We have made it through another day. Some of us better than others, but we have all made it through.
Will we be able to say the same tomorrow?
Well, that, as they say, is another day.
Labor is not finished with Barnaby Joyce just yet, and given the deputy prime minister’s rather lacklustre performance in question time today, he knows it.
The NSW parliament should formally nominate Kristina Keneally to the vacant NSW Senate spot.
The Senate committee taking a look at the foreign donations ban will be holding a public inquiry tomorrow.
What else? We will have to wait and see. It’s that sort of week.
Make sure you take a look at Mike Bowers’ day at @mikepbowers and @mpbowers and a massive barrel of thanks to the Guardian Australia brains trust.
Thank you readers for playing along today. I look forward to your contributions tomorrow. And if they just can’t wait, you can find me at @amyremeikis and if you’d like to see a behind the scenes update, you can find my instagram story at @ifyouseeamy
Have a lovely evening and I’ll catch you back here just after 8 tomorrow morning.
Updated
Asked whether he thinks Barnaby Joyce should stand down, Hinch says “yes, I think he should”.
Updated
Derryn Hinch has just told Sky his Justice party is considering running Catherine Cumming in the Batman byelection.
Updated
The Greens’ LGBTIQ spokeswoman, Janet Rice, has said the Senate passed a resolution calling on the Ruddock religious freedom review to be transparent:
Pleased the @AUSenate just passed @Greens motion calling on PM and Ruddock to ensure the Ruddock review into religious freedoms is transparent and that hearings are open to the public. Reports this past week of secret hearings mean we need this assurance. pic.twitter.com/6lYShZhyAW
— Janet Rice (@janet_rice) February 13, 2018
As Guardian Australia reported last week the review has started unadvertised hearings with evidence taken in private sessions, despite a commitment in January to be “as open as possible in its approach to submissions”.
Updated
Cashless debit card bill has passed the parliament. Allows us to expand to new sites. A critical measure to address welfare-fuelled alcohol, drug and gambling abuse.
— Alan Tudge (@AlanTudgeMP) February 13, 2018
Labor is continuing its “drip drip” attack against Barnaby Joyce, putting him under pressure in his new portfolio.
Anthony Albanese has followed up his question-time onslaught with this statement:
Deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce has refused to explain why the federal Coalition government has invested more than $1 billion less on Queensland infrastructure than it promised in its first four budgets.
Between 2014-15 and 2017-18, the government announced $7.2bn worth of funding commitments for roads and other infrastructure in Queensland.
But budget outcome documents show the government actually invested $6.1bn.
Today in question time I asked Mr Joyce to account for the real cut of $1bn and explain how many jobs would have been created in Queensland if his government had spent that money as promised.
Mr Joyce refused to address the question. He is clearly not across the detail of Queensland infrastructure projects other than the proposed Inland Rail link between Brisbane and Melbourne, which would pass through his NSW electorate but not connect to the Port of Brisbane.
Updated
Linda Burney spoke to David Speers about Malcolm Turnbull ruling out supporting an Indigenous voice to parliament.
Turnbull says an elected body should not preclude any Australians.
“What was disappointing about that, was it was falling into what we always knew was going to be that scare campaign, the idea of a third chamber, the idea that this sets Aboriginal Australians apart from other Australians,” she said.
Updated
Just on policy for a moment – and to the Senate, where the government’s business tax cut plan is currently languishing, Cory Bernardi has a different view from the rest of the Senate crossbench:
.@corybernardi: Cutting taxes is good. I don't agree with @PaulineHansonOz's rhetoric about the damage to retirees, that's simplistic thinking.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 13, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/ubmk5srWde #Speers pic.twitter.com/fjtaFo3CKi
Updated
As we reported earlier in the week, Kristina Keneally will most likely be joining the Senate on Thursday:
I’m advised that there will be a joint sitting of the NSW Parliament tomorrow (Wed) afternoon to fill the casual vacancy in the Senate.
— Kristina Keneally (@KKeneally) February 13, 2018
Updated
Some question-time magic from Mike Bowers:
Updated
Cory Bernardi, who will apparently be driving around in a “pro-vaping” mobile to celebrate Valentine’s Day tomorrow, has weighed in on the Barnaby Joyce affair while talking to David Speers on Sky.
He says he is not going to judge a consensual relationship between adults (cough, marriage equality debate, cough) but he doesn’t think it should be occurring on the public purse:
I just don’t think it has strengthened confidence in politics in this country.
I don’t think it is going to end well, is how I would characterise it. I don’t think him staying is going to be in the long-term interest in politics.
I am not judging someone’s personal family circumstances. I am just saying, whether it is in the letter of the law, or whether it is in the spirit of the law, if you are a minister, you shouldn’t be having a sexual relationship with a member of your staff. I don’t think it passes the public accountability and probity test.
Updated
Richard Marles to Malcolm Turnbull:
Prime Minister, today the Leader of the National Party has resigned. I understand he’s a New Zealander named Bill English. Would the PM perhaps for the first time this week like to reflect on the legacy of a former leader of the National Party?”
Christopher Pyne goes to interject. Tony Smith tells him to sit down:
“The prime minister will pause for a second. The prime minister does not need the help of the Leader of the House.”
Pyne: “Everyone needs my help.”
The whole chamber gets a giggle out of this.
Turnbull:
Your patience is an example to us all, Mr Speaker. I thank the honourable member for his question and while his motives are hardly pure in asking it, I do want to take the opportunity - I thank him for that - to reflect on Bill English’s great career as finance minister, their version of Treasurer and as PM of New Zealand. Leading the Nationals in New Zealand, inherited an economy that was on its knees, a budget that was in deficit.
(“Sound familiar”, yells one of the Coalition members)
“...They did an extraordinary job. And they brought the budget back into balance. They delivered stronger economic growth.The so-called brain drain of Kiwis coming across the ditch to Australia started to reverse. And it really, it really has been, it really has been, it really has been a terrific performance. Look, I’m happy to take the opportunity to say that Bill English did an outstanding job as finance minister and PM. He is a great friend of Australia.”
Turnbull says he looks forward to seeing him in Sydney and question time ends.
Fairfax has just published this story:
Deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce charged taxpayers to spend 50 nights in Canberra when parliament was not sitting in the first nine months of 2017 – more than any other Turnbull government cabinet minister.
Official expense records show Mr Joyce claimed $16,690 in travel allowance for out-of-session nights in the nation’s capital between January 1 and September 30, 2017. That is significantly more than top government figures such as treasurer Scott Morrison, finance minister Mathias Cormann and foreign minister Julie Bishop.
Mr Joyce was acting prime minister for 10 of those 50 nights. Under the rules, Mr Joyce was entitled to claim $276 per night for official business as deputy prime minister and $565 per night as acting prime minister.
You can read the whole article here
Updated
In the Senate
Barry O’Sullivan has asked the Nationals deputy leader, Bridget McKenzie, a Dorothy Dixer and, as she concludes the answer, he comments “how well she’s settled into her new job”.
