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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Amy Remeikis

PM refuses to stand down Angus Taylor despite NSW police investigation – as it happened

Scott Morrison listens to Angus Taylor during question time
Scott Morrison listens to Angus Taylor in question time after it was revealed NSW police are investigating a doctored document used to attack Clover Moore. Photograph: Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images

So with parliament right back to where it started – talking ensuring integrity – we are going to wrap up the blog for the night.

Stay tuned for the news stories and analysis on yet another extraordinary day in the Australian parliament which will be coming your way.

A big thank you to Mike Bowers, Katharine Murphy, Sarah Martin and Paul Karp for dragging me through the day. I could not do this project without them, and the Guardian brains trust you don’t see bylines for, but are just as crucial.

But as always – the biggest thank you is to you, for following along with us. We truly appreciate it. We’ll be back early tomorrow morning. In the meantime, please – take care of you.

Updated

And around and around we go:

Updated

The Australian Republican Movement is holding an event at Old Parliament House tonight – Malcolm Turnbull, Anthony Albanese and Richard Di Natale are all slated to speak.

Personally, I think it would be a lot easier to just put up a giant photo of Prince Andrew, but I guess words are cool too.

Updated

Adam Bandt on Angus Taylor:

Scott Morrison is deep in denial.

The PM has thrown integrity overboard to hang on to a 1 seat majority on the floor of Parliament.

The government says unions need special ‘integrity’ legislation because they can’t manage their own affairs, then the Liberals keep a Minister under police investigation on the front bench.

If you’ve got a blue collar the Liberals throw the book at you, but if you’ve got a white collar they turn a blind eye.

Not only is Scott Morrison refusing to accept that burning coal makes bushfires worse, he’s backing a Minister being investigated by police for using forged documents in a climate-related attack.

Updated

For those asking, and this is from my memory as a police reporter, a strike force is just the name given to an investigation which involves specialists – investigating different crimes needs different skills, and when those skills are called upon, a strike force is called in.

It doesn’t necessarily mean a team of people are working on it.

Updated

Goodness – do they know they let a woman in?

Updated

The emojis will never stop now.

We are stuck with them.

Updated

The speakers list for this debate is very, very looooooooooooooonnnnnnng

And some more Mike Bowers:

The prime minister Scott Morrison amd deputy Michael McCormack during question time
Prime minister Scott Morrison and deputy Michael McCormack during question time. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Labor’s protest at the gagged debate
Labor’s protest at the gagged debate. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Well done, Angus
Well done, Angus. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Updated

How Mike Bowers saw question time and some of those divisions go down:

Minister for Emissions reduction Angus Taylor during a division
Emissions reduction minister Angus Taylor during a division. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Angus Taylor during question time
Angus Taylor during question time. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
The prime minister Scott Morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg during QT
Prime minister Scott Morrison and treasurer Josh Frydenberg during QT. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Updated

And here is what Anthony Albanese managed to get out in that motion:

And I move that so much of standing orders be suspended as would allow the leader of the opposition to move the following motion immediately.

That the House,

1. notes:

a. that on the evening of the 23 October 2019, the Guardian reported that the Minister for Emissions Reduction had used incorrect figures from the City of Sydney’s annual report 2017/18 in a letter to the Lord Mayor of Sydney;

b. on 24 October 2019, the minister told the House that the document was drawn directly from the City of Sydney’s website;

c. despite the minister’s claim, all the evidence to date is that no such documents ever existed on the website, the altered document has only ever been produced by the minister’s office and the doctored figures have only ever been used by the minister in his official ministerial correspondence;

d. today the New South Wales Police confirm that it had launched Strike Force Garrad to investigate the matter;

e. paragraph 7.1 of the ministerial standards makes clear that it is for the Prime Minister to stand aside a minister if that minister becomes a subject of an official investigation of alleged illegal conduct;

f. In question time today the Prime Minister stonewalled, ridiculed Labor for demanding the Minister for Emissions Reduction be immediately stood aside and shut down debate on the minister’s conduct.

and

2. therefore condemns the Prime Minister for his contempt for this Parliament and the principles of ministerial integrity and accountability.

Mr Deputy Speaker, I am astounded that the prime minister has shown such contempt to come into this parliament and to stonewall again further for this minister. This minister must go. This minister must go.

Updated

There was a reason the random name generator of NSW police investigations made some headlines...

It might be the Queenslander in me, but I don’t think it’s great that a prime minister can ring up a police commissioner and ask for information about why they have launched an investigation.

Here’s the whole statement Scott Morrison made to the House:

Coming back to the House in question time today I undertook to make contact with the New South Wales police to inform myself on the matters that were the subject of the questions raised by the leader of the opposition regarding the statement of ministerial standards, specifically clauses 7.1 and 7.2.

I take matters of ministerial standards very seriously. I’ve since spoken with the NSW police commissioner Mick Fuller about the investigation and the nature and substance of their inquiries, which he advised me were based only on the allegations referred by the shadow attorney general. And based on the information provided to me by the commissioner, I consider there is no action required by me under clauses 7.1 and 7.2.

The NSW police should now be left to complete their inquiries which will be considered upon their completion.

Updated

The motions in the House are coming to their inevitable conclusion – the government has the numbers and the debate will end.

Updated

Simon Birmingham:

No, I’m saying that the police need to do their job as I said before. I’m sure the federal Labor party would criticise the police if they didn’t look at this letter that the Labor party have sent them and investigated, so the police are quite possibly in a no-win situation there, but I have no doubt the police will do a thorough job and the government will cooperate with them in so far as this is required.

Updated

Patricia Karvelas asks Simon Birmingham if he feels comfortable standing by Angus Taylor while the police investigation is ongoing:

Governments are judged on all manner of things. Ultimately the Australian people want us to get on with looking after their interests.

Their interests, giving them the confidence to plan for the future, giving them the confidence that there will be jobs for them and their children, giving them the confidence that the services they want will be available to them and that is exactly what we as a government are focused on.

The federal opposition and the Labor party can play all sorts of games on side issues, but our focus is about actually, in my case today, having passed through parliament legislation for the Indonesian free trade agreement.

The Senate is now getting on with talking about how we can actually make sure that our construction industry works more effectively and reduces costs in the future so there can be more jobs and more building opportunities without the type of union lawlessness we have seen in the past.

These are the things that mums and dads around the country care about.

Updated

Simon Birmingham:

You want to draw analogies. It is not that long ago that in your home state that 21 members of the Victorian Labor party in the Victorian government were under investigation including six ministers.

I didn’t hear Anthony Albanese or any other members of the Labor party suggesting that those [members should stand down].

Updated

Simon Birmingham is defending the decision not to stand down Angus Taylor while the police investigation is carried out to Patricia Karvelas on ABC TV:

Let’s put the investigation clearly in context there. The prime minister having had these matters raised purely at the start of question time has come out of question time, has spoken to the police commissioner, has ascertained that apparently the only information there is the referral by the federal Labor opposition to the NSW police.

The prime minister of course has indicated that, as you would expect, the government will give full cooperation to their investigation but we have the minister, who has made clear his position for quite some period of time now, in terms of where the information was sourced from, from the City of Sydney website, he has made his public statements, these matters really have been dealt with. Yes, the NSW police are acting on a request from the federal Labor party to look at this matter. We will cooperate with that but that should really be the end of the matter while we get on with governing the country.

Updated

The government gags the debate – Labor loses its mind – and we go to a division.

Updated

Anthony Albanese is denied a statement on indulgence – because there is no precedence for it.

Tony Smith says he denies it regretfully.

Albanese is now trying to suspend standing orders to discuss the issue.

“I am astounded that the Prime Minister has shown such contempt.... This minister must go.”

Updated

Angus Taylor will not be stood down

Scott Morrison announces he has spoken to the New South Wales police commissioner, Mick Fuller.

He says he takes “matters of ministerial standards very seriously”, but he has determined there is “no action” required.

I have since spoken with the NSW police commissioner about the investigation and the nature and substance of their inquiries, which he advised me were based only on the allegations referred to by the shadow attorney general.

Based on the information provided to me by the commissioner, I consider there is no action required by me under the clause.

Updated

Labor is back in the federation chamber – the suspension lasted just under five minutes.

But it is about making the point, not actually shutting down parliament.

Updated

The MPI continues – Fiona Phillips is getting her five minutes now.

Scott Morrison is still at the table, writing notes.

Updated

Bob Katter has a minute 1.10 on the clock.

Updated

Bob Katter, talking on the dairy industry as part of the MPI, has never had such a big audience.

