And on that note, we are going to call it a day.
We’ll be back early tomorrow morning for more estimates fun and games. Will we find out who the mysterious “they” are? Probably not because they don’t exist.
Or maybe that’s exactly what they want you to think! I am very confused right now. All I know is that for a government which has argued against “gender whisperers” it can certainly embrace the they pronoun when it wants.
Mike Bowers is on assignment for the rest of the week, but you’ll have Sarah Martin, Paul Karp and Katharine Murphy on board, as well as the rest of the Guardian brains trust.
And however many brain cells I can scrape together to sit under my tinfoil hat, which is apparently now part of the uniform in here.
Thank you to everyone for today – we really appreciated you following along. We’ll hopefully see you back here tomorrow. In the meantime – take care of you.
Updated
I’m really, really not sure that the world didn’t end in 2012, and we have spent the past seven years in a bad place simulation.
New development: Labor now says journalists should be exempt from prosecution under national security laws for doing their job. @markdreyfusQCMP says “not a blanket exemption” but “recognising the vital role played by journalists”.
— David Speers (@David_Speers) October 21, 2019
Penny Wong is now asking the PM&C officials whether they are aware of any international agreements Australia has entered into unwillingly.
They are not.
*fin*
“When you say this unaccountable, unelected international bureaucracy – the only thing you can point to is they give us lectures,” Penny Wong says.
Mathias Cormann eventually concedes that “they” can’t direct us, but from “time to time” “they” try.
Wong wants him to take on notice who “they are”.
Cormann won’t because he says he has answered who “they” are. (He has not)
“I am asking the department to take on notice who the ‘they’ is ... which organisations are included in the ‘they’ [in the prime minister’s speech].”
This is an actual exchange in Senate estimates and not a rebooted Laurel and Hardy sketch.
Updated
Mathias Cormann won’t say who “they” are, when he says that sometimes “they” impose judgements or decisions which the government doesn’t believe supports Australia’s national interest.
But he won’t say who “they” is.
It’s just “they”.
Mathias Cormann and Penny Wong are now using Malcolm Roberts’s support as a sledge.
Fair.
Updated
Asking about the prime minister’s Lowy institute speech – the “negative globalism” one – Penny Wong asks for the difference between positive and negative globalism.
It doesn’t look like anyone can.
The PM&C officials can’t think of any other reference to negative globalism.
Mathias Cormann jumps in to say it was a great speech, which was very well received by those who heard it.
“One Nation loved it,” Wong quips back.
Cormann says he believes the “quiet Australians” would have received it well.
Wong then asks what global organisations demand conformity.
There is silence in the room.
Cormann is now reading directly from the speech.
Updated
Penny Wong is asking PM&C officials about “BurnedSpy” (a name she laughs as she says out loud) and whether the department has taken any investigations as a consequence of the claims made in the story (that he regularly posts on conspiracy QAnon conspiracy sites and their partner works on the prime minister’s staff).
Mathias Cormann takes everything on notice.
Updated
I imagine this will be in response to Ken Wyatt’s interview last week, in which he said he would be moving to legislate a voice to parliament, rather than enshrining it in the constitution, in order to get the recognition referendum up (and passed).
Indigenous people called for the voice to be enshrined, so it could not be overrun, as Atsic was.
MUST LISTEN TO interview with Labor’s Indigenous spokeswoman @LindaBurneyMP #auspol at 6pm
— PatriciaKarvelas (@PatsKarvelas) October 21, 2019
Updated
For those interested, Bob Katter and Adam Bandt are both in the chamber arguing against the free trade deal - it s not often you see those two on the same side of an argument.
Angus Taylor’s disclosures regarding his interest in company Jam Land are now being scrutinised, given the department’s administration of the ministerial standards.
Labor senator Jenny McAllister is asking what attempts have been made by the prime minister, Scott Morrison, to satisfy himself that Taylor is not in breach of ministerial standards which prevent the use of public office for personal benefit.
Cormann insists that Taylor is not in breach, and has disclosed his interest in Jam Land as required under the rules, and says the targeting of Taylor is “smear and innuendo”.
Cormann says that stopping Taylor advocating for landholders in his electorate, including himself, would be like suggesting he should not advocate tax cuts as a beneficiary.
Labor senator Penny Wong accuses him of making a “ridiculous equivalency”.
“He is not advocating on behalf of his constituency, he is advocating for himself,” Wong said.
Updated
Mathias Cormann says there was no breach of the rules by Mr Pyne and Ms Bishop. He says there's been no further action from the PM after the Senate inquiry. Senator Cormann calls it a partisan exercise #estimates
— Tom McIlroy (@TomMcIlroy) October 21, 2019
Labor has picked up on the prime minister’s statement during question time (highlighted below) that
I do not believe that those decisions about who should be prosecuted at the end of the day should be made on the whim of politicians.
Which contradicts the line that Christian Porter has taken on this – that he will need to approve any brief from the commonwealth director of public prosecutions (if there is one) before any charges could be moved ahead.
Mark Dreyfus says Scott Morrison has confused the issue, asking whether Porter’s directive stands, or not.
Mr Morrison’s statement suggests that this government does not know where it stands on freedom of the press and the Australian public’s right to know.
Updated
A Dfat officer, Philip Green, has sent a message re this morning’s evidence - prompting clarification from Caroline Miller.
Miller says that a colleague from Dfat has forwarded an email from 28 May sent to Justin Hayhurst [first assistant secretary to PM&C), CC’d to Miller, which advised that Ambassador Hockey was going to send a letter re the US justice department inquiry into the Mueller report.
This was an issue this morning, because Penny Wong wanted to know when PM&C were aware that Australia would be co-operating with the investigation, because of Alexander Downer’s involvement.
“We had forgotten about this message”, says Miller.
Zali Steggall will officially present the largest ever parliamentary e-petition (there have been bigger hardcopy ones presented, including one to stop a beer tax) calling on the parliament to declare a climate emergency, in the chamber tomorrow. There were over 400,000 signatures on that one, which is no mean feat.
But for it to pass, a few government MPs would need to cross over.
Steggall tells Patricia Karvelas “we are writing around to request a conscience vote”.
We are a democracy,” she says.
PK points out that the conservative government in the UK passed a climate emergency declaration, so she asks whether she thinks anyone from the conservative side of politics would support it, if a conscience vote was allowed (which it most likely will not be).
Absolutely. A lot called for a climate act to be introduced in the UK. It needs to be done, it has to be done and we need to find the political will in Australia.
You need more than just lip service at an election, saying that you do believe in climate change and you will take action. We needed to be for more than just inside the party room, it needs to be outside. Everyone should be able to have a conscience vote in parliament and declare whether or not this is an issue we need to address.
Updated
Back in environment estimates, Labor has been asking about the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, which received a controversial $443.3 m six-year grant from the government.
At the time the grant was awarded, it was said the foundation had “unique” capacity to attract further donations for reef projects from the private sector.
Senator Nita Green notes the department’s annual report says there is an investment target of between $300m to $400m.
“How many funds have actually been raised?” she asks.
Deb Callister, from the department’s heritage, reef and marine division, says: “To date, the amount that we’ve been advised of is that they’ve raised more than $21m as in-kind contributions from their projects.”
Asked what in-kind means, she says it refers to additional provided by organisations and groups that had received funding from the foundation via the grant. This could be staff provided for projects, office space, or cash.
Callister says the federal election had affected the foundation’s ability to “participate more actively in the fundraising sphere”.
Labor warned the foundation before the election it would terminate the grant if it was elected.
“It would come as no surprise to senators that some of the uncertainty around the future of the partnership that arose around the election...has impacted on their (the foundation’s) ability to participate more actively in the fundraising sphere,” Callister says.
“But now that that outcome is known and their future is known they’re moving more actively to engage with potential donors.”
Callister says in the first year of the grant the foundation spent “in the vicinity” of $25m on projects and just under $8m on administrative costs.
She said the foundation anticipated they would spend $58m on projects in 19-20.
Labor is now asking about how the prime minister’s office treats journalists, highlighting messages sent from the PMO to journalist Peter van Onselen that criticised coverage.
Labor senator Tim Ayres has asked whether the department believes the correspondence from the PMO shows “professional courtesy” in how it deals with journalists, as is required under standards for staffers.
After finance minister Mathias Cormann defended the private exchange, Ayres said “no wonder the government wants to lock up journalists”.
This sparks an angry response from Cormann, who accuses the senator of conflating in a “dangerous and inappropriate” way the issue of communication between staffers and journalists, and the AFP investigation into national security breaches.
Updated
Seems to be a lot of incorrect responses flying around
Here's the lead in to that exchange, where they explain the confusion of the review without a report that they said there was a report for and then took it back a month later. pic.twitter.com/OrNygLwjZN
— Josh Taylor (@joshgnosis) October 21, 2019
Five years ago we lost an Australian hero – a leader, reformer, and friend.
— Tanya Plibersek (@tanya_plibersek) October 21, 2019
His legacy lives on. pic.twitter.com/Cf0DgVwKLs
Else Kennedy, who is doing an internship with the Guardian, listened to Sydney radio 2GB to hear Ben Fordham’s response to Anne Davies’ story this morning:
“My eyes started glazing over halfway through the piece.”
“They’ve ripped into me for the role I played in organising for politicians to have a fresh look at the situation.”