Labor erupts with interjections – any mention of a Nationals’ leadership position is enough to set them off today. McKenzie flashes a knowing smile that seems to say “What? Me? Auditioning?”
When Labor asks Mathias Cormann if Malcolm Turnbull has been calling the Nationals backbench, he responds “that story is absolutely incorrect”.
When Labor’s Jenny McAllister asks if the PM is considering appointing a different acting PM when he leaves the country, Murray Watt interjects: “It could be you, Bridget!”
Cormann confirms Barnaby Joyce still enjoys the PM’s full confidence.
Updated
Warren Snowdon to Barnaby Joyce:
Why do the budget papers show of the $80m allocated to the Beef Roads program, less than half has actually been invested upgrading the roads the cattle industry relies on? How much of that money was spent in the .. How many kilometres of roads were ... Northern Territory? How many kilometres of roads were addressed?
Joyce:
I thank the member for his question. And note that the Australian government has committed $1.1bn from 2013-14 to 2020-21 to fund infrastructure projects in the Northern Territory, including the $177m in 2017-18. This is 1.9% of the national investment for the period. The Beef Roads program has been going ahead with Minister Canavan and some of the key areas is the outback way from Winton to Laverton. This program is vitally important. It’s great to be part of a government that actually had the initiative to do, to do the Beef Road program.
He sits down and Tony Smith has to check if he has concluded his answers. He has. We move on to the next #deathtodixer.
Updated
Once again, for the people up the back, I will no longer be reporting on Dixers, or their answers, unless they are of importance, or tell us something that can’t be found in a press release or government speech. If you are that desperate to hear from the government about what it wants to be talking about, and the lines they want to take when talking about it, head to the ministers’ websites.
That goes for all sides of politics. It just happens to be when the Coalition is in government that I have taken over this blog.
Updated
Anthony Albanese to Barnaby Joyce:
I refer the deputy PM to the fact that at the very time the national road toll has been increasing after decades of decline, why do the budget papers show of the $232m allocated to the heavy vehicle safety program over the last four years, only $125m or half was actually invested? How many additional truck rest stops could have been built if this allocation had actually been invested?
Joyce:
We have been working towards making roads safer. Whether it’s the Bruce highway, the Pacific highway, the Princes highway, we’re doing our very best to make our roads safer. They always make fun of it, and taking a large amount of container traffic off the road and on to rail, making the roads safer. In particular circumstances of how states and working with us want to reallocate funds, that’s a question that has to be addressed not only to the federal government but also to state governments in how they disperse funds. What I can say if you look at the Labor party’s record, especially with owner-operator drivers in the trucking industry, they have absolutely nothing to be proud of.
Updated
Paul “Fletch don’t kill my vibe” Fletcher, kills all of our vibes in his latest Dixer.
Behind him, Scott Morrison appears to be giving Barnaby Joyce a very quick lesson on how to read budget papers. What a time to be alive.
Updated
George Christensen’s local paper, The Daily Mercury, is now using social media speculation to ask whether their local MP could become the deputy prime minister.
EVERYTHING IS FINE.
Anthony Albanese calls up Barnaby Joyce on an infrastructure question:
I refer to the Coalition government’s budget papers and the final budget outcome document. Is the infrastructure minister aware that the difference between what was promised between each of the budget papers and what was invested in Queensland’s infrastructure is 1.0289bn? How does the minister explain this over $1bn cut in real terms just in Queensland’s infrastructure?How many jobs for Queenslanders would have been created had this investment actually occurred and not just been promised?
Joyce starts listing Queensland infrastructure projects. But you can barely hear him.
“Look at the enthusiasm behind you, Barnaby,” a Labor wag yells.
“Retail politician at work.”
He runs out of steam before he even sits down. Truly.
Updated
Things are going REALLY well.
Craig Laundy takes a Dixer. We all switch off for three minutes.
Updated
Question five on Barnaby Joyce:
Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull:
While the allocation of certain staff has been delegated to the National party, the enforcement of the PM’s statement of ministerial standards is the sole responsibility of the PM. So I ask – does the PM have complete confidence that the deputy PM’s allocation of staffing positions meets the high standards expected of his ministers?
Turnbull answers this as a parent would explain why little Johnny gets to open his own presents on his birthday:
The honourable member has not made any case to support the proposition that the staff movements he’s referring to were in breach of the ministerial code. The question of whether the staff member concerned was a partner is a question of fact. As I said in response to the member for Isaacs. The deputy PM has set out the facts. Members can form their own conclusion about that but I’ve provided the description of partner and it is essentially a cohabitation, a marriage-like relationship, hence the term of marriage or de facto. So I think the circumstances are clear but the honourable member has not been able to establish a breach of the ministerial standards or alleged one. If he wishes to do so, he obviously has the opportunity here.
Updated
Which still seems more cosy than what is happening in the House:
Barnaby watches Malcolm Turnbull answer questions from the opposition about whether the PM still has confidence in his deputy during #qt @AmyRemeikis @GuardianAus #politicslive https://t.co/ddDF7BqUqC pic.twitter.com/q72CNvR77G
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) February 13, 2018
Meanwhile, in the Senate:
Michaelia Cash is asked about science and says the word "collaboration" which sets Doug Cameron off: "did you collaborate with your staff...did you coordinate the raid?!" #auspol #ausunions #Senateqt
— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) February 13, 2018
Jenny Macklin to Malcolm Turnbull:
Can the PM explain the definition of partner for the purposes of clause 2.23 of the PM’s own statement of ministerial standards?
Turnbull is prepared for this one. He has the Centrelink definition:
Partner is not defined in the relevant ministerial standards. But the standard definition, for example the Department of Human Services, says a partner is considered to be a partner if you and the person are together or usually live together and are married or in a registered relationship or a de facto relationship. Centrelink considers a person to be in a de facto relationship from the time they commence living as another person as a member of a couple. That’s a definition for you.
As he speaks, Macklin yells out “tick, tick, tick”. Turnbull looks like he wishes he was anywhere else but here.
It’s time for Peter Dutton’s daily dose of Dixer. As he takes to the dispatch box, someone calls out “where were you 10 years ago?”
Updated
Christopher Pyne is doing his best to fill in some time before the next Barnaby Joyce question. #deathtodixers
Labor has now asked the special minister of state, Mathias Cormann, what instrument delegates the prime minister’s office’s role in oversight of appointments of staff to the deputy prime minister.
Cormann repeats (three times) that the PMO only has an administrative role reporting staffing changes to the department of finance, and (twice) the Nationals have an allocation of staff that they’re responsible for.
Can the minister confirm that Vikki Campion was paid above the band? Cormann: “No.”
Updated
Serious voice time again.
