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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Amy Remeikis

Labor fails to commit to Newstart increase despite promising voters a 'fair go' – as it happened

Bill Shorten and his wife, Chloe, wave at delegates as he arrives to deliver his speech at Labor party national conference.
Bill Shorten and his wife, Chloe, wave at delegates as he arrives to deliver his speech at Labor party national conference. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Round one is done

So that is day one done and dusted. There are two days to go, but a lot has been worked out.

We know what is happening on the environmental front – no outward attack on Adani, but a commitment to change the environmental protection act, which Lean appear to be quite happy with.

There have been some changes to superannuation policy – adding it to the national employment standards, so employees can chase their unpaid super.

There is also the $6bn over a decade housing program, which was foreshadowed this morning, and already has the government coming out swinging.

And we know that tomorrow’s debate on Newstart has been sorted – with a commitment to review it within 18 months, but no commitment to raise the payment itself.

We still don’t know what is happening with asylum seekers – it is still stalled over the rights of review – the second chance for those who have been rejected.

They tell us they are close to an agreement though. We’ll update you on that tomorrow, ahead of the formal debate, on Monday afternoon.

The mid-year economic and fiscal outlook will be announced tomorrow. Gareth Hutchens will be covering that, and we will get you Labor’s reaction the moment it hits.

Thank you so much for joining us today, on your Sunday, as Labor works out the nuts and bolts of its policy platform ahead of the election. We’ll be back tomorrow morning for round two, so pour yourself something comforting, find yourself your favourite escape and get some rest, ready to do it all again in a little over 15 hours.

And as ever – take care of you.

Updated

And we are done – for the day.

And to those asking how we know the conflicts are happening if they are happening behind closed doors, it is because we are talking to people, which is our job. We are speaking directly to the delegates to keep you updated. And reporting on policy debates is not framing it as “Labor in disarray”. This is how Labor works out its policy positions. And unlike a lot of political parties, it happens mostly in real time, in fairly public view. We know how the sausage is made, because there are a lot of hands putting it together. Bill Shorten himself has acknowledged disagreements happen within the caucus rooms and that this is a good thing.

All the motions today have been carried on the floor, without a vote.

If you needed further proof that things were all being worked out behind the scenes, with 90 per cent of delegates on the same page of not wanting to blow up the show before the election, there were quite a few delegates who didn’t arrive until midway through the day, meaning they missed votes.

But it didn’t matter. Because, as we’ve reported, these motions are being carried without the floor vote, with all the issues having been worked out before hand.

Newstart has joined that list. We’re still waiting on what happens with the asylum seeker policy, but the smart money would be on that being worked out before it hits the floor as well.

It looks like we are close to the last motion.

Matt Keogh supports this one:

Labor national conference believes all older Australians deserve dignity and the highest standard of care in their final years. Every older Australian receiving aged care should know that the people who care for them can be there whenever they need, for as long as they need.

We recognise that a professionally paid, trained and supported aged care workforce – that has time to care – is necessary to ensuring this dignity and high standard of care. We also recognise the strain that a lack of quality and accessible services places on family members and the community.

As Australia’s population continues to age, governments must invest in aged care, aged care workers and a workforce with appropriate staffing numbers to provide necessary care. Quality jobs in aged care will ensure the delivery of quality care. Quality jobs are those that provide

    • Fair wages and conditions;
    • Predictable and stable hours of work;
    • Sufficient time to provide quality care for service users;
    • A defined and accessible career path;
    • Access to representation and independent advice; and
    • Access to ongoing training and materials in relation to the unique challenges of caring for older Australians.

Conference recognises the strong relationships that exist between staff and service users, and calls for mechanisms to be put in place to allow staff to act as advocates for the needs and interests of service users, including via access to an independent whistle-blower mechanism.

Conference condemns the Liberal National government for their $1.2bn in funding cuts to aged care in the 2016-17 budget. These funding cuts have significantly affected the ability to provide meaningful care and support to vulnerable older Australians, especially those with acute and complex needs.

Conference also calls on Labor to make addressing funding and workforce issues within aged care a key policy under a future Labor Government, and to ensure the next election is fought on supporting older Australians and those that care for them.

Updated

There is quite a bit of interest in Labor’s planned environment act changes.

Tony Burke didn’t hold a press conference on this, but he did release a statement:

A Shorten Labor government will ensure the federal government returns to taking a leadership role in protecting our natural environment by creating an Australian environment act, and establishing a federal environmental protection agency.

The current environment act is now 20 years old and has never been significantly reformed. It is time to bring it into the 21st century.

In 2018, it is bizarre that the national environmental law does not properly factor in climate change.

Labor‘s process will involve undertaking significant reform of Australia’s environmental law, committing to an Australian environment act in our first term.

It will be an act which protects our environment but also supports job-creating development by streamlining and harmonising processes.

Labor will also establish a new agency, a federal EPA, with the mission to protect Australia’s natural environment. It will be informed by the best available scientific advice and, ensure compliance with environmental law, and have the ability to conduct public inquiries on important environmental matters.

The new legal framework will compel the Australian government to actively protect our unique natural environment and demonstrate national leadership.

Labor will establish a high-powered working group of experts including scientists, environmental lawyers and public policy thinkers to refine the clear concepts that underpin this reform.

We will also ensure all stakeholders including states and territories, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives, impacted industries and business groups, trade unions and civil society have a seat at the table.

The Australian environment act will aim to tackle problems identified by industry which has identified inefficiencies, delays and hurdles in the current law. The new law will protect the environment while aiming to give business more certainty.

The Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government has vacated the field in environmental leadership. Under this government, Australia’s natural environment is going backwards.

Under Malcolm Turnbull, Australia took the largest step backwards in conservation by any government anywhere in the world by stripping back Australia’s marine parks and just earlier this year, the Government awarded nearly half a billion dollars to a small private foundation instead of directly investing in restoring the health of the Great Barrier Reef.

It’s time Australia’s environmental laws that protect of our beautiful natural land and oceans.

Recent examples of either the EPBC Act failing or the government seeming to ignore the law include:

    • Large scale land clearing in reef catchments in Queensland.
    • The ‘mean’ approval time being reported as 860 days.
    • Using the Sydney Opera House as a billboard, this action went against the management plan required under the EPBC Act.
    • Not using the water trigger for dams and pipelines associated with large coalmines.
    • The export of 200 rare and threatened birds to an alleged German organised crime syndicate.

Updated

If anyone hadn’t got the message yet, that this Labor conference (and future campaign) was about inequality, here is Chris Bowen laying it out, through his speech on Labor’s economic policy:

Economic growth and equality are the key ingredients of our mission.

With inequality rising around the world and in Australia, there’s never been a more important time for Labor to lead.

We know that one of the greatest threats to our way of life in Australia is rising inequality, and we need to ensure that wealth is shared equally.

And we know that the 20th century, late 20th century and early 21st century has seen an attack on organised unionism, and retreat from active government.

We have a government who thinks the answer to this is to cut penalty rates, to strip away the conditions of the lowest paid.

And as Bill confirmed, we won’t have a bar of it and we will reverse it.

And it’s this type of approach which has come at the expense of a sense of shared prosperity across our country. It’s contributed to the worst wages growth on record in our country.

Wages growth that hasn’t kept up with productivity and hard work and ingenuity of our people.

And it’s why we in opposition have made the case for an activist policy that we want to put in place in government.

Under Bill’s leadership we will take to the next election, the boldest and most progressive tax reform in generations.

We will make sure multinationals pay their fair share of tax.

We will unwind the system which means that income tax refunds are paid at the expense of $5bn a year to people who haven’t paid income tax.

We will stop family trusts being used for tax minimisation purposes and we’ll ensure that negative gearing and capital gains tax are reformed, made fairer, and are made more progressive.

This is at the heart of our approach to fund important initiatives in health, in education and housing.

Updated

Labor delegates are also asking that the aged care workforce be acknowledge for the work they do in often under-resourced and difficult situations:

Ongoing workforce attraction and retention is necessary to ensure quality care and outcomes for older Australians. Labor will work with workers and their unions, service providers and older Australians to develop and implement a workforce strategy to improve sector capacity and maintain and enhance quality standards.

Labor will:

  • support appropriate aged care funding that protects and maintains employment standards with proper regard to relevant industrial instruments;
  • protect, maintain and support employment standards and training models to enhance job security and minimise the spread of casualised and insecure work;
  • support a positive focused professional registration and accreditation scheme for employees;
  • ensuring a base level of funding for aged care alongside consumer-directed care; and
  • develop best practice standards and accreditation of supports in consultation with stakeholders so quality controls are established, maintained and properly funded.

That amendment, comes after the original one was beefed up:

Labor acknowledges the importance of proper regulation to ensure Australia’s aged care system is world leading in its approach to safety, skills and training. Labor will seek to create a nationally consistent pre-employment screening process in consultation with key industry stakeholders. This regulation scheme will mandate minimum qualifications requirements.

The agreed compromise amendment on Newstart is:

Labor is committed to a social security system which keeps people out of poverty, whether they are unemployed or in retirement.

