That is it for the day. MPs will be running for planes, trains and automobiles. Here is what we know:
- Special minister for state Mal Brough, rejected Labor’s call to resign as the minister in charge of government integrity as the Turnbull government came under pressure over his role in the James Ashby affair. The prime minister said all the matters had been canvassed prior to the election and there was nothing new to see here. In fact, the only new thing is that Brough was appointed special minister of state by Turnbull.
- The government’s shipping bill, which would make it easier to employ foreign crew, was voted down by the senate. Cruise operator Bill Milby welcomed the move because “no Australian national government should ever propose legislation that deliberately sets out to deprive by (legislation) the opportunity for Australian citizens to work in Australia”. Milby was questioned by Truss and Abbott after he alleged he had been told by public servants he could sack his Australian crew. Milby called for Turnbull to consider Truss’ ministry role after the events.
- The government released the new terrorism threat system, which involves five categories instead of four and, according to police and ministers, allows a more nuanced communication with the public.
- Health minister Sussan Ley unveiled a complete overhaul of the mental health system in response to the National Mental Health Commission report. The new system will streamline services for patients through primary care networks.
- The government will amend its dual national citizenship bill after further advice from the solicitor general - hoping to withstand a High Court challenge.
- Malcolm Turnbull told 7.30 Report that he has had a good chat with Tony Abbott since the leadership spill. When asked whether Abbott was leading an insurgency against the prime minister, Turnbull said “of course not”.
- Turnbull is now off to Chogm and Warren Truss is acting prime minister.
Next week is the last sitting week of parliament. Many bills were flicked off to next week so the senate will have a pile of business, including the multinational tax avoidance bill. I predict by Monday afternoon or possibly Tuesday morning, Christopher Pyne will threaten to make the senate sit over the weekend. Then Murpharoo will drag you towards the Thursday night, the chamber will be full of back-slapping and everyone will go home.
Thanks to the Bowers machine, Lenore Taylor, Daniel Hurst and Shalailah Medhora for their input in the blog. I shall not see you in this space until next year. Hallelujah! you may all cry.
Thanks for your company and I wish you good night.
@gabriellechan That's a great pic of Mal Brough @mpbowers; in a crisis, you quickly learn who your real friends are. pic.twitter.com/4UiCP3Zvn2
— The Matt Hatter (@MattGlassDarkly) November 26, 2015
Updated
Malcolm Turnbull should consider Truss' role over shipping bill, says cruise operator
Back to the shipping bill, which would have freed up boats in Australian waters to hire more foreign crews. If the bill is passed, workers on non-Australian flagged vessels would only have to pay Australian wages and conditions if the ships trade in Australia for more than 183 days. It would also streamline requirements to a single shipping licence for boats operating between domestic ports.
It caused a kerfuffle while Tony Abbott was still prime minister. An Australian cruise operator Bill Milby alleged that when he asked how he could compete with foriegn boats hiring cheaper crews, government bureaucrats advised him he could sack his Australian crew and hire foreign crew himself.
Milby took offence at that suggestion, fond of his own young Australian crew, as he was. Both Warren Truss as infrastructure minister and Tony Abbott suggested Milby was not telling the truth, to which Milby dug his heels in even further. It all came to a head at a senate inquiry when it turned out, the bureaucrats admitted they did discuss the option of replacing his Australian crew with Milby.
The legislation narrowly was voted down today: 27 - 31.
I contacted Milby this afternoon to see what he made of it all. He said:
I followed the proceedings today, it’s good to see common sense prevail.
I am of the personal opinion that neither minister Truss or the then prime minister (Abbott) really understood what the public servants responsible for the preparation of the bill, had in fact written into it. If they did, then they should not hold the parliamentary positions they currently do. Fortunately Mr Abbott is no longer prime minister and prime minister Turnbull should look long and hard at the role of minister Truss.
In my opinion, no Australian national government should ever propose legislation that deliberately sets out to deprive by (legislation) the opportunity for Australian citizens to work in Australia, it’s territories and territorial waters. The (now defeated) Shipping Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 did exactly that.
As of this afternoon, Warren Truss is acting prime minister. I am seeking a comment.
Meanwhile in the Victorian parliament:
Liberal MP Graham Watt refused to stand when Rosie Batty addressed Vic parliament, citing 'personal reasons' pic.twitter.com/K6tTNGORVW
— Mark Di Stefano (@MarkDiStef) November 26, 2015
Updated
Updated
If you want to read up on so-called Ashbygate, David Marr wrote a good wrap in 2013 and the original Rares judgement is here.