Mark Dreyfus to Malcolm Turnbull:
Is the PM satisfied that the deputy PM’s allocation of a staffing position first in the ministerial office of Senator Canavan, then in his own office and then in the office of the Nationals whip meets the high standards expected of his ministers?
Turnbull:
As I said earlier, the Nationals under the Coalition arrangements, the Nationals have a share of the personal staff pool that is available to the government. And the allocation or distribution of those staff as between offices in the National party, whether it’s ministers or others, is a matter for the National party. And my office performs essentially an administrative role in advising that to the Department of Finance. That is the way it has operated.
Updated
Because everything is totally fine, Barnaby Joyce gets the next #deathtodixer.
He’s so muted, Labor MPs are yelling at him to “speak up”.
Something-something-inland-rail-stumble-something-stumble-something-road-upgrade-stumble.
He’s falling over his words. He can’t even bring himself to attack Labor back with any form of excitement.
He mentions that Anthony Albanese wants to know why he hasn’t asked him any questions and points out that Labor is the opposition.
“Not for long,” Albanese yells back.
The crossbench question sits with Bob Katter today.
Which explains why he is in the chamber.
As usual, it is more of a statement than a question, but there is why in there somewhere.
There is surely a disconnect between apologies and reality –Australia population 2% Indigenous, prisons 27%. Life expectancy 82%. Indigenous 71%. House occupancy 3%. Indigenous 13%. Why? Why white fellas can drink? Black fellas can’t. No blue card, so no job. Indigenous house builders only 12% black fellas. Aboriginal lands, 21% of Australia,no title deeds, so can’t own land. So can’t borrow money. So can’t have an economy. PM, racial laws banned, locals build houses, title deeds issued, gap is closed. Surely.
Turnbull:
In the words of Tony Jones, I think I should take that as a comment rather than as a question. But I will, let me respond to the honourable member in this way. The gap, the gap that we need to close is a very, very substantial one. We know that. We have a Closing the Gap report which shows that three of the targets are on track but it says something about the challenges we face, that having three out of seven on track is the best result we’ve had since 2011. We are committed, absolutely committed to ensuring that we work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in every aspect of our policy. We are doing so, I believe, more and more effectively than ever. And I thank the honourable member for his observations and we’ll continue our work, which I know we have a common commitment with whatever our difference may be on constitutional matters in respect of the substantive objectives, the substantive targets covered by Closing the Gap and the new targets, additional targets that will develop out of the refresh Closing the Gap. I know we’re all committed to that and I look forward to working with the honourable member and all other members towards achieving that goal.
Updated
Mark Dreyfus to Malcolm Turnbull:
Does the PM stand by statements from his office that clause 2.3 of the statement of ministerial standards was not breached with respect to the appointment made last year to the ministerial office of Senator Canavan, the reappointment to the office to the deputy PM and finally the appointment to the office of the National party whip?
Turnbull (using his serious issue voice)
The honourable member refers to some statements attributed to a spokesman of mine yesterday. Those statements were, I’m advised, followed a background discussion and were not authorised by me. I’ll answer the question. As the deputy PM confirmed in his statement of Saturday, February 10, and again in his statement this morning, the Nationals are responsible for decisions relating to staffing in the office of Nationals members. He confirmed that the PM’s office has an administrative role in informing the Department of Finance of changes.
Coalition and Labor members begin shouting at each other, prompting a warning from Tony Smith. Turnbull continues:
All ministers are bound by the ministerial standards and the deputy PM has today explained his circumstances as it relates to the standards and I refer you to that statement. And I would add this – whether somebody is a partner of another for the purposes of clause 2.23 is of course a question of fact. The facts of the relationship which you’re referring to are of course known to the deputy PM, it is his responsibility to address it and comply with the standards. And he’s answered that, he’s addressed that in his statement today.
Updated
Barnaby Joyce arrives for question time.
Updated
Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull:
My question’s to the PM. I refer to reports on Sky News the PM has been ringing National party members to gauge support for the deputy PM. Does the PM still retain confidence in his deputy PM?”
Turnbull:
I’m touched by the leader of the opposition’s devotion to Sky News. That must be a new one. And the answer at the end of his question is yes.
Barnaby Joyce is still reading through his reports. He just had a chat to Turnbull and now he’s having a chat to Christopher Pyne who is sitting next to him. It’s animated enough that he puts his hand on his hip, despite still sitting down.
Meanwhile, Scott Morrison is trying to deliver a Dixer on tax cuts but no one cares.
Updated
The first Barnaby Joyce-related question in Senate question time – did Matthew Canavan seek approval from the prime minister before hiring Vikki Campion in his ministerial office?
Canavan said that appointments in Nationals’ offices are made in consultation with the deputy prime minister’s office but the prime minister’s office “has an administrative role [only], so the answer to the question is: no”.
After a follow-up, he clarifies that Joyce’s office approved the staff transfer but Malcolm Turnbull’s office only had an “administrative role in informing the department of finance of the changes”.
Asked if he informed the PM’s office of the nature of the relationship – Canavan referred to Joyce’s statement this morning and adds: “I had no knowledge of the relationship between Joyce and Campion at the time.”
That prompts a series of interjections from Labor including: “You were the only one!” and “come on!”.
Updated
First #deathtodixers to Malcolm Turnbull.
Sometime-something-tax-cuts. Something-something-Labor-has-no-plan.
Updated
Question time begins
Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull:
In 2015 the PM and I tasked the Referendum Council of Consulting Indigenous Australia for their preferred form of constitutional recognition. The Referendum Council unanimously recommended a constitutionally entrenched voice to parliament. Will the PM reconsider his initial opposition to this proposal and join Labor in advancing the design of this proposal?
Turnbull:
We honour and respect the work of the delegates to the Uluru conference and the authors of the Statement from the Heart, we honour them by speaking the truth. The leader of the opposition sat with me at a meeting of the Referendum Advisory Council, as did other members in this House, and heard me say to them that I did not believe, my view was that a national elected representative body available only to Indigenous Australians, I did not believe that was a good idea because it was inconsistent with a fundamental principle of our democracy is that all of our national representative institutions are open to every Australian.
(Labor interjects. Quite loudly. The opposition backbench is very rowdy today)
That’s the fundamental principle. And I won’t go into everything else that was said at that meeting but honourable members here who were with me will remember there was strong discussion about that and I also said, being frank and honest, that I thought the prospects of such an amendment to the constitution being successful were zero. Absolutely zero. And so that was the advice that I gave and that is the view that I and the government hold today. If the honourable member wants to campaign at the next election for there to be a constitutionally entrenched national representative assembly, able to be voted for and occupied by only Indigenous Australians, he is free to do so, but it is not one that this side of the House will respect. We believe that all of our national, national institutions should be open to every single Australian, regardless of their background.
