Honestly, after listening to that last bit of estimates, I fear my brain is about to leak out of my ears, so I am going to wrap it up.
But estimates rolls on. ABC estimates are up tonight, and Amanda Meade will be following along, so make sure you check in tomorrow for the highlights.
We also have the Home Affairs estimates ahead of us. What joy.
Big thank yous to the Guardian brains trust and to Mike Bowers. You can reach him at @mpbowers or @mikepbowers. There you will find a little bit more of his day.
If you want to see some behind the scenes from today, head to the story on @ifyouseeamy. There are floor lamingtons. It has been that sort of day. For those who have been asking, all political updates will be moving to @pyjamapolitics in the next week or two.
Thank you to those who have followed – and to everyone who has followed along today. We are only into the 10th sitting day for the year and I think we have all felt like we have lived a lifetime. But it could be worse – we could be one of the hapless public servants who are currently being stared down by Penny Wong. It’s all relative.
Have a lovely night and take care of yourselves – I hope to see you back here sometime after 8am tomorrow.
Updated
There is a lot of Penny Wong headshaking going on in this committee hearing.
So far she has learnt that:
No one knows why the attorney general has the ultimate responsibility to decide what happens to Roman Quaedvlieg’s case.
No one knows what is going on with the report that was looking into his investigation
No one knows when the attorney general became the decision maker.
No one knows who decided the AG should become the decision maker.
No one knows if Quaedvlieg’s legal costs are being paid, or by whom.
The department doesn’t know if the attorney general making the decision makes it a “decision making role”.
I think that sound you hear is the Working Dog Productions crew rushing down the hall.
Updated
The attorney general’s department can’t point to the legislation or cabinet decision which has led to the decision that Christian Porter, as attorney general, will decide Roman Quaedvlieg’s fate.
Updated
After question time Joel Fitzgibbon claimed in the lower house there was no costs order against him in the case he has brought seeking the Coalition agreement under freedom of information.
Malcolm Turnbull just tabled the order, and Fitzgibbon offered this explanation:
As I understand it in a technical sense there is a costs order, to the extent to which that’s true I apologise to the house if I misled the house. I wasn’t aware or fully understood that matter. I can explain: there is no agreement between the parties as to costs, there is no dollar figure, and there has been no demand on me for costs. I wasn’t aware a costs order had been made.”
As backdowns go - that was a quick one.
Scott Morrison is enjoying himself immensely. “We take cheques! We do Eftpos!” he shouts across the chamber.
Nick McKim is now asking whether there has been any consideration to making Nazi propaganda illegal in Australia.
The department is taking it on notice.
He brings up George Christensen appearing on the Dingoes podcast and speaking at a Reclaim Australia rally and Jim Molan sharing Britain First material.
Ian Macdonald interupts that it is not an opportunity for “a political speech”.
Zed Seselja notes Richard Di Natale has not apologised for what he said about Molan in the senate.
There is a debate about who needed to apologise to whom, before we get to the answer - it is up to the parliament to do it through legislation.
Updated
Back to estimates and Penny Wong is chasing up the Roman Quaedvlieg report with the attorney general’s department.
She wants to know who made the decision about who had the ultimate responsibility in deciding the attorney general will decide his fate.
She also wants to know what is happening with the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity report into the case.
Nobody knows, so it is all taken on notice.
Updated
Mr Sheen update: we are told that when Andrew Wallace shaved his head, he was a “dead ringer” for Mr Sheen.
CASE CLOSED.
Updated
The Batman byelection will be held 17 March - the same date as the South Australian election.
Politics Live will be running that night, so mark it in your diaries.
Political art is still a thing. The Scott Marsh mural up at Bell and High Street in the heart of Batman pic.twitter.com/L1BUWrnBYg
— Ben Eltham (@beneltham) February 27, 2018
Updated
From Mike Bowers’s lens to your eyeballs:
Updated
Remember the charity commissioner appointment?
Australian charities deserve a commissioner who’ll back the sector. Join the thousands who’ve called on charity critic Gary Johns to step down https://t.co/LWpRtMB8p1 pic.twitter.com/ik608SDXSh
— Andrew Leigh (@ALeighMP) February 27, 2018
I have just been told that the Member for Fisher, Andrew Wallace, is the Coalition’s Mr Sheen (according to Labor).
The why still remains a mystery.
Updated
Question time ends but Tony Burke reminds the Speaker that Malcolm Turnbull promised to take on notice how much the government had spent in court keeping the Coalition Agreement private.
Turnbull says he has the answer.
It’s $87,000.
Malcolm Turnbull adds that the cost will be “significantly reduced” by the cost order against Joel Fitzgibbon.
Fitzgibbon takes to the despatch box to say there was “no such costs order”.
Dan Tehan is delivering a dixer answer on drug testing for welfare users.
This is not his intention, but he is successful on making me consider what drugs could potentially improve my own current situation.
Ed Husic to Craig Laundy:
“It has been nearly two years since an 18-year-old lost his life on a Work for the Dole work place[ment], with other sites failing safety expectations. Why has the Malcolm Turnbull government refused to tell everyone about the concrete steps they are taking to increase safety on the program?”
Laundy:
“Obviously, any workplace tragedy is one too many. I think that would be a consistent view right across the house. The Work for the Dole scheme which was reintroduced in 2013, it is a centrepiece component of the philosophy that we have on this side of the house...”
