Sydney news

Only days into the new Parliament, the Turnbull Government has had a shock reminder of what it means to have a one-seat majority in the Lower House. Late yesterday, as MPs were getting ready to head home, Labor voted against the House of Representatives adjourning and won. With several Liberal MPs failing to show up to vote, including three senior ministers, the Opposition won three divisions in a row before the Government could muster a majority and close the proceedings down. It was a triumph

Some of Australia's future Indigenous leaders are in Sydney this week, as part of a national push to close the education gap. The event, known as 'The Gathering', is bringing together students from some of Australia's most remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. It's for students in years 9 and 10 who are part of the Indigenous Youth Leadership Project, which provides academically high-achieving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students with access to some of the country's

Justice Minister Michael Keenan was one of the three senior Government ministers absent last night when the Labor Opposition won three divisions in a row. Speaking with AM's Michael Brissenden, he takes full responsibility for his absence but insists the Government has a clear majority in the Parliament and dismisses the Opposition's win as a 'stunt'. He says last night's absence was a lesson that will not be repeated.