That is where we are going to leave you tonight – and for this week.
What a first week back, huh?
There is no need for satire. You just need to write what is happening. Just the literal words. And we have all of next week to go as well!
So get some rest because, the way things have been going, you are going to need all the wheaties to keep up. All of them.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to Mike Bowers, Katharine Murphy and Paul Karp and everyone else in the Guardian brains trust for dragging me bodily across the line. I am the typing monkey to their Caesar.
And, forever and always, the biggest thank you to you, for reading, commenting and following along with us as we try to make sense of this building and all who dwell within her. This week has moved faster than most, and that is saying something. So please enjoy your coming weekend, check back in for the latest updates on all the stories from this week, and we’ll see you back here, hopefully, early next week.
Take care of you.
Updated
Bill Shorten also came in to listen.
Updated
Given today is Jacinta Collins’s final day, her Senate position is now a casual vacancy and will need to be filled by the Victorian parliament.
But there aren’t that many sitting days scheduled until the election.
Updated
Penny Wong paid tribute to the Victorian senator when she announced her resignation last month:
Senator Collins has been a determined and principled representative of Victoria in the Senate across two decades.
She is one of our most experienced and respected senators whose parliamentary work has included select committees into a certain maritime incident, school funding and establishment of a national integrity commission.
As chair of the Senate standing committee of privileges since 2013, she has handled a substantial volume of sensitive inquiries that made highly significant recommendations for the protection of the privileges of all parliamentarians. This work will continue.
In 2013, she became deputy leader of the government in the Senate when I became leader.
Through our work together in those roles I came to know and depend upon Jacinta’s consistency, reliability and trustworthiness.
Jacinta puts the Labor party and the team first.
As Senate leader I am personally grateful for her contribution, and for her friendship.
I especially acknowledge the role that Senator Collins has played since assuming the role of manager of opposition business in the Senate in the current parliament.
In this position, as when she was manager of government business, she has been an integral part of Labor’s leadership team in the Senate. Her consistency and her resolve have been invaluable.
The Senate will be poorer for her departure.
I wish Jacinta and her family all the very best.
Updated
“It has been an extraordinary privilege to be here,” Jacinta Collins says.
Updated
Labor Senator Jacinta Collins has announced she will be resigning from the Senate tomorrow #auspol
— Political Alert (@political_alert) February 14, 2019
At a doorstop the manager of opposition business, Tony Burke, has attacked the question time shenanigans:
Today we had the longest question time in the history of federation. We didn’t have a long question time because the government wanted to answer questions. The same government that last year shut down question time so they could roll Malcolm Turnbull today kept question time going and going so that they didn’t have to vote on a motion about a royal commission for people with disabilities being abused.”
Burke rebutted suggestions from the government that the Coalition would’ve voted for the motion by noting at 12.15pm they all voted against it in the Senate.
Asked if Labor had the six of seven crossbench votes to pass the motion, Burke said he wouldn’t speak for the crossbench but the government “wouldn’t have gone to such lengths” if it had the numbers to defeat the motion.
Updated
He also made it into the Senate:
Updated
How Mike Bowers saw the record-breaking question time:
Updated
Derryn Hinch has spoken to David Speers from Sky News about why he supported the medevac bill. Asked about the concerns of security agencies, Hinch, who received a security briefing before voting to support the legislation, said this:
The agencies are worried that word does get out and does get back to Indonesia, the fishing villages, it does get there, they are well plugged in, they have mobile phones. I think the government’s talk about reopening Christmas Island and the flood of boats coming, that is doing more I think to ‘stir the beast’ than anything that the crossbench or Labor are doing.”
Updated
That’s a sound I haven’t heard in a while – the press gallery bell has rung, indicating someone has dropped by for a doorstop (that’s how it used to be done, but now we get alerts via email).
It’s Tony Burke, talking about the day’s events.
Updated
James Ashby has released a statement:
As a member of staff to a Senator, I respect the jurisdiction of the President of the Senate.
To that affect, I have surrendered my pass.
However there must be a full investigation of this matter, the allegations that proceeded the altercation and a range of other issues regarding the alleged treatment of female staff that may be relevant to this matter.”
At 150 minutes, today’s question time was the longest in the history of the Federation.
Round of applause!
A quick postscript to that postscript – the government did oppose the motion in the Senate.
Just a postscript to that crazy afternoon.
Despite the filibuster to avoid the vote on the motion from the Senate, a government spokesman now says the Coalition would not have opposed the disability proposal had it reached the House today, and will not oppose it next week.
Thank goodness indeed.
Thank goodness @AmyRemeikis @murpharoo @GuardianAus #PoliticsLive pic.twitter.com/Inf0gLMOjB
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) February 14, 2019
Updated
Government lost votes, brawls, blood smeared on doors, cancelled passes, never ending question time, go home 45th Parliament your are drunky @AmyRemeikis @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/aSMbwtGAnc
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) February 14, 2019
The government seems a little jumpy today. This email has been sent from the office of Nola Marino (the chief whip):
TO: All Coalition Members and staff
FROM: Nola Marino
RE: Do not leave the House
DATE: 2019
Members are reminded not to leave the House until directed thank you.
Regards
Nola
Updated
Patricia Karvelas spoke to Barnaby Joyce on the ABC and mentioned, among other things, the ...*not great* interview with Michael McCormack on Sky News this morning.
Joyce says he thinks if he had his time again, McCormack would better explain the “nuance” involved.
And @Barnaby_Joyce says his leader Michael McCormack had a bad day today “it wasn’t a perfect day at the track was it” #auspol right now on @abcnews #auspol
— PatriciaKarvelas (@PatsKarvelas) February 14, 2019
Updated
Scott Morrison turned his response to the disability abuse royal commission call into an attack on Labor over border security.
And question time FINALLY ends.
At 4.30pm.
Go on without me. I’ve lived a good life. I died in here today, and my spirit shall haunt the gallery for question time forever more.
Updated
And the recommendations:
- That all unspent foundation partnership funds be returned to the commonwealth immediately; and that these funds be earmarked for expenditure on projects to protect and preserve the reef, to be expended by 30 June 2024.
- That a review, to be completed by 1 July 2019, be undertaken of the structure of commonwealth funding to protect and preserve the reef; the committee further recommends that the expenditure of unspent foundation partnership funds be guided by the outcome of this review.
- That the Australian and Queensland governments publish an updated Reef 2050 Plan Investment Framework that provides current figures on established funding by source and priority area.
- Should a future government decide to maintain the foundation agreement, the committee recommends that all necessary steps be undertaken to ensure that the foundation’s investment of public funds precludes investment in sectors or funds that directly or indirectly contribute to climate change, particularly companies that generate energy from or undertake mining of fossil fuels.
- Should a future government decide to maintain the foundation agreement, the committee recommends that the Senate order: That — (a) There be laid on the table by the minister representing the minister for the environment and energy, by no later than 31 October each year; (i) an annual performance statement for the previous financial year that provides information about the Great Barrier Reef Foundation’s performance in achieving the purposes of the Great Barrier Reef 2050 Partnership Program; and; (ii) independent and audited financial statements for the previous financial year for all receipts and payments relating to the Great Barrier Reef 2050 Partnership Program funds, including any co-financed contributions; (b) If the Senate is not sitting when a statement is ready for presentation, the statement is to be presented to the president under standing order 166; (c) This order has effect until the end of the last financial year in which the agreement is operative, following the cessation of the partnership.
- Should a future government decide to maintain the foundation agreement, that the auditor general undertake a second audit of the partnership in late 2019–20 once the final design aspects of the partnership have been finalised.
- That the Australian government take steps to address and effectively tackle climate change as an underlying cause of economic, social and environmental damage to the Reef and the Australian environment more broadly.
Updated
The Senate committee looking at the $444m grant to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation has handed down its report.