He continues, talking about how the best form of welfare is a job, but is asked to bring it back to Husic’s actual question - which was about the death of a young man working on one of those sites, and what is being done to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
“I assure you I take workplace safety extremely seriously. As I have said many times, 23 years before politics, I was implementing safe practices in workplaces. As I was explaining, these procedures and policies should always be taken seriously by all workplaces. We have, as I said on this side of the house, we have implemented policies. I know you do not like them. I have read your quotes. The results of these policies are serious economic and employment results. Yes, yes, the onus is on every employer in this country under the work, health, and safety act, [for] the safety of the employees. They should always have this front and centre of mind as they formulate their own policies and procedures under that staff, and train employees.”
#theministerdoesnotanswerthequestion
Updated
When question time becomes story time:
Updated
Note to Craig Laundy who just referred to decimation in his dixer answer - that means one in 10. It is a pet hate of mine. Along with backflip when you mean 180 or turn around.
Mark Dreyfus to Peter Dutton:
I refer to his previous answer and reports a consortium of Pacific Blue Capital will [put in a tender for] a $1 billion contract for the visa processing system. The former senior adviser of the minister is now a director at Pacific Blue Capital. How will this conflict be managed?
Dutton:
“In any open tender process, anyone can make an application, submit a tender, for that work, unless the opposition is suggesting people should be excluded on a particular basis. They would need to put that forward, to articulate that. I do not think that is what they are suggesting. This is to do with a smear campaign to try and push back against what we have raised legitimately in this question time today. Mr Speaker, in relation to this Leader of the Opposition, and questions about his character, this is what I think it is about. This is more about some sort of deflection from the criticism rightly levelled at this Leader of the Opposition during question time today.”
Updated
Mark Dreyfus to Malcolm Turnbull:
“Is the prime minister aware of reports that a consortium led by Pacific Blue Capital, a company run by Scott Briggs, will be in for a $1 billion contract to privatise the government’s visa processing system?
“...Does the prime minister to have a conflict of interest in relation to this $1 billion government contract, and if so, how will he manage it?”
Christopher Pyne interjects with “that question is just a slur and a smear against the prime minister”.
“The prime minister has no responsibility for public tenders and other ministers’ portfolios, and therefore he couldn’t possibly have any knowledge of the outfit that question.”
Peter Dutton takes the question after Tony Smith rules it is mostly in order:
“I can confirm that my department is in a process, a tender process, at the moment. The normal arrangements are in place, the prime minister, myself, we are not decision-makers in relation to this particular tender.
“As is the case with tenders across the Commonwealth, they are dealt with by the appropriate offices in the respective departments in relation to this matter, in relation to my own department, and all of the normal procedures will be followed and that is an issue for the departments. As the Leader of the Opposition well knows.
“I will say one thing. We are not want to take a moral lecture from this man. Not on this topic! Not on any topic, Mr Speaker. We are not going to take a lecture on morals from this man...”
He runs out of time, so we will never know who he will take a lecture on morals from.
Updated
Just an update - as some of you pointed out in the comments, Tony Burke acknowledged yesterday that the committee Labor had asked George Christensen about didn’t come with any additional pay.
So the committee no longer meeting has no repercussions, ergo, no need for further inquiry.
Peter Dutton just gave us a dixer answer on “dangerous visa holders”.
I am a dangerous Visa card holder, but I don’t think it is the same thing.
Bill Shorten has another question on the NBN, and it being described as the “envy of the world” given the complaints about speeds.
Malcolm Turnbull:
“I want to thank the Leader of the Opposition for demonstrating his enthusiasm for his politics of envy, his phoney class war. It reminds me, Mr Speaker, of the address he gave to the CFMEU workers at Oaky. There he was, saying the Fair Work Commission that his government, the Labor government, have established - a cancer that had to be excised - and he was backing those striking CFMEU members in there when it went right at the time when they were threatening other Glencore workers with violence against their children will stop that was the company he was keeping, the people he was backing will stop of course, winding up, he was there with the member for Gorton and he said I am spewing to see you in these difficult circumstances. I think the only spewing that would have gone on was to see the Leader of the Opposition in his fake man of the people horny handed...”
I am informed that is a reference to Marquess of Salisbury quote ‘horny handed sons of toil’, but given the recent events that have gripped this parliament, perhaps we should stay away from all references to horniness for the near future.
He is asked to come back to the topic and let’s us know that since QT started, the NBN have been in touch with the Fern Tree resident who couldn’t get the NBN and it is now been fixed.
So there you go. Anyone with problems with the NBN, just get it raised in question time and lo and behold - FIXED.
Updated
Julie Bishop is delivering a dixer - but it actually contains information:
I can inform the house that we believe about 220 Australians were in the conflict zone in Syria and Iraq. About half of them have been killed. Some of them have returned to Australia and are being monitored. Some are being prosecuted. We believe that 110 remain in the Middle East. And we are cooperating and working with partners to keep tracking their movements and monitoring their whereabouts. Intelligence agencies believe 70 children are in the Middle East. They had been taken there by the terrorist fighters. Tragically, we believe they are still there. Now, Mr Speaker, our regional partners are deeply concerned about a number of families that are in the conflict zone. We share their concerns. Imagine the trauma some of these women and children have suffered.
But also, disturbingly, there are more women involved than ever before in supporting terrorists and their activities. Mr Speaker, we are working carefully and closely with Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, to share information and intelligence in the counter-terrorism [where] we can. And I can report to the house that as foreign minister I have cancelled about 230 passports of Australians we believe pose a national security threat.”
