I have had a scurry around and can tell you that, right now, there is nothing to take your interest happening at the moment.
So we are going to leave the blog here for today, but don’t despair – we’ll be back tomorrow for the last day of Senate-palooza.
Tomorrow also marks one year since the marriage equality plebiscite results were read out – with that yes vote leading to the December passing of the legislative change. So there will be champagne corks popping in commemoration of that.
There will be more from Asean, of course, and if we’re lucky, another minister doing an awkward social media video.
Plus, it is unemployment figures day. The labour force data for October will be released.
Doesn’t that sound like fun!
I know, I know. Try and contain your excitement.
Mike Bowers will be back with you tomorrow, as will the Guardian’s brain’s trust. All of the thank-yous to them for pulling me through another day. And to you, of course, for making it all worth it.
We’ll be back tomorrow. In the meantime, take care of you.
Updated
The terms of reference for that inquiry are as follows:
1. That a select committee, to be known as the Select Committee into Fair Dinkum Power, be established on 28 November 2018 to inquire into and report on 30 June 2019, on the following matters:
a. The potential for empowering energy consumers to play a more important role in the National Electricity Market, through providing diverse services;
i. Energy generation
ii. Demand response and energy efficiency
iii. Grid stability and reliability services
iv. Alternatives to conventional network investment
v. Peer to peer trading between households and businesses
b. The potential for these services to deliver lower energy costs and increased energy reliability
c. The changing role of retailers in the National Electricity Market, in light of increasing empowerment of energy consumers
d. The impacts of privatisation
e. Regulatory reforms which would empower energy consumers, including these key groups:
i. Households including low income households and renters
ii. Farms
iii. Small businesses
iv. Major energy users
f. The likely long term impacts, including to emissions, stability and reliability, of energy consumers playing a larger role
g. Any other related matters
Updated
Greens set up 'fair dinkum' power inquiry.
This is not as Orwellian as it seems at first glance. Instead, Sarah Hanson-Young and the Greens are using the government’s terminology against it, while seeking to find out what is actually happening:
The Australian Greens will establish the Select Committee into Fair Dinkum Power to inquire into the electricity market, power prices and energy generation methods to cut through the federal government’s meaningless and misleading energy policy.
‘The best thing about renewable energy is that it is good for the planet and good for the wallet. It’s clean, reliable and getting cheaper every day. Now, that’s fair dinkum power,’ Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.
This inquiry will bust the myths being peddled by the Morrison government about renewable energy, grid stability and power bills. If Scott Morrison was actually ‘fair dinkum’ about power, he would let evidence, not ideology, guide energy policy.
Consumers and the industry want to be empowered. The public sees through the Morrison government’s bluster about using a ‘big stick’, and more coal, to put power prices down.
Australians are right to be angry that we’re being screwed with huge power bills, and we should be even angrier that the Morrison government’s answer is more coal.
Research shows that gas and coal-fired power stations break down every 2.4 days. Meanwhile, the battery in South Australia is proven to be putting downward pressure on power prices, and providing stability.
We can be the renewable powerhouse of the world; all we need is factual information and the political will to make decisions in the best interests of all Australians.
Updated
From Mike Bowers to you:
Richard Di Natale is a mood
I am sensing a theme
Wong continues:
But this isn’t just about trade.
Indonesia is a critical relationship to Australia but it is fair to say our bilateral ties struggle to reach their full potential.
Indonesia is the world’s fourth largest country by population and by 2050 projected to be the world’s fourth largest economy.
It is the largest economy in South East Asia. Indonesia is critical to Australia’s security and stability, something Labor has always understood – from Curtin and Chifley, through Keating and Hawke to the Rudd and Gillard governments.
And yet under this government our trade with Indonesia has actually decreased.
As Mr Morrison himself said in Singapore just moments ago, after meeting with Indonesia’s president:
Indonesia doing well economically, Indonesia doing well strategically, is good for Australia. And that’s why we do it. We do it because it’s good for our national interest to support Indonesia’s advancement.
He said ‘It is good for our national interest’. Well, Prime Minister, perhaps you should have put that on your lapel badge. Do what is good for Australia’s national interest.
Because, instead what you did was you trashed the national interest to try to get votes in Wentworth.
But even worse, now we are seeing this terrible decision dragged through the prism of the Liberal party’s bitter internal divisions.
