the finger across the chamber, calling each other racist, does nothing to move our joint cause forward”.
While she speaks, there’s some interjections in the background, and Senate president Sue Lines tells Lidia Thorpe and Matt Canavan to stop interrupting.
McKenzie also asserts that Australia needs to have a conversation about migration levels in Australia.

I think there is a need for a respectful and honest debate about migration and values in this country, but this chamber needs to be a place where all the diversity of opinions that our great country holds, and their very wide diverse opinions are expressed, and if you don’t want to listen, as this president often says to me, if you can’t listen in silence, leave the chamber.
But the contribution needs to be made anyway, people will violently disagree with my views on migration, on values and the number of people that need to come in, but they don’t have to listen to me, but I do have a right and also a responsibility to express that view in this chamber. That’s what this chamber is for.

Updated at 1.46am GMT

1.32am GMT

‘This parliament drips now in racism’ says Faruqi
Deputy Greens leader, Mehreen Faruqi, stands up next to condemn Hanson, and accuses the whole chamber of allowing racism to fester inside and outside of parliament.
She says that when Hanson first pulled the same stunt in 2017, there were no senators of a Muslim background in the chamber – now there are two.

Finally, after three decades, after three decades of piling on hate and racism, on Muslims, on Asians, on people of colour, finally, at least some of us in this chamber want to hold Senator Hanson to account …
You just want to talk about respecting each other. Well, this is where respecting each other and just talking the talk has got us, this parliament drips now in racism, because for decades, for decades, politicians and both major parties can I say, let it happen.

Updated at 1.35am GMT

1.25am GMT

Senate debates before second vote to censure Pauline Hanson
To clarify what’s happening now, the Senate has voted to debate before a second vote to censure Hanson.
Penny Wong is the first to speak:

Senator Hanson’s hateful and shallow pageantry tears at our social fabric and I believe it makes Australia weaker.

The deputy leader of the opposition in the Senate, Anne Ruston, speaks next and moves an amendment to Wong’s censure motion.
The amendment adds to the motion solidarity towards Australians of different faiths, calls on parliamentarians and staff “to ensure they are not causing harm or platforming harmful actions” and “affirms that Australia has been built by people of every race and faith”. Ruston says:

It is so, so important that when we come into this place that our actions, our behaviours, our words, all reflect what we would like to see as our proud society, and fundamental to that absolutely has to be respect, respect for everybody, because what we do in here is a reflection of what happens out there.

Updated at 1.27am GMT

1.12am GMT

Hanson to be censured by Senate
Leader of the government in the Senate, Penny Wong, who spoke furiously against Pauline Hanson yesterday afternoon, has introduced a motion to censure Hanson in the chamber.
Just five senators voted against the motion – Hanson, three other One Nation senators and the United Australia party’s Ralph Babet.
After that first vote passes, Wong says Hanson pulled an “immature and shameless” stunt:

After what occurred yesterday, someone I’m close to this morning spoke about a conversation with her seven-year-old daughter last night and her daughter asked, Mummy do all Christians hate Muslims. That summarised where we find ourselves and we see it again.
I grew up in an Australia where my brother and I were the only Asians at school and I have spoken at length about what that was like.
Senator Hanson has been parading prejudice as protest for decades.

Updated at 1.22am GMT

1.06am GMT

Greens to push to censure Pauline Hanson
The Greens will push for a censure of One Nation leader Pauline Hanson in the Senate this afternoon.
The minor party are angry at Hanson’s stunt on Monday, in which she donned a burqa in the Senate chamber and then disrupted proceedings.
The Greens want a formal vote of criticism and for Hanson to be barred from travelling on overseas parliamentary delegations, a similar punishment to that handed to Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi when she protested the war in Gaza during a speech by the governor general.

Updated at 1.10am GMT

1.05am GMT

Queensland teachers’ boss defends strike, saying ‘our members have had enough of teacher shortages’
Queensland’s teachers’ union president, Cresta Richardson, has defended today’s strike action, in which tens of thousands of educators are walking off the job amid exams for years 10 and 11 students.
Richardson says the schools had plenty of time to prepare, and were given seven days’ notice.