“I’m not a minister, I’m not a premier, I’m just a radio host. All I did was appeal to those in charge to get out of their air-conditioned offices, go to the parts of the bush ravaged by drought and ask themselves the question, ‘Is this fair? Is it fair to threaten people with daily fines of $13,000 for not talking to a bureaucrat? Is it fair to bankrupt families that have been putting food on our plates for generations? Is it fair to push men and women to breaking point and whack them over the edge? We’ve already got farmers killing themselves, and I’ve had them talking to me with tears in their eyes. All I did was suggest meetings and ask for a fresh look. It was the NSW government that decided that the land-clearing laws were unfair. The government introduced a new policy. It wasn’t me, it wasn’t this radio station.”
“By all means have a go at me, you can do your best.”
“What I would say to the Guardian is this: you know that those farmers were in strife. You know that the worst offenders are still being prosecuted. Others have received a reprieve from the strict land-clearing laws and rules have now been changed to make them fairer.
“But understand when there’s a battle between the greenies in the big smoke and the farmers in the bush I’ll be backing the farmers, and any criticism I get for that I wear as a badge of honour. I’ll be campaigning for anyone who deserves our support and I won’t be changing my approach one single bit.”
Updated
That moment when you realise just how many titles you have.
The no props in question time rule going very well
Best angles
The parliament smells of rich mahogany
Updated
The answer to this question is no.
Interesting exchange in #estimates given #righttoknow >>
— Helen Davidson (@heldavidson) October 21, 2019
Home Affairs are on track to receive more than 21k FOI apps this year (^from 18k last yr)
Sen Patrick asks if he has allocated resources to that area to deal with increased workload (which they notoriously struggle with)
Updated
Acting Greens leader Adam Bandt (Richard Di Natale had to have unscheduled knee surgery, we understand) wants to try and delay the free trade agreement implementation.
Liberal and Labor have done a dirty deal to fast-track laws that will give corporations more rights than governments or workers.
These dodgy deals allow corporations to boost their profits by suing governments who do things like lift the minimum wage or pass laws to protect the environment.
Labor’s ‘big win’ appears to be an unenforceable side-letter from the Liberals that existing loopholes will continue to apply.
The Greens stand with the workers and civil society groups who want these agreements rewritten so that basic rights are protected.
We will move amendments to the bills to ensure jobs are advertised locally, corporations can’t sue our government and the Hong Kong deal is delayed while the conflict there continues.”
Given Labor and the government are on the same side on this, this will fail.
Updated
Jacqui Lambie tried her luck with home affairs and border force to question them about Crown again.
Mike Pezzullo cautions Lambie on her use of the term “evidence”.
“The department issues visas, and visas are not issued any way other than the Migration Act, so the suggestion that people come uncredentialed is wrong. The ABF checks credentials at the other end and then on arrival.”
Lambie says that sounds like some people are coming in with visas on Crown planes.
She asks if ABF is “going on every one of them with your boots on to check every one of them?”
“I hung up my boots a long time ago,” says Pezzullo, referring it to Outram.
Outram says, yes, we clear everyone – passengers and crew – who comes in on a plane from overseas.
Lambie keeps pushing because “something’s wrong here”.
Outram disagrees and says he’s not aware of any corporate entity bringing people to Australia illegally.
Updated
Over at the Home Affairs estimates, senator Rex Patrick is asking about the department about their not-great record on FOIs.
The department had 14,463 in 201718, and it increased by about 4,000 in 2018/19.
The department is on track to receive about 21,500 FOI requests this year.
Pezzullo says he had an obligation to prioritise risk in particular areas, and said he would have to take resources away from frontline operations, like counterterrorism and interference.
He said he has tried to take out the red tape and “get more productivity” out of the FOI officers, which he agreed was likely to go up.
“Beyond that until I’m convinced otherwise that there is a requirement because of faulty decision-making or more persistent overturns at review, that that area is performing very well … and I’m not looking to shift significant resources into that area because they’ll have to come from frontline operations.”
Recent coverage from Chris Knaus:
Here are some more FOI stats from the Home Affairs annual report.
In 2018–19 the Department received 18,412 Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, including 623 amendment requests, compared with 14,683 requests in 2017–18, representing a 25.4% increase. Of the 18,412 FOI requests received in 2018–19, 16,876 were for personal information and 917 for non-personal information (619 uncategorised). The Department finalised 17,078 FOI requests. Of these 16,464 were access requests and 614 were amendment requests.
Of the 16,464 access requests: • 9,401 cases were granted full access • 5,375 cases were granted part access • 902 cases were refused access33 • 786 cases were invalid, transferred to other agencies, or saw applicants withdraw their requests before a decision on access was made. The department’s FOI compliance rate (requests finalised within statutory timeframes) for 2018−19 was 75%. At 30 June 2018, the Department had 1081 overdue requests on hand.
Updated
Infrastructure officials have confirmed in Senate estimates that of the projects that form part of the $4bn 10-year urban congestion fund program none – NONE – have started construction. $3bn of that spending is over the next four years, and it’s an impressive list of projects, but all of them are still at the earlier stages of planning, seeking approvals, conducting tenders for contractors etc.
No digging, no hi-vis.
Labor’s Murray Watt wants to know which projects are going to start before Christmas – a commitment made by cities and urban infrastructure minister Alan Tudge – and wants precise delivery dates. Officials suggest that perhaps Tudge was referring to the preliminary steps (rather than the digging).
Watt has also drilled down to the micro level – including a $1m spend on a pedestrian traffic light in Doncaster. Officials suggest it will help “manage pedestrian flow” and there is also a safety element, because it’s near an aged care facility.
Now he’s moved on to the $500m commuter carpark fund. Officials describe the choice of 32 car park projects as a “decision of government” based on departmental advice about need and priorities. No construction has started on the carparks.
Watt’s questions have prompted a flurry of post-it notes from officials sitting behind the front-rowers to help provide answers:
- One of the carparks in Hurstbridge (Vic) is out to tender which will be awarded in November and be constructed “quite quickly”.
- Cragieburn (Vic) will go out to tender soon.
- There’s another in Mandurah, WA out to tender; and
- Two in NSW where property acquisition is underway.
Updated
Scott Morrison adds to the answer to Warren Snowdon’s question:
On 13 September of this year, I can confirm that the tender was awarded to Australian company Oricon, an engineering company that will lead the Kakadu road strategy, and they’ll work in a consortium with PwC, and PwC Indigenous consulting, beginning the work immediately.
The roads of strategy will be developed in conjunction with the tourism master plan, access to key sites and planned upgrades. I thought the member would be interested in that additional information.
And we are done. 11 more question times left in the year.
Updated
The folders are stacked.
We are done as soon as Greg Hunt finishes this dixer.
Warren Snowdon to Scott Morrison:
I ask the prime minister how does the government expect to unlock the full potential of Kakadu national park when it’s pushed back the start date for the upgrade of roads in the Kakadu national park to beyond the next federal election.
Sussan Ley takes it:
I thank the member for his question, and I find it quite extraordinary that he should be suggesting that $216 million committed by the prime minister and this side of politics for the upgrade in Kakadu national park is somehow insufficient.
We know what happens when you roll out an infrastructure program too quickly because it we saw it in government with Labor time after time. We know what happens when you shovel the money out the door – no policies, guidelines or procurement. $216 million has been dedicated to the upgrade.
I was there recently. The traditionally owners are very happy with the process, the tourism initiatives that are starting – they’re very happy with the process. We have good relationships with the Northern Territory government. We’re not playing politics about this. How could you come into this place and talk this sort of nonsense? Honestly, Mr Speaker.
Updated
Damian Drum has a dixer for David Littleproud. He stumbles getting through the long list of junior ministries Littleproud holds.
“Why do you have so many titles,” Ed Husic calls out, which makes even Littleproud smile.
Still doesn’t make up for losing the one he really wanted though – agriculture – to deputy leader Bridget McKenzie.
Updated
Anthony Albanese to Michael McCormack:
Can he confirm that the gap between what the government promised on budget night and what they’ve actually spent on infrastructure is on blackspots, $123m, heavy vehicle safety program, $134m, bridges renewal, $154m, cattle supply, 96, northern Australia roads, $266m, western Sydney infrastructure, $915m, major road projects $2.8bn and asset recycling initiatives $1.5m.
McCormack is talking, but for some reason, all I can think about is over-boiled cauliflower.
Updated
Melissa Price just told Anthony Albanese he was “very rude”.
This is where we are.
Alicia Payne to Scott Morrison:
Since coming to office the government has spent a total of $5bn less on infrastructure than it promised including $123m less than it promised on blackspots. Why?
Morrison:
Mr Speaker, as members opposite would know, the program and schedule of projects, which the government pursues, one that is put together in partnership with the states and territories as we seek to implement that plan.
And, Mr Speaker, and indeed whether it’s with local government even on projects that we pursue, our job is to ensure that we provide the allocation of the funds and to set the priority projects and to sit down with the state and territory governments.
Now those opposite would know, and in particular the leader of the opposition would know, from his time when he served as a minister for infrastructure, that the scheduling of projects is set out together with the states and territories and the profile for the delivery of those projects is often revised based on the advice provided by those states and territories.
And that is why the changes in the schedule arrive as they have. I’d make this point, though. Under our government, this year we will spend around $10bn on infrastructure. That is what is budged to be spent in this very financial year. All around the country.
Now, Mr Speaker, that’s almost double, almost double, what we inherited from the Labor party when we came to government and the leader of the opposition, who sits at the table now, I think from memory, and I’ll be happy to stand corrected on this figure, but I understand the figure at that time was around $6bn.
And so this year we’re spending $10bn or thereabouts just slightly less than that, and the reason we’re doing that is because two budgets ago we decided to put in place the $75bn pipeline of projects over 10 years, and in the last budget, recognising the difficult situation that we’re facing in the global economy, we increased that pipeline of investments over the next 10 years $100bn.
