The wrap
A tearful Tanya Plibersek, with Bill Shorten, Trent Zimmerman, Warren Entsch &Julia Banks sing "we are Australian" with the public after the vote in the house @AmyRemeikis @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive https://t.co/Jz9pqczrVe #SSM #loveisloveislove pic.twitter.com/I7CxHK6xPZ
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) December 7, 2017
Well, we made it to the end of the parliamentary year, everyone.
It has been quite the year. Mostly because it has been an absolute debacle. But we made it. Citizenship may have dominated this parliamentary year but we finished on a high note. And, for that, for finally passing marriage equality, 2017 just proved its worth.
A big thank you to everyone who followed along today, and to everyone who has followed along since I picked up this glorious beast 10 weeks ago.
A special thank you to Mike Bowers and the Guardian Australia parliament house team, Gareth Hutchens, Paul Karp and Katharine Murphy and all those behind the scenes who tidy up after me and generally keep me sane.
Today has been an emotional day. And while I would usually do a bigger wrap for the end of parliamentary year, I think it is probably best if we just let this stand alone today.
It has been such a terrible path for so many to walk, to get to this place. So many disappointments, so much hatred, so many hurts. There are so many who didn’t live to see this day. And, for them, my heart breaks.
This vote doesn’t fix all of that. It doesn’t fix the decades of discrimination, or the taunts, or the feeling of otherness that so many in the LGBTIQ community have been subjected to. So while we may feel jubilation and should celebrate, we should also remember what it took to get here, what we lost and how we can move forward from today trying to do better.
The parliament has adjourned as I type this. We’ll be back in February. What will next year bring?
I hope, for you, your families and all those this parliament represents, it is something better.
Happy and merry everything. I’ll catch you in the new year.
Amy x
Updated
OK, we are just about done for the day (and the year) but here is what your parliamentary chamber looked like, Australia.
Updated
Just need to correct an earlier post:
I said Scott Morrison voted yes but I was wrong – I am now being told he abstained.
My apologies.
So the abstain list (at this stage) includes:
Tony Abbott
Kevin Andrews
Scott Morrison
Barnaby Joyce.
I don’t think I saw Andrew Hastie in the chamber either but am happy to be corrected.
Updated
A few more photos from the moment history was made, because Mike Bowers is amazing:
Updated
Australia, you had our backs, thankyou @MagdaSzubanski #marriageequality @AmyRemeikis @Paul_Karp pic.twitter.com/O26Ef3Arha
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) December 7, 2017
We got it done, thankyou, says Ian Thorpe. Parliament did what it said what it would do, I'm surprised, he says #marriageequality @AmyRemeikis @Paul_Karp pic.twitter.com/v22BFuOYJR
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) December 7, 2017
Louise Pratt:
I am incredibly proud today it to be part of the Australian parliament and to have, to have been part of delivering marriage equality in this nation. I have been an out MP in this country since 2001 and we have had many struggles inside Labor party.
There is my girlfriend, come over here, come here, honey.
I could not be prouder today. We have had to campaign for all of our life, for all of our rights in our relationship and finally that task is complete and we could not be happier, and I just want to say thank you to all of my comrades in the Labor party, particularly Rainbow Labor, who have given their heart and soul to make this happen. Absolutely. Thank you, Australia.
And they fall out of shot hugging. It’s a wonderful image to end the press conference on.
Updated
Rodney Croome:
In the course of all those years, I met many couples were no longer with us and who would say to me, they were grabbing by the arm and they would say please make this happen before it is too late. But, for them, it is too late.
This day is for them. We heard the word gift used and, for me, this reform is a gift that we’re all here give to the next generation, a gift of the quality and inclusion, for them to build a better Australia from.
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Ian Thorpe:
Like the other people who have spoken today, today really is a momentous day for Australia and today I am proud to call myself an Australian, as much as I have any other day of my life.
I realise what this means for young LGBTQI people, right across the country, for them to know that the person that they love, the way that they feel, is equal to that of anyone else and the change that that will mean for future generations is significant.
So I would like to thank the parliament today, I would like to thank both sides of politics for really getting on with the day and doing what they said they would do. I am surprised, frankly.
But it was amazing to see and it shows what can happen here, and that is what I am pleased to know, but I am really also very thankful for our straight brothers and sisters, who quite literally, without them and their voting for us, this would never have happened.
And it means that we have created an Australia that is more equitable, more fair and more just, and it is the kind of place that more Australians want to see, so thank you everyone for what they have contributed to this and we got it done.
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Magda Szubanski:
When I watched all of those people move to the yes side of the House, I thought Canberra was going to tip over. And for someone who grew up feeling on the brink of suicide, seriously, as so many of us have because we have felt unwanted, unliked, we fell below, to feel so loved now and to see that Parliament nearly tip over in support for us was an amazing feeling. And it was the people of Australia and all of us, I am sure, feel incredibly indebted and grateful to you that, when it was put to you, you had our backs. Thank you forever for that. Thank you so much. Thank you.
Updated
The marriage equality group of MPs, declaring victory in the Mural Hall @AmyRemeikis @Paul_Karp #marriageequality pic.twitter.com/llnOi5IJzb
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) December 7, 2017
Tim Wilson:
Today, this is a strong message to every kid that is questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity, that you do not need to be afraid, that when you look to the nation’s parliament, to our sporting heroes, and to the values that underpin this country, that you can be what you see. You see a country that is forward-looking, modern and embracing the idea that everybody has a place at our nation’s table.
Terri Butler:
I am proud today to be an Australian, I am proud today that we have, as a parliament, acted to remove discrimination, and they certainly look forward to many, many weddings to come.
Janet Rice:
I am overwhelmed. It has been such a long time coming, from 2004 and well before that, the campaigning that has been done and what is so special about having achieved this today has been achieving it with the support of people from right across the political spectrum, with the support of people from right across Australia.
Updated
Dean Smith, who just made history as one of only 30 (I think) private members’ bills to pass the Australian parliament:
People can be proud that over the last few weeks they have seen the best of their parliament, the best of their parliamentarians.
He dedicates the day to young LGBTIQ Australians.
You are OK, it will all be OK and this is a great country to grow up and be an LGBTI Australian.
Updated
Alex Greenwich of the Equality Campaign:
We came, we saw and love finally conquered ... Marriage equality is finally the law of the land.
Updated
From Mike Bowers to you:
Updated
Reforms to commence from Saturday.
George Brandis has sent out a statement.
He says that as of Saturday December 9 same-sex couples will be able “to lodge a notice of intended marriage to commence the one-month minimum notice period required before the solemnisation of marriages under the Marriage Act”.
That means the first marriages under this change can happen just a month later.
Oh, and as for those religious freedoms?
“Under the new laws, ministers of religion and religious marriage celebrants will be able to act in accordance with their religious beliefs about marriage.
“Religious bodies will be able to act in accordance with their doctrines, tenets and beliefs in providing facilities goods and services in connection with marriage.”
Updated
Barnaby Joyce abstained.
Updated
Peter Dutton and Julie Bishop voted yes, for those who were asking.
*correction: an earlier version of this post said Scott Morrison voted yes. He abstained
Updated
I’m being told Andrew Broad was one of the voices who called for the division.
But it led to this moment:
Here’s the moment the #MarriageEquality bill passed the Australian Parliament #auspol pic.twitter.com/MUoBTgBIhk
— Political Alert (@political_alert) December 7, 2017
Updated
Labor staff formed a guard of honour behind the Speaker’s chair and gave an ovation to all the MPs leaving the chamber.
Christine Forster said she will be getting a few bottles of champagne popped and few glasses drunk.
She then remembers that her brother Tony Abbott offered to buy the drinks. She says she’ll take him up on that offer.
Updated
We are still working on the list of people who abstained.
We couldn’t see Tony Abbott or Kevin Andrews in the chamber.
I can report the earth has continued to turn.