This is the strike that the premier has wanted.
We have been reasonable in our requests as we’ve been going through this process, our members have voted against the last, final, best offer from the government’s conciliation. This is really about continuing to stand up. Our members have had enough of teacher shortages. They’ve had enough of occupational violence, not being resourced enough.

Richardson said the government’s threat to go after issues outside the conciliation process was an attempt to punish members for refusing their conciliation offer. She called on the premier or education minister to resolve the dispute before it goes into arbitration at the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission next year at the latest.

1.04am GMT

Pauline Hanson is back in the Senate after her suspension yesterday - dressed in standard clothes, and no repeat of the burqa stunt from yesterday.
Hanson appears to be about to face a censure motion moved by Labor’s Senate leader Penny Wong.
Independent senator Lidia Thorpe appeared to stare Hanson down as she entered the parliament, not breaking her stare as the One Nation leader took her seat. Glancing up at her seat neighbour, Hanson appeared to greet Thorpe and say hello.
As is customary for One Nation lately, Hanson and her other two party mates turned their backs on the Indigenous welcome to country as it was made in the parliament by the Senate president Sue Lines.

12.59am GMT

The parliament is about to begin sitting for the day (they have a later start on Tuesdays with a 12pm kickoff) and eyes will be on the Senate, for how Pauline Hanson and One Nation will respond after the burqa stunt yesterday.
We hear there may be procedural motions in the upper house calling for further punishment for Hanson. Independent senator Lidia Thorpe says she believes Hanson deserves further censure.
“Senator Hanson should be dealt with in the same way I was dealt with when I told the King off for colonising my country. So she needs to be sanctioned, not just suspended for a couple of hours, and she needs to to be held accountable,” Thorpe said.
Referring to herself, Thorpe said: “when the little black girl plays up, she certainly gets the full wrath of what the parliament has to offer someone who’s misbehaving.”

Updated at 1.01am GMT

12.53am GMT

Nauru president floats returning NZYQ refugees to home countries
Nauru may seek to return refugees from the NZYQ cohort to their home countries, the Nauruan president has said in a new translation of a February interview that has been the subject of months-long controversy.
David Adeang’s interview erroneously claimed those being sent to Nauru were not refugees and said Nauru may seek to return them to their countries of origin where possible.
Guardian Australia has confirmed members of the NZYQ group have had refugee protection claims recognised by Australia. It is understood some of the men already transferred to Nauru are among those who are refugees.
The Guardian has previously reported a partial transcript, which was corroborated by the full transcript read into Hansard by senators David Pocock and David Shoebridge late on Monday.

Related: Nauru president floats returning NZYQ refugees to home countries

Updated at 12.57am GMT

12.43am GMT

New BoM boss defends $96.5m website overhaul
The newly minted boss of Australia’s national weather agency has tried to shut down a brewing political storm, defending its $96.5m website overhaul.
Bureau of Meteorology chief executive, Stuart Minchin, who is two weeks into the job, defended the cost on Tuesday, saying the website redesign was part of a broader system overhaul, prompted by a 2015 cyber-attack.
Minchin said the entire system had to be replaced following the attack carried out by foreign cyber spies:

It has repeatedly been part of the budget updates. The website component is about 10 per cent of a much larger program replacing all of the bureau’s back end systems and processes.
That has been visible to the government all the way through.

The bureau’s new-look “modern and sleek” site launched on 22 October but quickly came under fire after savage storms left a trail of destruction across the eastern seaboard.
– AAP

Updated at 12.53am GMT

12.27am GMT
Labor's offer to the Coalition to get it to back nature laws revealed

As for the Coalition, the government has offered five concessions.
They include:

So-called “stop-work” orders that halt projects can only be in place for a maximum of 14 days
Clarify that maximum fines for breaches of nature laws ($1.6m for individuals, $825m for businesses) would only apply in the “most serious and egregious cases”.
Allow the minister to sack the chief executive of the independent environment protection agency (EPA) for poor performance.
Allow the minister to set “directions” to the chief executive of the EPA
Retain one of the existing project assessment pathways that requires proponents to submit “preliminary documentation” ahead of a decision.

The list of amendments does not include any changes to a new “unacceptable impact” definition that would, if met, result in the immediate refusal of a project.

