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The federal Labor leader is said to be ‘very shaken but OK’ after his car was allegedly struck by a Range Rover driven by a 17-year-oldThe federal opposition leader, Anthony Albanese, has been taken to hospital after he was involved in a car accident in Sydney’s inner west.The Labor leader was driving in Marrickville on Friday when he was allegedly “T-boned” by a Range...

Move has been well-received across political spectrum, while triggering calls to improve treatment of Indigenous AustraliansScott Morrison’s decision to tweak Australia’s national anthem so it no longer ignores tens of thousands of years of Indigenous history has won support from across the political spectrum. But the prime minister’s surprise move to change the line “young and free” to “one and free” also triggered calls...

NSW reports no new locally acquired Covid cases; NSW and Victoria to ease restrictions; federal parliament returns for the final sitting week of 2020 – latest updates Global coronavirus news – liveCoalition may strip casuals of up to $39bn in claimsChina boycott to hit Australian wine harder than expected 7.23am GMT The ACTU secretary Sally McManus has just issued this statement responding to the...

Victoria reports no new deaths as NSW Health warns of several new Sydney locations linked to Covid-19. Follow all today’s newsPM says budget spending will go ahead even if forecasts are wrongFull Australian Covid stats; Covid restrictions state by stateFollow the global coronavirus live blog 1.24am BST Health minister Brad Hazzard says NSW currently has two clusters, but they may be linked.Our investigations are...

Acting immigration minister says anyone who is a bad character or security concern would be returnedAlan Tudge has refused to guarantee that people from Hong Kong who fear persecution will not be sent back, explaining Australia decided to offer visa extensions and not safe haven visas in order to attract “serious talent”.The acting immigration minister made the comments on ABC’s Insiders, defending the decision...

ALP leader also makes overture to Scott Morrison to reach bipartisan consensus on energy policy mechanism Anthony Albanese has committed Labor to setting a new medium-term emissions reduction target consistent with scientific advice before the next federal election.The Labor leader made the commitment after a speech to the National Press Club on Wednesday which included an overture to Scott Morrison to reach a bipartisan...

Suspension of voting rights in state branch until 2023 expected to be among measures implemented as party grapples with falloutLabor’s national executive has appointed Steve Bracks and Jenny Macklin as administrators of the Victorian branch, and has suspended all state committees, as the party continues to grapple with the damaging fallout of the Adem Somyurek branch-stacking scandal.The extraordinary federal-led intervention is also expected to...

Treasury reveals only half of the estimated 6.5 million Australians will access the coronavirus pandemic-related subsidySign up for Guardian Australia’s daily coronavirus emailDownload the free Guardian app to get the most important news notificationsTreasury says the jobkeeper wage subsidy program will now cost the budget $70bn rather than $130bn because of a reporting error in estimates of the number of employees likely to access...

Premier Daniel Andrews uses press conference to announce roadmap to slowly lift lockdown rules. Follow all the latest news and updates, liveSign up for Guardian Australia’s daily coronavirus emailDownload the free Guardian app to get the most important news notificationsCoronavirus Australia maps and cases: live numbers and statistics 2.23am BST And if you can still work from home, you are encouraged to do so...

Exclusive: senior officials claim no ‘specific recollection’ of a hastily convened teleconference to discuss colour-coded spreadsheetsSport Australia defied a Senate committee request to respond to questions about its role in the Morrison government’s controversial sports grants program, while senior officials involved in the administration of the grants claim to have no “specific recollection” of a hastily convened teleconference to discuss the government’s colour-coded spreadsheets.Sport...

Prime minister won’t address evidence from Bridget McKenzie that creates doubt about who made last-minute changes to the grantsScott Morrison has refused to answer questions about the sports grants saga, as Labor cites fresh evidence from the former sports minister Bridget McKenzie that she didn’t change the brief and attachments laying out the controversial funding decisions after 4 April, 2019.On Thursday evening McKenzie revealed...

With the Treasury secretary standing by to detail the outbreak’s impact on Australian economy, the Coalition is planning immediate measures. All the day’s events, live 9.38pm GMT Paul Karp also reported on this story last night. It might get missed in the mix today, but is worth notingThe Australian Signals Directorate has already spied on Australians in the last year, invoking “rare circumstances” and...

Penny Wong raises questions about possible breaches of ministerial standards. Meanwhile, AFP didn’t interview Clover Moore before deciding against Angus Taylor interview. All the day’s events, live 4.20am GMT Back in environment estimates, the Department of Awe (agriculture, water and the environment) has clarified an earlier statement that a staff member had been seconded to the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA).We posted about this...

Anthony Albanese asks why the briefing is dated 4 April when approval was given on 11 April, the day the election was called. All the day’s events, live 4.29am GMT The prime minister is holding a press conference at 3.45pm in the PMO courtyard, the most serious of press conference locations. 4.28am GMT The Senate inquiry into the sports grants affair has been extended...

The former prime minister has stepped into the climate debate, with a stark warning to moderate Liberals to act. All the day’s events, live 2.18am GMT Greg Hunt says Australia has changed its travel advisory for northern Italy, because of the impact coronavirus is having in the region. To repeat, the Australian government on medical advice has lifted our travel advisory for northern Italy,...

Home affairs minister vows crackdown on both sides as Kristina Keneally calls for Bettina Arndt to be stripped of Australia Day honour and major parties grapple with climate policies. All the day’s events, live from Canberra 12.31am GMT Sarah Hanson-Young is celebrating the Equinor decision to pull out of its $200m Great Australian Bight drilling plans:South Australians love our gorgeous Bight and we want...

Government MPs have lashed out at Labor over its emissions target, with arguments in parliament’s corridors. All the days events, live 10.22pm GMT Parliament starts at 10am. 10.16pm GMT Tellingly, Joel Fitzgibbon is on board with Labor’s plan. Here he is writing for his local paper, the Newcastle Herald over the weekend:The aspiration of carbon neutrality by 2050 (zero net emissions) offers a conservative...

Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary must be seen to be independent, opposition leader says The federal opposition leader, Anthony Albanese, has said top bureaucrat Phil Gaetjens must show his independence in the sports grants scandal “that just stinks”.Gaetjens, the secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, wrote on Friday to the Senate inquiry into the sports grants saga that cost...