Legal commentator Richard Ackland wrote on Ashbygate the following year, 2014, in which he said:
The main game was always about politics. The litigation was a means by which maximum distress could be inflicted on the minority government, and Liberal politicians were in there with their ears back.
But one of the more recent pieces is from Paula Matthewson on the ABC site The Drum.
Given Brough’s claims today, it is worth remembering this:
In his finding against Ashby’s original complaint, the federal court judge, Justice Steven Rares, described the case as an abuse of political process. Rares pointed the finger squarely at Brough, concluding that Ashby and fellow staff member Karen Doane had worked with Brough ‘to cause Mr Slipper as much political and public damage as they could inflict on him’.
Brough also admitted in a media interview that he’d asked Ashby to make copies of the then speaker’s diary, apparently to prove Slipper’s suspected abuse of travel allowances ...
Whatever the reason for its resurgence, the revival of Ashbygate is not something Turnbull should take lightly. The PM needs to take a brutally dispassionate look at the evidence that could be levelled against Brough, Wyatt Roy and Christopher Pyne, and make a clear-headed decision – does the political cost of keeping them outweigh the cost of cutting them loose?
Updated
Labor loses the Brough motion on the numbers.
What about the new politics,
yells Anthony Albanese to Malcolm Turnbull as question time ends.
Government wins gag on Burke 82-47.
Pyne wants to bring on the Brough.
Burke yells across the chamber something along the lines of the government not being keen to defend Brough.
The government wins the gag 83-47.
Tony Burke gets up to second the motion.
Christopher Pyne moves to gag Burke.
A division is called.
Ring the bells.
The rod Turnbull made for his own back.
Updated
Anthony Albanese is yelling out something which I cannot make out.
The speaker Tony Smith reminds members that parliamentary privilege does not apply during divisions. In other words, say something defamatory and you will have no protection.
Christopher Pyne tries to gag debate.
Which the government will win on the numbers.
Mark Dreyfus is moving a motion relating to Mal Brough for the James Ashby affair (details coming) and the prime ministerial judgement in appointing him as minister.
The motion has been denied.
He seeks to suspend standing orders.
We will have a number of votes coming up.
Updated
Andrew Nikolic asks defence materiel minister Mal Brough about defence ration packs.
Would the minister advise the house of new innovative opportunities being considered for the Scotsdale facility, including the potential of new microwave-assisted thermal sterilisation technology which I have been strongly advocating for?
A constituent question to Warren Truss on a dispute between the Northern Midlands Council and the Launceston airport.
Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull: In former prime minister Abbott’s ministry Senator Sinodinos had to stand aside. Since then the new prime minister has appointed a special minister of state, a person who by his own admission on 60 Minutes has engaged in behaviour incompatible with the responsibility he now holds. Are the standards of this prime minister lower than the standards of the member for Warringah [Tony Abbott]?
Turnbull:
I say to the honourable member that the standards of conduct, as set out in the ministerial standards, are unchanged, as he well knows.
Updated
Dreyfus to Turnbull: I refer to clause 7.1 of the prime minister’s statement of ministerial standards. I refer to the special minister of state’s answer to the question, “Did you ask James Ashby to procure copies of Peter Slipper’s diary for you?” Answer, “Yes I did.” How does that reconcile with your statement of ministerial standards?
Malcolm Turnbull:
The facts, matters and circumstances relating to this matter have been very well known for some years and well known prior to the last election when Mr Brough stood for parliament and was elected to represent his constituency. Now there are no new facts, matters or circumstances that have come to hand and so there is no basis for the shadow attorney general’s withering torrent of cross-examination. If there are new developments, obviously they will be considered.
Updated
Will you act in the public interest and resign? No, says Brough
Dreyfus to Brough: Clause 1.2 of the Prime Minister’s statement of ministerial standards states, “In recognition that public office is a public trust, therefore the people of Australia are entitled to expect that as a matter of principle ministers will act with due regard for integrity, fairness, accountability, responsibility and the public interest.” Will the minister act in the public interest and resign?
Shouts of “resign” from the Labor benches.
With a look of disdain to Labor, Mal Brough says:
After due consideration, no.
A Dixer on the bushfires in South Australia, 2 deaths, 16 homes destroyed, 85,000ha land burned.
