Australian news and politics live: Terrorist organisation Hamas supports statement demanding end to Gaza war

Shadow foreign affairs assistant Dean Smith has said the Opposition is “disappointed” the Albanese Government has “ chosen to attack Israel” in signing a joint statement alongside dozens of other nations.

The WA senator picked apart the wording of the statement when speaking on Sky on Tuesday.

“Israel is mentioned six times and Hamas is mentioned just once,” he said.

“There’s no doubt that aid and generous aid should be supported in an undisrupted or a way that is uninterfered.

“That is not in dispute but we would argue that the response from the Australian government should have a more thorough focus on what we would characterise as a central element … and that is the continued existence and operation of Hamas as a terrorist organisation.

“It’s on the public record that Hamas has actively been interrupting and interfering with aid deliveries in Gaza.

“So we’re very, very disappointed in the Government’s response, again, in choosing to attack Israel rather than a more balanced response.”

Australia’s Governor-General Sam Mostyn has arrived at Parliament House in Canberra for the first sitting day.

Ms Mostyn received the Royal Salute before inspecting the guard on the forecourt.

She is expected to greet the newly elected Presiding Officers of each House in the Members’ Hall later this afternoon.

Senators and members will then be called to the Senate chamber to receive the Governor-General’s address to officially kick off Parliament.

A 19-gun salute on the forecourt of Parliament House will be held at the end of her speech.

Penny Wong and 27 other foreign ministers condemned Israel over shortages of food and water in the Gaza Strip so severe that Palestinians brave gunfire to save themselves and their families from starvation.

The Gazans’ plight is an outrage against humanity. But it might be fair to ask whether Ms Wong and her counterparts are playing into a analysis of the conflict between Israel and its Muslim opponents that ignores a truth so obvious it should not need to be stated: Hamas can end a war it started at any time.

The lopsided approach is not only due to the enormous public pressure generated by haunting images of malnourished children.

It acknowledges the reality of diplomatic influence. Hamas, a terrorist organisation that celebrates the murder of Jews, is almost immune to international public opinion.

Israel would struggle to survive without US military aid and relies on less-visible support from the rest of the Western world.

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The release of a new House of Reps seating plan is always the topic of some discussion in the court intrigue that occupies Parliament’s corridors.

With Labor’s 94-seat majority, this one takes on a whole meaning.

Labor MPs are sprawling across the chamber’s aisle, with five assistant ministers seated in what is traditionally crossbench territory.

In front of them is a whole empty frontbench section, which is a visually striking reminder of the depleted Coalition numbers.

The remaining Opposition members fit into about two-thirds of the space they previously occupied.

The seats right behind the Prime Minister are highly prized because they are in prime position to end up on the nightly news.

Out of the 24 backbench MPs in those spots, 16 are women.

Again, it’s a stark contrast to the Coalition’s benches; they’ve done their best by seating all five of the female backbenchers close behind leader Sussan Ley.

The Greens have welcomed the Government’s move to join dozens of countries in condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Greens leader Larissa Waters said that Australia should send aid to the region with the assistance of other countries signed on to the letter condemning the actions.

“We need to do everything we can to address what is this war of starvation and Australia could be sending aid to that area, and they should,” Ms Waters said.

However, deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi warned that a leters would not help those starving.

“Gaza is starving. Letters are not going to feed them. Letters are not going to stop genocide,” she said.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has spoken about the “immense responsibility” elected members have as they’re formally returned for the first sitting day of the 48th Parliament.

On her feet in the House of Representatives in her new role as Opposition leader, Ms Ley welcomed new members and vowed to engage in “robust debate” in the national interest.

“We are resolved to do the job that the Australian people have entrusted us with, to be a strong, principled and effective Opposition,” she said.

“As an Opposition we will be constructive where we can and critical when needed.

“This is a great honour and an immense responsibility.”

Queensland Labor MP Milton Dick has been re-elected as the house speaker, which was warmly welcomed by both sides of politics.

Leaders Anthony Albanese and Sussan Ley congratulated him for his commitment and integrity in the role.

“This chamber has a long tradition of strong… speakers, those who have carried out this role with dignity, impartiality and a deep respect for the Parliament. You continue in that tradition,” the Opposition leader said.

“Beyond this chamber, as has been noted, you have also worked to open up Parliament, to make it more accessible and understandable to Australians, especially young Australians.”

The PM said he had been “rightly re-elected”, adding “we knew full well that you would do the job with fairness, with humour, with intellect and indeed you did so”.

Ahead of the Government’s productivity roundtable, the RBA also pondered whether Australia’s poor productivity was consistent with with low GDP growth, according to minutes released on Tuesday.

Without a clear barometer, the Bank determined it needed more information, particularly given recent cuts.

“Lowering the cash rate a third time within the space of four meetings would be unlikely to be consistent with the strategy of easing monetary policy in a cautious and gradual manner to achieve the Board’s inflation and full employment objectives,” the Bank said.

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The Reserve Bank has released the minutes of its last meeting to determine interest rates.

On 8 July, the RBA Board voted six to three to keep rates on hold at 3.85 per cent, surprising the market which had priced in a 0.25 per cent cut.

The minutes revealed the Bank agonised over the economic picture in Australia, noting subdued GDP growth, benign wage and services inflation and “a loss of momentum in activity.”

But the Bank was also presented with data that suggested that inflation was taking longer to fall into the 2-3 per cent range than forecast, employment remained tight and “private demand in the March quarter had been a little stronger than expected.”

Also clouding the decision to cut was the absence of a strong global market reaction to the impact of US tariffs. The relatively positive outcome in bond and equity markets suggested the global fallout might not be as destabilising as predicted.

“The reduced likelihood of the most severe scenarios materialising for the world economy meant that more weight could be placed on the baseline forecasts, and less on the downside scenario,” the minutes said.

Labor’s chief whip Jo Ryan is now nominating Milton Dick to be speaker again.

She jokes that there are “many stories I could share and, I dare say, some I should not” to prove why he was best for the job.

She also notes that during the previous parliament, there was a steady stream of Coalition, crossbench and Greens MPs heading into his office, such was his broad comfort and warmth, and says his dubious opinions about pineapple on pizza shouldn’t de a disqualifying factor.

Veteran Nationals MP Michael McCormack seconds the nomination, in an unusual display of bipartisanship.

He says Mr Dick has brought his own “panache and style” to the role.

“I rate him highly, and I am not alone,” he says.

On a more serious note, both commend Mr Dick’s commitment to civics education and bringing parliamentary education to schools around the country.

Mr Dick is re-elected unanimously, to applause across the chamber.