And the same people who tore down Malcom Turnbull and elevated Mr Morrison are now weaponising the embassy decision to continue their hard-right, divisive agenda to undermine another prime minister.
We’ve already seen Eric Abetz gleefully leaping on to Sky News to undermine our relationship with Indonesia.
And so brilliant Mr Morrison, who is supposed to be such a strategic genius, has now firmly wedged himself, after losing votes in Wentworth, has now firmly wedged himself between the national interest and the interests of the people who made him prime minister.
He’s trapped between doing the right thing by the nation and a return to sensible bipartisan policy, but if he does, [he] faces the political consequences from the hard right.
Of course Australia should consider foreign policy decisions based on our national interests. But what that means is you have to be responsible enough to act consistently in the national interest.
And the overturning of the bipartisan position on the location of the embassy in Israel for short-term political gain is not in our national interests.
Well, Labor says enough.
Under pressure from journalists in Singapore Mr Morrison has just committed to making a decision on the embassy by Christmas.
Why Christmas Prime Minister? Why not now?
It took you one day to wreck this trade deal; why do you have to wait another month to fix it?
Updated
Penny Wong has had a few things to say in the Senate about some of our latest foreign policy missteps:
On the Indonesian free trade agreement, can I say the prime minister’s visit to Singapore has now exposed in full the utter debacle created by Mr Morrison’s desperate decision to trash decades of considered bipartisan foreign policy to try to win a few votes in Wentworth. And didn’t that go well?
We learnt in Senate estimates the decision to consider moving the Australian embassy in Israel wasn’t taken to cabinet, wasn’t based on any proposal from Dfat, the foreign minister, Senator Payne, was given less than 48 hours’ notice, and the media was briefed before the head of the Australian defence force.
Mr Turnbull warned that it would prompt a very negative reaction from Indonesia and he was right.
This decision from Mr Morrison is harming our economy, costing jobs and damaging one of Australia’s most important relationships.
Here’s what Mr Morrison himself said in Jakarta in September. He said:
It will open the door to a new era of opportunities for Australian and Indonesian business.
Whether in agriculture and manufacturing, services or investment, this new agreement lays a foundation to realise the economic potential of our partnership.
It will create jobs and it will create wealth for both countries.
He said the agreement would be signed within months, and the media was briefed that it would be signed this week on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Singapore.
Now, it’s sidelined, and why?
To quote the Indonesian trade minister, the delay is ‘because of Palestine’. And he’s made clear the agreement will be delayed until this is fixed.
Under this trade deal 99% of Australian exports to Indonesia would be tariff-free – exports like frozen beef, sheep meat, feed grains, steel coil, citrus products, carrots and potatoes.
But now, because of Mr Morrison’s short-sighted, ill-considered decision, Australian farmers, Australian manufacturers, Australian workers will suffer.
Updated
Mathias Cormann asks that further questions be placed on the notice paper.
Penny Wong moves a motion to take note of answers – specifically the ones asked to Mathias Cormann about the free trade agreement with Indonesia and the ones asked by Kimberly Kitching about Melissa Price.
Updated
Barry O’Sullivan’s term in the Senate finishes up next year.
Here's the video of Nationals senator Barry O'Sullivan saying he is declaring his gender "to be a woman" so the left-wing people can no longer "attack" him over his anti-abortion views. pic.twitter.com/YzbOCWp0YC
— Alice Workman (@workmanalice) November 14, 2018
The latest in today’s My Health Record kerfuffle – from Greg Hunt:
Today the government worked with the Senate crossbench to extend the opt-out period for My Health Record.
The opt-out period will be extended until January 31, 2019. However, it’s important to note that people can opt out at any time.
Labor’s plan to delay and derail the roll-out of the My Health Record was blocked today.
We thank the crossbench for not delaying this important policy change as Labor tried so desperately to do.
In comparison, the government’s focus is on strengthening the safety and privacy of health information in the My Health Record system.
The parliament is now considering further amendments to Labor’s original My Health Record legislation.
This includes tougher penalties for those that misuse the system, strengthening provisions to safeguard against domestic violence, prohibiting employers from requesting and using health information from an individual’s My Health Record. In addition, no health information or de-identified data is to be released to insurers.