That is why the previous Labor government undertook a review of the age pension and increased the rate of the pension so that Australians could have a decent life in retirement.

Labor notes that after a quarter of a century with no increase to the rate of Newstart payments, the level of income for unemployed Australians is shamefully low by international standards.

Labor will urgently complete a review into the inadequacy of Newstart payments and make recommendations within the first 18 months of government, on how best to address this. The review should include broad consultation and surveying of unemployed Australians about how the low rate of Newstart impacts on their health, ability to re-enter employment and to afford basic necessities, with the responses to be publicly reported.”

Updated

The conference has moved on to aged care.

There is no debate here. Everyone wants more money for aged care. Everyone wants standards raised. Everyone wants action before the royal commission.

From Labor’s platform:

Australia’s aged care system should give older Australians:

  • A high minimum standard of quality care, underpinned by adequate staffing levels with the appropriate mix of skills;
  • The right to fair, sustainable, quality care services appropriate to their needs;
  • Greater range, choice of support and care arrangements, and control over who provides these, the mix of support and care services, and the terms on which they are provided;
  • The ability to easily navigate the aged care system in order to obtain the care they need;
  • Equity of access to services for different population groups;
  • Open and transparent information and data on facilities, services and staffing; and
  • Increased accountability of tax payer funding provided to all aged care facilities and services, including not-for-profits and private providers.

No conference agreement to increase the Newstart payment

One of the conference flash points, as we’ve alerted you to, has been whether or not the conference will agree to an increase in the Newstart payment. Left-faction delegate Darcy Byrne has been signalling for some months he would bring a motion to the floor arguing for an increase.

Given there’s been a motion drafted, there have been a range of discussions over the past few days. It’s been pretty obvious that the leadership did not want to be locked into an increase, given the fiscal implications. Increasing the payment would cost billions.

Given the reluctance of the leadership to go there, there will be no conference commitment to increase the payment.

The conference will, instead, agree to undertake a review into the payment within 18 months. I’m told the agreed motion will also commit the party to consulting unemployed people about the practical impact of trying to get by on such a low benefit.

Annnnnd the environment motions have all been carried, without debate.

I told you there had been a lot of work behind the scenes before this conference. This is why. The fights have been had behind closed doors, instead of on the conference floor, which is what tends to happen when you are five minutes from an election.

Updated

For those asking, Labor has released what those on the conference room floor have labelled the “doomsday” video, which showed just before Bill Shorten took to the conference stage.

Updated

Tanya Plibersek has spoken to Sky outside the conference hall:

Again, all of these motions are being carried, without a vote from the floor.

We move on to this one from Michael O’Connor:

Labor will support internationally recognised forest certification with robust governance arrangements which set best practice, transparent, consistent and objective standards in sustainable forest management, chain of custody and labelling, and require employers in the industry to uphold acknowledge, respect, sustain and support the principles and rights at work as defined in the ILO declaration on fundamental principles and rights at work (1998) based on the eight ILO core labour conventions.

Which has been altered, already, to this one:

Labor will require international forest certification schemes operating in Australia to have workers’ representatives on their global and Australian governing boards nominated by the International Trade Union Confederation and the Australian Council of Trade Unions respectively.

Again, carried, without debate.

Updated

The Greens have responded to Labor’s environmental policies, by claiming many of them as their own. Sarah Hanson Young:

We welcome Labor adopting Greens’ policy on stronger protections for the environment, but without proper investment and committing to no new coal, oil and gas they will fail.

We need a government committed to stopping Adani and protecting the Great Australian Bight.

We need a government that will invest in environmental protections and save our threatened species.

The Greens in the Senate will ensure Labor is held to their promises on protecting the environment. We will always stand up to the fossil fuels lobby and fight for no new coal, oil and gas.

Labor continues to ignore the calls to phase out coal and stop the Adani mine. They are still split on drilling for oil in the Great Australian Bight, which not only comes at great risk to the marine environment and local fishing and tourism industries, but locks us to burning fossil fuels into the future.

Unless we transition out of burning fossil fuels, we will continue to contribute to a warming planet at a time when action to arrest climate change is more urgent than ever.

Updated

Ged Kearney is moving the next section.

It has changed from this:

There is no longer any credible or serious scientific doubt that human-induced climate change represents a massive risk to Australia and the world. As a result, meaningful action on climate change is urgent, at home and internationally. Labor will take strong action on climate change to mitigate the risks and impacts of climate change on Australian society and economy, and to take advantage of the opportunities transitioning to a low pollution economy represent for workers, businesses and Australia more broadly.

To this:

The contemporary challenge:

There is no longer any credible or serious scientific doubt that human-induced climate change represents a massive risk to Australia and the world. The recent IPCC report indicates that we are experiencing a climate emergency and, as a result, meaningful action on climate change is urgent, at home and internationally. Labor will take strong action on climate change to mitigate the risks and impacts of climate change on Australian society and economy, and to take advantage of the opportunities transitioning to a low pollution economy represent for workers, businesses and Australia more broadly.

Updated

This amendment:

Labor does not support mining or other resource extraction in national parks and world heritage areas.

Has been altered to this amendment:

Labor will ensure environmental laws are fully applied to protect world heritage sites from the construction of dams or raising of dam walls that would inundate those sites.

Kristina Keneally has also reiterated Labor’s promise to take back the $444m from the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. That got a cheer.

Updated

Matt Thistlewaite says it has been five years and the Coalition still doesn’t have an energy policy, and that they threw out the prime minister rather than work towards a policy they could live with.

It has to be said that if there was ever a room where you could say you were preaching to the converted, this is it.

Updated

I didn’t do a count, so I can’t comment on the numbers in this statement – I can confidently say there were a lot of protesters, so many that some of the delegates inside the conference were taken aback.

From the Australian Youth Climate Coalition (the same group that staged a sit-in protest in the foyer of Parliament House recently) statement:

800 fired-up South Australians took to the ALP National Conference today to demand they lead on climate and commit to keeping fossil fuels in the ground.

Chants of “Keep it in the ground” and “We will, we will stop you Adani” could be heard from inside the conference centre as the Labor Party was inside discussing their climate and environment policy.

Kelly Albion, MC of the rally from Australian Youth Climate Coalition said: “First Nations people, young people, parents and grandparents were loud and fired up, because our future is on the line and we won’t stand for Labor’s compromises and fence-sitting when it comes to phasing out fossil fuel exports.”

The crowd gathered at the entrance to the Convention Centre to hear from youth, union, religious and First Nations leaders about the urgency of the transition beyond fossil fuels. They then marched around the building to ensure their message was heard by attendees inside.

“Children and young people all over the world are having to make sacrifices and will continue to do so. They are paying the price of our inaction today. We are so lucky to have the privilege to stand up and speak out – that’s why I’m here taking action on climate change,” Adelaide high school student Doha Khahn said at today’s event.

Philippa Rowland, president of Multifaith SA, also addressed the crowd. “People of faith in Australia feel the urgent need for an ethical response to threats posed to vulnerable communities from escalating climate impacts across our region – all climate policies must include a rapid transition away from fossil fuels,” she said.

“It’s insane Australia is opening up new oil, gas and coal frontiers when we know we need to stop burning fossil fuels,” said Wilderness Society South Australia director Peter Owen. “Expanding the fossil fuel industry is the height of irresponsibility and not an option if we are to have any chance of providing our children with a liveable climate,

“We now know we must act immediately to avoid locking in catastrophic climate change. Allowing the fossil fuel industry to expand would negate Labor’s good work in promoting renewable energy. It’s time for the Labor party to show national leadership and commit to stopping the expansion of the fossil fuel industry when it sets its election platform at this national conference.”

“With Queensland on fire one week, and battered with the storms the next, the equation is simple: fossil fuels must stay in the ground. If Labor wants to be taken seriously as a leader on climate action, they must commit to stopping Adani, keeping oil in the Bight and ban fracking. We won’t settle for anything less,” concluded Kelly Albion.

Updated

Anika Wells, Labor’s candidate for Lilley, now that Wayne Swan has announced he’ll be stepping down at the next election, uses the opportunity to lay out Labor’s plan of attack in Queensland, where it has nine targeted seats.

Those paying attention know that it means taking the government’s “formerly known as the big stick” policy and turning it into a battle over privatisation.

Stu Traill from the Queensland ETU seconds that. That’s because two state governments have fallen in Queensland because of privatisation policies. Queenslanders hate it. HATE it. So Labor has seen an opportunity to set up a separate campaign in Queensland, where the election will be won and lost, and they are going to seize it.

And it’s just getting started.

Updated

Pat Conroy and his linen jacket (#neverforget) is leading the charge when it comes to Labor’s push to have climate change policies also include job growth.

His latest amendment, combines the two – renewable energies yes, but make sure it includes a new workforce opportunity.