We upped it, Mr Speaker, because we knew that’s what the Australian economy would need just not now but over the next 10 years and, more importantly than that, we have the budget discipline and the budget to back those sorts of commitments up.
So, Mr Speaker, the reason for any change in schedules is not because of the lack of fiscal capacity or discipline because of this government but because of any changes to scheduling that is done in relation to our negotiations with the states and territories.
Well, I know from those opposite when they’re in government the reason they cut defence spending the reason they don’t list pharmaceuticals, the reason they have to [insert] flood levies and all these things is because they never know how to manage money. Australians knew they could trust this government to deliver and manage money.
Again, the last time Labor was in government, there was the GFC.
Updated
Prime minister's department avoids Brian Houston answers
(No) right to know
While question time rolls on, officials from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet are declining to answer a bunch of questions.
They won’t say whether Brian Houston appeared on a list of possible guests to attend the state dinner in Washington supplied by the PMO on the basis that might prejudice international relations. (No I’m not joking).
They won’t answer questions about Alexander Downer on the same basis. Officials from PMC also said they don’t know who Scott Morrison told Donald Trump was the primary point of contact for the Barr inquiry, even though Trump made a special call to Morrison to ask for that point of contact.
An official from PMC tells the hearing he got a short read-out of the call between Morrison and Trump from a member of Morrison’s staff afterwards, but the read-out was verbal and he didn’t take notes, (so there’s no paper trail to FOI.) He says the Department of Foreign Affairs is the lead agency.
Finance minister Mathias Cormann says the first point of contact is our “outstanding and distinguished” ambassador to Washington, Joe Hockey.
Updated
Milton Dick to Scott Morrison:
Can the prime minister confirm for every $100 of the roads of strategic fund only 50 cents will be spent in Queensland this year.
Michael McCormack is given the nod, meaning Milton Dick is on my list.
We are getting on with funding, funding, roads of strategic importance.
And projects in Queensland. And I have asked Mark Bailey, the minister responsible to bring forward projects. We’re getting on with making sure that we build the roads, build the ports, and do everything that we need to do as a government to build a better Queensland.
We’re getting on with the job of making sure that if it comes to Queensland or indeed any state or territory that we’re building roads of strategic importance. Those opposite wouldn’t ever have funded a program such as the roads of strategic importance because they never, ever worried about a regional program unless they could rort it. And speaking of the chief rorter here she is.
That’s Catherine King he is referring to, as she is at the despatch box. She asks for the comment to be withdrawn.
“How do you know he was talking about you,” says a government minister, proving just how much attention they are paying to McCormack.
Because he said it as she was at the despatch box, genius.
McCormack withdraws, but he is still speaking, and now he is talking about truck drivers and whether or not people have been in them lately and just saying “strategic importance” randomly, like he has just discovered the phrase.
Updated
The government is supporting “hardworking businesses”.
So all you slackarse businesses take note.
Updated
Anthony Albanese is trying to have a dixer to Angus Taylor ruled out of order, because it referred to “emissions reductions” and emissions are going up.
Taylor:
We haven’t just turned around the financial deficit, we have turned around their abatement deficit.
Every moment I refrain from running from the chamber rampaging is a victory.
Updated
“We are getting on with planning,” Michael McCormack says.
Bookmark that as an election slogan.
And to think he actually used to work with words for a living.
Kate Thwaites to Scott Morrison:
Can the prime minister confirm that none of the eight Victorian projects listed under the roads of strategic importance fund has even reached the planning stage?
Morrison:
We have a timeline and we are working on it with the premier of Victoria
(That’s a paraphrasing because I have lost the will to live)
The opposition may want to engage in the theatre of politics on these matters, but the premier of Victoria and I are engaging in the business of delivery of infrastructure projects in Victoria.
Oh dear JLo. Now Michael McCormack is at the despatch box. He is talking about pipelines and I am willing my cells to start collapsing in on themselves because it would be less painful.
Updated
Josh Frydenberg just took a lickspittle which is only helping to prove while the entire question time process in Australia needs to be scrapped, and started again.
#deathtodixers
Catherine King to Scott Morrison:
Why did the government spend nearly $17m on taxpayer-funded congestion funding advertising in the lead-up to this year’s election but did not spend a single cent from the urban congestion fund the whole of the last financial year?
Alan Tudge takes it – and that’s enough for me to become exceptionally fascinated with my cuticles.
Updated
Penny Wong maintains the public has a right to know if the Prime Minister wanted pastor Brian Houston to get an invite to the White House state dinner. She says Scott Morrison should be man enough to say if he sought an invite for the Hillsong leader #estimates
— Tom McIlroy (@TomMcIlroy) October 21, 2019
Jason Falinski asks Josh Frydenberg a dixer about his trip to the IMF meeting.
We hear about how important it is (I guess it is an example of positive globalisation) so at the end of the answer, Jim Chalmers asks to table a transcript where Falinski described the IMF as a “leftwing organisation”.
Permission is not granted.
Updated
Zali Steggall has the independent’s question:
Foodbank is the large provider of food and groceries to food relief charities around Australia. These charities provide relief to over 815,000 Australians each month including people in my electorate and farmers affected by the drought. 252 tonnes of food and groceries were shipped out of the New South Wales warehouse, alone, 110 tonnes went to regional and remote areas in New South Wales yet foodbank is not receiving any emergency funding to meet the demand. Will the government increase funding and support food support strategy as part of Australia’s response to climate change?
Scott Morrison:
I thank the member for her question and I will ask the minister representing the minister for social services to respond further to the member’s question. The government does provide support to Foodbank. We do to many Foodbank services around the country. And we are pleased to do so because we acknowledge the tremendous work that they do. As we continue to work particularly in response as part of our drought program, we are working with a whole host of different charitable organisation. We have provided over $50m in fact to organisations like the Salvos and Vinnies and others, the Country Women’s Association, in ensuring we’re providing the support where we can. I’ll ask the minister for - representing the for social services to add further.
Paul Fletcher:
I do thank the member for her question and the prime minister for the opportunity to add some further information in relation to the support that the government provides for food banks. $750,000 a year in funding over a 4.5-year period. That of course is not the only food relief program that the commonwealth government, Morrison government supports. We also provide funding for two other significant charities in this area, Second Bite and OzHarvest. These are all important measures designed to provide support to needy Australians, to vulnerable Australians, and of course we continue to work with these important agencies for the delivery of this funding. And continue to work with them and a whole range of other agencies to support Australians affected by drought.
Updated
Jim Chalmers to Scott Morrison:
When the Reserve Bank, the IMF, the Business Council of Australia, AI group, Master Builders and others have all call for action by the government to support the economy, why is the government refusing to consider a proportionate, measured and responsible stimulus program to boost the economy by bringing forward infrastructure investment?
Morrison:
The government’s budget contains some almost $10bn of infrastructure in this financial year, Mr Speaker.
That’s monies that is hitting right cross the country. In addition to that, Mr Speaker, the tax cuts that were legislated by this country, fought against by the Labor party, who said these shouldn’t happen and in fact the Labor party argued at the election that we should be imposing $387bn of higher taxes.
Higher taxes on the Australian economy. I don’t know what sort of a stimulus package $387bn of higher taxes constitutes, but that was the description that was ... member for Lyons.
That was offered by the shadow treasurer when he was the shadow finance minister and he was the joint architect, Mr Speaker, with the former shadow treasurer and the former leader of the opposition who said they thought at this time of great uncertainty in the global economy that adding $387bn to the tax burden of Australians would be a good idea. Now, we don’t share that view, Mr Speaker. We believe and we have demonstrated in our budget that the right way to go about addressing the issue in the global economy, indeed in the domestic economy is the stable and considered approach of rolling out our program of reducing the costs of doing business, whether it’s on removing unnecessary regulation, ensuring that we’re training people for the skills needs of the future, delivering tax relief to Australians, taking further out, Mr Speaker, our trade barriers to ensure that we’re dealing with in more and more countries in the world, taking our trade agreements coverage from 26% to 70%, and we’re seeking to go further.
So, that is the economic plan that we took to the election. The Labor party would have us engage in the reckless spending policies that they last implemented when the member ... who asked the question ... the member for Rankin, and instituted one of the most reckless, reckless spending packages which crashed the budget and took money away from things like pharmaceuticals, defence spending and a whole range of other important priorities ‘cause the Labor party did not know how to manage money.
Now, he refers to the governor of the Reserve Bank and I’m happy to quote him. ‘The Australian economy’, on 1 October, ‘Appears to have reached a turning point. The economy has been through a soft patch recently but we are expecting a return to around trend growth over the next year.
There are a number of factors that are supporting this outlook. These include the low level of interest rates, the recent tax cuts, ongoing spending on infrastructure, signs of stabilise identification in established housing markets.’
Just your standard reminder that the GFC happened when Labor was in power.
Updated
The department of agriculture has put out this statement, after the footage of horses being mistreated was shown on the ABC’s 7.30
The regulation of animal welfare remains the responsibility of the states and territories.
The Department of Agriculture’s role is limited to export abattoirs where it works to ensure Australian export standards are met.
Consistent with the department’s responsibilities, we are conducting a critical incident audit of the facility at the centre of recent footage depicting the mistreatment of horses.
Queensland authorities are working closely with the department on this audit.
A preliminary report will be produced early this week.
The department will then determine any regulatory action to be taken.
The department understands that Queensland has requested the original footage from the ABC, which will assist in determining a number of important factors, such as when the incidents took place.