These proposed amendments are in addition to the amendments announced in July, which have already passed the lower house.
They include that law enforcement agencies can only access a person’s My Health Record with a warrant or court order and anyone who chooses to cancel a record at any time will have that record permanently deleted.
My Health Record was designed to save lives. It can help prevent medication misadventures that see more than 230,000 people end up in hospital each year.
This is almost four times the annual number of people who are hospitalised as a result of motor vehicle accidents.
More than six million Australians already have a My Health Record and over 14,000 healthcare professional organisations are connected, including general practices, hospitals, pharmacies, diagnostic imaging and pathology practices. There has never been a reported security breach of the system.
The legislation to enable My Health Record to become an opt-out system passed the parliament unanimously in 2015 and received the unanimous support of both houses and the strong endorsement of Labor.
In addition all state and territory health ministers unanimously reaffirmed their support as recently as the August Coag Health Council.
Updated
The good news is there is only one more day of solo Senate question time.
The bad news is that there is still one more day of solo Senate question time.
Kimberly Kitching can barely contain her glee as she asks about the Concetta Fierravanti-Wells op-ed in the SMH, which included this assessment of Melissa Price:
It is therefore regrettable that our good work and practical support for the Pacific has been recently damaged by an environment minister on ‘L-plates’ through the unfortunate incident with former president Tong of Kiribati. It demonstrated a lack of diplomacy, understanding and respect for one of our nearest neighbours.
Fierravanti-Wells is very, very busy working on the papers on her desk.
Matt Canavan says Australia is very committed to the Pacific.
On the former president of Kiribati, Kitching asks if Canavan agrees with the assessment, and Canavan says he wants to “stress again the important relationship we have with our Pacific neighbours”.
Kitching asks if the minister (Price) will speak to Fierravanti-Wells on how to deal respectfully with our Pacific neighbours.
Canavan says she is a very strong advocate and will continue to play a very important role with strengthening relations with our Pacific neighbours.
Someone please make this stop.
Updated
Cory Bernardi has asked Marise Payne about funding going to two organisations in Afganistan, which is meant to be spent on education programs and is being used for what he says are “ghost programs”.
Payne says she’ll look into it (essentially).
Updated
Rex Patrick to Matt Canavan on energy prices.
He asks him about Canavan’s previous spruiking of gas prices, and whether he has stopped talking about it because gas prices are now increasing. (This is after the Turnbull government stepped in with its “big stick” to make sure domestic supplies were increased.)
Canavan says gas prices have fallen this year but, yes, in recent months they have increased because of outside forces.
He says there have been reductions seen recently in north Asia which are flowing through to Australia and the government’s action means Australia has access to domestic supplies, before they are shipped off.
Updated
This is one interpretation.
Labor’s plan to delay and derail the roll out of the My Health Record was blocked today.
— Greg Hunt (@GregHuntMP) November 14, 2018
We thank the crossbench for not delaying this important policy change as Labor tried so desperately to do.
Richard Di Natale is questioning Mathias Cormann over the Coalition’s (lack of) climate change policy.
I could transcribe it but, honestly, there is nothing being learned here. The Greens want to know why there isn’t a plan to legislate emissions reductions, targets and all those other things that go along with a climate change policy.
Cormann says the government is doing great on this issue.
Updated
Catryna Bilyk’s supplementary question is on how many jobs has Scott Morrison been let go from.
Scott Ryan reminds the Senate that New Zealand is not part of the federation of Australia.
Not that any of it matters, because Mathias Cormann is just going to repeat the same answer, which translates to awesome Scott Morrison is awesome.
Updated
Catryna Bilyk has the next question – it’s about the auditor general report into the Tourism Australia board, following Scott Morrison’s departure. She asks whether the New Zealand auditor general was also denied access to information. She asks how many inquiries were launched at this time.
From Malcolm Farr at News Corp a short time ago:
Labor is trawling through prime minister Scott Morrison’s previous roles as head of tourism in New Zealand and later Tourism Australia, which produced the controversial ‘Where The Bloody Hell Are You?” ad that made Lara Bingle a star.
Documents recently unearthed by Labor show that Mr Morrison was the political “hard man” at the centre of a tumultuous period for New Zealand tourism.
A 1999 New Zealand auditor general’s report challenged the future Australian prime minister’s handling of an independent review of the Office of Tourism and Sport (OTSp) where he was managing director.