Labor recognises that the development of a carbon neutral hydrogen industry will be a critical part of Australia’s transition to a decarbonised economy. Clean hydrogen will be essential to decarbonising the electricity, manufacturing, household and transport sectors. It also offers enormous opportunities to grow a domestic hydrogen industry to generate significant export earnings from international demand as well as to satisfy our local needs. Accordingly, Labor will establish a national hydrogen strategy to seize these opportunities.

Updated

While the conference floor is motoring through these amendments, other meetings are happening on the sidelines:

The environment protection act changes are now official Labor policy, having been carried.

Again, we haven’t gone to the floor for any motion or amendment as yet.

Meanwhile, Scott Morrison needs a new pair of glasses, because his dog ate his old ones.

Updated

The original amendment looked like this (you’ll notice what is missing in the first few dot points)

Australia needs new frameworks for truly national protection and management of Australia’s natural resources to enshrine federal leadership in proactive and systemic protection of our environment from threats such as climate change. Labor will:

  • Reform federal environment laws;
  • Ensure the knowledge and rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are central in environment protection laws, programs and policies;
  • Create strong, well-resourced, science-based, independent environment institutional structures with strong legislative and financial basis to proactively protect environmental assets, regularly report on progress on actions and outcomes and provide policy leadership and compliance functions;
  • Implement clear management, governance and decision making structures and responsibility that are transparent, efficient and streamlined, relating not only to development applications but also priorities for proactive protection;
  • Provide consistent, national standards and adequate, publicly available data for decision making;
  • Improve regulation and streamline environmental assessment processes;
  • Restore democracy, respect and protection of rights for civil society involvement in environmental matters;
  • Manage Australia’s environment fairly and efficiently as a foundation for ecologically sustainable jobs; and
  • Protect biodiversity and support resilience in the natural environment.

The first environment chapter amendment is up.

It’s this one:

Australia needs new frameworks for truly national protection and management of Australia’s natural resources to enshrine federal leadership in proactive and systemic protection of our environment from threats such as climate change, and to protect the value of heritage sites.

Labor will:

  • Establish an Australian Environment Act within the first term of government;
  • Ensure the knowledge and rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are central in environment protection laws, programs and policies;
  • For the purposes of managing matters of national environmental significance, create strong, well resourced, science based institutions to administer the law: including a federal environmental protection agency to conduct public inquiries, provide transparent and timely advice to the minister within a clear decision-making framework and enforcement; and ensure there is the capacity in the public service to provide federal leadership on the environment;
  • Implement clear management, governance and decision making structures that are transparent, efficient and streamlined;
  • Improve regulation and streamline environmental assessment processes;
  • Manage Australia’s environment fairly and efficiently as a foundation for ecologically, socially and economically sustainable jobs;
  • Protect biodiversity and support resilience in the natural environment; and
  • Direct the Environment Department to establish national environment plans that set targets and approaches to proactively protect the environment

Updated

We have had our first Dennis Denuto reference of the day.

NSW Lean executive member David Tierney quoted The Castle lawyer in his speech, urging support for the environment chapter.

Updated

Tony Burke says Labor will stop all the super trawlers, reinstate the marine parks and increase the number of indigenous rangers.

Labor’s climate change spokesman, Mark Butler, is introducing the climate chapter, before the first amendment to be moved by the shadow environment minister, Tony Burke.

The amendment adds substance to Bill Shorten’s announcement this morning – clarifying the new Australian Environment Act will be introduced in Labor’s first term of government and explaining the environmental protection agency will conduct inquiries, provide advice to the minister, and enforce environmental laws.

But rather than create a national environment commission, the second body requested by the Labor Environment Action Network, Labor will instead direct the environment department to establish national environmental plans to set non-binding “targets and approaches to proactively protect the environment”.

Updated

Tony Burke seconds the conference moving to the environment chapter, saying Labor “has always been the party of the environment”.

He thanks the green army who are present – and they cheer.

He says it was Labor who stopped the Great Barrier Reef from being drilled, Hawke and Keating who saved the Franklin Dam, Rudd and Gillard who saved Migaloo and the oceans.

Butler says Labor is not just “willing” to start tackling climate change, “we are impatient for it”.

Butler is talking about the importance of tackling climate change, or lowering emissions, and taking the Paris climate accords seriously.

Security guards have started lining the aisles in the conference hall, where Mark Butler is delivering his speech, in anticipation of more protesters attempting to disrupt the events.

Mark Butler has opened the environment section of today’s debate.

Meanwhile, outside, this protest is still growing:

Meanwhile, the anti-Adani protest outside the conference centre is growing. You can hear the shouts from deep inside the building.

Updated

The Wong and Cameron press conference was pushed back.

Updated

The conference is back.

The environment section is about to start.

It is almost all sorted, we are told, but possibly not to the extend the anti-Adani protesters outside would like.

That protest is beginning to kick off again, outside the conference hall.

Updated

David Cameron and Penny Wong are next on the press conference circuit.

Their up at 2.15pm Adelaide time (subtract or add time depending on your location, but it is about 10 minutes from now)

Updated

And just on that, Bill Shorten has issued Labor’s official response:

On behalf of the federal opposition, I congratulate General (retd) David Hurley on his appointment as Australia’s next governor general.

General Hurley has dedicated his life to serving Australia, including decades in the defence force and then as Governor of New South Wales.

The opposition was informed of the announcement this morning.

While I am pleased the prime minister received approval from the United Kingdom for this merited appointment, I hope this is the last time an Australian prime minister has to call Buckingham Palace for permission.

We are a country that can stand on its own two feet: an Australian republic with an Australian head of state.

That’s what the next Labor government is determined to deliver.

Updated

Conference is still on break and the delegates have moved into their individual caucus spaces.

I see there is a bit of discussion below the line about the possibility of Labor protesting the appointment.

I’ve asked and have been told by multiple sources that it “would be very hard for us to do anything on this”, but there is what you could call annoyance at the way the appointment has been made.

That’s not a reflection on David Hurley, they were all quick to point out, but that it was done on conference weekend, six months out, in an election year.

Labor’s shadow treasurer, Chris Bowen, has given a press conference to discuss housing affordability and Labor’s plan to put superannuation in the national employment standards, giving employees and unions the ability to pursue businesses who fail to pay in the courts.

Asked about the appointment of the former chief of defence force David Hurley to the role of governor general, Bowen said that it was a “perfectly appropriate” appointment but let rip on the timing and lack of consultation before the announcement.

Bowen said:

I would’ve thought it’s appropriate, given he will begin his term after the next election, that the prime minister would have had the good grace to consult the leader of the opposition. I understand the leader of the opposition was informed this morning but was not consulted … Do we really believe that a governor general who will be taking up his post in the middle of next year had to be announced today while the leader of the opposition was making an important speech at the very same time? What a coincidence. The fact the prime minister feels that appropriate to pick the announcement of a vice regal important which coincides with the Labor national conference and the leader’s speech says more about Scott Morrison than anybody else.

Updated

On why Labor believes there needs to be a federal environmental protection agency, Chris Bowen says:

I think the states have had environmental protection authorities for many years. In some instances, 30 years. Getting the appropriate to rigour around environmental protection is at the federal level. Having a more independent process. The amount of rigour that it is fair to say the state EBA supply. Those big approvals which require national approvals, why shouldn’t we have the same system and I think that’s appropriate and Bill has made an announcement today. You would expect a degree of consultation around what goes in.”

Updated

Asked about Paul Fletcher’s criticism of the housing package, Chris Bowen says he “does not accept the premise”.

Asked about Newstart, Chris Bowen says it is “low” and Labor has committed to reviewing it.

He is asked again and repeats the same line. It is almost as though he anticipated it.

What that means, is that there has been no agreement to raise it, as the Left wants. And least as it stands right now.

Chris Bowen also says it is “a rather unusual circumstance” for an appointment of a governor general has been announced well before the term will begin.

And that perhaps Scott Morrison may have “paused for a second” and consulted with the opposition over the appointment. You know, because he is not actually taking up the role for another six months. After the election.

Updated

On the protests, Chris Bowen says Labor runs an “open conference” and sometimes people protest. But he says the important thing was how Bill Shorten handled it, which he said was with “dignity”.

The conference has broken for lunch, but Chris Bowen and the Labor finance shadow cabinet are holding a press conference on some of the issues that have been thrown up today.

Updated

Paul Fletcher has responded to Labor’s housing affordability plan. He’s not happy. You could say that Fletch is attempting to kill the vibe:

Bill Shorten’s housing announcement offers no new ideas – it simply recycles Kevin Rudd’s flawed national rental affordability scheme (NRAS.)

And the total investment of $102m over the four-year forward estimates period barely moves the needle.

By contrast, our Liberal National government will spend more than $30bn on housing over the next five years.

“This poorly thought-out announcement is entirely consistent with Labor’s sorry policy approach to housing – including its plan to cut negative gearing which will drive house prices down further and make life harder for Australians wanting to rent a home,” said families and social services minister Paul Fletcher.

“Labor’s message on housing is clear – if you own a home, Labor will make it worth less. If you rent a home, Labor will make it cost more.”