Updated
I should clarify - I do know who Mr Sheen is. I would just like to know who in the Coalition Labor refers to as Mr Sheen.
Here is Mr Sheen @AmyRemeikis pic.twitter.com/A5aDlLngE5
— Shane Wright (@swrightwestoz) February 27, 2018
@AmyRemeikis asks Who is Mr Sheen? I feel so old @GuardianAus
— Deborah Nesbitt (@DeborahNesbitt) February 27, 2018
Updated
Lisa Chesters to Malcolm Turnbull:
“There is a 77-year-old in my electorate who recently connected to the copper NBN which was run under her window. She was told to be careful to avoid cutting the cable. When the prime minister has a first-class connection, why should she have to suffer with his inept NBN?”
Paul Fletcher takes the question.
“Once again, she is drawing a contrast with the HFC, which is, as we have consistently said, a first-rate form of broadband. And Labor seems to be complaining that the HFC is able to deliver a speed of 100 megabytes per second, as it is, I am pleased to say, for the prime minister, and for many thousands of other customers... 411,000 HFC customers, many of them, all of them able to access - and many choosing to access - 100 megabytes per second. It raises the question, what is the plan of Labor for the NBN? We really have no idea.”
And so on and so on and so on.
Updated
Someone from Labor just yelled out “Be quiet Mr Sheen”.
I would like to know - who it was, and also, who is Mr Sheen.
These are the questions question time has brought us to.
Very helpfully, someone has transcribed all of George Christensen’s statement for me.
He delivered this ahead of question time:
It was very good news to hear this week that the Oaky North lockout has ended and workers can return to the job. Now I met with decent men from my electorate who were locked out by Glencore and just wanted to get back to work. And I impressed this upon Glencore at several meetings, and my colleagues the Member for Capricornia and the Member for Flynn did the same. The minister for resources publicly called on the mining company to end their lock out and the minister for workplace relations did the same in private meetings with that company. As a result Glencore told the government they would not oppose a CFMEU application to Fair Work to end that lock out.
No company should lock its workers out for only 50 days, let alone more than 200 days. The workers went on strike, but the response was not commensurate to that action, nor was it helpful to enterprise agreement negotiations. Now I will lobby the government as a backbencher to change the laws around these lockouts.
Casualisation of the mining industry workforce played a role in this dispute. And I say to all mining companies, I am a strong supporter of coal mining but you cannot continue to employ people – even via labour hire contractors on a casual basis – when in reality they are full-time workers. They need to stop this practice. Mining companies need to stop this practice, or government is going to stop it for them.”
This is not the first time that Christensen has bucked the government’s position on something - he also stood against the changes to penalty rates. But ultimately, he did not cross the floor.
Updated
Christian Porter gets the next dixer. He says he is asked about alternatives.
I am also asking about alternatives. Such as, what other life could I be living right now?
Michelle Rowland to Malcolm Turnbull:
“How was he able to get a speed and service from the NBN that the rest of Australia can only dream of?”
Turnbull gives his technology lecture and then invites Paul Fletcher to take the despatch box.
Because there is no such thing as too much punishment. As this place proves time and time and time again.
Christopher Pyne gets to bring in the Victorian Labor factional fight in his answer, by expressing his support for his Sky sparring partner and co-host, Richard Marles:
“He is apparently a right-wing powerbroker. I know that shows credulity that Mr Nice Guy of the front bench is apparently a knife wielding warrior. My strong advice to him I really suggest, because I want him to stay safe, is stay away from butter knife wielding state ALP members of parliament. Or carry his own butter knife because if he carries his own butter knife, in a fast moving butter knife fight, I would back the member for Corio, because in spite of his looks, he is quite fast moving. I believe people underestimate the member for Corio in a fast moving butter knife fight and I back the member for Corio.”
Updated
Tony Burke to Michael McCormack:
“This morning, the former deputy prime minister refused to rule out a return to the job. How long does the current deputy prime minister plan to stay in his role?”
Even Barnaby Joyce cracks a smile at this.
Tony Smith rules it out of order.
We move on.
#deathtodixers
Updated
Michael McCormack gets his next dixer as deputy prime minister.
It is just as inspiring as yesterday’s.
Andrew Wilkie has the crossbench question today:
“The NBN rollout is supposedly nearing completion in Tasmania. Some contractors tell me the copper network is in dire need of improvement. Why has the copper network improvement program stalled in Tasmania? Why is it that a constituent who runs his business from his home in Fern Tree still can’t connect to the NBN even though he is only 60m from a node? And why are small business owners in small business areas being quoted five, 10 or even $20,000 to up rate from fibre to the node to fibre to the premises when NBN infrastructure is already very close?”
Malcolm Turnbull, after giving us all another lecture on NBN technology and how many homes are connected, gets to Wilkie’s question:
“He raised the issue about a particular constituent and his office has provided details of a constituent, and the NBN is in touch with the constituent today to see how the problem that has been reported [by] him can be addressed. In terms of the prices quoted by NBN under technology choice, they simply reflect the real world costs of rolling out more expensive technologies to a particular premise. The reality is the NBN has [been] delivered by my government, delivered by the Coalition, and is getting built far sooner, many years sooner, and tens of billions of dollars more affordable.”
Updated
Michelle Rowland to Malcolm Turnbull:
“Last night at Senate Estimates, the prime minister’s department confirmed he has a 100 megabytes per second connection at his Point Piper mansion. Why does the prime minister get that at his mansion when three quarters of premises on his copper NBN cannot get that speed? Why is it always one rule for this born to rule prime minister and another for Australians?”