There is a feeling of jubilation in this building. But I do have to acknowledge the mixed emotions that come with this. It has been a very long process and a very painful process for a lot of people. And this vote, while a long time coming, is not going to make all of those knots suddenly release, or all the pain disappear.
But it’s a start.
Updated
Outside in the mural hall, the celebrations are on-going.
Updated
Australia’s parliamentarians are applauding the people in the gallery.
Tony Smith moves the parliament on to other business but, really, who cares?
Updated
OK. I’m crying.
The gallery is singing “We are Australian”.
The chamber pauses in its applause to watch and sing with them.
Updated
MARRIAGE EQUALITY PASSES
“That’s it” is the final word from the floor.
And the chamber erupts. The gallery erupts.
I’m not crying, you’re crying.
Tony Smith is just letting the public gallery know that at the end of the division there are a couple of procedures to be done [so hold off on the celebrations].
For all my grousing over the division, it is wonderful to see the parliament divide. The no side is almost empty. Bob Katter is there, so is Russell Broadbent, David Littleproud and Keith Pitt.
Updated
And because TWO voices said a division was required, the House divides.
Because, sure. Let’s drag out this moment for as long as possible. It is not as if we have waited decades, put people through a survey, a terrible debate, then another terrible debate on a bunch of stuff that had nothing to do with marriage equality to get to this point. We definitely need to spend these next eight minutes making the parliament divide for something that Australia was already forced to decide.
Updated
Adam Bandt agrees the bill should be read a third time.
“Love has won and it is time to pop the bubbly.”
He says he is going to keep it short because it is time for the bells to ring and the public gallery is doing all it can to not yell DUH.
Updated
“When this bill is passed we should declare we are no longer a nation who voted no or yes, we are simply Australians all,” Bill Shorten says. “Equality is never a gift to be given.”
Updated
Malcolm Turnbull is reminded to formally move the bill a third time. He does.
Bill Shorten:
Australia we are going to make marriage equality a reality in minutes.
Updated
'This is Australia' – bill read for a third time.
This time the public gallery is allowed to applaud, and they do, standing up and waving rainbow flags, their hands in the air.
The chamber is also on their feet. Malcolm Turnbull is clapping. The gallery is singing.
“I am, you are, we are Australian.”
Tony Smith reminds them that there is still the third reading to go.
“What a day, what a day for love, for equality for respect,” says Malcolm Turnbull. “It is time for more marriages, more equality, more love.”
Updated
The question now is this bill be agreed to.
And it IS!
Final amendment voted down
We are talking lunchtime on free dress levels of chatter in the chamber right now.
There is manic laughter coming from the floor.
The final pointless amendment in this pointless debate is lost.
Malcolm Turnbull spent the final division (on the yes to amendment side) telling a story that required a lot of arm-waving to Tanya Plibersek.
This was the closest of the votes but it is won with Trent Zimmerman, Trevor Evans, Tim Wilson, Warren Entsch and Julia Banks (I know I’m missing some but they are the ones I can see) and most of the crossbench on the Labor side.
Ayes: 63
Noes: 79
We are less than 30 minutes away from history, my friends.
In other news, I can no longer feel my fingers. Or my face.
Updated
It is the last division. We have spent about 55 hours getting to this point (in the parliament these last two weeks. My math is not good enough to add up all the years we have waited for this. This is why I am a journalist and make with the words and not the numbers).
Updated
I have a conscientious objection to hearing that Labor was not allowed a conscience vote on these amendments, which have nothing to do with the marriage equality bill, and are yet to be shown to be needed.
Sarah Henderson does not receive leave. WE ARE CLOSE PEOPLE
Updated
Sarah Henderson seeks leave to put the question on the two amendments separately.
NO NO NO can be heard from the Guardian office. And also the chamber.
Speaking of people with a lot of fondness for their cycling mates, even if he doesn’t want to marry them, Kevin Andrews gives, if there really is a higher power, his last speech today before the vote.
(Not on this topic mind you. Because as I am sure you have heard me screaming from my desk, this is not the last time we will have this debate. It is not even the real debate. That is coming next year)
He says if he is proven right and religious freedoms are torn to pieces in this nation when this bill receives its royal assent, and baby Jesus just won’t stop crying, he hopes we have the courage and humility to admit we were wrong.
I assume that goes both ways.
Andrew Wilkie then says to all of those pushing the amendments in the name of religious freedoms and opponents of same-sex marriage:
“You have had your day.”
“The time has come to give the LGBTI community freedom from religion,” he says.
Tim Wilson gives his final address on the debate.
And brings it back to what this debate is actually supposed to be about.
Not Jesus
Not crocodiles
Not the word G A Y
Not safe schools
Not electric guitars
Not charities being stripped of tax free status
Not boys in dresses
Not procreation
Not the fondness you feel for your cycling mates
Not any of the other frankly ridiculous arguments we have heard in this nonsensical debate.
We are removing the barrier and the boundaries which stop being enabling themselves to get married.”
We are coming to the end people. Tanya Plibersek makes the point that we are all going to remember where we were this vote happened.
For me, that may be running screaming through the corridors.
You know what the really great thing about all of this is?
It’s that we get to do it all again, when the actual debate on religious freedoms occurs next year, after the Philip Ruddock review is handed down.
Isn’t that just amazing? We get to do it all again. AND THEN SOME, because when it happens again, it will be for realsies, and not for the grandstanding ridiculousness it is today.
Yet another reason to await 1 January 2018 with gleeful eagerness.
Craig Kelly, who has upgraded his speech performance delivery from ‘interrupting you and your mate debating at the pub’, to ‘yelling at you from his car window for cutting him off in traffic’, has a problem with all the marriage celebrants who don’t want to marry same-sex couples only having 90 days to register that wish.
But, in a wonderful stroke of irony, he runs out of time to make his point.
“Please excuse me, because we are a little paranoid we Christians, we have a history of being picked on, in a big way,” says Bob Katter without irony or any sort of self-awareness that his contributions to this debate have done nothing but “pick on” the LGBTIQ community.
“And we get a little bit paranoid, so please excuse me for getting a little bit paranoid today.”
A timeless statement from Bob Katter.
Updated
I wish you could see Adam Bandt’s face right now. He is listening to Bob Katter talk about boys being forced to wear dresses and is throwing Michelle Obama level side-eye.
Updated
And, because this day has not had enough punishment, Bob Katter is back.
Updated
We may have just heard Tony Abbott’s last contribution on this debate:
“We have heard contributor after contributor to these debates say that ‘nothing in this bill will impinge on freedom of religion’.”
And if he had just stopped there, we could move on. But, of course, he does not.
“Well, supporting this amendment is an opportunity to demonstrate the absolute fair-dinkumness (not a word) when it comes to those statements.”
Sigh.
He then suggests passing this amendment, before sending the bill back to the Senate for agreement, and, in the meantime, everyone can go have a drink and then come back and “do it the right way”.
I very much want a drink. But I know a faustian bargain when I see one.
Trent Zimmerman gets to his feet for the last time in this amendment debate to point out that this amendment actually extends discrimination.
Which it does.
Christopher Pyne then points out that the amendment is “based on a false premise” as the marriage equality change doesn’t actually inhibit religious freedoms.
“There has never been [any suggestion] that marriage equality somehow inhibits religious freedoms of either ministers of religion or religious organisations.”
You know where that is made clear? THE CONSTITUTION.
I know the parliament is obsessed with section 44 but there are other sections to that document, including section 116.
The commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the commonwealth.
Or, THE SEPARATION BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE.
Updated
Henderson says the amendment is to make clear that religious freedoms are prevented and the marriage equality change won’t alter, interfere or prevent people from practising their religion.
The second half of the amendment is to protect the civil celebrants who want to be able to object to marrying a same-sex couple, because of their beliefs, any beliefs, without the religious protections.
How many marriage celebrants out there are happy to conduct weddings outside of a church but have massive issues with marrying a same-sex couple?