Updated at 12.29am GMT

12.18am GMT

Joyce says politicians too quick to jump on the ‘offence microphone’
Staying on that 2GB interview, Joyce says politicians are quick to take the “offence microphone”, and singled out Penny Wong over her comments in the Senate condemning Hanson.
He added that Hanson wouldn’t have pulled the burqa stunt if she hadn’t been shut down from introducing her bill.

I find it annoying where everyone makes this mad dash for the offence microphone.
If you want to give someone publicity, just shut them down, and then they’ve got all the publicity they want.

The argument echoed Hanson’s public comments this morning, that she wouldn’t have worn the burqa if the Senate had debated her bill.

Updated at 12.26am GMT

12.06am GMT
Barnaby Joyce to make decision about One Nation defection by 'end of the week'

Barnaby Joyce says he’ll make a decision on whether he leaves the Nationals and defects to One Nation by the end of this week.
The widely anticipated move has been speculated for more than a month, while Joyce has held meetings with Hanson and sits outside the Nationals party room.
Speaking to 2GB radio this morning, he called himself a “front row forward” and said he’s been “put in a corner”.

I just don’t want much of a circus … I’ll get to the end of the week and we’ll make a decision then.

Nationals MPs have been imploring Joyce to stay with them this morning, including Matt Canavan, who said the speculation was turning into a long “Days of our Lives” saga.
Despite appearances, Joyce said the steak Pauline Hanson cooked on a sandwich press tasted “brilliant”.

Updated at 12.17am GMT

11.40pm GMT

Queensland teachers strike after rejecting pay offer
Queensland’s education minister has warned teachers might get a worse industrial deal after arbitration, flagging that the government will look at “other elements” of their industrial agreement.
Members of the Queensland Teachers’ Union are going on strike today after rejecting a government pay offer last month made during conciliation at the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission. The dispute will now go to a full bench of the commission for arbitration.
The education minister, John-Paul Langbroek, said on Tuesday that the conciliation offer, which included an 8% pay rise was now “off the table”.
He told media this morning that the government wouldn’t be seeking to roll back class sizes “but it is true that we’ll be looking at other elements of the industrial agreement” in the commission.
Langbroek said Tuesday’s strike would affect year 10 and 11 exams and a variety of extracurricular activities. Almost all state schools would be open, aside from a handful affected by storm damage, he said. Langbroek also dismissed the risk of a threatened third strike.

It will make no difference to what we’re trying to achieve, which is fair pay, a fair pay rise for teachers dealing with the issues of conditions that they’re concerned about, and all they’re doing is impacting parents and caregivers across the state, as well as costing themselves wages.

Related: Thousands of Queensland teachers have gone on strike with 600,000 school students affected. What happens next?

Updated at 11.43pm GMT

11.26pm GMT
Revealed: Labor's offer to get Greens to back EPBC overhaul

Guardian Australia has obtained the separate sets of concessions that the Albanese government is prepared to make to its nature laws to secure the Greens or the Coalition’s support.
The proposed concessions to the Greens, circulated on Tuesday morning, include:

Limiting the fast-tracking of fossil fuel projects under bioregional plans
Limit the new “streamline assessment pathway” to restrict fossil fuel projects
Limit the proposed new “national interest” exemption to exclude fossil fuel projects
Reversing proposed changes that would have handed the so-called “water trigger” to state governments
Require that the minister retain the power to declare that a project requires Commonwealth approval, even under deals to devolve decision-making powers to the states.
Require that the states have agreements to assess projects under federal nature laws before allowing them to have power to make decisions under the laws

The government has also offered to subject native forest logging to national environmental standards within three years, although the detail of that amendment is still being worked through.
The Greens will no doubt discuss its position on the EPBC laws at their regular Tuesday morning party-room meeting although it’s unclear if a final position will be settled.