Scott Morrison has just walked into the chamber and is sitting at the table.

Bob Katter is about to be cut off.

The Office of National Intelligence has given evidence to a spillover session of budget estimates for the Finance and Public Administration committee.

Under questioning from the Liberal senator James Paterson, the director general of the ONI, Nick Warner, said he was “loath” to comment on recent reports on an alleged Chinese plot to infiltrate Australia’s parliament, saying it was a matter for the Department of Home Affairs and Asio.

But Warner said he supported the former director of Asio, Duncan Lewis, on the current threat of foreign interference.

“As Duncan Lewis ... used to say with some frequency, foreign interference into Australia and espionage against Australia are at unprecedentedly high levels and we need to take these issues very seriously.”

Updated

The federation chamber (where speeches go to die, but still get a guernsey in the Hansard) has been suspended – because of a lack of quorum.

Labor is going on strike over the government having gagged the debate on Angus Taylor. The backbench cleared out of QT, and now it’s cleared out of the federation chamber.

Updated

We are just waiting on the matter of public importance to finish up, and then we are expecting Scott Morrison to address the chamber.

On Scott Morrison’s call for an apology if the allegations go nowhere, Anthony Albanese says:

There is a strike force, that has been established by the New South Wales police. Have a look at what the prime minister was saying today in question time. I certainly have no influence over what the NSW police do and whether they establish a strike force.

They do not do it because they wake up in the morning and say, how about we have a strike force into a federal cabinet minister.

They do it because there is a clear case to be made.

Updated

Anthony Albanese:

Angus Taylor should not be a representative of anybody at this point in time. He should be a backbencher.

He is under investigation for very serious allegations. You can’t go around producing documents defaming someone, giving them to the media, which aren’t factual documents. And be a minister of the crown.

This is the most open and shut circumstances I’ve seen and the fact that yesterday, when we moved to suspension of standing orders, not a single minister was prepared to stand up and to defend minister Taylor.

I’m not surprised that they weren’t and say again, they were prepared to do that and indeed, they weren’t even allowed... They weren’t even good enough to allow to have a debate.

To shut down the leader of the opposition when we had made a very clear case. Every question, in question time, was about this.

There is a police strike force into a cabinet minister and into a fraudulent document and this government does not think that is worthy of even discussion. They are showing contempt for the parliament and in terms of a lack of scrutiny, now they can’t avoid the scrutiny.

The prime minister must ask the minister to stand aside today.

Updated

The hours motion has passed 39 to 33 – reordering debate to allow more time to discuss the Ensuring Integrity bill.

The motion said:

(a) the routine of business for the remainder of today shall be: (i) consideration of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Ensuring Integrity) Bill 2019, second reading speeches only, (ii) if a division is called after 7.20 pm, the division shall be taken on the next day of sitting, and (iii) the Senate shall adjourn without debate after the conclusion of the second reading debate, or at 9 pm, or after a motion for the adjournment is moved by a minister, whichever is the earlier; and (b) on Wednesday, 27 November 2019: (i) the routine of business from 7.20 pm shall be consideration of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Ensuring Integrity) Bill 2019, second reading speeches only, and (ii) if a division is called after 7.20 pm, the division shall be taken on the next day of sitting, and (iii) the Senate shall adjourn without debate after the conclusion of the second reading debate, or at midnight, or after a motion for the adjournment is moved by a minister, whichever is the earlier

Updated

'This minister cannot survive this day,' says Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese:

This prime minister will do anything to avoid scrutiny and today the shutting down of the debate in the parliament about his embattled minister for emissions reduction just highlighted the lack of respect for scrutiny that this prime minister has.

The prime minister mightn’t want scrutiny from the parliament or from the crossbench or indeed from the media where he refuses to answer questions but he can’t avoid scrutiny by the New South Wales police force with their strike force that they have launched, operation Garrad, into the behaviour of the minister for emissions reduction.

... We know from the scrutiny that has occurred from outside of the metadata from that website that this document did not come from the website.

We don’t know where it came from but we know that it was given to the Daily Telegraph by the minister’s office. And now we have an investigation, a strike force by the NSW police force into this fraudulent document and the minister under section 7.1 of the ministerial code of conduct is subject to the prime minister’s decision as to whether he should step aside or not.

Now Arthur Sinodinos stepped aside, no doubt with the encouragement of the then coalition prime minister, over something where there wasn’t a police investigation, there was an inquiry by the ICAC into his conduct.

He stepped aside voluntarily.

This minister cannot survive this day. The prime minister needs to stand him aside today.

This farce whereby a minister has continued to just have this born to rule mentality on display for all, thinking that he can get away with anything he likes because he’s above the common people, and indeed the parliament, well the fact is he is accountable.

Updated

Scott Morrison will make a statement to the house in a few minutes.

Updated

Anthony Albanese and Mark Butler will hold a press conference in a couple of minutes – it’s in the opposition leader’s courtyard, which is Labor’s most serious press conference spot.

Updated

As the frontbench of the government moves out, Scott Morrison reaches across and pats Angus Taylor on the back.

But he does it just inside the door, where it starts to go dark.

Updated

Question time ends.

Scott Morrison also makes notes of the Labor backbench having cleared out.

It is great to see the leader of the opposition’s backbench support here in full swing.

Updated

Greg Hunt gets one more dixer.

Question time has been extended as a ‘whatevs’ to Labor having attempted to gag Sussan Ley, but we should be done after this.

Updated

Mark Butler gets another question – to Angus Taylor:

The minister’s department blocked access under freedom of information to two sets of emails sent to his office on the very day his conduct was referred to the NSW police. Those emails also been withheld from the NSW police and will they now be provided to the NSW police strike force Garrad?

Taylor:

Well, thank you, Mr Speaker. After being in opposition for seven years you’d think the member for Hindmarsh would know how FOIs work. Freedom of information requests are being, as they always are, processed in accordance with the Act.

Now I tabled my statement from 25 October in the House and I stand by that statement. But, Mr Speaker, the poor understanding of FOI from the member for Hindmarsh isn’t his only mistake. It isn’t his only mistake. We know he was the architect of Labor’s energy and climate policies in 2013, 2016 and 2019. (Scott Morrison nods along with each of these dates.)

The member for McMahon. He was the architect of all of those election-losing policies. He is an election-losing machine. (“Good stuff,” Morrison mouths.)

Now he is the self-proclaimed master tactician who couldn’t even hold the Labor party presidency is at it again. The member for Hindmarsh is Labor’s special weapon. He’s an election-losing machine.

Updated

Labor’s backbench has cleared out.

That gag motion is also lost. Shockingly.

Sussan Ley returns to answer the dixer.

And then we can all go.

Which for some of us, straight to the principal’s office, me thinks.

Updated

The hours motion to allow further debate on the union penalty (ensuring integrity) bill, has really set the Labor Senate leader, Penny Wong, off:

The government is moving this motion so it can ram through it’s extreme anti-worker legislation. It doesn’t apply to banks. It doesn’t apply to Angus Taylor. It doesn’t apply to Senator Cash. It only applies to working people and their representatives. It is an attack on nurses, police, and their representatives...

I was here for the Work Choices legislation – and you lot haven’t changed.

After that Wong hit the Coalition for slow pedalling on the national integrity commission, the banking royal commission and leaving it up to Westpac’s board to respond to allegations of 23m breaches of anti-money laundering laws.

Wong notes that in Senate question time, the government refused to rule out changes to unfair dismissal laws and the Better Off Overall Test:

Wong concludes:

It’s the same ideology and the same agenda as WorkChoices... You think there should be one standard for workers and their representatives and one standard for everyone else. This government doesn’t care about integrity, it doesn’t care about lawlessness, it doesn’t care about workers.

Updated

Scott Morrison looks like my dad did when I got home from my “friend’s” house when I was 16, after his police friends told him I had been seen pouring vodka into a slurpee cup in the Surfers Paradise mall at 4am.

That did not end well for me, FYI.

Updated

Scott Morrison has the folders stacked.

Sussan Ley moves up for her dixer – and Tony Burke moves that the minister no longer be heard.

A bit of tit for tat there, as a gag motion, and also extends the awkwardness for a few minutes longer.

Updated

The members return to their seats.

Scott Morrison indicates there will be one more dixer.

Updated

Andrew Laming and Tony Pasin once again took the opportunity to sit on the frontbench during the division.

Warren Entsch is also there, but it looks like he has some business with Sussan Ley and is seizing the opportunity for a chat.

Updated

Angus Taylor found a friend in Alan Tudge, who made a beeline to sit next to him in the division. They are having a good old chat. Hey, it’s one way to ensure you’ll get your face on the TV.

