Federal politics live: Labor senator Fatima Payman won't be ...

This is what PM Albanese had to say:

With regard to Australia’s role, we had the police commissioner [Reece] Kershaw as part of the meeting … and that’s not by accident.

Because Australia has historically played a role in training, in delivering support for the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force which is there. What we’ve had is discussions that we’ll continue.

We will deliver very soon, as well, two vessels for the Solomon Islands. Importantly, they’re purpose built for the Solomons.They’ll be able to be repaired in the Solomons.

Some of the lessons of the past have been learnt in order to improve when we provide infrastructure, to make sure it’s sustainable, and to make sure we’re providing training and skills to maximise the benefit for the Solomon Islands going forward.

Jeremiah Manele says his nation's security partnerships, which include with China, are domestically focused. 

"We are trying to address internal security challenges. Of course, we do acknowledge and appreciate that our partners, China and Australia, they have security strategic interests as well. As a country, we have wider and deeper development interests, that it is important for us to work with all our partners to address these development challenges going forward," he says.

Solomon Islands PM Jeremiah Manele thanks Anthony Albanese for this invitation to visit Australia.

"Solomon Islands and Australia have enjoyed a durable and fruitful relationship that they developed over many decades," he says

"Bound together by one ocean, our rich culture and people to people connections. And guided by our mutual respect for each other's sovereignty.

"We are family. There is not much we can do about the fact we are very close neighbours because the all mighty God has put us close together."

He says the principle objective of the visit was to thank the government for all the assistance Australia has provided over the years.

Manele says the pair had "very frank discussions" about how to look at ways to lift the current relationship "to another level".

"During this visit we discussed many areas of mutually important strategic partnerships, ranging from the highly successful and mutually beneficial Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme, as [the PM] has eluded to, the investments in infrastructure, climate change, health, and the new Pacific engagement visa to mention a few."

Anthony Albanese says he's pleased the new Solomon Islands' PM chose Australia as the first place he's visited after his election.

"As PM Manele has said, Australia is Solomon Islands' partner of choice and we don't take this for granted," he says.

Albanese also thanked Manale for his invitation to visit the Solomon Islands.

He says the pair discussed how the two countries could work together.

"Australia is open to a stronger and deeper partnership with the Solomon Islands in accordance with their priorities," Albanese says.

Australia's next Governor-General's pay rise is locked in after the Senate voted to rubber stamp the $700,000 salary.

Samantha Mostyn will become the 28th holder of the office, and only the second woman, when sworn in next Monday.

But an bit of housekeeping to bring the pay packed up was needed before she started in the role.

Why? Because the current G-G, David Hurley, was the recipient of a military pension, the salary was decreased.

Labor had argued the pay needed to be increased to be comparable to the chief justice of the High Court, and it couldn't be changed during the G-G's term.

So it had to be done before Monday. 

The Greens moved an amendment to try and stop the pay rise but were knocked back 10 votes to 29. 

It argued that during the cost of living crisis, Mostyn's salary shouldn't be bumped up.

It ended up passing with the support of the Coalition, 24 votes to 11.

A Defence official solicited a bottle of champagne from a French-owned defence contractor and handed over confidential information, a scathing audit report has found.

The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) has detailed evidence of "unethical conduct" involving a 10-year contract for French company Thales to run two Commonwealth-owned munitions facilities considered crucial for future domestic missile production.

Acting Auditor-General Rona Mellor has found the defence giant received the $1.2 billion contract to run the Mulwala and Benalla ventures in 2020, despite an assessment finding its bid was "deficient", "high risk" and did not offer value for money.

Read more from defence correspondent Andrew Greene:

A months-long stalemate over the instant asset write-off ended last night to little fanfare.

The Coalition had been holding out on the legislation to temporarily increase the write-off threshold to $20,000, demanding it be lifted to $30,000 instead.

But with only days left until the threshold was due to drop back to $1,000, the Coalition buckled and voted for the legislation in the upper house.

It means small businesses with a turnover of up to $10 million will be able to write off $20k from work equipment, such as utes, ovens or fridges.

A happy EOFYS, indeed.

Turning to other matters, Australia's energy market operator has forecast nearly 80 per cent of homes will be powered by rooftop solar by 2050.

As national regional affairs reporter Jane Norman reports, this could potentially reduce the need for investment in "utility-scale" wind and solar farms.