Updated
Bill Shorten:
I do not know if I could have found in myself to accept the apology. The survivors did 10 years ago. They showed us a generosity, kindness and humanity that we showed them. That we never showed them. What I do know is that saying sorry was the right thing to do and it was the least we could do. After 10 years after saying sorry, we need to show that we mean it. With belated compensation for survivors, with support for the healing of their descendants, with national action to tackle the crisis of Aboriginal kids growing up in out of home care. We need to show that we mean it by removing the shadow and anxiety from Aboriginal parents and grandparents now that their kids could still be just taken from them. We need to show it by adopting in our hearts the Uluru Statement from the Heart. We need to show it by not turning a blind eye, to those who criticise the black armband view of history, or the paternalism or the indifference or used words like Aboriginal industry, we need to show it by closing the gap, so the next generation of Aboriginal children do not get the deal that their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents have had. This is the challenge for the whole parliament. Not just this day, every day of the year.
Updated
For those playing along at home, Peter Dutton, who was one of six Liberal MPs who boycotted the apology 10 years ago today, is in the chamber.
He is the only one of the group who remains in parliament.
Updated
Malcolm Turnbull:
Today marks a decade since former PM Kevin Rudd apologised to Australia’s First Peoples. Ten years ago the gallery in this place was a sea of proud but heartbroken Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Their eyes telling the story of the trauma they’ve lived with for their whole lives. They came to hear the leader of the nation finally acknowledge that their pain, suffering and hurt and the pain, suffering and hurt of their parents and grandparents was a deep and irreparable wrong. Hundreds gathered in the great hall, thousands of people spilling all the way out on to the lawns in front of the parliament and down the Federation Lawn. Many watched from afar as Mr Rudd apologised for the laws and the policies of successive governments across successive generations and I reaffirm his apology today.
Updated
Kevin Rudd is in the public gallery
Before we get into the questions, both the prime minister and opposition leader have statements to make on the 10th anniversary of the national apology to the stolen generations.
Updated
Barnaby Joyce has also just entered the chamber. Also alone.
Malcolm Turnbull has just entered the chamber – he came in alone.
The Icac discussion
Digging a little deeper on the discussion about the Integrity Commission in today’s party room – Tony Abbott and Stuart Robert expressed strong objections to the proposal on the basis that such bodies are star chambers.
The Victorian Liberal Russell Broadbent, however, made the point the Coalition needed to grasp this issue because the public were concerned about politicians resisting integrity mechanisms.
Broadbent has not been a fan of integrity commissions historically, and in fact made a speech very recently criticising the idea. But at the party room meeting this morning, the Victorian argued Malcolm Turnbull needed to pick up this issue and deal with it for two reasons: the Coalition could ensure the federal body was set up more like the Victorian anti-corruption commission than the Independent Commission Against Corruption in NSW – so not a star chamber, in other words – and also because the public wanted action.
Updated
We are about to head into the chamber for question time. Hope you’re ready.
I’m not sure I am.
Tony Abbott has also paid his respects to Bill English:
Democracy is the least bad system of govt but it's not always fair, otherwise Bill English would still be NZ PM. Still, he can be immensely proud of his three decades of public service.
— Tony Abbott (@TonyAbbottMHR) February 13, 2018
Barnaby Joyce has addressed the joint party room meeting, apologising to colleagues for the issues in his personal life that have entered the public domain.
Joyce acknowledged it was a difficult time for his wife Natalie and his daughters, and expressed regret. He said every political career has a time of trial and he’s determined to work through it, and thanked colleagues for their solidarity.
Malcolm Turnbull noted that Joyce had made a statement this morning and would address it in the party room, but didn’t otherwise mention his deputy prime minister’s travails. He spoke about jobs, economic growth, and comparing Bill Shorten to Jeremy Corbyn (accusing him of leftwing populism).
In the general discussion there was a bit of to-and-fro on a national integrity commission (a federal Icac). One MP asked if it could be established in a way that didn’t create a star chamber. Another expressed doubts about an Icac, because it is not the Coalition’s job to introduce bad laws just because Labor proposes to.
Turnbull responded by emphasising the importance of natural justice – which suggests if an Icac does become government policy it won’t be the New South Wales model – but said the main issue was that the government is addressing corruption – which suggests he may holding the line that an Icac may not be necessary.
Updated
Proud to be standing next to a great woman, my niece @InalaCooper. https://t.co/ULcJbQKd9c
— Patrick Dodson (@SenatorDodson) February 13, 2018
Timeline
AAP has handily done up that timeline you have all been crowing for:
BARNABY JOYCE AND VIKKI CAMPION TIMELINE
2016
May – Vikki Campion assists Barnaby Joyce’s election campaign as media adviser, having previously worked with NSW government ministers and News Corp
August – Campion joins Joyce’s staff. She splits with fiance John Bergin, three months before they were due to wed. Friendship develops between Joyce and Campion
December – Chief of staff Di Hallam reportedly seeks Joyce’s approval to have Campion transferred out of office. Hallam later quits to take up departmental role
2017
February – Campion is photographed in a Sydney bar with Joyce
April – Barnaby’s wife Natalie reportedly confronts Campion in Tamworth. Campion goes to minister Matt Canavan’s office as adviser. Natalie and Barnaby seek to make marriage work
May – At NSW Nationals conference in Broken Hill colleagues describe Joyce as “a mess”
June – Natalie and Barnaby show up together at Canberra press gallery midwinter ball
July – Campion leaves Canavan office after he quits frontbench over citizenship. She temporarily goes back to Joyce’s office
August – Campion moves to Damian Drum’s office in a social media adviser position specially created for her. He already has a media adviser. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is reportedly reassured by Joyce the relationship with Campion is over. Drum says he was told the same thing. Former Joyce chief of staff Di Hallam takes up a senior position with the Inland Rail project
September – Natalie reportedly asks family friend and Catholic priest Father Frank Brennan to counsel Joyce. Campion is seen managing Joyce media events at federal Nationals conference in Canberra
October – Campion reportedly takes stress leave. Writ issued for New England byelection after Joyce quits over dual citizenship
November – Natalie holidays in Bali with a daughter. Man in a pub in Inverell angers Joyce during election campaign by reportedly saying: “Say hello to your mistress”
December – Joyce wins byelection. Joyce tells parliament during same-sex marriage debate he is separated. Campion’s redundancy package is approved. They move into an Armidale property provided rent-free by businessman Greg Maguire
2018
January – Joyce and Campion holiday in north Queensland and NSW north coast
February – Joyce tells reporters Campion is now his partner. But denies she was his partner when she worked in Canavan’s office
Mid-April – Joyce-Campion baby is due
(Source: Based on media reports and official statements.)
Updated
Everything has gone very, very quiet in this building.
You may have noticed Labor MPs have been largely silent today. The strategy there is, well, as one told me “we’re not needed”.
“We just need to stay quiet. They’re doing it all themselves.”
And it’s not as if Coalition MPs are rushing to front the cameras today.
We’re all getting ready for question time – it promises to be an absolute doozy, so I hope you have your snacks ready.