Updated at 11.40pm GMT

11.25pm GMT
An average of nine posties a day being attacked by dogs, Australia Post says

Moving away from politics for a moment, Australia Post is warning that nine posties a day are being attacked by dogs, on average.
They’re urging pet owners to secure their dogs, particularly as households rush to make online orders ahead of Christmas.
AusPost say 46 posties a week have “fallen victim to dog-related incidents”, with NSW the worst state, followed by Queensland and Western Australia. Nationwide, 1,194 attacks have occurred in the last six months alone.
Australia Post general manager of safety, Russell Munro, said in a statement:

Our Posties want to be able to deliver for our customers without fear of being attacked or chased by a dog. Regardless of breed or temperament, we urge all owners to keep their dogs safely contained when expecting deliveries.

This is a video Australia Post released last year of dogs attacking posties:

Updated at 11.37pm GMT

11.02pm GMT

Pauline Hanson says burqa stunt a response to not being allowed to introduce bill to ban garment
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has defended her stunt in parliament yesterday, telling 4BC radio this morning that she did it because she wasn’t allowed to introduce her bill to ban the burqa.
Hanson said the bill was in response to “national security” concerns, for “assimilation” and for women “being controlled by men”.
She called her critics in parliament “hypocrites” for not allowing her to wear the garment, while refusing to debate the bill.

I couldn’t introduce it, that’s the problem, is they wouldn’t allow me to introduce it and I thought, well, OK, if you don’t want to debate this and you’ve got no problems with not banning the burqa, so I thought, no, I’ll go and put it on … Now they’re complaining because I’m wearing the burqa. You don’t want to ban it. So you’re whinging about it and I’m wearing it in the parliament. So what’s the difference? A bunch of hypocrites.

Speaking separately to ABC radio Sydney this morning, Hanson could not name a single national security incident in Australia that involved a burqa, because she hasn’t “had that briefing from Asio or the AFP”.

Updated at 11.13pm GMT

10.54pm GMT

Frontbencher denies Nationals will be a roadblock to Ley striking deal with Coalition on nature laws
Just following up on that earlier post about negotiations on the EPBC, there are rumblings the Nationals would seek to thwart Sussan Ley from striking a deal with the Coalition.
The country party has long had reservations about the federal environment protection regime and has been hostile to Labor’s plans to establish an independent EPA with the power to halt projects and issue hefty fines.
The shadow frontbencher, Jonno Duniam, disputed suggestions that the Nationals were a roadblock to a potential deal.

They’ve been very constructive to date, and I expect they’ll continue to be.
They have strong voices for their communities, and we’ll be able to work with them about the end outcome here. If that is for the Coalition to do a deal with the government that is acceptable to us, and I emphasise that we will not agree to anything that is not acceptable to our party room, our joint party room.

Updated at 11.03pm GMT

10.29pm GMT
Tim Wilson says Liberals axing net zero policy means MPs can ‘still advocate for it’

Tim Wilson is in an awkward position, having campaigned to keep net zero emissions by 2050 commitments, which his party has now abandoned. There’s been wide speculation Wilson – who represents the progressive seat of Goldstein, which he narrowly won from teal independent Zoe Daniel – could quit the shadow cabinet.
“Awkward” is perhaps how you might also describe the mental gymnastics he’s currently using to say that Liberals can still advocate for net zero. He told Sky News this morning:

We’ve had a policy review and now our policy position is silent on it. You can still support a net zero position, you can still advocate for it, you can still say it is welcome, because our focus is how to decarbonise the economy and get lower emissions.

When announcing the policy change earlier this month, Ley said, “I could not be more clear when I say we are removing net zero targets.” On whether he will quit the frontbench, Wilson said:

People always speculate about all these sorts of things, I’ve done exactly what I’ve said every step of the way, I’ve advocated for the position we took to the last election, I followed party processes, I’ve honoured my commitments. I’m not the one who should be resigning.

The shadow small business spokesperson also said he was as “surprised as anyone” to see his name in polling by the Australian newspaper yesterday, which asked voters who they would prefer as Liberal leader.
Sussan Ley was ahead of Andrew Hastie, Angus Taylor, Wilson and deputy leader Ted O’Brien in that poll, but almost half of those surveyed elected to choose the “don’t know” option.
Wilson, who joked about the polling yesterday, backed in Ley on Sky News this morning, “Sussan’s leader, that’s the focus – because the conversation is how we win, ‘we’ being the Australian people.”

