Curtains

Time to close the live blog. Debate will continue in the Senate for few more hours but we are not expecting a vote on legislation tonight, most likely tomorrow.

As we told you, it was close to a policy free zone in Question Time today. More so than usual with mentions of the harbourside mansion and the politics of envy. Matthew Doran will have some analysis of this shortly (it’s below in the blog).

Debate on the Racial Discrimination Act and business tax cuts continues. The former is likely to be voted down while the latter is still being negotiated. There have been calls to split both bills to get them through the Senate but the Government hasn’t moved in that direction so far.

The government secure a largely symbolic victory in the Senate on penalty rates, with the crossbench changing its mind and supporting a motion to block the rates cuts. But, it’s still got to get through the House of Representatives.

We heard from the newly installed head of the ACTU Sally McManus who defended her comments about breaking industrial laws when those laws can be described as unjust.

A big thanks to Stephanie Anderson for her updates and to Adam Kennedy for his photos throughout the day. I've leave you with some more of them.

The Prime Minsiter Malcolm Turnbull during a rather heated Question Time. Photo: ABC News/Adam Kennedy.