Australia politics live: Marles reveals $3bn worth of defence properties to be sold off as ‘much of it not being used’

From 1h ago 23.26 GMT Marles announces government to sell off $3bn in defence owned property The defence minister, Richard Marles, is announcing that the government will sell off $3bn in defence owned properties, which he calls the most “significant reform to Australia’s defence estate in our nation’s history”. Marles says the issues around the defence estate have been known within defence circles for “a very long time”. The sell-off comes after the government commissioned an audit of the estates. Marles says: For any organisation, its home, its land, its infrastructure, its bricks and mortar, is fundamental to what it can do, and that is most certainly the case when it comes to defence. What became clear was that defence as one of the largest owners of property in the country had a very significant estate, much of which was not being used. Marles quotes from the audit: Attempts to consolidate and rationalise property holdings in the past have been stymied by a lack of political and organisational will to overcome challenges … it is clear that maintaining the status quo is not an option. Richard Marles. Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images Share Updated at 23.39 GMT

10m ago 00.20 GMT Labor’s beer excise freeze passes parliament The government’s freeze on a beer excise has passed the House, but not without a touch of drama. The freeze, which will be in place for two years once it passes the Senate, will probably save consumers about one cent on a mid-strength pint. The Nationals tried to move two amendments to the bill, which found support from none other than Andrew Hastie and a couple of conservative Liberal allies, including Tony Pasin, Terry Young and Ben Small. The amendment also had support from a few crossbenchers including Nicolette Boele and Andrew Wilkie. None of the other Liberals were in the chamber to vote with the Nats. Share Updated at 00.26 GMT

22m ago 00.07 GMT Joe Hinchliffe Rangers hunt last dingo in pack after death of Canadian backpacker One dingo doomed to die remains at large on K’gari after wildlife rangers killed eight of its pack for their role in the death of Canadian backpacker Piper James on the world-heritage listed sand island off the Queensland coast. A coroner’s preliminary assessment, released four days after the 19-year-old died in the early hours of 19 January after going for a dawn swim on her own, found “physical evidence consistent with drowning” as well as “injuries consistent with dingo bites” – noting these were unlikely to have been fatal bites. As of Tuesday afternoon, the coroner was still “awaiting pathology results to further assist in determining the cause of death of Piper James” – a process expected to take several weeks. View image in fullscreen A wild pure bred dingo on K’gari (formerly known as Fraser Island) in Queensland. The island is home to an estimated 200 dingoes.