Better plan than this, anyway.

Scott Morrison is VERY busy on his phone

Updated

We are at the swapping sides of the never-ending division.

Updated

73 to 67, the government wins.

We move to the final gag motion.

Tony Burke moves to second Anthony Albanese’s motion, but that too is gagged (which is normal).

We divide again. The government has the numbers, so you know how it will end.

Meanwhile, the question remains – was question time the first Scott Morrison was aware of the police investigation? Because it certainly seems that way.

Updated

Meanwhile, in the Senate:

Updated

Jacqui Lambie has asked the government about three Rwandan refugees brought to Australia who had been charged (but not convicted of) murder.

“What kind of deal is this? The US clearly didn’t want them in their community – they held them for more than a decade in immigration detention. Do they pose a risk?”

Michaelia Cash chooses her words very carefully – noting Scott Morrison confirmed earlier this year that two of the Rwandans had come to Australia because they were found to be refugees, and were subject to strict security and character tests. She doesn’t confirm the third Rwandan has come to Australia.

Lambie suggested it looks like Australia is sending genuine refugees to the US and getting back accused criminals. Cash responds that the Rwandans did not come to Australia as part of a deal with the US.

Updated

This is mid “this is a disgrace”:

Updated

Meanwhile:

Christian Porter has moved to gag the debate – Labor is very upset about that, but it is pretty normal practice for a question time suspension.

Updated

The motion:

I seek leave to move the following motion –

That the House:

notes that:

on the evening of 23 October 2019, the Guardian reported the Minister for Emissions Reduction had used incorrect figures from the City of Sydney Annual Report 2017-18 in a letter to the Lord Mayor of Sydney;

on 24 October 2019, the Minister told the House: “The document was drawn directly from the City of Sydney’s website”;

despite the Minister’s claim, all the evidence to date is that no such document ever existed on the website, the altered document has only ever been produced by the Minister’s office and the doctored figures have only ever been used by the Minister in his official Ministerial correspondence;

today, the NSW Police confirmed that it had launched Strike Force Garrad to investigate the matter;

paragraph 7.1 of the Ministerial Standards make clear that it is for the Prime Minister to stand aside a Minister if that Minister becomes the subject of an official investigation of alleged illegal conduct; and

therefore, calls on the Prime Minister to do what only he can under the Ministerial Standards and immediately stand the Minister for Emissions Reduction down.

Updated

Christian Porter has denied leave to move the motion.

Labor moves to suspend standing orders over Angus Taylor

Anthony Albanese is moving to suspend standing orders over the Angus Taylor saga.

This will fail.

The government backbenchers – Julian Simmonds and Phil Thompson, I hear you – seem to think that mention of the Guardian is worth a guffaw or two.

Updated

Labor’s Murray Watt has asked the government why just $44m of Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility funding has been spent, and how many jobs have been created.

The resources and northern Australia minister, Matt Canavan, replied that $1.5bn of investments will create 4,000 jobs, although he acknowledged it “got off to a slow start” before changes to the investment mandate 16 months ago.

“There is a reason the Australian people don’t trust Labor with money. [The reason not all the money has been spent is that] money is provided as milestones are met,” he said.

Watt then asks about a $610m loan for a pumped hydro project in Queensland, which has been delayed.

Canavan confirms that funding for the investment “remains on the table”.

Watt heckles “one day, maybe, eventually, down the track” to reinforce his argument the jobs are not real (yet).

Updated

Angus Taylor:

And as I said yesterday, I made a statement on 25 October, which I tabled in the House yesterday.

And as I said in that statement, this is an outrageous accusation against me by the Labor party. But to answer the question, Mr Speaker, to answer the question, of course I’ll cooperate with any matter of this sort.

Now, as I said in my statement, I reject absolutely the suggestion that I, or any members of my staff, altered the documents in question.

And, Mr Speaker, I won’t be lectured to by the party of Aldi bags and wine boxes full of cash, Mr Speaker. I’m not going to be lectured to about integrity in the week that Labor is celebrating Eddie Obeid coming out on parole.

Angus Taylor during question time
Angus Taylor during question time. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Updated

Mark Butler to Angus Taylor:

Why did the minister block access under freedom of information to more than 200 documents about his use of false figures in official ministerial correspondence? Is it because he knows that the documents reveal that he misled the House when he claimed he downloaded false figures from the City of Sydney website? And will he now assure the House that all 200 documents will be provided to the NSW police strike force Garrad?

Christian Porter gets up immediately, while Scott Morrison speaks to Angus Taylor, who is displaying the body language of the school prefect sent to the principal’s office.

Porter:

The first is with respect to the standing order, around inferences and imputations. The word “block” contains a strong imputation. I might note if that word is to be included in the question, then the question needs to be directed to me as the minister in charge of freedom of information pursuant to standing order 98. I would be happy to take the question on notice to determine whether or not that inference and imputation is correct. But I very much doubt that it is.

Burke:

I would simply refer to your earlier rulings about the opportunity for the minister, if he disagrees to the words of the question, to make that clear in his answer.

Tony Smith:

I thank both the leader of the House and the manager of opposition business. As I’ve made clear before, and for a number of years now, as have previous Speakers, particularly Speaker Andrew on this topic, that whilst the standing orders obviously were quoted accurately by the leader of the House, the practice has been lenient with respect to inferences and also on imputations.

That’s certainly been the case. And, indeed, Speaker Andrew pointed out that if they were strictly enforced, most questions would simply not be in order, or not be able to be asked. I’ve always said I’m happy to look at how we might change things in the future. But if we had a strict reading of questions, I would have a very strict reading of the standing orders around answers.

And that can obviously change the nature of things. The other point Speaker Andrew made was, in ruling questions out of order on that basis, it does prevent the minister from having any opportunity, as the manager of opposition business says. So, on this occasion I’m going to allow the question to proceed, and it’s up to the minister how he deals with that.

Updated

Mark Dreyfus has been told not to speak for an hour after being caught making a bunch of interjections.

The chamber is taking bets on whether he’ll make it.

Updated

Scott Morrison continues:

And to go to the question again, of course we will cooperate with any and all matters, Mr Speaker. I would just hope that the leader of the opposition, once we’ve had the opportunity to review these matters fully, if it is indeed the case, Mr Speaker, that he has jumped the... They’re getting a bit excited, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, once we have worked through this matter, I would just simply hope that the leader of the opposition will do the decent thing if, indeed, Mr Speaker, this is just one of the many occasions upon which the opposition have made these references and they’ve ended up nowhere, that just once, maybe, Mr Speaker, they might want to – they might want to walk back from the breathless accusations that they’ve made.

Except, in this case, the police are the ones who have decided to investigate the referral – the police have announced the task force and the police have confirmed the investigation.

Updated

Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:

My question is again addressed to the prime minister, and I refer to his previous answers, where he said he will contact NSW police about Strike Force Garrad into the minister for emissions reduction and the doctored document about Clover Moore. Will the prime minister commit to fully cooperate with any request for information from the NSW police about this scandal?

Morrison:

Mr Speaker, like with all matters that are pursued by any law enforcement authorities, the commonwealth always cooperates fully with all of those matters, Mr Speaker, which you would expect us to do, and of course we would, Mr Speaker, of course we would.

But, Mr Speaker, just because the opposition has referred matters to the NSW police, and just because the opposition have referred so many matters on so many members, Mr Speaker, and they’ve all ended up going absolutely nowhere at the end of the day, forgive me, Mr Speaker, for not, for not leaping to the conclusions that the leader of the opposition had on this day, Mr Speaker.

And breathlessly coming to the dispatch box and making the allegations that he is making against the member, and the minister, Mr Speaker. I understand, I understand why the leader of the opposition wants to distract attention today. It’s not just because there are 65 representatives of the CFMEU before the courts across 28 separate matters, brought by the ABCC, Mr Speaker.

Albanese has a point of order:

I don’t have the capacity to demand the NSW police launch a strike force into one of his ministers.

Tony Smith tells the prime minister to stick to the topic.

Updated

It is all very, very tense in here at the moment.

Anthony Albanese asks Scott Morrison to withdraw the union thuggery line. Morrison does not.

Someone in the government benches is heckling something about “the Guardian” but it’s not loud enough for me to hear to judge whether or not I should respect it as a burn.

This is not a place for grown-ups.

Updated

Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:

And I refer to his previous answers, where he said that he will contact the NSW police about Strike Force Garrad into the minister for emissions reduction. Will he assure the police and this House that the minister will do what he hasn’t done to this parliament, and state exactly what the origins of this doctored document about the City of Sydney Mayor was – what the origins of it were?