Mathias Cormann says Labor is getting “desperate” because Scott Morrison is too effective. He says that as ministers, they are subject to inquiries every single day. And he’ll take the question on notice.
Updated
This is laughable, given how long people have been on hold for, as well as how many people are reporting being unable to load the page.
The ADHA is claiming there is no outage, even though I have confirmed the outage for myself, and seen the "server was unable to fulfil the request" error page. #auspol #MyHealthRecord pic.twitter.com/EdOEBUNW39
— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) November 14, 2018
Updated
Penny Wong then asks if Mathias Cormann agrees with Eric Abetz – that Australia should rethink its aid to Indonesia.
Cormann ignores that part of the question. He says Australia is committed to the agreement.
Wong’s last question is can Cormann guarantee that Scott Morrison will leave the Asean summit with a signed agreement.
#thesenatordoesnotanswerthequestion
Senate question time begins
Penny Wong is up first with a question for Mathias Cormann: what’s the deal with the free trade agreement?
(Obviously the question is a lot more serious, but that’s the spirit of it.)
Cormann says the government is very committed to the free trade agreement with Indonesia.
The guffaws are loud and plenty.
Updated
It’s almost Senate question time.
My sanity has already scattered in a quaquaversal array today.
While I gather it, hit me up with your Senate (and supplementary) bingo predictions.
Scott Morrison has put a time period on the embassy discussion – in “the next little while” – which he wouldn’t expand on but basically said soon.
There is an internal process that is done within cabinet, and with any matter, not all the processes followed the external review, external consultation, there is consultation done on pretty much every submission that comes to cabinet.
Then someone asked him about sausages and where the fried onion should sit in a Bunnings sausage sizzle. At Asean.
I am all for a food debate (and yes, I know why we are talking about it), but *insert all of the sighs*
Updated
Morrison also (gently) takes Eric Abetz to task for his tweet this morning
If Indonesia really wants to dictate Aus foreign policy on the middle east, should we rethink the $360 million each year we give them in aid? Instead, how about we calmly finalise this FTA which will lift many Indonesians out of poverty and assist Australian farmers and jobs.
— Eric Abetz (@SenatorAbetz) November 13, 2018
Australia has always been there for Indonesia. And that is respected and appreciated by Indonesia.
And today, we talked about ... because I was following upon how things were in Sulawesi. There was also the recent air disaster. We have always been there to support Indonesia’s development and to be there for them in times of great crisis and distress.
And that’s our way. That’s what we do. Indonesia doing well economically, Indonesia doing well strategically, is good for Australia.
And that’s why we do it.
We do it because it’s good for our national interest to support Indonesia’s advancement.
And we’ve seen them come ahead in leaps and bounds, I think particularly under President Widodo. So they understand full well our commitment as part of our comprehensive strategic partnership to continue to pursue those objectives.
Working together, they’ll be stronger, we’ll be stronger. And that’s what is guiding our decisions.
Updated
Israel embassy not linked to Indonesia free trade agreement talks – Morrison
Scott Morrison says he spoke to Joko Widodo about the embassy issue, as well as about the free trade agreement, but that they were two separate discussions within the conversation;
Let me make a couple of points.
The first point is that, as always, it was a friendly and respectful conversation.
We have a longstanding relationship with Indonesia and a comprehensive partnership that goes well into the future.
And that means that from time to time issues arise. You’re able to talk about them openly and honestly and in a friendly way.
The second point would be this. And that is - these issues were not related in terms of … Australia’s position on the foreign policy matter you’ve referred to and issues of our trade.
These were not raised in connection. We discussed both of those issues. On the issue of the trade agreement, there was an absolute understanding of the great opportunities that this presents for both countries.
The final text of that is still being brushed, so that’s not in a position to be signed at this point. And we discussed that we’ll be looking for an opportunity to do that, and that’s a matter still to be determined.
On the question of the government’s position on the issue that I raised some months ago in relation to Israel, I was able to talk through the government’s process on how we’re seeking to resolve that and to come to a position.
I’m intending to do that over the next little while and I was able to take and step them through some of the key principles which have always been important to us in addressing this issue.
And the first of those is that Australia and I and my government is motivated by wanting to see progress towards a two-state solution.