We’re all fine with Marriage at First Sight and Britney Spears getting married for 55 hours (never forget) but apparently we have a whole slab of marriage celebrants who have a massive problem with marrying same-sex couples?
Updated
Final amendment moved
Sarah Henderson is on her feet, talking about this “historic day for this nation and this parliament”.
She then moves on to freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
One more time for the people at the back – this has nothing to do with marriage equality.
Malcolm Turnbull arrived to vote for that second part of the Andrew Broad amendment.
Andrew Broad's second amendments are voted down
The MPs have trudged back into the chamber to vote this latest amendment down
Ayes: 60
Noes: 85
We now move on to the last-minute addition of Sarah Henderson’s amendments, which are basically the amendments George Brandis attempted to get up in the Senate and lost.
Because none of these amendments are getting up. We already know this. We have been told this. The people moving the amendments and speaking in support of them know this. That debate is to be had once the Ruddock review is handed down. Am I just typing into an abyss? Why is this still happening?
As the latest division bells are called (thankfully without a contribution from Bob Katter or anything about electric guitar wielding home invaders) question time Emma Husar is all of us.
Bill Shorten and Penny Wong just made a trip to the public gallery to shake hands. Everyone needs a bit of respite after some of the ridiculousness we have just heard
Luke Howarth is using his time talking about an amendment that has nothing to do with marriage equality by again attacking Labor for not holding a conscience vote.
Which, again, has nothing to do with marriage equality.
Howarth says he is standing up for the 70% of Australians who said in the census they had a religion. Perhaps they received a different marriage survey form to me and everyone else I know, because none of this was on the ABS form I received.
I am also pretty sure that changing the marriage act doesn’t actually change the charities act or taxation legislation.
You know what this vote, if we ever get to it, will do though? CHANGE THE DEFINITION OF MARRIAGE TO THE ONE AUSTRALIA VOTED FOR.
Updated
His next amendments are to allow religious and faith-based organisations to be able to express their views, and not have their tax status threatened.
“I haven’t seen too many people on the LGBTI community … become great social advocates like I have the religious community.”
This will be news to all of the LGBTIQ advocates and allies who have stood up for minorities, the vulnerable and just generally been a decent human FOR DECADES despite the amount of discrimination they have been subjected to. Including when homosexuality was illegal in states across the nation and police were raiding private homes to catch couples in the “illegal act” of being in love.
Warren Entsch also has no time for this.
“This is a marriage bill, this is not the time to be changing the charities act.”
The public gallery applauds and are told, again, to be quiet.
Updated
Andrew Broad is now moving his second lot of amendments.
He has moved on from electric guitars to Jesus. Parliament just became Bible class, but apparently we still need to talk about religious protections
Updated
Andrew Broad's first amendments are voted down
There is a lot of chatter as this division occurs.
No Malcolm Turnbull for those keeping count.
Ayes: 52
Noes: 86
Bob Katter managed to work out which side of the chamber he wanted to sit on, so that’s something.
Tony Smith just gave another warning to the public gallery.
“It is very important that members of parliament … are able to make their contributions without noise coming from the public gallery, it really is, on behalf of their electorates.”
To be fair, they have refrained from running from the place screaming, so I think they have shown some restraint.
Updated
Andrew Broad is making his last ditch appeal for support for his amendment by talking about his daughter who is learning the electric guitar, and unfortunately, right now, she is not very good.
He then relates his amendment to allowing his daughter to walk into any house she wants and play her electric guitar very loudly and very badly for as long as she wants “and you wouldn’t be able to do anything about it”. Because that apparently, is what freedom is. (I would think that trespass, breaking and entering and public nuisance laws would probably protect you from this apparent consequence of marriage equality, but it’s been a while since someone burst into my house to play the electric guitar)
“If you wouldn’t give that freedom away in your own home, don’t take it away from the churches and religious organisations of Australia,” he says.
The division bells are called.
For some reason Bob Katter is now talking about how they couldn’t afford to run candidates in every electorate in the Queensland election and how he only saw one ad for the no campaign.
He wants to know where the money for that came from.
I want to know why he is still talking, so we all have questions.
Oh for goodness sakes.
The “honourable” member for Kennedy may have just broken me.
“ I think you have a damn hide and an inflated opinion of yourself as well. The rest of the world would agree with me.
“They took the word gay off us and now they are taking the word marriage of us.”
Updated
Bob Katter is now talking about how the marriage equality debate “makes no difference as far as I can see to anything” and then talks about the Queensland election, where he saw the primary vote for both the major parties drop to the 30s.
“You’ve been talking about this all year ... so congratulations.”
He doesn’t mention that the survey was won with a yes vote of 61.6%.
“I refuse to say the word G A Y,” Katter says after saying he can’t understand why people in relationships would want to call those relationships marriage.
He then reads out the definition of gay, including beautiful, light, happy and ethereal. The gallery breaks into applause.
“They are proud of it. I would be embarrassed to go around calling myself all these wonderful adjectives.”
I’m sure we’ll hear about crocodiles any moment now but I really cannot spend any more time on his contribution. There are limits. I have found mine.
Updated
Oh great. Bob Katter is up. This is just what this day needed.
George Christensen begins his speech in support of the latest amendment that has nothing to do with the issue at hand, by criticising Labor for not having its conscience vote.
Then he turns to the public gallery.
“We have seen cheers from the gallery, cheering for the erosion of religious liberty.”
The public gallery breaks into applause.
Updated
Warren Entsch points out that there are already protections in place for religious organisations and this amendment would extend discrimination.
Mark Dreyfus makes a similar point.
Barnaby Joyce just gave a very half-hearted speech in support of Andrew Broad’s amendment.
Where he commented on his marital status:
“I don’t come to this debate pretending to be a saint ... I acknowledge that I’m currently separated, that’s on the public record.”
Updated
Andrew Broad wants religious organisations to be able to keep “the vibe” of their beliefs within their own facilities.
“What you believe is your own business and, if you pay for it, you should have the final say.”
Basically he wants churches and religious organisations to be able to turn down events they have objections to. So a church hall would not have to host a Safe Schools education night is the example Broad gives.
Once again, in what is becoming a timeless statement in relation to this debate: this has nothing to do with marriage equality.
The public gallery is getting antsy. They have just been asked to quiet down their conversations so the very important debate which has nothing to do with marriage equality (you know, the reason they are all here) can be heard.
Just on this particular amendment, the Gold Coast Bulletin ran a story today about how the Queensland government was legally unable to do anything about a Milo Yiannopoulos event booked in a state-owned venue.
Updated
The public gallery bursts into applause again before we move on to what I think are he second last amendments to be made, although Andrew Broad tells us he is going to be moving his amendments in two parts.
Yay.
Updated
Scott Morrison amendments are voted down
The division ends with
Ayes: 59
Noes: 82
I don’t see Malcolm Turnbull or Julie Bishop in the chamber, so it looks like they are abstaining again.
Scott Morrison is making his last stand on an amendment he knows will be voted down, by listing the faith leaders who have asked for the protection, which already appears to exist, on an amendment which has nothing to do with marriage equality.
He then states his disappointment in there not being a conscience vote in the Labor party.
Which just seems to be an even bigger waste of time, because a) this debate will be happening for real after the Ruddock review is handed down and b) EVERYONE ALREADY KNOWS THIS.
The division bells are ringing.
Updated
Trevor Evans is back and is very respectfully pointing out why his colleagues voting for this amendment are wrong.
He reads from the letter from the charities commissioner on the issue: “In short, not legally necessary but could remove any legal debate.”
The Brisbane MP again, very respectfully, points out that the Ruddock review is the place for all of these discussions and he will be happy to revisit the conversation then.
Updated
Kevin Andrews is so excited he can’t help but wave around his hands and keeps hitting his microphone.
This has as much to do with marriage equality as his current contribution to this debate.
Marriage equality legislation debate resumes
Kevin Andrews begins by pointing out that those who have said the amendment (Scott Morrison’s amendment to protect faith based charities, which already appear to have protections) are wrong.