Morrison:

I’m going to leave the matters of pursuing these issues to the NSW police. And I will speak directly to the NSW police, Mr Speaker. And I will consider the information they provide me about this matter.

And I will exercise my responsibilities under the standards once I have had the opportunity to have those discussions. What I won’t do, Mr Speaker, is engage in the breathlessness of the leader of the opposition. I won’t engage in that, Mr Speaker.

I calmly consider my responsibilities. I soberly consider serious matters, Mr Speaker. I don’t rush to the judgment of the leader of the opposition.

And I know why this is happening today, Mr Speaker, because in the other place, in the other place, Mr Speaker, we are dealing with the ensuring integrity bill. Ah! That’s the bill we’re dealing with over there.

And the militant unionism that this mob over here, Mr Speaker, want to engage in a protection racketed.

Mr Speaker, I was wondering what the collective noun was for a group of militant unionists, and I think they’re called a “thuggery” of unionists, Mr Speaker. And it’s that thuggery that this leader of the opposition wants to protect by not supporting the government’s bill to ensure that union thugs are held to account.

Updated

Peter Dutton delivered his daily dose of JUST HOW SAFE ARE YOU.

Breaking: STILL AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE BUT OMG L A B O R

I’m not sure about the prime minister’s assertion that he will speak to the NSW police about the investigation, because in my experience, police tend to keep that stuff under wraps, because you know – it is a police investigation.

And I also don’t understand the constant comparisons to Eddie Obeid, who actually went to jail. What is the relevance?

Updated

Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:

My question is again to the prime minister and it goes to events under a different Coalition prime minister, when Arthur Sinodinos had the integrity to stand aside from the ministry even though a police investigation was never commenced. Strike Force Garrad has now commenced. It’s investigating the potential criminality of the minister for emissions reduction. Why is he still here on your frontbench, prime minister?

Morrison:

And I would refer the member to clauses 7.1 and 7.2 of the Statement of Ministerial Standards, and that makes it very clear the process, Mr Speaker. And so I don’t take the leader of the opposition’s word for these matters, Mr Speaker.

What I will do is what I said in response to the last question, and I will speak directly to the NSW police force and understand the nature of what these reports are... And then, Mr Speaker, I will make the necessary assessments of that case at that time.

But, Mr Speaker, I’m not going to take lectures from the leader of the opposition, who is a member of a NSW branch, Mr Speaker, who had NSW government ministers imprisoned, Mr Speaker. Imprisoned. I mean, Eddie’s coming out in December, Mr Speaker, but it doesn’t make any difference to the fact that he is a member of a rotten branch of the Labor party.

Updated

I missed a question – this was the second question and answer exchange between Anthony Albanese and Scott Morrison:

Albanese:

The ministerial code makes it the personal responsibility of the prime minister to decide whether to stand aside a minister in the exact circumstances that the minister for emissions reduction now finds himself in.

Prime minister, the NSW police have established Strike Force Garrad into the potential criminal behaviour of a minister sitting on your frontbench right now. Prime minister, why is he still sitting there? When will you stand him aside?

Scott Morrison:

The matters that the opposition leader refers to have not been provided to me or been presented to me by the NSW police. I have not been advised of those developments, Mr Speaker.

And so I think that deals with the issues that he has raised in relation to the code. But Mr Speaker, can I say, about the minister for energy and the minister for emissions reduction, I think I can understand why those opposite have taken such a keen interest in him, Mr Speaker, because he’s responsible for policies that we are finally starting to see stabilise electricity prices in this country. And take the pressure off... and he’s overseeing an emissions reduction program, Mr Speaker, which is taking action on climate change without taking the jobs of Australians, Mr Speaker.

Which is the policies of those opposite. I am enabling the minister to continue to get around his job, his job, Mr Speaker, which is about getting power prices down, and which is about meeting our important commitments to take action on climate change.

Now, Mr Speaker, they might not like the progress that he is making as a minister. They may feel uncomfortable, Mr Speaker, about the progress that this minister is making.

But, Mr Speaker, at the end of the day, the Australian people know when they see their power bills start to stabilise, and when they see the fact that we are taking the action that we need to on climate change without taking their jobs, they will know that the Labor party, once again, is on another frolic, Mr Speaker, and we know where these frolics always end.

Updated

Labor’s Kristina Keneally has started the opposition question time attack with quotes from groups representing senior Australians, after the announcement of 10,000 more home care packages on Monday.

Leading Age Services Australia described the $537m package as a “missed opportunity” that would disappoint the rest of the 120,000 people on the waitlist for a home care package. National Seniors Australia noted the 10,000 packages is “less than the number of people who died last year waiting for a package” (16,000).

The aged care minister, Richard Colbeck, boasted the package was good news, and resorted to his standard defence that the rollout can’t be rushed, or else it will cause “Pink Batts” style problems of encouraging shonky operators.

That set off a slanging match between Penny Wong and Eric Abetz about which issue was more serious – elderly people dying waiting for home care, or installers of home insulation dying on the job.

The first dixer also goes to Colbeck. Perhaps the government sees this as the way to give a vote of confidence to ministers in Labor’s sights, or it wants to boast about the aged care package. In any event, the shouting continues.

Updated

This is what happened just before Scott Morrison’s last answer on Angus Taylor.

He’s just taking another document and is using the Josh Frydenberg dixer on how amazing the economy is to chat to advisers who sit in the wings.

The phone is in hand and is getting a workout at the moment.

Updated

In the meantime, Michael McCormack, displaying the leadership charisma of a bowl of soggy rice bubbles, attempted to deliver sentences featuring infrastructure.

Updated

Angus Taylor has spent those questions grinning and tapping his feet.

Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:

What actions is he taking, given the Strike Force Garrad investigation of the minister for emissions reduction, given his ministerial statement says, “Ministers must accept it is for the PM to decide when and where a minister should stand aside if that minister becomes subject of an official investigation of alleged, illegal or improper conduct.” 7.1, prime minister – what are you gonna do to implement it?

Morrison:

Now, this is a very recent matter, and I will be happy to take advice from the NSW police in relation to any matters that they’re pursuing.

I will be taking advice from the NSW police on any matter that they are currently looking at.

And I will form a view, Mr Speaker, based on taking that advice in considering these issues. And, Mr Speaker, I would only note this – I would only note this, Mr Speaker. And the leader of the opposition may want to reflect on the standard that he is setting, Mr Speaker.

And I would simply note this – if there are questions ever being raised in any such investigations by any member sitting on that bench, well, Mr Speaker, he has clearly set a standard.

Updated

Question time is turning into the Angus Taylor hour. Understandably.

After Anthony Albanese’s line to caucus about the religious discrimination bill, the shadow attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, said this to Guardian Australia:

Labor has been consulting widely across the entire community, holding dozens of meetings and roundtables with LGBTIQ groups, religious organisations and other community representatives.

We will need to see the actual legislation the government proposes to bring before the parliament before we can decide whether any changes are needed.

We agree with the core principle in the bills: that all Australians should be able to go about their lives free from discrimination.

But any laws aimed at protecting Australians from discrimination because of their religious belief must not compromise anti-discrimination protections that already exist in the law for LGBTIQ and other Australians.

Updated

Question time begins

The first question is on Angus Taylor following Anne Davies story:

Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:

Moments ago, it was revealed that the New South Wales Police have formed a Strike Force to investigate possible criminal behaviour connected to the Minister for Emissions Reduction. What action will the Prime Minister take?

Morrison:

I would simply note that any investigations that are undertaken are a matter for authorities in other places other than here. And I would refer the member to those authorities in terms of what they are doing...Mr Speaker, there seems to be a presumption made by those on the other side, which they have a habit of making, Mr Speaker, and they...If they wish to make smears against members, Mr Speaker, there are standing orders that prevent them from doing that. And I assume that’s what they’re seeking to do on this occasion.

A delegation from the Northern Territory is in parliament to talk to crossbench senators and MPs about the government’s proposal to expand the cashless debit card into the NT, replacing the Basics card.

The delegation includes representatives from the Central Land Council, the NPY Women’s Council and the Arnhem Land Progress Association.

Senator Malarndirri McCarthy said the group was advocating against the expansion of the cashless debut card, legislation for which has been introduced into the House.

Dr Josie Douglas from the Central Land Council said there had not been consultation with affected Indigenous communities.

The delegation has met Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie and Centre Alliance MP Rebekha Sharkie, as well as government representatives and Indigenous Australians minister, Ken Wyatt.