From Peter Whish-Wilson:
The Senate Environment & Communications References Committee inquiry report into the Great Barrier Reef 2050 Partnership Program was tabled today by the Chair of the inquiry, Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson.
Senator Whish-Wilson said, “This was the Senate at its best, acting swiftly and working cooperatively to scrutinise, in full, government policy of significant public importance.
“This grant was a desperate attempt to cover up this government’s legacy of reef mismanagement, years of chronic underfunding and disregard for climate change, in the context of an imminent world heritage ‘in danger’ listing.
“It was clearly a political decision made with no consultation, due diligence or regard for proper process.
“It’s a textbook case of how not to implement public policy, and a perfect example of why we shouldn’t trust the future of a dying reef to a government intent on outsourcing public policy.
“This report and its recommendations are a good opportunity to press reset and build the best blueprint for future reef management, in full consultation with all stakeholders.
Some of the conclusions from the committee were:
- “The granting of $444m to the Reef Foundation was a highly irresponsible decision, hastily concocted by relevant ministers, without proper consideration of risks and potential effectiveness, no consultation with key stakeholders, and without having undertaken due diligence.
- “This ‘off-the-cuff’ decision has caused massive disruption to existing policy and program delivery, including by existing government agencies. It has all the hallmarks of a government that is not properly managing its responsibility as the guardian of the world heritage listed Great Barrier Reef.
- “There were widespread concerns about ‘whether the foundation was the right organisation to manage such a significant investment’, including ‘the foundation’s ability to handle such a rapid increase in size and responsibilities, the high cost of administration, and the duplication and governance complexities the Partnership introduces’.
- “The most appropriate action for the commonwealth to take is to terminate the foundation partnership. The committee believes this is necessary to help restore trust in the process of commonwealth funding for the reef, if not the entire commonwealth grants process. The committee also considers that this is necessary to ensure that commonwealth funding is spent in the best possible way to help protect and preserve the world’s largest coral reef system.”
Updated
So far, today has included some sort of altercation between a senator and a staffer in the marble hall, disputes over who historically sexually harassed who at Rooty Hill RSL club, blood on a senator’s door that the bleeder doesn’t recall leaving there but admits to, a senior staffer being banned from the parliament, the deputy prime minister [falsely] declaring rapists and murderers will be coming into the country because of the medevac bill and being called out for the false claims on Sky News and the longest ever question time so the government avoids losing a vote that wasn’t going to happen.
Just a totally normal day in the 45th parliament.
Updated
One Nation staffer James Ashby banned from parliament
The president of the Senate, Scott Ryan, on why he revoked James Ashby’s pass:
Senators must be free to go about their work in this building. This privilege and protection is not limited to simple proceedings in the chamber. Passholders are granted access to the building on certain conditions on behaviour, amongst others these conditions are in place to protect all occupants and facilitate the work of members and senators.
The video footage that I have reviewed records the reported incident between Senator Burston and Mr James Ashby last night, it shows inappropriate behaviour by a passholder towards a senator. Accordingly I have exercised my authority to revoke Mr James Ashby’s pass to access the building and prohibit him from entering the building for the time being. This does not affect his employment, which is not a matter for the presiding officers … This does not prejudice any other legal or other proceedings that may be undertaken or initiated by the parties involved. Given the seriousness of the incident and evidence immediately available to me, I believe immediate action is necessary and warranted. If further information comes to my attention this decision can be revisited and any subsequent legal action can be taken into account.”
Brian Burston on blood on the door:
“Whilst I do not recall the incident of blood on the door I now have come to the conclusion that it was myself and I sincerely apologise for that action.”
Updated
Bill Shorten is calling for a suspension of standing orders:
Bill Shorten is now moving this motion pic.twitter.com/ejp0b0sSvB
— Amy Remeikis (@AmyRemeikis) February 14, 2019
I really hope question time ends before the election.
And yet the Senate is STILL not the most broken chamber today.
Scott Ryan has revoked James Ashby's parliamentary pass due to "inappropriate behaviour towards the Senator [Brian Burston]". Speaker Tony Smith agreed. #auspol
— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) February 14, 2019
Oh, and Brian Burston has admitted he smeared blood on Pauline Hanson’s office door. Which a parliament house cleaner would have had to clean up. Those people are some of the unsung heroes of this place and they don’t deserve that.
Updated
We are now in the situation where the government is filibustering by extending question time to avoid a vote that can’t happen.
Get excited people!
We are less than 10 minutes away from breaking the question time record!!!
And people say the government hasn’t achieved anything.
Updated
The message has still not come from the Senate.
We are enduring this for nothing.
Tony Smith is also bringing up that there is no matter of public importance to be debated for the House to move on to.
That is because Labor pulled it, to ensure that the Senate message, on the disability royal commission, could be dealt with.
Smith has invited members from both sides of the House to submit a matter of public importance to be debated.
Tony Burke says there is a history of pulling MPIs when there is a genuine issue to be dealt with and the motion from the Senate is considered to be a genuine issue of importance.
Updated
Tony Smith says the “message you are worried about hasn’t arrived. It hasn’t even arrived ... it is not here and that is a fact,” he says.
“For God’s sake,” Jordon Steele-John says.
Smith then says that if question time is going to continue, he thinks some of those members who don’t get a question should “get a go”.
If you have a go, you get a go. At asking an actual question that might matter to a particular constituency.
Updated
Tony Burke says the House has the right ‘that the business of the day be called on’ and that there is no practice that says that can’t be done, if the House so wills it.
Tony Smith says he is unmoved by the argument “the conventions in this place matter” and that it is “very clear” when the business of the day can be called on and Burke has misunderstood the standing orders.
“It has never been done and I think, frankly, something that should never be done. I upheld the rights of all the members the other day and I’m going to do it again today,” he says.
Updated
The end of question time is the prerogative of the prime minister, Tony Smith says.
No one can call question time to an end other than the prime minister.
He says that in February 2009 question time went for 126 minutes.
Updated
Tony Burke has moved that the business of the day be called on.
Tony Smith is going to “address this in some detail”.
“There is no hard finish for question time,” Smith says.
Meanwhile the Senate is somehow managing to be the chamber with its shit together lately, despite it being, well, the Senate.
A bit of light reading for Labor Senator Don Farrell during #qt pic.twitter.com/QGvGJzCXpt
— Matthew Doran (@MattDoran91) February 14, 2019
Updated
Bill Shorten to Scott Morrison:
Is the reason you have extended question time because you are afraid the majority of members will vote against the government for a royal commission into disability abuse?
Morrison says no, and he will not make it a partisan issue.
“CALL THE VOTE, CALL A VOTE,” Jordon Steele-John starts yelling.
Tony Smith asks him to be quiet.
“I will bloody will not,” Steele-John says.
Morrison continues.
Updated
No one I am speaking to can remember this happening before.
In short, to head off losing another vote, and fight off attacks it has lost control of the parliamentary agenda, the government is filibustering by extending question time, which also doesn’t appear to show a whole lot of control over the parliament.
Luke Howarth gets a dixer and is doing his best job to pretend like he didn’t see this question for the first time two minutes ago.
Bill Shorten to Scott Morrison:
Can he confirm this question time is the longest in the 45th parliament to try to head off a loss on a motion asking for a royal commission into disability abuse?
Morrison:
Loud noises, also question time is awesome and I love it and I hope it goes forever. Also something about the “weakness that beats in his [Shorten’s] heart”.
Updated
My question is for the prime minister. How good is saying how good is? How pumped is he? Is strong his favourite word?
Updated
My question is for the prime minister. What is his favourite season, and is he aware of any alternative opinions?
My question is for the minister for defence. What books did he read over the summer, and is he aware of any differing opinions about Big Little Lies?
My question is for...
Updated
Now taking bets on whether we reach the “what’s your favourite lettuce” level of dixer.
Jordon Steele-John has arrived from the Senate.
