On that note, we are going to wrap up this very strange, slow-moving day.
Senate-only weeks tend to be a bit like that. Either completely insane, and seat of your pants, or watching paint dry. There is no in-between.
But we made it through the day. And so did every political leader in this country, so at this point you have to chalk that up as a win.
Thank you to everyone in the Guardian brains trust for helping me through, particularly Mike Bowers, who managed to prod me back to life during Senate question time. It was touch and go there (and if you’d like to see a little more of our day, head to the story at Pyjama Politics on Instagram. You’ll find that here).
And a very big thank you to everyone for following along. It was nice to be able to spend a little more time than usual with you below the line. We’ll be back tomorrow, just after 8am, with all our senators. Although, I think you know as well as I do it won’t be the Senate dominating our conversation. Batman, energy, tax and just the politics of politics still has a way to run this week.
Have a lovely evening and take care of you.
Updated
And for those asking, yes Bill Shorten and Penny Wong did meet with Aung San Suu Kyi today.
We understand they raised human rights issues and the reports about what was happening to the Rohingya people, as well as the concerns of the Australian people. We understand the discussion was “substantive”.
Malcolm Turnbull:
We are the land of droughts and flooding rains and we are the land of bushfires ... but clearly this is an environment, we have an environment which has extremes, and bushfires are part of Australia, as indeed are droughts and floods.
Updated
The National Disaster Relief Assistance Scheme has been activated for the NSW bushfires, Angus Taylor says.
Malcolm Turnbull is now addressing the media. He defers to one of the emergency service experts over questions about emergency text messages not being received by everyone.
Asked about the Greens raising climate change as one of the reasons for the natural disasters hitting the country, he says “this is not the time to politicise a disaster such as this” and he is “disappointed” they raised it.
And the official cancellation:
On Tuesday 20 March the Lowy Institute was scheduled to host a speech by Myanmar state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. Following the speech, the state counsellor was to take questions from the audience.
This afternoon the Lowy Institute was informed by the Myanmar embassy that the state counsellor will no longer be able to participate in this event as she is not feeling well.
Accordingly, the event is now cancelled. We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused.
***end statement***
Updated
Malcolm Turnbull is addressing the Bega fire response centre. He just called Labor’s Mike Kelly to the microphone, so a show of bipartisan support there.
.@TurnbullMalcolm: Above all, I would like to thank the communities of Tathra and Bega for pulling together in the face of the fires.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) March 19, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/SCs0agwCUL #Speers pic.twitter.com/5x8C95OQE4
Updated
Big development - I’m hearing that Aung San Suu Kyi has now cancelled this speech, citing illness. Seeking to confirm this with her office https://t.co/58WQTQjMf0
— Stephen Dziedzic (@stephendziedzic) March 19, 2018
Malcolm Turnbull is meeting with people in the Bega fire response centre.
There are a lot of people in that room who don’t know what they will be returning to, when Tathra is declared safe to return to.
Christopher Knaus has an update here.
Updated
And elsewhere in #auspol – Tim Wilson and his (now) husband Ryan Bolger (belated congratulations) received free suits for their wedding. (He has declared it)
#auspol influencer! pic.twitter.com/djas2NXxSu
— Jackson Gothe-Snape (@jacksongs) March 19, 2018
Updated
Meanwhile, over at (certain factions) of the Greens:
As a former three term co-convenor of the Greens in Western Australia, I’m calling on @RichardDiNatale to resign. https://t.co/z6jYjPPBT9
— Grahame (@GrahameBowland) March 19, 2018
Senate question time ends and, honestly, that could not come a moment too soon.
Malcolm Turnbull is scheduled to speak from Bega in the next few minutes, so I’ll run back to the office and bring you that.
Updated
Don Farrell has a series of questions over the Cambridge Analytica revelations (which if you haven’t caught up on, you really should) over what laws are in place to protect Australians from a similar breach of privacy.
Mitch Fifield talks about the nation’s privacy laws but he will investigate further if needed. Asked about Guardian Australia’s report that Cambridge Analytica representatives met with members of the Liberal party executive, and whether or not he can offer assurances no illegally obtained information will be used, Fifield says he can’t speak for the Labor party but “the Liberal party always complies with the relevant laws”.