She said the group had been “strongly encouraging” the crossbench to vote against the bill and had been given a positive reception, particular from Lambie.

“We are thankful that the senator has listened to us and appreciates and understands there has been a lack of consultation,” Douglas said.

Updated

Anne Davies has this update on the Angus Taylor document saga:

New South Wales police have contacted the City of Sydney requesting information about downloads of its 2017-18 annual report after an altered version was relied upon by the energy minister, Angus Taylor, to lash the lord mayor, Clover Moore, over the council’s carbon footprint and accuse her of hypocrisy.

NSW police said the investigation was in the early stages and detectives from the state crime command’s financial crimes squad had launched Strike Force Garrad to determine if any criminal offences had been committed.

The doctored document, which contained grossly inflated travel figures for the 10 city councillors – it claimed they had spent $15m in a year – was quoted in a letter sent by Taylor to Moore on 29 September and provided at the same time to the Daily Telegraph, which used the figures in an article published the same day.

Updated

In what Chris Kenny on Sky News has declared “very surprising comments” from Pauline Hanson, Hanson has implied China is attempting to take over Australia by bringing people here because the number of Chinese immigrants are “ever increasing”.

“Yes, that is how I see the future, yes I do,” said Hanson to him a little earlier.

This has now made Barnaby Joyce the voice of reason.

We have every right to discuss influence on our nation, ownership of our nation, absolutely that is our sovereign right as a sovereign nation, but when you bring in this sort of stuff you actually reduce the argument.

Because people say, ‘I told you, it’s all bat poo crazy what you were saying’ and this is an example why.

If you actually go to the history of China, they are not an expansionist – there has never been, when they have been the pre-eminent power in the world – their desire to go live in other parts of the world, that is not how the middle kingdom works. But if you said there is an instance where the autocratic power of China tries to create supplicant states, well, yes, that is the case. You see that in places such as Cambodia and Laos. There is a desire of them to have an economic control which could be to the detriment of the people they have control over ... That is definitely something we should consider and definitely something we should make sure we protect our nation against.

We are in the invidious position where we have to recognise they are our biggest trading partner ... and we have to recognise that China currently, the autocratic power that many people, Hong Kong for example, that many people don’t support, but as they push forward, we are very reticent to push back because we are aware of the consequences.

For any power, that works very well, they just say, ‘We’ll keep pushing forward and pushing forward,’ but they are pushing forward on an economic basis and in some instances in a military basis.

But they are not pushing forward by pushing their people into other countries. They haven’t done that before in history; they haven’t done that now. And it is a little perverse to suggest that for some unknown reason, people in China are going to stop wanting to live in China. It’s where Chinese people prefer to live, generally – China.”

Updated

Pffft. Scientists. What do they know?

Kevin Rudd, and his hand movements, were back in the building to launch Peter Hartcher’s Quarterly Essay today (Sarah Martin was there and has given you a taste a few posts down)

Kevin Rudd launches Peter Hartcher’s quarterly essay
Kevin Rudd launches Peter Hartcher’s quarterly essay Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Fair suck of the sav
Fair suck of the sav Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Can you believe it
Can you believe it Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

In October the federal court ruled in favour of the Australian Workers Union regarding the Registered Organisations Commission raids, finding the “suspicion” that the union had breached its rules was not a reasonable ground to conduct the raid.

But the case continued in order to decide what flowed from that in terms of whether evidence collected would need to be returned.

On Tuesday Justice Mordecai Bromberg gave orders including:

THE COURT DECLARES THAT: 1. The decision of the first respondent by his delegate Mr Chris Enright made on 20 October 2017 to commence investigation INV2017/30 into the applicant (“Decision”), is invalid. THE COURT ORDERS THAT: 2. The decision of the first respondent, by his delegate Mr Chris Enright, is quashed. 3. The second respondent (by himself or by his servants or agents) return to the applicant the documents seized pursuant to the warrants issued by Magistrate Reynolds on 24 October 2017 pursuant to s 335L of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 (Cth).

So the AWU has had the documents returned.

Updated

Kevin Rudd has launched Peter Hartcher’s Quarterly Essay on Australia’s relationship with China, talking about the “difficult” relationship and making recommendations on what the government can do to improve ties.

He would not comment on this week’s explosive revelations in the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age about an alleged infiltration plot of Australia’s parliament, saying he was “out of the loop”, but said asylum should be considered for Liqiang Wang, the self-declared defecting Chinese spy who has sought protection from the Australian government.

Rudd directed his barbs at the Liberal party’s approach to China after the change in government in 2013, saying both Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull had “capitulated” to the Chinese on a range of issues.

He singled out Australia’s retreat from the Pacific as having “opened the door” to Chinese influence in the region, pointing to Australia’s cuts to the aid budget and weak climate change policy.

Australia had been “reckless” by cutting the aid budget. He also criticised the Turnbull government for allowing the Chinese to lease the port of Darwin, saying the port was the point of entry for US marines and equipment.

“The Americans were horrified, while the Chinese couldn’t believe their luck.”

However, the former PM also warned against “yellow peril”, saying the crackdown on foreign influence could easily lead to a form of racial profiling and warned against a “populist witch-hunt”.

Updated

Federal court quashes AWU raid

The AWU has had a win in the federal court, with Justice Mordecai Bromberg ordering a return of the documents seized during the 2017 raid on the AWU offices.

The ACTU has announced the news, linking it to the ensuring integrity bill:

Justice Bromberg has ruled that the [Registered Organisations Commission] did not have grounds to order an AFP raid on the offices of the AWU and has ordered the return of the documents that were seized on behalf of the regulator in their first act after being established by the Liberal government in 2017.

The decision comes as the Morrison government attempts to pass the ensuring integrity bill in the Senate which would give the ROC the extreme power to determine which unions are deregistered and which officials are disqualified under the dangerous and hypocritical new union-busting law.

Under the EI bill the ROC would have the power to begin deregistration proceedings against a union which had made a handful of paperwork mistakes over a period of 10 years.

Updated

Josh Frydenberg said the government would be introducing two more pieces of legislation related to the banking royal commission recommendations this week.

Labor says only six of the 76 recommendations have so far been implemented, meaning the government is running out of time to meet its own timetable.

Stephen Jones:

After yet another banking scandal, it’s clear the government haven’t got the message. Only six of the 76 banking royal commission recommendations have been implemented.

It has been 299 days since the government received the royal commission recommendations. I think it’s fair for the public to be asking what the government has been doing.

The government talks a big game on banks, but we all know that their heart isn’t really in it.

Updated

The Nationals water minister, David Littleproud, is calling for “calm, leadership and common sense” in the NSW water debate and I cannot stop laughing at the irony.

Littleproud says it’s important the New South Wales government understands the full ramifications of withdrawing from the Murray-Darling basin plan.

“The federal government would be potentially forced by NSW to recover water by buybacks, not the $1bn of water infrastructure we are prepared to deliver,” he said.

“I don’t support buybacks. They destroy communities and I don’t want to be forced by law to undertake them if NSW pulls out.

“That would be the outcome of leaving the plan.

“We want to spend that money on water infrastructure to help stimulate NSW basin economies and create jobs.

“The facts are clear: pulling out of the plan would not deliver one drop of water to a NSW farmer.

“Ripping up the plan will only result in a worse one.

“This is a time to show leadership and work together to get the best outcome in these difficult times.”

Updated

Parliament’s human rights committee is unusually torn, AAP reports. Labor and the Greens are arguing against the government to seek an urgent change to laws aimed at reducing restraints in aged care.

The deputy chair of the traditionally bipartisan committee, Labor MP Graham Perrett, says the legislation creates confusion that could lead to physical and chemical restraints being used without consent.

“The dissenting report recommends that ... a new instrument be urgently reintroduced that ensures there is informed consent for the use of chemical restraints, a reduction in the use of restraints, and oversight and effective reporting on the use of restraints,” he told parliament.

Andrew Leigh had a chat to Adelaide radio 5AA this morning, which included this exchange:

AL: There is some great economic research that suggests that much of the pleasure of holidays comes not from having them, but from anticipating them. So our family always tries to plan our holidays as far in advance as we can, so we can have that anticipation effect.
Question: But Andrew, isn’t that about everything in life? Isn’t the anticipation, the pre-savouring of something, far more interesting than the actual meal?
AL: Everything except chocolate, sex and television, I entirely agree.
Question: [laughter] Chocolate, sex and television.
AL: They’re the three that I think don’t let you down in the enjoyment.
Question: Now is this going to be the title of the next book?
AL: It could be, couldn’t it?

Television?!