Again, this amendment will fail. Because everyone knows that these things will be debated after Philip Ruddock hands down his review early next year, on religious freedoms in Australia.
Also, the legislation in question is about changing the marriage act. Not changing the charities act.
To be clear, this has nothing to do with marriage equality.
Mood:
Updated
We are just dealing with some administration stuff and then we’ll be back to the amendment debate.
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Question time ends
Bill Shorten is called to the despatch box for the final question ... but Malcolm Turnbull cuts him off by asking the rest of the questions be placed on notice.
Shorten points to the clock (it is 2.57) but it is done.
Updated
Craig Kelly has the final Dixer.
He delivers it in his usual style of looking like he can’t help but interrupt the debate you and your mate are having in the pub.
It’s on citizenship and, honestly, we spent enough time on this yesterday.
Updated
Anthony Albanese is next to give Tony Abbott a chuckle:
(Given how the amendment debate is going, I guess Labor figures he needs the cheering up)
The member for Warringah once famously ordered the now prime minister to demolish the NBN. Given the prime minister’s second rate NBN is plagued by cost blowouts, problems with speed and reliability and is subject to a record number of complaints from Australians, can the prime minister now proudly declare “mission accomplished”?
Paul Fletcher takes this one:
It is worth reminding the house that carriage of the NBN in the disastrous final days of the Rudd government, the downfall phase of the Rudd government briefly passed from the land of Conrovia, to the land of Albonia and the record that the shadow minister has to offer when it comes to NBN is atrocious, it’s a clear comparison.
We’re delivering, getting on with the job, we’re on track to getting this done by 2020. This lot has a hopeless record. You can’t believe them, you can’t trust them.
(It is amazing how knowing when question time is actually going to end tends to speed up the answers)
Updated
Christian Porter is next on the Bennelong election campaign shuffle.
Tanya Plibersek is next with a question on the NBN:
The prime minister promised every Australian would have access to the NBN by 2016. He also promised he would deliver it for $29.5bn. When will every Australian have access to the NBN like the prime minister promised and what will it cost?
Malcolm Turnbull says the Labor party keeps “verballing” him on this.
Let me read to you what was said in our policy document. “Our goal is for every household and business to have access to broadband with the download data rate of between 25 and100 megabits per second by late 2016.”
The timetable for the completion of the NBN and our policy was stated at p7, I recall, as 2019. The proposition that it was our policy and our promise to complete the NBN by 2016 is simply not consistent with the policy document we produced.
Updated
Peter Dutton is asked a question about border security.
Answer: Sam Dastyari and Kristina Keneally
Updated
I forgot to update the Queensland count but Labor has held on to the seat of Townsville. That brings Annastacia Palaszczuk to 48 seats, giving her a small buffer if one of her MPs (like, I don’t know, Jo-Ann Miller) decides to jump to the crossbench.
The seat count is still not official but that should come soon. Under convention, the leader of the defeated party needs to concede before the government can claim victory. Tim Nicholls hasn’t done that just yet.
Updated
Christopher Pyne explains why both Sam Dastyari and Kristina Keneally are terrible and then we move on to the NBN again.
Paul Fletcher reads from the usual statistics.
Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull:
The prime minister promised every Australian would have access to internet speeds between 25-100 mega bits per second by the end of 2016. It’s now the end of 2017 and 2 million Australian households have been told to wait even longer. Why has the prime minister failed to deliver the NBN like he promised?”
Turnbull:
The policy document was very clear and it said our objective was to get everyone to have access to 25 megabits per second by 2016. We did not say we would complete the NBN by 2016, in fact the policy document forecast a completion date by 2019 and will be completed, so the company says, the following year. After we came into government, we obviously had the first time to see what had happened at the NBN. It was our first time to examine the circumstances and we conducted a strategic audit, the results of which were published at the end of 2013.
Armed with that information, it was clear that our objectives could not be achieved and we said so and we said why. The company was set on a new, more practical business-like course and it is getting on with the job and it will have three-quarters of Australian premises covered by June next year and it will be completed according to the company’s forecast by 2020.
We inherited a colossal wreck from the Labor party, hopelessly mismanaged, and what we have done is made the best with that. There’s a lot of money that has been wasted by Labor we cannot recover but we’re getting on and completing the project.
Updated
Barnaby Joyce gets the next “vote 1 John Alexander” election ad dressed up as a Dixer.
He doesn’t seem very in to it and can barely work up enough of a yell for any more of his cheeks to flush.
Updated
Michelle Rowland gives Tony Abbott a laugh with this question:
I refer to the former prime minister, the member for Warringah, and his letter to Australia the day after the 2013 election: “I want our NBN rolled out within three years and Malcolm Turnbull is the right person to make this happen.”
More than four years later, can the prime minister confirm he’s failed to deliver on the government’s promise?”
Malcolm Turnbull:
A not entirely unfamiliar question and the answer will be more familiar so I’ll be brief. As of the last weekly report, the NBN Co has 6,518,096 premises ready to connect and 3,282,093 are active paying customers. There were just under 80,000 premises added to the network in the last week. This rollout is proceeding at an extraordinary pace, unprecedented. The honourable member knows very well that we inherited a train wreck, created by her predecessor, Senator Conroy. We put in a thorough strategic audit shortly after the election in 2013, we changed the board, we put in new management and, since that new management has been in place, all of their corporate plan objectives have been met so they’re on track to get the project completed as they said they would and they will, as they said they will, by 2020. The honourable member has raised in the past issues around HFC which represents a little over 5% of the network. That deployment has been slow for six months to ensure our customer experience is improved but the company assures us the project will still be completed in time as forecast.
Updated
Trent Zimmerman authorises the latest Bennelong by-election ad for John Alexander, in a dixer to Julie Bishop:
“Will the minister update the house on how the Government’s economic diplomacy agenda is benefitting Australian businesses, including those in the electorate of Bennelong?”
Bishop: Kristina Keneally can not be trusted
Andrew Wilkie has the cross bench question today:
“My question is to the Prime Minister. A backbencher gets a quarter of a million dollars in wages, superannuation and vehicle. Big business is still being promised a tax cut and now you’re promising income tax cuts but at the same time, people relying on Government pensions and payments are struggling terribly.
“For example, it’s not unusual for a single aged pensioner to go without meals and medicines in order to pay rent. Indeed, according to a recent survey, 61% of pensioners go without necessities, including fresh food. Do you really think this is OK, Prime Minister and when will you start talking about increasing Government pensions and payments to sensible levels?”
Malcolm Turnbull:
“I thank the member for his question. We all know that there are many Australians not just in Denison but across the nation that are doing it tough. We know how hard it can be for many of our pensioners and for those who rely on the social welfare safety net. “In the 2017 Budget, the honourable member will recall we introduced a one off energy assistance payment for around 3.8 million Australians. That payment was $75 for singles and $62.50 for each member of a couple.”
He goes one and Wilkie interrupts to ask what is happening in the future:
“As a result of our changes, more than 90% of pensioners are either better off or have had no change to their position. The pensioner concession card was reinstated on 9 October to approximately 92,300 pensioners whose entitlement ceased on 1 January due to the rebalancing of the assets test measure and that included 453 pensioners in Denison. We’re committed to ensure our social welfare safety net supports those most in need and we want to - I want to state again our respect and our thanks to all our senior Australians who have built our great nation and to whom we owe so much.”
From a little earlier, here’s how the afternoon arrangements were worked out.
Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull:
This year the prime minister has lost three ministers, lost multiple votes in parliament, cancelled parliament, announced a tax hike for seven million Australians, cut penalty rates for 700,000 workers, ruled out a banking commission and then announced it and made two million premises wait longer for the NBN.
Given the prime minister has spent 2017 hostage to his backbench and to events, why should Australians believe 2018 will be any better?
Turnbull: Sam Dastyari
Updated
Not content with a press conference which included slides, and the world’s longest press statement, Scott Morrison has now taken a dixer on the national accounts.
Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull:
Next week the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse hands down its final report. Will the prime minister join me to acknowledge the survivors of child sexual abuse for their courage in giving evidence, thank the royal commissioners and their staff for their efforts to expose responses on child sexual abuse and in the nation’s parliament? Will he join with me in committing to ensuring survivors get the justice and the real redress they deserve?
Turnbull:
We thank and we honour the courage of the survivors who bravely told their stories to the royal commission. We thank the royal commissioners and their staff for the long hours and the very hard hours, the very emotionally draining hours that they have spent listening to those stories, comforting the survivors. We honour them and we believe them. That is the most important thing you can say. I remember years ago when prime minister Rudd and I made a statement of apology to the survivors of institutional care, the forgotten Australians, often described. The words they wanted to hear most of all was that they, after a lifetime of being ignored and neglected and pushed away, they were believed and that the charities and churches and governments that had done them so much wrong were going to be held to account.
Justice, honesty, transparency, that’s what the royal commission has been delivering. I want to thank the commissioners, I want to thank above all the survivors. We believe you, we love you, we will stand with you.
Updated
I missed this earlier:
The Nationals' Deputy Leadership contest finished in this order:
— David Speers (@David_Speers) December 7, 2017
1. Bridget McKenzie
2. Michael McCormack
3. Matt Canavan
4. Keith Pitt
The first Dixer is an election ad for John Alexander Bennelong’s by-election.
And we have had our first mention of Kristina Keneally. Although she has apparently become “she who will not be named” as she is referenced, but not identified.
Updated
Question time begins
It’s the last time we’ll be doing this, this year.
Bill Shorten starts by asking Malcolm Turnbull to defer question time so the marriage equality vote can be brought forward.
Short answer – no.
Turnbull:
This must be the first time the leader of an opposition has asked that question time be abandoned.
It must be the first time. I wonder why. I’ll say this, Mr Speaker: in the course of this week, many hours have been taken up with Labor party motions about citizenship and penalty rates, matters that could properly have been dealt with after marriage had been dealt with, but no, the Labor party rushed their motion in in the hope that they would get it voted on before the member for New England made his return.
That bit of fancy footwork slipped up. The government is accountable in question time and so is the opposition so we will all be accountable in question time today as we are every day that parliament sits.
I will say this to the leader of the opposition: I’ll ask further questions be placed on the notice paper at 3pm, which is when the broadcast finishes.
Updated
Amedment debate breaks until after question time
The last speaker before the debate break is Tony Abbott.
He continues the pattern of talking about things with nothing to do with marriage equality legislation.
He can’t imagine a world without the hospitals, charities, schools and other great works of our faith-based organisations.
“It is their faith that drives them, they do it because of their faith motivation and part of that faith is that marriage is between a man and a woman, preferably for life and usually dedicated to kids.
“Once same-sex marriage is enshrined in law, on public policy grounds, organisations don’t recognise same-sex marriage could indeed be subject to some kind of official sanction.
“Overseas this has happened. Catholic adoption agencies have been forced to withdraw their services. Orthodox Jewish schools have had their funding threatened. American Christian colleges have registration refused to their law graduates because of their teaching on marriage ...”
(Note from Amy: I just have to insert in here that one of the reasons these cases have popped up in America is because they have a bill of rights, enshrined in their constitution. Many of these cases have been examined in the light of how they meet those constitutional rights. Australia does not have a bill of rights. It is not apples and apples.)
“Don’t think that it can’t happen in this country. It already has. I recall, as employment minister in 2003, finding a human rights commissioner threatening faith-based employment agencies because of their own employment practices. And if that threat had been acted upon, they would have had to withdraw their services. So these amendments are important and, I stress, they are not against same-sex marriage, they are simply in favour of the rights of religious organisations to keep doing what they have always done in the great interests of the Australian people.”
And we are on break from one of the most ridiculous last stands ever, until at least 3.15.
Updated
Christopher Pyne is explaining this afternoon’s proceedings.
The debate will end at 1.30. People book in for question time, so the public gallery will have to be emptied, so those people can take their seats.
Pyne says the debate will resume after the matter of public interest debate.
That debate today is from the opposition on the topic of the need to bring the government down. Tony Burke jumps up to say that Labor will delay speaking about the need to bring the government down until February to ensure that the debate can continue straight after question time at 3.15pm.
We won’t get through this amendment then. Then there is the last couple to go. Don’t expect a vote until later this afternoon.
Mark Dreyfus is now explaining why the amendments aren’t needed, as the current charities legislation already includes these protections.
I feel compelled to add that this amendment has NOTHING TO DO WITH THE LEGISLATION UNDER DEBATE.
We may get through this unnecessary and doomed-to-fail amendment before question time. But then we still have a couple to go before we get to the vote.
Updated
Warren Entsch is explaining that the amendments aren’t needed. He also points out the bill has been out for four months for consultation and the amendments should not be rushed into.
What is clear is these amendments are they are completely unnecessary, they certainly carry risks and they should be opposed.
Nicole Flint is speaking in support and repeats the now common line that while the change to the Marriage Act is the will of the Australian people, we “must remember” to protect the views of all Australians.
Again, I don’t remember voting on anything other than marriage equality in the survey. If someone has a different form, which included a question on religious and conscientious freedoms, please send it to me so I can take it up with the ABS.
Updated
While Scott Morrison talks about the great faith works, let’s look at some Mike Bowers magic from inside the chamber
Updated
Scott Morrison is next to watch his amendments fail.
He wants to make sure that faith-based charities can continue to object to marriage equality without fear of losing their charitable status.
Updated
Alex Hawke amendment voted down
The Alex Hawke amendment goes down:
Ayes: 59
Noes: 87
Still more laughter and good times coming from the no-to-amendment camp.
Updated
The division has been called and Malcolm Turnbull has walked in. He is sitting with the yes to amendment camp.
PM Malcolm Turnbull is voting in favour of Alex Hawke's amendment, aimed at exempting Defence chaplains #marriageequality #auspol
— Roje Adaimy (@rojeadaimy) December 7, 2017
As the latest division voting down the latest unnecessary amendment goes on, I am loathe to report that Sarah Henderson has just added another amendment to the list.
Henderson is voting in favour of marriage equality, but has added ANOTHER amendment doomed to fail, to protect all those civil celebrants who love marrying people outside a church but have conscientious objections to same-sex marriage.
This means we won’t be getting to a vote until late this afternoon now. Probably a couple of hours after question time.
Updated
Lo and behold, this debate has me agreeing with Andrew Laming again.
“As far as I am concerned the armed forces are an apparatus of the state. The state has agreed to a broadened definition of marriage. If you are a seconded religious chaplain from the church, an exemption exists for you. But if you are not, you are part of the state’s apparatus, that is the armed forces, you follow a chain of command.
“This is a matter for the Chief of the Defence Force. If they are marrying, they are receiving a state salary and they adhere to the law of the land. I am not in favour of these exemptions trickling through the armed forces and you would know very well, as I did, I did not go to Afghanistan with a body armour, a pay packet and the will of the Australian people, I went as a volunteer, but I know when I got there, there wasn’t a lot of conscience thinking when you are serving in the armed forces.
“If you are chaplain, you have the possibility of religious exemption, if you are seconded from a church. You are taking a state salary, from a nation that allows marriage in all its forms, between two adults and that is what you can do as part of your service, otherwise you can leave the military.”
Look, I am not saying the world didn’t actually end in 2012, but I am not, not saying it either. This is the second time Laming has been one of the MPs to make the most sense in talking down these amendments today.
Wait, Alex Hawke surprises, by not only moving his amendment that will be voted down, and is probably not actually needed, but by then spending time attacking the opposition for not having a true conscience vote.
He wants military chaplains to be able to refuse to carry out same-sex marriages on religious and conscientious belief.
Because even though he disagrees with his colleagues, he respects that they can debate it and “have a genuine disagreement” on some issues. And he is most upset that Labor is not having that same genuine disagreement.