Updated
Marise Payne is being asked by Janet Rice about George Christensen’s comments speaking out against government funds being used to fund abortions.
Queensland’s right to life groups held an event over the weekend in Brisbane, where they say about 4,000 people turned up. (I say “they say” because I was not there, and cannot comment either way) That’s where Christensen made the comments, and where George Brandis’s replacement, Amanda Stoker, also addressed the crowd.
AAP covered the event, and the comments, here
Payne says there are no planned changes.
Updated
Sky doesn’t appear to have crossed to Senate question time, and the ABC seems, at least from the Tveeder feed, to have moved on to Gardening Australia. (I know 24 is rightly concentrating on the bushfires)
Not exactly a ringing endorsement.
Just before I lost my feed, Concetta Fierravanti-Wells was attempting to not answer a question about the government’s plan to axe the pension energy supplement. (Having axed the carbon charge, the government says the supplement is no longer needed, but it is not as if pensions have risen lately, or come anywhere close to covering the cost of living.)
Updated
One Nation’s Brian Burston asks a series of questions about the firefighting foam being investigated in various defence force sites and surrounds across the nation. I missed most of it but Burston has made several statements on this issue, if you are interested – you’ll find those on his Twitter page.
He doesn’t get the answers he was after, because his queries are outside of Bridget McKenzie’s immediate portfolio knowledge.
Matt Canavan gets a series of dixers, which give him an opportunity to talk about how much he enjoys the mining industry.
Updated
Michaelia Cash answers a question in the senate, her first since "the incident"-Labor's Murray Watt shouted across the chamber " I can't see you from behind that white board" @AmyRemeikis @GuardianAus @murpharoo #politicslive https://t.co/BIXyvP26cv pic.twitter.com/7XGMjgdiwF
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) March 19, 2018
Murray Watt is next, with a series of questions for Michaelia Cash (“mining jobs, Murray” the government benches start yelling).
(I do think the standard of heckling could be stepped up, on both sides, in this chamber, but moving on ...)
Watt:
I refer to reports that the minister may be cross-examined in court over her knowledge of and involvement in the leaking of AFP operational information concerning their raid on AWU offices. Can the minister confirm to the Senate that she will make herself available to the court and that she will not resist any subpoena?
Cash:
At this point in time, it is merely a statement that has been made by the AWU, nothing more and nothing less.
Watt:
Will any cross-examination in court be the minister’s first time answering questions about her involvement in the leaking of AFP operational information or has the minister answered questions in an interview with the AFP already?
Cash:
Again, in relation to the first part of the question, it is merely a hypothetical and, in relation to the second part of the question, that was addressed by the AFP at estimates.
Watt:
When will this minister stop misleading the Senate and hiding the truth and come clean on her involvement in the leaking of AFP operational material?
(Barry O’Sullivan jumps up to say it is a very serious allegation to say someone has misled the Senate. Penny Wong responds with “it is beyond dispute that the minister misled the Senate in Senate estimates. I think it was on seven occasions which she then had to correct. That is beyond dispute, I don’t think even the minister disputes that. She disputes whether or not she knew it.”) Cash answers the question.
Cash:
In relation to Senator Watt’s question, I completely reject the premise of the question and, in relation to Senator Wong’s points she has made, Senator Wong, you’ll be aware that I answered all questions based on the knowledge I had at the time. When that knowledge changed, I addressed the Senate.
Wong jumps up to correct the record, saying that it was actually five occasions, not seven, and Ian Macdonald is triggered, yelling that Cash can get up as many times as she wants. And there are rules to be followed. “Special rules for Penny,” he says. “Glad you agree, Macca,” a Labor senator yells back.
It’s almost like being back in estimates.
Updated
First supplementary question:
McKim:
I compare your government bending over backwards for white South Africans to the utter indifference you’ve shown to the textbook case of ethnic cleansing happening right now to the Rohingya people in Myanmar. Why are you offering bribes to the Rohingya people you have detained on Manus Island and Nauru to induce them to return to face danger and deprivation in Myanmar while offering special attention to white South African farmers? Is it the colour of their skin, minister?