Updated

“I’d like to see the banks reined in a lot more ... I am not saying where I stand on the integrity bill. I still need to have more discussions with the unions,” Pauline Hanson says.

Hanson says she was busy at the weekend so has only just had a chance to look over the amendments Christian Porter released on the bill late on Friday.

“I will not be rushed on this,” she says.

Updated

Pauline Hanson is on Sky, saying she believes there is “a place for unions in Australia, by all means” but by the sound of things, she is close to agreeing to the bill.

There are whispers around that the government will seek to reorder business in the Senate this afternoon to bring on the ensuring integrity debate – but not the vote.

We’ll keep an eye on that.

Updated

Josh Frydenberg:

I’ve been consistent and clear. Decisions about who are on boards are matters for shareholders.

Decisions about who are on senior management teams are decisions for boards. But these alleged breaches are of the most serious nature. And there needed to be accountability.

You heard very strong language from our prime minister, from myself, and from other ministers, about the seriousness of these issues and the need for accountability at the bank.

I also want to point out that our financial services sector contributes about 10% of GDP, employs more than 400,000 Australians. It’s a vitally important sector to our economy.

And we need to continue to ensure that they uphold the highest standards of professionalism, but also that we have strong financial institutions.

Because it’s our banks that ensure the flow of credit to households for their mortgages and for other borrowings and to businesses as they continue to innovate, to expand, and grow.

So it’s very important that we have a financial services sector that only upholds the highest standards of professionalism, that that continues to prosper, and to support the Australian economy.

Updated

The Greens also want to cap banking executive pay.

That comes after the news Brian Hartzer will get a year’s payout – just over $2.6m.

Updated

Just picking up from Paul Karp’s tweet a bit earlier about the Labor caucus, the main development was the opposition bracing for the religious freedom debate. In his leader’s report, Anthony Albanese told the troops that Labor ended the year with “a clear strategic plan”.

He said the campaign review had been handed down, and that drew a line over looking at the past.

He said the next of his vision statements would be delivered on 7 December. Albanese has done two of these thus far, the first on jobs and the second on the economy. The next one will be on the theme of democracy.

Labor has begun the process of selecting members of the national policy forum ahead of the party’s national conference, which will be held in Canberra at the end of next year.

There was a briefing for caucus members about the constitutional recognition of Indigenous people and the voice to parliament.

Albanese also said it was “beyond belief” that Angus Taylor remained a minister of the crown after the botched criticism of the Sydney lord mayor, and he signalled Labor would continue to pursue Taylor.

Updated

Asked if he, or the government put pressure on Brian Hartzer to resign, Josh Frydenberg says:

I’ve had conversations with Westpac and those discussions were constructive. I made clear the seriousness of those issues, but also the bank itself and the board itself has been having many meetings – including with its own shareholders – and in our conversation this morning with the chairman he told me, before the public announcement, of what was to take place.

Updated

Government to move forward with banking royal commission response after Westpac

Josh Frydenberg says more legislation inspired from the banking royal commission recommendations will be coming this week, as he officially responds to the Westpac news:

A lack of appropriate oversight by the board, and a systemic failure by the bank.

As you’re aware, both Apra and Asic – in addition to Austrac – are conducting their own inquiries.

And Apra is doing that under the Banking Executive Accountability Regime at that the coalition introduced and that took effect in 2018.

Together with the Bear – the Banking Executive Accountability Regime – we’ve also increased both the civil and criminal penalties for misconduct in the financial sector.

We’ve boosted the resources of our regulators. We’re putting in place a criminal division of the federal court. And we’re taking action on all 76 recommendations of the royal commission.

And this week, I’ll be introducing two pieces of legislation which will implement more of those royal commission recommendations.

Updated

For some reason, I am reminded of Edgar Allan Poe’s line of:

I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder – louder – louder!

In other news, the parliament bells are ringing.

Updated

This is interesting as well

Updated

Looks like the official government response on the Westpac news is coming – Josh Frydenberg has called a press conference for 11.50am in the Senate Courtyard-Mural Hall- Senate Courtyard*

That is 10 minutes before the parliament sits, so it limits the questioning time as well.

*Seems like there has been some moving around of the press conference at the last minute, but they’ve decided on the Senate courtyard

Updated

From AAP:

An unlikely alliance of federal politicians have joined forces to demand WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange be brought back to Australia.

The group, which includes Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie and Queensland conservative George Christensen, are concerned about Assange’s health and potential extradition from the UK to America.

The pair described his treatment as a direct attack on journalists.

“The group is unanimously and strongly of the view that the US extradition request of Mr Assange be rescinded and that he be allowed to return to Australia,” Wilkie said on Tuesday.

The politicians want to meet with the US ambassador and UK high commissioner to Australia to discuss Assange’s case.

Updated

The parliament will begin sitting at midday.

Woo. Hoo.

Penny Wong was also doorstopped about the China situation this morning. Here is some of what she had to say in the hallway:

Question: Should there be vetting of candidates before the election? And do you think Gladys Liu owes the parliament an explanation?

PW: Well in relation to the second part, Gladys Liu has refused to give a statement to the parliament. She has been protected from doing so by Mr Morrison. I do believe that in circumstances where discrepancies have been raised on the public record, where issues have been raised, parliamentarians should make a statement to the parliament. Mr Morrison has never explained why he refuses to do so.

Q: And in terms of potential vetting of candidates?

PW: Look, I think all political parties, particularly parties of government, do have to ensure that our processes are robust and that Australian sovereignty is safeguarded. You might recall that in the last parliament, Labor sought for a number of years – and the government finally reluctantly agreed – to the banning of foreign donations.

Rex Patrick has been pushing for more security vetting of candidates and MPs, and wants MPs to have security checks done, similar to what staffers and public servants undergo, with the results presented to the prime minister of the day, who can then determine the response (what, if any committees they would be eligible to sit on, cabinet positions, access etc).

So far, it has not received a lot of support from the major parties.

Updated

Chris Bowen was also asked about the government’s assertion that it was taking its time responding to the aged care royal commission interim report, because it did not want another “pink batts” situation.

This was Scott Morrison yesterday:

Now, I’m not going to rush that and see things put into legislation that could have been addressed through the consultation period that would otherwise have avoided some unintended consequence. I’m going to make sure we give that time to work with the sector to make sure that these legislative responses are correct. I don’t understand Labor’s position. What are they expecting, that we should have some rushed and harried legislation? That’s how you end up with pink batts fiascos and overpriced school halls, when you don’t take care on making responses to these things. And we are taking care. This is a very, very significant priority of the government, to get this right. Just as all the other matters are, and we will continue to just work through that process of delivering on our agenda.

Bowen:

What an insult what a disgusting insult to Australians on the waiting list for in-home care packages or on the waiting list for aged care. I mean, this is a government who is funding 10,000 extra places when the waiting list is over 100,000, with 16,000 Australians dying on the waiting list last year, and to justify the paltry rollout of care places, he compares it to pink batts.

That is a disgusting insult and he should withdraw and apologise today.

Updated

Sarah Hanson-Young has written about her defamation court victory against David Leyonhjelm in the Guardian today:

Chris Bowen is responding to this story:

(As reported by Melissa Davey)

Private health insurance will continue its slow death spiral unless unnecessary private hospital costs and exorbitant specialist bills are reined in, a Grattan Institute report has found.

The report, written by health economists Stephen Duckett and Kristina Nemet, said a small minority of greedy specialist doctors billed their patients at more than twice the official Medicare benefit schedule fee. Patients were not being told about the fees in advance.

“Only about 7% of all in-hospital medical services are billed at this rate, yet these bills account for almost 90% of all out-of-pocket medical costs for private hospital patients,” the report said. “If these high-charging specialists only billed patients 50% more than the official Medicare benefits schedule fee then patients would save $350m each year.”

Bowen:

Greg Hunt is fiddling while private health insurance burns and across Australia people know it is broken and not working for them and they are voting with their feet. Greg Hunt has been warned and warned and warned and he’s refused to act and he’s told us he’s delivered the biggest reforms in history.

Newsflash, Greg, all of Australia knows they haven’t worked and today we have another report pointing out that private health insurance needs big reform. What is minister Hunt’s answer?

To try to distract with a thought bubble. A thought bubble which I put to you has not been to the cabinet of Australia. Release your policy, Greg, show us the modelling and tell us the details about how your idea will fix private health insurance and how it will make it more valuable for Australians.

Extending private health insurance to some procedures currently done in hospital and could be done at home and elsewhere is a worthy enough idea but it is not the holistic reform that private health insurance needs. Private health insurance needs a big fix, not fiddling.