Fletcher said over the five years commencing in 2018-19, the Liberal National government would spend $7bn on delivering affordable homes through the national housing and homelessness agreement, plus an additional $620m on fighting homelessness, and more than $22.5bn on commonwealth rental assistance to vulnerable Australians to help pay the rent.

“Labor’s NRAS scheme left investors vulnerable to scammers and did too little to boost affordable housing stock – but Bill Shorten wants to go back to the same flawed approach.”

NRAS was full of holes from the very beginning, which included:

· No protections for, or even mention of, investors in the legal framework – with the result that dodgy operators have ripped off mum and dad investors.

· The incentive is the same for a one-bedroom unit or a four bedroom house – so the scheme has discouraged the construction of bigger houses for families in need.

· The incentive is the same all across Australia – so it is less likely to stimulate new housing in higher cost areas.

“Since we came to government, we have worked hard to fix the holes in NRAS.

“Now Bill Shorten wants to revive the scheme – but how it will be funded is all smoke and mirrors.

“Almost all of the announced spending occurs after the first four years. What we do know is that they are allocating just $102m.

“This is classic Labor. They promise big spending but hide it away beyond the forward estimates because they know they don’t have the money now – and nor are they likely to have it after four years of Labor economic mismanagement and lack of budget discipline.”

Updated

The convenor of the Labor Environment Action Network, Felicity Wade, had a chat to the ABC about what she hopes Labor’s pledge for a Environmental Protection Agency would actually look like:

“We’re looking to both make sure that we are building some independence – into the development of approvals process, but one of the key ideas in the idea of reforming environment law is to move away from a focus just on development approvals.

That’s where we’re failing. The EPBC, the current environmental federal law, is about facilitating development.

It is all about that reactive piece to when people want to build a mine, cut down a forest, whatever it is. What the new law [will] also do will totally turn that upside-down and say, ‘What do we want to protect?’ Go about working out what we want to protect, put plans and systems in to do that, and then build from there.”

Updated

Wayne Swan is congratulating the room for sticking to the timetable.

This is a man who has a gong, and is not afraid to use it.

So far, every motion has been carried, without any need to go to the floor.

That is partly because the most contentious issues haven’t come up, but mostly because of all the behind-the-scenes work that has been going on for months to come to an agreement before these amendments hit the floor.

Updated

Thistlethwaite’s motion is carried.

The one below is not even spoken on – and is carried automatically.

Labor recognises the challenge and potential economic and social shock that automation presents to the labour force, and in government will:

  • A Labor government will attempt to legislate, and where not feasible will enshrine in the appropriate regulatory framework, a Future of Work Forum.
  • Consider the implementation of a temporary, economy wide “training levy” for businesses with 100 or more employees. Funds would help retrain workers in higher and vocational education.
  • Consider the implementation and creation of a temporary redundancy and retraining guarantee fund for medium to large businesses. A small percentage of employee costs would be payable into an independent fund. Funds would go to the retraining of workers directly impacted by automation or redundancy. Funds would be separate to and in addition to any redundancy and entitlement payments.
  • Consider the introduction of a temporary retrenchment, retraining and redeployment levy for medium and large businesses – in instances where businesses retrench workers and remain in operation, a levy would be payable for the purposes of funding retraining.

The conference moves on to this one:

Labor notes the $6bn in economic benefits that a container terminal at the Port of Newcastle would provide to NSW – and the Hunter region in particular – and supports the private-sector development of a container terminal at the Port of Newcastle. Labor also notes the significant environmental and amenity benefits of reducing traffic congestion in Sydney if the NSW freight task is more evenly spread throughout NSW. Labor further notes the unique and unfair regulatory hurdles which are impeding the development of the container port at both the state and national level. Labor resolves to remove both the flawed pricing regime and the secret NSW government imposed container movement charge so as to enable to the Port of Newcastle to develop a container terminal as soon as practicable.

And it is also carried.

Updated

Matt Thistlethwaite is up next. He is thanking the party for supporting and campaigning for a royal commission into the banks but he is calling for the next steps:

Labor has long had concerns about the systemic misconduct within the financial services sector, particularly the big banks.

In April 2016, the leader of the opposition and the shadow treasurer took the bold and courageous step of announcing that Labor would call for a royal commission into the banks and financial services industry. Federal Labor successfully fought for the establishment of the banking royal commission, against opposition from the Liberals and then treasurer Scott Morrison – who voted against the establishment of a banking royal Commission 26 times.

The royal commission is now uncovering sickening and systemic misconduct and crime in financial services including

    • hundreds of millions of dollars that have been charged in ‘fees for no service’ – including fees charged to dead people;
    • hundreds of thousands of potentially criminal breaches of financial services law;
    • First Nations communities being targeted by appalling predatory lending and insurance sales;
    • lenders routinely duping Australians into shockingly inappropriate loans; and
    • low income Australians, small businesses and farmers having their lives destroyed by the big banks.

The culture within the industry, driven by boards and senior executives – particularly the big banks – has been profoundly damaged by greed. This culture has resulted in poor outcomes for customers and workers across the sector. The banking royal commission provides a once in a generation opportunity to create more fairness in an industry that affects every single Australian. Only a Labor government can be trusted to clean up this sector.

A future Labor government will establish a financial services royal commission implementation taskforce, to reform the culture of profit over people in the financial services sector. A Labor government will crack down on the banks and other lenders and put in place the policies necessary to ensure this kind of misconduct is appropriately punished.

Conference supports a future Labor government taking action to address:

    • the dishonesty and profound greed within the sector, particularly the issue of conflicted remuneration;
    • the failure of regulators to prevent this misconduct;
    • the inadequate support for victims of misconduct; and
    • the lack of common decency within the big banks and their inadequate hardship policies.

Updated

Cathy O’Toole, who is in for a massive fight to keep Herbert (a literal handful of votes won her the Queensland seat in the last election, and it is Labor’s most marginal seat), is speaking in support of the super changes.

It is carried.

Updated

The trade amendments were passed.

The conference has moved on to the gender pay gap:

Universal superannuation is a vital part of a system designed to give Australian workers a decent standard of living in retirement after a lifetime of work. But the Superannuation system is failing women.

On average, women retire with 47% less superannuation than men. This is a national disgrace and institutionalised gender discrimination.

A range of factors combine to create this wicked problem for women, most notably:

  • The gender pay gap
  • Caring responsibilities
  • Low pay and insecure work
  • Feminised industries that undervalue women’s work
  • Relationship breakdown
  • Unaffordable housing particularly for renters
  • Regressive tax treatments

The Coalition federal government has repeatedly failed to deliver policies that will improve women’s retirement incomes.

Conference commends Senator Jenny McAllister on her work chairing the Economic Security for Women in Retirement Inquiry in 2016, and the Opposition Leader, Shadow Minister for Women, Shadow Treasurer and Shadow Minister for Financial Services for their work in making announcements that Labor in government will:

  • Eliminate the $450 minimum threshold for compulsory employer superannuation contributions; and
  • Pay superannuation on the federal government Paid Parental Leave Scheme.

There is more to be done. Unions have undertaken extensive research which highlights that women are at greater risk of poverty, housing stress and homelessness in retirement.

Conference supports the following policy priorities and amendments to applicable legislation and regulations to address the structural disadvantages women face in the superannuation system:

  • Closing the gender pay gap through a range of measures including providing an effective mechanism for unions to pursue pay equity claims through the workplace relations system;
  • Ensuring workers are paid superannuation on every dollar they earn;
  • Moving towards paid maternity leave being considered Ordinary Time Earnings, for the purposes of the Superannuation Guarantee;
  • Increasing the SGC to 12% without delay; and
  • Within the first 6 months of taking office, initiating an expert review to examine the adequacy of mechanisms to strengthen the superannuation balances of women, including options for government contributions to account balances where the account balance is very low, and the optimal timing and nature of such contributions.

Updated

Pat Conroy, and his linen jacket, which has so far been the talk of the conference (I cannot tell you how many messages I have received from Labor MPs and staff asking if I have seen Pat’s jacket) is also speaking in support of these trade amendments.

He says Labor will reject free-trade agreements, which are against Australia’s national interests.

Updated

Labor’s shadow trade minister, Jason Clare, has moved the following amendments, reflecting commitments to tighten trade deal standards negotiated in caucus after Labor agreed to pass the TPP11:

Labor will prohibit through legislation the commonwealth signing trade agreements that:

  1. Waive labour market testing;
  2. Include investor state dispute settlement provisions;
  3. Include provisions that require the privatisation of any public services;
  4. Include provisions that undermine the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme;
  5. Include provisions that undermine any law of the commonwealth, a state or a territory relating to anti dumping;
  6. Include provisions that limit the right of the commonwealth to regulate in the interests of public welfare or in relation to safe products.
  7. Include provisions that have the effect of restricting the commonwealth’s procurement arrangements from any form of preference for the purpose of:
    a. Protecting Australia’s essential security interests; b.Benefiting local small and medium enterprises; c.Protecting national treasures; d.Implementing measures for the health, welfare and economic and social advancement of Indigenous people; e.Promoting ethical standards and sustainable development though ethical procurement; f.Providing for the full, fair and reasonable participation of local enterprises in government contracts as outlined in Commonwealth, State and Territory industry participation policies and successor programs and policies; and g. Maintaining the Australian industry capability programs and its successor programs and policies.
  8. Explicitly exempt any category of natural persons from Australian laws and regulations, including applicable Australian workplace law, work safety law and relevant Australian licensing, regulation and certification standards laws and regulations.

