A big thank you to Mike Bowers and his work experience kid, Lyndal Curtis, as well as Sarah Martin and Katharine Murphy for dragging me across the line.
A very big thank you to everyone who read along this week. I know it was a bit weird, given there were three days of ceremony, but it looks like the parliament is all back on track from now on.
We’ll be back with your usual general news updates from tomorrow, so stay tuned for the wrap up of tonight and the inevitable fallout.
I hope you have a lovely few weeks, and stay warm. I was back home in Queensland recently and had to reach for a cardigan, so I mean that for everyone.
Take care of you.
Updated
And on that note, we are going to wrap up the blog.
There is no parliament until 22 July, when both chambers will sit for two weeks. Now that tax is done, who the hell knows what the parliament will be talking about. The medevac repeal has been sent to committee until October. The national security legislation Peter Dutton wants has some committee work ahead of it as well.
Beyond that?
I guess we wait and see.
The tax package will be legislated by next week, and the ATO has already said it will have the structures in place to pass on the first rebate – up to $1,215, depending on how much you earn – by next week.
Updated
How Mike Bowers saw question time:
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I thank @GregHuntMP and the Government for agreeing, or agreeing in principle, to the recommendations of the Senate Select Committee on Stillbirth Research and Education.
— Kristina Keneally (@KKeneally) July 4, 2019
Their commitment of an extra $52.4m funding to help drive down stillbirth rates is welcome news. pic.twitter.com/aZxVGQplZ8
Now the Senate hangs around until all the tax bill amendments are introduced, debated and then rejected, before getting to the vote, where it will pass.
The royal assent will come pretty quickly after that and then BOOM – the entire tax package is legislated.
Updated
Amanda Rishworth, who is about a million weeks pregnant, has been granted parental leave until 13 October.
Updated
In the least surprising news since the cancellation of Lindsay Lohan’s latest reality TV show, the oil and gas industry is not a huge fan of Centre Alliance’s gas plan.
APPEA Chief Executive Andrew McConville said industry recognises its important role in supplying energy to Australians and the role a secure and competitive natural gas supply plays for households and businesses.
“There have been numerous reforms to the gas market in recent years. Sensible reforms can improve the efficiency of the gas market and improve its operation,” Mr McConville said.
“However, market interventions could adversely affect confidence in the oil and gas sector as well as discourage new market entrants and supply diversity.
“Ongoing investment is crucial for economic growth and being able to fund the very tax cuts Federal Parliament is debating. Investment will only continue if businesses are confident they can manage the risk associated with the investment.
“There is enough supply in the market, according to the Australian Energy Market Operator, so we see no need for changes to the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism (ADGSM) at this time. The ADGSM is up for a review in 2020 and the gas market transparency work will follow on from ACCC recommendations recently made public.”
The oil and gas industry – which underpins around 80,000 direct and indirect jobs – has recently announced billions of dollars in new investment to bring more gas into the market, supporting domestic gas consumption and gas export projects that are underpinning Australia’s growth.
“Today, we have seen another new gas sales deal announced by the Australia Pacific LNG venture with manufacturers Orica and Orora. This highlights the importance of developing new gas resources and the response industry is taking to accelerate the delivery of more supply.
“The new supply also adds to the significant number of new gas agreements announced in the past three years to domestic customers.”
Recently there have been announcements from Arrow Energy, Shell Australia, Senex, Cooper Energy, Strike Energy, GLNG and Santos to provide new supply in various parts of eastern Australia.
Mr McConville said rather than intervention measures by government, the best way to put downward pressure on gas prices is more gas from more suppliers.
“More gas supply into the Australian domestic market helps make a significant difference to the millions of homes and thousands of businesses that use gas,” Mr McConville said. “Increasing supply should be the focus of government, industry and all Australian businesses that rely on sustainable gas supply.”
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Ed Husic may not be on Twitter any more, so he’s saving his social media burns for Instagram.
The BETRAYAL is real pic.twitter.com/2AD37jA4wf
— Amy Remeikis (@AmyRemeikis) July 4, 2019
Updated
On Samantha Maiden’s New Daily story about John Setka’s attempt to take the ALP to court over his forthcoming expulsion, Anthony Albanese says:
“He won’t be advocating as a member of the Labor party after July 15.”
Updated
The Greens will call for a division on this vote, because it will want it on the record that Labor voted for this tax package.
“Our first priority, we have said very clear, is to ensure more money gets in the hands of workers,” Anthony Albanese says, on why Labor will vote for the whole package, even though it doesn’t agree with the final stage.
Updated
“What we are saying is we will examine, just as the government will ... [stage three],” Anthony Albanese says.
He thinks they are irresponsible, at this point, but won’t make a formal decision on any part of stage three (there is a bit already legislated) for another three years.
Updated
Anthony Albanese says Labor is saying “very clearly” that at this stage it is against stage three, but the party will make a final decision on its position on that 2024 stage closer to the next election (in three years’ time).
So Labor is saying it will pass this whole package – even the bits it doesn’t like – but reserves the right to possibly repeal the last stage.
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Meanwhile, the Law Council of Australia has welcomed some of the amendments the government will make to the temporary exclusion order legislation, at the behest of the intelligence committee. But it wants the bill reviewed again. From Arthur Moses:
The TEO Bill has made some substantial amendments relating to the process for the making, varying and revoking of either a TEO or a Return Permit and in relation to the process of review through the establishment of a reviewing authority to review the making of a temporary exclusion order.
Given the significance of these amendments, including around questions of possible constitutional validity of the new reviewing authority process, the Law Council calls on the Parliament to refer the amended Bill to the PJCIS for inquiry and report.
This would help mitigate the chance of unintended consequences that could arise from the Bill in its current form.
There are also several instances where PJCIS recommendations have either not been implemented or only partly implemented and the amendments need to be carefully scrutinised by the PJCIS regarding their adequacy to meet the initial concerns by the Committee.
Updated
The official statement on that has just dropped:
Labor’s highest priority throughout this tax cut debate has been to get more money into the hands of more workers, sooner, to boost an economy which is floundering under the Liberals.
We took to the election bigger, fairer tax cuts for people on low and middle incomes and after the election we proposed amendments which were all about passing the first two stages, bringing forward part of Stage Two, and removing Stage Three from the Bill.
We fought hard for these responsible, sensible changes but ultimately they weren’t supported in either House. The Government even voted against their own tax cuts being delivered sooner.
When it became impossible to get everything we wanted, we had to prioritise what matters most.
We will not oppose the passage of the legislation because we want to make sure Australians receive their tax cut now and that the benefits of the first stage start circulating through the economy and aren’t further delayed.
The Government’s highest priority was to commit to a $95 billion tax cut in five years without revealing what they will cut to pay for it or knowing what the Budget and economy will look like at that point.
We have argued that it is irresponsible to commit to Stage Three five years out, and that remains our view.
A Government which has already broken its core election promise to introduce tax cuts by 1 July can hardly guarantee it will deliver more expensive tax cuts five years and five Budgets from now.
We will review Stage Three closer to the next election and propose our own policies which take into account the economic and budget conditions at the time.
So the short version of that – Labor will let the whole tax package go through when the amendments fail, so that the first two stages are legislated immediately.
They will vote for it.
Updated
Labor to wave through Coalition's tax cuts
Anthony Albanese began by talking about the amendments Labor wants on the tax bill – bringing stage two (already legislated) forward, bring forward infrastructure spending (a lot of it is happening in the forwards and beyonds) and delaying the third tranche of this part of the tax package (30% flat tax for those earning between $45,000 and $200,000 from 2024).
Those amendments won’t be going anywhere, because the crossbench has already come on board.
And so, Albanese says, if not successful, Labor will “not oppose the package”.
Updated
It looks like Labor has come to a position on what to do with the tax cuts (it’s just a political decision at this point).
Jim Chalmers and Anthony Albanese will speak to the media in about 10 minutes.
Updated
So if it’s not a deal, what is it?
Rex Patrick:
We are now quite satisfied that the government is moving in a really good direction in relation to gas prices. That’s the status of things. There is no written agreement that says, ‘You do this, and we will support tax cuts.’ I can absolutely assure you of that. There is a dialogue that’s taken place, and there have been emails exchanged. There’s a draft policy document, but, once again, it would be irresponsible to table something that is a draft and is not fully considered.
