As it happened: Critical minerals stocks soar after deal signed in Albanese-Trump meeting; Rudd apologises to Trump; Storm warnings for Victoria, heat for Sydney

• The government continues to insist air force planes were over international waters on Sunday when a Chinese military aircraft dropped flares in front of an Australian surveillance plane over the South China Sea. Today, China claimed the Australian aircraft was in its territory. Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy has dismissed the claims as incorrect.

• Victorians are being urged to prepare for wind gusts of more than 120km/h that are due to blow in from the west early on Wednesday. In Sydney, meanwhile, the mercury is set to rise to 38 degrees. Join us tomorrow as we will be back with a dedicated live coverage of weather updates.

ABC Afternoon Briefing host Patricia Karvelas noted that US President Donald Trump said the US had been working on a deal with Australia for several months.

Asked about Barnaby Joyce, McDonald said she hoped he remained a Nationals MP.

“I think if he is not feeling appreciated and recognised in the party room,” she said. “That’s a problem for our team and something we should turn our attention to.

“I am very optimistic that Barnaby will have time to reflect and might come home to his family of the National Party, who has elected him over so many years.”

Asked whether Australia was trying to gather intelligence on China, Conroy said: “We do routine patrols through areas of the Indo-Pacific that are of interest to us. These are normal courses of operation you would expect a military to do. It’s also a good training exercise for our PA crews and that is why we do [them].”

Presenter Patricia Karvelas asked: “So it was not about gathering intelligence of the militarisation of the region despite international rulings against [China’s territorial] claims?”

Conroy said: “It was a flight for a number of reasons, and we do these routinely.”

“I think the exchange with the PM was warm. The statement that came out from the White House ... that explicitly stated that Australia’s investment in the US industrial base was convincing evidence of the fact it’s a program people are deeply committed to.

“We are now … bringing on more shipyards around the country.”

At the press conference, Trump was asked about previous comments made by Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, which included him once calling the president a “traitor to the West”.

Asked about the awkward exchange, Courtney said Rudd was a consummate professional.

“He was deeply involved in terms of some of the negotiations around the language in terms of the [AUKUS] bill that was enacted back in 2023,” he said. “His record in terms of the way he has approached the job with no political agenda ... it’s what an ambassador is supposed to do.

“I understand there was a private conversation where [Rudd] apologised and the president accepted it. Once again, to me, it was another example of Kevin’s really total focus in terms of doing what is best for the country.”