Australia politics live: Labor optimistic of nature laws deal with Greens; harsher fines and jail time for NDIS breaches under new bill

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 podcastChalmers defends department ‘savings’ The treasurer Jim Chalmers, who’s doing the media rounds this morning, is next to defend the “savings” the departments have to come up with.What the Coalition was proposing was to cut tens of thousands of jobs. What we are proposing or what we’re asking departments to suggest is ways to reprioritise their lower priority spending so that we can invest it in higher priority areas.There’s absolutely areas in the public service where we do need to think about making sure that we’re spending taxpayers money wisely.[There’s a] trillion dollars worth of debt, $50,000 in interest repayments every single minute of every single day because they refuse to make the tough decisions and now you’ve got