Turnbull:
“There are 1.4 million premises in Australia which are able... to get an NBN service on the hybrid fibre Telstra NBN service. I will remind members opposite, for example, the Leader of the Opposition in Annandale Heights, there are more than 2,000 premises in his electorate connected. In... McMahon, 4,000 connected. All of them are connected to the HFC and get 100 megabits per second from the NBN. If they were on Telstra, they should be able to get a 100 Mbps product before the NBN took over the network. The reality is, Mr Speaker, 7.2 million homes and businesses are in areas where the NBN has been switched on, with over three and a half million connected.”
The rest of this answer you have heard a million times before, and honestly, to type it out would cause more of my soul to start flying out of my body, and at this stage, I need to hold on to all I have left.
Updated
Scott Morrison is up with the next dixer. Also known as the perfect time to examine your existential crisis and what steps you took in life to bring you to this moment.
#deathtodixers
Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull:
“What is the average download speed for household connections on the prime minister’s copper NBN?”
Turnbull (in brief, because I just can not today.)
“I can tell the Honourable member the vast majority of customers on the NBN, regardless of technology, the products, 25 megabits per second or less.”
Updated
Malcolm Turnbull uses his first dixer to bring up The Australian’s story about Bill Shorten’s chat to CFMEU members in Queensland. Some footage of the speech was leaked.
In it, he described Australia’s IR laws as being like a cancer and said that a Labor government would rewrite them.
Which is not such a secret chat with CFMEU members as it is Labor’s public policy.
Question time begins
Tanya Plibersek takes the first question, which raises some eyebrows in the Coalition backbench.
But before the first oooohhhhh can finish, Plibersek asks her question:
“Anyone who brings forward a sexual harassment complaint should be afforded confidentiality. What principles do you apply to protect their confidentiality? Does the prime minister agree no Member of Parliament should publicly disclose the identity of people who make confidential sexual harassment complaints?”
Turnbull:
“I agree complaints should be dealt with confidentially. Members of parliament privy to those complaints should not disclose the identity of the complainant. If the Honourable member wants to make an allegation against any Member of Parliament, she should stand up and do so.”
There appears to be part of that question not addressed. So I doubt this is the last we will hear of it.
Updated
And as always, if you’d like to follow along live - or have a burning desire to hear a dixer and answer, the House of Representatives twitter account has you covered:
It being 2pm, Members will gather in the Chamber for Questions without Notice. As ever, it's live over at https://t.co/8DB1X3AQDV
— Australian House of Representatives (@AboutTheHouse) February 27, 2018
George Christensen has delivered a statement lashing out at mining companies and their habit of hiring casual labour.
He says he supports the mining industry, but this is a practice they must stop - and that if they don’t, then government will do it for them.
Meanwhile, Malcolm Turnbull has walked in with David Littleproud, while a few moments later, Barnaby Joyce walked in alone.
We are in the chamber ahead of question time. It seems quite subdued today.
Clare O’Neil has just released this:
Today at Senate Estimates, the AFP leadership confirmed the Turnbull government’s $137m cut to their organisation in Myefo. As part of these cuts, funding for AFP employees will fall from $857m this year down to $830m in 2020-21.
The AFP also flagged further cuts to staffing numbers because of their budget position. As the Commissioner outlined today, “if we can’t find enough efficiencies… we will have to consider staffing as well.”
The AFP has already lost over 250 staff since Malcolm Turnbull became prime minister.
The AFP should not be forced to choose between paying their dedicated members properly and fighting crime.
***ends***
I think we’ll hear more about that during question time.
Updated
For anyone wanting an overview of the Tasmanian election (and how likely Jacqui Lambie is to carry out her promise to back a Liberal government, if necessary) have a read of Adam Morton’s piece.
Updated
A few of you have asked over the last few months about the party room briefings.
We don’t go to party room, or caucus. We’re not allowed. Occasionally we are invited into the beginning of the meeting, but that is usually when a party has a point to prove.
But after, the major parties and the Greens hold an off-the-record briefing, where we get the barest details of what went on. We can ask if there were any questions about certain topics, and if they were raised in the party room, but we usually only get only the bare bones. It’s something that they do in the UK as well (the lobby briefing). It’s a Westminster convention.
Updated
The joint party room meeting was also held - the first since Michael McCormack became leader of the Nationals.
Malcolm Turnbull in his address congratulated McCormack and, of course, thanked Barnaby Joyce for his service and for his “formidable work for regional Australia”.
He said the Coalition was the oldest and most successful political partnership in Australian history and reminded colleagues the government had delivered on jobs growth and the MPs should get out and talk about job creation.
He also had a chat about his US trip and said tax cuts in the United States had driven “buzz, enterprise and excitement” and this could be contrasted with “the most anti-business Labor opposition we have seen”.
He admitted there had been distractions, but the government was resolute in sticking to its plan.
McCormack then addressed the meeting, again paying tribute to Joyce and said his work would continue. He noted that the leadership contest had been conducted “peacefully and respectfully”, unlike Labor leadership contests.
The new Nats leader suggested that if people asked them about divisions, then they should talk about the things that brought the parties together.
Julie Bishop also paid tribute to Joyce and that she had learnt much about retail politics from him and that the New England by-election was a classic example of that.
She referenced that there were only a handful of ministers left from the Howard years, and said her experience in the Howard government taught her there would be tough times, but they always brought the conversation back to the issues people cared about and that is why Howard won successive elections.
