Nighttime politics
- The gun debate dominated another day, pushing Malcolm Turnbull’s chosen agenda of industrial relations off the front pages.
- Tony Abbott reiterated the point he made to Katharine Murphy last night – that the reason he put a sunset clause on the Adler import ban was due to “internal pressure” rather than Leyonhjelm.
- Treasury secretary John Fraser acknowledged the growing intergenerational inequality gap otherwise known as the avocado scandal.
- Bill Shorten had to tidy up some loose remarks about loving only some of his team.
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And estimates continue ...
I will leave it there for the day. Thanks to Paul Karp, Gareth Hutchens and Katharine Murphy.
But I cannot close without revealing the reason for Kate Ellis and Richard Marles’s fit of the giggles in the parliament (see earlier post).
It was Samantha Maiden of the Sunday Telegraph. To Richard Marles, we are laughing with you, not at you.
Night.
— Samantha Maiden (@samanthamaiden) October 19, 2016
No point denying it. @richardmarlesMP does actually look like a quokka pic.twitter.com/U6fRulm0LK
— Samantha Maiden (@samanthamaiden) October 19, 2016
— Samantha Maiden (@samanthamaiden) October 19, 2016
— Samantha Maiden (@samanthamaiden) October 19, 2016
Updated
Last week Mel Davey reported on this:
The One Nation leader, senator Pauline Hanson, will visit Norfolk Island next week on a four-day fact-finding mission on the invitation of Norfolk Island People for Democracy, a group opposed to the Australian government’s revoking of the island’s autonomy.
Hanson’s visit on Tuesday will mark the first time a crossbench or opposition senator or MP has been to the island following the Australian parliament’s decision last May to abolish its system of self-governance.
Now Hanson wants to dismiss the island’s administrator, Gary Hargrave, a former Howard minister, on the grounds of “serious misconduct”.
BREAKING: The results of my Norfolk Island fact finding mission. I have written to the PM because the Administrator should be sacked #auspol pic.twitter.com/JtjCUC7tq7
— Pauline Hanson (@PaulineHansonOz) October 19, 2016
Updated
Just a couple more things on the Adler.
By putting the gun thing back on the table, David Leyonjhelm has opened up a further issue for Malcolm Turnbull with his Coalition partner, Barnaby Joyce. Not that Joyce has disagreed with Turnbull’s messages. But his National MPs have tried to remind everyone that this is a matter of categorisation of the gun - not the import. Because a number of the shotguns are already in the country. It looks like a Lib-Nat split.
Tony Abbott’s revelation that the sunset clause on the import ban was a result of internal pressure from the National party and presumably some Libs, rather than Leyonhjelm, reinforces the “split” story for the PM. Nationals have confirmed they did push back on Abbott. Whether Keenan plus Dutton independently used the agreed sunset clause to barter with Leyonhjelm (given it was going to happen anyway) or whether Abbott gave permission to do so, we don’t know.
So if the import ban is lifted – as at least some of the Nats would like – it will be painted as a watering down of the gun laws. Even though strictly speaking, it is not. It will also be painted as a win for the Nats over Turnbull.
Enter WA premier Colin Barnett. He has said this:
I’m far from being an expert on guns, but as a matter of policy, I do not support that gun. I saw some footage on television of it being fired; it’s obviously got a rapid-fire capacity. Australia has put in policies to contain gun ownership and use, and I do not support allowing a weapon like that into this state.
If Barnett is going to be a hold-out on the Adler, it may be the best political outcome for Turnbull. It could both fix the wider political issue and his issue with the Nats.
If the states cannot decide on the category – as they are required to do under the National Firearms Agreement – the import ban stays for the time being. This would solve the wider political problem by kicking it off into the long grass. The PM can tell the Nats his hands are tied by the states indecision – that is the condition of the Howard laws.
As an aside, shooters who favour the import of the Adler are privately pretty ropable with Leyonjhelm. He has put the Adler squarely in the middle of a wider political debate, ensuring it will not be discussed in any sort of rational way. But Leyonjhelm wins either way. If the shotgun is permanently banned, he fought the good fight for shooters. If the ban is lifted, it was all because of him.
The art of politics.
Updated
The house is sitting until 8pm.
The VET bills are still in the house.
In an attempt to rein-in rising private health insurance premiums, the health minister, Sussan Ley, has announced reforms aimed at cutting the costs of medical devices and prostheses, writes Mel Davey.
