Australia news live: Anthony Albanese hails Andrew Gee over ‘principled statement’ on Indigenous voice

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An ‘extraordinary political development’: Albanese on Gee’s resignation

Anthony Albanese moves on to taking questions. He is asked about the news which has come through this hour about Nationals MP Andrew Gee’s resignation from the party:

Well, this is quite an extraordinary political development with Andrew Gee making the decision to leave the National party and to become an independent in the federal parliament.

Of course, that leaves the Coalition one vote short, back to the mid-50s and now in terms of their representation.

Andrew Gee has made a decision that is his alone. I respect that decision. We will work with Andrew Gee as an independent as we do work with crossbenchers, and all people across the parliament.

And I want to work with all members of parliament to promote the voice. Andrew Gee has made a principled statement about his commitment to constitutional recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, but also a constitutionally recognised voice to parliament.

Updated at 20.33 EST

Extra $182m announced for flood assistance in NSW

Albanese says there is a further $182m in flood assistance for NSW which will be provided jointly by the state and federal government.

A further $182m in flood assistance, in particular the Back Home grants of up to $20,000 will help families in places like Eugowra.

I want to thank people like Kevin Beattie, the local mayor who’s made very strong representations.

On top of that … $59.4m program for [the] central west caravan and modular housing program to secure medium-term housing and extend the at home caravan program, which is being rolled at the moment.

In addition to that, we have $8.9m for targeted residential property assessments. This package is aimed at 17 of the most highly impacted local government areas around Australia – around the region, in particular in that western and south-western NSW region.

Updated at 20.32 EST

Albanese urges South Australians to heed SES warnings

The prime minister Anthony Albanese has stepped up to speak in his last press conference before Christmas, discussing flood funding and weather warnings.

He starts off with wishing those who celebrate Christmas a good celebration:

I wanted to wish those people of faith all my best wishes. This is an opportunity where many Christians will renew their faith in the birth of Jesus Christ that we celebrate on 25 December.

He then moves on to the floods in South Australia, saying he has been in contact with all levels of government.

We have floods expected to peak in South Australia between Boxing Day and New Year’s.

Preparations are underway between state agencies and the federal government. I continue to engage with the government of Peter Malinauskas and local government in South Australia to make sure that people stay safe.

I do say that people should heed the warnings of the SES. If it is flooded, forget it. It is simply not worth the risk and we see too much tragedy as a result of people thinking that it’s OK to take a risk.

Updated at 20.31 EST

Just letting you know we’re expecting the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, will be stepping up to speak shortly.

ABC News say they will also be interviewing Andrew Gee, the Nationals MP who announced his resignation from the party, at 1PM AEST.

Updated at 20.20 EST

We mentioned on the blog a little earlier that when the Sydney Fish Market opened this morning at 5am it marked a 36-hour marathon that will see fish mongers serving up Christmas fare non-stop until 5pm tomorrow.

We have some images coming through from AAP of the markets this morning:

Traders serve customers at Sydney Fish Market, Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP Seafood is processed at Sydney Fish Market. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP Get Fish fishmonger Carmelo Lombardo, right, with his employee Yanni. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

Updated at 20.01 EST

Palmer company seeks coal climate ruling review

A company owned by Clive Palmer is seeking to overturn a landmark climate ruling that found its plans to dig Australia’s largest thermal coalmine in central Queensland would infringe upon the human rights of future generations and First Nations people.

Waratah Coal has lodged an appeal to the Queensland supreme court against land court president Fleur Kingham’s recommendation to refuse the Galilee mine last month.

The coalition led by young First Nations women and environmentalists which brought the case to court is now vowing to defend Kingham’s ruling, which Youth Verdict’s Murrawah Johnson describes as “the most significant decision on climate change and human rights in Australia”.

She says:

We won’t stop fighting.

Updated at 19.48 EST

Gee says he can speak out for electorate ‘most effectively free of the ties of a political party’

Nationals MP Andrew Gee goes on to end his statement of resignation saying the decision was a difficult one and he wishes the party leader, David Littleproud, well.