Read more below:

Adam Bandt has challenged other Labor members to follow senator Fatima Payman's lead after she crossed the floor in support of a Greens motion calling for Palestinian statehood.

Speaking with ABC News Breakfast, the Greens leader said Payman had set the bar for other Labor MPs who have been vocal on Palestine, including Peter Khalil, Ged Kearney and Justine Elliott.

"If a first-term young senator can cross the floor to do the right thing, then other Labor MPs have run out of excuses," he says. 

"They've got no more excuses. They have multiple opportunities to cross the floor and they haven't done it.

"There are practical things that Labor could do to put pressure on this extreme Netanyahu government to stop the invasion, including recognise Palestine, and Labor has refused to do any of that. We are going to keep pushing."

Solomon Islands' new PM Jeremiah Manele is in Australia on his first state visit since taking office.

Manele will meet with counterpart Anthony Albanese to discuss strengthening bilateral relations between the two nations.

There is an official welcome underway on the parliament forecourt, which includes an ADF guard of honour, the national anthems and a 19-gun salute.

In the end, Richard Marles reiterates the Labor caucus has the agency to do what it pleases, especially on the issue of Palestine.

"So is this a particular issue? Yes, but others might occur in the future," he says. 

"The fundamental point here is there is no mandated consequence in the rules and that’s the point.

"And the caucus has agency in terms of how it manages this going forward, and how we seek to manage this particular issue.

"Yes, this issue in relation to the Middle East, is to do so in a way which gives expression to the idea that we want to bring Australians together.

"The final point I make on this is what is really important here is Senator Payman has made absolutely clear that she wants to continue to represent the people of WA as a Labor senator as she was elected, and that's what she'll continue to do."

PK: I understand. What I'm trying to get to is, is there something special just about this issue?

MARLES: There is no mandated consequence and the caucus has agency.

PK: So if she crossed the floor on something else, would she face a consequence? If it was China, or if it was on Myanmar, would [Fatima Payman] face consequence then?

MARLES: Members of our caucus absolutely understand their obligations as part of our caucus. The caucus has agency in terms of how it manages each and every case and there is no mandated consequence for this.

PK: So is it your view that Palestine is a specific issue. That's what I want to find out.

MARLES: (repeats much of the above answer before continuing) ... We're going to manage this in a way which lives what we are seeking to do in the community, and that is bringing Australians together. You don't bring Australians together if you send a message in terms of our behaviour here, that we're about to expel people, impose consequences, because of their particular view on this issue. 

Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd  walked into a court house in Saipan alongside WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. 

Neither addressed the media ahead of the hearing. Assange is expected to enter a guilty plea for one charge relating to disclosing natural security material, sentenced to five years and released given time served in a British jail.

For those looking to follow along for all of the latest on Julian Assange, then head over to our live blog.

Richard Marles fronted up to do the media rounds this morning, where the deputy prime minister was grilled about what's next for senator Fatima Payman. 

He insisted she would not be expelled from Labor despite breaking party protocol and voting against party lines.

Speaking with ABC's RN Breakfast, the DPM says now is not the time to be "going around expelling people because they're expressing a particular opinion".

Host Patricia Karvelas (PK) asks if crossing the floor no longer a significant issue in Labor?

MARLES: Of course, it's a significant issue.

PK: Just not on this issue?

MARLES: It's a significant issue. And I think if you were to ask Senator Payman, she would say it was a very significant issue. There isn't a mandated consequence for this within our rules. It's actually not with our precedent, and we're going to handle this in a sensible and a mature way.

It's all a bit complicated. Labor party rules state that all members must vote in line with the position taken by the Labor caucus.

It is then up to the caucus to decide what happens next, which can include being suspended from the partyroom.

Expulsion from Labor altogether is a matter for the party's national executive.

ICYMI, last night Labor senator Fatima Payman crossed the floor to vote against her party on a Greens motion calling for the Senate to recognise the State of Palestine.

Both the government and the Coalition tried to pass amendments but failed.

It is the first time a Labor politician has crossed the floor while Labor is in government since 1988.

Senator Payman has recently been critical of the government's response to the Israel-Gaza war.

Recently, Payman resigned from two party and parliamentary committees tasked with scrutinising government policy on defence and foreign affairs.

If you need a refresher, political reporter Tom Crowley has all the details for you:

Welcome to our politics live blog. Courtney Gould from ABC's Parliament House team here to take you through the day.

I'll bring you all the details as they come in, so stay tuned.