Former UK PM Boris Johnson is scrambling to get back to UK for another shot at the top spot; the Conservative Party will vote for their new leader early next week. Follow updates here.
Deputy PM Richard Marles has said the federal government will increase investment in the Pacific, as it has lots of catching up to do in building relationships in the region.
“What we’ve seen over the last decade is a former Australian government which was not doing the work and that’s part of the issue here. There’s a lot of catch up that we need to do, but we are intent on doing it. And we are here in a very present way. Some $45 million will go to the AFP’s deployment in the Solomon Islands and $30 million to upgrade aerial surveillance. The ABC will also get $32 million to expand its content and transmission in the Pacific.