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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Christopher Knaus and Matilda Boseley (earlier)

Payne calls Russia’s actions in Ukraine ‘war crimes’ – as it happened

Labor South Australia Steven Marshall
Foreign affairs minister Marise Payne speaks to the media alongside immigration minister Alex Hawke (left) and prime minister Scott Morrison outside Kirribilli House in Sydney on Sunday.
Foreign affairs minister Marise Payne speaks to the media alongside immigration minister Alex Hawke (left) and prime minister Scott Morrison outside Kirribilli House in Sydney on Sunday. Photograph: Paul Braven/AAP

What we learned, Sunday 20 March

That’s where we’ll leave our live coverage for the day.

Before we go, a quick recap on what has been a busy Sunday:

  • Foreign minister Marise Payne described Russia’s actions in Ukraine as “war crimes” as the government announced a major aid and assistance package for Ukraine, including more money for refugee support and a new humanitarian visa for Ukrainian refugees. The government announced more money for defence support and banned aluminium ore and alumina exports to Russia.
  • The ousted SA premier Steven Marshall resigned as leader of the Liberal party following Labor’s comprehensive win in the state. He remains in a battle to keep his seat.
  • Shane Warne’s family and friends farewelled him at a private funeral in Melbourne, with about 80 guests gathering to say their goodbyes to the cricketing great.

Thanks for sticking with me. See you next time.

Updated

Still on the SA election, former premier Steven Marshall remains locked in a tight battle to retain his own seat.

ABC election analyst Anthony Green says Labor’s Cressida O’Hanlon is now ahead of Marshall in the seat of Dunstan. The addition of ticket votes have given her a slight edge - 50.5% to 49.5%. There are still more pre-polls and postal votes to be counted.

Marshal has already resigned as Liberal leader following his party’s comprehensive loss to Labor. While resigning, Marshall said:

I also look forward to continuing to serve the people of Dunstan.

He may not have that chance.

Updated

Rio Tinto has issued a statement following the government’s announcement it was banning alumina and aluminium ore exports to Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine.

Rio Tinto jointly owns Queensland Alumina Limited with Rusal, the Russian aluminium giant.

A spokesman told the Guardian:

Rio Tinto notes the government’s announcement today regarding export sanctions.

As announced on 10 March 2022, Rio Tinto is in the process of terminating all commercial relationships it has with any Russian business.

Our priority remains the wellbeing of our people, our communities and the continued safe operation of our businesses, in full compliance with all governmental directions, including the Queensland Alumina Limited joint venture.

With that, I shall hand you over to the amazing Christopher Knaus who will take you through the rest of the evening of news.

See you tomorrow!

The South Australian election result should have Scott Morrison’s Coalition “trembling” ahead of the federal poll, Labor says, after Peter Malinauskas became the first opposition leader to defeat an incumbent government since the start of the pandemic.

The outgoing premier, Steven Marshall, announced on Sunday he would step down as Liberal leader after the landslide loss to Labor, saying he “takes full responsibility for the result” and accepts “the will of the people”.

The prime minister sought to downplay what the resounding Labor win in South Australia could mean on a federal level, saying Anthony Albanese doesn’t match up to his state colleagues.

You can read the full report below:

New SA premier to back Covid health advice

Incoming South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas says his new Labor government will continue to back the health advice in dealing with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, AAP reports.

After several days of reasonably high, but largely stable, infection numbers, Malinauskas said he would meet soon with senior health officials and the police commissioner, Grant Stevens, on the issue.

Throughout the pandemic, I backed in the health advice. That’s something we were consistent on ...

We intend to continue to follow the health advice but also make sure that is done in a way that is considered and tested against other variables.

Malinauskas said he hoped the bipartisan approach to Covid-19 management in SA would be maintained under the new government after Labor’s convincing election win on Saturday.

He said he also intended to push ahead with amending the state’s Emergency Management Act, the legislation used to impose restrictions and other measures including mask mandates, lockdowns and density limits.

The act is not fit for purpose for a global pandemic that lasts for two years.

Updated

Sydneysiders are being urged to exercise caution when returning to swim in the city’s beaches and waterways after weeks of torrential rain and flooding.

Sediment and debris swept downstream by heavy rain turned Sydney Harbour brown last week, with swimmers warned to avoid the water.

With a few sunny days forecast to provide some respite in the coming week, how can you tell whether it’s safe to return for a dip?

Find out in the article below!

Hundreds of “under-resourced” NSW paramedics will ratchet up an industrial campaign against the state government by refusing to leave their posts to fill gaps at other ambulance stations, AAP reports.

The 24-hour action on Monday means paramedics across the state will refuse “all staff movements” at stations as part of ongoing union efforts to improve emergency responder staffing and pay.

“Paramedics signing on tomorrow will refuse to travel from their designated station to help plug roster holes elsewhere,” Australian Paramedics Association NSW president Chris Kastelan said.