Whatever perspective you have on the issue, there is widespread frustration at what is occurring and the frustration about getting progress in this area. And we all want to see progress.
We want to see progress and so ... Sorry, I haven’t finished – We all want to see progress on this.
So that is what motivates us. Our support for a two-state solution is unquestioned and we’re committed to that. And Australia has a long history of respecting Security Council resolutions, and I restated that that remains our position. So I think that I was able to give some greater clarity on the role that we’re playing there and the time frame for that.
And I know that that was well received.
Updated
No doubt Scott Morrison will be asked about this;
PM Morrison and President Widodo meeting went almost twice as long as planned (nearly 40mins). Israel/Palestine was discussed + timing of signing of free trade deal. #ASEAN
— David Lipson (@davidlipson) November 14, 2018
We’ve just jumped from Joseph Stiglitz to Scott Morrison, who is holding his first Asean press conference.
Updated
Taking questions now, Joseph Stiglitz says governments should act unilaterally on climate change.
Yes, they should. And, this is a very live topic in the United States because the US withdrew, or announced it’s withdrawing, from the Paris agreement.
And the response from the business community was actually very heartening on this issue. The response of the business communities overwhelmingly was – we’re going ahead.
Not the coal industry. But the overwhelming part of the business sector said – we’re going ahead.
Especially the multinationals.
They know that they want to be a part of the global economy. They are ... they will be under pressure in Europe, and they can’t have two ways of producing, so they are going ahead.
There are a couple of other initiatives that is are going on both at the level of the judiciary and the level of civil society. One of them is - Mark Carney, the head of the central bank, the Bank of England, and head of the financial stability board, has said that the financial sector has to take into account carbon rescue.
If a company has large holdings of coal, it should be obvious that there’s a very high probability that there will be a high price of carbon globally, the price of coal will go down and you are at risk of going bankrupt.
So the requirement is being put that you have to report your carbon risk. And that’s become a very big initiative throughout the world, about reporting carbon risk. And a bank, as it lends, has to think about the carbon risk of those to whom it’s lending.
A related idea is the producer of responsibilities. Pension funds. It used to be the view that pension funds would just look at the short-term returns. But pension funds are long-term investors, and there will be a carbon price before – whether it is five years or 10 years or 15 years, there will be a carbon price. So the view is that it is a violation of your fiduciary responsibility not to look at the carbon risk in your portfolio.
Updated
Senate votes to extend My Health Record opt-out period to 31 January
Labor’s push for a 12-month extension of the My Health Record opt-out period was defeated 32-30. Labor, the Greens, Derryn Hinch and Tim Storer were in favour; and the Coalition, Centre Alliance and the rest of the crossbench opposed.
The Senate has, however, accepted One Nation’s amendment for a new deadline of 31 January to opt out, rather than 15 November. This was accepted on the voices, with Senator Cory Bernardi speaking against the move but accepting it had the numbers.
Despite the amendment, the bill cannot pass both houses of parliament until the lower house returns on 26 November.
This morning, the independent MP Kerryn Phelps cited that as a reason for Australians who have concerns to opt out anyway.
Updated
The Senate has passed an amendment extending the Myhealth opt out period until January 31.
Paul Karp will be bringing you more.
One Nation's amendment for a 31 January deadline for #MyHealthRecord opt-out has been accepted by the Senate, on the voices. #auspol
— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) November 14, 2018
Updated
Joesph Stiglitz has begun his National Press Club address and he is speaking about the flaws within the trickle down economics theory;
40 years ago when the process of deindustrialisation began, we should have thought about how we could move them from the jobs that were disappearing to new jobs.
The market never makes these kinds of transitions on their own, and there’s a well defined theory explaining why the markets can’t handle it.
There was a need for Government intervention to try to ease that transition, but the ideology at the time was that -don’t worry, globalisation, financialisation, advances in technology, were not only increasing GDP, which it did, but everybody would benefit.
The idea of trickle-down economics. But we now know trickle-down economics has not worked.
In fact, there is no theory behind trickle-down economics.
It was an ideological position. And the evidence now is overwhelming.
The problem is that because so many of the elite, and not only in the United States, but across the advanced countries, advocated and said globalisation, financialisation, advances in technology, would benefit everybody.The credibility has been destroyed.