Fifield:
I completely reject the premise of Senator McKim’s question. Australia’s position in relation to our border protection arrangements and offshore processing is well known. I should point out that Australia, in terms of Rohingyas, will provide four million to help respond to atrocities, in terms of humanitarian response. This will bring Australia’s assistance and other affected communities in Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Going to the other part of Senator McKim’s question. The minister for home affairs has been clear that he has asked his department to have a look at options and ways in which Australia could provide some assistance in the circumstance.
Final supplementary:
Given this government’s preference for white refugees, its attempts to introduce university-level English tests for people from non-white countries, racially motivated attacks on Victoria’s African communities, the member for Dawson’s constant flirting with white supremacists and neo-Nazis without rebuke by the prime minister, how can there be any other conclusion that white nationalism is at the heart of this government?”
Fifield declares that to be a form of “monologuing” and doesn’t deserve an answer.
Updated
Nick McKim to Mitch Fifield: (for those unfamiliar with the Senate processes, government senators represent ministers from the other place for the purpose of QT)
Last week, Minister Dutton was asked about white South African farmers and he said this. ‘I do think, on the information I’ve seen, people do need help and they need help from a civilised country like ours.’ He also said, ‘I think these people deserve special attention and we are certainly applying that special attention now.’ Can you confirm, minister, as suggested by Minister Dutton’s rhetoric, that the government has decided to readopt the white Australia policy?
Fifield:
Obviously what Senator McKim said is patently absurd.
(“As usual” someone from the government pops up with)
Fifield:
I could, after having said that, legitimately sit down, Mr President ... (Michaelia Cash urges him to continue) but let me indicate that Australia operates a global and nondiscriminatory humanitarian program. The government is committed to a responsive and targeted humanitarian program which assists people in greatest humanitarian need of resettlement. Decisions in relation to the composition of the humanitarian program are made by the minister and take into account a range of factors, including global resettlement needs and the views of the community. The program now sits, as colleagues would be aware, at 16,250 and will move to 18,750 next program year.
Updated
The prime minister is on the move:
#BREAKING: Prime Minister @TurnbullMalcolm will visit the fire-damaged area of Tathra later this afternoon.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) March 19, 2018
Michaelia Cash gets the next series of dixers.
Murray Watt enjoys this, if only because he gets to yell “where are you? We can’t see you for the whiteboard” across the chamber.
Updated
Final supplementary question:
Wong:
I’m sure he’ll enjoy that (in relation to Hewson being wrong). The government’s discussion paper notes the revenue concerns with the dividend imputation cash refunds. The former Liberal leader says they make no economic sense. Can the minister explain why the treasurer has ruled out dealing with cash refunds even for the wealthiest recipients?
Cormann:
The whole point of the tax refund, the income tax refund that Labor is complaining about now after more than 20 years of bipartisan support – 20 years of bipartisan support for this important policy –perhaps the reason they’re complaining is because some Australians pay less personal income tax or pay no personal income tax based on their personal marginal tax rate circumstances. They do pay tax on their income from their shares. They pay effectively 30% through the tax paid by the company in which they’re part owners.
I know I am playing catch-up still, but if it is such an important policy, why does no other country offer it?
Updated
First supplementary question from Wong to Cormann:
Professor John Hewson says, ‘I think the bottom line is that, in economic terms, it doesn’t make any sense at all’ referring to the cash refunds – ‘doesn’t make any sense at all”. Is the former Liberal leader correct?
Cormann:
No.
Well. That is that then.
Updated
Penny Wong to Mathias Cormann:
In the government’s tax discussion paper ‘Rethink tax’, issued in 2015, the following statement was included: ‘There are some revenue concerns with the refundability of imputation credits.’ Can the minister representing the treasurer advise what were the concerns raised regarding the refundability of imputation credits?
Cormann begins by answering Kristina Keneally’s first question. He is asked to get to this one.
The short answer (and believe me, you really only want the short answer)
The discussion paper is there for all to see and it sets out the items for discussion clearly.
The rest of his answer relates to Labor using things for political purposes. Which, I think, is actually just politics?
Updated
First dixer (and we get three in a row in the Senate, isn’t that exciting?) is from Lucy Gichuhi to Simon Birmingham on the national energy guarantee (which is back on the agenda because of the change of government in South Australia, giving the Turnbull government another state which will sign on the dotted line).
Birmingham is a fan of the Neg.