“This is your chance, this your moment, this is where the leader of the opposition can step up and show some leadership.”
We are hearing again about the no voters and why their views need to be protected. Again, I would have enjoyed hearing how passionate Hawke would have been in arguing to protect the rights and views of yes voters, if this had gone the other way.
Terri Butler again argues against the amendment, saying she doesn’t want to be here any longer than she wants to, but “more importantly” the people of Australia don’t want it to take any longer. The public gallery applauds. They are told to be quiet.
Butler then points out the bill has also already addressed this issue, by creating a secular position of ‘marriage officer’ and she can’t understand why someone with religious or conscientious beliefs against marriage equality, would sign up to be a secular marriage officer in the first place.
Next amendments on the chopping block are those of Alex Hawke.
He is going to say that the amendments are straightforward and will improve the bill and are needed to protect the views of those who do not support same-sex marriage.
Then those who are against them (which right now is the majority of the parliament) will point out that now is not the time for these amendments and besides, the amendments are not needed as what they seek to protect is already protected and adding to those protections is legislating discrimination (essentially).
We’ll spend more time than we need to on it, the divide will be called, the amendment will be voted down and we will move on.
Updated
Andrew Hastie amendments voted down
The chamber has divided on Andrew Hastie’s amendments:
One thing is clear, the no side certainly has a lot more colour. And chat.
Ayes - 56
Noes - 87
Looks like the prime minister is abstaining again.
Updated
Meanwhile, outside in the “real world”, where Australia voted in favour of marriage equality (and that was it) in the survey the government forced on everyone, among those waiting on the vote is 10-year-old Cully.
Those in favour of the amendments seem to think that along with ticking yes for marriage equality, supporters of same-sex marriage also ticked yes for “protecting religious freedoms’.
That particular question must have been missing from my form.
That is not to say that the debate shouldn’t happen. It will, regardless of whether it should or not. It’s set in stone as part of the Philip Ruddock review. But flagging it here, when most of the amendments have nothing to do with this legislation, is pointless.
Updated
Trent Zimmerman makes the very obvious point that all these religious leaders who feel the need to speak out against marriage equality and hold on to their traditional views as tightly to their bosom as they possibly can, already have those protections.
Andrew Hastie says the spirit of his amendment is to protect the views of the 39% of Australians who voted no. I am very, very sorry we won’t ever get to hear his impassioned defence of the Australians who voted yes, if the survey result went the other way.
Updated
To be clear, it is just the House lighting that does this.
And for those asking, here are the MPs who voted for the amendments.
Updated
Here is what it looks like when the parliament (largely) works together.
Cathy McGowan stands up to ask for members to remember that regional Australia, which is constantly being pointed to as wanting to respect “traditional marriage” given that it is usually used as the example of “real Australia” by conservative politicians when making their points, “voted overwhelmingly in favour” of marriage equality.
“The day you start to cherry-pick which human rights are important is a dangerous day,” says Kevin Andrews, as he now cites the UN for not having a hierarchy of rights.
Yes, you read that correctly. Kevin Andrews just referred to the UN.
There was laughter from the gallery as he said it. Can’t for the life of me understand why.
Updated
Adam Bandt smacks down Tony Abbott’s attack on safe schools and receives applause from the public gallery
Christopher Pyne stands up to say he doesn’t want to be the “Christmas grinch” and he understands everyone is excited, but they need to settle down.
Kevin Andrews is now talking about protecting human rights. We have three more amendments to go after this.
Sigh.
Tony Abbott has risen again to support the Hastie amendments.
He brings up Safe Schools. Which a) has nothing to do with this legislation; b) is deliberately misrepresented for political purposes; and c) was rolled out under his government; and d) HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS LEGISLATION.
He has another go at Malcolm Turnbull for not putting religious freedoms in place before this vote. He then does the parliamentary equivalent of yelling at clouds, by wondering why the House is so concerned with what the Senate decided.
“What would Paul Keating say?” he says.
Meanwhile in Queensland, the Greens are celebrating winning their first seat in the state parliament.
Michael Berkman took the seat of Maiwar from the LNP
How will the Greens celebrate winning Maiwar? “With a compost party,” one jokes 😂🌱🍻 @mcberkman @tennewsqld pic.twitter.com/fNdf1Hswuq
— Tegan George (@tegangeorge) December 7, 2017
Lucy Wicks is standing to support Andrew Hastie’s amendments.
Tim Wilson can be seen waving to the public gallery behind her.
You can guess which interaction those in the gallery are enjoying more.
Again, if you want to see the amendments being put forward, you can see them here.
They are very similar to the ones which were voted down in the Senate.
All of the amendments will be voted down. This is just a taste of what we are in for when the Philip Ruddock review comes down next year. Basically, everyone is putting their views on the record as a symbolic gesture now, and indicating where the battle lines will be drawn once that review is handed down.
Meanwhile, Tim Wilson, Trent Zimmerman and Craig Kelly are looking as though they are having best time ever behind Wicks.
Updated
Terri Butler explains why Labor won’t be supporting the amendments.
One – because it is delaying the vote and everyone has waited long enough
Two – because any big changes to Australian law should be properly considered and consulted on.
That sound you hear is Malcolm Turnbull dusting off his leather jacket – the PM has been confirmed as the guest on Q&A next Monday.
Updated
Andrew Hastie is moving his amendments now. He keeps talking about protecting “traditional marriage”.
For a reminder, here is what he believes “traditional marriage” is for:
Andrew Hastie: The 'normal' way marriage is conducted is with the 'purpose of procreation'. MORE: https://t.co/Ww4yA5TED7 pic.twitter.com/LubEGUcyUZ
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) September 1, 2017
Warning: what has been heard can never not be heard.
Updated
Michael Sukkar amendments voted down
The division result is in:
Ayes - 43
Noes - 97
There is applause from the public gallery and from some of those in the chamber who voted against the amendments.
Updated
Looking at the chamber, it is quite amazing to see so many Coalition and Labor MPs on the same side.
Given the laughter coming from that side of the chamber, they know it.
From the chamber:
Updated
Just ducking out of the chamber to update you on other matters – Andrew Leigh has criticised the appointment of Gary Johns to the ACNC:
Mr Johns has been a foe of charities and he has been one of the strongest critics of charities in Australia. He has attacked Indigenous charities, he has attacked mental health charities and he has attacked charities that attempt to engage in advocacy. That’s the thing about this government, they have a “charities should be seen and not heard” approach. They think that charities are OK so long as they’re running soup kitchens, but once they start talking about poverty and inequality, they’re overstepping their mark and they should go back to the kitchen. It’s that sort of anti-advocacy approach in legal charities, in environmental charities, in social service charities that characterises the worst aspects of this government sand which characterises Gary Johns’ views on charities throughout his career. A leopard doesn’t change its spots. Gary Johns will not cease being a foe to charities in this new role.
Charities will be horrified by this appointment. This is somebody being appointed to head the charities commission who is a critic of theirs, not a supporter of theirs. This is like putting Dracula in charge of the bloodbank. It’s like putting Ned Kelly in charge of bank security.
Updated
The public gallery has been told to calm down the clapping. But the feeling, we are told, is electric.
It is absolutely packed in there.
Poor Michael Sukkar tried to defend his amendments (which are in the process of being voted down in a division) but all attention was on Kate Ellis’s newborn baby Charlie, who is also in the chamber.
He looked almost disappointed to have his moment overtaken by a baby.
Updated
Trevor Evans has also spoken out against the amendment to alter the definition of marriage to essentially two categories, marriage between a man and a woman and marriage between two people.
Evans asks his colleagues who are in support of the amendment whether those two categories are equal. And whether it is a legal change or a symbolic one.
If this is symbolic, then this is a pointless and unnecessary amendment with no legal effect and there is no justification to support it.
Pointless regulation is illiberal regulation. This government is philosphically opposed to pointless regulation.
Our statute books are not the place for symbolism and gestures; we have Sky News for that.