Dreyfus to Brough: I refer to the minister’s responsibility for the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act. As a matter of government policy, what action does the minister take when a staff member employed under that act provides documents held on a computer in a member of parliament’s office to a person who is not authorised to access those documents?
Mal Brough:
If I’m to understand the member’s question, the answer I would provide is that you would seek advice from the department against the specific issues that are raised and deal with it appropriately.
Updated
Mal Brough.
Walking the green mile, it's a long way to the dispatch box from the cross benches @gabriellechan @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/wn1jjayUmZ
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) November 26, 2015
Dreyfus to Brough: I refer to the minister’s previous answer and to the minister’s responsibility for the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act. Can the minister explain why it is appropriate or acceptable to offer inducements to an employee under the [parliamentary staff act] to provide unauthorised access to a member of parliament’s official diary?
Let me make ... it very clear that I never said any such thing and as much as you may try to avoid the unfortunate fact for you ... the shadow attorney general, that the full bench of the federal court examined all of the matters that you are wishing to prosecute here today and found in full and I would refer you to those comments ...
Updated
Journos watch a pre recorded interview with @TurnbullMalcolm for @abc730 in the gallery studios @gabriellechan pic.twitter.com/voLJGoj3gj
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) November 26, 2015
Dreyfus to Brough: I refer to the minister’s repeat references this week to his previous statement in which he referred to material he provided to the federal court and I refer to an email to the minister from Karen Doane, which was tendered in federal court evidence. “Please find attached a resume for consideration by Mr Palmer for a position at the Coolum Golf and Spa Resort.” Given the minister is responsible for government integrity, were the minister’s actions appropriate and in keeping with the standards he would enforce as minister?
Brough says yes.
Updated
Bob Katter to trade minister Andrew Robb: Minister, wouldn’t prudent development fear the granting of monopoly powers over all Northern Australia exports to a foreign checkpoint Charlie?
Andrew Robb:
The sale of the port of Darwin was one which was totally, totally compliant with all of the requirements that we have legally in this country to look at foreign investment but the Territory government decided to go well beyond the legal requirements that they faced.
Including, says Robb, the Foreign Investment Review Board and the defence department.
Brough: the federal court found I acted appropriately
Dreyfus to Brough: I refer to a text message to the Minister from Karen Doane, a staffer to the former speaker, which was tendered into Federal Court evidence and I quote, “I look forward to your assistance with Clive and the possibility of working with him.” Given the minister is responsible for government integrity, were the minister’s actions appropriate and in keeping with the standards he would enforce as minister?
I would presume that in your former role as a Queen’s Counsel you would have some respect for the full bench of the Federal Court ... I say to the shadow Attorney-General I refer you to the findings of the full bench of the Federal Court which dealt with all of the evidence put before it and found entirely that I acted appropriately.
A Dixer to Sussan Ley on the mental health response.
Dreyfus to Brough: Can the minister confirm that he asked the member for Fairfax to hand over $200,000 to fund James Ashby’ slegal case, given the minister is responsible for government integrity, were the minister’s action appropriate and in keeping with the standards he would enforce as minister?
Mal Brough:
When these allegation were made two years ago I responded to them decisively then and those words continue.
The Shipping bill went down: ayes - 28; noes - 31
A Dixer to Malcolm Turnbull on the mental health response.
Mal Brough: integrity is upper most in everything I have ever done
Mark Dreyfus to Mal Brough: Given the minister is in charge of integrity, is it appropriate and in keeping with the standards he would enforce as minister following the statement by Clive Palmer in the parliament yesterday.
Mal Brough:
I say to the honourable member that integrity is upper most in everything I have ever done and that I will always continue to do.
Brough says Clive Palmer’s comments were not new.
They were so new he made them as a press conference in the lead up to the last election in Brisbane. He made all those allegations and I answered them in full at that time. Furthermore, he then proceeded to take defamation actions against me ...he subsequently withdrew those, informing the media that he was handing out an olive branch. I have answered these queries, these allegations in full in the past.
A response by Bill Shorten:
We offer our deep condolences to the loved ones of the lost and the injured. I’ve just spoken in the last 30 minutes to Nick Champion, member for Wakefield, who has returned to be with his family and to be 1-W his constituents in fire-affected SA. He tells me that right now there are still lots of blocked roads and that the CFS are still putting fires out. He fells me that the fire has lapped right up to thetown of Kapunda where he is and where he grew up.
A statement on indulgence from Malcolm Turnbull in the house for the South Australian fire victims.