We’re taking action to demand a better resourced service. We want a fairer workplace for Paramedics, and improved coverage and care for our communities.

The union is pushing for an additional 1500 paramedics that it says are needed to turn around deteriorating ambulance response times across the state.

It also wants a pandemic payment, and a pay rise of more than 2.5%.

In February, paramedics took a similar 24-hour action amid claims of worsening conditions including staff doing 16-hour shifts without breaks.

NSW Ambulance said an Industrial Relations Commission meeting with the union was scheduled for Monday in a bid to “minimise disruption to health services”.

“NSW Health meets regularly with unions to discuss paramedic awards and entitlements,” a NSW Ambulance spokesperson told AAP.

NSW Ambulance values and acknowledges the work of all paramedics and control centre staff who have worked so hard over the last two years of the Covid-19 paramedic.

Health minister Brad Hazzard has been contacted for comment.

Monday’s action is set to commence as day shift crews clock on from 6:15am.

It comes after thousands of nurses rallied outside NSW parliament last month, as well as 25 locations around the state.

Updated

South Australia records three Covid deaths and 3,168 new infections

Shane Warne’s family and friends have attended a private funeral in Melbourne, with about 80 guests gathered to say their final goodbyes to the cricketing legend, AAP reports.

Warne’s three children, Jackson, Brooke and Summer, and parents Keith and Brigette, along with close friends including retired Test captains Mark Taylor and Allan Border and former England skipper Michael Vaughan, were among those at the service.

Close mate and television personality Eddie McGuire delivered the eulogy and was MC for the service, which was held at St Kilda Football Club.

Warne, 52, died of a suspected heart attack on the Thai resort island of Koh Samui on 4 March.

A state memorial will take place at the MCG on 30 March, where the wider public will be able to pay their respects to an Australian icon.

The ground’s Great Southern Stand will also be renamed in Warne’s honour.

The cricketing legend’s death little more than two weeks ago led to an outpouring of grief from people around the world, as well as those closer to home.

St Kilda Cricket Club coach Glenn Lalor told AAP on Saturday of his time playing with Warne in the early 2000s.

Every time Shane was available he would love coming back and playing with us, which was great...

The boys appreciated playing with a legend.

He was just an everyday bloke that just wanted to be around and enjoy the day. He was never hard to deal with, he was always fun.

Lalor said Warne made sure even elite cricket retained a sense of joy.

He had a point of difference...

There’s a lot of professionalism, I suppose, in cricket now but he just kept it real.

Club president Paul Ryan said:

Shane was the greatest cricketer our club has produced in its 168-year history.

However, just as importantly he was also a great friend to many at our club and supporter of our club.

Shane is, and will continue to be, greatly missed (but) we are very conscious that our loss needs to be kept in perspective with the devastation being felt by his children and family.

Updated

It’s worth noting that Marshall’s seat of Dustan hasn’t actually been called yet. It’s tight and it’s still conceivable that he could lose his seat entirely. Perhaps that’s why his wording on “continuing to serve the people of Dustan” was so vauge.

Steven Marshall also stated that he will continue to serve the people of Dustan.

Marshall steps down as SA Liberal leader

Steven Marshall has released a statement confirming that he is stepping down as leader of the SA Liberal party.

Whilst I am disappointed by the election outcome, I take full responsibility for the result and accept the will of the people.

This morning I visited the Governor... and advised her that I am unable to form government...

I have also made the decision after more than 9 years as the leader of the Liberal Parliamentary Party, it is time for someone else to lead the team into the future. I will step down as leader as soon as the Party Room is able to meet to elect my successor.

Updated

ABC Adelaide is reporting that ousted premier Steven Marshall will stand down as Liberal leader, making way for someone else to become opposition leader.

Guardian Australia has yet to independently confirm.

More to come.

Updated

In a major campaign pledge, the Greens have put forward policy today to raise pensions, youth allowance, job seeker and other forms of income support payments to $88 a day.

Here’s what he had to say at a press conference today.

If Liberal and Labor want to argue pensioners and job seekers should be living in poverty, bring it on...

With the cost of living soaring and inflation a looming problem, raising the rate of income support is the urgent economic stimulus that will help lift wages from the bottom up.

Currently, single people on the aged pension receive around $63 a day, or $95for couples.

The European Union is under pressure to ban the import of kangaroo products following a push from a Dutch animal rights party, a move that if successful could collapse the kangaroo export market.

Europe is the largest market for kangaroo meat and leather products. But animal rights activists say that the trade is incompatible with the EU’s animal welfare requirements, and are building opposition to kangaroo products ahead of the EU-Australia free trade agreement.

It follows a push to ban the import of kangaroo leather to the US. Legislation to stop the import of kangaroo products was introduced to congress last year but has not progressed.