    Labor will legislate so that trade agreements signed by the commonwealth:
  1. Require skills assessments (including practical and theoretical testing) to be undertaken in Australia and not restrict such skills assessments for temporary visa holders.
  2. Must include in any future bilateral trade agreement a labour chapter with enforceable internationally recognised labour standards.
  3. Should seek to include a labour chapter with enforceable internationally recognised labour standards in any regional or multilateral trade agreements.

Labor in opposition will oppose agreements which do not comply with points 1-11, nor will most favoured nation status be used to undermine them.

If prior to an election of a Labor government trade agreements are signed which are not consistent with the above, Labor in government will renegotiate the agreement to ensure it is consistent with the above points before bringing any enabling legislation before the parliament.

Updated

Cassandra Goldie of the Australian Council of Social Services has warmly welcomed Labor’s $6bn affordable housing pledge:

“The cost of housing is crippling low-income people with many being forced into homelessness,” Acoss CEO Cassandra Goldie said.

“We welcome Labor’s announcement which focuses on the plight of renters on low to moderate incomes and includes ambitious affordable housing targets that would go a long way towards tackling Australia’s chronic shortage of affordable housing.

“It’s significant that Labor’s program to drive investment in new affordable rental stock would encourage energy efficiency, as we know low-income households have to spend a far greater proportion of their income on electricity bills than medium and high income households.

“We welcome the opposition’s commitment, and we now need the Morrison government to urgently address our housing affordability crisis.

“Australia now has the highest median wealth in the world and yet still we have people sleeping rough or going without food in order to pay rent.

“The reality is that even with Labor’s commitment to provide housing at 20% less than market rate, these homes will still be out of reach for many low income earners. We must address the erosion of the social housing system which provides a vital safety net for the most disadvantaged in our community.

“To help those struggling the most financially, we need to address the inadequacy of commonwealth rent assistance through an increase of $20 per week, which Labor’s package today stops short of committing. Combined with a $75 per week increase to Newstart, modelling shows that a $20 a week increase to rent assistance would bridge the gap between low incomes and minimum living costs for a single person household.

“We can afford to ensure that everyone has a roof over their head, including by reforming housing tax concessions, which disproportionately benefit the very wealthy.”

Updated

All those other motions were carried.

Jason Clare is now arguing for a change in how trade deals are done.

That’s because of the big debate the caucus just had over Labor supporting the TPP 11.

Clare wants trade to “not just be free, but fair”.

The compromise motion on the Asic and Apra baby sitter is:

“Labor will promote an accessible, affordable, and fair Australian finance sector by ensuring our financial institutions are:

Regulated appropriately and professionally, including appropriate oversight for our financial regulators.”

The upcoming motions:

45. Labor will implement policies that work towards closing the significant gender gap in superannuation savings, including eliminating the $450 minimum threshold for compulsory employer contributions and paying superannuation on the Federal Government paid parental leave scheme. Further, Labor will, within the first 6 months of taking office, initiate an expert review to examine the adequacy of mechanisms to strengthen the superannuation balances of women, including options for government contributions to account balances where the account balance is very low, and the optimal timing and nature of such contributions. Labor will work with unions and employers to make the structural changes necessary to repair the diverging accumulation pathways of men and women’s superannuation balances.

46. We understand the particular challenge for millions of Australians who for parts of their career are primary carers, including those women on parental leave without pay, and the shortfalls they may experience in generating appropriate retirement income levels. Labor will legislate to provide superannuation contributions on the Government paid parental leave scheme.

50. Labor will work with the Superannuation industry to streamline processes for consolidating multiple superannuation accounts to maximise the retirement savings of Australians.

51. Labor will work with the Superannuation industry to deliver fee relief for workers on unpaid carers leave to ensure that superannuation products are not adversely impacting workers with caring responsibilities.

It turns out we can’t access the motions page, because we are not connected to the local internet server, which we also can not access.

It has been, quite the morning.

Paul Karp has ridden to my rescue (along with my phone hotspot, bless it)

These are the amendments they’re currently debating:

  • Labor will urgently prioritise this objective by ending the freeze and increasing the Superannuation Guarantee to 12 per cent as soon as practicable. Once the important goal of 12% has been achieved Labor will set out the pathway to its original objective of 15% to further enhance retirement income adequacy for workers.
  • Adding more consumer safeguards including “schemes to protect customers from negligent and fraudulent financial services providers”.
  • Labor will ensure that the Royal Commission is given enough time to consider all the injustices suffered by victims of the banking and financial services sector and that it delivers restorative justice to those wronged. Labor will implement recommendations from the Royal Commission which benefit and protect everyday Australians and prevent wrongdoing from taking place again.

All were just carried.

And an update:

The Michael O’Connor motion, asking for an oversight for the regulators has been “settled”.

A compromise motion will be put forward, but no vote.

I think we can take from that, that there will be a motion talking about the desirability of having oversight, but the actual body will be something discussed later.

A delegate has just stepped up to the podium, and I think it is Paddy Crumblin, to thank Wayne Swan for getting Australia through the global financial crisis. He also has a few choice words for Rupert Murdoch. I think you can fill in the blanks for what those words were *insert duck emoji*

The amendment motion page is down (dreaded 404 link) but we’ll bring you what is happening again soon.

So far, it has been on the finance sector and on superannuation, for which there is agreement.

The only thing which has not been agreed upon, so far, is those Asic and Apra babysitters (the proposed board which sits above them) but a quick chat with a few delegates points to them almost coming to an agreement.

Updated

The official David Hurley statement has been released by the PMO:

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has approved my recommendation to appoint His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) as Australia’s next governor general.

General Hurley will be Australia’s 27th governor general.

General Hurley is currently the governor of New South Wales, having been appointed to the role in October 2014.

He has been a very popular governor of NSW. From his weekly boxing workouts with Indigenous children as part of the Tribal Warriors program to his frequent regional trips, Governor Hurley is known for being generous and approachable to old and young alike.

General Hurley will be sworn in on 28 June 2019, to allow for the fulfilment of his duties as governor of New South Wales.

Her Majesty The Queen has agreed to extend the appointment of the current Governor General, His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd), until that time.

Prior to his appointment as Governor of New South Wales, General Hurley served in the Australian Army for 42 years, including as the Chief of the Defence Force from 2011 to 2014.

He was appointed a companion of the order of Australia in 2010 for eminent service to the Australian defence force and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his leadership during Operation SOLACE in Somalia in 1993.

General Hurley and Mrs Hurley have been married for 41 years and they have three adult children: Caitlin, Marcus and Amelia.

The governor general holds office at the pleasure of the Queen, however the term is usually understood to be five years.

General Cosgrove has discharged his duties to date with distinction and grace and I thank him for agreeing to continue in the role to assist in the transition.

Updated

Wayne Swan is taking his “gong” duties very seriously.

No one is getting a second over time, while making their amendment speeches.

Updated

Labor Environmental Action Network national convenor Felicity Wade has welcomed Bill Shorten’s announcement of a new environmental act and commonwealth environmental protection agency.

She said:

There’s a lot of talk at this conference about unwinding the neoliberal John Howard [era] consensus, and Howard’s environmental laws are one of the manifestations of that that allow the market and business to have free reign over the environment and community. That’s a clear marker that Bill is committed to doing the reform that needs to be done.

We’re still waiting for further detail. LEAN had asked for two new agencies – a science-based EPA to oversee development decisions and a national environment commission to develop legally binding plans and standards for protection.

Updated

So what were the wins in that speech?

A quick chat to a few delegates points to what Murph has already said – that the new environment act and a commonwealth environmental protection authority are being counted as a pretty big victory.

There is still some wrangling going on over the Asic and Apra supervision layer but we’ll keep you updated.

Updated

Doug Cameron is called to the stage. “Go Dougie!” comes from the floor.

Labor’s finance team has issued their statement on the changes to superannuation:

Labor will change the laws to include a right to superannuation within the national employment standards, which will give all employees the power to pursue their unpaid superannuation.

Currently unpaid or underpaid employer superannuation contributions are a debt owed to the Australian taxation office, rather than the worker. Unless there is a clause in their award or agreement, workers can’t chase this money – as the money is not technically owed to them.

By placing superannuation within the national employment standards in the Fair Work Act, a Shorten Labor government will empower all employees to recoup unpaid super from employers through the Fair Work Commission or the federal court.

Labor will also strengthen the ATO compliance regime and increase penalties for employers for underpayment or non-payment of superannuation.

Updated

Some quick thoughts on that speech. The first point to make is Bill Shorten knows who his opponent is at the next federal election. In his mind, it’s not Scott Morrison, it’s disaffection.

