The clock has hit 6pm and I am rapidly turning back into a pumpkin after this insane day, so we will leave you – but fear not, we are all back on deck in a scant 12 hours or so.
Tomorrow brings with it the party room meetings, where I am sure we will be told the Liberal party came together and sang Kumbaya and then spoke of a strong economy and job growth and infrastructure and getting on with the job outside the Canberra bubble.
Nothing to see here, everything is fine.
It’s been more than 24 hours since Craig Kelly last appeared on Sky, so I am sure we are due for that appearance as well.
Then there is small matter of policy – encryption and energy – as well as religious discriminations. And we only have three sitting days left this year.
What. A. Week.
A massive thank you to Mike Bowers for being Mike Bowers and to Katharine Murphy, Gareth Hutchens and Paul Karp for being the actual brains of the operation and keeping it from running off the rails completely.
And as always, thank you to everyone who followed along with us, and kept us all entertained. We appreciate it, even when you don’t appreciate the going ons.
We’ll be back early tomorrow morning. In the meantime, take care of you.
Updated
The attorney general Christian Porter has publicly rejected Labor demands to pass an interim encryption bill extending new powers only for the investigation of the most serious crimes, warning the opposition the whole bill will be put to parliament this week.
As negotiations between the parties resumed on the encryption bill, Porter told Sky News the main issues between the parties were whether state police should gain powers to order tech companies to help break encryption, “the types of offences that the notice powers would apply to” and the “authorisation processes” before notices are issued.
Porter :
“We’re not having any interim agreements/ There’ll be a bill put before parliament and the bill with either be agreed or it won’t be agreed, but we will be dealing with this this week.”
Porter queried why Labor would support a bill “that says it’s necessary and appropriate to protect Australians” when the AFP and Asio order companies to assist decryption “but it’s not at the time reasonable for state police to also have that assistance”. He noted state police forces also had counter terrorism units and argued they needed the same powers.
“There’s no point in allowing half of our law enforcement agencies to be able to have this assistance in investigating terrorism, but not the other half ...
“You’d effectively be passing half a regime, which would be totally ineffective. I mean, this bill operates as a conjunctive whole. So what we are trying to do is have a whole bill.”
But despite the harsh public words, Labor is still at the negotiating table and believes the attorney general has not ruled out an interim bill in that setting. So an apparently irreconcilable public difference could still be resolved.
Sounds like another edition of our favourite - ‘Canberra: The All Things Liable to Change Without Notice’ story.
What could possibly go wrong?
DM the PM pic.twitter.com/CfnE3XE5pT
— Alice Workman (@workmanalice) December 3, 2018
“There are things that are just indelible. And we have to accept them. People are born with an XX chromosome, homogametic, or they’re born with an XY chromosome, heterogametic, and that determines basically whether you’re male or female.
“The concerns that people have and say ‘well we’ll put that aside or we’re not allowed to mention it,’ that is in itself creates problems, especially, with um, it’s been brought to my attention when a person at a female school, and all-girl school, says well what happens when someone presents and says ‘well I’ve determined that, you know, I want to be female and I want to come to this school’? How’s that going to be dealt with?”
Centre Alliance explain why it backed delay to vote on Labor's gay student bill
I’ve been having a chat to Stirling Griff and Rex Patrick from Centre Alliance to discuss why the party voted with the government to delay the Senate vote on Labor’s bill to repeal religious exemptions to discrimination law to protect LGBT students.
Both said that they wanted time to consider government amendments that attempt to balance protection of LGBT students with religious freedom, which they only received on Friday.
The amendments allow schools to set rules and codes of conduct that indirectly discriminate against LGBT students where they are imposed “in good faith in order to avoid injury to the religious susceptibilities of adherents of that religion or creed”.
Griff said there was “no major breakdown of problems” with schools expelling gay students and Labor wanted an early vote as “a bit of politics in the last week of the [parliamentary] year to beat the Liberals with”.
Patrick reiterated the party supports removing discrimination but wanted to put “policy over politics” because the “simple bill had turned complex”. “If that doesn’t suit the politics of others, then so be it.”
If Mathias Cormann moves to send the bill to committee, Centre Alliance will agree to that course, even if the committee may not report back until next year and it takes the bill off the agenda in the final sitting week.
Updated
Jordon Steele-John used Senate question time to once again raise the issue of disability abuse being left out of the aged care abuse royal commission.
Today, December 3rd, is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and is an important moment to celebrate the four million disabled Australians and the contribution they make to society.
Despite the hard-won progress of the disability rights movement, disabled Australians
continue to be subjected to discrimination and are routinely denied the rights guaranteed them under international law. In the year that I have been here I have heard the pleasantries and promises that the government has given to the disability community and yet it seems these promises are empty, that I sit here today and say that the government is all words and no action.
1. Violence abuse and neglect
This discrimination creates and sustains the barriers to employment, education, transport, social and political participation experienced by disabled Australians, and most concerningly manifests itself in horrific violence, abuse and neglect to which they are subjected.
For instance - In a three-month period alone, from July to September of this year, over 184 incidents of abuse and neglect were reported to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
2. Audio description
Another area where people with disabilities are neglected is accessibility to digitial services and TV. There have been two government-funded Audio Description trials conducted by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on ABC1 in 2012 and on iview in 2015–16. And in 2017 the Government set up an Audio Description Working Group (ADWG) (under the Department of Communications and the Arts) who examined and reported 12 months ago on the options for increasing the availability of AD services in Australia. Given the activity in this space, and the fact that 385 000 people could make use of such a service, why has the Government failed to act on this issue?
3. The community is tired of all talk and no action, how about the gov starts following
through with their responsibility to act
Updated
The AFP have issued a statement over it’s submission to the intelligence committee which Labor was talking about today.
The AFP can confirm that it made a supplementary submission to the PJCIS on Thursday 29 November 2018. The submission was not operationally sensitive or security classified.”
The submission was confidential. The intelligence committee has public and closed hearings, and public and confidential submissions. Releasing information without the committee’s say so, is, well illegal.
So it is not really the point if the submission is confidential, then it is still breaking the law if you release information from it, without the committee’s permission.
Kinda of like I didn’t mean to speed, I didn’t intend to speed and I wasn’t endangering anyone’s life by speeding, but I can still get a speeding ticket, you know?
Michelle Landry has updated her interests’ register.
The Queensland MP has been gifted a “framed portrait of Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen”
Value: Unknown
For those who didn’t see Penny Wong’s anger at the reversal of the religious discrimination debate earlier:
here's Penny Wong - she turns on Centre Alliance senators who decided to support the government in blocking the legislation until at least next year pic.twitter.com/Tx2bwwAu3H
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) December 3, 2018
It’s the last sitting week of the parliamentary year.
The year’s almost over. It’s too much to start asking for honest language now, right? So who’s in the mood for euphemism and mixed metaphors?
Here’s Barnaby Joyce talking about the Morrison government’s “religious freedom” plans. As an aside, it’s not clear what half of this stuff has to do with the bill:
“Constitutionally we’ve always believed that we’ve had the right, the freedom, to basically invest in our own religion, and invest in our own schools.
“Invest in those schools that promote the values, ah, that we believe give people the safest path, ah, on that ocean. The safest voyage on that ocean. Where you decide to go is really your own business but, um, there has been a real sense of concern, palpable concern, that’s come into this building by reason of a sense that, ah, the State will rule supreme in the school, no matter if it’s a state government school or an independent school.
“People have a right to believe what they wish but when that right to believe what they wish overruns the rights of everybody else who have a different view within that school then it’s something has to be called into question.
“There are things that are just indelible. And we have to accept them. People are born with an XX chromosome, homogametic, or they’re born with an XY chromosome, heterogametic, and that determines basically whether you’re male or female.
“The concerns that people have and say ‘well we’ll put that aside or we’re not allowed to mention it,’ that is in itself creates problems, especially, with um, it’s been brought to my attention when a person at a female school, and all-girl school, says well what happens when someone presents and says ‘well I’ve determined that, you know, I want to be female and I want to come to this school’? How’s that going to be dealt with?”
Penny Wong has given notice of a motion that Labor will be attempting to bring the religious schools bill to vote again tomorrow.
If successful, it will be up for consideration again from noon on Wednesday.
From Mike Bowers’s lens to your eyeballs:
Question time ends.
Tony Burke stands up after learning of this:
I have just been kicked out of #QT because you can allegedly see too much skin. His insane #Auspol pic.twitter.com/51KipESXlG
— PatriciaKarvelas (@PatsKarvelas) December 3, 2018
He says that it is a rule he has never heard before – and if it needs to be fixed, it should be fixed.
Kerryn Phelps asks Christian Porter why the government won’t pass the religious discrimination bill, Porter said that the government “wants to get this done”, but the compromise won’t go far enough to support what the government wants and it “has to be a balance of passage”.
Mark Butler asks Scott Morrison about Craig Kelly’s threat to move to the crossbench and Malcolm Turnbull’s opinion that saving him would be the “worst and weakest response”.
Morrison says that Kelly never made the threat.
I can’t tell you much more, because, like a lot of people in this place I could name, the transcription service has given up.
Christopher Pyne has just had a chat with Scott Morrison and then wandered over to have a chat to the crossbench.
He gets whatever answer he wants and wanders back to Morrison.
David Littleproud gets the next dixer and it looks like he is sticking to the ‘no yelling is good yelling’ qt approach.
Labor questions Craig Kelly in question time
After successfully calling Ken O’Dowd and Barnaby Joyce under this tactic, Tony Burke is now moving to have Craig Kelly answer a question.
Burke: “I refer to the member’s motion on the notice paper which relates to the national energy guarantee and that it provides certainty for investors. Under standing orders this motion will be removed from the notice paper if it is not selected for debate again. When will the motion be debated again, will it be removed from the notice paper if it is not selected?