Updated

The Greens have once again picked up their fight against political donations:

“The fact is that if we banned political donations and introduced election spending caps, then no foreign entity or vested interest would be able to buy their way into parliament,” Richard Di Natale said.

“The additional safeguards against foreign interference supported by both major parties will fail unless real action is also taken on donations reform,” Larissa Waters said.

“It’s time for Labor and the Coalition to join the Greens in calling for banning political donations from all big for-profit corporates and foreign entities so no one – not Clive Palmer and no foreign government – has more influence on Australia’s democracy than our citizens do.”

Updated

Meanwhile, Katharine Murphy has the latest Guardian Essential poll (caveats on polls implied).

An increasing proportion of voters worry Australia is not doing enough to reduce the risks of climate change, and more people see a direct link between warming and bushfires, according to the latest Guardian Essential poll.

Ominously for the Morrison government, which bristles at regular public criticism it is not doing enough to reduce the risks of the climate crisis, 60% of the sample of 1,083 voters believes Australia should be doing more. This is up from 51% in March.

Just under half the sample, 43%, believes it is likely bushfires are linked to climate change, and argues it is entirely appropriate to discuss that link during an emergency of the scale we’ve seen around Australia over the past fortnight. When this question was last put to survey respondents in 2013, only 27% of the sample had this view.

Updated

Medevac is still listed for debate tomorrow.

Peter Dutton is still working on negotiating with Jacqui Lambie for her support. Kristina Keneally is working to debunk some of Dutton’s public claims on medevac:

If you listen to Mr Dutton, you would believe that he is somehow powerless when it comes to medevac. Nothing could be further from the truth. And the Independent Health Advice Panel reports that are tabled in the Senate show that under the medevac laws the minister retains the power to determine who comes into the country when it comes to security grounds – that is un-appealable and unquestionable. Those reports also show that when the minister or doctors the minister appoints, approve a transfer on medical grounds, people are able to get the healthcare they need. Those reports also show that when the minister refuses a determination on medical grounds – a recommendation on medical grounds – that has been more often than not upheld by the doctors the minister has appointed.

In every step of the way the minister or doctors appointed by the minister make decisions about who needs a medical transfer.

And around and around we go.

There have been some reports about some of the charges some of the medevac transfers are facing. It is worth mentioning that people transferred under medevac remain in detention and under guard. And also, as you may have noticed, we still treat people who have been convicted of some pretty heinous crimes. Ivan Milat, for instance, received the necessary treatment for his cancer in the last months of his life.

The argument that we should not give the necessary treatments independent doctors have decided are necessary because of either charges (and you know, innocent before being proven guilty and all that) or crimes, is a very slippery slope for a democratic and compassionate society to start wandering down.

Updated

The government is still attempting to extend the cashless debit card – which would include installing it across the Northern Territory.

Labor’s NT senator Malarndirri McCarthy has been fighting against it. She had a chat to her local ABC this morning, ahead of when the bill is slated for debate:

MM: My hope is that if there is still concern amongst the crossbenchers, if they haven’t made a decision then that may mean the government isn’t confident enough to bring it into the House. But that’s a hopeful scenario obviously that I’m hoping for and the delegation from Central Australia is hoping for but it’s quite likely that it possibly still will go through the House.

Question: Can you tell us who’s been there from central Australia?

MM: Yes of course. We have here in Canberra walking the halls is the Central Land Council representatives, also the NPY Women’s [Council] and also the Arnhem Land Progress Association from Arnhem Land who’ve come down as well so there’s quite a large delegation who have come down in the hope that they can stop the cashless debit card being passed.

Q: Jacqui Lambie is seen as being the key vote in the Senate. Have you got any idea of which way she is leaning at the moment?

MM: Look I’ve been working very hard with the crossbenchers and certainly with senator Lambie. What I have asked is for time to take her to the Northern Territory, to Central Australia and to Arnhem Land to actually hear from people herself. If she had that opportunity, Stuart, I do believe that she would have a better understanding of the concerns that people have and the fact that they don’t want it in the Northern Territory.

Updated

Kevin Rudd is in Canberra today – he will be launching Peter Hartcher’s quarterly essay (on China) at midday

Updated

Tis the season

Jason Falinski at the annual pollies VS press touch football match on the senate oval of Parliament House
Jason Falinski at the annual pollies v press touch football match on the Senate oval of Parliament House. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
The political team had a number of substitutes
The political team had a number of substitutes. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

His face sums up how I feel seeing a Queenslander wear blue for a footy match

David Littleproud shows a clean set of heels in the annual pollies VS press touch football match
David Littleproud shows a clean set of heels in the annual pollies v press touch football match. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Updated

And here is another indication of where question time is headed:

A group of north Queensland dairy farmers are on their way to Canberra to express their frustrations at what is happening within their industry.

That’s at the same time the Nationals are trying to get ahead of Pauline Hanson, who may have come late to the issues, but certainly has been running full steam ahead since becoming aware of it.

And Joel Fitzgibbon from Labor is very happy to poke that particular wound. This was him on Sky News this morning:

David Littleproud, the drought minister, some time ago said he fixed the supermarket [milk price] problem. He said he thumped his chest, waved his fists at them, and demanded they put their milk prices up.

Well, we know that solution lasted about five minutes.

They are still fiddling with this dairy code of conduct.

It’s now more than 20 months since the ACCC recommended we have a mandatory code of conduct for the dairy industry.

The Labor party has been supporting one for a number of years, so there has been no interference from the opposition party.

There is no excuse, and yet they’re still arguing within the National party and the Liberal parties about what this diary code of conduct should look like.

This is after, of course, introducing a sugar code, a code of conduct for the sugar industry literally overnight a number of years ago when Scott Morrison was the treasurer.”

That came after Queensland LNP senator, Susan McDonald, told ABC radio that consumers should be telling supermarkets to raise the price of milk in order to pay farmers more.

Fitzgibbon says it is not up to consumers to fix the problem.

Updated

Stuart Robert is the latest MP to decide Twitter streams just really need more emojis:

He has a long way to go to catch up to Kimberley Kitching though.

Updated

The “keep medevac” advocacy is still going strong. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners is the latest to urge senators (meaning Jacqui Lambie) to stay the course:

GP and chair of the RACGP Refugee Health Network Dr Kate Walker said that repealing the legislation would be a huge mistake.

Asylum seekers and refugees must be able to receive a proper level of healthcare as determined by qualified medical professionals.

What this legislation does is give doctors, not administrators, greater power in determining whether people on Manus Island or Nauru require transfer to Australia for medical treatment. At least 200 patients have been transferred for urgent medical care using the medevac legislation.

That is how it should be – doctors making a judgment on what type of care is needed.

Updated

It is party room time, so the building has gone quiet. We’ll bring you the updates from that very soon

Jim Chalmers also gave us an idea of where Labor’s attacks will be going today:

My criticism of the government when it comes to the banking royal commission is that they talked a big game before the election when they knew people wanted to hear tough talk on the banks and then afterwards they dragged their feet. Now they’ve got a roadmap for implementing the banking royal commission’s recommendations that needs to be adhered to. They’ve got the so-called BEAR legislation that they passed a couple of years ago. They should be looking for every avenue and every opportunity to hold the banks accountable and to clean up the banks so that Australians can have confidence in the system again.

Updated

Labor, today through Penny Wong, is continuing to raise the issue of Gladys Liu never having provided a statement to parliament about her associations with groups linked to the Chinese Communist party.

It is almost impossible to separate Chinese businesses from the Chinese Communist party. And there is no suggestion Liu has any issues herself. But Labor says she should have provided a statement to the parliament to put any lingering concerns to bed.

I think from my perspective, it’s less it’s not of ethnicity, it’s an issue of transparency,” Wong told RN.

And I have been critical of of Ms Liu, the member for Chisholm, and I was critical because, her story had discrepancies and there was a failure of disclosure in relation to substantial donations.

This is not about ethnicity, this is about making sure we have appropriate transparency.

And it is, I think, a matter of record and a matter of regret that this government has been – dragged its feet when it comes to a whole range of transparency issues around foreign donations, which at their heart are about protecting the integrity of Australia’s democratic system.

Updated

The medevac repeal bill is still ticking away in the background. It is meant to come up for debate on Wednesday, but it is a moving feast at this stage. Jacqui Lambie will decide the bill’s fate.

There is some suggestion floating around that Lambie may seek to amend the bill to give the minister more powers. Critics say if that happens, the whole point of medevac – to give doctors more power to make independent medical decisions – will be moot.

Negotiations continue.