Updated
The Liberal MP Trevor Evans then summed up why the amendments were bupkis:
To best understand why these amendments are ill-considered, let’s remember how this bill formed its current positions. Both with respect to the definition of marriage and on celebrants. This started as a government bill. An exposure draft prepared by our attorney general, it subsequently went through a Senate committee, a comprehensive process, with extensive consultation with many of Australia’s religious organisations and other community leaders and organisations. Four hundred submissions. 40-something witnesses and significant scrutiny by all of those senators and that consultation led to a unanimous set of findings. That is unanimous agreement from senators across the political spectrum, including government senators.
So what is proposed in these amendments goes against the informed and unanimous findings of those senators from right across the political spectrum. And given these amendments are essentially the same as those defeated recently in the Senate, they should be rejected again here, for similar reasons …
To be clear, the bill in front of us protects civil celebrants. The bill allows existing civil celebrants who have strong religious beliefs against same-sex marriage to identify as religious marriage celebrants, which then gives them the right to refuse to solemnise same-sex marriages.
What the amendments propose to do is create a carve-out which would be ongoing and would allow not just religious objections to same-sex marriage, but non-religious objections as well and, to be clear, that approach has been strongly rejected by the associations representing civil celebrants.
I have taken the time to meet with some of them to confirm this; the civil celebrants’ organisations do not want this.
Updated
Tony Abbott has risen in support of Michael Sukkar’s amendments. No surprise there.
These amendments are not designed to frustrate this bill, they are not designed to delay this bill, they are designed to improve this bill and make this bill a unifying occasion, as unifying as can be, under all the circumstances.
“Almost 8 million Australians voted yes, almost 5 million Australians voted no, all Australians, whichever way they voted, deserve to have their views respected and as far as is possible, accommodated in the legislation.
“I suspect that many of the 8 million who voted yes did not want to exclude traditional marriage, they simply wanted to embrace same-sex marriage too.
(Note from Amy: because Tony Abbott has obviously proven to have his finger is on the pulse on this, and so many other issues.)
Then Abbott had his dig at Malcolm Turnbull:
In the course of the campaign, when both the prime minister and the leader of the opposition pledged that before same-sex marriage became law there would be adequate freedoms of conscience, religion expression in place, that is simply what these amendments seek to do.
To make the words of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition become a reality.
Updated
Adam Bandt’s contributions are proving quite popular with the public gallery.
He and Anthony Albanese got into a little verbal skirmish earlier, when Albo, who explained that Labor would not be supporting the Greens amendments because “you can’t always get what you want, but you can get what you need”, said he was part of a major party because it supported things which were important to people.
He was criticising the Greens amendment to change the name of the bill to reflect marriage equality. Albanese said that what wasn’t important to people, and it was taking up time. Bandt fired back that the only reason we were here was because Labor supported John Howard’s change to the marriage laws, and he would not be lectured.
But we have moved on.
The public gallery is packed. There is a pretty big feeling of anticipation in this building today. Everyone is waiting on that final vote.
Updated
Greens amendments voted down
The Greens amendments are voted down on the voices.
Now to the amendments from Michael Sukkar. These will also be defeated.
There are four other amendments after this – you can find them here.
All of them will be voted down. There is also a loose agreement to keep speeches against them short.
Updated
For those playing along at home, you can follow the bill’s progress here.
At this stage, it looks like we will get a vote just before question time, or just after.
All the amendments are being quickly dealt with and dismissed by both major parties, who are very firmly of the mind that it is time to “just get it done”.
As for the need for protections, Trevor Evans has made his views clear:
Australia is not America ... the case for the homophobic baker in Australia remains unfulfilled.
Evans said he doubts a case like the US is now dealing with would be seen in Australia, because, basically, he doesn’t think anyone would be bothered – they would just take their business elsewhere is the basic gist.
Updated
The Labor MP Terri Butler moved to the other side of the chamber to support Warren Entsch and the other members of the Coalition’s “rainbow rebels” who helped move the bill through the party room, while Senator Dean Smith watches.
Updated
The Greens have responded to the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
From the party statement:
The Greens condemn in the strongest possible terms US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and relocate the US Embassy from Tel Aviv, said Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale.
Australia now stands alone in its craven refusal to join those in Europe, Asia and the Middle East in standing against this move, which will devastate the peace process.
“This decision by President Trump is a body blow for the peace process and for the Palestinian people,” Di Natale said.
“Trump’s announcement has been universally condemned – by the United Nations, European and Middle Eastern leaders and religious leaders.
“Yet the Australian Government stands alone in maintaining that this is a matter only for the United States.
“It is shameful that Malcolm Turnbull cannot even display the leadership to stand with our allies in Europe and Asia to publicly urge Trump not to proceed with this deeply unfair and dangerous decision.
“If it wasn’t enough to see Donald Trump’s inflammatory tweets on North Korea, or his decision to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement, surely this latest move is all the evidence needed to prove that we are shackled to an unhinged ally intent on making the world far more dangerous.”
*end statement*
Julie Bishop has repeated her confirmation from yesterday that Australia would continue to keep its diplomatic presence in Tel Aviv. Labor has also given its support for Australia’s position.
The Petrie MP Luke Howarth’s decision to retweet this, then, has raised a couple of eyebrows:
This is a historic day. Jerusalem has been the capital of Israel for nearly 70 years. Jerusalem has been the focus of our hopes, our dreams, our prayers for three millennia. Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years. Thank you, @realDonaldTrump! 🇮🇱🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/mWCUpUMpiC
— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) December 6, 2017
Updated
This week Labor announced it would not support the extension of the cashless welfare card to any other communities unless there were amendments.
Here’s Alan Tudge reflecting on that on 6PR Perth radio:
I am so deeply disappointed, because Labor has people that have been there. They know the issues. They know the damage which alcohol does, paid for by the welfare dollar.
They know the impact which this cashless welfare card is having on the ground up in the east Kimberley, and yet they have clearly got too much pressure from their Melbourne and Sydney representatives who are scared about the Green votes in Melbourne and Sydney, and so they are willing to chase those votes and abandon the children in the Goldfields and abandon the women.
That’s what they are doing. I am flabbergasted, I am disappointed, but we are not going to let them slow us down because the leaders there, including Rick Wilson, the federal member, have been so strong on wanting to give this a go there to address some of the issues there, and so we are going to press ahead.
We wanted bipartisan support for this. We are not going to get that now, but we will press ahead nevertheless and back those community leaders, back the children, and back the women.
Updated
Here is what the man himself has to say about his amendments.
Out of respect for the millions of Australians who take religious freedom seriously I moved my amendment; out of respect for the millions who want the SSM bill swiftly passed I chose not to divide on it
— Tony Abbott (@TonyAbbottMHR) December 6, 2017
Updated
Amendment debate begins
Warren Entsch commends the bill to the house and there is a smattering of applause.
Tony Abbott’s amendments, designed to protect “religious freedoms”, which critics have called an attempt to “legalise discrimination” were moved and lost on the voices.
Abbott did not call for a division. So it looks as though the intervention to separate the amendments from this bill, and instead have them dealt with by the Ruddock review within the Coalition party room, worked.
The pious debate would have have delayed the marriage equality legislation vote considerably – and potentially have made the parliament sit longer to make sure the government could meet its promise to legislate by the end of the year, which is why there was an intervention in the first place.
The house has moved on to other amendments, including the Greens amendments to ensure civil celebrants can’t reject same-sex marriage.
These will also fail.
The Dean Smith bill will go through unadulterated now.
Updated
Warren Entsch is calling out Bob Katter for his speech. Katter left the chamber as Entsch began. He can barely hold back his fury.