Updated
And another from the #NatsChat series by Mike Bowers
Some government sources are discounting the Sky report (that Malcolm Turnbull was calling Nationals backbenchers). We’ll keep an eye on it during the day.
Send us your answers @mpbowers @amyremeikis #NatsChat
The Nat's gather in the chamber for the start of proceedings-Andrew Gee, Darren Chester, Llew O'Brien, Andrew Broad, George Christensen, Michelle Landry and Ken O'Dowd-I wonder what they are talking about? @AmyRemeikis @GuardianAus https://t.co/ddDF7BqUqC pic.twitter.com/xysm6CstAe
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) February 13, 2018
Updated
On that Armidale apartment:
BREAKING: Sky News has confirmed @Barnaby_Joyce had gratis use of millionaire's Greg Mcguire's $550 a week apartment during by-election. Not declared as "not an MP" will be In annual returns pic.twitter.com/I5xE3m4xi7
— Samantha Maiden (@samanthamaiden) February 13, 2018
Skye Kakoschke-Moore says she looks forward to running in the next election:
Former NXT senator Skye Kakoschke-Moore says she welcomes the High Court decision against her and looks forward to "running for our team again at the next Federal Election". pic.twitter.com/Vpc7b1PWwA
— Alice Workman (@workmanalice) February 13, 2018
And here is AAP on the high court decision:
Former Nick Xenophon Team candidate Tim Storer will replace his ex-running mate Skye Kakoschke-Moore in the Senate, despite no longer being in the party.
The high court has found former NXT senator Kakoschke-Moore, who stood down in November over her dual citizenship, was not eligible to replace herself, despite having renounced her British ties.
The court’s full bench unanimously found that even though Storer had quit the NXT, he should not be excluded from a special count to determine the South Australian Senate seat.
Updated
Sky News’s Laura Jayes has just reported Malcolm Turnbull has been calling Nationals backbenchers to gauge support for Barnaby Joyce.
Joyce has apparently told the party room he is not going anywhere, saying:
Everyone in politics goes through a time of trial, this is mine, but I will emerge through it.
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I doubt he is the only one.
Wish John Clarke was doing Barnaby Joyce this week.
— Michael Griffin (@michaelgriffin) February 12, 2018
"It wasn't wrong to get her the job, because they weren't in a relationship."
"So why did you get her the job?"
"Well their relationship was causing so much trouble, Brian!"#auspol
Mike Bowers was wandering past when Pauline Hanson announced her Queensland Senate ticket, nominating a man who didn’t do his paperwork, repeatedly denied he had a problem, and then said he was never misleading anyone because he was “choosing to believe” he was never British. You know, exactly someone who was concerned with empirical evidence would be.
Oh, and the other bloke is someone who, when he wasn’t made a part of the LNP shadow cabinet, jumped parties to One Nation. And then appeared shocked when his very conservative Sunshine Coast electorate decided not to “stick with Steve” during the Queensland election. And only elected one candidate from his party to the parliament. This was the election campaign where he said children were being taught how to use dildos in school and when he was called out for it said sorry for using the word dildo.
Drain the swamp indeed.
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Malcolm Turnbull has wished Bill English well in his retirement
Congratulations Bill English on a great career in public life. NZ’s strong economy is due in large measure to your hard work as Finance Minister & PM over many years. All good wishes to you, Mary and your family.
— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) February 13, 2018
Labor has decided to support the regional and small publishers innovation fund bill.
In a committee report tabled on Monday, Labor senators accused the government of “rank hypocrisy” for giving $30m to Fox Sports, which has a foreign-based parent, but excluding Guardian Australia from the innovation fund for the same reason.
Nevertheless, Labor will merely move a second reading amendment noting the bill’s shortcomings rather than seek substantive amendment.
The Greens senators’ dissenting report recommended amending the bill.
It said:
The purpose of the fund is to support civic journalism as its providers transition into a new and disrupted media environment. Insisting on a review of where an outlet’s majority control is located does nothing to support civic journalism.
Instead, it creates unnecessary and ideologically driven carve-outs and exceptions that do nothing but limit eligibility to the grant scheme to those the government believes are ideologically ‘friendly’. This defies the intent of the bill, and makes clear why civic journalism is so necessary.
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The Labor caucus included a lot of fine words of farewell for Wayne Swan.
Bill Shorten said:
“Swannie you’re a Labor legend, you saved Australia from the recession, saved tens of thousands of working people from the scrap-heap of unemployment and managed the economy to tackle inequality, from the NDIS to needs-based funding for schools. It’s been a privilege to serve beside you.”
The leader also mocked the Turnbull government’s hopes for a recovery in 2018, saying it had “congratulated itself for one good day” last week and describing it as “hostage to events”.
Members apparently mocked the suggestion Ken O’Dowd could put his hand up to be Nationals leader.
Shorten said Labor would push ahead with plans to legislate a Voice to Parliament for Indigenous Australians.
“Bipartisanship is a nice word and a fine notion but it is not an excuse for doing nothing,” he said.
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Darren Chester said Barnaby Joyce apologised to the Nationals party room yesterday, but doesn’t think he should stand aside, despite what Ken O’Dowd might think:
There is no vacancy for leadership and Kenny, as much as he is a great mate of mine, he can speculate if he likes, I won’t be speculating. Any moment I spend talking to you about party machinations is a minute I don’t get to talk about our great job creation efforts in the last 12 months, the infrastructure we are delivering, the work we have done on stopping the boats and keeping Australians safe.
I fully accept this is a distraction and it is difficult for my party right now, but we have a proud record of delivering for regional Australians and I want to make sure we keep on doing that.
As for yesterday’s meeting:
We had a very constructive party room meeting yesterday … I will say there was a robust discussion about the situation which has developed over the past week or so and Barnaby made an apology to the room about the discomfort he had caused, he was remorseful about the fact his private life and very personal aspects of his private life had become so public.
And the latest “full confidence”
I have always supported Barnaby as leader. When he first ran, he was elected unopposed and he has done a great job in the role. The point I would make is over the past two years, the long list of achievements is something he should be proud of and the National party should be proud of. Our party has a reputation for getting things done, when it comes to things like the inland rail project, the Pacific Highway, Barnaby has been a very strong leader in that regard and I will continue to support him in delivering his policy agenda and his project agenda in the infrastructure and transport portfolio.
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Looks like Skye Kakoshke-Moore’s bid to replace herself in the Senate has failed.
The High Court has thrown out former Nick Xenophon Team senator Skye Kakoshke-Moore's bid to effectively replace herself in the Senate #auspol
— Peter Jean (@peterdujean) February 13, 2018
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The Greens party room has concluded that Barnaby Joyce should resign as Nationals leader and deputy prime minister – they don’t accept the explanation given that Vikki Campion’s employment with Joyce and Matt Canavan was in the rules because she was Joyce’s mistress, not his partner.