Senators and members unite is support of the medivac legislation not being overturned at a press conference in the senate courtyard of Parliament House, Canberra this morning.
Senators and members unite is support of the medivac legislation not being overturned at a press conference in the senate courtyard of Parliament House, Canberra this morning. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Updated

I think Greg Hunt really wants you to know Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg were VERY CLEAR about what they wanted to happen in terms of Westpac. Here he is after his Sky interview, where he said much the same thing:

I think is appropriate. I think it is necessary and it follows the strongest, clearest comments from the prime minister and treasurer about community and government expectations in the face of a serious and profound breaches.”

In case you missed it yesterday, Paul Karp had a story on the latest with FOIs surrounding Angus Taylor:

The environment department has blocked access to two emails about Angus Taylor’s use of incorrect figures to attack the City of Sydney’s travel spending, claiming they are exempt from freedom of information because they relate to an unspecified “ongoing process”.

In response to Labor’s FOI request, the department has refused access to two emails sent at 8.52am on 25 October – the day after Guardian Australia revealed the controversy – and a second email chain at 3.23pm on the same day.

Penny Wong was on RN this morning talking about China. Sorry for the delay – the Westpac news interrupted my transcription time, but here is some of the interview:

You know, China is continuing to develop and change politically and we need to have a very clear understanding of that.

I mean, I think the China relationship should be above domestic partisan politics.

And I’d encourage the prime minister, Mr Morrison and the foreign minister, Senator Payne to make it so.

Wong agreed that this was a “tricky time” for Australia:

I again, go back to where I started. This is a complex, consequential relationship. It’s a relationship that, you know, we need to continue to engage – but we have to recognise that engagement does entail us ensuring we safeguard our sovereignty in our democracy.

And that I think demands a discussion, and a policy framework that is led by the government, not – with all due respect to the media who are doing, you know their job in a in a making sure there is transparency – this should be led by the government and they should engage the parliament and the opposition.

Updated

This is good news – from Ken Wyatt and Paul Fletcher:

The Morrison Government welcomes the return of the remains of 45 Australian Indigenous ancestors from Germany to communities in South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia.

A ceremony will be held this week at the Grassi Museum in Leipzig, with five community members attending to receive their ancestors and accompany them home.

Thirty-five ancestral remains will be returned to the Gunaikurnai people in Victoria, six ancestors to the Menang people in Western Australia; and one old person to the Ngarrindjeri people in South Australia.

Three ancestral remains will return to Australia under the stewardship of the Commonwealth Government and be placed into temporary care while further research and consultation is undertaken to determine their community of origin.

Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher said the repatriation brings the total number of Australian Indigenous ancestors repatriated to Australia from Germany through the Indigenous Repatriation Program to 150, and is the second repatriation from Germany this year.

Updated

Jim Chalmers stopped by doors to give Labor’s response to the Westpac news:

Labor welcomes the resignation of Westpac CEO Brian Hartzer.

The behaviour at Westpac under Brian Hartzer’s leadership was nothing short of disgraceful. Brian Hartzer had no option but to resign after the extremely serious and appalling revelations of what has gone on in Westpac over a period of some years.

After 23m breaches of the counter-terrorism and anti-money laundering laws, Brian Hartzer had no option. We welcome the decision that he’s taken today to step down. There was no other alternative for Brian Hartzer but to step down.

This decision today doesn’t, of itself, fix all of the issues which have emerged in recent weeks about the behaviour of Westpac over a period of some years. There’s a legal process.

I think Australians will be looking for all kinds of accountability when it comes to the behaviour of Westpac.

They will welcome Brian Hartzer’s resignation, but they will be looking for every avenue for the bank to be made accountable for what are appalling, astounding and disgraceful actions, which have been uncovered.

In a week when the Morrison government’s highest priority is to pick on workers and unions, it beggars belief that for so long now the Morrison government has gone soft on the banks, resisted a banking royal commission, voted against it 26 times, dragged their feet on the recommendations of the banking royal commission.

We need to make sure that the Australian people can have confidence in their banks and in their financial system. It’s a key part of the economy. Actions like that, which has been uncovered at Westpac, only damage confidence in the banking system.

We need to make sure that people can feel, with some confidence, that the banking system works for them and not against them.

Updated

“You could not have heard stronger, clearer positions set out by the prime minister in response to what were frankly, quite shocking allegations,” Greg Hunt tells Sky in response to the Brian Hartzer news.

Westpac made the announcement in a statement to the ASX.

You can find that, here.

Among the titbits – Brian Hartzer leaves with a year’s pay, $2.686m – but he loses out on some bonuses.

Peter King becomes acting CEO, with a $2.1m pay packet.

Updated

The Westpac statement announcing Brian Hartzer’s departure includes this line, just in case anyone was unclear about the motivations:

As was appropriate, we sought feedback from all of our stakeholders, including shareholders, and having done so it became clear that board and management changes were in the best interests of the bank.

Updated

Wow, a minute really is a long time in news these days.

Updated

Westpac boss to step down – reports

Just breaking – Westpac chief executive Brian Hartzer will step down from the bank on 2 December, AAP reports.

We’ll have more on that very soon.

Updated

'We don't need to overcook this' – Westpac boss to bank's leaders

On the Westpac front, the Australian had quite the story this morning, with insights from a closed-door meeting with the Westpac boss, Brian Hartzer.

From the report:

Mr Hartzer, who is fighting to remain in Westpac’s top job, tried to assure the bank’s most senior leaders that the scandal “was not playing out as a high street issue”.

“We all read the Fin [The Australian Financial Review] and The Australian, and we all read that and think the world is ending,” he said, according to the two people. “But actually for people in mainstream Australia going about their daily lives, this is not a major issue so we don’t need to overcook this.”

You can find the whole report, here.

The board, and Hartzer, are trying to find a way to hold on to their jobs in the wake of the financial intelligence agency, Austrac, announcing it had launched proceedings against Australia’s oldest bank for 23m failures to uphold its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism responsibilities.

Among the alleged failures were transactions being used to facilitate child exploitation.

Josh Frydenberg announced, since confirmed by the banking regulator itself, that Apra was looking at ways it could disqualify the board. All eyes will be on what shareholders do when the bank holds its annual general meeting on 12 December.

Meanwhile, the bank has announced it has cancelled its Christmas party and that some bonuses (not all) will be scrapped or partly scrapped.

“Yeah, nah, that’s not it” has never seemed more relevant.

Updated

Good morning

We enter the seventh last sitting day for the year at a slightly calmer pace than yesterday.

The big story from yesterday – allegations Beijing attempted to infiltrate our parliament – is still ticking over.

China’s foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, spoke of the issue during his daily news briefing yesterday, telling journalists that some of Australia’s media and politicians had “become seized with imaginary fears” about China’s influence.

“They constantly fabricate cases of so-called Chinese spies infiltrating Australia ... However bizarre the story, lies are still lies in the end, whatever new guise they wear.”

In the meantime, we are watching our politicians try to balance Australia’s trade relationship with China – which accounts for about a third of our export revenue – and cracking down on alleged attempts to influence our political system.

That will continue to unfold today.

But domestically, we have other worries. Among them is a growing concern about the climate. The 2019 Scanlon Foundation’s Mapping Social Cohesion report found we have bumped up climate change and its effects on our list of nightly worries.

As David Marr reports:

This is the verdict of the Scanlon Foundation’s 2019 Mapping Social Cohesion report, published on Tuesday. The mission of the foundation for the past decade or so has been to measure how this migrant nation hangs together. In that time an extraordinary 50,000 of us have been polled to track the hopes and fears that sweep Australia – and not just about immigration.

The author of the reports, Prof Andrew Markus of Monash University, finds most Australians now share “an underlying concern about the government not properly managing the situation – the impact on overcrowding, house prices, environment”.

We’ve already seen that play out in recent weeks, with the debate over whether or not a bushfire emergency was the right time to talk about cause and effect. Overwhelmingly, our leaders said it wasn’t (and yes, despite the term “leader”, I include Michael McCormack in this) but it turns out, they probably got that wrong.

We’ve seen Scott Morrison go quiet and then come back talking about how his government acknowledges climate change, and has policies in place to deal with it. But it’s getting harder to spin such a flimsy message, and summer hasn’t properly begun as yet.

We’ll have that as well, plus party room meetings, plus Westpac’s ongoing fallout and whatever news happens on medevac and ensuring integrity.

Mike Bowers is here, as is Katharine Murphy, Sarah Martin and Paul Karp. I’ve had two coffees and am headed for a third.

So let’s get into it.

Updated

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