It’s voters, increasingly, parting ways with the major parties. Voter frustration is the opponent.

With that firmly in mind, we can identify very clearly who Shorten is talking to with his opening address to conference.

The pitch was to working Australians.

Now part of that is just the normal conference dynamic.

These events are about rallying the base, and Shorten will spend a lot of the next three days whispering his former trade union colleagues, because that human infrastructure increasingly gives Labor’s campaign a structural advantage over their opponents.

It’s boots on the ground.

But Sunday’s pitch was about more than rallying the comrades. It was about speaking directly to voters who are most at risk of voting for others – One Nation, or other populist independents likely to present themselves between now and polling day.

It was about holding these folks for Labor. It was about telling them Labor has an economic agenda for them: education and technical training, superannuation, affordable housing and a fairer workplace relations system for people without bargaining power.

It reflects a view if you don’t have an economic agenda for these voters, they will be captured by protest politicians peddling nativism.

The first half of the speech was about telling working Australians Labor in 2018 is not post-material, but focused on the material wellbeing of Australian workers.

The second half of the speech pitched to the progressivism of Labor’s post-material constituency – protecting the ABC, the importance of multiculturalism, and the offering on climate change and environmental regulation (which sounds like a win for Labor’s Environmental Action Network).

But even that squared the circle with working Australians.

A flourishing renewables sector meant jobs, it meant manufacturing, with products made in Australia.

Shorten wrapped up by telling delegates the eyes of the country were on them. (Hint, hint, no conference blow outs people).

Working Australians needed a Labor government, and the movement needed to be up to the task.

He, Shorten, needed to be up to the task. It was time to write the country large, and build for the best.

It was time to restore hope in the fair go.

We are united, we are determined, we are ready, Shorten said at the last – willing the onlookers to believe that was true.

Updated

Tanya Plibersek says Bill Shorten has laid out his “pledge” and “plan for a fair go” for the nation.

Bill’s family are on the stage, there are hugs all round, including for Tanya Plibersek.

In conclusion:

As I said at the beginning, over the next three days, truly the eyes of the nation are upon us.

We have an obligation ... that we need to measure up to that, collectively all of us, need to earn the trust of the Australian people.

Because when we leave here on Tuesday evening, we leave here with an enormous task in front of us.

Federal Labor has only won government from opposition three times since the second world war.

I know nobody will work harder than the people in this room to win the next election.

And nobody will work harder to be the government the nation deserves, the government the nation needs.

Because we don’t seek victory to make history for our party.

We seek government to build a fairer future for our country.

And, if we win this election, our No 1 challenge and my greatest ambition is to restore trust in our system.

To prove to the Australian people that politics and government can still serve their interests of everyday Australians, still make a difference to their daily lives of our fellow Australians.

To show there is still life and still hope in the fair go.

And if I have the privilege to serve as prime minister, my greatest hope is that people will say about me at the conclusion of that time.

“He delivered. He kept to his word. I want the citizens of this country to come up to my parliamentary team and say ‘we did this together, we didn’t always agree, we didn’t always succeed at every issue, but at last we had a government focused on the people.”

And when I look at my team and our plans, I know that if we keep to our word, we will do great things for this nation.

Friends, we have the vision for the future, the plan to pay for it and the team to deliver it.

We are united. We are determined. And we are ready.

Ready to serve. Ready to lead. Ready to govern.

Ready to deliver: A Fair Go for Australia.

Updated

The manifesto:

It was yay back in 1891, the year our party was born, Henry Lawson spoke of our continent as “a garden full of promise”. A garden full of promise.

And it’s always been Labor – our party and the movement – that makes good on that promise.

A living wage.

The age pension.

Workers compensation.

The right to organise for a better deal.

All of these began their life as dangerous experiments, radical notions.

We made them universal rights.

Higher education used to be an exclusive privilege.

Universal healthcare, a pipedream.

Superannuation was a luxury known only to a few.

We made them the definition of the fair go.

And we did not do this by looking around the world and aiming a little lower.

We did not do this by settling for less.

We made our own way. Our own story. We planned for the future, we built for the best because our people deserve no less.

We trusted Australians, their imagination, their courage, their faith in a commonwealth in spirit, as well as name.

That’s how Gough inspired us.

It’s what Bob taught us.

It’s Paul’s big picture.

Kevin’s victory.

Julia’s determination.

It’s what our Labor premiers and Labor leaders are doing, around the country right now.

It’s Curtin’s ‘task ahead’, it’s Chifley’s ‘light on the hill’.

It’s our Labor way: write the country large, build for the best.

Draw on the bravery and compassion ordinary Australians live every day.

That’s the Labor tradition that will guide us now: passing on a better deal to the next generation – social progress, economic prosperity and a fair go for all.

Updated

On foreign policy and identity:

We can build a stronger economy, achieve a fairer society and still champion a bigger and bolder sense of the Australian identity.

An Australia more at home with Asia, a better partner in the Pacific, a more independent foreign policy that speaks with an Australian accent.

A proud champion of our scientists and artists and athletes alike. A defender of our ABC. A nation back on the road to Reconciliation.

A multicultural society that knows what makes a good Australian is not how many generations you have been here, or how your family got here – it’s the life you build here.

And a country that stands on its own two feet: an Australian republic with an Australian head of state.

Updated

Labor commits to a new Environment Act

On energy:

We will cut pollution by 45% by 2030.

And today I announce that a Labor government will pass a new Environment Act and create a new commonwealth environmental protection authority to preserve our oceans, rivers, coasts and bushland and to protect the native species that call Australia home

And we will deliver furthermore 50% renewable energy by 2030.

We are going to unleash the potential of our renewable energy revolution.

It was only back in 2007, that a mere seven thousand homes in Australia had a solar panel on their roof, today it’s over 2 million households.

More and more families are taking back control of runaway power bills taking pressure off the energy grid and they have the chance, while individually taking up the fight against climate change – house by house, street by street.

There are big cheers at this, and the Lean group stamped the floor with their feet at this announcement. It’s a big win.

There are also cheers at this:

I don’t believe that Australia should just be installing batteries alone – we should be making them.

(“Yes, yes, yes”, yells the floor)

We already produce every metal needed to make a lithium battery in this country.

We’ve got the mining industry, the scientists, the skilled workers, our people have the get-up and go - they just need the leadership.

This time, we’re going to get it right.

We’re not going to miss an opportunity to value-add in renewable energy in this country and in years to come, when people are installing battery storage systems. I want to see the mark of quality – worldwide - to be three famous words: Made in Australia.”

Updated

On health:

We are a rich nation, we are a smart nation.

And if you’re fighting breast cancer, or melanoma, or your child is badly ill.

If you’re living with chronic pain from bad knees or a crook hip, if you’ve got cataracts, you need removed to get your quality of life back.

There’s one thing that should matter.

Not your wealth. Not your postcode. Not your ability to pay a bit extra.

One thing. A Gough Whitlam vision that Bob Hawke made reality.

A Labor promise, written in green and gold: your Medicare card.

That’s why we are going to end the Liberals’ Medicare freeze.

That is why we will put back the money they have cut from hospitals and that is why we will fund more beds, more staff and more equipment.

Updated

When we invest Australian taxpayer dollars:

We’ll maximise local content, like Australian standard steel.

We’ll make sure the regional towns – like Cairns and Townsville, the Central Coast and Northern Tassie – get their fair share of contracts, jobs and opportunities

And we’ll make a concrete rule: one in 10 people employed on site will be an Australian apprentice.

Building more affordable housing is infrastructure policy. It is cities policy.

It is jobs and productivity policy. And it is a fair dinkum population policy.

Updated

Shorten commits to biggest housing program since WWII

On housing:

Today I am proud to announce that, if elected, a Labor government will build 250,000 new affordable homes.

250,000 new homes:

For low-income working families.

For key workers like nurses, police, carers and teachers.

And for the fastest-growing group of Australians at risk of homelessness – women over 55.

250,000 new homes:

Universal design – fully accessible for all ages and for people with disability.

More energy efficient, meaning lower power bills.

And with a rental discount of 20%.

Our plan will mean a family paying the national rental average would save up to $92 a week, every week.

We will work with the states and territories, local councils and community housing providers to manage development and congestion … and to make sure these homes are built where they are needed most and go to the people who need them most, not foreign investors or international students.

And I want to see industry super stepping up and investing in affordable housing projects, investing in homes for the people of this country.

This will be the biggest national housing program since the war.

And we can pay for this $6.6bn investment in jobs and housing and productivity because we’ve made the big reform decisions.

Updated

On the NDIS:

The current system is over-engineered, over-complicated and over-populated with consultants and corporates who have no lived experience in disability.

There are too many layers, too many delays and too many people with genuine need who are made to feel like frauds and cheats by assessors.

One dad was asked: “How long has your daughter had Down’s syndrome?”

Can you imagine that?

Labor created the NDIS to empower people with disability, to put them in control of their lives.

