Channel Four Live Cam

Thursday 8 August, 2.00pm

Good afternoon, Jean Acheson here. Back in Canberra for what must rate as one of the most dramatic and tragic days in the life of our nation.

A little over an hour ago, Governor-General Mark Bradley signed a Minute from the Executive Council appointing Malcolm Redding as Australia’s acting prime minister.

Mr Redding’s jet is due to touch down in Canberra in twenty minutes. Once he’s on the ground, he’ll be taken to a security bunker under Parliament House where he’ll be sworn in. Then senior police and security personnel will brief him and his advisors on the fate of Prime Minister Michael Lansdowne.

I understand Mr Redding will remain in his bunker until the parliamentary triangle has been assessed for any threat to him and his team. And in news just in, Governor-General Bradley has signed another Minute which effectively puts the army onto the streets of Canberra. The army’s orders, and here I quote from the Minute, are to ‘safeguard the national interests of the Commonwealth of Australia from criminal activities and related violence.’ This is Jean Acheson. Back with more in a moment.