She reassured colleagues “there is still plenty of time”. She wants the party room to talk about Bill Shorten’s deficiencies noting he did “not have the character to lead either at home or abroad”.
Updated
From the office of Brendan O’Connor:
Today in Senate estimates, the government tried its hardest to continue to shut down questions about the AFP investigation into the leak by Minister Cash’s office of the Registered Organisations Commission raid on the AWU.
The length that the Turnbull government will go to avoid scrutiny about Senator Cash and her office’s role in the leaking of the police raid appears to include using the AFP as a political shield without the AFP’s permission or knowledge.
When asked if he was aware of broad and constant claims of Public Interest Immunity (PII) by former attorney general George Brandis and Minister Cash which relied on the ongoing AFP investigation, the commissioner of the Australian federal police, Andrew Colvin, said he was not:
“That is the first I’ve heard of the attorney general making that claim.”
AFP commissioner Andrew Colvin, Tuesday, 27 February 2018
Both Mr Brandis and Minister Cash have claimed PII on numerous occasions to avoid answering any questions or providing information about the ROC raid on the AWU – particularly who knew what and when.
The question has to be asked – what are they covering up?
The range of documents and information they are claiming PII or sub judice over is amazingly broad, yet Minister Cash is unable and unwilling to explain how much of it could influence the police investigation, or even how.
At the same time as claiming PII, Minister Cash is also claiming her office is not under investigation. Either the AFP is investigating her office and her role in the leak and the minister has to stand down, or the minister has to provide the documents and answer the questions that have been put to her.
It is obvious this is a complete cover-up. What is this government trying to hide?
The refusal to cooperate is treating the parliament and the Australian people with contempt.
***end statement***
Updated
Michael McCormack’s statement on his rental property:
I declared the token amount we have just started charging our daughter board in the past few weeks.
There is no rental agreement in place. This is the first year since she moved to Melbourne that she has full-time permanent work as a teacher.
We have not charged her in the past to enable her to get on her feet and have only this school year (beginning 31 January) started charging her the equivalent of board.
It was declared on 23 February. We have not had a paying tenant since purchasing the property.
Updated
Well, the government has decided it is time to move on, so obviously...
(Other than the obvious, this also ignores that the prime minister’s department has an on-going investigation into this.)
.@StevenCiobo: Voter's don't care about investigating @Barnaby_Joyce after he has resigned. I am amazed the @AustralianLabor party are still probing, ignoring what matters to everyday Australians: jobs and economic growth.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 26, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/QDKuRfdnWB #amagenda pic.twitter.com/RbtBUBvNqO
Updated
McCormack insists he has done nothing wrong. Says his daughter lives in the house and they have only just started charging her rent in the last few weeks. https://t.co/w27cWF4Czk
— Adam Gartrell (@adamgartrell) February 27, 2018
Barnaby Joyce on the back bench in reps this morning @AmyRemeikis @GuardianAus @murpharoo #politicslive https://t.co/S4IjxT6Aau pic.twitter.com/1p8AXa1Dbi
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) February 27, 2018
Here’s a little of Mike Bowers’ day:
Updated
457 visa statistics for July to December 2017 were quietly released yesterday. A 34% fall compared to same period in 2016. Of the big industries, ICT down 41%, Construction down 44% https://t.co/gm17Usq2US
— Henry Sherrell (@HenrySherrell) February 27, 2018
There were 7797 visas granted between October and December 2017. This is the second lowest quarter since mid-2005 (with the Oct-Dec 2009 quarter the lowest). The third lowest quarter was July-September 2017.
— Henry Sherrell (@HenrySherrell) February 27, 2018
The government is looking for a new boss for the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Arena).
Here is what Josh Frydenberg had to say:
After overseeing 320 projects which have led to more than $3.5 billion dollars of investment over the last six years Ivor Frischknecht has advised the government he will not be seeking a third term as the chief executive officer of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.
Mr Frischknecht has helped to make Arena a success by utilising his expertise in energy, innovation and early stage investment.
Under his guidance, Arena has developed a clear set of priority investment areas consistent with the Turnbull government’s emphasis on affordable and reliable energy.
Of significance, Arena has invested in the construction of 12 new large-scale solar farms, a variety of battery projects and the feasibility study for Snowy 2.0 during Mr Frischknecht’s tenure.
He has strengthened key relationships between Arena, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC).
Mr Frischknecht has provided the government with sufficient notice of his intentions to allow a thorough search to be undertaken to find a suitable replacement and ensure a smooth handover.
I thank Mr Frischknecht for the contribution he has made in helping the government to deliver a more affordable and reliable energy system as we transition to a lower emissions future.
***End statement****
Updated
The newly minted leader of the Nationals, Michael McCormack, updated his pecuniary interest register on Friday to declare an additional source of income from rental property in Melbourne.
Keen followers of pollies’ perks will recall that Liberal MP John Alexander got into a spot of bother during the Bennelong byelection last year over his failure to declare thousands of dollars in rental income from his $4.8 million, eight-bedroom luxury property in the NSW Southern Highlands, which was listed for holiday rentals on several sites for $1,440 a night.
Like Alexander, McCormack had already declared his ownership of the rental properties in Melbourne, but has now erred on the side of caution and declared the rent as an additional source of income.
McCormack’s wife, Catherine, also owns an investment property in Kingston, just a stone’s throw from Parliament House.
McCormack is believed to be one of about 50 MPs who use their $273-a-night travel allowance to stay at his wife’s apartment and pay off the mortgage.