He is about to hear at least another 45 minutes of pointless questions, involving “strong” and a variety of nouns.
Christopher Pyne is almost glowing, he is so happy. It’s like Aslan himself has descended and anointed him the chosen one.
Christopher Pyne just wandered around with papers and dropped them off around the backbench.
They appear to be questions.
We may be going to 4.30pm people.
Updated
Government extends question time to avoid potential second loss
“I understand that question time is going to be extended,” Michael Keenan just seemed to say.
Updated
From the Greens:
The Senate has supported a Greens motion put by Senator Jordon Steele-John calling for an urgent royal commission into the violence, abuse and neglect of disabled people in institutional and residential settings. The motion will be debated and voted on concurrently by the House following question time today.
Senator Steele-John said this was an historic moment for disabled people, who have put up with years of inaction from the major parties.
Updated
Labor is concerned by the arrest of the internationally recognised Philippines journalist @mariaressa. Freedom of expression and a free press are important democratic values. https://t.co/ViDW9ynNSI
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) February 14, 2019
Brendan O’Connor to Michael Keenan in the question time that doesn’t end – it just goes on and on my friend.
He asks Keenan to confirm that no person who worked in his office leaked the raids to the media.
Tony Smith moves to rule the question out of order.
Tony Burke says that in his previous answer Keenan has referred to the raids, his staff and the leaks to the media.
Smith says he’ll allow it. But he’ll hear from Christopher Pyne, in case it is “extra compelling”. Pyne says he thinks it is. Pyne says that Keenan can’t answer on behalf of someone else.
Smith asks to hear the question again, does, and rules it in order.
Keenan starts in on the “character” of Bill Shorten.
Updated
Questions started bang on 2pm today. But at 3.15pm we are still going.
That is unusual.
The government couldn’t be attempting to filibuster, given the motion on a disabilities abuse royal commission it looks like losing once this ends, could it?
Updated
Michael Keenan finishes by telling Bill Shorten not to get “one of your lesser minions” to ask him questions if he wants information when he could ask him himself.
Sooooooo is every backbencher asking a dixer a “lesser minion” of the prime minister?
Did the minions movies set up a hierarchy where there are greater and lesser members of their society?
Is question time a complete sham?
I know the answer to at least one of those questions.
Updated
Brendan O’Connor to Michael Keenan:
“How can the minister possibly stand by the answers he has given to this House, when according to sworn evidence it was his office that saw TV cameras turn up before the police?”
Keenan:
“My office and myself dealt with difficult information and sensitive information ... we knew the responsibilities of dealing with that information and upheld those responsibilities every day.”
He then turns to why the AWU office was raided.
Updated
Once the smiles started, they just didn’t stop.
The PM and the Home Affairs Minister have a chat during #qt. pic.twitter.com/IIDItYfQal
— Lyndal Curtis (@lyndalcurtis) February 14, 2019
Updated
Bill Shorten to Scott Morrison – will you support a royal commission into disability abuse – yes or no?
“I will remain open to every single option there is,” Morrison says. But he doesn’t commit to calling a royal commission.
Updated
The Nationals during the PM’s answer on shelving the energy bill. #qt pic.twitter.com/neAvDXDSIV
— Lyndal Curtis (@lyndalcurtis) February 14, 2019
Michaelia Cash and reaction from Labor senate leader Penny Wong during a 5 minute statement by the minister on the AWU raids @AmyRemeikis @murpharoo @GuardianAus #PoliticsLive pic.twitter.com/MEMwkWhs0T
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) February 14, 2019
Bill Shorten asks Scott Morrison if the government will implement a royal commission into disability abuse if the motion is successful in the House.
He doesn’t answer the question and instead focuses on an interjection about the aged care royal commission. He gets quite cranky, and Shorten interjects on relevance.
He gets back to the question on the disability abuse royal commission.
“Those decisions are not made by the parliament, they are made by the government.”
But he leaves it open for the government to decide to do something on its own.
“You better hurry,” Anthony Albanese says, in reference to the motion coming down from the Senate soon.
“How arrogant are the Labor party becoming,” Morrison says, accusing the opposition of being “so sure” it has won the election.
Albanese raises a point of order that he was talking about the motion coming from the Senate soon, and Tony Smith points out that members complaining about their interjections being misinterpreted is “quite ironical”.
Updated
Bill Shorten asks another question on the possibility of a royal commission into disability abuse – Scott Morrison said it would be a decision of the executive government.
Again, Labor is attempting to wedge the government, ahead of the motion reaching the House this afternoon. If it loses that vote, it will be the second time this week it has lost control of the parliamentary agenda.
Updated
Christopher Pyne is having a chat to Scott Morrison at the table.
David Coleman is talking about how we might not know the identity of some of the asylum seekers and refugees on Manus Island and Nauru. Because they have no documents, I presume.
Buttttttt, the majority of the 1,000 people or so left on Manus and Nauru have been found to be refugees.
We know who these people are. We know practically everything about them. We have been medically evacuating (after court battles) for some years now. We set up a transfer relationship with the United States.
None of these arguments seem to be making much sense.
Updated
Bill Shorten asks Scott Morrison if the government’s position is still to vote against a royal commission into disability abuse.
Morrison says “at this point” there are the powers and the ability to address the problems in the sector, but “we will always remain open” to other ways to address issues.
“What about black lives matter,” a man yells from the public gallery, before leaving of his own accord.
The questions about the disability abuse royal commission are because of what we were telling you about earlier – that the Senate has voted to call on a royal commission to be established, and has asked the House to make the same call.
At this point, the government looks like losing that battle. So with that last part of the answer, Morrison just gave the government some wriggle room, in the case it does lose.
What is the cost to the budget of weakening border security, Andrew Laming asks Josh Frydenberg.
“Very high,” Frydenberg solemnly reports.
In May 2017 Labor called for a royal commission into disability abuse, Bill Shorten says to Scott Morrison, and given the ongoing reports of abuse, will the government call a royal commission into this?
Scott Morrison says the government takes the reports very seriously, and is working on addressing them, and that there have been numerous inquiries into the abuse. He says he believes the NDIS will help. He is reading from a piece of paper with quite a lot of highlighted text on it, because this question would not have been a surprise.
He says the government has established safeguards to prevent abuse.
But he does not commit to a royal commission.
Updated
Joel Fitzgibbon asks a question about why the Liberal party didn’t tell the National party it was shelving the big stick legislation.
That part of the question is ruled out of order.
But only after he repeats it, because Michael McCormack has some sort of physical contortion and spits out “YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK ABOUT THE DROUGHT” in what I can only assume is a bug in the program.
The rest of the question is about why the big stick legislation has been dumped, and Scott Morrison again jumps up with “another Labor MP talking rubbish”, because, again, suddenly facts matter.
As a gallery wag joked to me this morning: “You can’t handle the nuance.”
Morrison ends with an attack on Bill Shorten and how “the weaknesses that is inside him” is infecting the country. Or something.
I just think, given the 45th parliament’s previous transgressions, that we should avoid talking about anything inside any MP doing anything to the country.
Updated
Michaelia Cash’s full statement to the Senate:
As senators would be aware the Australian Workers Union is currently taking legal action against the Registered Organisations Commission.
The case has been brought about because the AWU is refusing to demonstrate whether a number of donations made by the AWU when Mr Bill Shorten was national secretary, were properly authorised.
This includes a $100,000 donation to GetUp! of which Mr Shorten was a founding member.
I was referring to what the case was about including a $100,000 donation to GetUp! of which Mr Shorten was a founding member and a $25,000 donation to Mr Bill Shorten’s own election campaign.
As senators would be aware I have been subpoenaed by the AWU to give evidence in the federal court proceeding.
I can confirm to the Senate that on 25 October 2017 I advised the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee that a then staff member in my office had resigned his employment.
