PM

The Federal Government's plan to hold a plebiscite on same-sex marriage next February is all but dead. As expected, a meeting of the Labor caucus in Canberra today formally decided to block legislation to set up a plebiscite when it gets to the Senate. While the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is not yet conceding defeat, the Attorney General George Brandis seemed to - accusing the Opposition of driving a stake through the heart of marriage equality.

Today, the New South Wales Premier is a seriously diminished figure at the head of a coalition increasingly at odds with itself, after a spectacular turnaround on greyhound racing. Despite enduring public support, Mr Baird caved to opposition from the National Party to a state-wide ban on the sport.

BP has dumped plans for exploration drilling in the Great Australia Bight, it has declared, to focus on other opportunities. The oil and gas giant says the decision was made after a review which will see the company focus on short and medium-term gains from other projects. Green groups are overjoyed at the news, but at least one South Australian region says it stands to lose a massive economic boost.

It looked set to be one of the ugliest presidential debates ever, but there was slightly more restraint than expected when Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump met for their second encounter of the election campaign. But both before and after, Donald Trump went hard below the belt on Hillary Clinton's husband Bill, holding a press conference before the debate with the former president's rape accusers Juanita Broaddrick, Paula Jones and Kathleen Willey. All this against the background of Mr Trump boasting on tape 11 years ago about allegedly sexually assaulting women.

Brendon O'Connor is Associate Professor in American Politics at Sydney University's US Studies Centre. With Bill Clinton's rape accusers speaking before the debate and then in the spin room afterwards, he speaks to PM about Trump's tactics on this issue and what ramifications the revelations about Donald Trump's comments on sexual assault could have on the race to the White House.

After two failed bids to buy the S. Kidman and Co cattle empire, many are hoping this latest pitch will be the successful one. The joint offer by Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting and a Chinese developer is yet to be approved by the Foreign Investment Review Board. But even from the most vocal opponents, there is support for the deal, which would keep a majority stake of the iconic agricultural landholding in Australian hands.

Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten have led a debate on a parliamentary motion to call for equal rights and racial tolerance. The motion is modelled on a similar statement made in 1996 by then prime minister John Howard and Labor leader Kim Beazley. The motion calls on Parliament to recommit to Indigenous reconciliation, cultural diversity and a tolerant and open society.

Labor has also used the resumption of Parliament to try to ramp up the pressure on the Attorney-General George Brandis. A stoush between Senator Brandis and the Solicitor General escalated last week, when the Solicitor General contradicted the Attorney, saying he hadn't been consulted over major restrictions to his role. Senator Brandis insists there was consultation - it's just that the pair have a different idea about what that means.

Malcolm Turnbull has turned down an invitation to attend a forum on Liberal Party reform in New South Wales alongside Tony Abbott. But the Prime Minister's office insists Mr Turnbull will make a 'contribution'. Agreement to attend could have pushed Mr Turnbull into an open confrontation with lobbyist Michael Photios, the powerbroker who helped co-ordinated the coup that toppled Mr Abbott.

The Anglican Archbishop of Perth, Roger Herft, has announced he'll temporarily step down from the role. Roger Herft has been giving evidence to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. He says he's stepping aside while the commission continues its work into the Diocese of Newcastle. But survivors of child sexual abuse and their advocates argue he should stand down permanently.