Australia news live: Anika Wells refers expenses to parliamentary watchdog; where and when to see the aurora australis

Communications minister says she has referred her entitlement spending to parliament’s expenses watchdog but maintains she believes it is within the rules. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastKevin Hogan says no one ‘gobsmacked’ by Barnaby Joyce’s decision to join One NationKevin Hogan, the deputy leader of the Nationals, compared Barnaby Joyce to Mark Latham after the former said yesterday he would join One Nation.The only other person I can think of that has left who has been a previous leader of a political party and joined One Nation is Mark Latham. And Barnaby Joyce joins those ranks as having been a previous leader of a party and joining One Nation. But I’ll leave others to make their judgment about that.Barnaby has said this: he doesn’t want to be on the backbench. He doesn’t like where he sits. So I don’t think there was much that could have been done to stop that.David [Littleproud] was always saying publicly and privately to Barnaby that the door was open for him to return. And obviously, he’s very disappointed that he left. So, look, I think it was always going to be a tough call. And I think no one is, you know, gobsmacked that he’s made the decision yesterday. Continue reading...