Updated at 10.47pm GMT

10.18pm GMT

More on Coalition tensions over EPBC concessions
Following from our last post …
The Coalition wants amendments across seven areas that would water down the bill’s environmental protections and strip back the powers of the government’s proposed environment protection agency (EPA).
Watt has so far verbally offered two concessions to the Coalition related to fines for breaches of nature laws and the process for the issuing of so-called “stop-work orders” to halt projects.
Guardian Australia understands the government was planning to circulate written amendments on Tuesday morning to the Coalition as well as the Greens, its other potential partner to get the laws through the Senate.
Angie Bell was yet to see the offer to the Coalition when she fronted the media just before 8.30am, meaning it was unlikely she would have anything substantial to present to her colleagues at their regular joint party-room meeting later this morning.
The shadow minister, Jonno Duniam, who is leading negotiations with Murray Watt in the Senate, said the Coalition party room was “dynamic”, suggesting it could be reconvened later in the week if a deal was struck. Standing alongside Bell, Duniam said:

We have been working in good faith with the government all the way through this. They’re the ones who put this deadline down of getting a bill passed by the end of this week. If there’s such a rush, then why are they leaving it to the last minute to work with us on the amendments that Angie has been so forward-leaning on getting constructed.

Updated at 10.42pm GMT

10.18pm GMT
Coalition says it is yet to see possible concessions from Labor on nature reforms

Coalition MPs has vented their frustration with the environment minister, Murray Watt, with negotiations on new federal nature laws at an impasse just days out from the government’s self-imposed deadline to get them through parliament.
The shadow cabinet met on Monday night but was unable to come to a position on an overhaul of the environment protection and biodiversity conservation (EPBC) act because the opposition was yet to see details of what concessions the government was prepared to offer to win its support.
The shadow environment minister, Angie Bell, said that was “entirely and utterly unreasonable” given Watt’s insistence that the legislation pass before parliament rises for the year on Thursday. Bell said:

I’ll say to the minister – the ball is firmly in your court. We are expecting those amendments and it is entirely unreasonable that we have not received them to date.

Updated at 10.40pm GMT

9.55pm GMT

In pictures: Albanese and Zhao Leji meet for breakfast
China’s third-highest ranking lawmaker, Zhao Leji, returned to parliament this morning to meet with Anthony Albanese.
The two shook hands for a picture opportunity in the PM’s courtyard.
Zhao’s visit has not been without some drama: when he first arrived at parliament yesterday, parliamentarians and their staff were warned to turn off their phones, laptops and internet connected devices.

Related: Australian federal MPs warned to turn off phones when Chinese delegation visits Parliament House

Updated at 10.05pm GMT

9.43pm GMT

Labor ‘asleep at the wheel’ during Hanson’s Senate stunt, Fatima Payman says
Fatima Payman says the government were “asleep at the wheel” when Pauline Hanson entered the Senate wearing a burqa yesterday, and should have done more to remove her from the chamber earlier.
Payman told ABC News Breakfast this morning she and other senators felt unsafe, and that Hanson’s original stunt in 2017 created the precedent to have her kicked out immediately.

It was a stunt Pauline Hanson has previously pulled, so the fact that the government were found asleep at the wheel was just not OK and definitely not suitable of a government that claims to care about multiculturalism and a safe work environment. There wasn’t just me but so many other senators felt unsafe and disrespected by such behaviour. The government definitely needs to do a lot more when it comes to upholding the principles of the Senate.

Payman says she was in hospital with her father who had leukemia when Hanson first pulled this stunt in 2017, and described “getting weird stares and remarks thrown at me”. She said she fears for the other young girls who will be affected by this behaviour.

There is bound to be people out on the streets, young school girls who are probably yelled at or abused or assaulted and it is just the division that we don’t want to see in society.

Updated at 10.02pm GMT

9.34pm GMT
Hanson hosts Barnaby Joyce for office dinner with sandwich-press steaks

The rumour mill keeps chugging, and while Barnaby Joyce hasn’t yet confirmed whether he will defect to One Nation, he did dine with its leader, Pauline Hanson, last night – after she pulled the burqa stunt in the Senate chamber.
Joyce had said yesterday he hadn’t yet been invited to dinner by Hanson, but the two got together in Hanson’s office last night to share a steak cooked on a sandwich press.
Joyce is still a member of the National party, but has not been sitting in party room meetings – which means he likely won’t be there again today when they gather this morning. He has said he won’t recontest his seat of New England with the Nationals at the next election.