Updated
Rex Patrick returned to the Senate chamber to try to explain what understanding Centre Alliance has struck with the government, given Mathias Cormann’s insistence there was no written deal:
I have heard what’s been said in the chamber over the last 10 or 15 minutes. I’ll just explain to you what has happened. Senator Cormann came down to Adelaide a few weeks ago and had a bit of a chat to us about things that were of concern to us. We raised a number of issues, one of which was energy prices. That won’t be surprising to Senator Wong; she knows that electricity prices in South Australia are the highest in the country. Senator Cormann then invited me to come across to Western Australia to sit down with Senator Canavan, which I did, and we started talking about ways in which gas prices in this country could be brought down. Senator Canavan brought to the table a whole range of things that he was already working on. We talked about a number of things that we thought would be useful. We’ve had a dialogue backwards and forwards. It turns out some of the things that we thought might be useful can’t be implemented because it wouldn’t be lawful to do so, and some of the things that we have suggested be done can’t technically be achieved; they don’t actually give you the outcome that you want. So we’ve had a running dialogue with the government over the last three or four weeks, going backwards and forwards, having conversations about the details. At the moment – and I’m sure Senator Cormann will confirm this – they have a draft outline of how they want to approach things. It’s not fully developed. As Senator Wong would know, having been a minister in government, tabling something or producing something that is not completed can actually be harmful. The government is still working through a whole range of options and it needs to do a whole bunch of checking-off on those options.
Updated
So back on the Senate tax debate, it seems that Jacqui Lambie is counting on good faith that something will happen, and Centre Alliance has been given some sort of draft ‘we’ll do something’ from the government, but there are no guarantees and no official deals.
Updated
John Setka commences court action to stop Labor party expulsion – report
Samantha Maiden at the New Daily published this just a short time ago:
Union leader John Setka has commenced court action to quash Anthony Albanese’s attempt to expel him from the Labor Party, claiming it is illegal.
Mr Setka claims the Labor leader’s public statements confirming he will be expelled denied him due process and natural justice. He says they pre-judged the outcome of the expulsion process.
The New Daily has confirmed the CFMMEU leader issued legal proceedings in the Victorian Supreme Court on Thursday.
Setka was to be expelled tomorrow when Labor’s national executive met, but he asked for a delay – and was granted 10 days. So Labor won’t consider this until 15 July.
Updated
The tax debate has resumed in the Senate. It will go until it’s passed, today.
The many moods of question time, as performed by Anthony Albanese:
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There’s been a bit of excitement over Cory Bernardi telling the ABC that “that is a safe bet” in response to a question about him being unlikely to see out his Senate term.
Bernardi has said repeatedly he would leave the Senate when he is 50. He turns 50 at the end of the year.
He also confirmed what we reported yesterday – that his Senate spot would be likely to go to the Liberals. That’s because he was elected as a Liberal. When he steps down, it goes back to them. The SA parliament technically sends the senator, but it’s only been Joh Bjelke-Petersen who has ignored the will of the party. Shocking, I know.
Updated
Scott Morrison told the chamber that Alek Sigley is now inside the Australian embassy in Beijing, effectively meaning he is on Australian soil.
Question time ends.
Centre Alliance has received a written guarantee outlining the Morrison government’s gas policy, which the key minor party demanded in exchange for its support for the $158 billion personal income tax cuts package.
The copy of the draft gas policy, which has been signed by the government, was given to Centre Alliance senators last night ahead of a crucial vote in the Senate today on the tax cut.
Which Murray Watt just asked about in Senate question time:
My question is to the minister representing the prime minister, Senator Cormann. I refer to breaking reports from The Australian that Centre Alliance has received a written guarantee outlining the Morrison government’s gas policy. Does the written guarantee provide a guarantee that the price of gas will be reduced to $7 a gigajoule, as promised this morning by Senator Patrick? If so, will the minister be upfront with the Senate and undertake to table a copy of the written guarantee in this place?
And Mathias Cormann denied:
I think it’s always prudent not to believe everything you read in the newspaper.
Updated
Over in the Senate, Kimberley Kitching has been asking Mathias Cormann about when the prime minister decided to write to his head of department over Christopher Pyne’s new job:
KK: My question is to the minister representing the prime minister, Senator Cormann. Former minister for defence Christopher Pyne announced he had taken a position with EY stating that he was ‘looking forward to providing strategic advice to Ernst & Young as the firm looks forward to expanding its footprint in the defence industry’. In response, the minister for trade, tourism and investment, Senator Birmingham, warned that everybody should adhere to that code of conduct, and that includes Christopher.
I note the statement made by a minister, and to the Senate earlier today. When did the prime minister write to his secretary asking him to investigate Mr Pyne’s employment with Ernst and Young?
MC: As Senator Kitching has quite rightly outlined, the prime minister has written to Dr Parkinson in the terms I advised to the chamber earlier. In fact, he wrote to him on 3 July.
KK: Senator Abbott has said: people do expect a standard from the ministers, and then former ministers, to ensure that that which they have learnt and gleaned from their ministerial roles are not imported into other roles on which they can potentially gain financially.
Has the prime minister or his office discussed Mr Pyne’s employment with EY with Mr Pyne? If so, when and with whom did the discussion take place?
MC: I am aware of a public statement that former Minister Pyne issued in relation to some of these other matters. But I will take them on notice. But, as I have indicated to the Senate, the prime minister has written to Dr Parkinson seeking advice on these matters, as appropriate. And, as I have indicated to the chamber, we will provide an update on these matters in due course.
KK: The Liberal member for Barker, Tony Pasin, has said: what I do know is the fact we are talking about it is indicative that it just doesn’t pass the pump test.
While the prime minister’s secretary is investigating Mr Pyne’s employment with Ernst & Young, what arrangements are in place to ensure Mr Pyne does not take advantage of information obtained due to his former ministerial responsibilities?
MC: There is absolutely no indication that former minister Christopher Pyne has or is acting in breach of the statement of ministerial standards, but the prime minister has sought advice in relation to these matters, as I have indicated to the chamber –
KK: My question was not whether there had been a breach. My question was in relation to what arrangements are in place to ensure that there isn’t one.
MC: As I have indicated to the chamber, the prime minister sought advice from Dr Parkinson and I’ll provide an update at the appropriate time. With that, I ask that further questions be placed on the notice paper.
Updated
The government tries to take the question after Sharkie’s, but the Speaker, Tony Smith, says he isn’t interested in those games and hands it back to the leader of the opposition.
Anthony Albanese:
Why has the national economy fallen from the eighth fastest growing economy in the OECD when they were elected in 2013 to the 20th today?
Morrison:
I am pleased to see the leader of the opposition is being very inclusive with his new team today, very inclusive. Apparently they are a team of one on that side. A team of one. I suspect that speaks volumes about the support that the leader of the opposition.
Mr Speaker, GDP growth, the growth of the economy today is stronger than every G7 economy except the United States. We are in the 28th year of uninterrupted growth. Our economy, when I was recently at the G20, is the economy that other world leaders want to know more about because of its success, and one of the reasons they want to know that is because 1.4 million jobs have been created on the watch of this government since we were first elected in 2013.
Albanese interrupts with a point of order, but Smith says he believes the prime minister is in order – that there can be more than one reason.
Morrison moves on to the Labor party being obsessed with tax.
Tony Burke gets up for his first challenge of a ruling.
Smith says he believes Morrison is in order. Morrison continues:
The Australian people have had their say on the economy, and they voted with the Coalition.
Updated
Rebekha Sharkie gets a question and it is on a federal integrity commission:
My question is to the attorney general. A March 2019 poll by the Australia Institute found 80% of Australians support the establishment of a commission to prevent, investigate and expose corruption. Sixty seven per cent polled said they held a low to very low trust in politicians in our federal parliament. When will the government introduce legislation to create an integrity commission with real powers to reduce corruption and hopefully restore public trust in us in this chamber?
Christian Porter:
I thank the member for Mayo for her question and I am glad I asked who her second independent question was to come and when she said it was to me, that was very useful. The exact date is going to court – might depend on the consultation that will happen between now leading up to December, indeed. It is always good to get a tipoff. It is the case that those surveys have been published, and they do indicate that this is an area that requires significant work.
It is also the case that we must remember that Australia is consistently ranked by Transparency International as one of the least corrupt countries in the world, but we are committed, absolutely committed, absolutely committed to a commonwealth integrity commission.
You will of course recall that on 13 December 2018 the prime minister and I announced the establishment of a commonwealth integrity commission, we released a very detailed public consultation paper with respect to the model that we have put forward.
