NSW residents urged to conserve power – as it happened

Paul Erickson speaks at National Press Club; Bowen says energy system under pressure'; AEC says it will not conduct a recount in federal seat of Gilmore; foreign affairs minister's first trip to Solomon Islands since security deal with China; Victoria records 18 Covid deaths, NSW records 14. This blog is now closed

• Australia's minimum wage earners to receive $40 a week pay rise, Fair Work Commission rules
• Power shortages could hit eastern Australia as energy market operator scrambles to avoid outages
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Quick note:

NSW is reporting 7,260 new Covid cases and 14 deaths this morning.