This arrangement is perfectly legal and within the rules but has opened McCormack up to attack in the past, when as small business minister he was the leading voice on reducing weekend penalty rates.
Updated
I missed this from earlier this morning (gremlins, estimates, general ennui with life).
But Andrew Wilkie wants telcos to be fined if your internet speed isn’t what was promised.
I’m seeking to meet with the relevant minister and shadow spokesperson to see if I can get some support for this. This would be a simple change to consumer law that would have broad public support. It is very telling that in my 7.5 years as a federal MP, the internet and NBN has been one of the constant complaints that has come to my office,” he told the ABC.
“Not just difficulty getting connected, and we have all heard some bizarre stories about the difficulties people have had about getting onto the NBN... But people are sick and tired of buying an internet plan and getting a 10th of it. Some people are signing up to broadband plans and getting less than what they had on ADSL. This would be something the government would have broad public support for. The telcos couldn’t complain about it.”
Wilkie believes it would only require a tweak to consumer law.
Updated
For those wondering about whether George Christensen, in his question time answer yesterday about his very efficient committee which no longer needs to meet, bragged himself into trouble, I’m told that it doesn’t look like he received any additional money for the committee.
Still looking into it though, and given that Tony Burke formally asked the Speaker, Tony Smith, to investigate, we should know something soonish.
Updated
Labor has finished its questions, so all those public servants in the attorney general’s department that Ian Macdonald was worried about will have their chance in the sun.
Sidenote: From some of Murray Watt’s questioning, it looks like he expected Michaelia Cash to be part of that hearing. She was not. Not sure if she will be attending later in the day, but we will keep an eye on it.
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Speaking to those within the Queensland LNP, they say they would be EXTREMELY surprised if Ian Macdonald is preselected for the next election. Mostly because of his age - another full senate turn would see him pushing 80, and well, the view within a lot of the LNP is that he is already quite set in his ways.
So while they are all very grateful for his service, word is, there will be discussions about moving on.
Macdonald has said you’ll have to carry him out of the parliament ‘in a box’, so I look forward to hearing more about that particular branch discussion when it occurs.
It was originally meant to occur when George Brandis’s senate spot was thrown open for pre-selection (that decision is to be made next month) but apparently, at least according to my sources, the LNP decided against putting together its whole senate ticket, because of the potential showdown with Macdonald.
So we’ll have to wait a little bit longer to see how that all plays out.
I mention all of this, because it may be one of the last chances we have to witness the Penny Wong v Ian Macdonald show. So treasure it.
Wong obviously is:
You should trying being in the room... https://t.co/HTnnepQqoj
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) February 26, 2018
Nick McKim has asked about George Christensen’s Facebook post (the one with the handgun and the ‘do you feel lucky, greenie punks’ comment).
The AFP said it is still assessing the complaints. So no formal investigation as yet, but they have “requested to speak to a number of individuals” and are waiting for them to confirm times, so they can move forward with their assessment.
Christensen is one of the ones they have asked to speak to.
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Oh look.
Ian Macdonald’s “inclination” is to have the committee agree to meet again on a spill over at a time to be fixed.
Labor has said it needs 15 minutes to finish its line of questioning.
Macdonald has set a new finish time of 11.45am. If Labor wants more, then the committee can schedule an additional hearing.
He is now taking up time by talking about how conscious he is of the time and not wanting to waste the time of public servants.
But we move on.
Kristina Keneally is sitting through her first estimates hearing as a senator.
She has joined the communications committee, where she is asking Mitch Fifield whether anyone in the government had told John Alexander details of the NBN roll out, ahead of the Bennelong by-election.
The legal and constitutional affairs committee is on break. Ian Macdonald is going to use that time to get advice on whether he is allowed to shut down Labor’s additional questioning of the AFP.
If he manages to swing it, Labor will go to the senate and get a resolution to have the AFP return so its senators can continue its line of questioning. Which would mean bringing the AFP back on another day, and reconvening the committee.
Let’s wait and see what that ‘advice’ is.
The Tasmanian election is this weekend, and Jacqui Lambie potentially could find her party in a power broker position.
Lambie has just told Sky she would back a Liberal government, not a Labor one, if she has the balance of power.
In the event of a hung parliament, Jacqui Lambie has confirmed she'll back the Liberal party... not Labor #taspol #tasvotes
— Jennifer Bechwati (@jenbechwati) February 26, 2018
A number of unions have donated to the Lambie campaign to elect... a Liberal Government. https://t.co/RzNuPK7TNZ
— 🌎 Tim Beshara 🌱 (@Tim_Beshara) February 26, 2018
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AFP witnesses confirm they've interviewed staff across two or more ministerial offices about AWU raid leak. No ministers. AFP won't say if they will interview ministers (eg Michaelia Cash) #auspol
— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) February 26, 2018
The AFP has told Murray Watt that it is examining the entire timeline of who knew what, when in regards to the AWU raids, which includes themselves.
Watt is now trying to ascertain whether or not the work phone and iPad Michaelia Cash’s staffer David de Garis had access to, had been secured.
Ian Macdonald is ruling the question out of order.
Watt looks like he is about to run from the room screaming.
Andrew Colvin, from the AFP, says he’ll take the question on notice, and if it impacts their investigation, he’ll let the committee know.
Updated
Michael McCormack has just declared rental income from an investment property he has owned since September 2016. Unless it's been sitting empty that whole time he has breached disclosure rules. pic.twitter.com/GzcAZTuk5Y
— Adam Gartrell (@adamgartrell) February 26, 2018
Of those 50 complaints regarding leaks, 30 were accepted, 27 have been finalised and three are ongoing.