I told the Senate committee at the time.
I have just been advised that without my knowledge one staff member in my office in the course of discussions with journalists indicated that he had received information that a raid may take place.
I am advised this information came from a media source.
The statement I made to the Senate estimates committee was based on the advice given to me. The AWU’s legal action is in the course of hearing before the federal court of Australia this week.
As I am yet to give evidence to the case I am subject to restrictions in relation to what I can be told about the evidence that is being given by other witnesses.
Although Senator Wong and other Labor senators have provided commentary on the case during question time I have no time to verify if what Senator Wong has said is correct.
Updated
Memories, light the corners of my mind....
Remember, when Peter Dutton contested the leadership last year, in that mad week of courtship, he said he’d love to get everyone off Manus and Nauru tomorrow? The charter flight? #TBT #qt pic.twitter.com/h5XhQf5017
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) February 14, 2019
Singing anti-Adani protesters are escorted from the House of Reps #auspol #Adani @9NewsAUS #9news pic.twitter.com/dEK8yYtK4A
— Fiona Willan (@Fi_Willan) February 14, 2019
Michael McCormack is attempting to talk about border security and, I think, infrastructure?
But he doesn’t sound overly confident about what he’s talking about either, so it’s hard to tell.
Updated
“The people smugglers understand Labor is weak on border security,” Peter Dutton says.
“Stop sending them signals,” yells a Labor MP.
Shayne Neumann is up.
“SHAYNE!” yells the government benches.
Neumann asks Peter Dutton a question on the contract, worth almost half a billion dollars, awarded to Paladin, which was, according to the AFR’s excellent reporting on this issue, the only company invited to tender in a closed tender process:
Paladin, which managed to win $420m of govt security contracts despite registering an address on Kangaroo Island that doesn’t have a post box, has reshuffled its ownership structure. Meanwhile Dutton distances himself https://t.co/M8bnzrjdTw
— Johnny Shapiro (@johnnyshap) February 13, 2019
Dutton says there are checks and balances to check this stuff, and if there are issues, the department will look at it.
He then starts in on the latest rendition of ‘why are you burning down our borders’.
Peter Dutton is doing his new, improved rendition of just how safe are you.
With the protest I missed Rebekha Sharkie’s question to Paul Fletcher.
But she is not happy with the answer.
Tony Smith had this advice:
Tony Smith, who has had a big week, has some general advice to the chamber. If you want an answer to a single question, just ask a single question, he counsels #qt
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) February 14, 2019
“If you haven’t built it, you don’t understand it,” Scott Morrison says about Labor’s attitude towards border security.
But I guess Medicare is different?
The small business minister, Michaelia Cash, has given her explanation to the Senate about whether the tipoff to the media about the police raids on the AWU came from her office.
Cash starts by reminding everyone the police were investigating “a $100K donation to GetUp of which Bill Shorten is a founding member and $25k to Bill Shorten’s own election campaign”.
Penny Wong labels that “fear and smear” and asks that she answer the question – about her former media adviser, David De Garis, naming her former chief of staff, Ben Davies, as the source of his information about the raids, which he then passed on to the media.
Cash gave some basic facts:
- That she has been issued a subpoena to give evidence in the AWU federal court case
- On 25 October 2017 she told Senate estimates that a then staff member (De Garis) had resigned his employment.
And then stuck to her guns:
“I have been advised that without my knowledge (De Garis) indicated he received information a raid may take place. I’m advised this came ‘from a media source’ - [my statement to Senate estimates was] based on the advice given to me ...
“The AWU’s legal action is in the course of hearing in the federal court this week. As I’m yet to give evidence I’m subject to restrictions about what I can be told about evidence given by other witnesses ... I have no way to verify what Senator Wong says is correct.”
So we learn very little from that. Cash is due to give evidence in the case on Friday, and will appear at Senate estimates next week.
Updated
A protest has broken out in the public gallery.
Numerous people are standing up one at a time from different galleries, calling out about the need for action on climate change.
“Speak up, we can’t hear you,” yells a government MP.
There is applause from others in the gallery.
The security guards don’t know where the next sentence is coming from.
Each is leaving when asked. It is not all ‘young people’ either – quite a few older people have joined in on this.
Updated
After two energy questions, the government is back to border protection. Scott Morrison is telling the parliament – and the world at large – to combat the various threats to the nation, you need to understand the problems, you need to run an economy able to resource enforcement efforts and “you’ve got to have the conviction to take the action, and follow through”.
Updated
“They are weak and their weaknesses will infect this nation,” Scott Morrison says in conclusion to his last question.
Andrew Hastie is now asking Scott Morrison to describe what is needed for “strong borders and to keep Australians safe and secure”.
A lot of nuance, apparently.
Mark Butler to Scott Morrison:
“Has the government dumped its 11th signature energy policy since the election?”
Morrison:
“Now we have another member of the Labor party just coming up here and speaking rubbish.”
Morrison only yesterday described facts as “nuance”.
Updated
Question time begins
The Tveeder transcription service is down, so there will be a lot of paraphrasing today.
Bill Shorten to Scott Morrison
The Labor leader asks the prime minister to confirm that the government has dumped the big stick legislation from the agenda, that it’s a minority government and why is Malcolm Turnbull no longer prime minister?
Morrison says the government will take the big stick legislation to the election and their big stick is bigger than Labor’s energy policy. Or something.
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Just before question time begins and we hear the latest round of ‘borders under attack from doctors’, you might want to check out the Guardian’s latest politics podcast, featuring Kerryn Phelps and Kon Karapanagiotidis.
God forbid we actually follow the orders of doctors like we would in any other situation. It’s extraordinary to see the attack on the integrity of our medical profession, doctors are the most trusted profession in this country, politicians are the least trusted. So if you’re asking the Australian people which side they are going to choose they are going to trust the doctors.
It’s really important for you to know that when we make these medical assessments this work often takes months, we FOI medical files, we get second opinions, this is a slow, arduous, forensic process to try and assess people’s cases – in contrast to how our prime minister is talking about it, with total disrespect to our medical profession, their standards and their integrity and their professionalism.
This legislation is about saving lives, we’ve had 13 people die and this is about stopping any more deaths, that’s what this is about. Since when did we become a nation that thinks we’re a safer nation when we leave people to die?”
– Kon Karapanagiotidis, CEO of Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
A conversation with @Kon__K and @drkerrynphelps about #MediVacBill and the hyperbole that has surrounded its passage. The latest episode of my pod #auspol https://t.co/JCnl3XZ9xe
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) February 14, 2019
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And love is all around ... in the federation chamber:
Here’s my Valentine’s Day Poem to everyone in Perth – including my wife, Jess.
— Patrick Gorman (@MrPatrickGorman) February 14, 2019
❤️❤️❤️ Happy Valentine’s Day everyone. ❤️❤️❤️
(if you enjoy bad, tortured rhymes watch this video.) #auspol pic.twitter.com/Tb5oY6TI1J
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Tim Watts, who made headlines when he took Ben Simmons’ (also known as Kendall Jenner’s s.o, don’t @ me) exclusion from last year’s NBA All-Star game to the federal parliament, has risen again this year, with some better news:
I rise to claim victory on the occasion of Australian Ben Simmons’ selection in the NBA All-Star game being held in Charlotte, North Carolina this weekend.
Last year in this chamber, I used the outrage of Ben’s exclusion from the 2018 All-Star game to draw attention to the golden generation of Australians currently repping Australia in the L … and the way that these extraordinary Aussies truly represent the confident, modern nation that we have become – a nation of migrants, and the most successful multicultural nation on earth.
Last year, I noted that the nine Australians in the NBA included an Indigenous Australian, four children of immigrants and two refugees.
This year I’m proud to report that there are now a record 11 Australians in the NBA ... including Deng Adel, a South Sudanese refugee who moved with his family to Sunshine in my electorate and started his basketball journey at the mighty Sunshine Longhorns and is now playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers alongside fellow Aussie and NBA champion Matthew Dellavedova.
