Australia news as it happened: Tasmania’s AFL dreams up in the air as premier loses vote; Trump plays down Russia-Ukraine peace talks; Greens call on defector to do ‘honourable thing’ and resign

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe has backed calls for an independent investigation following the death of 24-year-old Kumanjayi White, who died in police custody last week after an altercation with a security guard.

“They [the federal government] need to take very seriously what the family and community are calling for and that is an independent investigation – rather than cops investigating cops,” Thorpe said.

“It is very clear that we have had so many deaths in custody, almost 600 deaths, and nobody ever is held accountable for any of those deaths.”

Thorpe said all the recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody from 1991 needed to be implemented.

Trade Minister Don Farrell has told the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing program that Australia will press the argument strongly for the removal of US tariffs.

“The trade relationship between Australia and the United States is overwhelmingly in the United States’ benefit,” he said.

“I think the best position that we can adopt is simply that we don’t accept that we should be subject to reciprocal tariffs when the trade relationship is so overwhelmingly in favour of the United States.”

Farrell said Australia wanted the US to honour the free trade agreement that has been in place for 20 years.

“What the Americans have done is tear up 80 postwar years of trade agreements, and said that they want to rewrite those trade agreements in the space of 90 days. We are already 60 days into those 90 – and only one of those agreements has been reached,” he said.

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff was the subject of a lengthy no-confidence debate on Wednesday. Labor Opposition Leader Dean Winter moved the no-confidence motion on Tuesday, with debate continuing into Thursday, as all 35 MPs spoke given the gravity of the motion.

After the House speaker cast the deciding vote to break a 17-17 tie, Rockliff said he would now call a state election.

“Make no mistake this will be an election that Tasmanians don’t want, and Tasmania cannot afford,” he said.

“But be that on Mr Winter’s and the Labor Party’s head. This has been a selfish grab for power, which we will fight, and we’ll do our darnedest to win.

“I’m not going to let the Labor Party chose the leader of the Liberal Party, and I’m going to fight this all the way.”

A motion of no confidence has been passed against Tasmania’s Premier Jeremy Rockliff by one vote, as the state’s political chaos leaves the future of the AFL’s newest club in peril.

The vote, taken about 3.30pm, resulted in a 17-17 tie, leaving Speaker Michelle O’Byrne – a member of the Labor Party, who has held the speaker’s position since May last year – to cast the deciding vote in favour of the motion.

O’Byrne, in explaining her decision, referenced her loyalty to the party, the instability in the state, and the future of the Tasmania Football Club.

“I am also very mindful of the future of the AFL team,” she said.

“I support the team ... To say the path to the team has been poorly handled is an understatement.”