Labor National Conference LIVE updates: Gas tax, AI on agenda as PM set to address party’s 50th National Conference in Adelaide

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the Labor Party’s 50th national conference.

The three-day triennial convention, which will serve as a launchpad for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s 2028 election bid, will see Labor insiders hash out what should be adopted into, or dropped from, the party policy platform.

While there are internal fears that the historically pugnacious affair has been too tightly stage-managed, expect to still see some debate.

Labor will lay the groundwork for a striking set of green energy moves including winding back tax credits for miners, while ministers have been downplaying the prospect of a tax on gas exports ahead of a fight on the popular proposal at the conference.

Former close allies have clashed after Labor dropped a call for listed terror group Hamas to disarm from its draft policy platform, jeopardising a plan for Jewish and Palestinian MPs to present a united front around the proposal.

Albanese has been toughening up his language on AI as unions prepare to push for greater worker protections.

And all against the backdrop of a surging populist movement in Australia. Stay with us as we bring you all the most important updates.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will set up his bid for a third term with a promise of further expensive cost of living measures to address financial stress fuelling One Nation’s ascension as he expands a program to pay health workers as they study.

However, Labor ministers are downplaying the prospect of a tax on gas exports before a fight at its national conference on the popular proposal, signifying tension in Labor ranks over how aggressively Albanese is pursuing populist causes.

Read more about the battle lines Albanese will draw in his speech to Labor faithful later today here.

This year’s Labor conference has a distinctly disciplined overtone compared to years past, all thanks to a man who once upon a time took on the frontbench and destabilised party leadership.

Our federal political correspondent, Natassia Chrysanthos, and chief political correspondent, Paul Sakkal, have detailed Prime Minister’s Anthony Albanese’s evolution from rebellious backbencher to controlling captain.

It was described, at the time, as a fiery meeting of Labor delegates. Bringing the heat was then-opposition frontbencher Anthony Albanese.

The debate was taking place behind closed doors, on the sidelines of the 2015 Labor Party national conference – an event that takes place about every three years, bringing MPs, unions, and party faithful together to shape a manifesto.

Then-opposition leader Bill Shorten wanted the Abbott government’s policy of turning back asylum seeker boats embedded in Labor’s platform. Albanese defied the leader.

“Unlike other caucus members I won’t just sit there and do nothing,” he told Left faction members. “This is a red line we cannot cross.” When it came to a vote on the floor of conference, Albanese voted against the policy. It was a vote of no confidence in Shorten that could have blown up his leadership.

You can read more here.