There’s been a lot of nonsense said about migrants and refugees in this parliament in recent times.
But let me tell you - ball don’t lie – these players show that immigration is nation building and that Australia is made stronger by saying welcome to immigrants from around the world.
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Twitter has pulled up this from 2016.
Would he go with Aslan now?
Thrilled my cake won the Sturt Dessert Challenge at @annabelcrabb's #adlfringe show tonight! 😊🎂 pic.twitter.com/H46xewTFSl
— Christopher Pyne (@cpyne) February 14, 2016
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Morrison faces lower house test on disability royal commission
After pulling the big stick legislation to head off a likely defeat, the government faces a battle on a new front, after the Senate passed a motion calling on the parliament to establish a royal commission into disability abuse.
The Greens senator Jordon Steele-John has been pushing this for quite some time and failed in his attempts to have disability abuse included in the aged care royal commission.
So Labor, the Greens and enough of the crossbench banded together to pass the below motion in the Senate. Now it’s going one step further, with Labor having cancelled its matter of public importance debate in order to give the motion time to reach the House, where, at this stage, it looks like having the numbers to pass it.
Which, if so, will be the second time this week the government is not in control of the parliamentary agenda.
Watch. This. Space.
To move—
(1) That the Senate—
(a) notes that:
(i) despite the hard-won progress of the disability rights movement, disabled Australians continue to be subjected to discrimination and are routinely denied the right guaranteed them under international law,
(ii) this discrimination creates and sustains the barriers to employment, education, transport, social and political participation experienced by disabled Australians and, most concerning, manifests itself in horrific violence, abuse and neglect to which they are subjected,
and (iii) from July to September 2018, over 184 incidents of abuse and neglect were reported to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (the Commission) – the Commission has also released data that shows in the same three months it received 62 reports of expected and unexpected deaths, 91 reports of injuries, 34 complaints against individual staff or service providers and 75 cases of unauthorised restrictive practices;
and (b) calls on the House of Representatives Government to request His Excellency the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia issue Letter Patent to support the immediate establishment of establish a royal commission to inquire into violence, abuse and neglect of disabled people with a disability.
(2) That a message be sent to the House of Representatives seeking its concurrence in this resolution.
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Did it just get chilly in here?
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The attorney general’s office released the transcript of his interview with Kieran Gilbert on Sky News this morning.
It includes this exchange between Christian Porter, as the first law officer and Gilbert:
Porter:
“Well, what we do know is that there are 300 people who, it appears, have already got or are close to getting certification from the two doctors. Now we are in a race against time to try and go through each of those 300 to determine whether or not there are charges pending; whether or not they’re awaiting trial; whether or not they’re awaiting sentence; whether or not there are credible allegations; whether or not there’s credible intelligence that an offence may have been committed…”
Gilbert:
“Surely you have some understanding on these islands already?”
Porter:
“As I said in parliament yesterday, there’s been reporting and we are working through all of the cases that we think may be the subject of a medical transfer. But there’s reporting of a potential transferee on Manus Island charged with four counts of sexual penetration of a minor under the PNG Summary Offences and Crimes Against Children Act …”
Gilbert:
“So not convicted?”
Porter:
“Not convicted but…”
Gilbert:
“Alleged?”
Porter:
“But – alleged, if you want to put it that way.”
Gilbert:
“Well, that’s normally the way lawyers do it. Normally you do say alleged.”
Porter:
“Well, I would say charged with a serious offence.”
Gilbert:
“Okay, well, say charged but you can’t say rapist or criminal until they’re convicted. That’s the way the law works.”
Porter:
“Well, we’re – again, the point is this – that a person could be convicted of rape or murder but not yet sentenced and the minister…”
Gilbert:
“But have you got any evidence of that happening?”
Porter:
“Well, we are going through all of the people and we are in a race against time to do that. But the reality is that people who may have or have been charged or who are awaiting sentence or who are awaiting trial for serious criminal offences can now be brought to Australia and we have no ability to stop ….”
Gilbert:
“So 800 people are in limbo, in continuing limbo, on the basis of this esoteric argument that you have got no – you’ve given me no evidence this morning that there are any individuals in this circumstance.”
Porter:
“Well, there is…”
Gilbert:
“…convicted and awaiting sentence.”
Porter:
“Well, there are many people there who have been charged. There are people who are awaiting trial under sovereign criminal processes of PNG…”
Gilbert:
“How many?”
Porter:
“…and Nauru. Well, we are trying to ascertain that at the moment, Kieran. But the reality is this legislation was rammed through under a gag motion – we’re now becoming aware that there are 300 people who have already taken the preliminary steps to effect their transfer, and resources and the effort that it takes to have security checks on a person’s background to try and work out whether or not they’re subject to charge ….”
Gilbert:
“OK, well, on the basis of what we’ve worked out so far, you’ve got no evidence to suggest any of them have been convicted and awaiting sentence. So on that basis, shouldn’t the government, from here on in, say alleged or charged with as opposed to rapists, paedophiles, criminals?”
Porter:
“Well, we have used language, I think, in appropriate ways. I’ve very clearly set out in parliament, in question time, how the law works. Very clearly set it out. Now, if someone wants to argue.”
Gilbert:
“But it’d be nice if the government used the appropriate language – in the sense of alleged or charged with – as opposed to convicting the individuals before they have the right in court.”
Porter:
“Well, again, I can put to you quite clearly that someone can be convicted of a serious criminal offence and we have no discretion …”
Gilbert:
“But we don’t have any evidence of that. None.”
Porter:
“Well, we are trying to gather that evidence at the moment but we …”
Gilbert:
“Well, at that point, why did you make the argument?”
Porter:
“But Kieran, we did not bring this legislation into parliament. We did not effect this change. And the reality is that it puts us, our government, our border protection, our security intelligence agencies, under enormous time pressure to try and work out who in that list of 300 people – and it will be a larger list than that – may have these issues attached to them.”
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Chris Bowen and Mark Butler have held a press conference to blast the government for dumping the big stick.
Labor doesn’t support this policy but the Bowen/Butler argument is the government did, and this is yet another energy policy that has now bitten the dust. The government says it will take the policy to the coming election, and seek a mandate.
As well as the policy expiring pre-election, the withdrawal of the bill has removed an opportunity for Labor and the Greens to pass an amendment that would have stopped the Morrison government from underwriting new coal power stations.
Much of the to and fro at the press conference was around that point: what Labor would do to stop taxpayers underwriting now a legislative path isn’t available.
Bowen and Butler have made it clear if the government signs a contract with a private operator to underwrite a generation project, the ALP will honour it.
Labor has also made it abundantly clear they don’t want the government to go down that path.
There’s a but coming on honouring contracts.
Bowen and Butler told reporters the government, in their view, would need to pass legislation underpinning any contract in order to make the arrangement lawful. In the event no supportive legislation is passed, then there is a valid question whether the contract will be lawful.
Bowen said Labor would honour lawful contracts, not unlawful ones.
What that means, in simple terms, is there is some wriggle room here, depending on what happens over the next few months.
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Greg Hunt says he’ll leave it to Angus Taylor to explain why the big stick divesture bill is now off the agenda.
“Our goal is very clear,” Hunt says.
“We’re for lower electricity prices and Mr Shorten is for higher electricity prices.”
Michaelia Cash’s former chief of staff Ben Davies has declined to say who told him federal police were set to raid the AWU’s offices, saying that doing so may incriminate him.
The federal court heard on Tuesday that Davies had told Cash’s former media adviser David De Garis about the raids. De Garis said he went on to “organise” to leak the information to the media with an aide to the then-justice minister, Michael Keenan.