The department urges anyone with evidence or concerns about animal welfare to immediately report it to the relevant state jurisdiction.
In environment estimates Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young is asking about the statutory review of Australia’s environment laws (the EPBC Act) that is due to commence this month.
The department confirms it will begin in the next 10 days but doesn’t have a date. A terms of reference has been drafted that will be released when the review is announced.
They can’t tell the hearing who will be leading the review.
“It will commence within the next 10 days,” the department’s deputy secretary Dean Knudson says.
“The last review took about a year. I expect this will be of a similar length.”
Officials say a department team of 13.4 full-time equivalent staff has been set up for the review.
Updated
Just on Scott Morrison’s answer just before:
If we get to the point where the leader of the opposition wants to arbitrarily, outside the law ... decide who gets prosecuted and who doesn’t, Mr Speaker, then that’s not a country that I think Australians would want to live in.
That is pretty much what the attorney general does. He will look at the brief that is put forward by the commonwealth director of public prosecutions and then decide if the commonwealth pursues it.
That’s a pretty big part of the nation’s first law officer’s job.
Updated
Someone has subjected us to Michael McCormack at the despatch box, and it’s as substantial as watching rice boil over.
Updated
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison: (referring to the Right to Know campaign)
Does the prime minister agree that journalism is not a crime?
Morrison:
I agree that journalism is not a crime. But I agree also, and I wonder if the leader of the opposition agrees, that if people – whatever profession they’re in, whether they’re politicians, whether they’re journalists, whether they’re anyone, Mr Speaker, a public officials, there is no one in this country who is above the law.
People should not be prosecuted for their profession. They should only be prosecuted if indeed they have been found to be falling foul of the law, Mr Speaker.
And I do not believe that those decisions about who should be prosecuted at the end of the day should be made on the whim of politicians.
I think they should be made based on the rule of law, Mr Speaker. Members on my left.
And the proper assessment of appropriately constituted law enforcement agencies. And that is why, Mr Speaker ... the government believes absolutely in press freedoms in this country and we have taken steps ... we have taken the step to add additional defences into our laws to ensure that journalists, Mr Speaker, can get about their task.
In fact, Mr Speaker, protections that exceed that apply to many others around the country, and those were put in by our government, not those opposite, because I remember when those were in government ... they sought to gag the press right across the country, Mr Speaker.
They sought to gag the press in this country with their failed media reforms that wanted to implement a public interest a public interest media advocate to try and stifle the press in this country.
Now, Mr Speaker, I am not going to take lectures from a Labor party who sought in this place when they were in government to try and muzzle the press.
In stark contrast we provided guidelines from the minister for home affairs to the AFP and other law enforcement agencies about how best to go about their business. And I know the statement from the commissioner of the AFP the work he’s doing to review those matters.
But if it comes to a position in this country where prime ministers and politicians decide who gets prosecuted and who doesn’t get prosecuted ... Without taking the appropriate advice and without seeing the appropriate release which are required under legislation. If we get to the point where the leader of the opposition wants to arbitrarily, outside the law ... Decide who gets prosecuted and who doesn’t, Mr Speaker, then that’s not a country that I think Australians would want to live in.
Updated
Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation director general Mike Burgess is up in Senate estimates.
In his opening statement, Burgess described the threat level to Australia from both terrorism and foreign interference as “unprecedented”. He cited the threat of extremist groups in Syria and Iraq encouraging attacks in Australia and added that the threat of extreme rightwing groups “continues” and is an important area of focus.
It’s interesting he said “continues” because the Asio annual report said the rightwing extremist threat has actually “increased”, but eventually he picks up the script from the report and says the threat is “more cohesive and organised than they have been in previous years”.
Under questioning from Labor’s Kristina Keneally, Burgess said a rightwing extremist terrorist attack is “plausible”, citing a matter in the NSW courts at the moment. He said there was “”no doubt” the horrific Christchurch attack would inspire some individuals. Burgess confirms no rightwing extremist groups are listed as terrorist organisations and says he’s not aware the UK has listed one.
“We are actively [investigating] ... we have subjects of investigation and they are ongoing. We’ve had a mind and eye to this for a number of years now,” he said.
Liberal senator Amanda Stoker asks what proportion of Asio’s work is focused on rightwing extremism, leftwing extremism, Islamic extremism and “other” forms of extremism. He takes the question on notice.
Updated
We have our first reference to “chaos and panic” from Scott Morrison in regards to Labor.
It’s all part of this new narrative of why the government is holding on to its surplus, in the face of more and more calls to stimulate the economy.
That narrative boils down to this from Scott Morrison:
And so they elected a government that they knew would be able to address these very difficult circumstances with stability, with certainty, with measure and do so in a way not afflicted by the politics of crisis or the policies of crisis but with the stable and calm approach that enables them to get on and plan for their future with confidence.
And that’s why, Mr Speaker, as a government we are continuing to do that. Whether it is maintaining the discipline in our budget management, which is one of the reasons why – the big reason why we’ve been able to take what was an absolute fiscal wreckage that was left to us under the Labor party and over the last six years we have painstakingly done the work, getting expenditure under control, making the choices that are necessary to get the budget back into a position that gives this country resilience at a time when it needs it.
But because politics is as subtle as Cardi B, Labor is “panic and chaos” while “stability and certainty is the mark of our government”, a point Morrison hopes to be able to keep making until it catches on.
Updated
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
My question is to the prime minister. Will the prime minister convene a cross-party drought cabinet to ensure that representatives from across the parliament work together constructively to respond to the drought emergency in the interests of farmers and rural communities?
“Good question, take the politics out of it,” someone in Labor yells.
The government benches laugh.
Morrison:
The government’s drought response over a year ago was based on the multiple sclerosis party, multiple sclerosis organisation drought summit that was convened in the Old Parliament House which the opposition was invited to attend as were all states and territories as was the National Farmers’ Federation, the many different agricultural producer groups, charitable organisation, the Country Women’s Association.
Mr Speaker, experts and officials from across government agencies and departments and, Mr Speaker... (INTERJECTIONS) Yes, the drought coordinator was in attendance there ... and he was central to the organisation of that drought summit.
All – there were many members from this House who were present at that summit as well and that summit framed the drought response the government has continued to rollout since that time.
And since that time we’ve continued to listen very carefully, particularly through the minister for drought to rural communities across the country to ensure that the response that we are continuing to provide is up to the mark in terms of the needs in rural and regional communities across Australia.
I remind the House that that response has three components. The first of those components is to ensure the direct financial support and assistance as is the responsibilities of the commonwealth under the national drought agreement which was revised and updated after that drought summit which made it very clear that it was the commonwealth’s responsibility to look after the income support and other financial assistance to farmhouse holds and those communities, and issues such as fodder subsidies and subsidies and the direct care of animals and others involved in the welfare of the farms themselves.
That was the responsibility of the states and territories. So the reforms we have made to Farm Household Allowance alone means with a period of just over four years with the announcement last year that individual households will have received as couples $125,000 in direct financial support.
Not alone but direct financial support over and above what they are able to do in terms of earning off farm income which we lifted the threshold up to $100,000 and that enables them even with that off farm income to access the Farm Household Allowance.
There was drought to drought affected communities through a community. So it’s not just about farmers and graziers, it’s also about the communities that are infect – affected and we have invested in over 120 councils and their shire areas to ensure wear supporting the continuation and growth of their economies during difficult times and of course we have invested in water resilience. That’s our plan. We’re getting on with it. We’ll continue to get on with it will being to farming communities.
Updated
Question time begins
And so does my eye twitch
Scott Morrison is in the House and is having a chat with Anthony Albanese which they both seem to be enjoying, given the laughter.
We are in the chamber for question time - who is that MP?
It’s Susan Templeton, the member for Macquarie.
And now it’s John McVeigh, the member for Groom.
Updated
Labor FOIs Barr documents
Penny Wong is now FOIing the documents PM&C received and then sent in regards to the William Barr investigation into the Mueller report, given Alexander Downer’s involvement.
Dear FOI Officer
RE: FREEDOM OF INFORMATION APPLICATION – INVESTIGATION INITIATED BY THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL WILLIAM BARR CONCERNING THE FBI’S RUSSIA INVESTIGATION
I request the following documents held by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act):
All documents created, or received, since 1 May 2018 related to the investigation initiated by the United States Attorney General William Barr concerning the FBI’s Russia investigation, including, but not limited to, communications with the United States Government and briefs to the Prime Minister.
This request excludes media reports, press releases and duplicate documents.
I note that the objects of the FOI Act include giving the Australian community access to information held by government and promoting Australia’s representative democracy by increasing scrutiny, discussion, comment and review of government activities.
I expect that as soon as practicable, and no later than 30 days after receiving this request, I will be notified of a decision.
Documents should be provided to [redacted]
Yours sincerely
Senator Penny Wong
Updated
Also from AAP, an update from that noted climate scientist Pauline Hanson:
#notallcorals
A defiant Pauline Hanson has maintained coral bleaching is a natural occurrence, in an exchange with the chief scientist of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.
The Queenslander used a Senate estimates hearing on Monday to question the link between heatwaves and back-to-back mass coral bleaching events in 2016 and 2017.
“You’re saying that coral bleaching is affected by water temperatures,” she told David Wachenfeld.
“Yet around Indonesia, closer to the equator ... where the water temperatures are 29C, it’s a known fact that coral actually grows faster and more prolific in warmer temperatures.”
Dr Wachenfeld explained that corals live in a variety of water temperatures over the world, with substantial differences even within the Great Barrier Reef.
