Labor to meet Greens over housing bill – as it happened

Sarah Hanson-Young says Anthony Albanese’s ‘threats’ of a double dissolution election over the government’s housing bill is ‘distraction’. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

9.17am BST

What we learned today, Tuesday 1 August

Thanks for joining us on the blog today, that’s where we’ll leave our live coverage.

Here are today’s main developments:

• The Reserve Bank left rates unchanged for a second consecutive month at 4.1% in a welcome reprieve for borrowers.

• However, the RBA governor, Philip Lowe, flagged that future interest rate rises may be needed to quell inflation.

• During a speech at the National Press Club, the Northern Territory chief minister, Natasha Fyles, accused teal independents and “trolls” of trying to shut down the Middle Arm development over environmental concerns.

• The teal independent Monique Ryan said personal name calling does a “disservice” to children in the NT and that Fyles should “spend more time caring about climate change”.

• The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, accused Scott Morrison of behaving “as though he was the victim” of the robodebt saga following his speech in parliament yesterday.

• Meanwhile, the NDIS minister, Bill Shorten, accused Morrison of being “a bottomless well of self-pity” with “not a drop of mercy for all of the real victims of robodebt” during question time.

• Also during question time, the environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, said nothing the government does “will ever be enough” for those opposite when questioned on the approval of new coalmines.

• This follows news that Unesco has deemed the Great Barrier Reef will not be listed as “in danger”, but that it remains under “serious threat” from global heating.

• The Greens confirmed they would meet with the Albanese government this week to continue negotiations over the stalled $5bn housing Australia future fund bill.

• A former childcare worker has been charged with more than 1,600 child abuse offences against 91 young girls at a dozen early learning centres in Brisbane, Sydney and overseas over a 15-year period.

• The Australian runner Peter Bol was today exonerated after recording an elevated level of synthetic erythropoietin. He has consistently maintained his innocence.

As always, we’ll be back here bright and early tomorrow. Have a lovely evening.

Updated at 9.31am BST

8.51am BST

Penny Wong has been surprised with a cake by her colleagues to mark her 10 years as Labor leader in the Senate:

Thank you to my colleagues who surprised me with a cake to mark 10 years as Labor Senate leader.

It is an honour to lead our Senate team as we work to deliver a better future for all Australians. pic.twitter.com/mD3LZSoCIP

— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) August 1, 2023