Christopher Pyne rises to interject. Tony Smith calls on him “on irony first”.
Smith, who has been here before, allows the question.
Craig Kelly uses the opportunity to again prove he does not know how microphones work and starts screaming about 45% targets being the worst in the entire world and Labor not caring.
He sits down, with plenty of time on the clock, to applause from his side of the chamber, while Tony Burke asks for an extension of time.
Tony Smith again points out that you can only have an extension of time if you have run out of time.
Labor has made its point though. It’s Kelly’s bloated aubergine rant which will make the news bulletins and the whole place looks like a dog’s breakfast. And that’s being kind.
Updated
Chris Bowen to Josh Frydenberg:
I refer to statements made by industry groups that the government’s propose to powers represent deep and genuine sovereign risk or discourage badly needed investment in the energy sector and will only lead to increased investment uncertainty and prices. Even the government’s big stick really just a big mistake that will lead to sovereign risk and higher power prices? Why is this Liberal government abandoned its policy commitment to free enterprise?”
Frydenberg:
“The member for McMahon must have a short memory because of the last time the Labor party was in government at a federal level, power prices doubled! Went up by over 100%, Mr Speaker. They ignored the warnings on gas, and as the member for Hume knows, they left us with potential shortfalls in the domestic gas market.”
And now they are coming up with the pink batteries to solving energy issues.
And what about a replication nationally of what we saw in South Australia? The big experiment in South Australia, Mr Speaker.
When it comes to the coalition, 458,000 Australian families and 39,000 small businesses are today getting a better deal on their energy prices thanks to the work of the Morrison government.
Because we are putting energy users consumers, businesses and families first.
Whereas the Labor party is siding with the energy companies. The fact is there is market misconduct.
“There is market misconduct and we had to take the necessary action so they will be a range of remedies that are available, they range from a warning notice to enforceable undertakings to financial under penalties and fines and finally as a last resort to divert them.”
These other steps that need to be taken to ensure that energy consumers get the lowest possible prices.
“And if I was the member for McMahon, I would be worrying about the 3,000 retirees in his electorate who are going to be worse off and the 7,000 families who negative gear, all of whom will be worse off in the member for McMahon’s electorate as a result of Labor’s policy.”
Sigh.
It is at this point I scream internally that the SA blackouts were caused by a giant fricking storm which knocked out the transmitters and you can have all the power in the world but it’s useless without the things that transmit it, but I am as dead inside as the government backbench.
Updated
Over in the Senate:
Jenny McAllister: Given Mr Morrison has refused to save Jane Prentice, Ann Sudmalis, and Senators Molan and Gichuhi – but has today intervened to save Craig Kelly: How does Mr Morrison decide when to intervene? Why is there a quota for clowns, but not for women?
Cory Bernardi: Point of order. You can’t refer to members of parliament as clowns
Jacinta Collins: The prime minister called you all Muppets!
Scott Ryan: I actually could not hear the 2nd part of that question due to noise from my right. So if there was something unparliamentary I’d ask for it to be withdrawn but I did not hear the second part of that question. I was giving the Minister the courtesy to respond. He may have heard it. If there was nothing on that someone can bring something on Hansard to my attention.
Bernardi: Senator McAllister suggested that the Prime Minister failed to intervene in the preselection of clowns, It’s simply inappropriate and Senator McAllister knows. She should withdraw.
Derryn Hinch: Isn’t truth a defence in New South Wales?
Updated
The opposition are calling Angus Taylor “Biggus Stickus” and calling out lines from Monty Pythons Life of Brian during #weleaseWoger #QT @AmyRemeikis @GuardianAus #PoliticsLive pic.twitter.com/0kUN4wPhi7
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) December 3, 2018
Christopher Pyne steps up for the next dixer.
“How’s the winner’s circle,” yells someone from Labor.
A great afternoon for a ride. I won’t be troubling the punters on Tuesday however. 🐎 #auspol pic.twitter.com/r1VgEw4ddw
— Christopher Pyne (@cpyne) November 4, 2018
Bill Shorten to Scott Morrison:
The government’s proposed I personally do is it in, which was rejected by the ACCC, slammed by energy experts, legal experts, business experts and economists as putting upward pressure on prices, that ideologically and unconstitutional, why won’t the Prime Minister abandoned his discredited legislation and instead work with Labor to deliver the National Energy Guarantee? The plan is to have regional easily said it may well deliver lower power prices.
Morrison:
Once again, the Leader of the Labor Party is seeking to mislead the Australian people.
Labor’s plan, which we will not support under any circumstances, is to have a 45% emissions reduction target.
They can dress it up in whatever language they like, they can call it a Neg, they can call it whatever they like, but Labor’s policies to have a 45% job destroying economy crushing emissions reduction target, which will rob from the Australian economy.
The leader needs to come clean. He needs to tell those industries around Australia which will be the first to close.
Will it be, has the member for Flynn knows, the aluminium smelter? Will it be farmers?
Will it be the Portland aluminium smelter? The leader is putting a big con on the Australian people.
Their 5-point plan is tax, tax, tax, tax, tax. That is what the Labor Party stands for. They are proposing an electricity tax with their 45% emissions reduction target. It is a reckless figure, it will cost Australians jobs and he will have to be accountable for it when he goes to the next election, because on this side of the house, we will not support an emissions reduction target as reckless as that one is. It is a carbon tax on steroids and I will ask the Treasurer to add to the answer.
And with that, Josh Frydenberg steps up:
Labor is on the side of energy companies. We are on the side of consumers. Now, let’s face it, the energy market has not been serving consumers well. This is what the ACCC has said about the energy companies that retailers have “Played a major role in poor outcomes for consumers”. That is what the ACCC has said. In the wholesale market, the agency has found a lack of competition has resulted in higher prices.
When it comes to the retail market that they say that the energy companies are being using deliberately confusing discounting strategy, using excessively high benchmarks and complex structures.
So, Mr Speaker, the Liberal and national government is addressing these problems with our plans for a new default market offer, without plans to underwrite new generation investment capacity, without plans for a reliability guarantee and without plans for new powers to respond to misconduct in the energy sector.”
And it is done and dusted.
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) December 3, 2018
Angus Taylor just gave Labor the lol it wanted by mentioning it the “big stick”
Someone might need to take one to the government backbench to wake them up.
Bill Shorten to Scott Morrison:
Given that the Prime Minister had to explain to US President Donald Trump why Malcolm Turnbull is no longer Prime Minister, and that German Chancellor Angela Merkel was not even sure who he was, will he now explain to the Australian people and the wider world why Malcolm Turnbull is no longer Prime Minister of Australia?
“Did Angela Merkel have a Sco Mo flash card,” floats up to the press gallery from Ed Husic.
Morrison:
(Starting off with a sick burn)
I can assure the Leader of the Labor Party that everybody on this side of the house is going to work incredibly hard to the next election to ensure the rest of the world never know to the Leader of the Labor Party is.
Because if they were to find out through the Leader of the Labor Party is if he were to become Prime Minister, I know this would happen.
The Australian economy would be weaker, there would be fewer jobs and higher taxes. One of those higher taxes would be the higher taxes on Australians investing in their own homes. Investing in housing for their own future. Police officers, nurses, teachers and others... Small-business owners putting their money outside, investing in investment property to provide for their future....
It continues, but there are press releases for that. He finishes with this:
Not only is that meaning that we are meeting our commitments and keeping Australians safe, but that is providing thousands of thousands of jobs are Australian all around the rest of the country. Under this government we have a great story to tell about the economy. Under a Labor government, the story goes very pear shaped.”
I’m no expert on good stories, but I am pretty sure that if you have to keep telling everyone you have a good story, it might not be as good as you think.
Tanya Plibersek to Scott Morrison:
On ABC Radio this morning Malcolm Turnbull confirmed it was government policy supported by the now Prime Minister to hold the federal election on two March next year. He also warned the performance of the Abbott and Morrison government could damage the New South Wales government’s chances of re-election. What discussions has the prime minister had about the timing of the federal election?
The question is ruled out of order.
After last week accidentally saying that the NSW Liberal party would like to see Ian Macdonald, her own colleague sent to Siberia in this Senate question time exchange:
Doug Cameron: Does this minister agree with her colleagues in NSW who are saying the Prime Minister should go to Siberia?”
Ryan: “There was a lot in that question, Senator Cameron.”
Marise Payne: “I think there would be an enormous amount of enthusiasm in the NSW Labor Party for a one-way ticket to Siberia for Senator Macdonald.”
Marise Payne has just accidentally referred to Senate president Scott Ryan as “Mr Terrorist”.
On that last point Christian Porter raised, a quick check of the House committee’s website shows the AFP have not made a public submission.
*I tend to automatically write Senate committee, but the House does run some.
Updated
Janet Rice was also upset by the government’s move (supported by enough of the crossbenchers, including Centre Alliance, that it got through) to stop debate on the religious discrimination bill:
This is an appalling use of Senate process, and it is leaving lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students in despair. Three-quarters of the Australian community want to see discrimination ended in schools, full stop—no ifs or buts—and they want it to end now. The Prime Minister himself, before the Wentworth by-election, said that it was urgent to act to end discrimination now. Yet we have just seen this appalling use of Senate process. This bill has been pushed off into the long grass.
We had the opportunity today to change our laws for the better, so that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students would have been protected, would have felt safe and would have felt supported in their school communities, regardless of what school they went to. But the appalling actions of this government, together with Centre Alliance—who have shown their true colours in what they are doing today—have meant that this opportunity is passing us by. The Greens believed that we had the numbers in this place to end discrimination against teachers as well. But the government, coupled with Centre Alliance, are not allowing this debate to occur and not allowing a vote to occur today. It is an absolute travesty and it is incredibly sad for those many people in our community, the same people who fought a year ago for marriage equality, who were hoping that a year later, as part of the anniversary of marriage equality, we would act to end discrimination and support young people in all of our schools. But it is not to be, because of the outrageous actions of this government and the Centre Alliance senators.”