Read the full report below:

Australia has banned the sale of alumina and aluminium ores to Russia in response to what it described as “unrelenting and illegal aggression” towards Ukraine.

Also on Sunday, prime minister Scott Morrison announced Australia would donate coal and further military equipment to Ukraine to “support the brave and courageous resistance”.

“Russia must pay a very high price for its brutality. It must pay that price economically, it must pay the price ... in diplomatic terms as well,” Morrison said.

The federal government has been under pressure to stop the export of alumina to Russia, with critics warning it was potentially allowing Australian resources to be used in munitions manufacturing.

You can read the full report below:

WA records no Covid deaths 5,626 new infections

The bodies of a man and woman found floating in a dam in Queensland’s South Burnett region are believed to be a local couple, AAP reports.

Police believe they’ve identified the two bodies found in the Gordonbrook Dam, about 250km northwest of Brisbane, at 3.30pm on Saturday.

“The identities of the couple are yet to be confirmed however they are believed to be a local man aged in his fifties and a local woman aged in her late forties,” detectives said in a statement on Sunday.

Their white 2004 Holden Commodore station wagon has also been found parked near the picnic area at the dam.

Police said the car is believed to have been there since at least February 22.

They’ve called for anyone who has seen the car or the couple in recent weeks to contact them.

A little bit more on that planned paramedic strike in NSW tomorrow that I mentioned earlier.

Did you know Australia has a world champion jouster? His name is Phillip Leitch and he showed off his skills with shield and lance at the first-ever Orange Medieval Faire.

You can see all the amazing photos of this below:

ACT record no Covid deaths and 926 new infections

Queensland records no Covid deaths and 5,707 new infections

Morrison says SA election was run on 'state issues'

Morrison is asked whether the ousted South Australian Liberal premier, Steven Marshall, ran a “weak campaign”.

He responds:

Steven Marshall turned the state of South Australia around, he turned their economy around, he brought business back to South Australia, he created a new buzz in South Australia, which was drawing investment, technology firms, securing important events industry for his state. Steven Marshall ran a good show for the time he served as premier.

He is asked what consequences the result has federally.

I think state elections, and the new premier made this very point, even before the polls were opened, and that was that this election was being fought on state issues. The federal election will be fought on federal issues. And what I know is is that Anthony Albanese is not Peter Malinauskas, he is not any of the other premiers, he is not Annastacia Palaszczuk. He is none of these other premiers.

Updated

Morrison is asked about allegations of bullying within the Labor party, which have emerged in the wake of senator Kimberley Kitching’s death.

Morrison says Anthony Albanese can’t “duck and run” on the issue.

This is a ... serious issue, the report that I’ve seen of members of the Labor party, Labor members of parliament, senators, members of the union, coming forward and making some very, very serious allegations against not only the leadership but within the Senate of the Labor party, broadly in terms of what involvement that has been in turning the other way by the leader of the position. There is a very serious and there are serious issues that Anthony Albanese it has to deal with. This is on his watch, this only happened weeks ago and he can’t duck and run on this.

Updated

Morrison congratulates Peter Malinauskas on SA election win

After thanking Whitehaven Coal for its donation to Ukraine, Morrison moves on to the South Australian election. He says he has spoken with Peter Malinauskas, the Labor leader, to offer his congratulations.

Morrison says:

It’s a significant victory and they are elected with a very strong mandate to move forward with many issues that they’ve intended take forward, we had a constructive conversation about the many projects that are already under way ... whether it’s the program with the National Space Agency, the defence industry programs that are operating their manufacturing investments and I look forward to working with him on those many projects and welcome him to the national cabinet which is not scheduled to meet until June.

Morrison then goes on to praise the ousted Liberal leader, Steven Marshall:

To my dear friend, Steven Marshall, who has been an outstanding premier, I want to wish him all the very best and I want to thank him for the tremendous role that he played in turning around his own state, the entrepreneurial spirit which he pursued that role which seemed projects like so many others bring industry back into SS, bringing jobs back into the SA and singing people move back into SA, also lived in achievements and I want to thank him for his great leadership, I also want to thank him for the very positive and constructive role he played around the national cabinet table throughout the pandemic.

Updated

Foreign minister Marise Payne describes Russia's actions as 'war crimes'

The foreign minister, Marise Payne, is speaking now. She describes Russia’s actions in Ukraine as “war crimes”.

The targeting of innocent civilians and civilian infrastructure are war crimes. And president Putin must be held to account. Many people remain trapped in areas of escalating Russian aggression where the social services disrupted and unable to access a sufficient food or water or medication. And we know that the situation is dire.

Updated

Scott Morrison announces additional $21m in non-lethal military assistance to Ukraine

Morrison is announcing further measures to punish Russia and assist Ukraine.