Moving on.
Updated
First supplementary from Keneally to Cormann:
I thank the minister for going back to 1998. I wasn’t a citizen then. I appreciate the history lesson. How can the treasurer’s comments be correct given that it has now been revealed that Treasury did in fact prepare a dossier entitled ‘Tax policy dividend imputation’ in the lead-up to the last budget? Did Treasury do any work to limit access to cash refunds in the lead-up to last year’s budget?
Cormann:
Nothing that Senator Keneally has just put is in any way inconsistent with the answer that I gave to the primary question. There are people – we have 167,000 public servants and from time to time some of these public servants will feel the need to do some work on certain things that ... from time to time people consider various things because they’re part of the public debate that is pursued, including by the Labor party. That doesn’t mean that at any point, this does not mean, that the government either considered or asked for or made a decision to support such a policy.
Final supplementary question:
Why doesn’t the government have any tax policy other than to give multinationals a $65b tax cut?
Annnnd, we get the same answer we have now heard twice.
Updated
Nigel Scullion adds his statement, as leader of the Nationals in the Senate, and we are on to the questions.
First up is Kristina Keneally to Mathias Cormann:
Last week the treasurer said that the government has never entertained changes to cash refunds of dividend imputation. Will the minister guarantee to the Senate that the government never has considered changes to cash refunds for dividend imputation?”
The short answer is yes. Cormann says:
What I would also say to you is that I’ve got in front of me this document and it’s called ‘A fairer tax system with no GST’. Do you remember it? A fairer tax system with no GST and it is embargoed to 2.30pm on 27 August 1998. These were the glorious days of Kim Beazley.
A Labor senator pops up with “is that the best you could do? 1998” and Cormann continues along the same lines, until Penny Wong interrupts with a point of order, that Cormann’s obsession with the 1990s is not relevant to the question.
#Thesenatordoesnotanswerthequestion.
Updated
Derryn Hinch and Pauline Hanson have also made statements, thanking emergency service volunteers and giving their support to those impacted.
Senate question time begins
We open with Mathias Cormann, Penny Wong and Richard Di Natale making statements on the bushfires in New South Wales and Victoria, as well as the cyclone in Darwin.
Updated
OK. I am heading to the Senate chamber now. Pray for me (and Mike Bowers).
Updated
Speaking about falling asleep, Michael Sukkar is on Sky with the government’s lines on why Labor’s tax dividend policy is end of days and how his tweet that if Labor lost Batman they would have to scrap the policy is not the same in reverse.
He did just congratulate Ged Kearney on her win though, as “the lesser of two evils”.
Updated
I know I have been quite ill lately and not across the land of the living, but this building is terminal today.
Senate QT has a lot of pressure on it to keep me awake today.
Update (and a recommendation for a follow, because it is full of fun facts)
The bill won't be read a third time in the Senate until the House has considered the request for an amendment and the Senate accepts the House's response.
— Australian Senate (@AuSenate) March 19, 2018
For a quick explanation of requests: https://t.co/bMXv8RhdhP
For a bit more detail: https://t.co/d2OujnSMsj https://t.co/EKAerrTGrQ
While the bilateral talks between Malcolm Turnbull and Aung San Suu Kyi continue, it might be worth having a look at a couple of articles that ran very recently, highlighting there are those working on having the leader prosecuted for crimes against humanity.
The attorney general, Christian Porter, shut it down fairly quickly, but it is out there now.
Ben Doherty reported on those developments here and here and, for those interested, I would recommend following along with his reporting.
Updated
And in what could become a running series of ‘passive aggressive parliamentary signs’:
This sign in parliament is NEXT LEVEL what are senators doing to this toilet? #auspol pic.twitter.com/0bV4LJO6Of
— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) March 19, 2018
It’s official:
An honour to be sworn in as South Australia’s 46th Premier by His Excellency the Hon. Hieu Van Le at Government House. pic.twitter.com/GsClx929dm
— Steven Marshall, MP (@marshall_steven) March 19, 2018
How the Greens actually get to the point where they are talking about policy and not politics looks to be some way away
Last night Di Natale pointed to recent Greens success in Queensland to defend against attacks on his leadership, but here's what Queensland party figures had to say: pic.twitter.com/0bddoGiHzM
— Osman Faruqi (@oz_f) March 18, 2018
ACT has joined the national redress scheme for survivors of institutional child sex abuse. From July 1, survivors will be able to access counselling, a personal response from the institution, and monetary compensation.