Christian Porter continues:
The shadow attorney general says that appears to be some form of confidential communication and as I have noted, will give me for wanting to speak with the commission first to determine whether or not that was all was not some form of confidential communication and to discuss that matter with him.
And if he takes the view that some action should be taken I will of course listen to that view.
But if only it were the case that the shadow attorney general were as concerned about the national security of Australians who face terrorist attacks as he were about smearing the prime minister, or any member on the side of the house.
And this is classic modus operandi of this member opposite. Whenever he runs into problems because of his own failure to act in a reasonable way, run a smokescreen.
Run a smear campaign. The difficulty that the shadow attorney general has, Mr Speaker, is that no Australian could physically be as smart as he thinks he is”
I really don’t think that is the burn Porter thinks it is.
Updated
Mark Dreyfus to Christian Porter:
I refer to his previous answer and the front page of the Australian newspaper, which appears to quote directly from a confidential solution to the intelligence committee about the government’s encryption bill, which is a criminal offence under national security legislation, punishable with up to two years in prison.
Under national security legislation, prosecution for this offence can only be instigated by the Attorney General, all with his consent. Can the Attorney General guarantee to this house that he will not stand in the way of any prosecution for this criminal leak?
Porter:
I think the shadow Attorney General for his question and it is the case that an article in the Australian today reads that the Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin wrote to the joint committee on intelligence and security to express concerns about Labor’s proposal to split the encryption bill.
The AFP is concerned that a purpose -based approach would impose a variety of significant issues that would challenge the effectiveness of the regime and undermined the policy intent of the measures.
Mr Speaker, whether that was a confidential communication or not, I simply cannot answer. The shadow Attorney General’s questioned said that it appears to be. Well, you know, forgive me if I will reserve my view as to whether or not it appears or does not appear to be until I have had the chance to speak to the Commissioner about that”
Christian Porter used his dixer to talk about the encryption laws, which seems a little strange, given that both parties are now back at the table and meant to be negotiating a compromise.
Bill Shorten associated the opposition with McCormack’s remarks:
There are 109 fires still burning. The loss of life is devastating. We send our condolences to the family. To the professionals and volunteers, thank you, thank you, thank you”
Michael McCormack used his dixer to thank those fighting Queensland’s insane bushfires, and the communities they have swept through:
That is the Queensland spirit and the spirit of good and true Australians that we are seeing across these fire affected regions. People west of Mackay, we can call them angels because they are ordinary everyday people doing extraordinary deeds.
Helping to cook for the firefighters, going beyond exhaustion to continue to help out with SES, help out with other volunteers, making sure people who have no home have something to eat and wear. Being there for a chat, it is these small gestures which make a difference.
They are inspiring. There so many efforts like that. You can see what a tremendous job the firefighters have done to save homes and property. Firefighters showed me a home surrounded by smoke and charred trees.
Somehow those heroes on the frontline managed to save it from the flames.
It was quite unbelievable. I visited a school narrowly avoided being raised. School is in today, saved by a whisker. Emergency services risk their lives to save entire community. I know the people who live in those areas at the appreciative and grateful.
Tragically, one young man, just 21 lost his life while clearing a fire break on his family property. We mourn for his loss, we grieve with his community. While the fire still rage, we need people to stay calm, heed the advice of local authorities.
It is very important to have a fire plan. We pay to be to the firefighters paid and unpaid. They are inspiring, great Australian. I urge Australians to keep the community than people and volunteers in mind, and to those affected, please be patient, stay calm, stay safe. Australians, we have your back.
Mark Dreyfus to Scott Morrison:
Can the Prime Minister guarantee that no minister, government member or their office played any role in the leaking of what appears to be a confidential submission to the intelligence committee which is a criminal offence under national security laws?
This is the quote Labor is talking about:
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin wrote to the joint committee on intelligence and security to express concern about Labor’s proposal to split the encryption bill.
“The AFP is very concerned such a purpose-based approach would pose a variety of significant issues that would challenge the effectiveness of the regime and undermine the policy intent of the measures,” Mr Colvin wrote.
After some back and forth over whether Morrison is responsible for answering it, he says he is unaware of what Dreyfus is talking about and follows with:
“If the Attorney General, shadow Attorney General wants to come in here and make these sort of grubby sneers, which is his habit in this place, he is well acquainted with the bottom of the chum bucket, the shadow Attorney General. He does this on a regular occasion, comes in here... Makes the most outrageous and offensive sneers without any evident what the weather. What I do know is as a member of the Labor Party, the shadow Attorney General voted against tougher penalties for paedophiles and gunrunners. I know that. I know that for a fact. So did the member of the Watson”
Tony Burke interrupts to say the answer has nothing to do with the question.
The prime minister has concluded his answer.
Mathias Cormann during that same debate:
The Government does support what this legislation is seeking to achieve, but we support it with reasonable amendments to ensure that, for example, religious schools can provide appropriate rules for the proper conduct of their schools. We believe the government put forward five very sensible amendments.
Some of the crossbenchers have indicated to us in good faith that they needed some more time in order to consider the issues that they raise, and rather than doing what Senator Wong has indicated, upending the Senate, what we are doing is making sure that the Senate has proper opportunity to consider all of the issues, which is actually our job. What was in place was a guillotine to prevent the Senate from properly canvassing al of the issues, properly considering all of the issues.
We are actually as a government facilitating the proper consideration of what is a very important issue. We do want to see this legislation pass, but we want to see it pass in an amended form. We thank the Senate for having made a sensible decision today and having backed our judgment.”
We’ll head back to the Senate for a moment, to tell you what happened during that suspension of standing orders Paul Karp was telling you about.
Penny Wong:
I think that has just belled the cat, hasn’t it? The whole purpose of the shenanigans we have been through, aided and abetted by Central Alliance, who contrary to their indication that they would support LGBTIQ kids, have walked in here and helped Senator Cormann put off a vote on a bill they reckon they support, and this is a bill that Mr Morrison supports.
Let us be clear, the only reason why we have had the shenanigans we have just seen, no notice, coming in and upending the Senate, overturning the previous agreement of the Senate to vote on that legislation for which there was broad support in this chamber by ten to two, the only reason he had to walk in and suspend standing orders and pervert the process of the Senate, is because he is worried about the House of Representatives.
He is worried about the survival of the Government on the floor of the House of Representatives.
He has lost control. This is an indication of the chaos that is the Morrison Government. That they have to upend the Senate and not vote on protecting LGBTIQ kids, because they are so worried about the lack of control they have of the House of Representatives.
Do you know what the decent thing to do would be? Call an election! Call an election and stop perverting the processes of the Senate.
Voting against the position the Prime Minister has had, trying to desperately avoid a vote in the house, call an election instead of lying the way you have about this issue through the Wentworth by-election and through this week.
And shame on you. Senator Patrick, shame on you for doing this and aiding and abetting it.
We get through our first dixer. The backbench seems to be slowly waking up.
Mark Dreyfus to Scott Morrison:
Given the prime minister is extensively quoted in a report on the front page of the Australian newspaper which appear to include a leaked submission to the intelligence committee, and given the report is based on an exclusive interview conducted with the prime minister during his trip to Argentina for the G20, can the prime minister guarantee that neither he or his office played any role in the leaking of a confidential submission, which is a criminal offence?
As Morrison replies the
interjections get so loud, Tony Smith intervenes. Morrison continues:
...if they want to come in here and make grubby sneers against me, I find the suggestion offensive and reject it.”
Updated
Mark Dreyfus to Scott Morrison:
Is the Prime Minister aware that the front page of the Australian newspaper appears to quote from a confidential Australian Federal Police submission to the intelligence commission committee about the government’s encryption bill? Is the Prime Minister a way that leaking a confidential submission to the committee is a criminal offence under national security legislation, punishable with up to two years in prison? Has the Prime Minister asked the AFP to investigate this criminal leak?
Morrison takes the question on notice.
“I am happy to take notice the matter that the member has raised, and raise that in a discussion with the AFP, if indeed that is necessary. I would also only note this. That is that encryption is a tool being used by terrorists, organised criminals, paedophile rings, and it is something we must get ahead of by ensuring that our police, that our security agencies, that all our agencies have gauged at a state and federal level have the tools they need to make this stop.
We are committed to doing that. It is why we have brought this legislation into the Parliament. We will continue to engage with the opposition to seek their support for these measures, and I hope that they are able to support us in these efforts.”
Question time begins
Labor has kicked off question time by targeting the government over evidence from the Australian Federal Police commissioner Andrew Colvin on the Coalition’s proposed encryption bill.
In private evidence to the parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security, Colvin wrote: “The AFP is very concerned such a purpose-based approach would pose a variety of significant issues that would challenge the effectiveness of the regime and undermine the policy intent of the measures”.
That quote found its way into a Simon Benson story in The Australian.
Labor is concerned whoever gave the material to Benson may have breached the Intelligence Services Act 2001 section 9 which makes it an offence to disclose or publish evidence or documents given to the committee in private. Penalty? Two years in the slammer!
Updated
Bill Shorten:
“As we mark the passing of president Bush, the last leader of the free world drawn from the greatest generation, it has given me pause to reflect on the heroism and selflessness and the sacrifice of all who served the cause of freedom in that deadly conflict.
“Ordinary people who left cattle ranches in South Dakota and sheep stations in South Australia. Who walked off assembly lines in Detroit and out of the factory lines of Melbourne. From Wall Street and Main Street, from coast to bush, in America, in Australia, Britain, New Zealand, Canada and all the allies, the greatest generation, all of whom, no matter where the rest of life’s journeys took them, fought side-by-side to preserve, protect and defend the liberties we enjoy today. Our condolences to President Bush was my family and his fellow Americans. May he rest in peace.