Part of the role of being a member of parliament is advocating and fighting for the communities we represent. When I believe that our communities are not receiving the support they need at the speed at which they need it, I have to speak out. I can do that most effectively free of the ties of a political party.

Now, more than ever, the communities of our region need their MP in their corner advocating for that support, no matter the political stripe of the state or federal government.

While I accept that in politics compromises have to be made, there comes a point where not speaking out freely can compromise the interests of those we represent.

This has been a difficult decision for me. I would like to thank everyone who has supported me and hope they will l understand why I had to take this step.

I wish David Littleproud as leader of the Nationals well. He’s a good man and he has my respect. This issue unfortunately runs deeper than the role of just one person.

I will continue the vitally important work of securing the bright future of our region.

Updated at 19.31 EST

‘I was once a true believer but I’m not anymore’: Andrew Gee resigns from Nationals party

Nationals MP Andrew Gee has resigned from the party to sit in parliament as an independent. You might remember earlier this year, when Gee was veterans affairs minister, he told the then party leader, Barnaby Joyce, he was on the cusp of quitting after being denied the funds to clear a huge backlog of 60,000 unprocessed veterans’ compensation claims.

Now, the Nationals’ opposition to the Indigenous voice to parliament, a position they announced in parliament’s last sitting week, has led Gee to break with the party for good.

Here’s how he announced his resignation:

It is with sadness that I announce that I am resigning from the NSW National party, effective immediately and will sit in the Australian parliament as an independent.

I grew up handing out how to votes for the National party, and I have given it some of the best years of my working life. I was once a true believer but I’m not anymore. The National party of today is very different to the one of my youth.

I feel that I can best represent the constituents of Calare and our region by speaking out on issues, free from party constraints and expectations.

The recent decision by the National party to oppose the Indigenous voice to parliament, and also witnessing the devastation our region has experienced over the past few weeks, has really brought home to me the importance of being able to stand up and be counted.

I can’t reconcile the fact that every Australian will get a free vote on the vitally important issue of the voice, yet National party MPs are expected to fall into line behind a party position that I fundamentally disagree with, and vote accordingly in parliament. While I respect the views of my colleagues, this just isn’t right.

I didn’t bring on the debate within the Nationals over the voice or the press conference that followed.

However, in the days after stating my own position of support for the voice, I felt that I didn’t have the unfettered freedom to speak that I needed. As the discussion on this issue around Australia builds, I want that freedom to put forward my point of view as I don’t foresee the Nationals’ policy on the voice changing.

Updated at 19.38 EST

Nationals MP Andrew Gee quits party following decision on voice

Nationals MP Andrew Gee has announced his resignation from the party and will sit in federal parliament as an independent.

Gee, who represents the NSW seat of Calare, said he was leaving the junior Coalition party following its decision to oppose the Indigenous voice to parliament.

He said in a statement:

I can’t reconcile the fact that every Australian will get a free vote on the vitally important issue of the voice, yet National party MPs are expected to fall into line behind a party position that I fundamentally disagree with, and vote accordingly in parliament.

While I respect the views of my colleagues, this just isn’t right. I didn’t bring on the debate within the Nationals over the voice or the press conference that followed.

Gee said recent flooding in NSW which brought devastation to rural areas had also “brought home” the importance of speaking up.

Now, more than ever, the communities of our region need their MP in their corner advocating for that support, no matter the political stripe of the state or federal government.

While I accept that in politics compromises have to be made, there comes a point where not speaking out freely can compromise the interests of those we represent.

– from AAP

Updated at 19.10 EST

So yesterday we found out the weed responsible for the hallucination-inducing spinach was thornapple. If you want to know more about the variety of nightshade that ended up in the supermarket spinach, David Caldicott, a senior lecturer in toxicology at the Australian National University, has provided a history:

Updated at 19.10 EST