Also, the Greens will oppose the three bills in the foreign interference package:
- The electoral funding and disclosure bill – over concerns it harms civil society;
- The foreign influence transparency scheme bill;
- The espionage and foreign interference bill – despite a government backdown to provide better defences for journalists.
The Greens are confident that the Murray Darling Basin Authority plan disallowance will succeed tomorrow, but all things are liable to change without notice.
Labor is still negotiating with the government on the MDBA plan. While its position is still to disallow, the final position will be determined by Bill Shorten, Tony Burke, Penny Wong and the Senate deputy leader, Don Farrell.
The Greens will also move in the Senate to seek correspondence between the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder and the MDBA after a Fairfax report that the top water bureaucrat declared a “crisis of confidence” in the plan and how water assets are assessed.
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Darren Chester is on Sky saying the Nationals leadership position is not open.
Here is what Ken O’Dowd told his local Gladstone radio station this morning:
“It is going to be open if ... I am not predicting anything is going to happen today, but if it does, there are going to be a lot of guys with their hands up and I might just be one of those.”
The 67-year-old O’Dowd, or “Kenny O’Dowd” as his local announcer called him, also wants you all to know that he doesn’t “feel old”.
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Paul Karp reports George Christensen has come forward as one of the Coalition MPs pushing against the changes to the small payday lenders. He writes:
George Christensen has put his name to a reported backbench revolt against the Turnbull government’s proposed crackdown on payday lending, just a day after Scott Morrison denied he had been enlisted to water down the reform.
The Nationals MP told Guardian Australia he turned to small credit lending in his 20s to pay for household goods and unexpected bills when he was ‘hocked up to the eyeballs in debt’
You can read the whole story here.
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Doesn’t this seem like a lifetime ago?
Memories … light the corners of my mind. Misty water-coloured memories. Of the way we were …
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A little further hint on where Labor plans on taking the Barnaby Joyce issue, come question time:
.@MThistlethwaite: If Vikki Campion was an ordinary Australian she would have been considered @Barnaby_Joyce's partner under Centrelink rules given that she was having his child.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 12, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/XbYCa48e13 #amagenda pic.twitter.com/rNyFSrDTfn
As quite a few of you have mentioned (and Michael Keenan made clear in one of the most hilariously mis-timed dixers of all time yesterday), Centrelink’s standards for what counts as a partner, and when you have to alert them of your changed circumstances, appears to be quite different from what the government considers a partner to be.
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Pauline Hanson has announced the Queensland Senate ticket.
Prepared to be shocked.
Malcolm Roberts is number one.
Steve Dickson (former LNP MP and failed One Nation candidate) will be number two.
Hanson just referred to Roberts as a “powerhouse” and the “empirical science man”.
One Nation, the anti-establishment party, which rages against “the swamp”, has given both men taxpayer funded jobs working for the party.
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I recommend, if you haven’t already, checking out Michelle Grattan’s interview with the Nationals senator Barry O’Sullivan, for the Conversation.
Here is a taster:
Outspoken Queensland Nationals senator Barry O’Sullivan has declared Barnaby Joyce a “once-in-a-generation type of politician” who remains a big asset to the Nationals despite the sharp grassroots reaction to his affair with his former staffer.
With some Nationals reeling from the backlash to the revelations amid speculation about Joyce’s future, O’Sullivan went on the front foot on Monday night.
“We’ve not seen any government that has done more for the bush than this one, with Barnaby Joyce as deputy prime minister,” he told the Conversation.
“I don’t want to lose one of the best politicians we’ve had in my lifetime. Are you going to shoot your best horse because he jumped the fence and was found in the neighbour’s paddock?”
Can a Nationals MP go through a whole conversation without a livestock reference? We can live in hope.
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Labor’s foreign affairs spokeswoman, Penny Wong, has promised to increase foreign aid spending at a conference in Canberra on Tuesday.
In a statement after her speech she said:
A Shorten Labor government will rebuild Australia’s international development assistance program and increase aid investment beyond current levels.
The 2016-17 budget cut foreign aid to 0.23% of gross national income. Wong did not commit to the target of 0.7% of gross national income that Australia has signed on to. Instead the commitment was “to the fullest extent that financial circumstances allow, [to] rebuild and grow the Australian aid program in a timely manner”.
The Australian Council for International Development’s chief executive, Marc Purcell, welcomed the commitment:
A strong and effective aid program should be core to Australia’s foreign policy – it helps lift millions out of poverty, builds peace and stability and helps tackle the world’s common challenges, like climate change. Facing an unstable future, effective aid – primarily working for the poorest – builds stronger, closer and longer-term connections, benefiting diplomatic relations.
Australia’s aid budget has been cut dramatically and is now at its lowest level in our history. The cuts were at odds with the generosity of the Australian people and our values of a fair go, and should be reversed.
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Barnaby Joyce delivers second statement
After his spoken statement this morning, Barnaby Joyce’s office has issued a written statement to the media:
I completely reject the allegation in the Daily Telegraph this morning. It is not the truth. No such thing happened. This and similar nonsense has been retailed in the past by embittered political opponents.
Given the circumstances, I have consulted senior legal advisers and reserve the right to take action for what is serious defamation.
I deeply regret the failure of my 24-year marriage, the tremendous hurt caused to Natalie and our four daughters and the unwanted public intrusion into what is an intensely private matter for all of us.
My marriage was under pressure for some time. Natalie and I tried to make it work again in April last year but it subsequently came to an end. I take responsibility for that failure.
Vikki Campion has also been the subject of unwanted and deeply hurtful commentary at a difficult time, particularly as we are having a child together in mid-April.
In 2016 Vikki worked on the election campaign and, in August, came to work on my staff. A friendship subsequently developed and that became, over time, more.
In April last year she went to work for a senior colleague, Mr Canavan. She was well-qualified for the role, was an existing and obviously capable staff member and the change was within the existing Nationals staff arrangement.
I did not discuss these matters with the prime minister or his office as Vikki was not my partner, so they were dealt with in the usual course of staff deployments within the party.
When Mr Canavan stood down over the citizenship issue she went to work for another MP and subsequently left the Nationals staff following the most recent reshuffle.
This has been a searing personal experience for Natalie, our daughters and for Vikki – criticise me if you wish but please have some regard for them.
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Bill Shorten also delivered a speech at the event commemorating 10 years since the national apology to the stolen generations, reiterating Labor’s pledge to look at implementing an Indigenous voice to parliament:
I say to the government: we will work with you, but Australia should not wait for you.
We cannot fall into the trap of replacing paternalism with indifference.
Doing enough to be seen to do enough on matters like these, just doesn’t cut it.
We shouldn’t be a parliament who rules out ideas because they weren’t our ideas.
If we believe in empowerment it means sometimes adjusting your agenda to go with the agenda of people you are genuine about empowering. And I talk, of course, about the Statement from the Heart.
It wasn’t anticipated by the parliament. But do you know what? If the people say that this is what they want, it is not up to us to just indifferently rule it out.