The model is one in two parts, where the law enforcement integrity division will have the same functions and powers as the current Australian commission for law enforcement integrity, but broader jurisdiction. The second, an entirely new part of the organisation, will be the public sector integrity division. That will investigate alleged criminal corruption involving the remainder of the public sector, including departments and their staff, parliamentarians and their staff, the staff of federal judicial officers and in appropriate circumstances recipients of commonwealth funds, and will have a very broad jurisdiction.
It would not escape the member’s notice that in the last budget the forward estimates now show $145.2m committed to this body, that is $104.5m of new funding and includes the existing budget of $40.7m. I might note in evidence of the commitment of the government to this organisation, that is funding well in excess of what members opposite had budgeted for their variant model of this body. During the consultation process that has happened so far, we have had 78 submissions and they were with respect to the very detailed draft discussion paper that we had out, the next part of this phase will be to take a basic drafting out and consult with a range of stakeholders and then of course cabinet, but we are totally committed to this. This is something that absolutely has to be got right, it is detailed and the price of getting it wrong is to decrease public confidence in all of us and our civil service and we will not let that happen.
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Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
Given the severity of the drought, what is the Morrison government doing to address international regulators in the water market putting up the price of water for farmers?
Morrison:
Thank you. I will make a brief remark then hand over to the minister for water resources. The national drought fund was brought into this parliament before the election, it was the product of the national drought summit that was intended to provide ongoing permanent support to build drought resilience in this country.
I hope the opposition now on the other side of the election will change their position and support this initiative. And provide a much-needed support and encouragement to people and families in rural and regional Australia, whether they are on the farm or living in farming communities, this parliament should support that initiative and the many other initiatives we brought to address the ongoing drought, Mr Speaker.
The leader of the opposition interjects but, Mr Speaker, the leader of the opposition was part of the same shadow cabinet before the last election which voted against the national drought fund. They said they would oppose it, they were not supported. And they sent an appalling message. So, Mr Speaker, they may wish to reconsider that matter and I would ask the minister for water resources.
David Littleproud:
Let me go to the point around the water market. Obviously as I have got around and done meetings with irrigators up and down the basin in the north and south, one of the great concerns that I was hearing, particularly exacerbated by the drought, is the cost of water. Ninety three per cent of trades happen in the southern basin where a lot of the conjecture are. Fourteen per cent of those that own water licences don’t own land. When state government separated water from land, I don’t know whether that was the intent of where the market has evolved itself to now. So the government took swift action after listening to people on the ground. The real people. In farmers’ sheds listening to their concerns.
And I have now nearly finalised with the treasurer a terms of reference for the ACCC to get under the bonnet of the water market, to make sure that the original intent of how this market was created is still working, and that small farming families are not taken out of it. This is a responsible step to make sure that we understand the market if you are aware of what it was intended to be and we will make sure that the terms of reference are broad enough so that the ACCC can give confidence to everybody, the transparency that is required within this basic plan is seen through, and it states also...
Albanese interrupts to say the question was very specific and Littleproud has not answered it.
Littleproud:
I will simplify it for the leader of the opposition. Within that 14% are international players. Not running away from that and that is why the ACCC will look at it. They will be taken into this inquiry by the ACCC. That 14% are part of the cohort we are looking at, they are responsible actions of a government that listens to the people, not just the bureaucrats, with those in the sheds and listen to real people.
Updated
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
Will the prime minister work with me to work in a way that is consistent for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for mentioning the Constitution in a way that is consistent with the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
Morrison:
We have discussed since the last election this matter. There is definitely a spirit of cooperation we are seeking to establish. When it comes to advancing these issues, we had the historic opening of this parliament, not only that the first cabinet minister to be an Indigenous Australian but the first minister was an Indigenous person in the unique opportunity that is presented by the fact that the shadow minister for Indigenous Australians is also an Indigenous Australian.
This gives us a great opportunity and we should not limit our options and how we continue to progress this. The government endorsed the bipartisan Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition and we are going to continue to implement the outcomes of that report and the recommendations it provided.
We have agreed to work together with the opposition to that end but to all parties, all members of this parliament and the other place, I would say that we are seeking a non-partisan perspective on this, not just a bipartisan one, and we welcome everyone to the table in seeking to advance this agenda and we have allocated $7.3m for a co-design process to include local and regional decision-making.
We have set aside $160m in the contingency reserve for a future referendum once a model has been determined, so we are serious about progressing in this matter. The ultimate models and options that are considered by the government will be a process of this ongoing consultation for Indigenous Australians and the shadow minister.
As important as this issue is, the priority for my government is addressing the terrible curse of Indigenous suicide. This is heartbreaking. The rates of Indigenous suicide in remote regional communities is just unthinkable but it is real.
In the program as we have announced to address that, in the funding that we have provided, I know is supported by the opposition.
I think also the former leader of the opposition. We’ll continue to work each and every day. Towards zero. That must be our goal. The fact that young Indigenous Australians see taking their life as the way forward. There are the challenges of Indigenous education. These will always be front and centre in my government, our government and our parliament.
Albanese:
I think the prime minister for his answer, and thank him for the spirit in which he has reached out to the opposition to work particularly with the new minister, and I congratulate the minister for on his employment and shadow minister and I am sure they can advance in a united way and work together to try and achieve some outcomes for something that frankly has been intractable for a very long period of time, and I am sure that if this parliament, this 46th parliament can advance this agenda, both in terms of constitutional recognition and practical reconciliation, I think that would be a marvellous achievement.
Updated
Someone just asked Stuart Robert a dixer, reminding us all of his existence.
Moving on.
And Scott Morrison’s official statement:
We are pleased to announce that Mr Alek Sigley has today been released from detention in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). He is safe and well.
Swedish authorities advised the Australian Government that they met with senior officials from the DPRK yesterday and raised the issue of Alek’s disappearance on Australia’s behalf.
Earlier this morning we were advised that the DPRK had released Alek from detention, and he has now safely left the country.
On behalf of the Australian Government, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Swedish authorities for their invaluable assistance in securing Alek’s prompt release.
This outcome demonstrates the value of the discreet, behind the scenes work of officials in resolving complex and sensitive consular cases, in close partnership with other governments.
We couldn’t be more pleased that we not only know where Alek is, but that he is safe.
Updated
The Senate has also acknowledged Alek Sigley’s freedom:
Marise Payne:
Following from the prime minister’s comments in the House of Representatives I am very pleased to advise the Senate that young Australian Mr Alek Sigley has today been released from detention in North Korea.
He is safe and he is well. Swedish authorities advised the Australian government they met with senior officials from the DPRK yesterday and raised the issue of Alek’s disappearance on Australia’s behalf.
Earlier today, we were advised the DPRK has released him from detention and he has now safely left the country.
May I express our deepest gratitude to Swedish authorities for their prompt action to secure Alek’s release.
It does demonstrate the value of careful, behind-the-scenes work by officials in resolving cases like this in close partnership with other governments. I won’t be making further comment out of respect for Alek’s privacy and his family, but I can say his father has been advised.
He is enormously relieved and grateful and has asked me to convey, the family has asked that we convey the thanks to everyone who has expressed support to them for the last few days.
Penny Wong:
On behalf of the opposition, can I welcome this announcement and share in the foreign minister’s thanks to the Swedish authorities for their valuable work to secure Mr Sigley’s release and also acknowledge all officers for their work.
I thank the minister for her cooperation, and the approach the opposition takes, as you will have seen on public statement, is a bipartisan and public approach and we are very pleased this matter has been resolved satisfactorily.
Updated
Tony Smith just told Angus Taylor that if he didn’t know the answer to take it on notice.
This is the greatest thing to happen this week.
We are now 1.5 minutes into [the answer], and I say to the minister, he needs to address the specifics of the question. No longer address the general policy topic or simply wind up his answer or take it on notice.
Taylor:
We will continue to work for more affordable gas prices for Australians.
Anthony Albanese offers to answer the question for Taylor, but sadly, Smith has to tell him that is not in the standing orders.
Better than a shot of karsk.
Updated
Angus Taylor takes this question for the prime minister:
Have the government committed to gas prices of $7 per gigajoule or less for Australian households?
He launches into some Angus Taylorisms on electricity, and Tony Smith is all – yeah, nah – stop talking about electricity, the question was on gas.
Taylor is a Rhodes scholar don’t ya know ladies and gentlemen.