And that has had serious consequences. That is what is leading to the success of demigods like Trump, who say - like what they promised hasn’t been delivered - ‘trust me’.
What I can tell you is that what he is going to do will actually make them worse off
And here is one of the reasons why (as has been pointed out)
I can confirm reports that the opt-out for the My Health record site is down. Server was "unable to fulfil the request" #auspol #MyHealthRecord pic.twitter.com/7hDjZ70OFx
— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) November 14, 2018
Senate votes down Labor's My Health Record opt-out extension
Labor’s suggested amendment to extend the opt-out period for 12 months has been defeated, 30 to 32.
But that doesn’t mean it is over.
There are other amendments. Pauline Hanson is moving one now, to have the opt-out period extended until 31 Jan, for instance.
She says people need more time to understand what My Health Record is and whether they agree with it.
Labor is likely to support one of the amendments that call for an extension, even if it is shorter than the one it wanted.
Updated
Hearing reports of people having trouble opting out of #MyHealthRecord today as the website keeps crashing and the phones have a recorded message that they are too busy.
— Prof Kerryn Phelps AM (@drkerrynphelps) November 14, 2018
Government needs to extend the opt out period until parliament votes on amendments and public better informed
The Senate is voting on Labor’s proposed 12-month delay for the Myhealth Record opt-out period.
Joseph Stiglitz is the National Press Club guest today.
He’s the reason we talk about the “1%”.
We’ll bring you updates, but Gareth Hutchens spoke to him last week, ahead of his visit, and it is well worth a read.
In 2011, barely two years into Barack Obama’s first presidential term, he warned the political upheavals then roiling countries including Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen and Bahrain could one day be visited upon the US, but in an American way.
Later that year, the Occupy Wall Street protest emerged in Manhattan’s financial district.
His 2012 bestselling book The Price of Inequality explained in detail how America had been growing apart, at an increasingly rapid rate. He argued forcefully that the severe inequality in the US was a choice of the country’s leaders: a consequence of their policies, laws and regulations.
This month he plotted in Scientific American how inequality had worsened so much over the last 40 years that US democracy was imperilled.
‘Whereas the income share of the top 0.1% has more than quadrupled and that of the top 1% has almost doubled, that of the bottom 90% has declined,’ he wrote.
‘Wages at the bottom, adjusted for inflation, are about the same as they were some 60 years ago. Wealth is even less equally distributed, with just three Americans having as much as the bottom 50%.
‘As more of our citizens come to understand why the fruits of economic progress have been so unequally shared, there is a real danger that they will become open to a demagogue blaming the country’s problems on others and making false promises of rectifying “a rigged system”.
‘We are already experiencing a foretaste of what might happen. It could get much worse.’
Updated
The Opt-out page on the My Health Record site is down again.
It’s patchy. Tomorrow is the last day to opt out (unless the Labor amendments get through).
Updated
The government is celebrating passing the GST floor.
The government had not originally wanted to legislate the floor, but then the states united and sort of forced them into it. Labor had already committed to it, and really, everyone was happy to do something about the GST. Especially when it comes to everyone getting more money.
.@MathiasCormann on the GST carve-up: What we have done is develop a national plan. We approached it from the point of view of improving a system that was unfair.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) November 14, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/8POvZPP6XN #SkyLiveNow pic.twitter.com/VF4sFW78ma
Updated
The old Gypsy woman who seemingly cursed Donald Trump to live out his Obama-era tweets, appears to have turned her attention to Eric Abetz, but in reverse.
Here is the good senator this morning;
If Indonesia really wants to dictate Aus foreign policy on the middle east, should we rethink the $360 million each year we give them in aid? Instead, how about we calmly finalise this FTA which will lift many Indonesians out of poverty and assist Australian farmers and jobs.
— Eric Abetz (@SenatorAbetz) November 13, 2018
And here is the good senator in July, 2015 to the ABC about how living in the Asian century is one of the reasons we shouldn’t change the definition of marriage.
Well, are we in the Asian century or not? It’s amazing how certain people try to pick and choose in relation to debates. All of a sudden the United States, which is usually condemned, is now being celebrated on the bizarre decision of the five-four majority in the Supreme Court.
So, let’s get some rationality and balance back into the debate.”
The IPA is VERY happy with the Robert French review into freedom of speech at universities.