On Thursday, Davies was asked by the AWU’s barrister, Herman Borenstein QC, who told him police were going to execute search warrants on the union’s Melbourne and Sydney offices on 24 October, 2017.
Davies declined to answer, claiming privilege against self-incrimination.
“Regardless of if Mr De Garis is prosecuted, there remains a real risk that Mr Davies could be prosecuted,” Davies’ lawyer, Richard Dalton SC, told the court.
Justice Mordecai Bromberg accepted this, but is now considering whether to compel Davies to answer the questions in the interests of justice.
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Hakeem al-Araibi with prime minister Scott Morrison in Parliament House Canberra this morning @AmyRemeikis @GuardianAus #PoliticsLive https://t.co/qqKMxo06mP pic.twitter.com/BNAxvDUswI
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) February 14, 2019
The Hinkler MP says he has called for the meeting, because the legislation is vitally important in his home state of Queensland.
“The Queensland government owns all the poles and wires, 70% of the generators and the only retailer in town,” he said.
“Queensland Labor is taking more more than $1.5bn from customers who have no other choice for providers.”
The Nats are just waiting on the whip to call the meeting officially.
Nationals MPs call for emergency meeting after big stick legislation pulled
Keith Pitt has called for an emergency meeting for Nationals MPs to talk about the pulling of the big stick divestment legislation from the agenda.
The Nationals, who have been pushing for reform, want a please explain on this one.
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Citizenship report puts national security reform on back burner – committee
The parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security has issued its report on the Coalition’s bill to lower the bar for stripping terrorists of Australian citizenship.
It’s an odd document – because Labor has backed down on its threat to issue a dissenting report (a hard no) opting instead for a minority report (best characterised as a “yes, but”) but then made recommendations at odds with the Coalition members.
The committee recommended:
- That it review the operation of the current citizenship stripping powers by 1 December 2020
- Subject to that review, the new bill giving the home affairs minister more powers should then be passed.
That in itself is significant – that a committee chaired by Liberal MP Andrew Hastie would call for a further review and put the bill on the backburner when Peter Dutton and Scott Morrison have talked up its urgency.
In its minority report Labor warned the bill is likely unconstitutional, referring to its advice from Peter Hanks and evidence from academics including Kim Rubenstein and George Williams.
Labor recommended:
- The bill in its current form not be passed
- The Independent National Security Legislation Monitor review the current citizenship stripping powers
Twice in its minority report Labor members referred to “this dissenting report”, which does tend to put up in lights that it intended to dissent and then softened its stance.
Shadow attorney general Mark Dreyfus has issued a statement explaining the stance:
“Peter Dutton and Scott Morrison are trying to rush legislation through the parliament that could result in terrorists taking the Australian government to the high court – and winning.
The committee heard expert evidence that the proposed legislation was likely unconstitutional, would not survive a high court challenge, and risked completely destroying the government’s ability to revoke the citizenship of any terrorist.
Labor always puts the safety of Australians first and approaches national security in a bipartisan manner. There is nothing more important than keeping Australians safe.
Labor will issue a minority report on this bill on the basis that the government has made no efforts to show it is constitutional. Labor stands ready to negotiate on other parts of the bill which do not risk a high court challenge.”
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Mike Bowers has a “work experience kid” today – gallery stalwart Lyndal Curtis has turned her very fine mind to photography. Here’s how she saw some of this morning.
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The latest chapter in the War of the Roses: Senate edition, has dropped
Statement from Brian Burston:
— Henry Belot (@Henry_Belot) February 14, 2019
"Brian Burston has reported the full mater to the Australian Federal Police and has commenced legal proceedings against James Ashby seeking a restraining order over repeated acts of harassment and aggression of which the Senator has ample evidence."
Peter Dutton had his regular chat to Ray Hadley this morning, and managed, if that is even possible, to go even further in his attacks on the medical evacuation bill:
Ray look, Scott Morrison and I were talking yesterday about our different options, speaking to the generals and what not at the National Security Committee. You know we’ve both lived through boats and the aftermath of it and from our perspective the most important thing here is to make sure that we get national security right, that we protect our borders.
We’ve spoken to the sailors who pulled the kids out of the water, the half-eaten torsos, those people, those sailors, members of Border Force, I mean they’re people still to this very day with PTSD and they’ve never recovered and some never will.
The most important thing for us is to make sure that boats don’t start, don’t get back through. The Labor party has made it much harder for us to do that now, but we just double down our determination to make sure they don’t get through and that’s the bigger important issue for both of us and for the government.
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Labor and the crossbench are working together in the Senate to strengthen protections in the encryption legislation.
The government introduced a bill to extend the legislation’s powers to anti-corruption bodies and Labor and the crossbench are now amending it with the other fixes that Labor abandoned in December.
The first amendment – which just passed 37 to 28 – provides that law enforcement agencies cannot ask telecommunications providers to do anything that “would or may create a material risk that otherwise secure information would or may in the future be collected, accessed, used, manipulated, disclosed or otherwise compromised by an unauthorised third party”.
Liberal senator Linda Reynolds complained that the bar of whether something “may” harm third parties is too low, and it is too impractical to determine future harm.
Still, the problem for Labor is that even if these amendments pass the Senate they won’t become law unless the House of Representatives passes them, and there aren’t too many sitting days left.
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“What we have learnt is the government is so wedded to bankrolling coal that they are prepared to pull a signature piece of their legislation. Secondly, we have learnt the government are so scared of hearing what the Australian people through the parliament has to say that they are now prepared to run away and pull things off the agenda,” Adam Bandt told Sky this morning about the pulling of the big-stick divesture bill.
“What does the government stand for?”
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The speech ended with an anecdote about the first time Morrison met Aboriginal people, as a young child, and was cautious but then found them to be welcoming. It’s not clear who this anecdote was for.
He then commented on the welcoming and forgiving nature of Aboriginal communities in a way that could be interpreted as putting the burden of reconciliation back on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
He said:
“The miracle worked in an apology is not when it is offered, but when it is accepted and that forgiveness takes place. That is when true reconciliation occurs.”
When Bill Shorten stood up he spoke about racism.
“If this parliament cannot admit the racism still exists in 2019, then we’re just wasting the time of our First Australians today.”
There was a dig at past policies, inaction on recommendations from reports “left to gather dust” and a criticism of emergency measures such as the Northern Territory Intervention — which was extended under Labor.
He challenged Morrison’s use of a “partnership” to describe the government’s relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, alluding to the Turnbull/Morrison government’s rejection of the Indigenous Voice proposal from the Uluru Statement.
“If we say that we want partnership with our first Australians then we don’t get to pick and choose our partners’ values or priorities ... you don’t get to tell your partner what to think.”
Shorten also reaffirmed previously announced policies – a referendum on the constitutional changes proposed in the Uluru Statement in Labor’s first term, if elected; compensation for stolen generations through a national Healing Fund.
The influence of senators Pat Dodson and Malarndirri McCarthy, and Linda Burney MP, was, as it has been for the past few years, very clear.
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Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten just delivered two very different speeches, showing two very different approaches to Indigenous affairs.
Morrison began by thanking his special envoy for Indigenous affairs, Tony Abbott, as “someone who has had a profound impact on my understanding and appreciation of Indigenous Australians and the challenges they face in Australia”, and spoke about a 2009 visit he made with Abbott and Indigenous affairs minister Nigel Scullion to a remote community, where he saw a memorial plaque for a 6-year-old girl who was raped and drowned. He said:
“I’d like to tell you that this no longer happens but we all know it does, even though we’re often told we shouldn’t say so and talk about these things, but we should.”
He went on to talk about the refresh process, including the tripartite deal struck with Coag which will give states, territories and a coalition of peak Indigenous organisations equal say in setting and accountability for meeting the new Closing the Gap targets. More on that here.
He said the failure of the Closing the Gap targets was one of a hubristic belief in the power of bureaucratic solutions to fix complex problems – very true – and that nothing would change until Aboriginal people were partners in the process – also true.