Updated
Michael McCormack was literally dancing in his seat as Scott Morrison gave that answer.
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
The chief economist of the National Australia Bank has said we are getting readings that are basically as bad if not worse than the bottom of the GFC. What does that say about the economy on his watch, particularly for small business?
Morrison:
Mr Speaker, the National Australia Bank business survey that came out after the election saw business confidence rise seven points following the election and that is the largest single monthly increase since the time of the 2013 election. Mr Speaker, business confidence has been restored as a result of the re-election of this government and the reason it was under threat was because of the prospect of a Labor government.
If it’s under threat, because of the biggest risk to the Australian economy, was those that sat opposite and the good grace and wisdom of the Australian people who go out everywhere.
... In a note, Mr Speaker, whether it was on the retiree tax or the housing tax or the small business taxes and the plethora of taxes, they all remain the Labor party’s policy. As I look down the front bench of the Labor party, I see the same old faces.
The same old faces in the same old arrogance in the same old class envy in the same old smugness, which says we don’t think Australians should keep more of what they earn. They think the answer to a stronger economy is higher taxes.
The Australian people don’t agree with them. They disagree with them and they voice their disagreement by telling them in the lowest primary vote for the Labor party in 100 years as sick to death of Labor seeking to kill aspiration in this country.
This is a Labor party which has more in common with Jeremy Corbyn than Paul Keating.
Because we’ve seen the Snapchat and Instagram posts, they are buddies in arms, all part of the new Labor agenda, which would take this country back decades and decades and decades.
Our plan for a stronger economy was taken to the Australian people. The Australian people rejected this mob, Mr Speaker. They rejected them absolutely and with good cause because Labor’s policies, which remain unchanged, are to undercut, to douse the aspiration of hard-working Australians.
On this side of the house, we will always stand up for them and put forward policies that respect them and encourage them, while on that side Labor have learned absolutely nothing by their rejection at the last election.
Albanese:
I seek leave to table an article from Thursday 20 June 2019, ABC News, a growing number of small businesses struggling with economic downturn.
Updated
Andrew Hastie gives us our first dose of ‘just how safe are you’ starring Peter Dutton, who surely has to be running out of steam on ‘it’s Labor’s fault or Labor is best mates with the boogie man, don’t cha know’ now that he is about to enter his third term of government.
Apparently not.
He starts off by calling Hastie one of the “smartest minds” in the parliament on national security.
He also talks about needing Labor to support the temporary exclusion laws – you know, the ones that are now super urgent, despite having been in the UK since 2015, when Dutton had been in the parliament for almost two years. And the ones that the super smart Hastie-led committee only tabled recommendations for in April. Those super urgent laws.
Updated
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
Would an increase in the rate of Newstart stimulate consumer demand and economic activity and therefore jobs?
“You voted against it,” yells someone from the government – referring to Labor having voted against the motion in the Senate to raise the rate by $75 a week.
Morrison:
At the last election, we put forward very clearly our plans to ensure that we can boost the incomes of Australians on a priority provided for that was for working Australians through the delivery of tax relief.
That was the priority we set out. The opposition at that election did not put forward any plans to increase the rate of Newstart.
In fact, they never set out any potential cost that that might impose on the budget. It was not our plan to do that. It was our plan to continue to go through the six monthly indexation of such payments, Mr Speaker, and that is the process we will continue to follow in relation to those social security payments.
So we have no plans to increase social security payments for Newstart beyond what is the normal six monthly indexation using the measures that are always in place, which is the same policy that was taken to the election by the Labor party.
Labor committed to reviewing the payment, to see how it interacted with other payments (like rental assistance), before committing to any increase.
Updated
Interesting move.
#BREAKING! The Bill to repeal #MedeVac has been referred to a Senate Inquiry by the Senate Legal and Constitutional Legislative Committee. The Committee is due to report Oct 18, which means Senate will not debate the Medevac repeal legislation until the November sitting period!
— Kon Karapanagiotidis (@Kon__K) July 4, 2019
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
What programs and services will be cut to fund stage three of the government’s tax cuts?
Morrison:
None.
That’s not me being brief, that’s the whole answer.
“Oh well done,” says some teacher’s pet from the government benches. I guess there are some fairly low bars in this place, so answering a question is probably worthy of praise in that world.
Updated
Updated
Angus Taylor is back, Angus Tayloring his way through a dixer. Which he has to read.
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison: did the prime minister tell voters that of the $18.75m set aside for a rural road, the first dollar won’t be spent until 2026?
Morrison, after talking about the “smugness” of the Labor party, and referencing its lowest primary vote in 100 years (the Coalition received it’s third – very close to the second – worst primary vote in about the same time frame) says it was in the budget papers.
Updated
I think Rob Mitchell just became the first MP thrown out under section 94a.
Ken O’Dowd inflicts Michael McCormack on us with a dixer.
It is like heading to the breakfast buffet and discovering it is only continental.
Alek Sigley is 'safe and well', says prime minister
Scott Morrison:
Swedish authorities advised they met with senior officials with the DPRK and raise the issue of Alek’s disappearance. We were advised that the DPRK have released him from detention and he has safely left the country and I can confirm that he has arrived safely.
On behalf of the Australian government I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the Swedish authorities for their invaluable assistance in securing Alek’s prompt release, which demonstrates the value of discreet behind-the-scenes work by officials in solving sensitive consular cases in close partnership with other governments. I’m sure we all could not be more pleased. We know where he is now safe.
Anthony Albanese:
I join with the prime minister in welcoming this announcement and thank him for yesterday the private discussion that we had again discreetly talking about this very issue. I’d also like to add our thanks to the Swedish authorities. ... Indeed it is good news for our nation.
Updated
Angus Taylor, the minister for emissions reduction, and maybe lowering electricity prices, is taking a question from Adam Bandt, giving Labor its first happy moment of the parliament.
“Fantastic job, Angus, well done,” the Labor benches are yelling.
Updated
Anthony Albanese has the next question for Scott Morrison, with a question on deeming rates: when was the last time it changed?
When Morrison was social services minister, apparently, but it is under review.
We have had a consistency in cash rate positions for some time, and it has been a record for the consistency of cash rate. There have been two changes to the cash rates most recently and that is what prompted the minister for social services by encouragement to bring forward a submission to the ERC and asked the Department of Social Services to review the deeming rate once again. That matter will be considered by ERC in the normal course of events, it will be done so responsibly and in accordance with the government’s overall fiscal strategy.
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Nicolle Flint, who has lost her prime position behind the despatch box and is now banished to the same bench as Kevin Andrews and Ian Goodenough at the back, has the next dixer. It’s about the amazing surplus, and gives Josh Frydenberg a chance to once again say the budget is “back in the black and back on track”, and my eyes roll down my spine and into the courtyard below.
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Anthony Albanese is back:
Would a tax cut at just over $1,000 a year for a pharmacy worker in my electorate have more of a positive impact if the penalty rate cut the prime minister supports wasn’t taking more than $5,000 a year off the same worker?
Scott Morrison:
The government endorses the industrial arrangements put in place by the Fair Work Commission that were introduced by those opposite, Mr Speaker, when Labor supported the independence of the Fair Work Commission to consider matters and to come to judgments. We do not believe the politicians should set people’s wages, we believe that should be done through the fair and transparent process that provides the certainty for investment and engagement in the national economy. It would seem that the leader of the opposition may have changed names but the same old class warfare he is seeking to perpetuate in this place is all just the same.
Updated
BIG news if true:
BREAKING: Australian citizen Alek Sigley, last week feared detained in North Korea, is now “safe and sound” and in China, sources familiar with the situation confirmed to NK News on Thursday.
— NK NEWS (@nknewsorg) July 4, 2019
He will travel onwards to Tokyo later in the day. https://t.co/8QqsyNbSJ0
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The member for Bass, Bridget Archer, gets the first dixer.
It includes the term “aspiration”.
I will continue my tradition of not transcribing the dixers*, unless they include actual information not found in a press release.
#deathtodixers
*And yes, I would have done this for a Labor government as well.
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison with a short and quick first question:
Which of his policies on wages, consumer demand, interest rates and productivity is working the best?
Morrison:
All of them are all working together, and all by the Australian people at the last election for the economic plan that we took to this country. We took to this country, Mr Speaker, to address the serious economic challenges that the country faces, Mr Speaker, and I can tell you the biggest rift to the domestic economy in this country that presented itself this year was relegated at the last election with the defeat of the Labor party, Mr Speaker. This was a Labor party that at the last election achieved, Mr Speaker...