We’ve already reported the measures. But in case you missed them, they are:

  • An additional $21m in non-lethal military assistance for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including ammunition, body armour and other defence material.
  • An additional $30m in emergency humanitarian assistance to help meet the needs of the Ukrainian people, taking the total humanitarian assistance to $65m.
  • A new temporary humanitarian visa for Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war, allowing them to work, study and access Medicare for three years.
  • The donation of 70,000 tonnes of thermal coal to assist with Ukraine’s energy security, following a request from Ukraine. The coal will be provided by Whitehaven Coal.
  • A ban on exports of aluminium ores to Russia. This is designed to hamper its ability to manufacture aluminium, a major sector for the Russian economy, which is tied to its ability to manufacture arms.

Morrison said:

This significant step demonstrates our absolute commitment to holding the Putin regime to account and we won’t cease until we are doing everything we possibly can. We identify new things that can be done every single day with our partners and with those around the world to put the maximum cost, for the maximum pressure on the Putin government withdraw from Ukraine and doing everything we can to continue to support the brave and courageous resistance that we are seeing from the people of Ukraine and the government of Ukraine.

Updated

Morrison says Russia must 'pay very high price for its brutality'

Morrison is speaking now and is again urging Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine. He’s also announcing new sanctions and new measures to support Ukraine, including refugees fleeing the war.

We continue to call on Russia to immediately withdraw its forces from Ukraine, consistent with the legally binding decision of the International Court of Justice and to engage in dialogue and diplomacy in good faith.

Russia’s actions are a gross violation of international law. A gross violation of the principles that support a rules-based order that favours freedom and, as a result, are a threat to all who rely on them, including here in Australia and in our own region.

Russia must pay a very high price for its brutality. It must pay that price economically, it must pay the price ... in diplomatic terms as well. And it is commented, paying the price. And the incredible resistance and courage that has been displayed by Ukraine, the Ukrainian people, by president Zelenskiy, the prime minister and his government, has been an extraordinary inspiration all around the world and Australia has played its part in providing encouragement to the people of Ukraine and to the government.

Updated

We’re expecting to hear from the prime minister, Scott Morrison, at any moment. He’s due to speak at Kirribilli at 12pm.

Stay tuned.

Updated

While we’re talking cost of living, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia has just urged the government to do more to reduce the costs of prescription medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme.

The guild’s national president, Prof Trent Twomey, said the PBS was one of the few practical levers the government had to reign in rising costs of living.

Twomey said in a statement:

One area it can act on is making medicines more affordable, and it’s an area that voters are clearly wanting action on.

Our research shows that a staggering 24% of non-concession card holders are struggling to afford their medicines. More than 13% have not filled a script over the last three years due to cost.

The current general co-payment level of level of $42.50 is making medicines a luxury for middle income families. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 900,000 people delayed getting their prescriptions filled because of the cost.

This is a damning situation, but it is one which the Government has the power to act on – and act on immediately.

Updated

Hi everyone. It’s Christopher Knaus here, taking over from Matilda Boseley.

The treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, spoke to Sky News this morning, saying the looming budget will be used to address cost-of-living pressures. He said the government would take a “prudent” approach to spending and remain cautious of overheating the economy.

Frydenberg said:

I’m not going to rule in and rule out specific measures other than to say the budget will help the rising cost of living that people are under but also do so in a way that doesn’t overheat the economy.

Updated

Australian paramedics association members will launch widespread industrial action in NSW tomorrow to protest understaffing.

Ambulances will continue to operate, however, paramedics will not do a number of things, such as moving shifts to cover roster shortages and splitting from their partner.

This is in addition to widespread chalking of messages on ambulance windows and comes just days after the SA election where Labor toppled the incumbent government by campaigning on a platform almost entirely focused on fixing issues with the state’s ambulance services.

Here is what the union had to say on Facebook.

Updated

The adage in Australian politics is that people vote differently, and results don’t always flow through, between state and federal elections – but that isn’t stopping the Labor party from loudly crowing about what last night’s South Australian result might mean for Scott Morrison’s government in a few weeks’ time.

Labor’s national president (and former treasurer), Wayne Swan, claims Peter Malinauskas’ win “sends a clear message that voters have had enough of Liberal governments that are out of touch with their lives”.

In case you missed the not-so-subtle subtext there, Swan continued on in a statement to say the resounding Labor win “should have all of [Morrison’s] MPs trembling.”

“This was not just about rejecting Steven Marshall’s government – it was a rejection of the Liberals brand,” Swan said.

Whilst the failures and mistakes of premier Marshall played a big part, the person who has done the most damage to the Liberal party brand in Australia in the last three years is Scott Morrison.

We’ll be hearing from the prime minister after 12pm in a press conference where he’ll no doubt give his own reflections on what the SA result means.