He then said he was not going to offer a lofty goal as prime minister but instead focus his efforts on education, announcing a new policy, designed by Abbott, to freeze the Hecs debt of teachers who go to work in remote communities and waiving it if they stay there for at least four year. The policy is intended to attract the “best teachers” to remote schools – it’s not quite clear how that quality bar will be set and what criteria will be used to define “best”.
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Chris Bowen and Mark Butler have called a press conference for 12 in the opposition courtyard (where the serious opposition pressers are held).
I’m not a betting gal, but I’d stake my cat (who is priceless) that this is about the pruned big stick energy legislation ending up in the chipper (for now).
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Also in the Senate this morning:
Cory Bernardi: Mr President, I woke up this morning to read about a very unedifying incident involving a senator and a staffer that occurred last night outside the Great Hall. I wonder what the role of the presiding officers is in investigating this, because it is of deep concern if alleged assaults can take place in this building without deep investigation. I wonder what your role is in this?
Scott Ryan: I have been in discussions with the Speaker this morning and those discussions continue. We will be looking into this matter as a matter of urgency.
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Closing the Gap response includes student debt relief for remote teachers
The prime minister and Indigenous affairs minister have released their official response to the latest Closing the Gap report:
Australia’s Closing the Gap targets will be redeveloped in partnership with Indigenous Australians for the first time with a direct focus on education as the key to unlocking the potential of this and future generations.
The prime minister said the 2019 Closing the Gap report highlighted successes across the country but that refreshed targets were an opportunity to work together to accelerate progress.
“... The original targets were well intentioned but developed without the collaboration and accountability for states and territories and without input from Indigenous Australians.
“We want a Closing the Gap framework that’s developed alongside Indigenous Australians with targets based on science. That’s why the partnership we took and agreed through the Council of Australian Governments late last year is so important. These things take time, and we are committed to getting it right.”
The prime minister said his focus through the refreshed targets would be on education as the key area that can drive generational change, kickstarted by a funding boost for a suite of Indigenous education initiatives.
“Education is the key to skills, to better health, to jobs,” the prime minister said.
“Our new suite of initiatives builds on the record investments we’re making from the high chair to higher education to ensure the next generation of Indigenous businessmen and women, academics and workers get the education they need to have a foundation for a successful life.”
The package includes:
· Teacher boost for remote Australia – Removing all or part of the Help debt for 3,100 students to encourage more teachers to work and stay working in very remote areas
· Youth Education Package – $200 million extra support to give more Indigenous students the support and mentoring they need through their secondary studies
· Getting kids to school – working community by community and school by school to invest $5 million in remote and very remote areas for projects that support and promote school attendance
The minister for Indigenous affairs, Nigel Scullion, said the new education measures were designed to build on the success of existing government policies developed in partnership with local communities.
“We’ve seen huge success in working with Indigenous communities and organisations over the last five years, to deliver real and meaningful changes. The Indigenous Advancement Strategy has been able to double the number of Indigenous organisations delivering services to Indigenous people since its establishment in 2013,” Minister Scullion said.
Minister Scullion also announced an additional commitment to the Indigenous business sector with the Indigenous Procurement Policy 2.0.
“The Indigenous Procurement Policy, better known as the IPP, has supercharged growth in the Indigenous business sector with 1,473 Indigenous businesses delivering 11,933 contracts worth over $1.83 billion since its establishment in 2015. This is a spectacular increase from the 30 Indigenous businesses winning just $6.2 million in contracts in 2012-13,” Minister Scullion said.
“So from 1 July 2019, the Indigenous Procurement Policy 2.0 will introduce a target of 3 per cent of the value of commonwealth contracts are to be awarded to Indigenous businesses within a decade, adding to the existing IPP target that 3 per cent of the number of commonwealth contracts are to go to Indigenous businesses.
“We are investing further in what we know, what the data shows and what Indigenous communities tell us, works.”
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After months of yelling about the big stick, which then became a somewhat smaller stick, the government has pulled its legislation from the notice paper, after facing the risk of having the bill amended to prohibit funding for coal-fired power generation projects.
So what is left of the big stick will now go to the election, as a Coalition policy.
This is all very fine and normal.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson as the Senate resumes sitting in Parliament House Canberra this morning. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
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Bill Shorten was asked about the One Nation ... saga? Telenovela? Little lunch? I don’t know. He had this to say:
Well, violence is unacceptable. The footage which I’ve seen is really – it has no place in parliament. What we’re seeing is that some of these small parties are just consumed by themselves. It would be comic except it’s not, it’s violence and unparliamentary conduct. Clearly the One Nation party has descended back into chaos, which it tends to do.
And on the medical evacuation bill reaction from the government:
I think this country in 2019 is not the same nation as 2001. I do not believe that Australians want a government which governs by slogans and fear. We can have strong borders in this country – and I’m grateful for the work of Australian Border Force, the ADF and our public service – but strong borders does not need to come at the price of humane treatment of people who’ve been in our care for half a decade or more.
I totally repudiate the attacks of the government, seeking to whip up fear and hysteria, seeking to lure people smugglers to entice people onto boats to come to Australia.
Under a government I lead, we will turn back boats where it is safe to do so. People who seek to come to Australia by boat will go to Nauru and will be regionally processed to third-party nations.
But this nation has voted yesterday to say that for people who’ve been in our care for literally thousands of days, where their treating doctors say there is an issue or an illness requiring medical evacuation, we’ve been prepared to codify what the government is already doing.
Never forget this government has bought 900 people from Manus and Nauru to Australia. Hundreds of sick people and members of their family. None of them have gone back. So I actually think that what we’re fighting about or disagreeing about, the substance isn’t as great as the government says.
But in 2019, this is a government who’s run out of offering Australians hope. They just want to rule by fear and by slogans. They should be ashamed of themselves for luring people to Australia by somehow implying that this government hasn’t got strong borders.
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Scott Morrison to deliver Closing the Gap statement
Here is some of what the PM had to say at the International Women’s Day breakfast which was held this morning in Parliament House (parliament isn’t scheduled to sit again until April after this next week, so they are holding it now. And yes, there is an International Men’s Day and it is in November).
Last year Kelly [O’Dwyer] addressed the National Press Club and she had something to say that I think is timeless. She said, “Gender equality isn’t about pitting girls against boys. Or women against men. It’s about recognising that girls and women deserve an equal stake in our economy and our society. It’s not about conflict.” It’s about what the message of the day is about. Which is about doing this together. She said, “Life is not a zero sum game, we’re on a life journey together.” And she’s right about that. Kelly said she was speaking as the mother of a son and a daughter. I suspect, on occasion, those boys and girls are against each other, but I’m sure Mum and Dad sort it out.
I’m the blessed father of two beautiful young girls and they are of course the joy of my and Jenny’s life. And my girls, like all of our children, allow us as parents to see the world through new eyes, through young eyes, through fresh eyes. And when I see the girls I want them to be able to pursue their passions. I want them to be absolutely confident that they can chase their dreams, whatever they are. And receive the same rewards for their hard work and their beliefs and their passions as their male counterparts, as indeed I’ve had the blessing to do over my life. I want them as adults to have real choices so they can decide what works best for them and their families and not be judged for it. I want them to be free from harassment and violence. I want them to be able to walk the streets of Australia. And I want them to be safe in their home, both today and always in the future.
Now our priorities. As the prime minister I’ve laid out three priorities from the very first day. Keeping our economy strong, keeping Australians safe and keeping Australians together. It is very much the theme of today. Economic opportunities, the choices and security that can come with it, [are] at the heart of what my government is seeking to do for a more prosperous, safe and cohesive Australia.
