Australia politics live: Andrew Bragg says low-income earners should accept they will live in substandard housing; Rio Tinto given $2.5bn bailout

Shadow housing minister defends speech after criticism move would lock disadvantaged into skyrocketing power bills. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLegislation forcing tech companies to pay for Australian journalism to be introducedThe government will today introduce its legislation forcing tech companies to pay for journalism in Australia after making a series of 11th-hour changes and reaching an agreement with the Coalition.That obligation to enter into at least eight deals is if they want to fully acquit. So it still will be open to tech companies to only partially offset their obligation. But if they want to fully offset their obligation, there have to be at least eight deals. In addition to that obligation, there’s a 200% offset for small and medium players. So that’s also a very strong incentive for them to enter into agreements with regional media, with CALD media and LGBTQI and other smaller players.Andrew was sharing his personal views in his speech, the National Press Club. We are going through our policy development process. We’re doing it carefully. We’re doing it deliberately. Continue reading...