Updated
Scott Morrison on the death of George Bush:
“On the weekend I had the opportunity to pass on the condolences of our nation directly to President Trump. Who, when I met with him and advised me that President Bush was very, very gravely ill and close to death, and indeed the next day that prove to be the case.
‘We have no greater friend than the United States. We have no greater ally. We have been together for a century and more. It is a bond that is built in what we believe and the sort of world we want to live in. And George Bush personified that division and those beliefs. As much as any other great president of the United States could have, and we thank him, for his friendship, we thank him for his service, and we pray for his family and may God bless America.”
Updated
Mathias Cormann has successfully suspended standing orders in the Senate, and has won a vote to overturn a decision the Senate made on Thursday that the debate on the sex discrimination bill (to protect LGBT students) end at 1:50pm.
The suspension succeeded 34-33 - with Centre Alliance senators Stirling Griff and Rex Patrick voting with the government this time instead of supporting the gag as they did on Thursday.
The motion then succeeded (35-33) - so the gag has been overturned. Cormann told the Senate the crossbench want more time to examine the government amendments, and moves to refer it to committee.
Penny Wong is outraged, accusing Cormann of “perverting the course of the Senate” because the government is concerned about losing a vote in the House of Representatives. Wong said the “whole purpose of the shenanigans, aided and abetted by Centre Alliance” is to help “put off a vote”.
“Call an election instead of lying about this issue as you have through the Wentworth byelection ... and shame on you senator Patrick for aiding and abetting this.”
What this means is: we won’t necessarily get a vote on Labor’s private members bill to protect LGBT students today.
This relieves the pressure on the government, as a successful Senate bill would go to the lower house and be another trigger to test government numbers on the floor.
Updated
Christopher Pyne is over at the crossbench, having a chat to Cathy McGowan.
Brings up a key point on why the government would be delaying the religious freedoms bill in the Senate – they don’t want it getting to the House this week. Because they don’t control the numbers in the House anymore, and they can’t control what would happen with it.
Just something to keep in mind.
Ahead of question time, we have the indulgence motions for George HW Bush, the 41st president of the United States.
What happened with the NSW state executive move?
Katharine Murphy and Anne Davies report:
The outspoken conservative Craig Kelly will remain the Liberal candidate for Hughes at the next federal election after the New South Wales party executive bowed to Scott Morrison’s wishes rather than allow the prime minister to be publicly humiliated.
Kelly chose to blow up an internal war within the Liberal party over his future by signalling last week he was prepared to go to the crossbench – following the Victorian Liberal Julia Banks – if he was dumped as the Liberal party candidate.
With the government finishing a torrid political year in a parlous parliamentary position, party figures went into overdrive to stop moderates from knocking off Kelly and triggering a fresh managerial crisis in Canberra.
Read their full story here:
Updated
Right, Paul Karp is working on the update, but the Senate suspension was the government reversing the order made last week, which essentially stopped the religious freedom bill from being debated today.
It won
Right, it was Who’s that MP time – and it was Trevor Evans
In the Senate, the government is attempting to suspend standing orders.
This caused some furious debate, from what I could see, from Penny Wong. President Scott Ryan got to his feet to stop it.
Am working on finding out what it was.
It is almost question time. I’ll be heading into the chamber, so you know the drill – hit me with those predictions
Updated
And of course, you can’t have Australian politics without safari suits (Ian Goodenough added himself to this prestigious gallery today)
Gough, of course. pic.twitter.com/rupdbFtaMm
— Stephen Spencer (@sspencer_63) December 3, 2018
— James Jeffrey (@James_Jeffrey) December 3, 2018
This last one also included singing
Gos! pic.twitter.com/MdazZFL8SI
— Tim Watts MP (@TimWattsMP) December 3, 2018
Updated
Let it be said that politics is not all cynicism and snark
Today is the International Day of People with Disabilities. Today for me is about so much more than passive recognition. It is a day for celebration, commemoration, mourning and a recommitment to the fight for our lives and our rights #idpwd #IDPWD2018 #auspol
— Senator Jordon Steele-John (@Jordonsteele) December 2, 2018
Last sitting week for 2018. Even after 10 years as a MP, it remains an enormous honour and great privilege for a bloke from Sale High School to walk in these doors and represent Gippslanders #lovegippsland #myvalley #auspol pic.twitter.com/D7H5P5ndoB
— Darren Chester MP (@DarrenChesterMP) December 2, 2018
Updated
A bit more from the House earlier today:
Ai Group Chief Executive, Innes Willox today: "We urge all political parties to avoid the temptation of pushing the proposed decryption legislation too quickly through the Parliament" #auspol https://t.co/80k3Kdw6nq
— Primrose Riordan (@primroseriordan) December 3, 2018
It had to be done
Who wore it better?#auspol #politicslive pic.twitter.com/8bny48wuAG
— Australian Kitsch (@OzKitsch) December 3, 2018
We are two and a bit years on from when this address was made.
This morning Senate President, @SenatorRyan, presented the address-in-reply to His Excellency the Governor-General
— Australian Senate (@AuSenate) December 3, 2018
Find out more about the address-in-reply here: https://t.co/vqOIKXINF7 pic.twitter.com/43SmnUccWY
I could make a snarky comment about how the federal court wasn’t needed in regards to this doctor’s advice, but I am sure it has already been done.
I will remain on medical leave this week on the advice of my doctor. The AG will continue to act for me during my absence.
— Peter Dutton (@PeterDutton_MP) December 2, 2018
This should fix it.
In honour of the 75th anniversary of the election of the first women to parliament, the House of Representatives and Senate alcoves are being renamed in honour of Dame Dorothy Tangney and Dame Enid Lyons.
The timing just seems absolutely exquisite. You could not script this stuff.*
*Turns out you can – we have just been informed that Labor apparently started this process and the presiding officers agreed
Updated
This NSW state executive order really puts paid to the “on merit” argument, though doesn’t it.
An update on encryption:
Am hearing the PJCIS is not going to file its report on encryption today. There were suggestions that there is a surprise Labor-Coalition peace deal in the works. Am trying to confirm this. I know at least: not today. #auspol
— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) December 3, 2018
Things are going very well
.@AlanTudgeMP says the Govt wants to speak on the important issues listed for discussion today...
— Tanya Plibersek (@tanya_plibersek) December 3, 2018
Yet there is only one Liberal on the speaking list. pic.twitter.com/J8L5jGlCrO
Morrison intervenes to stop Craig Kelly preselection
The saga around conservative MP Craig Kelly’s preselection that has seen the Liberals tear themselves apart over the last 48 hours is set to be resolved in about half an hour. Kelly will be the candidate for Hughes.
The prime minister, Scott Morrison, has personally contacted moderates on the NSW Liberal party state executive and they have agreed to abstain from a vote, which is now taking place.
This will ensure that 90% of those voting will support the use of emergency powers to override the remaining local preselections, and reinstate sitting members, on the grounds that it’s too close to an election.
(That would include Jason Falinski, John Alexander and Lucy Wicks).
So much for the new democratic reforms the NSW Libs agreed to just a few months ago.
Updated
The result of the motion (remembering that there are quite a few pairs)
Ayes - 67
Noes - 71
Remember those photos of Peter Dutton having lunch with his family after not winning the leadership ballot?
Peter Dutton chose (A), at a cost of $4252. pic.twitter.com/hFCzZcilCt
— Jackson Gothe-Snape (@jacksongs) December 3, 2018
The House is dividing on the latest ‘the government is really bad at governing’ motion.
It looks like the crossbench is largely abstaining.
Updated
Independent MP Cathy McGowan was asked this morning if she’d support a Labor motion to refer Peter Dutton to the high court under Section 44 of the constitution.
McGowan’s vote will be crucial, as a member of the crossbench in the lower house (whose power is growing, after Liberal MP Julia Banks defected to the crossbench last week), but she hasn’t yet offered a definitive position on it.
She said she had a quick briefing on the Dutton question this morning but she wasn’t completely across it, so she’d wait to see what Labor does, if anything, and then work with that.
However, as a general principle she said she was in favour of constitutional questions being referred to the high court because they’re the experts. Not her. If they’re referred to the high court it takes the politics out of it.
She also connected the problem of section 44 to the crossbench’s attempt to fix up parliament.
She said the crossbench knows parliament, as an institution, has huge deficiencies in 2018. That’s why she’s proposed new laws to govern the behaviour of parliamentarians and their staff with a code of conduct.
As Guardian Australia reported this morning, McGowan wants to establish an independent parliamentary standards commission that could refer individuals to a national integrity commission. McGowan says the reason why we have a problem with section 44 in the first place is because there’s no parliamentary code of conduct.
“And like, which business doesn’t have a code of conduct [in 2018]?”
Updated
Alan Tudge says Labor is playing “political games” with its motion and is stuck “in the Canberra bubble”.
He decides to use the rest of his time talking about infrastructure projects.
Labor moves to suspend standing orders
The day has just begun and we are already at the suspending standing orders point.
Tanya Plibersek has proposed to suspend standing orders to note that:
The member for Hughes has threatened to quit the government and move to the crossbench unless his Liberal party preselection is protected;
b) The prime minister is tearing the government apart to protect the member for Hughes, but did nothing to protect the member for Ryan, the member for Gilmore, Senator Gichuhi or the member for Chisholm; and
c) The minister for women has said the Liberal party is widely seen as ‘homophobic, anti-women, climate change deniers’ and
2: Therefore, reprimands the prime minister for only ever protecting the men in his party and abandoning its women.
Craig Kelly to be saved
It’s been reported in The Australian and Fairfax, and it is what we were told is one of the options – the state executive members who could have upset the peace deal to ensure Craig Kelly (and every other sitting NSW MP) will abstain.
So, Kelly is saved.
Let’s all just take a moment to remember that Malcolm Turnbull called preselecting Craig Kelly in this way, through the state executive decree, would be the “worst and weakest response”.
