As it happened: Popular support for One Nation surges, draws level with Coalition; Police return to property where Gus Lamont went missing

That brings us to the end of our live coverage today. Thanks for reading along.
As always, the live blog will be back up and running early tomorrow morning.

Here’s a wrap of what we covered today:

• One Nation’s primary vote continues to surge in the polls, and has now drawn level with the Coalition, the most recent polling by this masthead shows.
• Treasurer Jim Chalmers is being urged by the International Monetary Fund in its annual examination of the economy and interest rates to use his May budget to embrace far-reaching tax reform, including an increase in the GST, overhauling the capital gains tax and cutting company tax to lift living standards and get the economy growing faster.
• In his first major speech as Opposition Leader, Angus Taylor called for “lower numbers and higher standards” in migration based on Australian values.

• The consumer watchdog’s blockbuster case against Coles began today, alleging the supermarket misled customers with illusory “down down” discounts on hundreds of products.

• Five European nations have blamed Russia for the death of Alexei Navalny, citing analyses that confirmed the presence of a South American dart frog toxin.

Comedian Sammy J and beloved Red Wiggle Caterina Mete have been named as the 2026 Moomba Monarchs, as Melbourne prepares for its largest free community festival.

Lord Mayor Nick Reece announced the high-profile pairing on Monday, noting that Mete and Sammy J would bring peals of laughter and a touch of mischief to the event.

The 2026 festival, running from March 5 to March 9, marks several major milestones, including the 50th year of the Birdman Rally, in which contestants plunge into the Yarra for charity, and the 65th year of the Moomba Masters waterskiing competition.

The festival will coincide with the Australian Grand Prix and the return of men’s AFL for the first time. The City of Melbourne expects more than 1.5 million visitors across the five days.

Detectives investigating the disappearance of four-year-old Gus Lamont have arrested a 75-year-old person over alleged firearm offences following a search of the remote outback property where the boy was last seen. However, the arrest is not related to the missing boy.

Members of South Australia Police’s Task Force Horizon today concluded their latest search for evidence at Oak Park Station, a sheep station near Yunta, 320 kilometres north of Adelaide. While search activities for the day have finished, detectives are expected to remain in the area on Tuesday.

Police confirmed the arrest of the Grampus local was a result of a previous search at the station. The person has been bailed to appear in the Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on May 6.

Detective Inspector Andrew Macrae, acting officer in charge of the major crime investigation branch, stressed that the firearm charges are not related to the boy’s disappearance or to an October 2025 incident involving media at the property.

Gus Lamont was last seen by his grandmother playing near his family homestead on 27 September 27. The investigation was declared a major crime this month after police revealed they no longer believed the boy was alive and had identified a suspect known to him.

Police have previously ruled out the boy’s parents as suspects in his disappearance.