Australian news and politics recap May 26: Mark Butler rules out taxpayer-funded bailout for Healthscope

Defence Minister Richard Marles says the 70 ADF personnel headed to the flood zone will be engaged in “recovery and cleanup, but specifically route clearance”.

“They will have engineering capability … We stand ready to do more, in terms of more people, if in fact that request comes through and there is a potential for that going forward over the next few days,” he said.

As for whether it’s sustainable for the ADF to keep sending personnel to emergency management cleanup, Mr Marles says there is ongoing policy work around how defence can be “the last port of call”, as called for by the Defence Strategic Review.

“In a way, that is being demonstrated in this particular incident. There are a couple of thousands volunteer workers which are currently on the ground right now,” he said.

“That is happening, and I think that process is going well in terms of managing defence’s ongoing resources but I reiterate, whenever a call is made, defence answers that call and will provide all the assistance which is necessary.

“When there is a crisis and that call is made for defence, defence will always be there.”

Mr Albanese says the economic cost of floods will be “substantial”, but “what we don’t do is go through with a calculator”.

“What we do is say, ‘if it’s needed, we will support you’. Simple as that,” he said.

The PM has announced that from tomorrow there will be 70 ADF personnel on the ground helping with recovery and clean-up.

That’s in addition to the Disaster Recovery Allowance which is also now activated, the personal hardship payments, the community recovery support fund, and concessional rate loans for primary producers and small businesses.

“We will continue to monitor what is necessary, and we will ensure that the Government does have your back if you’re in these affected communities,” he said.

Mr Albanese said he and Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain will travel to the flood-impact zone later today and tomorrow, where the pair will see the damage and impact first hand.

While the flood waters are receding, the PM again reminded residents “if it’s flooded, forget it”.

“Do not take risks. There are still risks out there,” he said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has this morning visited the National Situation Room, where he’s received an update on the significant flooding event in the mid-north NSW coast.

He says “the science told us that there would be more frequent events and that they would be more intense. That is what we are seeing playing out”.

Mr Albanese said this event had had a devastating impact on communities, a devastating human impact with five lives lost, as well as significant environmental and economic impacts as well.

He again thanked everyone from the NEMA and other agency staff to the volunteers “who are making an incredible difference.

“I always think at the worst of times, we do see the best of the Australian character, and we have certainly seen that in recent days,” he said.

Large and dangerous blades will be removed from shop shelves in days in an Australian-first ban, sparked by a violent brawl forcing the lockdown of a busy shopping centre.

Shoppers were left terrified by a violent melee between rival gang members armed with machetes at Northland Shopping Centre in Melbourne’s north.

Two boys, aged 15 and 16, have been charged while another man, 20, was rushed to hospital following the altercation on Sunday afternoon.

Watch footage of a hero shopper during the machete attack

On Monday, Premier Jacinta Allan announced the laws, which bans the sale of machetes across Victoria, will take effect from noon on May 28.

“In Victoria, community safety comes first. We must never let places we meet become places we fear,” Ms Allan told reporters.

“I hate these knives, and I will keep introducing as many laws as it takes to get them off our streets, out of our shops and out of our lives.”“

The interim sale ban will cover machetes, which are broadly described as a cutting edge knife with a blade of more than 20 centimetres.

Sunrise host Natalie Barr has spoken to Federal Minister Tanya Plibersek about the drought crisis in Victoria and South Australia and the health effects on farmers in the region.

“I’m sure the Prime Minister will be working very closely with farmers and with our Agriculture Minister, Julie Collins,” Ms Plibersek said.

“Julie Collins has been to Victoria. She’s going to South Australia this week. I understand why farmers want that attention.

“I was in South Australia a few weeks ago and farmers there were telling me this is worse for them than the millennium drought.

“This is an incredibly serious drought that’s lasted several years now.

“We do have a number of supports available. We’ve got low-interest loans available, other payments, financial counselling and other supports available.

“We’ll work very closely with the State Governments. They obviously take a lead at a time like this, and I know, as I said, Julie Collins will be in South Australia this week.”

Sunrise host Natalie Barr asked Barnaby Joyce if he will put his hand up to lead the Nationals as rumours circulate about David Littleproud’s position.

“I don’t know. What I can say - people say ‘Barnaby is challenging’ - I’m not challenging,” Mr Joyce said.

“I’m definitely not. I’ve got other things I’m thinking about. But if the party room decides to do something, the party room decides to do it. That’s up to them.”

Natalie Barr then quipped: “Are you saying you would throw your hat in the ring?”

“I’m saying I’m 100 per cent NOT,” Mr Joyce added.

“But I want us to, whatever they decide to do, I want it sorted out.

“Our job on behalf of the nation is to hold the government to account. That’s what you’ve got to do.

“You’ve got to look after your local area, number one, and hold the government to account. That’s your responsibility to the Australian people.

“And you’re not gonna do it lookin’ like a circus.”

Nationals Federal MP Barnaby Joyce has appeared on Sunrise this morning and described the Coalition split as a “complete shocker” as he returned to his regular spot from time off following prostate cancer surgery.

When asked for his reaction and what he was thinking following the split by Sunrise host host Natalie Barr, Mr Joyce didn’t mince his words.

“I wasn’t thinking much at all. I was watching it on television. It was a shocker. But you know, hopefully everything calms down.”

“Look, you can think of all these really clever lines you’re gonna say on air. There is no clever line about this. It was a complete shocker.”

Almost a month after ballots were cast, tally room officials are back at square one for a recount.

Just eight votes separate Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian from independent challenger Nicolette Boele in the north Sydney seat of Bradfield.

But political wonks and candidates needn’t hold their breath, with the process to take as long as two weeks - a new count of all first preference votes, a re-examination of all informal votes, a complete recount of the two-candidate preferred tally and a full distribution of preferences.

Scrutineers could also extend the timeline, as the tightness of the count fuels closer examination of ballots.

Ms Boele is contesting Bradfield for a second time, with former Liberal minister Paul Fletcher having retired after holding the seat for 16 years.

Any lower house contest that ends with a margin fewer than 100 votes automatically triggers a recount. Should election officials return with similar results, Bradfield could go to a by-election or its result could be disputed in court.

​Read the full story here.​

The Nationals are having second thoughts about the coalition’s break-up, with the party’s leadership expecting a reunion within days.

A resolution is possible with the Nationals party room expected to meet on Monday or Tuesday, after it and the Liberals pressed pause on their split, allowing reunion talks to continue.

Former Nationals leader and sitting Riverina MP Michael McCormack, who was part of a minority that did not support the coalition break-up, hoped the week’s events had changed minds.

“Common sense would dictate that all will be well,” he told AAP.

“But I can’t guarantee what my colleagues have got to say.”

The Nationals pulled the plug on the coalition’s decades-long relationship over four policy demands: a recommitment to nuclear energy, a regional investment fund, powers to break up big supermarket chains and universal telecommunications coverage.

​Read the full story here.​