Corals bleach when stressed – such as when exposed to warmer than normal temperatures – and die if stressed for prolonged periods, he told the senator.
“The fact that corals in Indonesia could withstand higher temperatures than corals on the central Great Barrier Reef is of no benefit to the corals of the central Great Barrier Reef when they die.”
But Senator Hanson was not swayed, asking how the authority planned to address both water temperatures and the “natural occurrence” of bleaching events with its taxpayer funding.
The GBRMPA is trying to stamp out crown-of-thorns starfish, improve water quality in catchments while urging for greater global action on climate change, Senator Hanson was told.
The authority recently released its latest five-year outlook for the reef, that found it to be “very poor” unless more action was taken to slow climate change.
Updated
From AAP:
Taxpayers forked out millions to sell the federal government’s infrastructure promises in the lead-up to the May election, dwarfing spending in the previous year.
Infrastructure department officials confirmed more than $13 million was spent on advertising projects in the past financial year.
But just $272,000 in taxpayer funds went to similar advertising in 2017-18, while $64,000 was spent in 2016-17.
Labor frontbencher Murray Watt asked cabinet minister Bridget McKenzie about the issue during a Senate estimates hearing in Canberra on Monday.
“It spent $11.626 million of taxpayers’ money in the three months leading up to the election – you got a pretty good return on your investment didn’t you?” he said.
Senator McKenzie said the decision was based on market research indicating a low level of community awareness about infrastructure spending.
“This campaign was about informing the Australian public about spending on infrastructure in their local communities,” she said.
Senator Watt noted the government spent about 60 times more money on infrastructure spending in an election year than the previous year.
“That’s just a total coincidence?” he asked.
Updated
Environment officials have answered some questions about the Angus Taylor grasslands saga. Specifically, they were asked about occasions when the former minister Josh Frydenberg or his office sought information about the investigation into alleged illegal land clearing by Jam Land Pty Ltd, which Minister Taylor part owns.
Labor’s Katy Gallagher has asked the questions to follow up on this story by Guardian Australia last week.
Monica Collins, the department’s chief of compliance, lists some dates in July, August and October 2017.
But Gallagher is interested in some earlier requests from the minister’s office in February 2017. As revealed by Guardian last week, an email shows staff were asked to prepare “urgent” talking points about the grasslands listing after a compliance case was raised in parliament. But searches by Guardian Australia of Hansard records found no mention of it.
Today, Collins confirms the department also went looking for a Hansard record at the time and they, too, found nothing.
“I’m not sure where that request came into the office but my recollection of that document is that it was on the basis with a phone call with somebody,” she told the hearing.
“I know that staff also searched Hansard and didn’t find a direct mention of it in parliament.
Gallagher: “So they did [a search] on that date? Around the time the request came in, they did a search to see whether it had been mentioned in the parliament?”
Collins: “Yes that’s right”
Gallagher: “And, could they find anything?”
Collins: No, nothing specific. Nothing specific about Jam Land and grasslands.
Collins says the information supplied to Frydenberg’s office was “very high level” in terms of “a brief update on the investigation, some information about the grasslands listing” and things of that nature.
The Greens senator Larissa Waters asks when the department conducted site visits to the Jam Land property near Delegate in NSW and when it first launched proceedings against Jam Land.
Collins says she can’t give dates of site visits because the investigation is ongoing, but there have been four site visits. She said the department received the report about alleged illegal clearing in November 2016 and first wrote to Jam Land in December 2016.
Waters asked why the investigation has taken nearly three years.
Collins says a lot of factors influence this, such as the caseload of individual officers, but “we’re hoping to conclude it very soon”.
Updated
The Senate estimate committees are all on a lunch break and the House is on the downhill slide to question time, so it’s a catch your breath moment.
Updated
The climate emergency motion debate ran out of time – it will continue tomorrow.
Updated
Penny Wong says she understands US senator Lindsay Graham wrote to the prime minister on 2 October ... but we go to the scheduled break before we can see if this is a question Mathias Cormann will allow the PM&C officials to answer.
Updated
Also, a couple of extra bits from the Albanese press conference: he addresses the rumour that Labor MP Mike Kelly might trigger a byelection in his marginal seat of Eden-Monaro, saying Kelly will be here “for a long time” and is an “important member of the team”.
He says the only way that the government will be able to claw back the seat will be to beat him in an election.
Albanese is also asked about the Right to Know campaign, saying he agrees on the importance of a free press and commenting that it is “unacceptable” that journalists should be facing criminal prosecution.
The Labor leader is also asked why only five MPs were in the chamber when the opposition introduced its climate emergency motion, saying that was “what happened in parliament” and it was no reflection of the importance of motions or legislation.
Updated
Back in estimates, Penny Wong says she is just trying to work out how Australia went from “we’ll co-operate if asked”, which is what Marise Payne said, to Joe Hockey proactively sending a letter saying we would help.
This is all taken on notice.
“This is the most interventionist you’ve ever been,” Wong says.
“... I’m quite relaxed, actually,” Cormann says a little later.
Updated
Labor will vote in support of three new free trade agreements after securing a range of concessions from the government on labour market testing, worker exploitation, and outdated agreements regarding investor legal rights.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese and shadow trade minister Madeleine King have held a press conference confirming their support for enabling legislation tabled last week, saying the agreements with Indonesia, Hong Kong and Peru would be good for Australian jobs, business and the national economy.
Albanese said that, had Labor been in government, it would have made a different agreement with Indonesia that would have better dealt with labour market testing and would have excluded investor state dispute settlement clauses.
“This is not an agreement that Labor would have made, we would have made different provisions,” Albanese said.
“But it is an agreement the government has put forward, and one in which, overall, provides benefits for Australian workers, Australian jobs and for our national economy, which is why Labor will be supporting these three agreements.”
As part of its negotiations, Labor has secured from the government a commitment to bring forward criminal penalties for the worst forms of worker exploitation, which Albanese said would now occur as a “matter of urgency”.
The trade minister, Simon Birmingham, has assured the opposition that the government will seek to terminate a bilateral investment treaty signed between Indonesia and Australia, including “survival clauses”, but this will require Indonesian agreement.
Albanese said that he believed this was a “matter of courtesy”, but he was confident that the old agreement would be scrapped.
Updated
The argument is now dissolving into who is speaking over who.
When did the PM&C officials become aware of our assistance with the Barr inquiry?
Mathias Cormann attempts to stop this one as well.
Eventually we get to someone saying it is being dealt with by foreign affairs and trade and has no involvement from PM&C.
But when did they first become aware, Wong asks Caroline Miller, who heads up the PM&C international division, once again.
Cormann again stops the answer.
I swear to JLo, this is like watching a report being redacted in real time.
“Are you aware now,” Wong asks again.
“That’s a very funny question,” Cormann says.
While this sideshow is happening in PM&C estimates, Michaelia Cash has shown up in the home affairs estimates hearing.
Updated
“If it was business as usual, surely you wouldn’t be worried about answering questions,” Penny Wong asks.
“I’m not worried,” Mathias Cormann says.
And around and around we go.
“The front page of the papers is looking very accurate,” Penny Wong says, after around 1,000,000 of back and forth between her and Mathias Cormann about when officials in the prime minister’s department knew it was the government’s position to assist with the US justice department inquiry into the Mueller investigation and Alexander Downer’s role in it.
Updated
Labor’s Murray Watt has asked infrastructure and regional development department officials whether they have read any of Barnaby Joyce’s texts about the drought. Answer: no.
Agriculture minister Bridget McKenzie offers a lot of generalities about what Joyce delivered – including “a lot of correspondence about how we can better help drought affected communities”. He offered a “range of advice” which “informs our ongoing response” to the drought.
Watt then takes up the attack about the eligibility of councils for drought assistance funding. Officials revealed that Moira shire failed because only 16.9% of its workforce is in agriculture, fisheries or forestry and the cutoff is 17%.
Watt suggests that, likewise, Singleton, Kiama, Shoalhaven, Eurobadalla and Yass are “all badly drought-affected but not eligible” because of the workforce threshold. Departmental officials take on notice how far they fell short.
Officials also revealed the government made an election commitment to provide drought funding to 14 councils and the department did not apply the same criteria because it was a “decision of government” to commit funding.
Watt criticises the decision to “hand out money during an election” while “poor old Moira shire missed out”. Officials take on notice whether any of the 14 councils would have failed the eligibility test, if it were applied.
McKenzie said the decision was based on ABS and Bureau of Meteorology data, but can’t say whether they met the criteria.
Updated
Penny Wong is trying for the fourth or fifth time to find out if anyone within the prime minister’s department knew of the US justice department announcement, given Alexander Downer’s involvement.
It has now been taken on notice by Mathias Cormann, to stop Wong from asking any of the officials about it.
But apparently the senior PM and C international division officials were unaware of Joe Hockey’s letter agreeing to assist with the investigation, before it was sent.
Cormann again says it would be remarkable if we didn’t agree to assist, as is normal practice.
“There is actually nothing remarkable in this, it would be very strange if Mr Hockey, representing the Australian government, had said anything else,” Cormann says.
Cormann wants these questions to go to foreign affairs and trade.
Updated
Was the government informed about the investigation before it was publicly announced, Penny Wong wants to know?
Mathias Cormann says the Australian government “of course” seeks to co-operate with official investigations and it would be remarkable if Australia did not agree to co-operate.
He says there is only so much he can talk about.
But he doesn’t answer the question.