— Shalailah Medhora (@shalailah) March 18, 2018
Speaking to Sky, Sarah Hanson-Young said the party needed Richard Di Natale “to step up and make sure the party is pulled together tightly and that we are refocused on making sure we have a good ground game and a good policy front for the next election”.
There is going to be a lot of analysis over this as people pick over the ashes over what happened on Saturday. I agree with our leader, Richard Di Natale, that the leaking against the candidate, Alex Bhathal, was in no way helpful or indeed a positive thing for our party to go through at the time and. as it turns out, it has cost us that byelection. My message to members of the party in Victoria is to have a good think how they pick themselves up from this, because it is not just about Batman, this impacts on all of us and this isn’t what the Greens pride ourselves on. We pride ourselves on a grassroots party, which has a joint and clear vision for the future, one where climate change is tackled up front, one where we invest in public services like schools and hospitals and one where we clean up politics, we get rid of these ridiculous, enormous donations from fossil fuel companies, the gambling industry and everywhere else that impact on politics so badly.
Hanson-Young says Di Natale has the “full backing of the party room”.
It is time that we got on with making sure we offer Greens voters and supporters the true genuine alternative that they desperately want.
Updated
Back to Senate business for just a moment.
Coming up in the next hour or so, the Greens will be moving an amendment to the junior minerals exploration incentive bill 2017, which, among other things, grants a tax offset to new thermal coal exploration players. Gas and oil are already excluded and the Greens think thermal coal should be too.
And the amendment forces Labor to decide whether it will back it [the amendment] or not. Which I don’t believe they plan on doing.
Updated
We can’t all be camera ready, all the time:
Meeting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi after a successful #ASEANinAus 🇦🇺🇲🇲 pic.twitter.com/dZCEBX2YDE
— Julie Bishop (@JulieBishopMP) March 19, 2018
As we reported a little bit earlier, Tim Storer has taken up his Senate seat – let Mike Bowers take you there:
And his former party was there to see it
Updated
Kelly O’Dwyer will introduce legislation in the next couple of weeks to create a new deputy chair role for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
A second deputy chair will give Asic greater flexibility to manage the breadth of Asic’s new powers and increased responsibilities resulting from recent and upcoming law changes. It will also bring Asic into line with the structure of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
For the record, Peter Kell has been reappointed for another year (as of May) and John Price has been granted a two-year extension (from March). They are both commissioners.
Updated
Murray Watt was keen to get back to policy talk this morning.
The Labor senator stopped by Senate doors (which is literally a door we stand by waiting for senators to walk into work) and had this to say about his party’s tax dividend policy:
I think with the initial reporting on this, which was verging on the hysterical, I think that, understandably, my office and a few other offices had a few phone calls, but it wasn’t anything to make me concerned about the policy’s value. Once we got on the phone and started explaining to people they understood that it was a fair policy, that it was necessary to fix the big black hole in the budget that has been left behind by this government. And I think as time goes on and people understand why it’s been put into place and the benefits to all Australians, I think it’ll be OK.”
Updated
Where the Greens stand
While the Greens work out how its version of a purge works (one would assume it is nothing like the movie), let’s take a look at some of the numbers.
In Batman, as it stands, the Greens saw a 3.6% swing against them, with Labor winning just under 55% of the primary vote (54.63%). Labor’s primary vote was 43.08%, compared with the Greens’ 39.67%
The loss of the Batman byelection to Ged Kearney is a bigger problem for the party, with Kearney, unlike David Feeney, actually popular in her own right, not just for the party banner. Which makes taking the seat from her in the next general election a darn sight harder. (Alex Bhathal’s Twitter account has been playing silly buggers today*, and given what has been going on with the Greens over the campaign, I don’t think we will see her contest the seat for a seventh time.)
Which makes Richard Di Natale’s 2016 promise of eight lower-house seats within a decade that little bit harder. Because if the Greens can’t win Australia’s most progressive seat, how do they move forward?