Most pundits think there’s only really one federal seat in play in that state, the Liberal-held electorate of Boothby, but Labor will be buoyed by the fact that Malinauskas’ win represents the first time since the pandemic that an incumbent government has been turfed out – a feat Anthony Albanese will be trying to replicate at the federal poll in May.

Updated

Tasmania records 1,305 new Covid-19 cases

Tasmania’s numbers are in. Today they have recorded 1,305 new infections and luckily, once again, no deaths.

There are now 20 Covid-19 positive people in hospital in the state, including two in the ICU.

Updated

Penny Wong says politics “should take a back seat” in the wake of Kimberley Kitching’s death, as she again denied reports that she bullied the late senator.

Kitching, the Victorian Labor senator, died two weeks ago aged 52. Wong, Labor’s Senate leader, and colleagues Kristina Keneally and Katy Gallagher had been accused in some media reports of having ostracised Kitching before her death. In a lengthy interview on Channel Nine this morning, Wong said she and her colleagues had tried to exercise “common decency” by not commenting at length on the allegations.

Kitching’s funeral will be held tomorrow in Melbourne. Wong praised Kitching as “an extraordinary politician”, and shared her condolences with the late senator’s family and friends.

But asked whether she bullied Kitching, Wong responded: “No I did not.”

“There’s been a lot of things said, a lot of claims made, a lot of views shared, I do think there are times where politics, you know, should take a back seat,” she told host Chris Uhlmann.

There’s politics and there’s family. This is the time for family.

Without naming names, Wong called on “some of those making claims” in the wake of Kitching’s death “to reflect on whether or not that they are expressing the common decency”.

She added that she believed politicians “should be held to a common standard around behaviour”, admitting that “I don’t think any party is perfect”.

Updated

Visitors will once again be allowed to visit family members at St Vincent’s hospital in Melbourne.

Of course, Malinauskas’ campaign had a vast focus on ambulance ramping and delays, but he denies accusations that he overpromised or in any way mislead voters about his ability to entirely fix the issue.

Reporter:

If in four years’ time ambulances are still being ramped at hospitals, even if it has come down substantially from say October last year, that people will presume your government to have failed?

Malinauskas:

No.

Reporter:

Why?

Malinauskas:

Because they have been utterly honest and people have protectors. Rory asked me this question three or four times throughout the campaign.

They made it really clear to South Australians repeatedly through the course of the campaign that any politician who promises to eliminate ramping forever which, I think, is what Steven Marshall was doing, is just irresponsible, but we can do is dramatically reduced ramping to a level that ensures that when 000 gets called the ambulance rolls up on time. And that is the commitment we have made.

Updated

Peter Malinauskas just said that the prime minister texted him as he was speaking at this press conference.

He says that although he will work constructively with Scott Morrison, he will be doing everything in his power to get Anthony Albanese into office.

I will say this. This is, I don’t think, an unreasonable expectation ... I will be doing everything they can to help [Albanese] become the next prime minister of Australia. But, at the same time, in the interim, will work collaboratively with the federal government.

Simon Birmingham has reached out to me this morning. I think literally just as I was walking over here, a text message may have come through from the prime minister, so as soon as this press conference is over I will be getting back to him as soon as possible.

Let’s be clear about this, I will work collaboratively with any government of any persuasion that is willing to do the right thing by SA, plain and simple. If there are examples of where the federal Coalition want to do something good by our state, I will acknowledge it ...

If they do something I don’t agree with a stand and fight for our interests. And if the government changes federally in a few months we will time, it will be the same rules ... but, naturally, I sincerely hope it is Anthony Albanese because we have common values, we understand the post-pandemic opportunity and I will be doing everything they can to assist his efforts in getting re-elected.

Updated

Malinauskas:

Look, I think that in politics, there is a high value placed on the role of the leader, and that is utterly understandable. Of course, it is important. But make no mistake. This has been a team effort. From the shadow cabinet through to the caucus, everybody else involved in the Labor movement.

We have worked with unanimity and absolute determination to ensure that we offer a stable alternative. I place a value on stability but also on renewal, and in the coming days we will be doing important work to ensure that the cabinet I lead is a strong one, a united one, which puts the interests of South Australians first.

We have a big policy agenda and we need a high-quality team to deliver that. And I will make whatever decisions are required to ensure we achieve that outcome.

Malinauskas:

I want to work collaboratively with all the members of our community, but I said from the start I was going to be a pro-business Labor leader. I’ve already been in touch with some business leaders this morning and I will be speaking to more throughout the course of the day and the days ahead. I do believe our economy works best when we achieve the right balance between the interests of capital and labour, and only the Labor party understands the importance of that.

When you have a pro-business Labor party, you see the interests of working people working together with the interests of business, to ensure that our economy delivers for everybody, not just the few. And when you combine that with thoughtful policy around key government services, particularly at a state level, education and obviously health, we can do good things to help people out. But we also have a program and agenda that speaks to the long-term interests of our state.