Dan Tehan announced it this morning:
Former chief justice of the high court Robert French will review existing material regarding free speech, including codes of conduct, enterprise agreements, policy statements and strategic plans.
The review will:
Assess the effectiveness of the Higher Education Standards Framework (the Standards) to promote and protect freedom of expression and freedom of intellectual inquiry in higher education.
Assess the effectiveness of the policies and practices to address the requirements of the Standards, to promote and protect freedom of freedom of expression and intellectual inquiry.
Assess international approaches to the promotion and protection of free expression and free intellectual inquiry in higher education settings, and consider whether any of these approaches would add to protections already in place in the Australian context.
Outline realistic and practical options that could be considered to better promote and protect freedom of expression and freedom of intellectual inquiry, including revision/clarification of the Standards and development of a sector-led code of conduct.
And the IPA responded with approval:
Australia’s universities are failing to live up to their moral and legal duty to safeguard free expression,” said Matthew Lesh, Research Fellow with the IPA.
The French review is an important commitment to free intellectual inquiry by the Morrison government.
... From the sacking of Peter Ridd by James Cook University to the multitude of policies that prevent speech merely because it might be offensive, our universities have failed in their mission,’ Mr Lesh said.
Free speech is fundamental to what it means to be a university, it is fundamental to undertaking research and ensuring students can grow intellectually with a full understanding of the arguments.”
This is going to be a VERY fun debate. :/
Updated
People concerned about My Health Record 'have little choice but to opt out' – Kerryn Phelps
Independent MP Kerryn Phelps has called on Australians to “seriously consider” opting out of the My Health Record until privacy concerns are dealt with.
Labor and the crossbench are moving in the Senate to amend a Coalition bill to extend the opt-out period - due to expire on Thursday – by a further 12 months.
Phelps:
There is widespread confusion surrounding the rollout of My Health Record. There are serious questions over privacy and security that need to be debated and legislated by the parliament.
The government has so far refused to delay the rollout and it’s important that we get this right ... The government needs to take seriously the decision of the Senate to recommend an extension of the opt-out date.
Anyone who has legitimate concerns over My Health Record now has little choice but to opt out until these problems are addressed.
Updated
For those who missed Paul Keating on 7.30 last night, this was particularly amusing.
Eat. Your. House.
"Work til 70. Eat your house, and then basically find yourself at a certain point of your life where you just don’t have financial assets." Paul Keating slams the suggestion #superannuation should remain at 9.5% #auspol #abc730 pic.twitter.com/ZRsjYi7ySj
— abc730 (@abc730) November 13, 2018
Josh Frydenberg’s foray into, as one wag put it yesterday, Pollie-Wood, where he looks as comfortable as, well, as you would expect a politician walking very slowly towards a camera while awkwardly reading a speech, has been a success in the treasurer’s view, because we’re talking about it.
“I have achieved the objective,” he told the ABC this morning.
I do not think that means what he thinks it means.
Updated
The bells have rung for the Senate and it’s back to looking at the GST debate. Or, as the government wants you to call its legislation, “making sure every state and territory gets their fair share of GST”.
The parentheses in legislation these days is a masterclass in Orwellian language.
Once the fair share for every state and territory in the GST stakes is discussed, the My Health Record debate will begin.
That one doesn’t have bipartisan support, with Labor wanting an extension to the opt-out period, among other things.
Updated
And as Katharine Murphy reported earlier this week, Shinzo Abe is coming to Australia.
Scott Morrison:
I am pleased to announce that His Excellency Shinzo Abe, prime minister of Japan, will visit Darwin on 16 November.
Japan is a special strategic partner with whom we have a strong and enduring friendship, built on solid economic, security, community and historical ties. It is one of immense progress and opportunity.
As our second-largest trading partner, and a key source of foreign direct investment, our relationship with Japan makes our economy stronger.
During the visit, prime minister Abe and I will highlight our deep trade and investment relationship including through INPEX’s Ichthys LNG project which has created jobs and opportunities for northern Australia and will continue to benefit the Australian economy for decades to come.
Our nations share common perspectives on strategic and economic issues, and I look forward to furthering the development of our bilateral ties. Prime minister Abe’s visit is a chance to discuss shared challenges and our cooperation to keep the region secure and open.
