Australia politics live: Labor optimistic of nature laws deal with Greens; catastrophic fire warning for NSW’s central west

Albanese government hopeful of reaching agreement over EPBC reform; first top level fire warning in the state for two years. Follow latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNDIS providers who repeatedly breach a code of conduct designed to keep participants safe could face major fines of up to $16.5m in the latest federal government attempt to tighten up the scheme’s rules.The Albanese government will today introduce a new bill to introduce tougher penalties, and even jail time, for NDIS providers who engage in misconduct and unsafe practices.Where we see fraud, too often we see violence, abuse and neglect. This isn’t just about cracking down on the bad actors in the system, it’s also about keeping NDIS participants safe. These are common sense measures that are ready to go. We also know there’s more work to do.A strong economy is not an end in itself – but a means to an end. It is the means by which Jess, Matt and their kids can aspire to a better life.But the sad truth is that, today, our intergenerational compact is disintegrating – and all signs point to it only disintegrating further. Continue reading...