People need to stay vigilant and monitor closely the advice for emergency services and provided over the ABC. The bushfire season is upon us, as we know. And our Australian summer is challenging, unpredictable and often, as we’ve seen just in this week, very cruel. I want to pay tribute and record our great admiration and thanks to the firefighters and their crews who are tackling the South Australian fires.
The shipping bill has been voted down.
The shipping bill has been voted down. Day and Leyonhjelm voted with the government. Everyone else agin.
Updated
Senate is voting on the shipping bill now - which will test my ears. I need horse’s ears, which twitch in opposite directions.
Lunch time politics
- A new terror alert has been introduced but the threat level remains the same.
- The dual nationals citizenship bill will be amended and introduced next week to better withstand a high court challenge.
- The government has split the family payments bill to get at least one part through the parliament, leaving only the cut to FTB B for couple families with children over 13 years.
- Immigration minister Peter Dutton says the Monkey Pod conservative group is no plot, given it meets next door to the bleeding moderate Christopher Pyne.
- Question time in one minute.
Turnbull finally gives a stump speech which will form the basis for the next election campaign. It involves vision, capacity, strong, innovative economy, fair, and fair, and fair.
On climate change:
I am optimistic (about achieving an outcome in Paris).
Do you have full control of the right wing in the party?
In the Liberal party, there’s a long tradition of backbenchers crossing the floor.
Is Tony Abbott leading an insurgency against you?
Of course not.
What about Kevin Andrews?
I wouldn’t interpret those comments that way, says Turnbull and then goes into why troops should not go to the Middle East.
Have you talked to Tony since the leadership spill?
I have had a good chat with Tony. Tony and I have obviously had some differences ...
Updated
On the budget, Sales wants to know if, as part of new politics, Turnbull will introduce policies that mean some people will miss out.
(This is the reform argument and the lament that no governments can ever touch anything.)
It has to be fair, says Turnbull.
Ultimately the proof of this pudding ... will be in the eating, whether the whole outcome is seen to be equitable. If it’s not fair, it won’t get the public support it needs to be successful.
Updated
Turnbull is asked at whom the “machismo” comment was directed.
He says we need a calm, measured and emphatic response, as opposed to a vengeful response.
We have to be clear-eyed.
What about boots on the ground?
It depends whose boots and which ground.
Updated
Sales asks whether Australians should feel let down by policy decisions since 9/11.
Turnbull says it is difficult to completely eliminate the threat of terrorism.
Sales: We are told we are less safe than ever
I’m not sure that is a fair comment.
We haven’t to date had an attack on Australian soil on par with Paris, he says.
Updated
Turnbull says as a nation we have had limited experience of terrorism domestically – though there have been victims overseas.
Updated
National security. Sales asks if Isis is weak, why have the coalition forces been unable to defeat it.
Turnbull says it is weak, relative to the strength of the United States or Australia.
Updated
Malcolm Turnbull is doing an interview on the ABC’s 7.30 program. It is being pre-recorded now and we love the ABC for letting us watch and report on the interview now.
Updated
The government’s national security website has the full explanation of the system. It also has information on where the threat is coming from. I have never seen this written so explicitly before. This is from the page:
Where does the threat come from?
A small number of people in Australia adhere to an interpretation of Islam that is selective, violent and extreme. They are influenced by extreme messaging from terrorist groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) who are active online, spreading their violent ideology and channelling persuasive propaganda to susceptible, vulnerable and easily influenced individuals.
The radicalisation and recruitment of Australians is increasing. Violent extremists are reaching out to those willing to listen and encouraging them either to join Isil or conduct attacks in its name. In some cases specific directions have been provided to conduct acts of terrorism here. Others, including those that are not in direct contact with violent extremists overseas, may be influenced by propaganda to undertake acts of terrorism in Australia. Those radicalised to violent extremism may display behavioural changes, develop new social networks and associations, withdraw from previous ones and promote an extremist ideology.
Recent large, coordinated terrorist attacks are concerning and the small number of Australia-based Isil sympathisers and supporters might be emboldened by the perceived success of their overseas counterparts. Additionally, Isil will glorify recent attacks, such as those in France and Mali and the attack on Metrojet flight 9268, in propaganda to motivate and inspire their Western-based sympathisers and supporters. Elements of some of these recent attacks, such as the use of firearms and explosives as weapons, the capturing of hostages, and the focus on ‘soft’ targets, could be employed in an attack in Australia.