Australia assistance into US inquiry into Mueller report is 'business as usual' says Cormann
Penny Wong is now moving on to the investigation the US justice department has ordered into how the Mueller inquiry came about – you may remember that Alexander Downer is wrapped up in that.
Updated
Penny Wong says Mathias Cormann is attempting to make assertions about what is in “my mind and heart” about the motives in her questions (about what Australia thinks is the risk of Da’esh coming back).
Cormann says the imputations were clear. Wong says she just wants answers.
“I am actually just asking about consequences ... about the current situation in northern Syria,” she says.
Cormann can’t let go of what he thinks the imputations.
Now Jacqui Lambie is pissed with how it’s all going, and she just wants to know if there is a risk assessment – telling Cormann the problem is “you have no plan”.
“The Australian public would like to know,” she says.
“You have nothing on paper ... there are a lot of unanswered questions here.”
Wong lets her go.
Lambie says given Cormann and Scott Morrison said Donald Trump’s actions didn’t come as a surprise, since Trump had spoken about it in the past, what conversations did Australia have about protecting Australian troops, given there was a risk of the US withdrawing its own troops.
“When did you actually open up dialogue about this – was it just the day [he announced it]?”
Cormann just says Australia has a good relationship with the US, and we have “ongoing and consistent” dialogue with the US.
Lambie still wants to know when Australia first discussed this with the US.
“We have answered this question,” Cormann says.
Which means, based on these answers, the first conversation was after Trump publicly announced the withdrawal.
“So in other words, Australia had no idea, and Trump just walked over the top of them and you just went, ‘that’s it, we can’t do anything’, because you left your run too late,” Lambie says.
Cormann disputes this, but we still don’t get any answers.
Updated
While supportive of the #YourRightToKnow campaign, I would hope there's some quiet reflection amongst the media in the role that they have played in allowing the surveillance state to flourish.
— Nick McKim (@NickMcKim) October 21, 2019
Another 10 minutes have passed and we still don’t have any more idea of whether the Australian government has made any sort of risk assessment over whether there is likely to be a re-emergence or strengthening of the Da’esh terror group, given the Syria situation.
Amnesty Australia has responded to the AFP’s apology to Hakeem al-Araibi:
An apology, albeit belated, is the very least Hakeem should expect for the ordeal he and his family endured,” Amnesty International Australia campaigner Tim O’Connor said.
It’s a welcome acknowledgement of systemic failure in the AFP and Department of Home Affairs processes.
We look forward to the Department of Home Affairs also offering an apology to Hakeem and his family. The evidence we have garnered through Freedom of Information clearly shows it is the failure of Home Affairs systems and communications that led to Hakeem’s detention in Thailand.
It is troubling that more than 10 months after these Australian government departments failed Hakeem, that their systems are still not fixed. What happened to Hakeem could happen to someone else, which is why Australian taxpayers should receive an independent and transparent inquiry so we can all have trust in our government’s systems.
Updated
In rural and regional affairs, infrastructure department officials have revealed just 430 public service jobs have been decentralised from the ACT, central Sydney and central Melbourne.
Labor’s Murray Watt makes Bridget McKenzie read out the whole list, making wise cracks about the fact that Adelaide, Brisbane and Parramatta are hardly regional centres. Watt also wants more detail about which jobs are due to move or have moved already.
Some 239 jobs moved in 2018 including:
- The Unique Student Identifier Registrar moved 40 positions from Canberra to Adelaide
- The office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations moved 10 from Canberra to Darwin
- The Indigenous Affairs group in PMC moved 32 jobs, including 25 from the Sydney CBD to Parramatta
- The office of the Rural Health Commissioner moved 4 new positions to Adelaide.
- The infrastructure department moved 12 including 3 to Perth and 9 in the Inland Rail division
- Australian Maritime Safety Authority – moved “up to 69 new positions”
- Australian Law Reform Commission – 12 positions from Sydney to Brisbane.
- Aboriginal Hostels Limited moved 40 new positions
- The Australian space agency will move 20 from Canberra to Adelaide.
And another 191 jobs moved in 2019, including:
- The regional programs branch of the infrastructure department is moving from Canberra to Orange
- The Australian Financial Security Authority moved 15 positions to Hobart, Perth and Brisbane
- Comcare will relocate some positions and establish offices in Darwin and Launceston
- The National Indigenous Australians Agency moved 35 from Canberra to Alice Springs, Coffs Harbour and Broome.
- The Murray Darling Basin Authority moved 76 to Albury, Wodonga, Grififth, Mildura, Murray Bridge and Goondiwindi.
Labor’s Glenn Sterle has asked about suggestions up to 1,700 jobs would be moved. McKenzie and departmental officials suggest the bigger number reflects jobs moved before the April 2017 launch of the decentralisation agenda and an ongoing commitment. The precise breakdown has been taken on notice.
Updated
“These are the front pages today, the front pages today, and you won’t even answer a question about whether or not there was a note taker,” Penny Wong says, holding up the Adelaide Advertiser front page.
“Oh the cameras are going, you’ve got them all lined up,” Mathias Cormann says.
I mean first of all, no, we are all able to work out that Wong and Cormann in estimates will lead to an argument, because this is not our first time at the rodeo. It’s not even our second.
And secondly, this whole place is a theatre. It’s how it works.
Updated
Anthony Albanese has just called a press conference in the next five minutes.
Updated
It’s Penny Wong v Mathias Cormann in Senate estimates.
They both seem happy to be back on familiar ground.
Ten minutes into the hearing, Cormann is talking over Wong, Wong is telling him why she believes he is wrong, and James Paterson is trying his best to keep order.
Wong is trying to find out about how Australia found out about the Syria US troop withdrawal (through the public announcement) and whether in follow-up phone calls between Australian and US officials, notes were taken. Sarah Martin is listening for you, and will have more for you soon.
Updated
As far as Reece Kershaw knows, the AFP is not planning any more raids on journalists, he tells the Labor senator Raff Ciccone.
“But it’s something that we’d obviously be having a look at.”
Updated
Penny Wong has just entered Senate estimates for the first time.
She is in the finance and public administration committee, to question the prime minister’s department.
Updated
AFP apologises to Hakeem al-Araibi
From AAP:
Australia’s new top cop has personally apologised to refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi for the months he spent behind bars in Thailand.
Al-Araibi, a permanent Australian resident, was locked up in Bangkok after Bahraini officials pursued him over vandalism charges.
Australian federal police commissioner Reece Kershaw, who has been in the job 19 days, acknowledged a trail of bureaucratic bungles led to his detention.
Kershaw said he was now working with the Department of Home Affairs to address a “lack of connectivity” between border security systems and the Interpol database.
“I have delivered a letter to Mr al-Araibi to extend AFP’s apology for his unfortunate detention in Thailand,” he told a Senate committee in Canberra on Monday.
“And to reassure Mr al-Araibi that the AFP is continuing to review and improve processes in consultation with other relevant agencies to ensure we respond appropriate to these matters in the future.
“The AFP is working closely with the department to resolve the overarching policy and legal questions arising from this matter.”
Updated
The chamber is still debating Mark Butler’s motion to declare a climate emergency.
There is an inevitable end to this – the government does not support it, so it won’t pass.
Updated
Pauline Hanson has made an appearance at the estimates committee grilling the AFP. She wants to know about pill testing. Hanson asks the police commissioner whether pill testing is encouraging the drug trade in Australia.
The commissioner says he doesn’t believe organised criminal syndicates would be influenced by whether pill testing exists or doesn’t.
“It’s a global business,” the commissioner says, of the drug trade. Pill testing isn’t relevant.
The Greens have just spent a good 10 minutes or so asking about their climate emergency hot air balloon which they wanted to launch over Parliament House last week.
Senate president Scott Ryan has explained that when approval was sought, he learned that it was up to Casa to control the airspace above parliament, and a request was then made by DPS to have the access denied.
Larissa Waters asked about a balloon that was seen above parliament this morning and why it had been allowed when its climate emergency protest balloon had not been.
Ryan says that regardless of the cause, the presiding officers did not believe that any balloon should be allowed access to the airspace above Parliament House.
He said it was a matter for Casa to police the current exclusion zone and added that they wanted to make the no-fly zone permanent.
Updated
Andrew Wilkie has introduced a “protect refugees” bill in the House.
This bill provides for a sustainable, equitable and humane response to the protection and processing of asylum seekers and refugees in the Asia Pacific region. A key component of this bill is the Asia Pacific Asylum Seeker Solution (Apass), a regional framework to be initiated by the Australian government in partnership with other Asia Pacific countries. All countries party to Apass must be legally bound to provide effective protection for asylum seekers and refugees as provided under international law. It is identical to the refugee protection bill 2018, introduced to the House of Representatives by the member for Denison on 18 June 2018.
Updated
In rural and regional affairs estimates, Labor is probing how Moyne shire council was declared eligible for $1m of drought assistance funding when the council said it wasn’t in drought.
Diana Hallam, the infrastructure department executive director of regional development and local government, explains that Moyne shire qualified because between 1 July 2017 and 30 June 2019 more than 60% of the shire had received 14 consecutive months of a one-in-20-year rainfall deficiency, and 17% of the workforce was engaged in agriculture, fisheries or forestry.
But after the shire said it didn’t need the funding, the department conducted an audit and discovered a small stuff-up. Either the data from the Bureau of Meteorology or the selection of it the department used ran until the end of May 2019 not June. Hallam said this did not affect the result – Moyne shire and the other 12 councils all qualified when the numbers were rerun over the correct 24-month period.
No decision has yet been made by the government about what will happen to the $1m, which Moyne will not receive.