Albanese jumps up to say:
As you will appreciate, increasingly as time goes on, no preamble, no rhetoric, just a simple question for which of the economic indicators does the prime minister think is working the best?
Morrison repeats:
“All of them.”
Then he moves on to talk about jobs, jobs, jobs.
Updated
Claressa Surtees, the current deputy clerk of the House of Representatives, will be the new clerk when David Elder finishes up in August.
Surtees will be the first female clerk in the Australian House of Reps.
Updated
Senate calls for explanation of Taylor-Frydenberg meetings
The government will be forced to explain to the Senate the conduct of senior ministers Angus Taylor and Josh Frydenberg and whether discussions over critically endangered grasslands breached ministerial standards.
The Greens and Labor have accused both ministers of misconduct over meetings between Taylor and Frydenberg’s office in 2017, when Taylor was the minister for cities and Frydenberg the minister for environment.
A Greens motion calling for an explanation during the next sitting period from the government’s leader in the Senate, Mathias Corman, has passed the Senate.
A Guardian Australia investigation revealed Taylor sought and received a meeting with Frydenberg’s office and senior environment officials to discuss critically endangered grasslands that were at the centre of an investigation into alleged illegal landclearing by a company he holds an interest in.
An investigator from the unit examining the case was also present at the meeting in March 2017.
Following lobbying by Taylor, Frydenberg’s office sought advice from the environment department as to whether protection of the grasslands could be weakened and kept secret.
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Question time begins
There is a moment of condolence for Bob Hawke to begin.
And then we are under way.
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Angus Taylor, the minister for lowering electricity prices – as dubbed by the prime minister – has told Sydney radio 2GB “we never said that”.
Talking to Steve Price about the price cap for standing offers which came into effect on 1 July, Taylor said that will bring down prices.
Price asked whether that is really feasible – to get everyone’s rate and then use that to bargain with their providers.
“Your promise was to lower energy prices, your promise wasn’t to ring around,” Price said.
“The more you do it, you’ll tend to get a better price,” says Taylor.
That led to this exchange:
AT “If you ring up and ask for a better price, you should be able to get one. There’s lots of ways of doing that.”
SP “But you told us you’d do that!”
AT: “Well, no, we never said that, Steve.”
SP: “You were painted as the minister for bringing down electricity prices by your own prime minister!”
AT: “Yeah absolutely, and you will see standing offers reduced from the 1st of July. And I say, if there are people who haven’t seen those reduced, we would like to hear about it.”
Don’t worry, though, Taylor says this is just the “first of many” measures the government is looking at.
Updated
In the Senate, both Labor and the Coalition just voted down Rachel Siewert’s motion to increase Newstart by $75 a week.
The first question time for the 46th parliament is about to get under way.
May Rihanna have mercy on our souls.
Updated
Too busy for definite articles, apparently:
Getting on with job. https://t.co/UaL0WVCD8H
— Andrew Laming (@AndrewLamingMP) July 4, 2019
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Dispatches from the Senate:
Updated
Things are going great:
Labor just voted in @AuSenate for a Nats motion to ‘support the development of the Carmichael mine project & the opening of the Galilee Basin.’ Without even a weasly sitting on the fence statement. Climate emergency anyone? #StopAdani #LaborWhyDoYouEvenExist? #auspol #greens
— Janet Rice (@janet_rice) July 4, 2019
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Told you there were faces:
They say Federal Parliament is like boarding school...
— Matthew Doran (@MattDoran91) July 4, 2019
There's certainly some classroom antics happening in the Senate today. Here's Janet Rice and her assessment of Malcolm Roberts #auspol pic.twitter.com/lLg1ppj16H
As well as attempts made at sentences.
Updated
I’m told that the Senate vote on Kristina Keneally’s press freedom vote came down to this:
Ayes - Labor, Centre Alliance, the Greens.
Noes - Coalition, Cory Bernardi, Jacqui Lambie.
One Nation abstained.
Updated
Just caught Janet Rice making faces as Malcolm Roberts stood up and tried making sentences in the Senate.
It’s going to be that sort of parliament.
Labor did not get the numbers to set up a separate press freedom inquiry – this is one that would have included the crossbench and would have been a lot more wide ranging than just national security.
Labor Senator @KKeneally's motion to establish a joint select committee on the public’s right to know and press freedom has been defeated 34-34 #auspol
— Political Alert (@political_alert) July 4, 2019
This is the Morrison Government voting AGAINST a new Parliamentary Joint Select Committee into into the Public’s Right to Know and Press Freedom #auspol pic.twitter.com/mNM46gwqpG
— Kristina Keneally (@KKeneally) July 4, 2019
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The New Daily published this, this morning:
Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie charged taxpayers more than $500,000 to relocate her electorate office 300 kilometres from Bendigo to Wodonga before the election.
Figures obtained by The New Daily show the bulk of the charges came from beautifying and remodelling the new digs, and also included $6026 for what was described only as a “folding machine bench”.
The office move parachuted the Victorian senator into the heart of the marginal lower house seat of Indi, then represented by independent MP Cathy McGowan, intensifying speculation at the time that Ms McKenzie was weighing up a tilt at a House of Representatives spot and a possible party leadership challenge.
Senator McKenzie, whose senate term ends in 2022, eventually decided against the election gamble, and independent Helen Haines went on to win Indi with a margin of 2816 votes.
Senators can locate their offices anywhere they want within the state they represent. McKenzie hasn’t given up on her lower house ambitions (makes it easier to be deputy prime minister, you see) and that was effectively the only reason for this move.
Mehreen Faruqi has introduced a bill in the Senate to ban live exports:
“Live export cannot be made safe for sheep, cattle or any animal. It is a business model built on cruelty and is simply incompatible with animal welfare.
“The Greens have long argued that we should ban all live export for slaughter and introducing this bill is part of the campaign to make that a reality.
“We make no apologies for standing up for the welfare of animals. We need a phased ban with a structural adjustment assistance fund which can transition the industry to the chilled meat trade.
“The Government and the industry think our outrage will die down and we will become silent about the abomination and cruelty of live exports. The people of Australia have been steadfast in their compassion for animals and their welfare and we won’t stop until the live export industry is consigned to the dustbin of history.”
There is not a lot of support for this, and certainly not in the House. So I think you know where this will end up.
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Senate calls on Peter Dutton to table Manus Island documents
The Senate – Labor, Greens and enough of the crossbench – have just agreed to this motion from Kristina Keneally:
Mr President
I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move that there be laid on the table by the minister representing the minister for home affairs, by no later than 12pm on 23 July 2019, the following documents:
1. Any correspondence, emails, and notes of discussion between the Department of Home Affairs and;
a. Paladin, including Paladin Holdings Pte. Ltd., Paladin Solutions Group, Paladin Group Australia or Paladin Australia Pte. Ltd., and any individuals either employed by, or holding a financial interest in, Paladin.
i. In particular, any correspondence, emails, and notes of discussion that include Mr Dermot Casey.
b. NKW Holdings, including NKW Holdings Australia Pte. Ltd, and any individuals either employed by, or holding a financial interest in, NKW.
2. Any formal contracts between the Department of Home Affairs and any of the above-mentioned companies to provide services in Papua New Guinea or Manus Island, with commercially sensitive information redacted.
3. Any reports prepared by external auditors, particularly Ernst and Young (EY) or KPMG, regarding operations undertaken by the above-mentioned companies, or the tendering process that secured those services, with commercially sensitive information redacted.
4. Any formal briefings, talking points, or question time briefings prepared by the Department of Home Affairs in relation to the performance or activities of any of the above-mentioned companies, or the tendering process that secured those services.
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The MP who told us House MPs were paid fortnightly instead of monthly may not actually need to check their bank account (probably should have expected that) because apparently there are a bunch of House MPs out there who are also paid monthly.
All I know is that they earn a lot more than me. And that for some of them don’t know when they get paid, but I guess the paycheck to paycheck lifestyle isn’t much of a thing for the 1%
So it’s not a ‘no’ on the inquiry into Christopher Pyne and Julie Bishop’s new jobs, given they were ministers about two seconds ago, but it’s a let’s wait and see what the prime minister’s department says.
The next sitting day is not until 22 July.
Updated
Rex Patrick has delayed entering in his motion calling for an inquiry into Christopher Pyne’s job with EY because Mathias Cormann has announced that Scott Morrison has written to Martin Parkinson (head of Prime Minister and Cabinet) seeking advice over whether there is any breach of standards.