Updated
AFP chief Andrew Colvin: words matter on terrorism
A journalist asks about the change in tone between prime ministers and some reports that police were having difficulty liaising with the Muslim community due to Tony Abbott’s language of Team Australia and “death cults”.
Brandis says different prime ministers express themselves differently.
The question turns to AFP head Andrew Colvin: were the police having trouble?
I think I will leave commentary around the political narrative to others, but clearly at different stages over the last 15 months in particular, as we’ve seen police actions around this country, as we’ve seen operations unfold, the community has felt under siege.
Both my organisation [AFP], Duncan’s organisation [Asio] and state and territory police around the country work very hard to make sure there isn’t misinterpretation of those actions by police.
Words matter, as does narrative and we work very hard on what we need to do to make sure the community understand that we are trying to work with them and that we need their cooperation, so I think we will leave it at that.
Updated
Daniel Hurst asks: What’s the threshold for a potential move. Also, how can you be certain of anything?
George Brandis:
As the director general has said it is not profitable to deal in hypotheticals. That will be a call ultimately made by the director general, informed by the processes which he has described.
Updated
There is no evidence right now of anything that would change the terrorist threat level from probable, says Duncan Lewis, DG of Asio.
AFP head: If you see something, report it.
Andrew Colvin, head of the AFP, says:
We want you to go about your normal business, be vigilant about the environment as well and if you see something that changes, that concerns you, we want you to contact authorities. We have given the number for the hotline before. If people see something, we ask they report it.
Duncan Lewis describes the decision making process in Asio.
Asio’s National Threat Assessment Centre has officers from a spectrum of national security agencies, including from the Australian Federal Police, from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and state police forces.
They collectively come to a view and a judgement is made.
Updated
Director general of Asio, Duncan Lewis, says of the system:
What we are looking at here is a process by which we can better inform the community of our assessment of the threat that persists on any given day and, most importantly, so that the community can, as a result of that knowledge, then take the necessary proportionate action for their own protection.
He says the maths alone will tell you that the new system gives more room for nuance.
Terror threat remains the same
Under the old system the terrorist threat is known as “high”.
Under the new system the terrorist threat is known as “probable”.
This is the same level, expressed with a different word.
New terrorist threat advisory system takes effect today.
AG George Brandis says the new system (outlined below) will take effect today.
This government, and the government of Mr Abbott before it, has done everything that we believe is necessary and appropriate to keep the Australian people as safe as we can make them from the threat of terrorism.
Updated
I do heart @MattGlassDarkly.
@gabriellechan I reminded Dutton that the first rule of Monkey Pod Club is you do not talk about Monkey Pod Club . pic.twitter.com/R8U4TMbCli
— The Matt Hatter (@MattGlassDarkly) November 26, 2015
Senators Madigan, Day, Lazarus, Wang, Bernardi and Leyonhjelm have just tried to change the rules for compulsory student union fees.
Their motion:
calls on the government to amend the Higher Education Support Act so that the Student Services and Amenities Fee can only be levied with the support of the majority of students at each university campus in a mandatory ballot conducted once an academic year
This is very familiar landscape for anyone who has dabbled in student politics. They were joined on the benches by none other than Eric Abetz, who has released a statement on the issue.
Compulsory student unionism is what first inspired me to be involved in politics and the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) is merely compulsory student unionism by another name.
The SSAF is unfair, unpopular, undemocratic and used as a political plaything by political activists. There are numerous examples of inappropriate use of these fees for rorts, rackets and ripoffs.
What is worse is that students are denied their results or enrolment if they refuse to pay the fee to the union. The right to a tertiary education should never be predicated on joining a union.
I firmly believe in the full abolition of SSAF. The proposal that was put before the Senate by the crossbench calling for a vote of students prior to the fee being levied is a small step in the right direction.
The motion failed 6 to 35.
Tip of the family payment iceberg passes the house
A sliver of the government’s family payments changes has passed the house.
The bill will remove the benefit for couple families (other than grandparents) with a youngest child 13 years of age or over.
The rest of the bill has been put back on the table.
We shall try to find out what the government will do with it.
Updated
The new terror alert system was flagged in July this year after the Coag meeting.
The current system is:
- extreme
- high
- medium
- low
The new system is:
- certain
- expected
- probable
- possible
- not expected
Updated
Division now on the family payment bill in the lower house.
The new national terrorism threat advisory system released at 12.45pm.
Joint press conference.