And Labor will restore the NDIS to its proper status – and put people with disability back at the centre of decision-making.

Updated

On pay equality:

No more pay discounts just because you’re a woman – that’s Labor’s promise. We will strive for pay equity for feminised industries, including: aged-care workers, early educators and paid carers – the Australians we are counting on to deliver the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Updated

On workers and wages:

In our first 100 days, we are going to restore Sunday and public holiday penalty rates for 700,000 people who’ve had them cut.

We are going to make bargaining work again, so employees and employers can negotiate without the unfair threat of unilateral termination.

We are going to crack down on the use and abuse of labour hire casuals: because if you wear the same uniform, in the same workplace, perform the same tasks at the same classification, then you deserve the same wages and conditions. Under Labor, if you do same job, you get the same pay.

We are going to stop sham contracting and introduce a new, stronger test for the definition of casual employment.

Because you shouldn’t be classed as a “casual” for years just because your boss doesn’t want you to get holiday pay.

We will create a Just Transition Authority, so workers and communities get help adapting to industrial change.

And friends, today I am proud to announce, we are going to make superannuation part of the national employment standards.

The retirement savings of Australian workers are a workplace right.

They deserve the same strong protections as any other workplace right.

And bosses who rip-off their staff and steal their super should receive the same punishments and penalties as those who violate any other workplace right.

He says Labor will review the Newstart payment but does not mention whether Labor will commit to increasing it.

Updated

The Galilee Blockade have issued a statement on this morning’s protest:

Two #StopAdani citizen activists disrupted Bill Shorten of the first morning of the ALP National Conference, appealing for him to show climate leadership and Stop Adani.

Donna Smit, 49, holding the #StopAdani banner behind Bill Shorten on entry, said: “I disrupted Bill Shorten because he refuses to pay attention to our climate emergency. Coal is fuelling climate change, resulting in deadly heat waves, bushfires, droughts and storms. We need Labor to take lead on climate change by committing to stop Adani’s coalmine now.

“Adani are determined to dig their coalmine but we’re more determined to stop it, before the federal election. Thousands of passionate people will be at every community event and press conference, making this the climate election that finally stops Adani’s disastrous mine.”

Isaac Astill, 25, who talked to Bill Shorten on stage and handed him a #StopAdani banner, said: “80% of Labor supporters believe new coal mines are no longer in the national interest. Yet Bill Shorten and the Labor party still support Adani’s mine, opening up one of the largest untapped coal reserves on Earth.

“Bill Shorten wants to be our next prime minister. Australians are looking for political leaders who will stand up to the mining billionaires who are keeping our economy in the dark ages and putting our future at risk.”

Updated

On Tafe:

In the next four years, nine out of every 10 new jobs will need either a university degree of a Tafe qualification.

And I want 10 out of every 10 young Australians to be prepared for that economy and those new jobs.

So Labor will uncap university places, meaning that in the next decade, another 200,000 kids from the regions and the suburbs can become the first in their family to get a degree.

This is what Labor governments do.

We open the doors of higher education to everyone who studies hard and chases their dream. And, friends, I am proud to declare that when it comes to vocational education, Labor is backing public Tafe all the way.

In our first year in government, we are going to launch a great national program of renovating, upgrading and modernising Tafe campuses – starting in regional centres and the outer suburbs.

In our first three years, a Labor government will eliminate the upfront fees for 100,000 Tafe places in high-priority courses.

That’s Labor’s promise.

And we will come down like a tonne of bricks on companies using and abusing 457-style work visas, merely to avoid employing local workers and paying fair wages.

Because no skills shortage should last one day longer than it takes to train an Australian.

Updated

On primary education:

I’m the son of a great teacher, I’m a parent to three wonderful children. And, if I’m elected prime minister, I want every Australian child to get a great education at a great school.

No matter what their parents earn, no matter where they live.

Every school should teach the basics well: reading, writing, science, maths and coding.

Every child should have the chance to try art and sport and music and drama and camps.

Every child should get the individual attention they need to flourish.

And every child should be free to be themselves, safe from bullying and discrimination – in the playground and online.

A Labor government will put in the money and resources and teacher training to make this a reality.

No ifs, no buts. Nothing on the cheap. Blaming the teachers, no culture wars, no obsessing over the number of times Captain Cook is mentioned in the curriculum.

Just a quality education, for every Australian child – that’s Labor’s promise.

Updated

On education:

Under a Labor government, every Australian child will have access to two years of preschool or kindergarten.

Fifteen hours a week, 40 weeks a year, for every three-year-old and four-year-old in this country.

All the experts tell us that 90% of a child’s brain develops before the age of five.

And everywhere from the UK, France and Norway to China, South Korea and New Zealand, universal preschool for three-year-olds is the norm.

That includes a pay boost for childcare teachers.

Updated

Bill Shorten:

In a very real sense - our opponents at the next election are not just the Liberals and the Nationals, One Nation or the Greens.

Our opponents are distrust and disengagement, scepticism and cynicism. And our Labor mission is not just to win back government, it is to rebuild trust in our democracy, to restore meaning to the fair go.

Around the nation, we must breathe new life into an idea that we gathered here in this hall hold as an article of faith … The idea that government has the power to bring meaningful progress into people’s lives.

This is why we are committed to a real national integrity commission, with proper powers, to rebuild trust in our public institutions.

And it’s why we have rejected a small-target strategy and built a bold and detailed policy agenda.

A program for the next decade, not just the next election.

A Labor vision for the 2030s.

A plan to hand on a better deal to our kids – beginning with a once-in-a-generation reform to early education.

Updated

Some of the policy announcements from Shorten’s speech:

Closing the gap:

Let us pledge to take the Statement from the Heart into our hearts. If I’m elected prime minister, in my first week, I’ll sit down with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders. To talk about Closing the Gap, in genuine partnership. To talk about truth-telling and treaties. And to talk about Labor’s first priority for constitutional change: a Voice for First Nations people.

On gender equality:

Let us remember, at our last conference, we set a target of 50% women in our federal parliamentary party, by 2025. And, here in South Australia, the first state in the nation to give women the vote, the first place in the world where women could run for parliament. I am proud to say if we win the next election, our Labor government will be the first in Australian history with 50% women.

The economy:

Our Labor mission begins with building an economy that works in the interests of everyone. A strong economy with a skilled workforce, where businesses have the confidence and the incentive to invest and grow and employ. Including a 25% tax rate for 99% of all businesses. A fair economy where middle class and working class people get their rightful share of the national wealth.

Australians who drive hours every day, to insecure work in three different jobs – earning less than they deserve, being paid less than they’re owed and yet paying more tax than a multinational company.

Families loading-up the credit card at the end of every fortnight to pay the bills. People being ripped off by power companies, private health insurers, payday lenders, dodgy bosses and the big banks. And people being let down and ignored by their government. Teenagers who can’t find an apprenticeship, mature-age workers who can’t get a look-in. Farmers and rural communities battling drought – but buried in paperwork. Small businesses burdened with a second-rate NBN.

Pensioners and veterans treated like second-class citizens, made to wait months for a modest entitlement you’ve paid taxes for your whole life. Yet this government can find half-a-billion dollars in half-an hour for well-connected private foundations. Schoolkids who can’t understand why it’s so hard for the so-called adults in government to recognise that climate change is real and to do something about it. People financially ruined by the cost of cancer treatment, or who can’t find aged care for a parent diagnosed with dementia. These are Australians on the wrong side of inequality, cut-off from the fair go, isolated from the promise of our nation. And for them, politics is just another part of the problem – unhelpful, irrelevant, out-of-touch.

Updated

Bill Shorten says the “deeper opponents” of the Labor party are distrust and disengagement, and it is the job of Labor not just to win the next election but restore faith in Australia’s democracy.

Updated

I’m working on getting you a copy of the whole speech, and when I do, I’ll post it all here.

The first “shame” from the floor comes in reference to multinationals avoiding paying tax.

Updated

Anyone who wants to follow along with the speech, can do so here:

There was also a protester with a “close the camps” banner.

That fight is coming up later in the conference.

The protesters having been moved off the stage, Bill Shorten opens with some zingers, where he says Labor conferences are important, unlike the Liberals, where they meet to vote to sell off the ABC, and what he assumes the Green conferences are, “held in a secret treehouse location”, exhibiting “all the signs of a cult, except leadership”.

Bill Shorten's speech begins with Stop Adani protest

Wayne Swan says that Labor is the oldest political party in the country and respects the right of different opinions and protest, but that doesn’t include the right to drown out the leader of the opposition.

He asks for security to remove them.

They sit with their arms crossed. Security begins to drag them off the stage.

“Off, off, off,” chants the crowd.

Bill Shorten says he can wait a few more minutes.

“Come on Bill,” comes the shouts from the audience.

They are eventually removed, chanting to ‘Stop Adani’ as they leave the room.

Updated

Stop Adani is back on the stage.

“Please stop Adani,” one man says, mentioning Queensland’s natural disasters. Bill Shorten lets him speak and asks to keep the flag.