“I have therefore postponed my motion to the next sitting day,” Patrick said.
Updated
Fun fact – House of Representatives MPs get paid fortnightly, and senators get paid monthly.
If you see a senator with their credit card out, it is because they won’t get paid until the end of the month.
#thoughtsandprayers
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I am having massive John Howard DJ meme flashbacks
Gesticulating. One Nation’s Malcolm Roberts addresses the #Senate on tax. @AmyRemeikis @murpharoo @mpbowers pic.twitter.com/z8CcA2rXvB
— Lyndal Curtis (@lyndalcurtis) July 4, 2019
Minister reading Migration act amendment: “People who travel here by boat or in regional transitory country can never settle in Australia. Operation Sovereign Borders. Zero accountability for medical crisis he created or costs to AU tax payers of his policy failures #Auspol pic.twitter.com/tWDJbEHMMy
— ASRC (@ASRC1) July 4, 2019
Annnnnd the Ensuring Integrity bill is back in the House.
This has also been introduced:
The Morrison government is today delivering on its election commitment to protect the privacy of Australian farmers and primary producers by introducing legislation to protect them from the unlawful actions of animal activists.
The Criminal Code Amendment (Agricultural Protection) bill 2019 introduces new offences for the incitement of trespass, property damage, or theft on agricultural land.
Attorney general Christian Porter said incidents of trespass by animal activists, such as those we saw earlier this year, have impacted on Australian farmers and their businesses, prompting this stronger action to deter those who incite this behaviour.
‘There must be consequences for this unacceptable behaviour,’ the attorney general said.
‘Farmers should not be subjected to the illegal invasion of their property and their privacy.
‘The bill introduces serious criminal penalties to ensure that farmers and their families are protected, with offenders facing up to five years’ imprisonment.
‘The bill includes exemptions for journalists and whistle-blowers who expose instances of animal cruelty.
‘The bill also covers other private agricultural businesses such as fishers and foresters.’
Updated
Peter Dutton is introducing the bill to repeal medevac, which he says was just a bid to win green voters at the last election, and is not needed.
He’s saying the medevac law failed to include any provisions to return refugees or asylum seekers to a regional processing centre.
Probably worth mentioning that during Senate estimates we learned that the vast majority of people who have been transferred to Australia for medical treatment, even before these laws were in place, are still here.
Updated
The 46th parliament may have just begun – and Scott Morrison’s win is still being digested by a lot of people within the Labor caucus (and beyond) but independent crossbencher Andrew Wilkie has been around long enough that he is keeping an eye on the future.
And that future includes a reminder that the government holds just 77 seats. Which, with the Speaker, is a one-seat majority – exactly where it was following the 2016 election.
He told Sky News he believes Morrison is just as aware of the precarious nature of a slim majority.
“The numbers are still pretty tight,” he said.
“Just that one bad byelection would mean the government would have to rely on the casting vote of the Speaker.”
Wilkie also said Morrison invited the crossbench to his office for a drink last night.
Updated
Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce says Christopher Pyne's job with EY is "certainly very questionable" given his obligations under the ministerial code of conduct. Asked if there should be an inquiry, Barnaby says there are questions that need to be answered. #auspol
— Tom McIlroy (@TomMcIlroy) July 4, 2019
And yes #auspol really is going to give an $11k tax cut to people on $200k before increasing Newstart. Almost 1 million people living on $40 a day or less. No real increase for 25 years. The tax cut alone is almost as much as Newstart! How much longer #auspol? #raisetherate
— Cassandra Goldie🌈 (@cassandragoldie) July 4, 2019
Barnaby Joyce is speaking on Sky about the need to do something about water – and the need to build dams.
Goodness. If only he had been in a position to do something about this at some point in time. Like, if he had been deputy prime minister? And the leader of the Nationals? And a longterm parliamentarian? It’s incredible how these are all fairly recent issues. *thinking face emoji*
Updated
Lyndal Curtis is back in the House, following along as Mike Bower’s “work experience kid”.
It’s a joke that, as two of the longest serving gallery members, they like to share. You get to reap the benefits though, as Lyndal practices her photography.
Everyone is friends in the senate. #senate @AmyRemeikis @murpharoo @mpbowers pic.twitter.com/HRxoiwB6pu
— Lyndal Curtis (@lyndalcurtis) July 3, 2019
Listening to the chambers, it seems like you are going to hear this phrase over and over and over and over again from Labor: “this third-term government”.
Why? Because it is trying to counter the feeling that Scott Morrison’s win is a fresh start – and a first-term government.
Will it work? Given how little actual attention most people pay to politics, no, it probably won’t.
Updated
Maiden speeches have begun in the House of Representatives. The new LNP MP for Herbert, Phil Thompson, is up first.
Updated
The tax debate has started in the Senate. It will go on until 11.45am, when the notices of motion pop up.
That will go for an hour. Then it’s back to tax. Then question time at 2pm. Then back to tax at 3.30pm until the bitter end.
There are a lot of noises about “let’s look at raising Newstart” happening again.
As we explained yesterday, even the RBA (indirectly) and the business community (directly) are on board. Because those on low and middle incomes spend money. When you don’t have enough money to make ends meet, such as those on the piddling Newstart allowance, which passes as “assistance” in this country, you will spend every single extra cent you receive catching up, and paying for, you know, life.
So that puts more money into the economy. Which is what the economy needs. It is why this tax plan is suddenly urgent, despite the hesitation over stage three, because the government really, really wants you to spend that $1,080 eligible earners will receive.
Labor thinks raising Newstart should be looked at. The Greens want it raised by at least $75 a week. Other members of the crossbench are on board. The government is like ... maybe we’ll look at it? But is not making any promises either way.
And why is that?
Because it has promised a surplus at a time when the national accounts are showing the slowest economic growth since the GFC. Iron ore prices are currently propping up the (operating) surplus, but even then, it’s only $7bn. That is not a lot of money for an almost $2 trillion economy. That’s a natural disaster or two in terms of spending.
So the government can’t commit to raising Newstart because that will hit the budget at a time where it’s losing money to tax cuts, while also promising a surplus. It is pure politics, but it’s also the reality.
Updated
Mathias Cormann has moved the hours motion – which basically moves the Senate agenda around, to clear the decks to get the tax debate done. The Senate will sit until the legislation is passed. That is an inevitability, but there will be a lot of “we don’t like stage three, hopefully we can repeal it” from one side, and a lot of “how good is tax cuts” from the other before we get to that point.
Updated
The bells are ringing – it is all about to begin.
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That agricultural visa is not a new issue. It’s been kicking around since just after the Coalition was elected in 2013. And still, no ag-visa. Or workable solution.
Again, if only there was a party dedicated to representing farmers’ interests in this place.
Updated
Farmers still want an agricultural visa to deal with work shortages. The head of the National Farmers’ Federation, Fiona Simson, said a survey of members found single farm losses of up to $2m because of the shortage of labour. Basically, the fruit is rotting on the vines. From her statement:
Typically, international workers take up farm work via a Working Holidaymaker Visa (often used by backpackers) or the Seasonal Worker Programme, which provides employment opportunities to citizens of Pacific countries and Timor Leste.
‘While both programmes are successful to an extent, they cannot adequately meet agriculture’s labour needs, with only 12 per cent of the survey respondents using the Seasonal Worker Programme.
‘Most farmers choose the allegedly easier, cheaper and less fraught employment option of hiring workers directly and one fifth said they prefer to use labour-hire contractors,’ Ms Simson said.
63 per cent of respondents opted to instead employ non-residents on their farms. Many said it was necessary because permanent residents were either not available in sufficient numbers, or found farm work too difficult or not to their liking.
In fact, farmers found that non-residents were largely perceived as more reliable than permanent residents.
‘This is mainly because farm work is labour intensive, not available all year around and therefore not suited to some Australian job seekers.
‘Australian farmers are known to be fair employers and the stats show it, with almost all of the survey respondents paying their employees more than what’s required by the applicable Award.
‘Annual employment costs for most farmers range between $100,000 and $500,000 and in some cases almost $2 million,’ Ms Simson said.
Simson says an agriculture-specific visa would “diversify the countries from which workers can be sourced, and allow visa holders to move between different farm businesses – depending where and when the work is available”.
“It’s intended to complement the Working Holidaymaker Visa, the Seasonal Worker Programme and the many initiatives designed to see more Australians take up farm jobs.”