The state executive needs 90% to agree. Literally anything could happen today.
A bunch of people are pissed at Turnbull’s intervention, effectively pushing them into backing the executive peace deal. A bunch of other people are pissed that Kelly has put them into this situation.
“Unite and fight” indeed. Just maybe not how they meant it.
Turnbull intervention may boost Morrison's position
I’ve made a couple of calls this morning to try and glean the latest on Craig Kelly after the explosion of the past 24 hours. Well-placed people tell me today’s task is to convince the state executive to re-endorse all sitting members in NSW, including Kelly, pronto.
(That would include Jason Falinski, John Alexander and Lucy Wicks).
That is what Scott Morrison wants to happen, and Malcolm Turnbull has now elevated the issue to a test of Morrison’s authority in the division.
Some think Turnbull’s intervention may boost Morrison’s position in this merde fight (in the sense that they can and will be prevailed upon not to humiliate the prime minister).
To be clear, I mean the current prime minister. Morrison wants the decision made, yesterday preferably – so it’s possible we’ll see a breakthrough today or tomorrow.
Separately to that, just by the by: a word on sentiment in NSW. Turnbull this morning said people in NSW favoured an early election.
I think a number of people in NSW do favour an early poll on the basis that the longer Morrison waits, the worse things get.
I referenced this view in some commentary a couple of weeks back.
Updated
Tim Storer and Cathy McGowan are holding a press conference to talk about the social security bill they are jointly introducing into the houses, which would see Newstart raised and an independent commission established to make sure it keeps pace with living costs.
Christian Porter this morning also had a few things to say about the encryption bill, while talking to ABC radio. He was responding to Mark Dreyfus’s letter calling on the government to come to a compromise:
Well pick up the phone. I mean if they’re happy to talk why write a letter saying negotiations are off and leak that to the newspaper on the most serious and urgent matter of national security the nation has faced in the last 18 months? I mean I just don’t get it. The other issue is the issue about the term, designated communications provider, and we maintain that it has to be the case that these assistants notices apply to the tech companies who maintain and manage specifically encrypted messaging services like WhatsApp and Wickr and others, including Telegram which was what the Etihad plotters were using. These two issues are critical to the bill. I mean these two issues Labor want to have the Government give enormous ground on in a way that makes the bill ineffective. Can I give you this example…
Advice on federal Icac
Just a quick word on the growing push for a federal integrity commission.
Last week, we heard National MPs were planning to oppose a federal integrity commission unless ministers were protected for issuing infrastructure grants against the advice of their departments.
The Nationals feared ministers could be found corrupt if they approved grants in rural or regional areas, instead of following recommendations to direct funding to projects in major cities.
But those fears have just been soundly rejected by former New South Wales integrity commissioner, David Ipp.
“There have been reports in the media that members of the National party fear that a national integrity commission could find that a minister, who acted against departmental advice, would be guilty of corrupt conduct solely on that ground,” Ipp said.
“That view is incorrect.”
Ipp said the issue has already been thoroughly considered in two 2013 reports by the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac).
Both reports found the minister was fully entitled to take a position at odds with the recommendations of his or her department.
“Both reports make it plain that a minister is entitled, on appropriate grounds, to ignore and act contrary to advice or recommendations of public officials or departments,” Ipp said.
“There is nothing corrupt about such conduct where the minister acts on the strength of his or her own bona fide views.”
Ipp was an Icac commissioner between 2009 and 2014.
Updated
Rebehka Sharkie has introduced her live exports bill and Kerryn Phelps has introduced the Nauru medical evacuation bill.
To bring on the debates, they need an absolute majority – 75 plus one – which, even with Labor they still don’t have.
So these bills are not going anywhere, any time soon.
Mike Bowers was in the House for the morning activities:
Updated
As reported by Gabrielle Chan, Cathy McGowan has introduced her bill
Member for Indi @Indigocathy introduced National Integrity (Parliamentary Standards) Bill 2018 https://t.co/ICO14Goswz #auspol
— Political Alert (@political_alert) December 2, 2018
The behaviour of parliamentarians and their staff would be governed by a code of conduct and an independent parliamentary standards commissioner who could refer individuals to a national integrity commission under laws proposed by the crossbench.
The independent Cathy McGowan has passed on her parliamentary standards bill to both the Coalition and Labor in the final parliamentary sitting week. McGowan would need to win the support of Labor and all seven crossbenchers to get the parliamentary bill debated on the floor of the House.
“I am still working on Labor and the government,” McGowan said. “I haven’t given up on government so I will keep talking about it all week.
“The prime minister said [an integrity commission] was a fringe issue but that is not true. There is huge support for this broadly and particularly in my seat.”
Updated
I just remembered that 2018 was the year Peter Dutton learned to smile again.
That was just three months ago.
Updated
Parliament has started, by the way
Labor is moving its bill to remove religious discrimination against LGBTI students.
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians has also weighed in:
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) has today responded to new data released by medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders).
Professor David Isaacs, a paediatrician and RACP Fellow who treated children in the Nauru detention centre in 2015, said:
“We call on the government to urgently address the medical crisis in Australia’s offshore detention centres by transferring the remaining children from Nauru and allowing urgent medical transfers for adult refugees and asylum seekers on the basis of independent medical advice.
“The medical evidence is clear, offshore detention has had significant and detrimental impact on the health and wellbeing of refugees, particularly children and their families.
“The data released today by Doctors Without Borders is just the latest confirmation that there is a medical crisis in offshore detention. I witnessed it myself when I treated children on Nauru four years ago. But it is a crisis that is entirely preventable. The government can act to end it.
“In the last five years, 12 people have died within offshore detention arrangements. We cannot wait until another person dies. We have a responsibility to act.
“In Australia, clinical need, not politics, determines access to assessment and care. This should apply equally on Manus Island and Nauru.
“If a person needs urgent medical support, access to care must be determined by a doctor – not a politician.
“Regardless of your opinion on offshore processing, nobody wants to see critically ill people denied the medical treatment they need,” said Professor Isaacs.
Updated
Nauru debate may not happen
The crossbenchers were hoping the government would bring on the Nauru evacuation bill for debate this week. It doesn’t look like that is going to happen. Without the government, the crossbench doesn’t have the numbers to bring it on.
Meanwhile, Helen Davidson has reported on Médecins Sans Frontières report on the mental health crisis on Nauru:
The island nation of Nauru is in the grips of a mental health crisis, according to new data from Médecins Sans Frontières, revealing that its Nauruan and refugee patients showed similar levels of mental illness far worse than other MSF projects around the world.
It found stigma and a lack of understanding of mental illness was leading to poor healthcare for both cohorts, but that Nauruan patients were improving under MSF treatment while refugees and asylum seekers did not.
Rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among the refugees and asylum seekers were exacerbated by family separation, violence they experienced on Nauru – including violence allegedly inflicted by authority figures – and by prior detention on Christmas Island, the report also said.
The report from the international medical non-governmental organisation, released on Monday, rated the severity of mental illness using the Global Assessment of Functioning scale, measuring the impact of symptoms on everyday life, from one to 100.
Updated
It really says something about Australian politics these days that this story from Bevan Shields at Fairfax about Craig Kelly at the Engadine Gymnastics Club is already, yesterday’s news:
[Craig Kelly] spotted a group of local politicians who had also been invited to hand out awards to excited children. The group included Lee Evans, a Liberal member of the NSW parliament, and Carmelo Pesce, the Liberal mayor of the Sutherland Shire Council.
Kelly put out his hand to greet the mayor. Pesce put his hand behind his back.
“You’re a f---ing prick!” Kelly shouted at Pesce. “Are you f---ing kidding me? You’re not going to f---ing shake my hand?”
Pesce refused to speak but Kelly – who had spent much of Sunday trying to save his career – didn’t take the hint: “What? Do you mean you’re not going to f---ing shake my hand.”
It is worth noting that in the story, Kelly confirmed the encounter.
Updated
An update on who is out in the Senate at the next election, based on Senate tickets and well, common sense:
Jim Molan
Lucy Gichuhi
Ian Macdonald
Barry O’Sullivan
Fraser Anning
Brian Burston
David Leyonhjelm
Updated
Dreyfus says Labor open to compromise on encryption bill
Mark Dreyfus was also on RN this morning, talking Labor’s position on the encryption bill:
We’re still open to finding a compromise with the government on this. It’s the government that has walked away from the table when we thought we had a deal and it’s absolutely apparent that this desperate, incompetent prime minister just wants to fight for political reasons. We’re very ready to pass a bill before the end of the year, but there are very serious problems with this legislation, in the form that is now in the parliament. We haven’t seen the government’s amendments. The government’s not even prepared to look at most of the amendments that Labor has put forward. It’s no way to legislate and a desperate government should not be allowed to pass an inadequate law that will make Australians less safe.”
Fran Kelly: But the amended version that Labor is putting forward only applies to terrorists and perhaps paedophiles and would only empower the national security agencies to intercept encrypted messages, not the state police forces. Is that correct?
Dreyfus: That’s our proposal, because we think the safeguards need to be got right. It should be able to be brought in on a limited basis. We don’t have at a federal level oversight of the state agencies. That’s something that has become clear in the course of the hearings and, as all of the state police forces know, they have information-sharing arrangements with the Australian federal police.
These are extraordinary powers that are sought to be introduced, particularly in relation to encryption. We’re talking about powers where a federal agency will be able to force an innocent third party, someone completely unconnected with the investigation, to assist police, and able to force tech companies to potentially create weaknesses. That’s what the legislation says at the moment. It’s legislation that was only introduced to the parliament on the 20th of September. The only similar legislation in the world, in the United Kingdom, went through parliamentary processes that took well over a year.
The government didn’t consult properly about this legislation. Now that it is in the parliament, it should let the inquiry continue. Instead we’ve had intervention by the prime minister, intervention by Mr Dutton. It is bringing the inquiry to a sudden halt and without examining all of the problems that have been brought to light over the course of the inquiry.