They wouldn’t have been, I think it is fair to say, too many people casting their ballots yesterday top of mind thinking about three-year-old preschool, but I can assure you it is top of my mind because that is the sort of reform that sets up our state for the future. That is the sort of reform that will start to see a long-term dividend that we will not see the benefit of the 20 or even 30 years, but I want to be party to a government that inks about the long-term.

If South Australian is decided one thing above all else last night it is that they don’t want a government just thinking about the next four years. They want to government thinking about the next generation.

Updated

Looks like we will be hearing from the prime minister at 12pm AEDT.

Malinauskas says winning the SA state election was a “humbling” experience.

So, look, obviously last night was a significant electoral outcome. And again, I want to reiterate the message that I thank the people of South Australia. I woke up very early this morning, fully conscious of the fact that the people of our state have their confidence and faith in my leadership, and the ambition of my team.

That is an incredibly humbling thing to think about. It is a humbling experience, to have other people put their confidence in you. And I want to thank the people of South Australia for doing that. Billy the task before us is very substantial.

We have a number of issues we would like to address in the community. Some are going to be difficult, some will be challenging and take time, others are particularly urgent. But it is a task we are wholeheartedly committed to, and we get to work today.

There is not a moment to lose to make sure we capitalise on the post pandemic opportunity we have in Australia that South Australia.

Malinauskas:

So I stand here today as the leader of a modern Labor party that reflects our society, a very high proportion of female members of parliament, five brand-new members of parliament, all young, all-female, to ensure that this parliament reflects the society that we live in, that this party reflects the future of our state, that this parliament reflects the collective ambition of Labor to ensure that our policy addresses the needs of modern families and, in no small part of the five women that Susan and I stand in front of today are a reflection of that.

Updated

Labor's Peter Malinauskas speaks after SA election win

The soon to be new South Australian premier, Peter Malinauskas, is speaking as he takes his victory lap after a landslide win in yesterday’s state election.

We have a substantial policy agenda before us. If there is one thing that excites me more than anything else about our success electorally yesterday is that we have one with a policy vision and agenda for the future of our state, this idea that oppositions have to run small target strategies and abandon ideas in order to win elections, well, that has been completely dispensed to the boundary before last night.

We have one government with a very substantial policy that we are taking to the selection, and in no small part that is because of Susan’s hard work and I do want to thank Susan for that. Of course, one of the keys to the electoral success that my team experienced last night is the fact that we have preselected incredibly well.

We knew from the outset that to be able to form a government it was going to take a lot of hard work on the ground, to preselect high-quality candidates that had the ability to take up the challenge of beating first-term MPs in many instances.

Updated

Residents in Lismore have been left with no choice but to move back into their houses that have been deemed uninhabitable, with some sleeping on swags in mouldy rooms without electricity, as they are unable to find safe accommodation three weeks after floods devastated the town.

In south Lismore – a low-lying part of the town that bore the brunt of historic flooding this year and an area well known for attracting residents seeking affordable housing – Guardian Australia spoke with multiple residents who had evacuated town following the floods but had returned to their homes in recent days.

The State Emergency Service had deemed more than 3,600 homes across the New South Wales northern rivers region as uninhabitable and on Friday some residents were living in homes that had been as assessed as such.

You can read the full report below:

Updated

Hunt says mental health will be key focus in budget

Support for mental health will be one the key planks of the federal budget in just over a week’s time, the health minister, Greg Hunt, says.

Hunt says mental health is one of the four pillars of Australia’s long-term national health plan.

The other areas are primary care with a strong focus on access to new medicines and better treatments to aid doctors, the support for hospitals and private health insurance, and medical research.

He said there will be focus on youth suicide.

Hunt told Sky News’ Sunday Agenda program:

Despite all the expectations because of what we were able to do in tailored support for mental health we had a reduction in suicide in Australia of five per cent in 2020 – we are still waiting the final figures for 2021 ...

We want to see it go lower, we want to see it head towards zero.

Details on the mental health support will be released in the 29 March budget.

However, the Morrison government will spend more than $315m over four years to extend its national ice action strategy in the ongoing fight to reduce the impact of ice, other drugs and alcohol.

This investment comes alongside an additional $27.9m being committed to support other critical drug and alcohol treatment projects in areas of identified need.

For too many Australians, illegal drugs are still an insidious scourge on our community, robbing families of their loved ones ...

The Morrison government is committed to building safe and healthy communities, reducing the impacts and harms of drug and alcohol use for individuals, their families and their communities.

National wastewater drug monitoring shows methamphetamine use has reduced for the second consecutive year.

Even so, Hunt said while this was a good sign, there is still work to be done.