Updated
Rex Patrick plans on moving his motion calling for an inquiry into Christopher Pyne’s new job (and I guess Julie Bishop’s as well) at 11.45.
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At least someone is happy
MathiasCormann liked this tweet: https://t.co/ctUKH0sDPy
— Auspolwatch (@auspolwatch) July 3, 2019
Why is what Labor will do in the tax bill important, considering its vote is meaningless, at least as far as the legislation matters?
It’s all about the next election. And while that is a good three years away now, the decision Labor makes will impact what it decides to do in the next term, if there is a change of government.
Repealing a tax cut you helped legislate is not a great sell, politically. Hence the wringing of hands within caucus. But then to vote for it is to overturn six years of policy foundation. To not vote for it means not voting for stage one and two, which everyone is in agreement about.
Cool beans.
Updated
'National security' legislation to take centre stage
Here is all the legislation the government plans on introducing into the House of Reps today:
Criminal Code Amendment (Agricultural Protection)
Fair Work Laws Amendment (Proper Use of Worker Benefits)
Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Ensuring Integrity)
National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits)
Crimes Legislation Amendment (Police Powers at Airports)
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment (Sunsetting of Special Powers
Relating to Terrorism Offences)
Migration Amendment (Repairing Medical Transfers)
Counter-Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders)
Counter-Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) (Consequential Amendments)
Migration Legislation Amendment (Regional Processing Cohort)
Higher Education Support (Charges)
Higher Education Support (Cost Recovery)
Water Amendment (Indigenous Authority Member)
Farm Household Support Amendment
Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty Consequential Amendment
Passenger Movement Charge Amendment (Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty)
Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment (Single Treatment Pathway)
Migration Amendment (Streamlining Visa Processing)
Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test)
Treasury Laws Amendment (Combating Illegal Phoenixing)
Treasury Laws Amendment (2018 Measures No. 2)
Treasury Laws Amendment (Making Sure Multinationals Pay Their Fair Share of Tax in Australia and Other Measures)
Treasury Laws Amendment (Putting Members’ Interests First)
Customs Amendment (Immediate Destruction of Illicit Tobacco)
The ones in bold are Peter Dutton specials. You may have noticed medevac on that list. There is no way on Beyoncé’s green earth that will hit the Senate today. Mostly because it’s a bit awks, the government just having struck a deal with Centre Alliance, which is against repealing medevac.
But if the government left repealing medevac off the list, then it would have to explain why it is off the list.
So it’s more of a “here-it-is-please-ignore-it-for-now-please-and-thank-you”.
But it’s a-comin’.
Updated
Basically, the Senate is where it is at today.
It’s not often I write that sentence.
Updated
There’s also this today. From Katharine Murphy:
Labor will move a motion calling on Scott Morrison to take appropriate action against Christopher Pyne and Julie Bishop for taking commercial appointments immediately after leaving politics.
The Labor motion is in addition to a separate proposal from the Centre Alliance to establish a Senate inquiry into compliance with ministerial standards, triggered by the controversy around the former defence minister’s decision to take a position with consulting giant EY to help the consulting group expand its defence business.
The motion, to be debated on what is expected to be a gruelling Senate sitting day to consider the Morrison government’s $158bn tax package, seeks information on when Morrison became aware that his former colleagues had accepted the roles with EY and in Bishop’s case, a job on the board of international consultancy firm Palladium, and what action he has taken in response.
If an answer isn’t forthcoming, the motion requires the government Senate leader, Mathias Cormann, to provide an explanation.
Updated
Mathias Cormann is very “grateful” to Cory Bernardi, Jacqui Lambie, Rex Patrick and Stirling Griff.
He who said he would not deal on this previously will not go into the details of the deal he struck with the crossbenchers, although Lambie already confirmed a deal had been made. Everyone across that?
We’re always prepared to discuss with non-government senators policy issues of concern to them and their constituents. And we’re always prepared to consider the issues they raise with us, and make judgments as appropriate. But these judgments have to be made on their own merit.
Today is about income tax relief for millions of hardworking Australians. The issues that have been raised with us, we will deal with in good time. But what I can say to you today is that, while the Labor party was engaged in political games and division, I mean, even in petty student political games, like moving amendments to the title of the bill in the House of Representatives. I mean, what were they thinking?
Updated
And while the crossbench which is about to pass stage three of the tax cuts is uncomfortable with stage three of the tax cuts, all those who are iffy on them can agree on is that they are not great.
It’s like marrying someone you’re just OK with by hoping they’ll improve (spoiler – they don’t).
.@tanya_plibersek: We agree the first stage of the tax cuts should go through, also part of the second stage should be brought forward. The third stage, that takes place in five years time, that’s worth $95b, is highly irresponsible to sign up to. MORE: https://t.co/vM6wuQRjEM pic.twitter.com/rBrixl9UxA
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) July 3, 2019
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Everyone is cool friends.
.@MathiasCormann on tax cuts: We are always prepared to work in good faith with our crossbench colleagues. @JacquiLambie has been a very forceful advocate.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) July 3, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/6BnFNcrrrh #firstedition pic.twitter.com/Li9VKpMtRD
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Jim Chalmers spoke to ABC TV this morning but didn’t give any indication of how Labor plans to move forward after its amendments fail:
We will attempt to get our amendments supported in the Senate. Those amendments are about the things that I’ve been talking about, including trying to take stage three out of the tax package, because it does saddle the government with a massive cost. The government fails to predict how the economy will be travelling five minutes from now. The idea that they’ll know what the budget and economy will look like in five years is absurd.
Updated
Oh, and the media bosses had a chat with Christian Porter and Paul Fletcher late yesterday – tl;dr, nothing has changed.
We had a constructive discussion with Attorney-General Christian Porter and Minister for Communications Paul Fletcher today but we remain frustrated that a month after search warrants were carried out by the Australian Federal Police the fate of our journalists remains unclear.
While our strong preference was for immediate action rather than inquiries, we will engage with any processes that seek to address the issues we have raised. We will continue to push for real outcomes that strengthen the Australian public’s fundamental right to know.
We have committed to making further direct submissions both on the fate of our journalists and on the specific areas where freedom of the press has been eroded and we have agreed to meet with the Attorney-General and Minister for Communications again in three months’ time.
We stressed in today’s meeting the importance of the Federal Government taking a leadership position on the public’s right to be informed and to set the tone for a less secret and more open democracy.
This statement is attributable to David Anderson, ABC Managing Director, on behalf the joint media organisations that met with Mr Porter and Mr Fletcher today. The organisations were: the ABC, Nine, News Corp, Free TV, SBS and Seven West Media.
Rex Patrick will also move this motion:
(1) That the Senate notes —
(a) the Prime Minister’s Statement of Ministerial Standards of 30 August 2018, at paragraph 2.25 concerning post-ministerial employment, states that “Ministers are required to undertake that, for an eighteen month period after ceasing to be a Minister, they will not lobby, advocate or have business meetings with members of the government, Parliament, public service or defence force on any matters on which they have had official dealings as Minister in their last eighteen months in office. Ministers are also required to undertake that, on leaving office, they will not take personal advantage of information to which they have had access as a Minister, where that information is not generally available to the public”;
(b) that Mr Christopher Maurice Pyne served as the Minister for Defence Industry from 19 July 2016 to 28 August 2018, and as the Minister for Defence from 28 August 2018 to 11 April 2019;
(c) that Mr Pyne has taken employment with consulting firm EY and that, in his own words, he is “looking forward to providing strategic advice to EY, as the firm looks to expand its footprint in the defence industry”;
(d) that media reports indicate that AusTender government contract notices show that over the past four years EY has secured over 830 contracts with the Australian Government worth more than $370 million, including 138 contracts with the Department of Defence worth $148 million;
(e) that EY has publicly identified the Australian Government’s investment in new defence capabilities, including the future submarines project and the future frigate project as major business opportunities;
(f) EY’s statement that Mr Pyne will help build EY’s defence-related business in South Australia and elsewhere, including helping to “lead conversations about what all states need to do to meet the challenges and opportunities this defence investment will bring”;
(g) EY’s subsequent statement that Mr Pyne “will not be lobbying or meeting with public sector MPs, public service or defence in his EY role” and that he will be “supporting the private sector side of the business”; and
(h) Mr Pyne’s further statement that he intends “to ensure that anyone I provide advice to has rigorous processes and procedures in place to ensure that I am not put in a position where the Ministerial Code might be breached”.