Updated at 10.19pm GMT

9.23pm GMT

Matt Canavan says Hanson’s stunt turns parliament into ‘circus act’
Nationals senator Matt Canavan, who was one of the earliest to condemn Pauline Hanson in the chamber yesterday, has again attacked the One Nation leader, telling Sky News this morning the behaviour turns parliament “into a circus act”.
Canavan also took the opportunity to urge Barnaby Joyce to remain in the Nationals.

I mean, look, even Barnaby couldn’t defend Pauline yesterday, right? He was asked, and he’s refused to comment. And, I mean, come on, Barnaby, do you really want to go and join the circus, or do you want to stay in a real team that’s really focused on delivering?

On whether he believes Joyce will make the move to the fringe party, Canavan said:

Look, it’s turning into a longer saga than Days of our Lives. So I think people are all sick and tired of it.

The Nationals senator also took a shot at Hanson’s cooking, saying, “I’m not going over to her office any time soon.”

Updated at 9.27pm GMT

9.08pm GMT
George Brandis condemns Pauline Hanson for ‘despicable stunt’

Former Liberal attorney general George Brandis, who famously stood up to Pauline Hanson the first time she pulled the burqa stunt in the Senate back in 2017, has called her latest behaviour “despicable”.
Speaking to RN Breakfast this morning, Brandis says Hanson’s stunt will remind the public of the “ugly and divisive politics” One Nation practises.
Brandis also says he doesn’t believe the stunt will increase the minor party’s popularity.

It was obviously a stunt. It was a despicable stunt. But Pauline Hanson does this. I mean, every once in a while, she dreams up a new stunt to try and make herself the centre of political attention and discussion. It didn’t work then.
After that episode in 2017, One Nation’s support actually fell in the opinion polls. And I expect that that will happen again.

Updated at 9.22pm GMT

8.56pm GMT

Plibersek say gambling is a contributing factor to domestic violence but dismisses ‘obsession’ with betting ads
The RN Breakfast host, Sally Sara, asks Plibersek about the sticky issue of gambling and online gambling advertising. Last year, a rapid review on preventing domestic violence commissioned by the government recommended a total ban on gambling ads.
The social services minister says there’s evidence gambling is a “contributing factor” to intimate partner violence, but so are alcohol and drugs:

We need to address all of these, and that’s why our government has done more than any government in Australian history to address problem gambling, and it’s why we’ll continue to work to address problem gambling.

Plibersek says journalists have an “obsession” with gambling advertising, which Sara pushes back on – and points out that it’s been two and a half years since a landmark report on the harms of gambling was released, which the government still hasn’t responded to.
Plibersek says, “our government’s doing more than any government in Australian history to address online gambling and problem gambling,” which is something the prime minister has repeated often, when asked about when the government will respond to the more than 30 recommendations in that report.

Updated at 9.06pm GMT

8.47pm GMT

Domestic violence among under-18s increasing, Plibersek says
Violence in relationships among young people under 18 is increasing, says Tanya Plibersek, who has announced a major funding boost for the 1800 Respect phone helpline this morning.
Speaking to ABC’s RN Breakfast, Plibersek says that in 2010, its first year of operation, 1800 Respect received 11,000 calls, but in the last financial year it received 342,000 calls.
She says the funding boost is needed to keep up with the demand.
On whether the number of domestic violence incidents is rising or falling, she says:

It’s a mixed picture. We’re seeing some areas, like intimate partner violence, slightly decreasing, but we’re seeing big increases in, for example, young relationships, under-18s. We’re seeing big increases in violence there. So we need to keep evolving as this problem in our society evolves.

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault or family violence, call 1800-RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au.