Hallam: “We assess rainfall on a quarterly basis. With the conclusion of the 1 July to 30 September quarter we will assess eligibility again, and there will be another opportunity regarding whether new shires become eligible.”
Updated
Labor pushes for climate emergency motion to pass house
Angus Taylor, on Sky News this morning, said he didn’t know what a climate emergency actually meant (as in policy) and called it “empty” virtue signalling (which is something the Tories in the UK might raise an eyebrow at, considering they passed one.)
Anyway, Mark Butler has moved this motion in the House:
- notes that:
- Climate change is a significant threat to our economy, natural environment, farming communities and national security;
- Australia’s annual emissions have been rising in recent years;
- as a global problem, the solution to climate change requires concerted international cooperation to limit the production of greenhouse gases;
- as the only global agreement designed to address climate change, the Paris accords must play a central role in addressing climate change;
- the Paris accords require signatory countries to deliver actions consistent with keeping the global temperature rise this century to well below 2C above preindustrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C;
- based on the latest scientific advice, the world is currently on track for warming of above 3C, and efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions need to be strengthened to avoid catastrophic climate change impacts; and
- as a result of the threat posed by climate change, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Portugal, Argentina and the Republic of Ireland have declared a climate emergency; and
- therefore, affirms that:
- Australia remains committed to delivering on its obligations under the Paris accords;
- failing to meet the goals of the Paris accords would have unprecedented and devastating environmental, economic, societal and health impacts for Australia; and
- the threat posed by climate change on the future prosperity and security of Australia and the globe constitutes a climate change emergency.
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Senate president Scott Ryan is refusing to answer questions about a hack on Parliament House that the country’s intelligence agencies have said was carried out by a foreign government.
Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick asked a series of questions about the data breach that took place in February and which targeted Australia’s political parties.
Ryan said he would not comment on whether a foreign government had been identified, nor any details of the data breach.
“I don’t think it is appropriate for public consumption,” Ryan said. “I don’t think these matters are appropriately canvassed in a public forum.”
Ryan said he had received a report on the data breach, but he did not think the report was “appropriate” for publication.”I am not convinced that publishing the report I have received, even in a redacted form would be helpful.”
He said he would be receiving a further briefing and consulting with Speaker of the House, Tony Smith, before updating the Senate on what took place. It was reported by Reuters earlier this year that China was responsible for the cyber attack.
Prime minister Scott Morrison told parliament that a “sophisticated state actor” was responsible for the “malicious activity.”
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Mike Bowers was in Senate estimates to capture new AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw doing his best Mariah Carey’s “I don’t know her” in response to questions about the media campaign today:
You could also insert Keke Palmer’s “sorry to this man” response gif to not knowing who Dick Cheney was.
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In environment estimates, Katy Gallagher is asking about the department’s failure to publish freedom of information documents on its public disclosure log for more than 10 months, a breach of FOI law.
The department is saying an increase in FOI requests and “IT matters” have caused the issue.
“We made a decision last year to change our disclosure log process so that documents were made immediately available,” Margaret Tregurtha, from the department’s general counsel branch, says.
“It’s apparent that in doing that we encountered some difficulties with the website.
“We’re now in a situation where we’re making every effort to catch that up.”
Katy Gallagher is asking why, if it’s a relatively simple process to upload documents to the website, has the delay in disclosures occurred.
The department says that once the backlog of disclosures arose it became difficult to find time to catch up because they were prioritising the processing of FOI applications. Officials don’t have information available to tell Labor the average processing for FOI applications it receives.
The department says its intention is to publish the documents that should have been uploaded to the disclosure log since January. The department tells the committee that there are about 120 document packs that need to be published and there could be thousands of documents within those document packages.
Katy Gallagher asks why advice was not sent to the ,inister’s office if the department was in breach of the law.
“If I was the minister I would want to know if my department was breaking the law,” she says.
Matt Cahill, the deputy secretary of the strategy and operations group, says the department is working to bring itself in line with the act.
“We will bring ourselves up to standard in the next week,” he says.
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The new AFP Commissioner also said:
— Kristina Keneally (@KKeneally) October 20, 2019
-He hasn’t seen today’s front pages
-He doesn’t know what sparked the newspapers to do this
-He hasn’t asked any media outlets to meet with him since becoming Commissioner, but he’s hand-picked John Lawler to conduct a review of AFP procedures https://t.co/HV2W4RPmjo
Still with the AFP at estimates, the police commissioner has been asked by Green senator Nick McKim about the leaking of a home affairs briefing document that included advice from Asio.
Quotes from this document, which was about the medevac regime, ended up in the front page of the Australian.
The commissioner, Reece Kershaw, confirmed the AFP “declined to escalate” even though it was an unlawful disclosure.
McKim wonders why.
The commissioner says about 200 people had access to drafts of the document, but the final version went to 11 email addresses.
He says there is a “priority system” when it comes to launching leak investigations, which includes costs and the likely success of being able to produce a brief of evidence. McKim is less than convinced.
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Oh, there we go
But the contract costs for the security upgrade blew out to $1.8 million (up from the last estimate of $1.5 million) due to inflation as the project was delayed, the complexity, and Canberra's busy construction market #estimates
— Katina Curtis (@katinacurtis) October 20, 2019
The Parliamentary Budget Office is being asked about a thought bubble from DPM Michael McCormack to move the ABC’s Ultimo headquarters to regional Victoria.
Labor senator Kimberley Kitching requested the PBO cost the proposal.
Parliamentary Budget officer Jenny Wilkinson said the PBO was not able to calculate the fiscal impact of the idea, given it would require industry-specific expertise that it did not have.
“We were not in a position to make a judgment.”
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Yes this is inside baseball, but it was a big deal to everyone who works in this building, after a project clusterfriz ended with the entries being closed for more than a year, meaning a lot of equipment was lugged up a lot of stairs, rain, hail or snow.
Scott Ryan gleefully tells #estimates senators may have noticed the new APH security doors are fully operational (they have been for about a month)
— Katina Curtis (@katinacurtis) October 20, 2019
Reece Kershaw on press freedom (before admitting he had not seen the front page of today’s papers, or “turned his mind” to the campaign:
In regards to the recent inquiries and media reporting on the freedom of the press: as I have previously stated, police independence and freedom of the press are both fundamental pillars that coexist in our democracy. I strongly believe in these two pillars and this is the approach I intend to take.
I welcome the direction from the minister for home affairs outlining his expectations in terms of taking into account the importance of a free and open press.
In support of the direction, the AFP has finalised an internal national guideline on investigations of unauthorised disclosure of material made or obtained by a current or former commonwealth officer.
I am also aware of the direction issued by the attorney general to the commonwealth director of public prosecutions.
The attorney general’s direction reaffirms the importance of the AFP to thoroughly investigate these matters and to collect all relevant information and evidence to ensure the attorney general and CDPP can make a fully informed decision, where relevant.
As I mentioned earlier, the outcomes of the review conducted by John Lawler into sensitive investigations will better inform the AFP on how to deal with these matters.
I look forward to working with you and your parliamentary colleagues to ensure the review takes into account the deliberations of other parliamentary inquiries currently under way.
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On the review the AFP commissioner has ordered, Reece Kershaw said:
Further, in light of my public commitment to improve the processes around the recent investigations involving News Corp and the ABC, I have enlisted the services of former CEO of the Australian Crime Commission, Mr John Lawler AM, APM to conduct a review into all sensitive investigations.
This incorporates matters relating to unauthorised disclosure; the application of parliamentary privilege; espionage and foreign interference; and war crimes.
• The review will not be an audit into the current matters at hand but rather a holistic approach to ensure we have in place investigative policy and guidelines that are fit for purpose.
Mr Lawler will provide my office with options around opportunities for interventions and strategies to ensure the AFP is best placed to address sensitive investigations in the future. This will include:
• Baselining of what constitutes a sensitive investigation
• Articulation of the human resources, skills, training, technology and facilities required
• Reformation of governance and business processes (including alternative mechanisms for referring entities beyond the AFP)
• Organisational structures.
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Over in the House, Greens MP Adam Bandt plans on introducing a private members’ bill to have the voting age lowered to 16.
A parliamentary inquiry looked into this last year, and said no.
But Bandt says Gen Z have proved their worth:
Most of the world’s young people, including Australian teenagers are denied the right to vote and determine their country’s and therefore the world’s future.
That is why they have taken to the streets. The Greens believe this reality of the climate crisis is one of the most profound reasons why our longstanding policy of enfranchising young people should finally once and for all be implemented.
And that is why today I am proud to introduce to the House this bill to give 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote.
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Senate estimates for the environment portfolio is under way.
The first questions for the session are from Labor, who have gone straight to questions about Angus Taylor and the grasslands saga. But the right people from the department aren’t in the room to answer questions, according to the department’s deputy secretary, Dean Knudson.
There’s talk of calling them up early, including Geoff Richardson, who was one of the senior officials at a meeting with Taylor, the then minister Josh Frydenberg’s office, and the department on 20 March 2017.
More likely we will hear more about this when the department’s biodiversity and compliance divisions are up later today.
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From Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee, where the Department of the Senate is first up.
Senate president Scott Ryan is being grilled by Labor senator Jenny McAllister about the government’s failure to comply with a Senate order regarding meetings with lobbyists and advocacy groups. McAllister says the government has claimed that it complies with ministerial standards and therefore is not providing further information.
McAllister says this does not appear to be a public interest immunity reason for not complying with the request and says the response is “contemptuous”.
Ryan says he has not followed up the possibility of noncompliance and would only do so if the Senate moved a motion calling on him to do so.