Updated

Speers:

My question was. If [Albanese] won’t hold an inquiry, then Peter Dutton is suggesting that the Senate might do something. You are the Senate Leader. Would you support some other form of inquiry?

Birmingham:

I’m yet to see any proposal that I think we would support, David. These are matters for the Labor party and for Anthony Albanese first and foremost to address. We are seeing the issues are not being raised by Liberals, they are being raised by union leaders, by Labor party figures, by those within Labor party ranks and it is a [deflection] of leadership by Anthony Albanese to not be responding to those directly and address these issues. He would always grandstand when it is the Liberal party yet missing in action when it is the Labor party.

Updated

Birmingham has been asked for his take about the allegations of bullying from within the Labor party focused around federal MP Kimberley Kitching who recently passed away due to a heart attack.

Speers:

Finally, on the treatment of Kimberley Kitching within the Labor party, your colleague Peter Dutton says if Labor won’t hold an inquiry, others in the Senate will look at options they can take the will the Government support some sort of Senate or other inquiry?

Birmingham:

David, I think these matters are first and foremost for Anthony Albanese. You know full well that if the shoe the were on the other foot, if a Labor senator or shadow minister was sitting in this chair at present and the allegations pertained to a Liberal or National individual, then you would have had a string of outraged comments coming from those Labor figures as we have seen and that they would be calling for Scott Morrison to take strong action.

Well, Anthony Albanese should stop hiding, should stop hiding behind existing processes and vague answers and refusing to turn up to press conferences and he should respond, he should show some semblance of leadership because at present it is completely absent.

Updated

The federal finance minister, Simon Birmingham, has been asked if the SA election results make him nervous about the upcoming federal vote.

Birmingham:

Our election was always going to be a challenging one and I don’t think we have ever underestimated the challenges that lie ahead, but we remain determined to make sure Australians understand the choice ahead of them, and that choice is between a strength of leadership and strength of economic management our government has delivered with 1.7m more jobs created. And Anthony Albanese is a leader who has never supported a tax, and terms of economics management and national security are completely untested.

Updated

Insiders host David Speers:

But you are saying bad luck, the electorate was tricked. Doesn’t sound like there is any reflection or acceptance that the Liberals did anything wrong?

Finance minister, Simon Birmingham:

As I say, David, I think they were a very good government in many ways, and that this was a very short-run campaign. Peter Malinauskas and the Labor party and I congratulate Peter and will work with him as closely as I can for the good of South Australia – but I think they really launched their campaign in a short, targeted, focused way.

We’ve already had Mark Kenny on your program acknowledge that it was a singularly focused campaign by them, and it was. For any South Australians living here, you would be hard-pressed to identify one other issue outside of health and ambulance ramping that they really campaigned on.

Speers:

But you are not accepting any mistake, fault, problem, blame on the Liberal side?

Birmingham:

David, no government is perfect and so there will be lessons from the campaign.

Updated

Simon Birmingham says some SA voters were 'misled' by Labor

The federal finance minister, Simon Birmingham, is appearing on ABC’s Insiders now, and of course, has been asked why the Liberals experienced a landslide loss in the state election there overnight.

Birmingham says that a number of voters were potentially tricked by “misleading statements” about Labor’s ability to stop ambulance ramping.

I think always when an election is lost, there are a number of factors at play. I think that history will judge Steven Marshall’s government for its policy achievements and management more kindly than the electorate did yesterday. The economic confidence he delivered to South Australia, the ongoing growth in what will be higher-paying, more highly skilled [workers] in SA for many years to come, the transformation of schooling SA, investments in hospitals, these will be positives which he will be marked up for but clearly a disappointing day for the Liberal family in SA to have that result.

The campaign was one in which we saw the Labor party run a very targeted, very singularly focused campaign around hospitals and ambulances. I think there were many misleading aspects to that campaign and even the Electoral Commission found so in the last day or so, but that again is a reminder to all of us that we can’t underscore the potential for Labor to run these types of scare campaigns just like they did with mediscare back in 2016, particularly when they can roll out the public sector unions to devastating effects.

Insiders host David Speers:

So is that your take on this election result, the electorate was tricked?

Birmingham:

No, not entirely. I do think that Labor’s campaign was effective, but I also think, as the Electoral Commission found, that it was based on misleading statements and that of course is something that does mean that some voters potentially were tricked but equally I think Covid did play a very difficult role for Steven Marshall.

When he opened the borders from SA to the rest of the country on 23 November, it was 24 November, the very day after that Omicron was first reported to the World Health Organization as a variant of concern. You couldn’t have had perhaps more unlucky timing than Steven Marshall faced in that regard and that the carefully calibrated plans he had for reopening were clearly blown out of the water at that time and that did create real challenges for the Government through the run-up and lead-up to the election, and, of course, in terms of what the narrative of their campaign was.