Updated
This is a brief overview of the line of questioning Labor wanted to continue, which led to Ian Macdonald’s sudden and passionate defence of the program schedule:
Murray Watt: Can you remind me when the investigation into the Cash/AFP Raid commenced?
AFP: 25 October.
Watt: Were you aware there would be media when you arrived at the AWU offices?
AFP: No, Senator.
Watt: And did you start the investigation at your own volition?
AFP: Yes.
Watt: So a media tip off can put your officers in danger?
AFP: Yes, it can compromise the operation.
Watt: It has been asserted that what triggered the investigation was a referral by the ROC. You’re saying that there was already an investigation underway?
AFP: Yes, Senator.
Watt: Did any minister or staff have contact with the AFP about the need for an investigation?
AFP: Not to my knowledge.
Watt: Did any other arm of government seek an investigation?
AFP: I’m confident that it was only the ROC.
Watt: When will the investigation be concluded?
AFP: Confident it will be fairly soon… however it is not the greatest priority the AFP currently has.
In other news, we learnt that the AFP has received 50 leak complaints since 2013.
Updated
Over at the legal and constitutional affairs senate estimates hearing, Murray Watt is questioning the AFP over its investigation into the leak of the AWU raid.
The program for this committee can be found here.
Right now, Penny Wong is using the voice I assume she reserves for her children when asking them to please, please just eat their vegetables, to deal with Ian Macdonald over the day’s program.
Shockingly, Macdonald is suddenly very interested in sticking to the program BY THE LETTER, despite Labor having more questions. All Macdonald has to do is ask the commissioner and those in front of the hearing to stay a few more minutes. Macdonald is refusing.
“In every other committee, we deal with this in an adult way,” Wong said.
Wong is now threatening to go to the senate to get a resolution to ask the officers to come back.
Macdonald is using his ‘old man yells at cloud’ voice. It is all very entertaining, but it’s classic Macdonald. This is a man who used to set an iPad timer to make sure that non-government MPs used NOT A SECOND more than their allotted time to ask questions.
The timer seemed to disappear when it continually interrupted George Brandis.
Ahhh, memories.
Updated
After a little bit of ra-ra chat to rev up the troops, Bill Shorten turns to what is becoming Labor’s main policy platform in the lead up to the next election:
“We do not want an American tax system, with the principle of trickle down economics, if you look after the richest and most powerful in society that through the largesse and generosity they will then look after everyone else,” he said.
“If Malcolm Turnbull thinks Trump’s America is a vision for Australia, he is more inept than we thought, more out of touch then we thought and he doesn’t have a proper plan for Australia.”
Pauline Hanson has announced her opposition to the company tax cuts, which leaves the government with limited options within the senate to push their plan through.
Scott Morrison said the government would take the policy to the election. But I think, given this is the last budget before the next federal election, you’ll start to see more about personal tax cuts seep into the government’s message.
Bill Shorten has invited the media into the first part of the caucus meeting.
He opens with “during the break, our opponents did what they always do, they fought amongst each other and leaked against each other”.
Kristina Keneally is in the building - it is her first caucus meeting.
As we learned yesterday, Jacinda Ardern is due to make her second visit to Australia.
Here is what Malcolm Turnbull had to say about it:
I am delighted to announce the prime minister of New Zealand, the Right Honourable Jacinda Ardern MP, will visit Australia on 1-2 March.
Australia and New Zealand share the closest of bonds and Prime Minister Ardern’s visit is an opportunity to strengthen our special bilateral relationship and build on discussions held in November.
As we mark 100 years since the end of the Great War, we will reflect on the long history of Australians and New Zealanders fighting as one on battlefields across the globe and how we can continue to work together to address current and emerging security challenges.
Discussions will focus on the economic opportunities for both countries, and the region, that result from free trade and open markets.
In our economic discussions we will also focus on how we can promote further economic integration under the bilateral Single Economic Market agenda, which is already a remarkable success story and model for the world.
Prime Minister Ardern’s visit will coincide with the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum, an opportunity for business, government and community leaders on both sides of the Tasman to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the relationship.
Lucy and I look forward to welcoming both Prime Minister Ardern and her partner, Clarke Gayford, to Australia next week.
***End statement****
Updated
Early voting has opened for the Batman by-election.
Bit of a gremlin in the system today, which has led to some posts being published out of order - it is hopefully fixed now.
Good morning and welcome to day 10
We start today as we have spent most of the last couple of weeks – talking Barnaby Joyce.
The newly restored backbencher has returned to his previous routine and pursuits, playing a game of touch football before parliament this morning. (I guess losing his ministry, leadership and position has freed up some time).
But he stopped and had a chat with the cameras after the game and had this to say about a return to the leadership:
I never rule anything in or out, right, because otherwise later in life you look like a hypocrite. I will keep doing my job. I don’t expect to return - that is probably a better question for you. I don’t expect to return, but I will always do the very best job I possibly can in any role given to me.”
But he did roll his eyes when Michael McCormack was asked whether he was just a “seat warmer” until Joyce returned, yesterday, so I don’t think it is top of mind.
What is top of mind for Labor is whether he misused his office or position at any point during the relationship. That will be pursued further in estimates today. From Katharine Murphy’s story today on the latest Essential poll:
The latest fortnightly survey of 1,028 respondents suggests voters are more worried about Campion being moved between offices after she left the employ of Joyce as a consequence of their intimate relationship (50%), and by the potential for the excessive use of taxpayer-funded travel entitlements (60%), than they are about Joyce having a sexual relationship with a subordinate (23%).
