Australia news live: dozens paddle out in Sydney and Newcastle in solidarity with Gaza Flotilla; PM commits another $1.8bn to urgent care clinics

<p>Parents of Australian who was detained by IDF call for stronger government response. Follow updates live</p><ul><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p><strong>Canavan defends Coalition decision to preference One Nation ahead of independent in Farrer: ‘Socialists and communists always go last’</strong></p><p><strong>Matt Canavan</strong> said he understood why voters in Farrer, set for a byelection next Saturday, were disillusioned with the federal opposition.</p><p>I‘ve been down there for 20 days, 15 nights – and 10 of those I’ve been in a swag – over the past month.</p><p>I’m doing everything I can to fight for them. I’d love to fight for that great part of our country again, it’s a wonderful part of our nation where we pioneered the use of irrigation and dams. It still produces 40% of our food, 60% of our fruit.</p><p>Under my leadership, [in] my view, socialists and communists always go last.</p><p>I think we need to really see how the overseas conflict evolves, how prices evolve for oil. But I think, you know, it is doing what it was intended to do. It’s not a silver bullet, but it is providing material support for people. And as I said, it’s providing support for people who are really doing it tough when they can’t shift away from using petrol.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/may/03/politics-updates-liberals-nepean-byelection-victoria-anthony-albanese-labor-angus-taylor-matt-canavan-nationals-ntwnfb">Continue reading...</a>