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AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw takes on notice a question about whether or not there was a third day of raids planned, and then takes on notice a question on, if there was, when it was scrapped, and why.
AFP commissioner hasn't 'turned his mind' to media freedom campaign
Kristina Keneally is asking Reece Kershaw if he has seen the front page of any newspaper today.
He has not.
Because “the bit of software I had said there was no front page today”, he said, when asked the first time.
Asked for the similarities, Kershaw says they seem to all have “big black marks through them”.
But as an “evidence-based police officer”, Kershaw says “I haven’t turned my mind” to why the media campaign may be going on.
Keneally says the AFP raids on journalists probably have something to do with it, but Kershaw says he would like to speak to the editors of the papers to see if that is what they think, before commenting.
The senator then asks why Kershaw mentioned press freedom in his opening statement, if it’s not something he had turned his mind to as yet. He says he is aware it has been an issue.
#righttoknow pic.twitter.com/h6SFia5fzo
— Amy Remeikis (@AmyRemeikis) October 20, 2019
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The new AFP commissioner, Reece Kershaw, is facing his first estimates hearing since taking on the role, following Andrew Colvin’s retirement.
He is announcing a review “into sensitive investigations/disclosures” to be conducted by John Lawler – but it is not going to be looking at the current investigations (that’s the press freedom stuff).
Updated
Home affairs estimates has begun – we were expecting Michaelia Cash to be in with the AFP, but Marise Payne has been sent in her place.
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Honestly, why this is allowed to continue is absolutely flabbergasting.
There is a reason spouse and family interests are declared. That reason is obvious.
Bob Katter continuing to make a mockery of financial interest disclosures. We ask for this kind of information for a reason - how is 'my wife doesn't tell me' an acceptable answer? pic.twitter.com/R5UWLPClzX
— Elise Thomas (@elisethoma5) October 20, 2019
Estimates are about to get under way.
Good morning and welcome to day 1 of #Senate #estimates. Four committees are meeting today starting at 9am. Live broadcast is available here: https://t.co/9Lgw5iXAcZ
— Australian Senate (@AuSenate) October 20, 2019
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Christopher Pyne is speaking to Laura Jayes on Sky – she asks about finding your place in politics, which is very timely, given the number of people who are jostling for front-row positions at the moment.
Pyne said he worked out very early on he would never be a “star like Malcolm Turnbull” so found a place he was comfortable with. Which was, presumably, “the fixer”.
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Scott Morrison also says no to Anthony Albanese and Joel Fitzgibbon’s drought war cabinet idea (which is a dramatic way of saying a cross-party committee, with ministers and shadow ministers, dealing with an issue)
Well, I’ve noticed that point. If we as a government continue to consult widely and listen, most importantly, to people in rural and regional Australia. But I do note that even at a time, even when Australia actually was at war, there was no such war cabinet as described by the leader of the opposition. So they can explain the context of the nature of their proposal, but we were elected to get on with the job, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.
I think those sorts of proposals are novel, but they sort of, don’t bear out against Australia’s government experience. If you’re not having a war cabinet involving non-government members in an actual time of war, and I point out that at the time of world war two breaking out, Sir Robert Menzies then, in the UAP who had sought to form coalitions both with the Labor party and the Country party at the time at a time of war, and that didn’t come to effect and ultimately a Labor government was formed at that time under John Curtin.
So they can make those proposals, but our government is filled, both in cabinet and on our benches, of Australians who have a direct experience and live in drought-affected communities, right across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia, and indeed from other states where drought has affected them in the past. And so we have the right people and our ears are wide open and the commitments we’ve made on the drought continue. It is a rolling response.
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Late yesterday, Scott Morrison spoke about that meeting Murph just wrote about. Here is what he had to say:
I think what we saw today is that there is much analysis about the relationships that countries have with China and I think there is indeed a lot of over-analysis of those relationships and whether it’s the United States and China, or anyone else. And I simply made the point, which was well received, that Australia is an independent sovereign nation.
Yes, we are very much proud of our western liberal democratic tradition, our open economy and our engagement with the rest of the world, and that gives us a set of eyes that look into the world very much from our perspective. And I respect the fact that whether it’s China, or indeed Indonesia or any other country in this part of the world, they will have their unique perspective and that’s all fine. There’s no issues with that.
But what we also stressed today was, is that we will never feel corralled into any sort of binary assessment of these relationships. Binary assessments of a relationship which says pro-United States or pro-China, as Australia has a comprehensive strategic partnership with China and we have an enduring, and incredibly important alliance with the United States which is fundamental to our security. We have our biggest investment partnership with the United States and our biggest trade partnership with China and these are not mutually exclusive.
And the comments that I’ve made, particularly more recently which have been quite stoically in support of this independent, anti-binary view, I think are very well received. I took the opportunity to congratulate China on where they were able to get to with the United States on the first phase of their trade discussions. I think that’s very good for the global economy and I think it bears out the optimism that we’ve always had about rejecting this binary nature.
It’s simply a fact that China has arrived at an incredibly impressive point in its economic history. It’s impossible to dispute that. And that means that they’ve done incredibly well and raises their level of technological achievement and capability. Similarly, more broadly in their economy but also say, militarily, and that’s a reflection of the significant progress they’ve made over that time. And so, you know, one can only acknowledge that and then pursue our partnership based on our interests, which are aligned with China to the extent that we have both done so incredibly well out of their success. And so that was the dominating part of our discussion today.
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Morrison uses weekend visit to Jakarta to seek a diplomatic thaw with China
It’s interesting that the prime minister used a visit to observe the Indonesian president Joko Widodo’s inauguration to have a meeting with the Chinese vice-president, Wang Qishan.
I’ve written a lot over the past month or two about Scott Morrison’s efforts to align Australia and the US but less about the effort over the same time period to warm up the relationship with Beijing.
Over the past couple of months, the foreign minister, Marise Payne, has met her Chinese counterpart twice (most recently in New York during UN leaders week), and now this meeting in Jakarta.
Australia sought the meeting and it was approved by the Chinese president, Xi Jinping.
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Anthony Albanese was also asked about press freedoms yesterday –and why Labor is now pushing for change
Well, the urgency is that what we didn’t see under Labor governments was consecutive raids on journalists. What we didn’t see was the sort of attacks on media freedom and what we also wouldn’t have seen, to be frank, is a prime minister, who when first asked about this in London, basically said: ‘Nothing to see here.’ It is a dismissal as a government that wasn’t prepared to protect media freedom. The government needs to step up to the plate here. Labor’s prepared to. The government should as well.
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Scott Morrison was asked about press freedoms yesterday, while in Indonesia:
Well, we are, and we have a process currently going on the way at the moment in a joint parliamentary inquiry. We’ve already acted to issue the minister for home affairs’ guidelines and direction which I think both well codify what the processes are, and in fact improve them, and I think that’s been well received, particularly by groups like the AFP which are finding those instructions very, very helpful. So I do think that’s an improvement, but we’ll still await the report from the inquiry.
But let me simply say this – my government will always believe in freedom of the press. It’s an important part of our freedoms as a liberal democracy. Also believe in the rule of law and that no one is above it, including me or anyone else, any journalist or anyone else. And the rule of law has to be applied evenly and fairly in the protection of our broader freedoms. And so I don’t think anyone is, I hope, looking for a leave pass on any of those things, I wouldn’t and nor should anyone else.
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Barnaby Joyce had a few things to say about the media freedom laws – it went as you would expect.
“To get respect around the term public interest, you've got to act in the public interest” @Barnaby_Joyce “You can't say putting a pregnant woman crossing the street on your front page is in the public interest - which you did - and give yourself a Walkley for it” #auspol pic.twitter.com/U2sSYCNwSn
— Brett Mason (@BrettMasonNews) October 20, 2019
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Good morning
Welcome to day one of Senate estimates!
The House will sit while the senators do their thing in the committee rooms. It’ll be the first time we’ve seen Penny Wong really unleashed since the election, so that in itself should be something.
Kristina Keneally also gets some time with the home affairs officials, so that’s another one to watch.
Scott Morrison arrived back in Australia (he was in Indonesia yesterday for Joko Widodo’s inauguration as president) to an unchanged Newspoll (yes, insert all the polling caveats here), 51 to 49, in the Coalition’s favour.
The “big stick” energy laws will be debated (Labor has given its support, despite originally opposing them) and religious discrimination will be back on the agenda. The medevac inquiry bill was tabled on Friday – it went, as you would expect, down party lines, with negotiations with Jacqui Lambie ongoing.
The Senate can’t vote on those until it next sits in November, and that is where the legislation’s fate hangs. Lambie is the swing vote – and she will spend the next few weeks continuing to meet with everyone who has something to say on this legislation before casting her vote.
And all of the Canberra going ons are happening as media companies unite against the secrecy laws which make it increasingly difficult to do our jobs.
As Guardian Australia’s editor, Lenore Taylor, has laid out:
- The right to challenge the government’s application for warrants against journalists and media organisations, before they are issued.
- Exemptions for journalists from laws that would put them in jail for doing their jobs, including the security laws enacted over the last seven years.
- Adequate legislated protections for public sector whistleblowers.
- A new regime to limit which documents can be stamped secret.
- Reform of the freedom of information regime.
- Reform to laws that make Australia the defamation capital of the world.
We’ll have all of that, as well as everything else. Mike Bowers will be with you, as will Katharine Murphy, Sarah Martin and Paul Karp. I will find another coffee and find some more brain cells to be with you in just a moment.
Ready?
Let’s get into it.
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