Reserve bank holds interest rates at record low; 38 Covid deaths reported – as it happened

The Reserve Bank of Australia will keep interest rates at the historically low rate of 0.1% despite concerns over living costs for Australians. Photograph: Steven Saphore/AAP

9.50am BST

What we learned: Tuesday 5 April

With that, we will wrap up the blog for the evening. Stay safe and dry, wherever you are.

Here are today’s major developments:

• The New South Wales court of appeal has declined to overturn preselections for a raft of NSW seats, clearing the way for the prime minister’s hand-picked candidates to contest the federal election.
• The Reserve Bank of Australia has today confirmed it will keep interest rates at the historically low rate of 0.1% despite concerns over living costs for Australians. It says inflation has increased sharply “in many parts of the world” in part due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and pandemic recovery, however the Australian economy remains “resilient” and spending is picking up following the Omicron outbreak.
• Shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers has repeated his challenge to Josh Frydenberg to debate at least three times during the election campaign. At a National Press Club address, he said the election would be “a referendum on the past 10 years” and a choice for what the next 10 would look like.
• The Queensland premier has confirmed the state’s Covid restrictions will again ease from 14 April, allowing unvaccinated residents to enter most venues in the state.
• A young boy has sustained significant head injuries after falling off a carousel ride at Movie World. He is in a serious but stable condition in hospital.
  
• Two bodies have been recovered from the Blue Mountains after a family of five were caught in a freak landslide there on Monday. The national park is set to close from 9am tomorrow in anticipation of further heavy rainfall.
• Two people died in a helicopter crash in NSW overnight.

Updated at 9.59am BST

9.38am BST

A climber has been rescued after falling and becoming stuck on a cliff in the Grampians, west of Melbourne.

A Country Fire Authority spokesperson confirmed rescue crews were called just before midday on Tuesday and found the climber on a rock ledge five to eight metres from the ground at Mt Arapiles.

The CFA worked with Fire Rescue Victoria and the State Emergency Service to bring the climber down from the ledge using “high angle rescue crews”.

The climber was stretchered from the ledge before being transported to hospital. Ambulance Victoria has been contacted for comment.