Wayne Swan asks for him to leave the stage but he is joined by more, who stand with a banner and then sit with arms crossed.

Updated

A Stop Adani protester looks like they attempted to get up on stage but was very quickly removed.

At least that is what it looked like, from way up here in the back.

Updated

“Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the next prime minister of Australia, Bill Shorten.”

There is a standing ovation.

And he walks in to Labor’s campaign music.

Updated

There is a lot of hero music in this video. Like, Marvel levels of hero music.

“He’s a loving husband, he’s a daggy dad, he’s a frustrated Collingwood fan and his kids tell me he’s a pretty average cook,” Tanya Plibersek says, before a video plays of a speech Scott Morrison made about what Australian’s want, while showing images of climate change, house prices and inequality.

Updated

Plibersek is introducing Bill Shorten. She says she will take a “union leader over a failed advertising executive any day of the week”.

Tanya Plibersek is now up. She tells the 400 or so delegates and 1,000 observers about Labor’s wins around the nation, in both byelections and state elections.

Ged Kearney gets a cheer when she is shown in the video of the “hell of a year” Labor has had.

Updated

Kathrine Murphy has covered off the first announcement from conference:

Bill Shorten will use his opening address to Labor’s national conference to unveil new subsidies to promote more affordable housing at a cost of $6.6bn over a decade.

Shorten will use the opportunity of his opening pitch to the delegates and onlookers gathered in Adelaide for the three-day event to commit to a target of 20,000 houses built in the first term of a Labor government.

The policy, to be unveiled on Sunday, would offer 15-year subsidies of $8,500 per year to investors who build new houses, with the taxpayer support conditional on the dwellings being rented to eligible tenants at 20% below market rent.

Updated

On why Scott Morrison did not consult with Labor over the next governor general, given that 2019, when Hurley will step into the role, was an election year, Morrison says:

This is a recommendation that is made by the prime minister, like all the appointments that are made by a government.

We had an election in 2016 and during the term of this parliament, the prime minister was to be making a recommendation to Her Majesty. That is the job of the government.

I mean the Labor party may think they are the government at the moment – and they be carrying like they think they have already won an election – but that has not occurred and I am assure them, they have got a fight on their hands.

Updated

Wayne Swan introduces the South Australian opposition leader, Peter Malinauskas, stumbling a little over the surname. The room laughs.

Malinauskas says he is excited about being on the precipice of having four South Australians in the federal cabinet – Penny Wong, Mark Butler, Don Farrell and Amanda Rishworth.

He says South Australia has produced a lot of people who “every time they speak, they win Labor votes” and, for that, he thanks Christopher Pyne.

Updated

“Delegates, this is our moment and the aim of our conference is to win the battle of ideas,” Wayne Swan says. “Our job is to show that we are the party of the people, for the people and by the people, not the party of, for and by the big end of town.”

Updated

Back to Swanny, he describes Scott Morrison as “a grinning fool in a baseball cap who thinks the G20 is a good place to talk about sausages”.

“Who would have thought they could find someone who could make Billy McMahon look good?”

He says Labor is the only party that “reflects modern Australia” but there is “political chaos everywhere you look”.

“That chaos has many causes but at the bottom of this instability and chaos lies this cause – inequality”.

“People feel their political parties have simply stopped listening,” he says.

He says that is because mainstream parties have failed to address the failings of trickle down economics. But that Labor was addressing that.

Updated

David Hurley won’t take up the post until June next year – after the election.

Asked why he was announcing it today, given that it is not an issue for another six months, Scott Morrison says:

It needed to be done to provide certainty about the role going into next year.

Next year is an election year and it is very important that I think this appointment be seen well outside the context of any electoral issues.

The current Governor-General’s term nominally expires into the end of March, so this is a decision that I was advised coming into the role as Prime Minister that would need to be taken.

It wasn’t my first order of issues the deal with, as I said at the time, but it was one that I knew I would have tow resolve and make a recommendation to the palace before the end of the year, which I have now done”

Wayne Swan opens the conference

He is officially the president.

“This is the national conference, our opponents didn’t want,” he says.

“...Let’s win the battle of ideas.”

David Hurley said he was surprised to be offered the role, as he approached the end of his term as New South Wales governor:

We know, though, that if I was to retire, the most significant part of our current role that we would miss would be the opportunity to visit and meet the multitude of extraordinary Australians in our community.

I have certainly confirmed in my own mind over the past four years, something that I had sensed about Australia, but really hadn’t had the opportunity before to witness on a day-to-day basis – that Australia is a very rich country in a non-material sense.

Australians have an amazing and, indeed, an enormous capacity to contribute their time, their energy, their time, their efforts and indeed their money to assist others I look forward to continuing to be involved with them in these pursuits.

As the prime minister mentioned you can’t do these jobs without someone standing by your side.

Linda has had such a unique manner the role in the last four years and I look forward for the two of us fulfilling the responsibilities of governor general together.

My commitment to the people of Australia is that we will fulfil our responsibilities in the same full-hearted manner that I have worked in New South Wales or we have worked in New South Wales over the past four years, including supporting, encouraging them in community endeavours, recognising achievements and promoting those achievements at home and abroad.

I will be enormously proud to represent Australia in the role of governor general.

Updated

For those asking, we are told that the opposition was not consulted over the choice of the next governor general.

Updated

The special guests are announced.

Daniel Andrews and Jay Weatherill both received big cheers from the room when announced.

The welcome to country is delivered, where the room is told that “my father says, we are always welcoming people to our home, but we never tell them to go home”, which gets some laughs.

Scott Morrison has announced David Hurley as the next GG, which he said was his only choice.

He talked about why:

It was with these very important responsibilities that fall to a governor general – stability, continuity, certainty – that were foremost in my mind in exercising my responsibility as prime minister to make a recommendation to Her Majesty about who the next governor general for Australia should be.

I had only one choice, my first choice, and he is standing next to me.

General Hurley has served Australia for almost half a century and I’ve had the privilege to serve with him as a minister of a government in which he serve as the chief of the defence force.

He joined the army in 1972. That was not a time when military service was popular, sadly, in our country.

He served for 42 years and rose to become the chief of the defence force – a role he was appointed to by the former Labor government.

It was General Hurley who first spoke the words, “The standard you walk past is the standard you accept”.

That is a lesson to all of us. It is a phrase that embodies what Australian leadership is all about and it is a phrase that has embodied the service of General Hurley.

Hurley will be the 27th governor general.

Updated

The one-minute warning has just been issued.

Updated

We are in the observers’ section ahead of the opening, where Elisa’s Rock Your Soul is playing. Which includes the repeated lyric “all I want is to rock your soul”, which seems fitting for a political party conference.

Then we move into the economy section – which is where super and the like will be discussed, followed by environment. Which will be the big one.

Bill Shorten will open the conference with his speech (still taking guesses on the song of choice), after which Tanya Plibersek will deliver hers. As incoming president (with the official handover happening this morning) Wayne Swan will then deliver a speech.

Swan is also in charge of the “you’ve been speaking too long, wrap it up” gong, so that should be fun.

Updated

The Right caucus went for 14 minutes, we are told. They are out and getting coffee.

The Left are still meeting.

Morning all, just the sum of my initial inquiries. No one is expecting major fireworks in the economic policy debate this morning (apart from an amendment to be moved by the CFMEU’s Michael O’Connor regarding new oversight for Asic and Apra, which has come out of left field).

The values debate is the first cab off the rank, and seems unlikely to be controversial. The environment debate this afternoon could get interesting. There’s been a battle about environmental regulation behind the scenes for some weeks, and it is not yet resolved. There’s some talk that Bill Shorten will be involved in settling the final decision. We’ll keep you posted when we learn more.

There is also, I hear, an unresolved fight in the right about their candidates for the national executive.

Updated

On the governor general announcement, the ABC is reporting it is retired general David Hurley.

That has been confirmed by Katharine Murphy, so yup. It is Hurley.

That’s not unsurprising. He was the favourite. There were those who thought Scott Morrison might pick a woman but we’ve gone with another former defence force chief.

Updated

Welcome to day one

Labor’s faithful have gathered in Adelaide for the 48th annual party conference, where everything from environment to asylum seekers to industrial relations policy will be nutted out.

The conversations have been going on for months but have ramped up in recent weeks.

Of course, all of this was meant to be settled in July, but then the super Saturday byelections were scheduled for the same weekend. So here we are, in Adelaide a week out from Christmas, and loving life.

Environment is the big ticket item today, and not everything is hunky dory or locked down in that space. Adani and its ilk have thrown up quite the quandary for Labor, and the protests have started outside the conference centre already.

Bill Shorten will open the conference very soon – the betting pool on what song he’ll emerge has opened, so put your guesses down below.

So of course, Scott Morrison has decided today is the perfect day and the perfect time to announce the next governor general.

We’ll cover that, and everything else that occurs over the next few days. You have me, Katharine Murphy and Paul Karp already at the keyboards. I am yet to find a coffee, so this should be fun.

Ready?

Let’s get into it.

Updated

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