6.21pm EST
18:21
The Morrison government has given formal environmental approval for the construction of a controversial publicly owned $600m gas-fired power plant at Kurri Kurri in the Hunter Valley.
Sussan Ley, the environment minister, announced on Monday that the project – proposed by Snowy Hydro, and funded by the Commonwealth – had been approved after a “rigorous assessment”. It means construction of the 660-megawatt plant can begin.
The project has been widely criticised as unnecessary to ensure the security of the electricity grid. The former head of the Energy Security Board, Kerry Schott, said the commercial case for the government funding a gas plant in the region did not “stack up” given the range of cheaper and cleaner alternatives.
Labor last week said it would support the plant if it won power at the upcoming federal election but require it to run on 30% green hydrogen, created using renewable energy, when it started operation, and to move to 100% green hydrogen as soon as possible. It estimated this could add up to $700m to the cost of the plant.
Critics have questioned whether green hydrogen will be economically viable as a fuel to generate electricity, and suggested the plant risked being redundant under either party.
5.57pm EST
17:57
Labor’s shadow communications minister, Michelle Rowland, has called on prime minister Scott Morrison to introduce amendments to protect LGBTQ+ students but won’t say whether she would back passing the religious discrimination bill if these are made.
Rowland told reporters in Canberra that Morrison had committed to protect LGBTQ+ students and it would get bipartisan support if he did so.
But on the religious discrimination bill itself? Rowland said it was a “complex” area that had been “deeply scrutinised” by two committees that examined the bill. As to whether the bill gets the balance right between protection of religious people from discrimination and other protected attributes, Rowland said it would have to be considered by shadow caucus when the government produces amendments.
Labor MPs and senators in those two committees did say they were in favour of the bill being passed, subject to some minor and technical amendments being made.
5.55pm EST
17:55
The New South Wales government will launch a review into boosting women’s economic opportunity, with treasurer Matt Kean frustrated by how the gender pay gap and unaffordable childcare are limiting the state’s prosperity.
Increasing workplace flexibility, as well as “empowering more female entrepreneurs”, will also be examined by the “landmark review”, with the expert reference panel to be chaired by Sam Mostyn, president of Chief Executive Women.
Kean, who announced the review at the Committee for Sydney summit on Monday morning, said if womens’ workforce participation reached parity with mens’, annual household income would lift by $22,000.
Kean said:
The review will be far ranging, seeking out reform options to help women enter, reenter, and stay in the workforce…Unleashing the full potential of half our population is going to help build a more prosperous future for our state and everyone in New South Wales.
Now is the time to make sure that a little girl born today is afforded the same opportunities as a baby boy on hospital next door.
At the summit, the NSW infrastructure and active transport minister, Rob Stokes, is also expected to announce a doubling, to $1.9m, of how much the state government will spend on improving cycleways and footpaths over the next five years.
5.40pm EST
17:40
Liberal MP Bridget Archer to vote against religious discrimination bill
Updated
at 6.14pm EST