During this visit we will also acknowledge those who served in World War II, and recognise the importance of the reconciliation that followed between our countries.
Prime minister Abe’s visit is deeply symbolic and significant and it will build on our two countries’ strong and enduring friendship as well as our economic, security, community and historical ties.
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New Zealand has appointed a new man – or in this case woman – for Canberra. From Winston Peters’ statement:
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced the appointment of Dame Annette King as high commissioner to Australia.
“Dame Annette King needs no introduction given her long-running career as a parliamentarian where she has previously held a number senior cabinet portfolios, including Justice, Police and Health. She also was parliament’s longest-serving female MP with 30 years’ service,” said Mr Peters.
“As high commissioner Dame Annette will be working on one of New Zealand’s most significant relationships. The Trans-Tasman bond is exceptionally strong, however the relationship is not something we take for granted, and the new high commissioner will be tasked with keeping the connections strong,” he said.
“The new appointment is notable because Dame Annette is a former MP on a diplomatic posting. In this sense she is an exception. Of the 25 Head of Mission appointments announced this year all have been career diplomats.”
Dame Annette is expected to start her high commissioner duties at the end of the year.
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Having a look at what happened last night after I was temporarily cut free from parliament’s shackles, there was a bit of debate about the government’s GST changes.
They are going to pass, because Labor is in support, so that’s not the problem.
The problem is there is a federal election coming up and minor party senators, such as Peter Georgiou from Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, are looking to keep their place in the Senate.
Georgiou has made no secret that he will fight for WA. That’s fair – and also his job, as a WA senator. The problem for Hanson is that fighting for WA could impact Queensland – which she represents and where her main supporter base sits.
Here was Georgiou on the GST yesterday:
The thing about the GST distribution is that it’s a win/lose scenario. Giving more to WA must involve giving less to other states, particularly those that are typically overfunded – South Australia and Tasmania, in particular.
It’s time to get real. Instead of trying to keep everyone happy, the government should announce that the distribution of GST will move to a per capita basis over a five-year time frame, for instance, and in the short term those states that lose out would be partly compensated.
When it comes to the principal of HFE, all citizens should have access to similar services. The federal government should make this happen with specific grants to the states and territories. This would add accountability to the system. The way the GST is currently distributed completely lacks accountability. At the same time, I’m concerned that the government will be dipping into its own coffers to the tune of billions of dollars to ensure no state is worse off. The treasurer said that all states would be better off with the commonwealth injecting an additional $9bn over 10 years to 2028-29. The states of South Australia and Tasmania and also the Northern Territory should suck it up. They’ve had it too good for too long at the expense of other states. They may even lift their game as a result.
The Productivity Commission has costed that idea. And a per capita funding model would mean $1.2bn less for Queensland, or about 1.2% of the state’s revenue.
Can’t see Queenslanders being happy with that.
It’s not a big deal – it is not going to happen, because One Nation don’t make the laws. But it does point to a weakness I imagine both major parties, as they battle it out for Queensland, will want to exploit.
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Good morning
Well, we knew the signing of the free trade agreement with Indonesia had been delayed.
And we knew, even if our government was saying it wasn’t, that the Israeli embassy shift was one of the reasons it had yet to be signed by Indonesia.
And now we know, know.
As Phil Coorey from the Australian Financial Review reports:
The Australian-Indonesia Free Trade Agreement is unlikely to come into effect until well into next year, possibly beyond the federal election, after Indonesia’s trade minister confirmed there would be no deal while Australia considered moving its Israeli embassy to Jerusalem.
Trade minister Enggartiasto Lukita confirmed the position after talks in Singapore Tuesday with his Australian counterpart Simon Birmingham who indicated the deal could take months more but was coy on the reasons why.
Josh Frydenberg was asked about it on ABC Breakfast this morning:
“We will work with Indonesian on trade.
“Let’s [remember] what the prime minister has announced, which is that he is beginning a process. I strongly support that. Australia determines where its embassies are located and Israel is an anomaly it is not located in Israel’s capital.”
So it’s all going well then.
We’ll follow that, as well as all the rest of the news of the day. Mike Bowers and the Guardian brain’s trust are on the case, and you can always catch us on Twitter at @mpbowers or @amyremeikis, as well as perusing the comments.
Ready?
Let’s get into it.
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