We need to make sure that the next generation of Aboriginal kids grow up with a better deal than their parents and grandparents had - and we start by rejecting the politics of indifference, the politics of paternalism.
And what I would also ask everyone here today is we must fight against the creeping cynicism which is always present.
When we hear people talking about the ‘black armband’ view of history, or the ‘Aboriginal industry’ it is the powerful people in this parliament who must stand up for those without a voice.
We need to be as strong as the stolen generations.”
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Ken O’Dowd may be getting a little ahead of himself....he’s had a chat to his local radio station, to say he’ll throw his hat in the leadership ring if it becomes necessary,
The Gladstone Observer reported on that here
I just remembered that we have the joint-party room meeting today (along with caucus and the Greens party room meeting)
Who wants to start placing bets on whether or not the Barnaby Joyce matter is mentioned or not?
Chris Bowen, speaking to Fran Kelly on Radio National this morning, has given us a hint of where Labor is likely to take the Joyce issue today:
In other developments, the prime minister said yesterday he was unaware of the relationship yet today the media reporting is that he was told by Barnaby Joyce in, I think it was August, that the relationship was over. Now, you can’t be unaware of a relationship and be told it is over at the same time. One of those statements is incorrect.
We have the issue of the prime minister saying that the individual involved was not Barnaby Joyce’s partner. Now, Fran, I spend a lot of time in my electorate office in Fairfield West ringing Centrelink on behalf of my constituents trying to get problems sorted out. If I rang and said there’s two people who have a relationship and she is pregnant but they say they are not partners or they don’t want to be regarded as partners for the purpose of Centrelink, I think my friendly Centrelink staff would laugh at me, frankly, despite their respect for me and my position.
So I think there is a number of areas where the government’s story has unravelled and of course we have been cleared to make the delineation between private and public in this matter. There are certain elements of the story which are none of our business and none of anybody’s business but there are other elements which go to public administration and judgment and, I think on those issues, the government’s story has been unravelling and Barnaby Joyce’s position is increasingly untenable.
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Kevin Rudd spoke about the meaning of the apology at this morning’s event:
For many of us, 10 years may seem like an eternity. For our long-suffering Indigenous brothers and sisters, it is not. The national apology to Indigenous Australians came fully 220 years after European settlement, when these lands, which were their lands, were taken from them. And European settlement itself had come 60,000 years after our first peoples first came to this ancient continent, or the nation we now call Australia.
We, therefore, have lived through little more than the blinking of an eye. So when taken across this great arc of time, what is it that we sought to do in this place, in what was said here, a decade ago? Of course, the answer we are quick to give is reconciliation. Or at least with a national apology, one long step along the road to reconciliation whereby we could begin to look each other in the eye without recrimination and, instead, with respect and as equal members of our national family. No one can deny that this is good, particularly where we have been, as a nation, in the past, in the difficult history of race in this country.
Yet the uncomfortable truth is that this is only one part of the answer and, perhaps in the larger part, a whitefella’s answer, as if it was as much a need for Indigenous Australians who had done no wrong to us to be reconciled with white Australians, as it was our need as white Australians to be reconciled with our Indigenous brothers and sisters whom we had demonstrably wronged – remembering all along that the power in this relationship remained comfortably in the hands of those of us who are white. So, to go to the heart of the matter, the time has come for us to listen to the considered voice of our Indigenous peoples themselves, rather than our interpretation of what we think Indigenous Australia ought to be saying about their future, including the long national discourse with have had on constitutional recognition.
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Perhaps one of the worst consequences of the Barnaby Joyce affair is that it has taken attention away from the 10th anniversary of the national apology to the stolen generations, and the latest Closing the Gap latest report.
Obviously, I am guilty of that, as I am running the blog and it’s 9.45 and I am only just posting about this morning’s event.
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For anyone wanting to know the history behind Barnaby Joyce and his “mate” Greg Maguire, Anne Davies has you covered.
She has put together an excellent report, which you can find here.
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The former Nationals whip Damian Drum was on ABC radio late yesterday afternoon. He seemed to tie himself in a few knots.
Asked if he knew about Barnaby Joyce’s relationship with Vikki Campion, when she came to work for him, Drum said:
There were rumours around the parliament that something was going on, but certainly, when Vikki came to work in my office, my understanding was it was no longer an ongoing affair … The then-chief of staff told me [the affair was over], so that was my understanding.
He said he had not investigated whether the relationship was ongoing.
I suppose what you have to ask when does a casual relationship become a regular relationship, when does that become a formal relationship … I suppose if you want to look at 1954 crimes through 1945 crimes or the other way around, if you want to look at what I should have done six months ago, and didn’t, so be it, but I was more concerned with the work she was going to do for us. The work she had been doing in the other office. There was no new job created; she, like the other 40 staffers [who were moved during the citizenship decision], were moved to another office for them to do their work.
Drum admitted Campion was the highest paid staffer in his office.
But the figures that have been bandied around by the media today have been very, very careless, very inaccurate and it’s been very poor journalism in that respect … How about you suggest that we should sack somebody because you have heard a rumour they have had some sort of affair. We are betwixt and between here then in our understanding of what happened.
You are concerned with I should have asked more questions, I am suggesting I was more concerned with the work she was doing. In that context, happy to take on board what you said, but certainly my understanding when she came across was, a) the relationship was finished, and b) it was irrelevant.
Drum said the Nationals party room was “behind Barnaby”.
He has been amazing for our party, he’s delivered so much for the people of regional Australia. He is incredibly regretful, understands the pain he has caused his wife and his family, he is incredibly, you know, he is incredibly sorry and is very contrite. He understands and is accepting full responsibility, not blaming the media, not blaming anyone else for this.
As for the free accommodation in Armidale (despite Joyce earning more than $400,000 a year, and after he told people in Sydney and Melbourne to move to Armidale because the rent and lifestyle is so much cheaper), Drum said:
When he finds himself in a situation where he is looking for alternative digs, temporary digs from a friend … he wouldn’t be the first person who has stayed in temporary digs from a friend when they first move out of home. I think you are being a bit precious … what he is doing now, well, he wouldn’t be the first bloke to do that either.
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Mark Dreyfus was also stopped outside parliament this morning and had a few things to say:
I’m sorry that on the 10th anniversary of the historic apology by Kevin Rudd in 2008 that I have to be here to talk about ministerial standards.
It’s now clear that Mr Turnbull has to explain what he knew and when he knew it about the circumstances of Mr Joyce’s conduct. This goes directly to the matter of ministerial standards. It goes to the ministerial code of conduct.
As late as yesterday, Mr Turnbull was claiming that he knew nothing about the circumstances of Mr Joyce’s relationship with a member of staff. Today reports have emerged that Mr Turnbull in August last year was telling members of the Liberal party that he knew something of this affair.