(2) That the following matter be referred to the Finance and Public Administration References Committee for inquiry and report by 10 September 2019:
(a) compliance by former Ministers of State with the requirements of paragraph 2.25 of the Prime Minister’s Statement of Ministerial Standards, dated 30 August 2018, including, but not limited to the undertakings given by Ministers to comply with their obligations concerning post-ministerial employment, and action taken by the Prime Minister and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to ensure full compliance by former Ministers with paragraph 2.25 of the Ministerial Standards; and
(b) any related matters.
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The Senate will sit at 9.30, where the first order of business is an hours motion from the government – essentially setting up the day for the Senate to sit for as long as it takes to pass the tax cuts.
Given that the crossbench is now on board, that will get the go-ahead, and then we will have a lot of speeches before the inevitable conclusion that the whole tax package will go through unamended.
Which means the ridiculously named Treasury Laws Amendment (tax relief so working Australians keep more of their money) bill 2019 will be passed by the end of the day.
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And that, as they say folks, is that.
Newly returned Senator @JacquiLambie talks tax in the halls of Parliament. @AmyRemeikis @mpbowers pic.twitter.com/k7eWRCs6vx
— Lyndal Curtis (@lyndalcurtis) July 3, 2019
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The next big battle for the government then, is repealing the medevac legislation.
Centre Alliance, which was integral to it being passed in the last parliament, have said it won’t budge. One Nation is all for it. That makes Jacqui Lambie the deciding vote (Cory Bernardi will vote with the government)
On that, Lambie says she hasn’t decided as yet:
I have spent two weeks up here, two weeks to clean, I only got staff, I didn’t even have toilet paper Monday, sweetie, so that’s where we are at.
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Centre Alliance were on board as of late last night. Rex Patrick, Stirling Griff and Rebekha Sharkie put out this release early this morning:
After lengthy negotiations with the Government to address concerns that Centre Alliance has about rising energy costs, and particularly the high electricity costs in South Australia, Centre Alliance has agreed to support the Government’s personal tax cuts legislation.
Supporting the tax cuts will reward Australian taxpayers and provide a stimulus to the economy that almost all economists have called for, including the Reserve Bank Governor.
Centre Alliance has worked with the Government on both short and long term reforms to deal with gas market concerns. The full package of reforms will be announced by Government in the coming weeks but will include changes to the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism (ADGSM) to deal with current pricing, market transparency measures, measures to deal with the monopoly nature of East Coast gas pipelines and longer term measures to ensure future gas projects deliver surplus supply to the Australian market.
Centre Alliance will not support the splitting off of stage three, noting that the Government have steadfastly refused to split the bill and that any split will be rejected in the lower house.
In respect of the negotiations on gas, the following is noted:
- Energy is used in every sector of the economy. Uncompetitive energy costs mean an uncompetitive economy.
- 51% of SA’s electricity is generated from gas. Gas prices set the electricity price in SA, Victoria and Tasmania.
- ACCC Chairman, Rod Sims, has forecast that gas prices will rise.
- Centre Alliance went to the election with a promise to reduce energy prices.
- Gas facts
- In 2013 – 14 Australians paid $3 - $4 GJ for gas.
- 6 LNG trains have since been built in Gladstone QLD to facilitate export of gas.
- Production of gas in Australia has tripled.
- In 2017 SA couldn’t even get gas offers, let alone a good price.
- Centre Alliance negotiated the ADGSM with the Government to ensure a minimum domestic supply. The ADGSM has worked to ensure there is enough supply, but has not dealt with price.
- Despite a tripling of production, the price of gas in Australia has tripled (to around $9 GL).
- Australians are now paying 20% more for our gas than consumers in the Asian market are paying for our gas.
- Many companies are deferring investment, and in some cases not investing, in Australia because of our high gas prices.
- There has been a market failure and Government must intervene.
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So why did Jacqui Lambie come on board?
It is a very smart play up here, you have to think, ‘I grab this for Tasmania now, and we do what we can on the goodwill,’ or do we wait for Labor to actually bend over, because this is what the public seem to want, business and those other people getting tax cuts, and muck around with this for another four weeks, or get this [done] so these guys can have their cheques back in the next week.
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Jacqui Lambie says she still has concerns over the third stage of the tax cuts.
I still have concerns about stage three, there is no doubt about that. That is five or six years away and we have another election. I, you know, what they are saying in black and white up here is certainly not translating down to the ground here and it certainly doesn’t look that pretty.
At this stage, where I see the economy going, I am not an economist, but I am not sure that we are heading in the right direction and I am sure from public perception and whatever else, when it gets to that, if we just don’t have the money, then that deal will have to go wayside.
In the meantime though, what it will give is many others out there tax relief that they can go and spend in those rural and regional areas, within their local communities. I have small businesses down there suffering, and I am not sitting around on this for another four or five weeks while we play argy bargy, that is another thing.
I can tell you now, 18 months out there, they have absolutely had a gutful of no decisions being made up here and getting things done, and getting the job done, and getting on with it and delivering.
Lambie says there is no guarantee that stage three will be abandoned if the budget can’t take the hit.
But I can tell you now, from the public perception, this is the way it works in Australia and if you really don’t have the money and you can’t afford it and we are that far under, then those tax cuts are just not going to happen.
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But what about not having the deal in writing?
You know what, it comes down to good faith, I’m sure they are very aware and Centre Alliance is exactly the same, it not going to do any good by showing goodwill and then reneging on that. That is not going to help anyone. They know that. I think we are all very upfront about that. They have paid the price for that in the past, so look, I just want to get on and deliver for Tasmania, what needs to be done.
It is not just public housing crisis that we have down there ... we also have a massive health problem. We probably have one of the worst in the country. So one step at a time, but I need those kids and their families and into warm houses.
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Jacqui Lambie strikes deal with government over tax cuts
I just want to make sure that relationship stays intact and we walk through the next six to eight weeks in goodwill, so we can get those results we need to, for Tasmania, so I can get those people off the streets, so I can get them and their kids into housing and make sure they have got a roof over their heads, and also have warmth.
It is a really big problem in Tasmania at the moment, and I know they have been trying to do what they can. I have had 18 months out there, I want them to see it from my direction. I have been terribly concerned in the past when I’ve delivered money straight to the state government that it has not been spent wisely, so I want the targeted deals that I do up here, I want them better targeted so they are delivered straight to where they need to go, so we can get on with the job.
That’s Jacqui Lambie on why she made the deal.
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Anthony Albanese has responded to the tax deal – Labor will still try to get its amendments through. There is no point though. So then it comes down to what Labor does – does it abstain, vote in favour, or vote against? But that’s just politics. The tax cuts are done.
Albanese:
This morning, we’ll consider the tax package. Labor will be pursuing our amendments before the Senate, because they represent good economic policy.
We saw the Reserve Bank of Australia just this week lower interest rates to a cash rate of just 1%. That’s one-third of the lowest that interest rates got during the global financial crisis. The greatest economic downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
The fact is that if a tax cut, by increasing the 37% threshold is good policy, from $90,000 to $120,000 in 2022, why isn’t it good policy in 2019? The government should be supporting that amendment.
And might I say – the crossbenchers are doing themselves a disservice if they don’t support the separating out of stage three of the tax cuts.
This has been a bluff by the government, saying, threatening to hold up tax cuts. It was there for 2025. That’s why Labor argued for more tax cuts sooner in every worker’s hand right now. That’s what the economy needs. That’s what Labor will be pursuing in the Senate.
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It seems like Jacqui Lambie believes a future government can just repeal the stage three tax cuts if the budget can’t handle it.
She says if Australia doesn’t have the money for them they won’t happen. That seems like a lot of faith in a future government.
So she remains concerned but wants the lower and middle income tax cuts passed now.
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Good morning
Well, as we predicted yesterday, the tax cuts are a done deal.
Jacqui Lambie has given her support to the government, as has Centre Alliance. The government will get its package through the Senate, without Labor’s support.
Mathias Cormann says there were no deals. But Lambie will get something done on social housing in Tasmania and Centre Alliance gets something done on gas.
Nothing is in writing. Lambie says it “comes down to faith” and she believes the government will follow through with its promises.
So, strap in for a marathon day, but it is done.
Mike Bowers and the Guardian brains trust are on board and we’ll bring you the first real day of sitting to you as it happens.
Ready?
Let’s get into it.
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