Updated

NSW records four Covid deaths and 16,813 new infections

Victoria records 6,694 new Covid cases and zero deaths

I believe this may be the first day in many months that Victoria has recorded no Covid-19 deaths.

Apologies, I previously stated that the state recorded 16,965 cases - this was the number of PRC tests that were conducted yesterday. Victoria actually recorded 6,694 new infections.

Updated

Australia bans aluminium ore exports to Russia

The Australian government has just expanded its sanctions on Russia to now include all aluminium ores.

About 20% of the alumina produced by major mining corporation Queensland Alumina Ltd is sold to the Russian run Rusal company.

Here is what DFAT had to say in a statement this morning:

Australia has prohibited the export of aluminium ores (including bauxite), alumina and related products to Russia.

The Autonomous Sanctions (Export Sanctioned Goods—Russia) Designation 2022 (the Designation) designates aluminium ores (including bauxite), alumina and related products as ‘export sanctioned goods’ for Russia.

The Designation commenced on 20 March 2022.

The goods designated by the Designation are key components in the manufacture and development of weapons. Australia has prohibited the export of these goods to, or for the benefit of, Russia.

I’ll bring you more on this soon.

Updated

Looks like we will be hearing from the newly elected SA premier this morning as well.

Australia to send coal and military equipment to Ukraine

Australia will donate military equipment and coal to Ukraine’s effort to defend its country from invasion while placing additional sanctions on Russia, the prime minister has announced the morning.

Following discussions between the prime minister, Scott Morrison, and the defence minister, Peter Dutton, and their Ukrainian counterparts, an additional $21m worth of Australian Defence Force stock will seek to meet priority requests from Ukraine.

Australia will donate at least 70,000 tonnes of thermal coal for Ukraine’s power stations and withhold bauxite, used to make aluminium, from Russia.

An additional $30m in humanitarian assistance will focus on protecting displaced women and children and addressing food shortages.

Updated

Despite a major surge in cost-of-living pressures, Australians are overspending to keep up with friends and family, researchers say.

A national poll of 1,000 adults by consumer comparison site Finder reveals 47% feel pressure from within their social circle to keep pace financially, AAP reports.

About 20% of adults, or the equivalent of 4.3 million people provided the findings are accurate, concede going into debt or spending more than they can afford due to peer influence.

Apparently, it isn’t just trivial purchases either.

About 28% of respondents said they felt forced into splitting restaurant bills despite ordering less, while 9% “had to” fund a bucks or hens night and 7% felt obliged to fork out for someone else’s baby shower.

However about 14% said they’d been coerced into an expensive holiday with loved ones, and 8% even admitted buying cars, homes and designer goods to keep up.

Personal finance expert Kate Browne said while no one wants to be a party pooper, there are more affordable alternatives.

You can always be honest with your loved ones and say while you value spending time with them, you don’t want to spend too much money doing it.

At the end of the day, it’s your money and you get to decide how you spend it.

On average, men estimate they’ve overspent more than $1,500 over the past six months and women more than $900 to appease friends and family, with millennials apparently most vulnerable to the trap.

Meanwhile, the cost of essentials keeps rising.

Separate research by consumer networks Frugl Grocery and One Big Switch shows fruit and vegetable prices at some major supermarkets are up 5% on a year ago.

Drinks are 7.7% more expensive and pantry items 5%.

One Big Switch also cites a 12% jump in regional rents and predicts a 4.1% annual increase in daycare fees over the next four years.

However Finder’s latest Consumer Sentiment Tracker indicates 25% of people agree fuel is now their most stressful cost, up from 17% in January and 11% a year ago.

Updated

The Queensland premier has taken to Twitter to congratulate her new Labor peer.

Good morning everyone, welcome to Sunday! It’s Matilda Boseley here and while you are recovering from a big Saturday night you can leave the news to me, because I’ll be here to guide you through all the important updates on this fine morning.

Of course, we are going to start with the results of the SA election, where Labor’s Peter Malinauskas has ousted Liberal premier Steven Marshall, turning the state red.

Labor looks set to hold at least 25 and possibly as many as 27 seats in the 47-seat House of Assembly after a big swing in Saturday’s poll.

The Liberals were expected to retain at least 15 seats with independents poised to take the remaining five. The Electoral Commission had Labor’s primary vote up by eight percentage points to 40.5% with the Liberals on 34.5%.

But the counting isn’t done, with the votes still being tallied for the five seats still considered to be in doubt. Interestingly this includes Dunstan, which of course is held by outgoing premier Marshall.

In his concession speech, Marshall said it had been an honour and privilege to serve the people of South Australia.

It’s great to live in a country where we have free and open elections...

Today the people of South Australia have spoken. They’ve elected a new government.

But he was tight-lipped on Saturday as to if he would stay on as opposition leader should he retain his own seat.

OK, with that, why don’t we jump right into the day!

Updated

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