Photograph: Dominic Giannini/AAP
What we learned: Tuesday 18 March
We will wrap up the live blog here for the night. Here’s what made the news today:
Labor would be returned to government with an increased majority if the federal election was held tomorrow, new polling finds.
The Greens say “it’s time” for Labor to consider scrapping negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts ahead of the federal budget next week.
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, said Australia urges “all parties” to “respect the terms of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal, and for it to be implemented in full”, following Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has proposed a public debate, and possibly a referendum, on deporting criminals with dual citizenship in a move that was criticised by Anthony Albanese as a “thought bubble” and by former Liberal attorney general George Brandis as “mad”.
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, said controversial hate speech and religious worship bills aimed at curbing antisemitism were rushed through state parliament because “there’d been a summer of racism in NSW”. It followed the NSW Council of Civil Liberties airing radio ads critical of Minns over the passage of the laws.
The trade minister, Don Farrell, has held another conversation with his US counterpart, Jamieson Greer, as the government tries to get out of tariffs placed on Australian steel and aluminium and braces for more tariffs next month.
Until tomorrow, enjoy your evening.
Updated
Early education minister writes to childcare quality authority after Four Corners report
The early childhood education minister, Anne Aly, says she has written to the CEO of the Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority to seek “immediate advice” on what more can be done on child safety and security after revelations about the sector on ABC’s Four Corners program last night.
She told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing the stories were “deeply concerning” and hopes the advice will build on the 2023 report recommendations on improving child safety in early childhood education and care.
All state and territory ministers and the commonwealth government have agreed on those recommendations and we’re making good progress in implementing those recommendations and we’ll continue working with state and territory governments to ensure that child safety and wellbeing are front and centre of the care system.
She said a royal commission would take years, and the current actions and reviews were the best path forward.
Updated
