South Australia to become last state to decriminalise abortion after early morning debate.

Abortion will be eliminated from South Australia's criminal code after more than 22 hours of parliamentary debate, with the bill to return to the Legislative Council for a final vote.

Debate in the Lower House over legislation to move abortion out of the South Australian criminal code continued well into Friday morning, passing 29 votes to 15.

Legislation already passed through the Upper House last year.

Because several compromise amendments were passed, the bill will now return to the Council for a final vote, but action groups are already celebrating it as a win.

The bill will mean abortion will now be treated entirely as a health issue, thereby bringing South Australia in line with the country's other state and territories.

A bill for safe, legal and compassionate access to abortion care has just been passed by SA's lower house!!! 29 votes to 15. Thank you to all the MPs who have championed this reform, and to our partners in advocacy for more compassionate laws, including @SA_AAC & @rightsagenda

— Fair Agenda (@FairAgenda)

"To all of my parliamentary colleagues involved in tonight's debate on this groundbreaking bill: no-one is interested in your carefully curated arguments, or your capacity to audition for your local debating team. South Australians want you to demonstrate compassion and respect," wrote Human Services Minister Michelle Lensink on Twitter mid-debate.

To all of my parliamentary colleagues involved in tonight's debate on this groundbreaking bill: no-one is interested in your carefully curated arguments, or your capacity to audition for your local debating team. South Australians want you to demonstrate compassion and respect.

— Michelle Lensink (@miclensink)

Federal Liberal Member for Boothby Nicolle Flint replied, accusing Ms Lensink of being patronising.

Amendments introduced to the bill on Wednesday require two doctors to determine that "the termination is necessary to save the life of the pregnant person or save another foetus", or that continuing with the pregnancy would cause "significant risk of injury to physical or mental health".

Bill is read a third time. 29 ayes 15 noes. Termination of Pregnancy Bill has passed the House of Assembly. Even with the amendments this is a historic day and a very decisive margin supporting the regulation of abortion as health care #saparli pic.twitter.com/qYs2WWsIQs

— SA Abortion Action Coalition 🧡 (@SA_AAC)

PM stands firm against Facebook over code as world leaders condemn move.

Scott Morrison is standing firm against Facebook over his government's media code, calling the social media giant arrogant and disappointing for shutting down emergency services pages along with Australian news.

Facebook banned access to news pages across Australia in response to the proposed code, which would force it to pay local media companies for content.

The prime minister says he won't be intimidated.

"Facebook's actions to unfriend Australia today, cutting off essential information services on health and emergency services, were as arrogant as they were disappointing," Mr Morrison said in a statement on his Facebook page.

"These actions will only confirm the concerns that an increasing number of countries are expressing about the behaviour of big tech companies, who think they are bigger than governments and that the rules should not apply to them.

"They may be changing the world, but that doesn't mean they run it."

He has implored Facebook to continue working with the government on the code.

In the sweep of news pages Facebook also shut down a raft of health and emergency services, many of which have been restored. Smaller groups like the Danila Dilba Health Service, an Aboriginal organisation, were still blocked on Thursday evening.

UK MP Julian Knight has called Facebook's move "bully boy action" that he says will "ignite a desire to go further amongst legislators around the world. We represent people and I'm sorry but you can't run a bulldozer over that - and if Facebook thinks it'll do that it will face the same long-term ire as the likes of big oil and tabacco."

Reynolds breaks down in the Senate over Higgins allegations with new texts suggesting the PM's office knew.

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds has broken down in the Senate and was unable to continue as questions are asked over the Federal Government's response to Brittany Higgins' alleged rape.

Higgins says she was raped by a male staffer in Ms Reynolds' office in March 2019, with the West Australian Senator telling Question Time on Thursday she was "deeply sorry" Higgins didn't feel supported.

"If I could have indulgence to answer this on Monday? I think I'd be in a better position to answer this one Monday," Reynolds asked, overcome with emotion at the line of questioning.

"If… can you just give me a minute. Or can I take it on notice?"

BREAKING: statement from the @AusFedPolice: A senior member of the Australian Federal Police met with Minister Linda Reynolds and her chief-of-staff on 4 April 2019 in relation to allegations of sexual assault in the Minister’s office on 23 March, 2019. @10NewsFirst

— Stela Todorovic (@Stela_Todorovic)

The Prime Minister told parliament on Thursday that MPs, senators and staff had been left “traumatised” over the fallout from the scandal, announcing he would rush in emergency counsellors to help those affected by the recounting of the harrowing details.

The Prime Minister's claim that his office didn't know about the alleged rape until this year has also come into question, with news.com.au reporting new text messages between Higgins and another Liberal staffer showing his office was in fact informed.

After confiding that she'd received "jacks***" support, the staffer said he'd take the matter to a friend who worked for the prime minister.

"Spoke to PMO (Prime Minister’s Office). He was mortified to hear about it and how things have been handled,” the text from April 3, 2019 reads.

"He’s going to discuss with COS (Chief of Staff) — no one else. I flagged need for councillor (sic) and desire to be closer to home during election."

New text puts Scott Morrison’s office in spotlight https://t.co/n7cXgDIEeL @rosieslewis pic.twitter.com/lAOGTQff5f

— Kylar Loussikian (@kloussikian)

Brisbane armed stand-off continues.

Hostage negotiators are continuing efforts on Friday morning to persuade an armed man holed up in a Brisbane property since Thursday morning to surrender.

Police say the stand-off at the property, near Banoon train station, Sunnybank, started about 11am on Thursday.

They won't confirm media reports the man is holding a five-year-old child hostage but said on Thursday evening there were a number of people still in the home.

#BREAKING: TODAY reporter @R_DAlessandro9 has heard two to three gunshots coming from a home in Sunnybank. #9Today pic.twitter.com/O4V0z4gsQT

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow)

The man is known to police and officers have visited the location before.

"Police are concentrating on coming to a peaceful resolution to the incident," Acting Inspector Mick Ackery said.

"Specialist police or making all attempts to engage with the person in the house."

People are urged to avoid the area.

Former NSW priest charged with abusing boy.

A former priest has been charged with the historical sexual assault of a boy at a school at Bathurst, in central western NSW.

Last year Strike Force Belle detectives received a report of the sexual assault of a nine-year-old boy in the mid 80's.

Officers from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad arrested an 85-year-old former priest at a home in Randwick, in Sydney's east on Thursday.

He was taken to Maroubra Police Station and charged with two counts of sexual intercourse with person under the age of 10 and three counts of sexual intercourse with a person 10 and under 16 who was under