Live: Plibersek defends PM's attendance at dinner hosted by billionaire family

Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek has defended the prime minister's attendance at an intimate dinner hosted by a billionaire family. Follow all the updates in our live blog. Mon 27 Jul 2026 at 7:28amMon 27 Jul 2026 at 7:28amAusAlert test will allow government to trial warning system at national scaleA test of Australia's new emergency management system, AusAlert will happen at 2pm AEST today, and sound on millions of smartphones.You can read more about the test, and the exact times of where the test will take place in your part of the country right here.Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain says the test will examine how the cell broadcast works at scale.She says the nine community based trials to date have been successful, and that the system needed to be tested at a larger scale."Today the national test is testing how the cell broadcast technology works at scale. We obviously need to know that we can send millions of messages across the country in near real time," McBain says. "We've done that with our community based trials in smaller areas, so today it is about testing that national system at scale."Just a reminder, if for whatever reason you don't want to receive the alert today, turn off your phone at least one hour before the test, or put it on aeroplane mode.Keep your device off or in aeroplane mode for during and at least 24 hours after the test.Mon 27 Jul 2026 at 7:19amMon 27 Jul 2026 at 7:19amAndrew Bragg suggests Liberals open to deal with One NationAndrew Bragg has suggested the Liberals would be open to forming a coalition with One Nation after the next federal election.Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has previously ruled out doing a deal with the right-wing party to form government.Asked whether the Liberals and One Nation would join forces before the next election, the shadow housing minister raised the prospect of a preference deal."We'll work out preferences before the next election but one thing we won't be is in a coalition with the unions and the big super funds, which is all this government is," he said.But pressed on the possibility of a coalition with One Nation, the shadow minister suggested the opposition was open to it."If there needs to be a coalition, we'll work it out then, but we won't be in a coalition with the unions and the big super funds," he said.Mon 27 Jul 2026 at 7:18amMon 27 Jul 2026 at 7:18amTanya Plibersek defends PM's attendance at intimate dinner hosted by billionaire's sonSocial Services Minister Tanya Plibersek has defended the prime minister's attendance at an intimate dinner hosted by a billionaire family.Nine newspapers revealed Anthony Albanese had attended the dinner at the mansion of 25-year-old Felix Lee in Point Piper, Sydney.Lee's father, Phillip Dong Fang Lee, faces allegations of deceiving the Australian Tax Office (ATO) about his holdings in order to channel huge sums into Australian bank accounts.Speaking to Channel Seven, Plibersek has spruiked the federal government's electoral donation disclosure changes and says the PM goes to dinners all the time."He's the prime minister. He goes to dinners every night of the week, just about, and he meets and he meets with people all the time. It is actually part of the job," Plibersek says."You don't know everything about everyone before you walk into these situations and the guy, the guy that you're talking about wasn't at the dinner. It was at his son's place.Nationals leader Matt Canavan says the story "stinks" and called on Labor to give back any donations provided by the family.Mon 27 Jul 2026 at 7:08amMon 27 Jul 2026 at 7:08amGood morning 👋Hello and welcome to our federal politics live blog. It's great to have you join us here bright and early this Monday morning!I'm Josh Boscaini, joining you live from Parliament House in Canberra and ready to bring you all of today's federal politics news.Tanya Plibersek has defended the prime minister's attendance at a fundraising dinner hosted by a billionaire family in Sydney.Nine newspapers reports reveal Anthony Albanese had attended the dinner at the mansion of 25-year-old Felix Lee in Point Piper, Sydney.Lee's father, Phillip Dong Fang Lee, is under investigation by the Australian Tax Office (ATO).And millions of Australian smartphones will sound at 2pm AEST today to test AusAlert, Australia's new emergency warning system.Let's get this show on the road!!