Australia news live: Tasmanian election delivers another hung parliament; search under way for missing fisherman on NSW south coast | Australia news

Investigation launched after motorcyclist dies in crash during police pursuit

NSW police have declared a critical incident and launched an investigation after a man died in a crash during a police pursuit in the state’s Lake Macquarie region on Saturday night.

In a statement early Sunday morning, police said they attempted to stop a motorbike on King Street in Hamilton about 7.30pm on Saturday, as it did not appear to have number plates

When the vehicle did not stop as directed, a pursuit commenced, police said.

The statement said:

The pursuit travelled south on the Pacific Highway at Charlestown, where the male rider came off the bike a short time later.

The rider – a man believed to be aged in his 20s – was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics but died at the scene. He is yet to be formally identified.

The investigation will be subject to an independent review by the Professional Standards Command and oversight by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, police said. A report will be prepared for the coroner.

Why young Australian families are turning away from foster care

Robyn and Nick Lloyd have been foster carers for a decade, welcoming more than 30 kids into their home. There’s a financial and emotional toll to being a carer, but also joy attached to providing a safe environment for some of society’s most vulnerable members.

Some of the foster children stay with them a few days, others for months. They cared for one little boy for two years.

The Sydney couple, who have three biological daughters, have drawn on support networks during their time as foster carers, including their local Anglican church members and an older fostering couple down the street who were fill-in grandparents for some of the younger foster kids.

Robyn also regularly meets a group of about 20 carers living in her area. But she has noticed that the group is rarely replenished with younger members, raising concerns that the next cohort of carers has gone missing.

Australia’s living and housing costs are so extreme that younger families – mainly millennials – who would typically represent the next generation of carers have neither the time nor spare bedroom to foster. And there are extreme shortages of carers for large sibling groups, teens and children with complex needs.

Read the full story here:

Australian GPs back government’s ‘staunch defence’ of PBS as US tariff threat looms

The peak body for Australian doctors has vocalised its support for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and the federal government’s defence of it in the face of possible US tariffs.

The Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) said in a statement on Sunday that the PBS was one of Australia’s most important programs for health access and equity.

Its president, Dr Michael Wright, said:

The PBS, along with affordable access to high-quality specialist general practice care, is a crucial part of the Australian health system and critical in ensuring everyone has affordable access to the care they need.

As GPs, we know our patients can’t and shouldn’t pay the price of US-style healthcare. The PBS means when we prescribe the treatments our patients need, we know they will be able to access them at an affordable price.

The RACGP said it supported the federal government’s “staunch defence” of the program. The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, launched a defence of it after US drug companies attacked it in a US government submission during trade talks earlier this year. The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, echoed his concerns at the G20 summit this week.

Wright said:

The power of the PBS to deliver affordable medicines cannot be up for negotiation. The PM and Treasurer are right to back it in the face of pressure from overseas interests.

Healthcare is a fundamental right, and we should all be steadfast in our support for the PBS.

Australia is a small piece of the global market for medicines, but the PBS means we speak with a powerful voice. Medicare and the PBS both must be strong to deliver affordable healthcare.

Race to form minority government in Tasmania as Labor scores worst-ever result in state

To the Tasmanian election now, which has delivered another hung parliament, and both the Labor and Liberal parties facing a negotiation period to form government.

A roughly 3% swing to the Liberals secured them 14 seats to Labor’s nine – the worst-ever result in Tasmania for the Labor party, at just 26% of the primary vote.

The Labor leader, Dean Winter, said:

The result of this election is that the Liberals will have the most seats, but it is uncertain as to how they will achieve a majority. Another election is not an option, which means we need to figure this out.

The Greens have retained at least five seats, while three independents have won seats. Counting is expected to extend for up to weeks to determine the outcome of four undecided seats. Rockliff would need to work with left-leaning independents on the cross-bench to govern.

Independents Kristie Johnston and Craig Garland, who both voted for the June no-confidence motion against Rockliff that triggered the election, have been returned.

Johnston urged the next premier to be more collaborative and said she wouldn’t enter into a formal deal for confidence and supply with either major party. She told AAP:

They need to negotiate and respect the views of parliament.

Anti-salmon activist and independent Peter George has been elected after a strong campaign in the federal election.

The Greens leader, Rosalie Woodruff, has called on Winter to “have a conversation” about forming an alliance with her party. However, Winter has repeatedly ruled out doing a deal with the Greens and on Saturday night also said he wouldn’t “be trading away any of Labor’s policies or our values”.

– AAP

A sweeping search is under way for a fisher missing on the New South Wales south coast.

Emergency services were called to Batemans Bay Marina about 8pm on Saturday after a man, 56, failed to return from a day’s fishing trip, NSW police said in a statement on Sunday morning.

The man had left the marina about 6am in an 8m Arvor cruiser and was last heard from about 10am, police said. Emergency services were alerted about 7.20pm when he failed to return.

The Marine Area Command launched a search operation, which continued throughout the night, involving vessels from the command, Marine Rescue NSW and a fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter. Neither the man nor the boat have been found.

The search continues with additional assistance from Surf Life Saving NSW.

Good morning, folks. My name is Stephanie Convery, and I’ll be bringing you all the live news and updates you could need on this Sunday, 20 July.

We’re going to start in Tasmania, where yesterday’s state election has resulted in another hung parliament. The Liberal leader and incumbent premier, Jeremy Rockliff, declared victory on Saturday night after his party secured 14 seats to Labor’s nine, but both are short of the 18 required for a majority.

Rockliff said he would ask the governor to recommission his government. However, the Labor leader, Dean Winter, didn’t concede defeat and appeared to leave the door open to governing if the Liberals couldn’t make it work.

More on that story shortly.

It’s been a frosty and cold start to the day in many parts of Australia, but hopefully some news – and a nice big mug of coffee – will start to warm you up. Let’s get stuck in.