It goes directly to whether or not the ministerial code of conduct has been complied with. That ministerial code of conduct requires, on its face, requires that the prime minister approve when staffing positions are given to partners. There’s been a torturous interpretation offered by the Liberal party of what this code of conduct actually means.
It seems that the purpose of that torturous explanation is to get Mr Turnbull as far away from this matter as possible. But Mr Turnbull has now given inconsistent stories. He needs to explain exactly what he knew and when he knew it. So does Mr Joyce need to explain fully the circumstances.
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Barnaby Joyce delivers statement
The deputy PM has just spoken to the media outside the House of Representatives. Here is what he said in full:
Guys, how are you going? I’ll make a statement. I won’t take any questions. Ready? This morning, in the Telegraph and the Courier-Mail, and referred to in other papers, is a story that is not the truth. The story – it’s not a case that I didn’t recollect it. It did not happen. This is a story that has been brought about by a person unnamed, at a venue unnamed, at a time unnamed, seven years ago, and has been peddled by the bitterest of political enemies to me. It is not something that I’m unaware of. They’ve had it on social media for years. It’s just, in the past, I don’t believe it dignified a response. But today, it’s in the paper and, as such, I reserve all my legal rights as to what action I should pursue.
On another issue, I would like to say to Natalie how deeply sorry I am for all the hurt this has caused. To my girls, how deeply sorry I am for all the hurt that it has caused them. To Vikki Campion, how deeply sorry I am that she has been dragged into this. I would like to also say to my supporters and people in my electorate how deeply sorry I am that this personal issue – deeply personal issue – has gone into the public arena. I am very aware of the ministerial code of conduct. It is without a shadow of a doubt that Vikki Campion is my partner now. But when she worked in my office, she was not my partner. When she worked in Matt Canavan’s office, she was not my partner. And Damian Drum was not a minister. I think this is vitally important in how we differentiate between the public and the private. Thank you.
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The deputy prime minister has been stopped on his way into parliament. He didn’t take questions, but here was the takeaway:
Barnaby Joyce: Vikki Campion was not his partner when she worked for him or Matt Canavan, and that Damian Drum was not a minister so the code of conduct was not breached. @theheraldsun #auspol
— Tom Minear (@tminear) February 12, 2018
Asked on Sky whether the Barnaby Joyce affair risks an “all-out war” between the Coalition and Labor, Steve Ciobo gave us an insight into how he views Parliament House:
This building, as you know, is a building that is completely filled with rumour and innuendo. This building, there are rumours about everyone all the time, it is sort of a tragic building in that respect, you would call it a pretty toxic work environment, but that is the nature of politics. You know what? There is nothing new about that, it has been like that for hundreds, if not thousands of years, let’s not pretend that is not new.
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Back on to Barnaby Joyce, the West Australian’s Sarah Martin has a story on the Nationals leader spending more than $10,000 on ‘family reunion travel’ while conducting his affair with his former staffer.
Claims made under parliamentary entitlements from January to September last year show that more than $10,000 was spent on family travel, which is allowed so that MPs can “balance their work and family responsibilities”.
The rules are also designed to help MPs “reconcile the need for them to be away from home for long periods with their family obligations”.
You can read that here.
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Stepping out of the Barnaby Joyce quagmire for a moment, Penny Wong is due to give a speech at the 2018 Australasian Aid Conference, where she will announce a Labor government would increase Australia’s aid investment.
From her statement:
The Abbott and Turnbull governments have abandoned Australia’s bipartisan commitment to aid funding and slashed well over $11bn from our international development assistance budget. At the same time as it committed to a $65bn tax cut to big business, the 2016-17 budget delivered the weakest levels of Australian development assistance in history, spending just 22 cents in every $100 of our national income on foreign aid.
These cuts are a source of international embarrassment for Australia, and are at odds with the generous spirit of the Australian people. Australia has a deep interest in contributing to global poverty alleviation, and our international development program supports security and stability in our region.
Labor has repeatedly urged the Turnbull government to return to a properly bipartisan approach to international development assistance. Labor will, to the fullest extent that financial circumstances allow, rebuild and grow the Australian aid program in a timely manner. A Shorten Labor government will contribute more to international development assistance than the current government. And we will ensure more of it gets to the people who it is meant to be assisting.
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The Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has wasted no time in letting us all know what she thinks about Barnaby Joyce this morning:
I don’t care what he does in his private life, but you don’t spend taxpayer funds covering up your mistakes and your mess. He is absolutely unfit to be the deputy prime minister. It’s time he went. And it’s time he went fast. I understand he’s going to be making a statement today, let’s hope it’s his resignation.
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Good morning and welcome to day six
And doesn’t it feel like an eternity.
The day opens as yesterday finished – all about Barnaby Joyce.
Labor launched its attack against the deputy prime minister on Monday, questioning the jobs his new partner, Vikki Campion, held up until December last year.
Joyce is due to take up the mantle of acting prime minister next week, with Malcolm Turnbull scheduled to head to the US. There are reports that some of his Coalition colleagues are questioning the wisdom of that move.
New allegations concerning past behaviour at an event, which were reported by some media outlets overnight, have been labelled “false and defamatory” by Joyce’s office. The man himself is due to make a statement later today addressing some of the issues that have been made public.
But the controversy rolls on. You may remember yesterday we threw back to the Liberal senator Ian Macdonald’s warning from a few years ago, that the Tony Abbott-installed ministerial code of conduct meant that his wife could not be hired but a “mistress” (his word, not mine) could be. Well, he was proved right. Yesterday we saw the prime minister’s office contend that no conduct rules were broken, as Campion was not considered to be Joyce’s “partner” while he was still married.
Macdonald had a chat to the ABC about that this morning:
I’ve seen these sorts of things come and go, from all sides of the house, and in fact, you know, some would say it’s happening on the other side of the house even as we speak. But that’s not my issue. That’s none of my business. But, you know, it is just disappointing. A lot of these things do end predictably. How this one will end, I guess we’ll have to wait and see. We do need to get back on track and concentrate on the great things.
Outside the studio, Macdonald said he felt “sorry” for Turnbull, as he keeps “getting hit with these issues which are not of his own making”.
In non-Barnaby news, NXT’s Skye Kakoschke-Moore will front the high court, arguing for her senate spot back. The former South Australian senator was forced to step down after discovering she was a dual citizen. Tim Storer was next on the NXT ticket but he has since fallen out with Nick Xenophon and left the party. NXT argues that makes him ineligible. It’s going to be an interesting case.
Oh, and Sam Dastyari is tweeting again. Go welcome him back
Me: I miss being abused and insulted by people I despise.
— Sam Dastyari (@samdastyari) February 12, 2018
Also me: Hey Twitter - I’m back.
Mike Bowers has been out and about for hours. Follow him @mpbowers and @mikepbowers. You can catch me at @amyremeikis or @ifyouseeamy (where you can see how I deal with stress) or in the comment stream.
Do you have your coffee? I’ve had three. Huzzah. Let the games begin!
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