Updated at 11.22pm GMT

8.42pm GMT

Albanese to meet top Chinese official Zhao Leji at parliament today
The prime minister will meet with Zhao Leji, the third highest-ranking official in the Chinese government, for a breakfast this morning.
(Expect some formal handshake shots in the prime minister’s courtyard in parliament shortly.)
The visit by Zhao, the chair of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China (a role roughly analogous to that of speaker) has already made some waves – yesterday parliamentarians and their staff were urged to turn off their phones, laptops and internet while parliament administrators warned building occupants about interruptions to wifi service.

Related: Australian federal MPs warned to turn off phones when Chinese delegation visits Parliament House

On the Today show earlier, the Greens leader, Larissa Waters, questioned those security precautions.

If one man walking through the building can bring us all to halt, then I think our cybersecurity needs a bit of a look at.

Updated at 8.55pm GMT

8.34pm GMT
Hanson stunt ‘cheapens our parliament’ says Ley

The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, has also slammed Pauline Hanson, releasing a statement last night saying the stunt “cheapens our parliament”.
It’s the second time Hanson has worn a burqa in the Senate chamber – she pulled the same stunt back in 2017.
Ley said the parliament would not “let Senator Hanson’s actions distract us from fighting for Australians”.

This kind of stunt weakens senator Hanson’s case and cheapens our Parliament. Her actions do not reflect the sort of Parliament Australians elected us to convene.
This is a reminder of how brittle One Nation’s politics are. They must resort to reheating desperate stunts. Australians deserve better and we will remain focused on fighting for them and holding the government to account.

Related: Pauline Hanson faces widespread condemnation after repeating ‘disgraceful’ burqa stunt in Senate

Updated at 8.40pm GMT

8.21pm GMT

Pauline Hanson hosts Barnaby Joyce for sandwich-toaster steak dinner
Following that stunt yesterday, Pauline Hanson reportedly cooked Barnaby Joyce a steak last night, amid talks over a possible defection by the Nationals MP.
Nine have footage of said meat being cooked on a sandwich press in her parliamentary office.
Like Scott Morrison’s infamous raw-adjacent chicken curry, Labor cabinet minister Amanda Rishworth questioned how cooked through this meal was, on the Today show panel.

I hope that’s cooked well through, otherwise it may end up in a poisoning incident in parliament. Unintended, perhaps.

Joining her on the panel was the Greens leader, Larissa Waters, who dug into Hanson’s behaviour.

I don’t know about the cooking techniques there, and I’m all for re-wearing outfits, but not when it’s an outfit that’s insulting to anyone of faith in the country, and insulting to anyone who wants parliament to actually help people and fix the cost of living and bring down the cost of housing. Not just focus on itself, and not just the pathetic stunts like that. It’s shameless attention seeking that doesn’t actually help anyone or make anyone’s lives better. It actually just feeds racism. It’s dangerous and pathetic.

Updated at 8.29pm GMT

8.13pm GMT

‘Continued disappointing behaviour’ from Hanson, says Plibersek
The social services minister, Tanya Plibersek, says she doesn’t understand what Pauline Hanson was trying to say with yesterday’s burqa stunt, calling it “continued disappointing behaviour” from the One Nation senator.
Hanson wore a burqa into the Senate on Monday afternoon, after she was blocked from introducing a bill to ban the garment.
On the Today show a bit earlier, Plibersek was scathing of the stunt.

I don’t remember the last time someone in a burqa robbed a bank. Two weeks ago, there was a queue of neo-Nazis standing outside New South Wales Parliament House and I didn’t hear her joining with Asio to admit that the fastest growing source of danger in the Australian community is rightwing extremism.
The only thing that she’s ensured today is that some schoolgirl wearing a headscarf is going to get bullied on the train on the way to school.

Updated at 8.25pm GMT

8.05pm GMT
Good morning

Krishani Dhanji here with you – thanks to Martin Farrer for getting us started.
We have a busy day ahead: there will be plenty of reaction to Pauline Hanson’s gross stunt yesterday, which got her suspended from the Senate chamber.
The social services minister, Tanya Plibersek, is doing the media rounds this morning talking about an increase in funding for 1800 Respect – a national domestic violence helpline – that my colleague Josh Butler brought you a moment ago.
I’ve got my coffee, I hope you’ve got one (or several) too, let’s get into it!