Especially when you look at what has been happening with the Greens’ primary vote over the last few years. In 2010 it hit 11.76%. In 2013 it dropped to 8.65%. In 2016 it bounced back to 10.23% but, talking to Greens members, that was seen as a bit of a disappointment, given the party had expected to have at least two lower house MPs and a couple more senators added to its ranks at that election.
The Senate vote quota should be back to normal at the next election (14.3% – it was halved at the double-dissolution election) which will make holding the party’s nine Senate spots a challenge.
The recent Tasmanian election also wasn’t the party’s best showing, with primary support hitting 10.3%, from a tad over 13%. In South Australia, the primary vote dropped by 2.1%. That is not so unusual, given SA Best’s impact on the minor party vote, but the Tassie result had to raise some eyebrows.
None of those figures are terminal but it doesn’t point to an easy road for Di Natale, especially as the party attempts to work out how it moves forward, and what it looks like at the end of that reflection.
*Alex Bhathal’s Twitter account now appears to be back online.
Updated
You may have noticed Labor is in campaign mode (and has been since the new year ticked over).
We probably won’t be heading to the polls until next year, but to mangle Muhammad Ali’s much more eloquent words, you must run on the road before you dance in the lights, so preparation never hurts.
While I was staring listlessly at a wall, Queensland Labor went through quite a few preselections, where the left won over the right faction. And I mention Queensland, not just because of my home state bias, but also because there is quite a bit riding on which way Queensland swings in the next federal election.
For those interested, Ali France will take on Peter Dutton in Dickson, Jo Briskey in Bonner, Elida Faith will run in Leichhardt (all left faction members) and Zac Beers has been preselected in Flynn.
Updated
Annnnnnd Tim Storer is officially a senator.
He was walked into the chamber by Penny Wong and Mathias Cormann and (as the experts just reminded me) new senators get to choose their escorts, so Storer is keeping his options wide open.
Updated
Alan Tudge and Michaelia Cash have issued a joint statement on the new visa scheme (which sounds like a reality TV show):
A new visa scheme to attract highly skilled global talent and deliver innovation to Australia will be piloted from 1 July of this year.
The government recognises there is fierce competition globally for high-tech skills and talent, and that attracting these people helps to transfer skills to Australian workers and grow Australian-based businesses.
The Global Talent Scheme will consist of two components. Established businesses with an annual turnover of more than $4m will be able to sponsor highly skilled and experienced individuals for positions with earnings above $180,000 into Australia.
The employers will need to be able to demonstrate that they prioritise the employment of Australians and that there will be skills transfer to Australian workers as a result of the person being granted a visa.
The sponsoring business must have a track record of hiring and training Australians.
Technology-based and Stem-related startup businesses will also be able to sponsor experienced people with specialised technology skills.
Startups will need to be recognised by a startup authority and demonstrate they prioritise the employment of Australians.
In the both instances, a four-year temporary skill shortage visa will be issued with permanent residence applications available after three years.
The government will consult further on the details of the scheme over the next few months, before piloting it for 12 months, starting 1 July 2018. An industry advisory group will provide ongoing guidance for the pilot.
****end statement****
Updated
The media alert has been sent out for the bilateral meeting between Malcolm Turnbull and Aung San Suu Kyi and the Senate bells are ringing, so it is all happening!
Updated
The finance minister, Mathias Cormann, has been putting the Coalition spin on the Batman byelection on Radio National, crediting Ged Kearney as an “objectively strong candidate” but saying it could not be viewed as a comment on Bill Shorten’s franking credit policy.
He claimed Ged was “somewhat critical of the policy ... suggesting there was room to keep changing it”.
Cormann said “the Greens have been at each other’s throat for most of the campaign” and that had put off voters.
“It’s a safe Labor seat ... and the Greens were particularly unattractive at this election given the level of infighting on the ground in the lead-up to the election.”
Asked about meeting with One Nation on company tax cuts, Cormann said he continued to engage with Pauline Hanson. The bill will be introduced on Wednesday and Cormann said the Coalition’s intention is “to have this voted on in the next fortnight”.
He also confirms that the former Minerals Council chief executive Brendan Pearson has taken a temporary role in his office to “answer questions” about the company tax cuts – essentially lobbying the crossbench.