Joyce being given free accommodation in Armidale after his marriage breakup by his friend and prominent local businessman Greg Maguire also rated ahead of the relationship (45%) on a list where respondents were asked to nominate their concerns.”
Beyond that, the government is desperate to get people talking about its agenda again.
Will it get that chance?
Let’s find out. Mike Bowers is out and about already. You can catch him at @mpbowers or @mikepbowers. You’ll find me at @amyremeikis or @ifyouseeamy, where you’ll find some behind the scenes shenanigans and video updates during the day (just click on the story).
I’ve got my coffee and I hope you have yours - let’s get started.
Updated
Both Nick McKim and Janet Rice have called for Philip Ruddock to step down from the religious freedom review, given he has been elected the NSW Liberal president.
McKim said it made his position chairing the review “untenable”.
“It is evidence of clear political bias and gives the lie to any claim of independence,” he said.
“He should immediately offer his resignation from the review panel, and if he doesn’t, Turnbull should sack him.”
Rice questioned the review’s end game.
“There’s certainly room for a conversation about freedom of thought, religion and conscience in this country, but we must make sure these don’t come at the expense of other rights and freedoms from discrimination.
“This issue is particularly keenly felt by our LGBTIQ communities, who are still subject to a number of state and federal laws that allow discrimination by religious and faith-based bodies.
“The Ruddock review was established while the Coalition tore itself apart during the marriage equality postal survey. Despite this, many groups and individuals have engaged with the review in good faith.
“Ruddock’s new position with the NSW Liberals undermines any intent for the review to provide unbiased advice to the government.”
Updated
Roman Quaedvlieg update:
The Border Force chief has been stood down, with pay (which comes in at more than $600,000 a year) pending an investigation into whether his relationship with a colleague had any impact on promotions the woman received within the Border Force.
He’s been on leave since 29 May last year, but we didn’t learn of it until 4 July.
In estimates late yesterday, we learned that the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity handed down a report on the situation some time in the “third quarter of last year” (honestly, you can not make bureaucratic speak up).
Penny Wong then wanted to know why we haven’t seen this report.
Why is this taking so long? We’re at 26 February, it goes back to May 2017. In February, no decision. Cleaners in Parliament House don’t get this type of treatment, do they? I know that he’s very senior and highly paid but really I can’t imagine anybody at a more junior level getting this kind of period for the consideration of this kind of matter.
Well, the answer is basically because the attorney general’s department and the prime minister’s department haven’t worked out how to respond. The report, and therefore the decision, is somewhere between those two departments.
Updated
The dog ate my two-party-preferred result
Hello everyone. When I rose quite early this morning and examined the news story I’ve written overnight with the latest Guardian Essential poll results, it suddenly occurred to me that I failed to record the two-party-preferred result.
I think I just got preoccupied with the interesting insights into voter opinion on the Barnaby Joyce/Vikki Campion story. The other thing I’ll invoke in my defence is the two-party-preferred result hasn’t been interesting for at least 12 months, despite what you might read in news stories about opinion polls where tiny movements within the margin of error are trumped up either as setbacks or recoveries.
But for those playing along at home: first, sorry I forgot to record the 2PP, me bad, and second, this fortnight, the 2PP tells you what every poll has showed throughout 2017 – that Labor would win any election held today if the anti-government swing was uniform.
Labor is ahead of the Coalition 53% to 47%. Last fortnight Labor was ahead 54% to 46%.
Peace be with you all.
Updated
We also saw the letters Malcolm Turnbull sent to Martin Parkinson asking for the investigation, and the response released last night.
Turnbull sent his from his phone. Just after midnight. The Fairfax interview Barnaby Joyce gave, where he said he would not be backing down and everyone just needed to move on, had been published just a few hours before.
But I am sure it is just a coincidence.
Letters between Malcolm Turnbull and PM&C boss Martin Parkinson about investigation into Barnaby Joyce #auspol #estimates pic.twitter.com/rkAMuwu8ih
— Tom McIlroy (@TomMcIlroy) February 26, 2018
Estimates continues to roll on.
Among the tidbits we learned overnight – the Turnbulls have connected the NBN at both their Point Piper home and Kirribilli House.
For those wondering, they get a speed of 100 megabits per second. The Lodge doesn’t have a connection as yet, but some time in the second half of the year, fibre to the curb will be connected, with the same speed.
Updated
As we found out yesterday, Malcolm Turnbull asked the secretary of his department, Martin Parkinson, to launch an investigation into Barnaby Joyce’s actions, after the now infamous tea-towel interview.
Questions over whether or not he breached the code of conduct have been dropped, with Parkinson finding that given that Joyce has stepped down from the ministry, there is no real point. (Although there are still some questions over what Matt Canavan knew, but anyway.)
But the investigation into his expenses continues.
As does the National party investigation into harassment claims. Joyce has asked for those to be referred to the police, but maintains he has done nothing wrong.
All in all, there is a bit going on.
Joyce said he was going to make the best of his new position:
This gives me an opportunity also to get around my electorate. That is something I really enjoy doing. You make the most of everything in life and I am going to use this opportunity to get around the electorate, deal with the people [who], when I was deputy prime minister, didn’t have as much chance as they possibly could to see me. Finish off my book. Concentrate on policy. Try and make my nation a better place in the role I now have.
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