Updated at 8.17pm GMT

7.55pm GMT

Ayres launches new AI safety institute to protect against ‘malign uses’ of technology
The industry and science minister, Tim Ayres, is today launching a new Australian AI safety institute, which the government says will examine AI capabilities, share information and “address potential risks” for the emerging new tech.
“AI is rapidly evolving and touches on every part of government, the economy and people’s lives. The Institute will provide a dynamic, fit-for-purpose capability that is responsive to AI’s pervasiveness and rapid evolution,” Ayres said ahead of the launch in Parliament House today.
The minister said the institute would “work across government to support best practice regulation, advise where updates to legislation might be needed and coordinate timely and consistent action to protect Australians.”
The government is still considering its broader response to AI, with numerous actions and processes on foot to develop legislation or regulation as needed, in areas including health, science, industry, copyright and privacy, and the public service.
Ayres said keeping Australians safe from the potential harms of AI would be a major part of a soon-to-be-released national AI plan, due by the end of this year.

Adopted properly and safely, AI can revitalise industry, boost productivity and lift the living standards of all Australians. But there are two sides to this coin. While the opportunities are immense, we need to make sure we are keeping Australians safe from any malign uses of AI.

Updated at 8.16pm GMT

7.49pm GMT
Chris Bath to step down from ABC Radio Sydney's Drive program

After just one year in the ABC Sydney Drive chair, Chris Bath is leaving the afternoon slot she inherited from Richard Glover who hosted the program for 26 years.
She will be replaced by Thomas Oriti, the host of the national Breakfast program on ABC NewsRadio and Background Briefing on ABC Radio National.Bath told listeners.:

Timing in life is a funny thing, and I’ve decided to step down from Drive to pursue some passion projects and different opportunities away from the news cycle that have been beckoning for years.
I know I’m leaving Drive listeners and my team in safe and kind hands with Thomas Oriti.

Bath will host a new Sunday morning program on ABC Sydney which is described as a celebration of the NSW community.
Oriti said:

ABC Radio Sydney has always been part of my life – I grew up listening to it, and it’s shaped the way I think about journalism and storytelling. To now be joining the team as Drive presenter is a real privilege. I’m excited to connect with listeners across the city and continue the tradition of thoughtful, engaging radio.

7.43pm GMT
Plibersek announces boost for national domestic violence helpline after huge increase in calls for help

The Labor government has pledged an extra $41.8m to domestic violence hotline 1800 Respect over the next two years, in a funding boost to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
The social services minister, Tanya Plibersek, said the funding – to be announced in the Myefo financial update – would back up the service’s new video counselling and SMS services for people escaping violence.

It’s a good thing that more people are identifying signs of violence and seeking help. This announcement means that 1800RESPECT can keep providing this vital service to everyone that contacts them, including victims of violence and family and friends who want to support them.
Labor established 1800RESPECT 15 years ago and now Labor is making sure that it continues to have the funding it needs.

Plibersek said the extra funding would boost the commitment to deliver 1800 Respect to $146.8m until June 2027 – but conceded “there is more work to do” in addressing violence.
“We know that not everyone feels safe picking up the phone. The expansion of SMS and video counselling means women can seek support in the safest way for them,” added the minister for women, Katy Gallagher.

Making sure 1800RESPECT can keep pace with demand is critical to our efforts to end gender-based violence.

Plibersek has called on all governments and services to do better when it comes to protecting victims of domestic violence, following Guardian Australia’s Broken trust investigation into police failures before and after the deaths of women at the hands of violent men.

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault or family violence, call 1800-RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au.

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Updated at 11.21pm GMT

7.31pm GMT
Welcome

Good morning and welcome to our live politics blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it’ll be Krishani Dhanji with the main action.
We’ll be heading back to Canberra as the final sitting week hits top gear, where we might hear more reaction to Pauline Hanson’s widely condemned burqa stunt from yesterday.
Labor is still trying to strike a deal in the Senate to pass major environmental law reforms, but so far neither the Greens nor the Coalition have been persuaded to back them.
And you might see the colour orange around our nation’s parliament today – that’s because it’s the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, kickstarting 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. The government is marking it by kicking in more funding to the 1800 Respect helpline, which it says has seen a massive increase in calls for help.