As it happened:David Johnston announced as new Defence Chief;Japan’s inclusion in AUKUS considered

Thanks for reading the live blog today. To wrap up,here’s a look back at the top stories we covered.

Thanks again for joining us,see you tomorrow.

A Chinese government and communist party delegation led by Zhao Leji,a senior party official,will pay a goodwill visit to North Korea.

The news was confirmed by North Korea’s official news agency KCNA and China’s foreign ministry on Tuesday.

Zhao’s visit will take place from Thursday to Saturday this week.

The visit by Zhao,a member of the powerful Political Bureau Standing Committee of the Chinese communist party,comes as Pyongyang seeks to expand diplomatic exchanges with its main political ally after lifting COVID-19 restrictions.

Reuters

Three more parks in Melbourne are being investigated by Victoria’s environment watchdog as more reports emerge of potential asbestos in mulch in the city’s western suburbs.

The Environmental Protection Authority revealed in a statement released on Tuesday afternoon it was now examining Dennis Reserve in Williamstown,overseen by Hobson’s Bay Council,where suspected traces of asbestos were discovered in mulch in garden beds near the Williamstown Bowling Club overnight.

Read more on the developing story here.

Labor MP Marion Scrymgour has praised the success of the “circuit breaker” Alice Springs youth curfew,crediting Northern Territory Chief Minister Eva Lawler for her “strong” leadership.

Speaking on ABC’sAfternoon Briefing,the member for NT seat of Lingiari said the curfew had “allowed the town and people who live here to just have some respite and breathe.”

Here’s what she said:

[The town needed] to take stock of what has happened. Not just recently but what has happened that has made the town so unsafe and the impact on Alice Springs for over 12 months.

I think that people have wanted the government to lead and take some responsibility for this.

All credit to Eva Lawler,she has been very strong about these decisions and I know that they have not been popular decisions. She has done this in the interest of the community,of the town,for businesses but also,more importantly,for the young ones that are on the street.

We cannot see this continue in this town and I applaud her leadership.”

Former defence secretary and ASIO boss Dennis Richardson told ABC’sAfternoon Briefing that Japan could “add real value” to the second pillar of the AUKUS agreement.

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AUKUS

Japan is set to join AUKUS – it won’t be the last country to do so

“I think pillar one,the nuclear submarines,Japan is not part of that. Pillar two,advanced technology,Japan itself is excellent in that respect. AI and all of that,I think that Japan would add real value,” Richardson said.

“There are issues relating to security around all the work that we do,but I think Japan would be a net positive.”

As for murmurs that other countries like New Zealand and Canada could also be brought into the fold,Richardson said each country would have to be considered individually.

It would need to be case-by-case. The fact is,Japan does have a history of leading-edge technology. They are engaged in development of advanced weaponry. They can add real value in terms of pillar two. The others would need to be assessed on their own merits.”

Dennis Richardson,the former secretary of defence,says Vice Admiral David Johnston’s elevation to Defence Force Chief is an “outstanding” appointment.

Joining ABC’sAfternoon Briefing,Richardson said Johnston is a very “decent” and “collaborative” person who “is respected across government and across the ADF”.

“Importantly,he shares the values of General Campbell,so there will be continuity in that respect,” Richardson continued.

Host Greg Jennett asked Richardson about claims outgoing ADF chief Angus Campbell was ‘woke’,with Richardson dismissed as “bizarre”.

“He took the very big decision as chief of army to initiate the Brereton review,which has led to a lot of things in relation to Afghanistan. That takes guts and it takes courage. That is not wokeness,that is bravery.”

The judge presiding over Bruce Lehrmann’s high-stakes defamation case against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson has set a new date for delivering his judgment after a surprise application from Ten led to a short delay.

Justice Michael Lee will hand down his decision in the case in Sydney on Monday,April 15,at 10.15am.

Read more on this latest development here.

Australia is forecast to fall well short of a landmark national goal to build 1.2 million homes in five years as worker shortages and planning hurdles cut into house construction.

Building industry forecasts released on Tuesday estimated about 1.09 million new homes would be started in five years from July.

About half of the 112,000 shortfall is expected to come from NSW and South Australia,while only the ACT is predicted to meet its portion of the agreement.

The forecasts come after official data showed the production of high-density homes was in reverse,with commencements in 2022/23 falling to a 12-year low.

Master Builders Australia said falling inflation and interest rates would lead to a more favourable investment market and a building turnaround.

But government efforts to increase supply were being countered by supply-side constraints such as workforce shortages,industrial-relations changes and poor planning systems.

“Workforce shortages continue to be the biggest challenge for the industry across all sectors,” Master Builders Australia chief executive Denita Wawn said.

“At a federal level,the government’s priority should be growing the building and construction workforce.”

AAP

Independent MP Monique Ryan has taken toX to share here dismay at the defacement of a Cenotaph in her electorate of Kooyong in inner-east Melbourne.

She said she was “appalled” to learn that the plaque of the St James Park Cenotaph has been stolen.

Sharing a post from the Hawthorn RSL branch with images of the defaced Cenotaph,Ryan said that the removal of the plaques is “senseless and offensive”.