What we learned: Sunday 25 August
We’re going to wind down our live blog coverage shortly. Here’s what’s been keeping us busy today:
In Tasmania, it has been a busy day of political bargaining as two former Jacqui Lambie Network MPs negotiate a new deal to guarantee supply and confidence to the state’s minority Liberal government.
The Northern Territory’s new leader says she will tackle crime in the territory after Labor suffered a devastating defeat. The chief minister elect, Lia Finocchiaro, is the first woman to lead the Country Liberal party in the role.
The number of deaths from drug overdoses in Australia has almost doubled in the last 20 years, with more than 42,000 Australians dying from overdose since 2002, according to a new report.
Bill Shorten said reforms to the NDIS have been hijacked by “misinformation being peddled by the extremists”. He also said the scheme was riddled with “rorts and shonks”.
Engadine in Sydney’s south saw a car collision followed by a multiple alleged stabbing attack in which four people were injured. Police said the alleged attacker stabbed his female partner with a box cutter while driving the car.
Finally, severe thunderstorms are forecast to impact parts of South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, with weather warnings issued across the country’s south and south-east.
Thank you for joining us this Sunday. Stay safe.
Updated
Ex-Jacqui Lambie MPs commit to ‘providing the certainty and stability Tasmania deserves’ in joint statement
Back to Tasmania, where it has been a busy day of political bargaining.
Two former Jacqui Lambie Network MPs are negotiating a new deal to guarantee supply and confidence to the state’s minority Liberal government, reports AAP.
Braddon MP Miriam Beswick and Bass MP Rebekah Pentland will sit as independents in the lower house after being expelled on Saturday by the network founded by Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie.
The pair are among the cross-benchers premier Jeremy Rockliff’s minority Liberal government relies on to stay in power after the March election.
In a bid to assuage fears of the Rockliff government collapsing, Beswick and Pentland issued a joint statement on Sunday.
“We are committed to providing the certainty and stability Tasmania deserves,” they said.
“We will continue to offer the Rockliff government supply and confidence … We’ll sign a new agreement with the premier in the coming days and share that agreement publicly once it’s finalised.”
Updated