Updated
It begins
Speech note stands on the cross bench ready for use this morning as the last sitting week of the parliamentary year gets underway @AmyRemeikis #politicslive pic.twitter.com/fFcOZPbSkE
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) December 2, 2018
Oh apparently it is not just me.
I just received a message from a Liberal MP on Malcolm Turnbull opining “if only we had seen this Malcolm in the party room”.
And they are not alone. There are a lot of those sorts of messages flying around today.
As well as the messages that his point about the NSW election is a valid one. Not everyone in the NSW arm of the party feels that way, but there are quite a few who are looking at the numbers, looking at the electorate and looking back at the party and coming back with nothing but despair.
Like I said, the encryption law stuff is going to take off today.
The Turnbull/Morrison government have managed this encryption bill with the same ineptitude that they managed their leadership spills. And now that they face a political crisis in the wake of the Victorian election catastrophe, they are piling desperation on top of incompetence.
— Tim Watts MP (@TimWattsMP) December 2, 2018
Well the Turnbull/Morrison government said they’d be acting on encryption six months before LAST CHRISTMAS, in June 2017 https://t.co/F3i6jw2H6q
— Tim Watts MP (@TimWattsMP) December 2, 2018
At this time, the government publicly stated that these laws would be introduced for debate and PJCIS scrutiny in “the first quarter of 2018” https://t.co/OYOe68hSJK
— Tim Watts MP (@TimWattsMP) December 2, 2018
It didn’t produce draft legislation until the end of August 2018.
This is ridiculous hyperbole of course. There have been 11 foiled plots in Australia proven in court since 2014 without these laws.https://t.co/tz5T961ROd
— Tim Watts MP (@TimWattsMP) December 2, 2018
The absurdity of the government’s politically driven Christmas deadline is further belied by the Bill's mandated 28 day consultation period for the issuance of Technical Capability Notices (s117W) https://t.co/ywMWDv1MhB
— Tim Watts MP (@TimWattsMP) December 2, 2018
Tony Abbott says he supports the government and the prime minister and his colleagues getting preselected in NSW.
You are up to date.
Andrew Leigh said Labor was working towards a compromise interim bill on encryption. Here is talking to Sky:
We’ve been willing to work with the government on measures which tackle some of the egregious issues that have been identified, issues around paedophiles and the like. But we want to make sure that if we’re working on encryption, we’re very careful about how we tackle that. You’d recall when the US National Security Agency had some of its cyber-hacking tools stolen that they ended up being used by all sorts of criminals around the world.
Indeed it said that the WannaCry ransomware attack used tools that had been stolen from the NSA. We’ve got to be very careful in order to make sure that you’re making Australians safer. Many of the experts who’ve given careful considered evidence to this committee have suggested that the current bill makes Australia a more dangerous place.
... They’ve said they need these powers, they’ve said that the timing is a matter for the parliament and the history of this joint committee is one of improving legislation. It has worked constructively to make Australians safer through 15 bills in the past and should be allowed to continue to do that work. I’m just disappointed to see people like Scott Morrison and his sidekick Angus Taylor making these sorts of outrageous claims and suggesting that Labor isn’t committed to cracking down on terrorism. We absolutely are. We need to get it right.”
Updated
Is it revenge, Malcolm Turnbull is asked
Well, look, the media want to create a narrative. And some people in politics want to create a narrative. But I’ve been a member of the Liberal party for a very long time. I’ve been the federal leader of the Liberal party. And I have the right – as does every other member – to express my views to members of the state executive. Now, why one, at least of them – Mr Kean, and perhaps others – decided to share those views with media, I have no idea.”
When does he believe the election should be held?
Well, I am very concerned – as many members of the New South Wales Liberal party are – that the brand damage to the party which arose from the leadership change in August, when I was removed as prime minister – and that has been considerable damage to the Liberal party’s brand, as a result of that – we’ve seen that taken out in a state byelection in Wagga, we’ve seen it obviously in Wentworth, and we’ve seen it in the Victorian state election.
I am very concerned that this will put at risk the Berejiklian government. So, from the point of view of a very good state government with real achievements and terrific track record, it would be better if the federal government were to go before the 23rd of March. Now, as it happens, my intention, as prime minister, was to go to the polls on 2 March. So, in effect, straight after the summer holidays.”
But Scott Morrison wants to go in May.
Well, look, that is a matter for him. And I might say – the, you know, the part of this case for, um, if you like, preventing the Liberal party members of Hughes having their say has been the assertion that Mr Kelly has threatened to go to the crossbench and “bring down the government”.
Now, I’ve got no idea if he’s made that threat. Let me make two points. That is not the sort of threat to give into. If that threat had been made, that is effectively blackmail. Why would you give in to that?
The second point I would make is that, even if Mr Kelly were to go to the crossbench, which I think is unlikely – assuming he lost his preselection – and even if he voted for a no-confidence motion in the government – which I think is even more unlikely – the simple arithmetic of the House of Representatives demonstrates that that would not be enough to carry the no-confidence motion.
Because on the crossbench, there are crossbench members who have all given the government the assurance of confidence-in-supply. In a nutshell, the processes of which party in which I am a longstanding member should be respected.
I’m disappointed that my discussions with members of the state executive last night found their way into the media but, having done that, it’s important – rather than having those discussions being, you know, presented in an inaccurate or incomplete manner – it’s better that I state what my position is, which I think is entirely appropriate.
As Scott Morrison knows, I’ve given him every support and plenty of good and useful advice, which he’s acknowledged. OK, thanks a lot.”
Some would say that the government may be in a little better position if this version of Malcolm Turnbull was the one who turned up as prime minister. Not the one who seemed to capitulate to what the conservatives wanted from the moment he took the leadership.
Updated
Malcolm Turnbull has a cold
But he is not going away – he is now doing a doorstop on the street.
Unlike the other doorstops he has done on the street, he is wearing a suit. Not his civvies.
Well, I think in the case of Mr Kelly – which is what this is all about – there is the ... we have a democratic process of preselections in New South Wales and, in those circumstances, where there clearly is a contest, it’s important that the local members – the party members, Liberal party members in Hughes – have the opportunity to have their say.
I mean, we’ve had a very long debate here in New South Wales about the importance of grassroots participation. It is, after all, one of the Liberal party’s great strengths that it is a grassroots political movement. And so it’s reasonable, I think, and quite proper, to respect and to ask the state executive to respect those processes.”
On his own intervention to save Craig Kelly in 2016?
That was rather different in 2016 – the preselection, the challenger, decided not to proceed in 2016. But I think the point is that we have had, we have a democratic process, you have a challenger, there is a contest in Hughes – the Liberal 0arty members in Hughes are entitled to have their say. I mean, how – I might say, Mr Kelly, for what it’s worth, was a very strong advocate of party democracy. So surely he should be, he would be pleased to have a preselection.
Updated
A slight break in proceedings for Ian Goodenough’s annual calendar delivery.
His favourite this year, is March.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, the member for Moore Ian Goodenough delivers his 2019 calendar to @murpharoo in @GuardianAus office @AmyRemeikis #politicslive early call-the March safari suit Goodenough is 👌🏻 pic.twitter.com/TijzhlpcKy
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) December 2, 2018
The March Goodenough as modeled by @AmyRemeikis #politicslive pic.twitter.com/CtzWMkg1IR
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) December 2, 2018
Mathias Cormann was taking the conservative power stance to a whole new level this morning.
Updated
On the policy front, this is the biggest fight:
.@Kieran_Gilbert: Is the govt overegging it to suggest Labor is backing terrorist communication?@AngusTaylorMP: I tell you what’s offensive, is running a protection racket for terrorist networks who communicate using encrypted apps.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) December 2, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/mdebr0Bory #amagenda pic.twitter.com/Brsch4S5T5
And it may be one the government has already lost. Suggesting that Labor is on the side of terrorists seems too big a leap for even the staunchest conservative supporter.
That there was a compromise interim bill being put forward, which would have given the intelligence agencies the powers they want, is on the record. That the government rejected it, is also on the record.
That there are a lot of issues with this bill, is another thing on the record.
This response from the government jumps all of the sharks.
Siri, show me under pressure:
.@AngusTaylorMP says he wasn’t aware of @TurnbullMalcolm’s plan for the govt to head to the polls in March.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) December 2, 2018
‘Australians want govts to serve their term. What they want is for us is to unite and fight against a potential Labor govt.’
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Angus Taylor, speaking to Sky, says the electorate wants the Liberal party to “unite and fight”.
He has said that about three times now. I think we might have some idea of what is listed on today’s talking points.
ABC radio is now playing R-E-S-P-E-C-T, so that’s a nice bookend to Fran Kelly’s morning.
And here’s the final instalment (this interview was almost as long as a Ridley Scott director’s cut).
Fran Kelly: “You do know that many of your colleagues see all of these moves as you trying to get the government into opposition, as Barnaby Joyce said trying to deliver us to opposition – ”
Malcolm Turnbull: “Well, that’s nonsense – ”
Kelly: “I mean, one view is that you’re trying to step in so that Craig Kelly is not safe so he does go to the crossbench and that might further destabilise the government and force an early election.”
Turnbull: “Fran, that is that is what I’ve described as attribution bias that is blaming your – you know, blaming other people for the consequences of your own actions. I mean, the government’s electoral woes, if that’s the right term, are a consequence of the decision made to change the leadership on the 24th of August. I mean, the polls – whether it’s the opinion polls or the election results – tell that story. It was, as I said at the time, a destructive, mad, pointless exercise and the Australian people have been appalled by it.
“And you know, I know that there’s been this proposition put around that no one’s really interested in the leadership change or the internal machinations of the Liberal party. The fact is they are and it has done a lot of brand damage to the Liberal party. And you know that’s something the party is going to have to work through. But there’s no point being mealy mouthed about it or pretending that that damage hasn’t been done.”
