National gun register the ‘next step’ for reform that John Howard started, Anthony Albanese says

Albanese praises ‘courage’ of former prime minister and those affected by Port Arthur massacre

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has praised John Howard’s “courage and determination” to legislate gun control in the wake of the Port Arthur massacre and says a national firearms register would be the “next step” for the reforms that began in 1996.

Albanese will make the remarks at the National Museum on Thursday at a ceremony with Howard and Walter Mikac, who lost his wife and two daughters at Port Arthur. The ceremony will mark correspondence between Mikac and Howard entering the museum’s collection.

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‘It’s still really, really raw’: Port Arthur massacre film Nitram premieres in Hobart to half-empty cinema

The controversial film’s first Tasmanian screening was described as ‘like going to a funeral’. How will it be received in a town that won’t speak the killer’s name?

There were no posters advertising the Tasmanian premiere of Nitram at the independent State Cinema, which took place on Thursday night.

Justin Kurzel’s new film dramatising the lead-up to 1996’s Port Arthur massacre, opened to a quiet, small crowd in the mass shooter’s home town of Hobart. Its trailers were not included in any other scheduling, and the film’s opening lagged two weeks behind its national release.

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Australia news live: health officials say hotel quarantine ‘fit for purpose’; Port Arthur massacre commemorated

Brendan Murphy says there are no plans to invest in purpose-built isolation facilities. Follow latest updates

A fatal truck crash has occurred this morning in Sydney.

A truck driver has died in a crash on Sydney's M7 which has caused massive delays. #9Today pic.twitter.com/CjCtFRgq91

Just for everyone who thought the mouse plague was over, here is a rather concerning pic from Dubbo.

Dubbo’s Amy Payten says her cat’s given up too and just watched the mice run by - the pic says it all! https://t.co/a3NviYp1xV pic.twitter.com/DERCpTwOWP

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One Nation and Port Arthur conspiracies: a long and dishonourable history

Pauline Hanson publicly denies the 1996 massacre was a set-up, but the believers have consistently found a home in her party

Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has been connected to supporters of the Port Arthur conspiracy theory since before the party was formed in 1997, despite repeated assurances from the Queensland senator that she had never believed the theory.

According to a Queensland political historian, it would take “a lot of good faith” to assume that Hanson has not been aware that those supporting the conspiracy theory had found safe harbour in One Nation over the past 20 years.

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