Pagers explode in Lebanon, Syria; double dissolution election threat dismissed; Labor, Greens clash over Help to Buy legislation [Video]

Thanks for reading the national news blog. This is where we’ll end today’s coverage.

To conclude, here’s a look back at the day’s major stories:

• Labor’s Help to Buy scheme was blocked in the Senate again today as the Greens joined forces with the Coalition to vote for more time to consider the bill.
• A sweeping review into Australia’s military justice watchdog kept secret for the last six months has been accidentally published online, revealing recommendations to make the body truly independent and allow it to investigate more deaths in the defence force.
• Three in 10 Australian families would get free childcare and others would get greater discounts under a $5 billion road map unveiled on Wednesday that the government has signalled will form a centrepiece of its re-election campaign.
• In Victoria, building unions are threatening a 72-hour wildcat strikethat would shut down construction activity …