Australia news as it happened: Productivity commission urges soft touch on AI regulation; Tasmanian politics; eSafety commissioner slams big tech on child abuse material

“This is the moment to stand up, be seen, be counted and be heard,” Gold Coast teacher Damien Richardson told the Brisbane rally.

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek was hopeful of returning to negotiations after talks collapsed following 18 meetings with the union in the past five months.

The Queensland Teachers’ Union has not ruled out taking more industrial action.

“Sadly, it probably wouldn’t end here today. This is not going to be easy,” union president Cresta Richardson told the rally.

“We have spoken today. This is a teacher voice that cannot be denied.”

In June, the union rejected the latest offer of 3 per cent, 2.5 per cent and 2.5 per cent salary increases respectively over the next three years.

Teacher wages by state

• Queensland: under the government’s pay offer, by 2027 a graduate teacher would earn $84,000 a year and a senior educator $135,000.
• NSW: graduate teacher earns $87,550 and senior educator about $125,763.
• Victoria: graduate teacher earns $79,589 and senior educator up to $129,544.
• South Australia: graduate teacher earns $82,496 and senior educator up to $129,841.
• Tasmania: graduate teacher earns $82,828 and senior educator up to $118,328.
• Western Australia: graduate teacher earns $85,610 and senior educator up to $130,257.
• Northern Territory: graduate teacher earns $92,215 and senior educator up to $188,789.

AAP

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov welcomed Witkoff’s visit. “We consider [talks with Witkoff] important, substantive and very useful,” he said.

Trump’s deadline for Putin ends on Friday. Washington has threatened severe tariffs and other economic penalties if the killing does not stop in Ukraine.

So far, Trump’s promises, threats and cajoling have failed to shift the Kremlin’s position, and the diplomatic stalemate remains in place.

Meanwhile, Ukraine is losing more territory on the front line, although there is no sign of a looming collapse of its defences.

Trump initially gave Moscow a 50-day deadline, but later moved up his ultimatum as the Kremlin continued to bomb Ukrainian cities.

AP

Parts of Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania have been dealing with the same challenge.

The payments are open to farming families in 12 drought-affected local government areas in Victoria, and follow $144 million which the government committed towards longer-term initiatives like farmer mental health and farm business management.

You can read more from our regional affairs reporter, Benjamin Preiss, and our senior writer Tony Wright – a local of the south-west – for more on this.

“I argue that because I think getting on board early, with countries that we can work with, gives us the greatest chance to have that international co-operation to fulfil the conditions we rightly argue should be followed.”

In recent weeks, Canada, France and the United Kingdom have signalled their intentions to recognise Palestine at a UN meeting this month.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron overnight on this topic, and Husic said this was a welcome development.

Gaza’s Health Ministry says the Palestinian death toll had surpassed 61,000 since Israel’s latest offensive in the Palestinian territory began.

“This last parliament failed to go for longer than 15 months … under the Liberals we have seen three early elections in a row,” Winter said.

“That’s got to change, which means we need to change the way parliament works, and we need to change the government.”

Tasmanians went to the polls last month after Winter moved a successful no-confidence motion against Rockliff. The resulting election saw the major parties each win the same number of seats they had before – the Liberals 14, Labor 10 (18 are needed to govern in majority in Tasmania).

Asked whether he would move another no-confidence motion, Winter equivocated.

“Tasmanians can be assured any motion we move will not result in another election. There will be a motion moved, whether it’s by us or an independent, of no confidence in the Liberals and confidence in the Labor government.”

Winter had been vying for his party to form government as recently as Tuesday evening, revealing he had stepped up negotiations with crossbenchers but had ruled out a deal with the Greens.

A key sticking point in Tasmanian politics continues to be Winter and Rockliff’s major parties backing a new $1 billion stadium in Hobart, which the Greens and some independents oppose.

AAP