-
Attorney general George Brandis QC
-
Minister for justice and minister assisting the prime minister on counter-terrorism Michael Keenan
-
Director general of security and head of Asio Duncan Lewis
-
Commissioner of the AFP Andrew Colvin
-
Australia’s counter-terrorism coordinator Greg Moriarty
Updated
I promised to come back to two very different analyses in The Oz around the conservative cell developing (or not?) on the backbench around Tony Abbott.
The jibes about machismo were directed against Abbott and former defence minister Kevin Andrews, who publicly advocated, from the backbench, a greater military presence — SAS forces on missions — in Syria.
Turnbull’s public putdown added to a growing atmosphere of paranoia and resentment between thwarted conservative Coalition MPs and those who supported Turnbull’s seizure of the leadership ten weeks ago.
Yet the idea of considering limited “boots on the ground” is not limited to a coterie of Abbott supporters, with West Australian Liberal Luke Simpkins, one of the signatories of the leadership spill against Abbott in February, telling parliament it was something we “need to do”.
It’s also clear that leaks to the media and conspiracy theories about secret lunches, including Abbott bringing a chocolate cake; complaints on Abbott and his colleagues speaking out; and potential damage to Turnbull’s standing on security are growing into dangerous divisions which can become entrenched and corrosive.
Like Turnbull said, this is not a time for gestures or machismo. The old regime had plenty of time to muscle up the allies on the issue of ground troops but couldn’t. For good reason. Turnbull’s wisdom in urging calm and caution has been vindicated by the polls and the shooting down by Turkey of the Russian warplane.
The feather dusters ruled the roost for five unhindered, unchallenged years before everything went seriously belly-up. While it’s legitimate to protect their legacy, their rewriting of the history of the full six years borders on delusional.
On September 9, Andrews, then defence minister, emphatically ruled out boots on the ground in Syria.
He told the ABC’s Rafael Epstein: “Yes, I’m ruling it out because we’ve got no intention of doing that. We’re basically in Iraq in an advise-and-assist capacity and that’s not going beyond the wire, to use the cliche military expression.
Savva’s book – The Road to Ruin: How Tony Abbott and Peta Credlin Destroyed Their Own Government – is out next year.
Updated
Laura Tingle at the Fin is having a little fun this morning.
not a news photo.... pic.twitter.com/MXL87dly9I
— Laura Tingle (@latingle) November 25, 2015
It comes from Brough’s own website.
The shipping bill is due for debate again in the Senate just after midday. This is the bill that makes it easier for foreign crews to work ships in Australian waters. The numbers are looking increasingly shaky.
Updated
Larissa Waters is speaking to a private member’s bill by former Greens leader Christine Milne:
to abolish fossil fuel subsidies for the mining industry from 1 January 2015, including: the diesel fuel rebate; accelerated asset depreciation for aircraft, the oil and gas industry and vehicles; and immediate deductibility for exploration and prospecting expenses.
Updated
Exit stage right.
There is a curious story in the Fin today by Phil Coorey. He reports there were secret plans to do a major renovation of Parliament House under the former leadership.
Secret plans by Tony Abbott and his former chief of staff Peta Credlin to extend Parliament House have been quietly killed off.
Senior sources said the “previous administration” had flagged the construction of two large extensions protruding from the ministerial entrance at the south-west of the building, reaching across the ring road towards two uncovered car parks.
When Mr Abbott lost the leadership on September 14, no design had been drawn up and the approval process was not very advanced, but funds had been set aside in the contingency reserve of the federal budget.
Updated
Jenny Macklin spoke on the changes to family payments this morning but she was asked about the Labor policy of moving single parents off the pension and on to the Newstart unemployment payment.
Q: Isn’t it a bit hypocritical for you to be crying crocodile tears for single-parent families now when as minister you cut the single-parenting payment?
Well, I think one thing that’s very clear, first of all, we’ve made it clear that we thought that that was too harsh, so that’s the first thing. The second is we have never supported these cuts to family tax benefits that would so affect single-parent families. I’ll just give you an example of a single-parent family with teenage children, they would be nearly $5,000 a year worse off if these cuts got through the parliament and Labor has done everything in our power to prevent these cuts and today the government will remove them from the legislation and I’m calling on them to remove the legislation and remove the cuts from the budget altogether.
Updated
Love your work Mr Bowers.
Updated
Peter Dutton statement on the dual nationals citizenship amendment
Debate on the Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to Australia) bill 2015 will resume next week.
