What we learned, Wednesday 18 September
We will wrap up the live blog here for the evening. Here’s what made the news today:
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has confirmed the government will reintroduce its housing legislation into the House of Representatives in October after the Senate voted on Wednesday to delay voting on the bill until November.
The reintroduction into the House of Representatives heightens the possibility the government could use the Senate blockage to trigger a double dissolution election. Albanese has not indicated that is where he is planning to take it.
The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, said the bill was “just bringing a bucket of water to a house fire.”
The Industry minister Ed Husic issued a preliminary refusal of the Pep11 project, which the Greens and the independent Mackellar MP Sophie Scamps said were a step in the right direction.
Thousands of workers and supporters of the CFMEU protested in Sydney and Melbourne in support of the union. At the Melbourne union rally, the Victorian Electrical Trade Union’s secretary, Troy Gray, reportedly threatened a three-day strike from next Wednesday if employers don’t stop their “attack” on working conditions.
The minister for emergency management, Jenny McAllister, said it is time for Australians to start preparing for summer – and the potential natural disasters it can bring.
Former LNP senator Gerard Rennick launched his People First party.
Until tomorrow, have a good evening.
Updated
Albanese confirms government intends to reintroduce help-to-buy legislation in October
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has confirmed the government will reintroduce the housing bill in the House of Reps next month, moving the process along for a potential double dissolution trigger after the Senate delayed a vote on the bill to November.
Moving to a slightly different radio channel, the PM followed the Nova interview almost immediately with an interview on ABC Brisbane.
Asked what concessions he might give the Greens on the housing bill, he says it is nonsense, and that the bill is part of the Green’s policy. He says putting off the vote in the Senate has had the effect of killing the bill.
He says the legislation will be reintroduced into the House of Representatives in October “and we will continue to argue our case”.
He won’t comment on whether the government plans to use the bill to trigger a double dissolution election, which what reintroducing the bill to the house potentially sets up.
The PM says he’ll be in Cairns tomorrow with the premier, Steven Miles, to visit Queensland’s largest social and affordable housing project that’s ever been funded through the northern Australia infrastructure facility.
Updated