Kelly: “Is there any point, though, you pretending this isn’t some degree of payback for someone like Craig Kelly who helped lead the charge against the NEG and you?”
Turnbull: “Not at all. Not at all. I think it is a, it is, this is a matter of principle and I believe that in particularly given the lengthy debate we’ve had in New South Wales about the importance of grassroots members having their say and you know, the conventions and conferences we’ve had on this issue, it is really important that the people, that the Liberal party members in Hughes have their say.
“And, look, I would say that in respect of any member but if to give in to a threat to quote ‘bring down the government’ by someone who claims to be quote ‘a real liberal’ unquote is extraordinary. I mean what the prime minister should be doing is if Mr Kelly has made that threat is he should stand up to him and say, ‘Well if you want to go to the crossbench and create trouble that’s on you, that’s your responsibility.’
“I mean, it’s exactly – you know people have got to take responsibility for their own actions, just like the people who are responsible for my removal as prime minister are the people that voted to remove me in the party room. You know they are the ones that are responsible. Some of them try to blame it all on people in the media. Well, the media certainly has an influence on politics but, ultimately, members of parliament have to take responsibility for their own actions.”
Kelly: “But people would say – some of your colleagues or former colleagues would say – you have to take responsibility for your own actions and when you speak out like this and when it’s able to be leaked that you badmouthed the prime minister – ”
Turnbull: “I have not badmouthed the prime minister, I’ve given the prime minister –Scott – I’ve given Scott Morrison considerable support. In fact many, well, I’ve given him considerable support and I’ve given him considerable advice – good advice I might add.”
Kelly: “Can I just ask you then because, you know, as I say, some of your colleagues are suspicious and that’s been played out in the media, you know. Did you encourage Julia Banks, for instance, to leave the party and go sit on the crossbench?”
Turnbull: “No, look, I know there are some people who think that women can’t make their own decisions. But Julia Banks made her own decision. She is a formidable, experienced, strong woman. She is a lawyer corporate lawyer. She came into parliament with a great track record in the private sector and she’s made her own conscientious decision and, I think, you know, whether you regret it or not – whether one regrets it or not – it’s one that she’s made and she explained it I thought very powerfully in parliament.”
Kelly: “And you promised not to be a miserable ghost – you know your colleagues will see this as you being a miserable ghost, don’t you?”
Turnbull: “Well, look, people can – ”
Kelly: “Why aren’t you being that?”
Turnbull: “Well, well, well, well, for a start I’m not in the parliament. I mean, both Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott after they ceased to be prime minister stayed in the parliament and did everything they could to overthrow their successor, right?
“I’ve left the parliament. I’m not a threat to anyone. I’m not a threat to Scott Morrison or anyone. I’m not even eligible, so I’m out, but I am an Australian citizen. I’m a member of the Liberal party, I’m entitled to express my views.
“I spoke to several members of the state executive yesterday, as I was entitled to do. I’m very disappointed that at least one of them, Mr Matt Kean, chose to share a colourful version of that discussion and not entirely accurate description but a description of idea with the media. Why he chose to do that is completely beyond me.
“But if you get to the point where you say, if you’re putting to me, if you’re saying to me I should never discuss political matters with anybody because they could be leaked to the media, that’s a ridiculous proposition. So those people who choose to put private discussions into the media should take responsibility for it.
“The reason I’ve come on your program this morning is I want to make it very clear what I’ve said, what my views are so that I’m not going to be misrepresented in the sort of increasingly paranoid descriptions of politics that you see in some of the media, particularly in the Australian and on Sky News. The proposition that I am responsible for the government’s electoral woes it is absurd. The fact is when I was prime minister we were two points behind on the Newspoll, level pegging effectively, and we were four points ahead on our own private polling – but we know that’s not the government’s position today.
“And so the people who take should take responsibility for that are the people who moved to remove me as prime minister; Peter Dutton and Greg Hunt and Mathias Cormann and others, cabinet ministers and of course ultimately the members who voted according within the party room, they have to take responsibility for what they did.”
Kelly: “Just very briefly and finally you do intend then to remain an active member of the Liberal party?”
Turnbull: “Sure, absolutely. I’ve been a member of the Liberal party for many, many years.”
Kelly: “Malcom Turnbull, thank you very much for joining us.”
Updated
Here’s part two of the transcript of Malcolm Turnbull’s interview with the ABC’s Fran Kelly this morning. It was a 15-minute interview.
Kelly: “Is that quote I read out just then, that this is Scott Morrison trying to save his own backside, is that accurate? Is that what you think?”
Turnbull: “I’m not going to go into that, Fran, but I’ll just make this clear. There is a very lively discussion in Liberal party circles again, which I regret to see reported in the newspaper in the way it has been, but that seems to be the tenor of the times, but there is a legitimate discussion and concern about the way in which the brand damage arising from the federal leadership change in August has impacted on the NSW state government in the Wagga byelection and the Victorian state election, and so there is a lot of people in NSW, a lot of NSW Liberals, who believe it would be in the party’s interest for the federal government to go to an election before the NSW government set an election date of 23 March so that Gladys Berejiklian, who is leading an outstanding government of real and considerable achievement, can go to the polls and be judged on her record rather than being hit by the brand damage that arose from the very destructive, pointless, shameful leadership change in Canberra on the 24th August.”
Kelly: “But how are you, as a former prime minister, helping with that brand damage by ringing around, lobbying MPs and others, and making these accusations against the prime minister?”
Turnbull: “Hey, Fran, I’ve not made any accusations against the prime minister.”
Kelly: “Well, did you say he’s just trying to keep his arse on C1?”
Turnbull: “I’m not going to go into that, but Matt Kean, if he wants to report versions of private conversations he can, but plainly the prime minister’s determination is to stay in government for as long as he possibly can.”
Kelly: “Did you criticise him for that?”
Turnbull: “Well, my view, again, I’m a retired member of parliament and just a member of the Liberal party but since everyone else feels free to express their political commentary I shall do so.
“My view is that it would be manifestly in the best interests and prospects of the Morrison government to go to the polls as soon as it can after the summer break. In fact, my intention and Scott’s intention, for that matter, prior to my being removed as prime minister, was to go to polls on the 2nd March. That would be exactly three weeks before the NSW state election.
“But Morrison has got to judge the right timing for an election but you would understand, and the media is full of it, that there is a real concern in NSW Liberal circles, that a very good, outstanding government led by Gladys Berejiklian is going to have its prospects of success diminished because of the brand damage to the Liberal party caused by the leadership change in August. That is a legitimate matter.
“Now, as far as I’m concerned, I’m entitled to speak to state executive members, I’m entitled to speak to anyone I like, but as a member of the Liberal party I’m certainly entitled to speak to state executives members.
“I regret that at least one of them, Mr Kean, chose to give a rather colourful version of that discussion to the media but, you know, the alternative would be for me to become a Trappist monk and I don’t think that’s reasonable.”
Updated
Meanwhile, over in the Senate, Jim Molan has also declared that he won’t be going silently.
I spoke to Jane Marwick this afternoon about the Senate preselection. #auspol https://t.co/i91Tv0iL7y
— Senator Jim Molan (@JimMolan) December 2, 2018
He spoke to Perth radio 6PR on Sunday to say he will not be taken for granted, after he was relegated to an unwinnable spot on the NSW Senate ticket.
The Liberal party is too important to this country for me to walk out of this party, but every option is open to me.
The support in terms of organisations, money, anger has been beyond belief.
I’ll stay with the Liberal party, but I’m not to be taken for granted within the Liberal party.
His argument seems to be that the Liberal party needs more conservatives. Because that is absolutely what voters have been telling them. In WA. In Queensland. In Braddon and Longman and Wentworth and Victoria and all those other places which apparently, are not “real Australia”.
Updated
What we know so far
Malcolm Turnbull wanted to go to an election on 2 March.
He has advised Scott Morrison to do the same thing.
To save Craig Kelly, the Liberal party was planning on overriding the Hughes branch pre-selection with a state executive decree that all sitting members would be re-endorsed.
Turnbull found out about the ballot and called on moderates, asking them to reject the proposition.
The former PM learnt that at least one of the people he had spoken to, the NSW state minister Matt Kean, had passed on his comments to the Australian and went public with his intervention in a series of tweets.
He said responding to Kelly’s claims to quit the party and sit on the crossbench with a preselection save would be the “worst and weakest response”.
Turnbull then went on radio and said the same thing, while not denying that he said something like Scott Morrison was just trying to “keep his arse” in C1 –the prime ministerial car – as long as possible, by not going to a March election in an attempt to save the NSW state government.
The government is sticking to the line that it is “getting on with the job” and “oh hey, isn’t the economy great?”
Updated
Just to recap:
The Liberal party is tearing itself apart over the preselection of a backbencher, best known for his appearances on Sky.
In fact, Craig Kelly is so well known as the “Member for Told/On Sky News” that when Sky launched its new studio in Parliament House last week, people were wandering around making the joke they were looking for Kelly’s office.
His other classic hits include bringing down an energy policy, helping to bring down a prime minister, responding with, “I think that you’ve got to roll with the punches in this game,” after allegations of bullying were raised after the leadership spill, and now, thanks to this Bevan Shields story in Fairfax, swearing at a fellow Liberal for refusing to shake his hand. In a gymnastics club.
Updated
Here’s a (jetlagged) Mathias Cormann’s take:
The developments in the final week of August are a matter of public record. The decision was made by Malcolm at the time to bring on a surprise leadership spill, the result was that his position became irretrievable and the party made a decision to elect Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg as our leader and deputy leader and we are getting on with the job delivering stronger growth, more jobs, and getting the budget back in surplus as soon as possible.
