As it happened: Labor, Coalition strike deal on CFMEU bill; Higgins’ lawyers reveal she won’t give evidence

Thanks for reading the national news blog. This is where we’ll end today’s coverage.

To conclude, here’s a look back at the day’s major stories:

• The CFMEU will be forced into administration as early as next week after Labor struck a deal with the Coalition to amend the legislation. The Greens maintain the bill could set a “dangerous” precedent, while Master Builders Australia says the move means the industry is “finally on the road to meaningful change”.
• The government’s handling of Palestinian refugees once again dominated a rowdy question time, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese telling Peter Dutton, “there is something wrong with you”, and the Opposition Leader reviving the claim Albanese misquoted ASIO spy chief Mike Burgess.
• Teal MP Zali Steggall says she does not regret her comments last week when she called on Dutton to “stop being racist”.
• In Western Australia, Brittany Higgins’ lawyer revealed the former staffer will no longer be called to take the witness stand in Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds’ Supreme Court defamation case against her in an 11th-hour bombshell underpinned by concerns for her health.
• In NSW, about 40,000 people ushered in a new era of public transport for Sydney in the first five hours of the $21.6 billion metro rail line’s operation, although the tunnels under the harbour face their true test in the days ahead.
• In world news, the threat of polio is rising fast in the Gaza Strip, prompting aid groups to call for an urgent pause in the war so they can ramp up vaccinations and head off a full-blown outbreak.
• Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto will meet Albanese and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles this week.
• In business news, Booktopia has been rescued by the owner of online camera store digiDirect, Shant Kradjian, who is adding 100 jobs back to the collapsed bookseller.

Thanks again for joining us. This is Cassandra Morgan, signing off.

Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt has claimed credit for a deal to force the CFMEU into administration but says he has not formally made a decision to take over the disgraced union.

He fended off Coalition spokeswoman Michaela Cash’s claim that the original bill could have been written by former union boss John Setka, saying that the changes the government agreed with the opposition were, “in many cases clarifying things that the bill was initially intending to do, and we have agreed to some minor amendments which preserve the intent of the bill itself”.

He said it was up to the Coalition to “explain why we could not get it done last Thursday” because Labor was willing to make changes.

The legislation allows Watt to appoint an administrator if he believes it is in the public interest.

“We want to make sure we do this in a way that holds up legally,” he said.

Australia’s leading building and construction industry association has welcomed Labor and the Coalition striking a deal to pass legislation forcing the CFMEU into administration.

Master Builders Australia chief executive Denita Wawn said the industry is “finally on the road to meaningful cultural change”.

“The industry has been at a standstill with a great cloud of uncertainty on the current operating environment and the future of the CFMEU,” Wawn said in an initial statement.

“We thank the government and Coalition for working in a bipartisan way to reach an agreement on a series of amendments while not delaying the bill’s passage beyond this sitting period.”

Immigration Minister Tony Burke has dismissed a question from Coalition spokesman for immigration Dan Tehan, sarcastically remarking he will not have a conversation about national security in the “privacy” of question time.

Tehan asked: “Is the minister aware of any concerns from security or intelligence agencies about any of the 1300 people who have arrived in Australia from the Gaza war zone?”

Burke rose to answer, criticising Tehan for being irresponsible.

“Mr Speaker, if I could understand the question he’s asking, just here in the privacy of question time, where no one else is listening. Just between you and me, let’s have a conversation about national security conversations and ASIO information. No,” Burke scoffed.

“If you want to be irresponsible, that’s on you.”

Tehan rose to interject, but Burke confirmed to Speaker Milton Dick that was his complete answer.