Last year’s landmark release of the Women’s Economic Security Statement by Kelly delivered for women by helping boost their skills and employability, backing them to start their own businesses, importantly, and giving women more options to secure their financial independence when they need it most, particularly in their retirement. And that is the agenda we’re working to with increased flexibility for paid parental leave and supporting entrepreneurship opportunities for women and the Stem programs for girls, which I know Karen Andrews is a keen and passionate advocate for as science minister.
And we’ve asked the Sex Discrimination Commissioner to inquire into sexual harassment in the workplace. We’re fully engaged in keeping women safe by working together to combat violence against women and this is a shared and equal objective of all members of our parliament. Too many women dying. Horrifically, on average one woman every week. And far too many others suffering in silence. We’ve all reflected on the horrific death of Aiia Maasarwe which rocked the country and she was a guest to our country, she was a visitor to our country. But it really did shake us. It wasn’t the first time this had happened, obviously. But it was an event I think that cried out to the country that this must stop, and stop it must.
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Linda Burney spoke ahead of the latest Closing the Gap report release:
The 2014 budget brought down by this government was horrendous for Aboriginal affairs. $500 million was ripped out of the Aboriginal affairs budget. You do not fix the issues in Aboriginal communities by taking away half a billion dollars out of the budget. There needs to be a recommitment to partnership with Aboriginal people and organisations. We are calling on that partnership. We are saying very clearly that peak Aboriginal organisations and Aboriginal communities have the answers to the social issues that dog those communities.
Scott Morrison today says he’s going to make an announcement about removing HECS fees for teachers to go and work in remote communities. Well that just ignores the fact that 79% of Aboriginal people live in urban environments. In fact, that number is very real. 79% of Aboriginal people living in urban environments. Yes, the issues in remote communities are shocking. They need to be addressed, but the Prime Minister and this government ignores that two thirds of Aboriginal people actually live in urban environments.
When you look at the record of the Morrison Government in Aboriginal affairs, it is shocking. CDP for example is languishing out there in the bush. Labor will reform CDP program. The changes to the Indigenous Advancement Strategy have been an absolute disaster for Aboriginal communities and Aboriginal organisations. We will reform that.
...Can I just finish off by saying this, Aboriginal people and peak organisations have formed a coalition and they are working towards partnership. Labor agrees with that partnership. And we are calling the Morrison Government to truly make a commitment and make that partnership a reality. The issues in Aboriginal affairs will not be fixed by bureaucrats or politicians in Canberra. The issues in Aboriginal affairs will be fixed by those bureaucrats and us politicians listening to peak organisations and listening to what’s happening in those Aboriginal communities. That’s where the answers are.
Kieran Gilbert (and earlier, Laura Jayes) from Sky News have spent the morning forcing government ministers to back up some of their claims arising from the medical evacuation bill.
Some have held up better than others.
.@cporterwa: In instances where someone has been convicted - but has not yet been sentenced, that person is not alleged to of committing the offence, they have.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 13, 2019
Labor’s amendments relies on there being a sentence.
MORE: https://t.co/h4y3c57mJL #SkyLiveNow pic.twitter.com/mmKp1wDDjT
Hakeem al-Araibi and Craig Foster attended a friendly on the parliament soccer oval this morning.
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Things to watch out for today:
Michaelia Cash will have to deliver a five-minute explanation to the Senate ahead of question time, about what has come out of the AWU raids federal court case so far.
The Great Barrier Reef Foundation grant Senate inquiry report should also be tabled (it was delayed yesterday, by the valedictory speeches).
The Greens think they have the numbers to amend the government’s “big stick” energy legislation, to ensure the government can’t underwrite coal-fired power projects for energy generation.
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Closing the Gap will be one of the first things the House turns its attention to this morning. From Calla Wahlquist’s report:
A coalition of peak Indigenous organisations is preparing to pressure state and federal governments for a greater share of Closing the Gap funding following the release of the 2019 report card, which found only two of the seven targets were on track.
The group is hoping to sign an agreement with the Council of Australian Governments by the end of February outlining a tripartite agreement to update the targets, four of which have expired.
The historic deal was struck in December and will ensure control over and responsibility for the targets is shared between Indigenous people, the federal government and state and territory governments.
The prime minister, Scott Morrison, is expected to promote the new arrangement in his first Closing the Gap update in parliament on Thursday, which will also highlight progress made against key areas like life expectancy, employment and child mortality, despite those targets not being on track.
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Pauline Hanson was door-stopped about … all of that, this morning. She said:
I’m not going to continue with this. I want to deal with these things today. I’ve got … I think it’s retaliation and it’s a shame this is happening in parliament. It’s not what I want to see happen.
Asked if there were any substance to the claims, she said:
None whatsoever. Absolutely none. And, you know, he really needs to go and get some anger management. It’s a real shame. I don’t need to see this, I hold this place up very highly. What’s happened is so wrong.
What happened last night?
Well, it wasn’t a fight, you know. That will come out, I can’t speak on behalf of James Ashby because I wasn’t there at the time. So thank you.
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Brian Burston in scuffle with Pauline Hanson advisor
The one story everyone is talking about today, though, no matter what their political persuasion, is this one (as reported by Paul Karp and Chris Knaus).
The former One Nation senator Brian Burston has denied allegations that he sexually harassed a staff member and retaliated against Pauline Hanson, his former leader, by accusing her of making unwanted advances towards him.
After Hanson used a speech in the Senate on Tuesday night to accuse an unnamed senator of “serious sexual harassment”, Burston confirmed that he was the politician involved.
But Burston said on Wednesday night that one of the reasons he left One Nation was because of sexual harassment from Hanson over two decades.
And then this happened:
Burston was also involved in a physical clash with Hanson’s adviser James Ashby in Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday. Pictures published by News Corp show the pair grappling with each other after Burston, who left One Nation last year in a public falling out, made his accusations against Hanson.
Burston claims Mr Ashby approached him as he and his wife were leaving a function. He claims he was injured when he tried to grab a phone Ashby was waving in his face.
‘I told him to fuck off,’ Burston said. ‘I lost it.’
Guardian Australia has seen a complaint of sexual harassment made against Burston late last year, as part of a settled unfair dismissal claim. The complaint alleges that Burston made an inappropriate advance on a distressed staff member. She said he had asked whether he could “‘fuck’ me to make things better”.
A spokeswoman for Burston denied that the senator had propositioned the staff member, stressing that a 70-year old man would not use the word ‘fuck’.
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There is a whole other week after this!
The sitting week is drawing to an end. Get the final Daily Program for this week here: https://t.co/3XF8cX7rc0 pic.twitter.com/Ru6vMBQNKX
— Australian House of Representatives (@AboutTheHouse) February 13, 2019
Good morning
This first week has been quite something, hasn’t it.
February is shaping up to be quite the year.
The scare campaign over the medical evacuation bill is in full flight, with Michael McCormack the latest government minister to prove he hasn’t read the bill, has read the bill and doesn’t understand it, or is wilfully lying about it.
.@ljayes on the medivac bill: It's simply not true that rapists and murders will come here due to this legislation.@M_McCormackMP: There are ways and means to get here.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 13, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/ykweMevBOK #FirstEdition pic.twitter.com/nmyXJkE6LV
Say it with me The. Government. Appoints. The. Panel . The. Panel. Can. Only. Overturn. Rejections. For. Transfer. On. Medical. Grounds. The. Minister. Can. Reject. Transfer. Applications. On. Criminality. And. Security. Grounds.
I think this eye twitch is now part of me.
In other news, the 11th Closing the Gap report will be handed down, the first for Scott Morrison since he became prime minister. It’s not great news.
We’ll have more on that, and on Hakeem al-Araibi’s visit to the parliament football oval.
Mike Bowers is already out and about and you have the brains of Katharine Murphy and Paul Karp, as well as the specialities of the rest of the Guardian’s brains trust.
In a personal tragedy, I still haven’t found a coffee. But we endure.
Ready?
Let’s get into it.
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