On Malcolm Turnbull’s intervention:
He’s entitled to his views. In the end, the matter is ... for the New South Wales Liberal party state executive [who] and I am confident that they will make a decision based on their best judgments, on what is in the best interests of the Liberal party in NSW and the best interests of the government and the country moving forward.
Updated
Mathias Cormann was also sent out this morning to calm the farm.
He says Malcolm Turnbull is “entitled to his views” and he “wishes him well”.
You may remember that the former parliamentary besties haven’t really spoken to each other since the leadership spill. The spill that was called on after Cormann said the party room had the numbers for the vote. As we now know, at the moment, the Peter Dutton camp didn’t have the numbers. And when naming those he holds most responsible, Turnbull always ensures that Cormann is at the top of the list.
Oh – as I reported yesterday, Dutton won’t be in parliament again this week. He’s still on medical leave after ripping his biceps from his arm while literally mending a fence.
(I will never get over that.)
Updated
Here’s the opening part of the transcript from Malcolm Turnbull’s interview on Radio National this morning.
Fran Kelly: “Two years ago you stepped in to save Craig Kelly from being overthrown at pre-selection, this time you’ve intervened to try to help knock him off. Why?”
Turnbull: “It’s not a question of knocking him off, it’s important that the democratic processes of the Liberal party be allowed to operate.
“What is being proposed to the state executives is that the state executive should re-endorse Mr Kelly so that the Liberal party members of Hughes do not have the opportunity to have their say.
“Now we’ve just had a very long debate in NSW in the Liberal party about the importance of democracy and grassroots members’ participation, and in my view, and I say this as a Liberal party member of NSW, the party should allow the preselection process to take its course and then Mr Kelly will either succeed or not depending on the views of the Liberal party members whose candidate he is.”
Kelly: “But why is that different than you as prime minister making assertions on Craig Kelly’s behalf with the preselectors?”
Turnbull: “Well, the circumstances in 2016 were contentious then but the point of the matter is that what is being put to me by some members of the state executive is that Mr Kelly has threatened to go to the crossbench and ‘bring down the government’.
“Now, let me make a couple of points here. Firstly, I’m not aware that Mr Kelly has made that threat. I don’t believe that he would do that. I don’t believe he would either go to the crossbench or bring down the government. But assuming he has made that threat, then that is the worst and the weakest reason not to have a pre-selection process.
“So all I’ve asked, and I’ve spoken to members of the state executive to whom I’m entitled to speak as a member, I’ve asked them to stick to the democratic process and have a proper preselection. Now, several of them have chosen to share those discussions with the media last night, and that’s why I put out a statement to clarify what I’d said.”
Kelly: “And what they’ve shared with the media is you’re quoted as saying ‘Scott Morrison is just trying to keep his arse on C1’ – that’s the commonwealth car. In other words you believe Scott Morrison’s intervened just to try to save himself. But isn’t he trying to save the government? Isn’t that what prime ministers are supposed to do?”
Turnbull: “Well, prime ministers obviously try to keep the government together but the fact of the matter is that Mr Kelly were to, assuming he had made that threat … and assuming he carried it out, then the responsibility for that would be his and his alone. Giving in to threats of this kind is really, I mean it is the antithesis of good government, giving into threats of that kind.
“And I might say, just as a matter of arithmetic for those who are interested in these things, even assuming Mr Kelly were to go to the crossbench and even assuming he were to vote for a motion of no confidence – both propositions I think extremely unlikely – that would not be enough to bring down the government.
“So you know, what is being used as a means to try to railroad the state executive into not having a normal preselection process, a democratic process, is firstly a claim that the threat has been made, with no evidence that it has been made with consequences of ‘bringing down the government’, which simply are not right.
“I mean, the fact of the matter is the government has support of confidence and supply from most of the crossbench already.
“So if Mr Kelly were to go to the crossbench and vote with Labor and with the Greens and Andrew Wilkie … it would not be enough to bring down the government.”
Updated
Then of course, there is the encryption legislation fight.
Penny Wong said yesterday the committee looking at the legislation had offered an interim compromise bill, which the government “blew up”.
Mark Dreyfus said they had that in writing.
Simon Birmingham was left to clean up that mess this morning on Sky as well:
.@Kieran_Gilbert: The PM is creating some sense that Labor wants to allow the terrorists to operate. It’s actually quite rich for him to suggest that.@Birmo: No, not at all. The ALP is turning its back on the advice of our security agencies.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) December 2, 2018
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On why the Liberals should be re-elected, Simon Birmingham says a very long version of “well, the economy is doing great”, while looking like the grimace face emoji.
He says it is time for the party to get over the leadership spill. Which it caused:
Look, I think that people remain having a mix of emotions over these things. I would wish that it hadn’t happened.
Scott Morrison didn’t want it to happen. He supported Malcolm Turnbull to the end. But when called upon, we’re all getting on with the job at hand.
The issues and the poll matter far, far more than the people or the personalities, and that will well and truly be our message that we take into the election this year.
Asking people to vote on our record of accomplishments, in fixing the budget, growing the economy, record jobs, securing our borders, tackling national security issues.
People can back the Liberal and National parties on a record of accomplishment and achievement, whereas at the end of the Rudd-Gillard years, they had record debt.
They had a huge flow of people coming across our borders. We had serious problems in terms of not being able to enjoy the type of trade access that we have today because there had been no trade deals successfully started and concluded in their time in office.
It’s a stark contrast in terms of the policy achievements when you take all of the political issues out of it, and just look at the policies of the day and the achievements and the things that matter to Australians.
Can they, their kids, their grandkids, more easily get a job than they could five and a half years ago? The answer is yes. That’s why people should support our re-election.
Updated
Simon Birmingham is on ABC TV right now, trying out this line:
People don’t want to hear about the internals of political parties. That’s why I don’t want to talk about the internals of political parties because it feeds the cycle.
I am not sure that is going to work in this case.
Updated
Part of that good advice that Malcolm Turnbull had for Scott Morrison – go to an election as soon as you can, after the summer break.
He said his plan, while prime minister, was to go to the polls on 2 March.
He believes Morrison should go then too, or “as soon as possible” after the summer break, so the NSW Liberals can have some space.
Otherwise, he said, a “very good government” was going to be punished because of what was happening in Canberra.
Updated
Good morning
Where to start?
Last week ended with Craig Kelly, labelling himself a “true Liberal” with the Menzies T-shirt to boot, refusing to rule out moving to the crossbench if he lost preselection.
After creating the situation, starting on Monday when he spoke to Katharine Murphy about it, before moving to Sky where he also refused to rule it out, before having his emissaries tell Fairfax he would do it, he ended the week calling it all a bit of “fake news” and he would be part of Scott Morrison’s government until the bitter end.
But someone must have neglected to tell Morrison that, if the reports are to be believed (and you can bet they should be) because Morrison’s people spent the weekend on the phone to the NSW state executive urging members, in the strongest possible terms, to save Kelly.
And so, saving the backbencher became Sunday’s must-watch viewing, as the in-case-of-minority-government-emergency case was broken open and a state executive ballot to save all sitting MPs was enacted.
Because suddenly, those who had spent the past few years lobbying for individual branches to have more power, because you know, Liberal party democracy, suddenly wanted head office to step in and kibosh it, in what seems a very Labor party factional move. Because apparently, democracy only works when it works your way.
Enter Malcolm Turnbull, who was having none of it.
Today I learned there was a move to persuade the State Executive to re-endorse Craig Kelly as Liberal candidate for Hughes in order to avoid a preselection - in other words to deny Liberal Party members in Hughes the opportunity to have their say.
— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) December 2, 2018
He not only made his intervention public on Twitter, he pinned the tweet to his page, to make easier for anyone looking for it.
I subsequently spoke with several State Executive members to express my strong view that the Party’s democratic processes should operate in the normal way especially after such a long debate in the NSW Liberal Party about the importance of grass roots membership involvement.
— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) December 2, 2018
Saving Kelly because he had threatened to move to the crossbench would be the “worst and weakest response”.
It has been put to me that Mr Kelly has threatened to go to the cross bench and “bring down the Government”. If indeed he has made that threat, it is not one that should result in a capitulation. Indeed it would be the worst and weakest response to such a threat.
— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) December 2, 2018
Turnbull should know. He was asked to step in and save Kelly on numerous occasions and resisted.
He saved Kelly once already, before the 2016 election, and was repaid with vocal and public criticisms and that one time he blew up Turnbull’s signature energy policy, which eventually led to his downfall as leader.
So it was a big fat no from Turnbull on the saving Kelly front.
And if you don’t think that tweet about “worst and weakest response” was directed at Morrison, then you are a much less cynical person than I am.
Doubling down, Turnbull went on ABC Radio National early on Monday morning to say that he, and Morrison, had planned on going to a federal election on 2 March, to save the NSW state government, which is due to go to the polls in late March. He doesn’t deny, as reported in the Australian, saying “Scott Morrison is just trying to keep his arse in C1” (the prime minister’s car) but also says he didn’t badmouth Morrison, and had been giving him “considerable support” and “very good advice”.
As for Kelly, Turnbull had this to say (among other things):
Well, prime ministers obviously try to keep the government together, but the fact of the matter is that, if Mr Kelly were to – assuming he has made that threat, which we don’t know for sure – assuming he’d made it and assuming he carried it out, then the responsibility for that would be his and his alone.
Giving in to threats of this kind is really – I mean, it is the antithesis of good government, giving in to threats of that kind. And I might say – just as a matter of arithmetic, for those that interested in these things – assuming, even assuming Mr Kelly were to go to the crossbench, and even assuming he were to vote for a motion of no-confidence – both propositions, I think, extremely unlikely – that would not be enough to bring down the government.
So, good times.
Mike Bowers is back with us, so I’ll bring you some of what he has been out and about capturing very soon. You also have the Guardian brains trust on deck. And of course, you also have me.
There is a lot to get through today, so let’s get into it.
Updated