Updated
Several Turnbull government ministers have been out and about commenting on Peter Dutton’s claim South African farmers deserve special attention for immigration to Australia.
Mathias Cormann sounds like he is on Julie Bishop’s side in this stoush, while Tony Abbott takes Dutton’s.
On Radio National, Cormann said: “Our humanitarian program is non-discriminatory, and that means it is open to white South African farmers who feel persecuted on the same basis it is available to others.”
The same basis – that does tend to negate the claimed need for “special attention”. He added that Dutton had asked his department “for some options for what might appropriately be done”, but referred further questions to the home affairs minister.
On 2GB Abbott weighed in hard:
“It’s a very serious situation developing in South Africa. Four hundred white farmers have been brutally murdered.”
Abbott notes that South Africa’s new president has encouraged the parliament to pass laws allowing expropriation of land without compensation.
“If the boot was on the other foot we’d call it racism of the worst sort ... Peter Dutton was absolutely right.”
Updated
Tony Abbott is enjoying his regular 2GB soapbox. We’ll bring you more on what he said in a moment, but in the meantime I am sure you’ll be shocked, absolutely SHOCKED to hear he agrees wholeheartedly with what Peter Dutton said about white South African farmers.
Updated
We are all still working out what this week will look like, and when I say we, I mean everyone who is now working in this building.
Senate-only sitting weeks are always a little weird. Yes, it is where the machinery of government gets done but, when there are no big-ticket legislation items, or fraught negotiations, it can all seem a bit tick and flick. A lot of laws get through here with bipartisan support, which is great for democracy and the running of the country but does not make for exciting blog posts.
Tim Storer will be sworn into the Senate today though. He was on the Nick Xenophon Team ticket at the last election but then spectacularly fell out with the party (well, Xenophon, which was the same thing) and then, through section 44 dominoes, ended up with the Senate spot. NXT tried challenging his appointment on the grounds that he was no longer in the party but the high court nixed that fairly quickly.
For other Senate goings on, you can head here.
Updated
Outside parliament, there was much pomp and ceremony for Aung San Suu Kyi’s arrival. Mike Bowers was there.
Updated
Good Morning and welcome to day 13
It’s a Senate-only week, so get ready to see all your favourite senators enjoying the spotlight without those pesky House of Reps MPs taking the spotlight.
Which also means we’ll be focusing on Senate QT for the next couple of days. Brace yourself for supplementary dixers.
Looking to politics, and it’s still all about Labor’s win in Batman. Ged Kearney will be with us next week, walking the Canberra hallways.
But the Greens are less than pleased with that outcome. Richard Di Natale has pointed the finger at the big party machine (which you could say is just politics) but he’s also turned the eye inwards, acknowledging that the calls were coming from inside the house.
He has vowed to expel those found to have leaked against the party during the campaign, which he said was sabotage. And, well, it was. But it is also indicative of the wider issues within the Greens, where the left and the even further left are battling for control. Where does that end? We’ll see.
Meanwhile, Labor’s dividend tax policy is all anyone is talking about. The byelection win has helped gird some loins moving forwards with it although, despite some declaring Batman was a referendum on the idea before the election, government MPs have now backed away from that claim.
And it’s all pomp and ceremony out the front of parliament for Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit. Ben Doherty reports that she asked for humanitarian help with the Rohingya crisis during a closed-door Asean meeting. Although as Doherty points out, Aung San Suu Kyi has also failed to say the word Rohingya publicly, as it is not a minority recognised by the Myanmar government:
More than 650,000 of the Rohingya ethnic and religious minority have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh since August, fleeing systemic violence from the country’s military, including murder, rape and the deliberate torching of villages.
We’ll have all the days events for you, and Mike Bowers is already out and about, so be sure to follow his day at @mpbowers and @mikepbowers. You’ll find me in the comments, or on Twitter at @amyremeikis. For those who like to see behind the scenes, you can find an update on the Instagram story attached to @pyjamapolitics.
And before we get started, I just wanted to thank everyone for their well wishes while I was ill. It was a rough couple of weeks and it’ll be a while before I am back to 100%, but thank you for all your messages and notes while I was off. I am pleased to report I am officially back on the coffee (but it is going to be some time before I am able to stomach anything stronger).
So, everyone ready for Senate-palooza?! Let’s get started.
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