Here’s Entsch:
This was parliament at its best, with so many people on their feet, standing up for what they believe is right and doing is in a dignified and a very, very respectful manner. However, there was one contribution – and I’m disappointed to see that he has left the chamber – that was the exception and it deserves special mention, and that was the contribution of the member for Kennedy, Bob Katter, who was the last speaker on the second reading last night. His pathetic attempts to humour, insensitivity and grossly misleading comments were devoid of any facts and were highly offensive, embarrassing and cringeworthy. They need to be called out for what they are. His speech exemplifies what the LGBTI community have had to endure for so long. I’ve got to say that member for Kennedy’s speech needs to be taken in isolation and does not represent the views of the parliament and certainly does not represent the views of the overwhelming majority of Australians.
Entsch also says no amendments to the bill are necessary.
This bill gives so much and takes from no one.
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Warren Entsch delivers the final second reading speech on marriage equality
The Queensland MP has taken the floor to give the final speech on the marriage equality legislation.
He is wearing his rainbow tie again and holding back tears.
Oh boy.
Michael Sukkar has just confirmed that Dr Gary Johns will take over as the full-time commissioner of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, and well, though he might be a former Keating government MP, his views haven’t exactly endeared himself to the sector over the years.
Here he is referring to Indigenous women as “cash cows”.
And here he is on LGBTI rates of depression.
Johns has made his opinions made on quite a few points over the years. Expect a lot of people to have a lot of opinions on this appointment.
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Bridget McKenzie’s win also means she will be elevated to the cabinet. We’ll let you know what portfolio she’ll hold when we hear.
She gave a brief speech in front of the media and paid homage to Fiona Nash, who previously held the post, before she was found to be ineligible by the high court for being a dual citizen:
I would just like to briefly mention Fiona Nash, a great friend and a colleague, who yesterday [had her return] ruled out and I guess, um, Nashy, I love you.
And I can’t wait to get on the golf course with you as soon as possible, and I know Fiona has a great future in public service in whatever field she chooses.
But I guess I would like to say thank you to my party room. Now it’s about getting on with the job of delivering for regional Australia within the Coalition government.”
McKenzie was referring to the high court handing down its reasons for finding Hollie Hughes ineligible to fill Nash’s spot (short version, when George Brandis appointed her to the AAT, he ruined her chances under section 44 to fill the Senate spot) and that will most likely see Jim Molan fill the spot.
But don’t rule Nash out. She might not fill that Senate spot, but most believe she’ll be back – and sooner rather than later.
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And the winner of the Nationals deputy ballot is …
Bridget McKenzie
(Entirely my fault that her name was left of the original post on this – when I went to bold her name, I accidentally deleted it and my tired brain didn’t pick that up until right now.)
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Penny Wong is ready for the vote. Beyond ready I would say.
We will wait for the vote but judging by the people who have spoken we are in a good place. Obviously, if not all, then the overwhelming majority of Labor will be supporting and we will have enough Liberals and crossbench people to get it over the line. It will be the end of a very long journey. It’s an outcome that will have been achieved because of the Australian people and in this, as I said in my third reading speech, we are their representatives but they have been our leaders. They have demonstrated grace and decency and I hope we demonstrate that today.
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Matt Canavan is 'unhinged' – Bill Shorten
The Queensland election race has not officially been called but Labor has its majority, with Annastacia Palaszczuk winning the 47 seats she needs for a majority government.
That has led the Queensland senator and federal resources minister, Matt Canavan, to lash out, again, about Palaszczuk’s decision to veto the billion-dollar rail line loan.
Speaking to the Courier-Mail, Canavan accused Labor of “racism” and “xenophobia” in making the decision.
The Labor party has a long and colourful history of xenophobia and racism and this is just the latest chapter in that book. If it was a British company building this rail line, or the Australian government building the rail line, I don’t think we would have the controversy it has attracted. It’s down to that it is an Indian company.
A spokesman for Bill Shorten returned fire, telling AAP:
Matt is clearly unhinged and lashing out.”
Adani is still waiting on funding for its Queensland mine. After saying it did not need the federal government loan to move ahead, it has since changed tack and said it does.
There were reports it was set to receive Chinese funding, but Bob Carr, who has been lobbying Chinese organisations on behalf of the Australian Conservation Foundation, said on Wednesday he had it confirmed from the Chinese embassy no funding commitments had been made.
Palaszczuk has confirmed the veto against the loan stands and said she will not facilitate any taxpayer funds being spent on the mine.
Adani was one of the biggest issues in the Queensland election campaign, with the veto dominating much of the first half of the campaign, before being judged as helping Labor win Brisbane seats, which in turn, helped it win the election.
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As I said, Bob Katter was the last speaker on the marriage equality bill overnight. It went places. And all of them were terrible. I’m only going to put a little of it here, and only for context, because I expect Warren Entsch, who is from a similar part of the world as Katter, will want to correct the many, many wrongs in this speech.
Here’s a taste:
The people advocating this proposition tonight, the LGBTIs, have maybe 60 years on their side. I have 3.5m years of genetic programming on my side, because we human beings, they tell us, have been around for 3.5m years. One thing that is absolutely certain is that we’ve all developed from heterosexual couples. That is one thing we know absolutely – up until the last 40 years, anyway. So, genetically, we are programmed that way. If you want to make a young lad between the age of nine or 10 and 15 go to school wearing a dress, you’ll seriously mess with his head. If you are looking for reasons why, there are distinguishing factors of the incredible race of people, as I call us in my book – and I think we are. We always get there in the end, but, jeez, we run off the rails badly at times. If you analyse why this country continuously has the highest male juvenile suicide rates in the world – why is that? – there is something going wrong here. We have an extraordinary incidence of homosexual behaviour in Australia compared with other nations, and I think the people who have been speaking for this bill would agree with me on that.
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🤞today could be the day #marriageequality 🏳️🌈🇦🇺👬👭🍾🕺🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈
— Alex Greenwich MP (@AlexGreenwich) December 6, 2017
The action started early this morning.
The Equality Campaign held an event at 7am with ambassadors Magda Szubanski, Ian Thorpe, Daniel Kowalski, Prof Kerryn Phelps and Christine Forster on the lawns outside parliament.
There was dancing but also a serious message – get the vote done.
Understandable, really.
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Barnaby Joyce is back and he’s looking for a deputy.
Basically the entire Nationals party room has put up their hands. The ballot is at 9am, with a result at 9.30. Look out for the battle between Matt Canavan, Nigel Scullion and Michael McCormack.
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Donald Trump has confirmed diplomacy’s worst-kept secret– he has decided, despite warnings from almost every Middle Eastern ally, to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. It took about 39 minutes into his speech to get there, but he says it is “the right thing to do”.
Australia doesn’t agree. Julie Bishop hasn’t criticised Trump but she has made clear Australia will be sticking with Tel Aviv and, this morning, reiterated what she said yesterday.
The Australian government is committed to a two-state solution whereby the Israeli people and the Palestinian people can live in peace, side by side within internationally recognised boundaries. That remains our foreign-policy objective in relation to the issues in Israel with the Israeli state and the Palestinian authority. We will not be taking steps to move our embassy. It will continue to offer diplomatic representation in Tel Aviv.
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Good morning
Welcome to the last scheduled sitting day of the year.
And it looks set to be one for the history books.
After years, YEARS, of faffing around, disappointment, ridiculous arguments and just straight-up stupidity, the Australian parliament is ready to pass marriage equality.
Bob Katter became the second last speaker (there were 120 or so MPs who spoke on this debate) overnight, and well, the less said about what he had to say, the better.
Today Warren Entsch will close off the speeches and then we move on to the amendment debate, for which Peter Dutton yesterday all but confirmed Tony Abbott’s amendments don’t have the numbers.
That is because the conservatives have been appeased by the Philip Ruddock review into religious freedoms. It doesn’t mean it’s over, just delayed.
But today is a day about getting it done. Finally.
With that in mind, make sure you follow Mike Bowers as he makes sure I get across the line. You’ll catch him @mpbowers and @mikepbowers. I’ll be watching the comments, but you’ll have better luck catching me at @amyremeikis. Political tragics and those interested in Queensland political news can also follow along with my story here.
So with the world’s biggest coffee in hand, I’m ready to get started. Hope you are too!
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