The solicitor general has provided the government with further advice and the government will add a further amendment to those already recommended by the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security to deal with the solicitor general’s advice.
The government has informed the chair and deputy chair of the PJCIS and the opposition of this further technical amendment to the bill.
The opposition has asked that it have time to consider this amendment through its party processes and the government has agreed to defer debate until next week.
The government expects the bill to be passed into law by both houses of the parliament before the end of the next sitting week.
Updated
A bit of housekeeping.
After question time, Malcolm Turnbull is off to Malta to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) on 27-29 November.
From there, he goes to Paris for the climate talks on 30 November. Foreign minister Julie Bishop and environment minister Greg Hunt will also attend.
Here is what Turnbull says about the emissions targets:
Australia has pledged to reduce emissions by 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2030, a target which is both fair and achievable. It is a tremendous achievement that over 170 countries have now submitted their emissions reduction targets.
Updated
The family payments amendment is being debated in the lower house. The Senate is debating a freedom of information amendment which is the private member’s bill of Joe Ludwig, the former ag minister.
It tries to force the government to publish the exact wording of freedom of information requests, in the interests of transparency. It would include the exact words of requests to match with the reasons governments say no. It would allow the public and journalists to see if there is any trickiness afoot.
Updated
The prime minister, health minister Sussan Ley and Ian Hickie, Professor Ian Hickie and Professor Allan Fels are talking about the government’s response to the mental health report.
As if, says Peter Dutton. Would the conservatives plot next to the bleeding moderate Christopher Pyne?
Peter Dutton has also addressed the Monkey Pod Club. This is the story, broken by James Massola, about a regular lunch of like-minded conservatives, who meet in a room with a monkey pod table.
Dutton clips Massola and points out it’s a regular lunch and the room is next to Christopher Pyne’s office. He suggests Massola was embarrassed by the way the meeting was portrayed by some.
I’ve been going to Tuesday lunch for 14 years, for as long as I’ve been in parliament, I’ve gone to a Tuesday lunch with colleagues and with friends. I think it’s fair to say … Look, I had a drink with James Massola, the journalist who broke this so-called story on Tuesday night, I think it was. Look, the story wasn’t even put to us before it was printed so that’s speaking out of school. Mr Massola is a bit embarrassed at the way in which some had tried to portray the catch-up.
Just bearing in mind the monkey pod is a meeting room located between my office and Mr Pyne’s office – Christopher, who is a very good friend of mine, a bleeding moderate. If there was some underground movement by the right, we wouldn’t be holding a meeting in a lunch room beside Christopher Pyne’s office. I don’t think this adds up to anything more than colleagues catching up for lunch.
Updated
Peter Dutton to amend citizenship bill after advice from solicitor general
The immigration minister says the change is more “technical” than “controversial”.
He can’t tell us what the change is, even though it will go to the parliament next week. It sounds like it is around constitutionality and warding off a challenge.
Q: In terms of shoring up any possibility of a court challenge, a high court challenge?
Obviously the government’s intent has been to minimise the risk as best you can. What you don’t want to do is open yourself up to a high court challenge risk, and with any piece of legislation that is always a possibility. So the government has taken advice and I think steps to minimise the risk of a challenge and we will make an amendment which we think further enhances the bill and that will be debated next week. I don’t believe it to be controversial but I think it clarifies some wording within a particular part of the bill and on that basis I think we have a stronger bill to defend, which is always the case with any piece of national security legislation, lawyers will challenge it.
Updated
If you think people want a GST rise, you must be living on another planet, says Shorten
Q: Mr Shorten the polling would suggest that people aren’t as adverse to potentially increasing the GST if compensation is attached to it.
Let’s talk straight. You must live on another planet if you think people want to pay another 15% in GST. People who work every day are not going to get compensated. Pensioners, they are deeply sceptical that any change in their pension is going to keep change with the inflationary impact of a GST. I think fresh food, going to the doctor, the school books and the uniforms the kids will need next year - Australians don’t want a GST and if the government thinks they do, or if some commentators think they do, they are so out of touch with the way Australians make ends meet, it’s breathtaking.
Bill Shorten is doing a press conference in front of a chicken shop.
He has been asked about special minister of state, Mal Brough and his position in charge of integrity in government, given the AFP investigations at the mo.
That is not just any position in the government. The special minister of state is in charge of government integrity. I think it’s not a matter of whether Mal Brough should stand aside, which he probably should. It is becoming a matter of Malcolm Turnbull’s judgment why he won’t act.
Coalition amends family payments
The social services family payments bill, which sought to cut some payments from single parent families, is in da house today.
There is frantic last-minute negotiations going on. We hear from Labor that the government is amending its own bill – on pain of death from the Senate.
This is what the government proposed originally:
- increase family tax benefit (FTB) Part A fortnightly rates by $10.08 for each FTB child in the family up to 19 years of age;
- restructure family tax benefit Part B by: increasing the standard rate by $1000.10 per year for families with a youngest child aged under one; introducing a reduced rate of $1000.10 per year for single parent families with a youngest child aged 13 to 16 years of age and extending the rate to couple grandparents with an FTB child in this age range; and removing the benefit for couple families (other than grandparents) with a youngest child 13 years of age or over;
- phase out the family tax benefit Part A and Part B supplements.
Labor says the only thing out of that list that will survive is this:
- removing the benefit for couple families (other than grandparents) with a youngest child 13 years of age or over
Because that is the only bit that Labor will support.
Labor’s Jenny Mackin has a particular bounce to her step today. She continues to be the quiet achiever on the Labor frontbench.
Updated
Professor Ian Hickie is a national mental health commissioner. He has just enthused about the government’s mental health response – which has taken a year. The clear message from his comments is that finally a federal government is moving in the right direction.
This is a response worth waiting for ... This requires prime ministerial support and, for a change, we have got it.
Updated
Also coming today is a big mental health announcement. Health minister Sussan Ley will do a press conference with Malcolm Turnbull at 9.45am. It forms the government response to the 25 recommendations of a report by the National Mental Health Commission. It streamlines the mental health services and aims to respond locally, and so far mental health experts have responded well.
If you want more detail, Shalailah Medhora has written up the response here. Here is a snap:
People living with mental illness will soon be able to access personalised care through the government’s primary health networks under sweeping changes to be announced on Thursday.
People who are identified by healthcare professionals as having complex needs will be able to access a range of services to manage their illness, including psychiatric care, drug and alcohol rehabilitation services and community and peer support systems.
The health minister, Sussan Ley, said the changes would move Australia away from a “one-size-fits-all” mentality towards a “more modern, flexible model of care”.
“Just like any other chronic disease, mental illness is often complex and requires access to multiple health professionals and support services to address it properly,” Ley said. “Experts recognise many patients with severe or complex mental health needs would benefit from an integrated healthcare package tailored to their individual needs and that’s what we’re delivering.”
Ley will also announce the consolidation of more than 30 government-funded phone and online services into a single helpline for people living with mental illness.
Updated
There is a story over at the Daily Telegraph of a super-duper special Australian Federal Police taskforce to crack down on WELFARE CHEATS.
Simon Benson reports that cheats have defrauded the commonwealth of $5bn, with more than 1.1m in Centrelink debts now owed to the government. All payments have been defrauded, according to the story, including Newstart, the Disability Support Pension, Medicare, youth allowances and family payments.
Human services minister Stuart Robert’s office has confirmed the story’s numbers are correct but will release them later today. There is $3bn in outstanding Centrelink debts and another $1.7bn being chased up through forensic data matching. All that guff will be handed over to the AFP taskforce.
Updated
Good morning all,
There is still a bit of of low-level rumbling by conservatives, described today by Nikki Savva as the feather-duster faction. I will come to that in a minute.
The crankiness revolves around Turnbull’s national security statement, in which he said “this is not a time for gestures or machismo”. It was obviously a bit of a slap to Tony Abbott. If the word machismo did not exist before the man was born, surely it would have been coined for young Tony.
But Julie Bishop says she did not see it that way. She told Kieran Gilbert on Sky:
I didn’t see it that way. The prime minister has a very broad audience that he must address, both here in Australia, in our region and internationally and his comments were directed far more broadly than one member of parliament. I think it was entirely appropriate that he call for calm and measured judgement in relation to this. We are in this for the long haul.
The terrorist organisations may be defeated militarily but the ideology also has to be defeated. Otherwise, when you have one military success and withdraw from the field, the terrorists can come back.
Bishop also spoke about the increasing tension between Turkey and Russia. She was encouraged that both countries have referred the shooting down of the jet to the UN security council.
They are clearly of a mind to de-escalate and there is less likelihood of a military retaliation.
We are winding up the Twits @gabriellechan and @mpbowers or join the thread below. Last sitting day people.
Updated