The high cost prostheses, which includes devices like pacemakers and replacement hips and knees, are currently being passed on to private patients through rising insurance premiums.
Wayne Swan v BHP: Part four - the dummy spit
You may remember last week Wayne Swan tore strips off BHP regarding their tax affairs last week.
From our friends at AAP:
Former treasurer Wayne Swan has accused BHP Billiton of a “dummy spit” over criticism of its tax affairs.
The mining giant’s chief executive Andrew Mackenzie told a function in London on Monday the “continual questioning of our economic and social contribution” in Australia was “chilling” when compared to countries such as Chile.
Mackenzie said the president of Chile, where BHP owns 57.5% of the Escondida copper mine, had recently praised the company’s economic and social contribution.
But in our home country of Australia where we have contributed hugely to employment, and through taxes and royalties, we still find ourselves blamed for problems that we didn’t cause and the target, if you like, of people who assume that we are the ones trying to avoid tax.
Swan told parliament on Wednesday BHP could not claim to be transparent over its tax affairs “given their failure to clearly outline numerous back payments to the Australian taxation office as a result of tax audits over a decade”.
BHP are like that guest at the hotel. They have rented the penthouse, they have had full room service, but then they run off and leave a bill because they only paid for a standard room.
The dummy spit by BHP executives in London last night is yet another example of how out of touch corporates are with ordinary people and why, around the world, many corporates are held in such low regard.
Updated
Shouting gives way to giggles.
Bowers reports that it was something on the phone that set them off.
GIFs perhaps?
STOP SHOUTING!
A very shouty #QT @gabriellechan @GuardianAus #politicslive https://t.co/oxbNNUVMau pic.twitter.com/9PNAyhIe7Y
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) October 19, 2016
Scott Morrison will not buy into Xenophon’s amendments to the ABCC bill, such as nationally consistent payment rules for subcontractors.
We are back to the CFMEU.
While he does not confirm the government will amend for Xenophon, it sounds like it will.
Given NXT voted for the bill, no doubt some deal has been done.
Morrison also refuses to say – following Xenophon’s rejection of the one month wait for the dole for young people – whether the government will take the savings out of the budget.
There will be a point at which those decisions will be taken.
He says if the savings are not found with this cut, other cuts will need to be made.
Updated
Scott Morrison is speaking to David Speers on Sky. Nick Xenophon has indicated he will not support tax cuts for companies with turnovers above $10m. You may remember in this year’s budget the government’s enterprise tax plans cut company tax for big businesses as part of a 10-year plan.
Morrison does not say whether the government will break up elements of the package to get the tax cuts through for those businesses under $10m.
Updated
Carried away with the clam bake.
The CFMEU questions are starting to remind me of the Abbott’s carbon tax questions for three years up to 2013. On. And on. And on.
There was one more CFMEU question.
CFMEU uses Trojan Horse to infiltrate Commonwealth Games #auspol pic.twitter.com/DAxEToSWC1
— Phillip Coorey (@PhillipCoorey) October 19, 2016
Turnbull backs Brandis' election-eve AAT appointments
Burke to Turnbull: Just days before caretaker, the attorney-general [George Brandis] announced 37 new appointments to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. During Senate estimates last night it was revealed none of these positions were advertised, there was no merit-based selection process or departmental advice. None of the candidates were recommended by department. There was no consideration of any conflicts of interest. Given the 37 jobs have a salary of up to $370,000 each year, does the PM consider this process acceptable?
Turnbull:
The appointment of Australians to offices of this kind is a very important responsibility of government. The government takes that responsibility very seriously. The attorney general is an officeholder of considerable discernment. I have no doubt that all the persons appointed were excellently qualified for the position that they have been selected for.
Updated
There was another CFMEU question first.
Then Richard Marles to Christopher Pyne: And then Labor I refer to evidence given by the Minister for Defence in Senate Estimates today and ask, given the Minister forDefence was unable to answer this important question, can the minister advise the house who is actually the senior minister in the defence portfolio? Is the information on the web site of the Department of Defence correct? Is it still to be advised?
(Remember this issue in estimates?)
Christopher Pyne refers to the the Marles story on the South China Sea:
I am absolutely shocked, as I am sure many other members of this house are, that the member for Corio would have been given a question at all to ask in the House of Representatives, to lead with his rather large glass chin on this occasion.
This is the shadow minister for defence who advised, when he was carried away with a clam bake in Honolulu, advised that the policy should be of the Australian government that we sail our navy within 12 nautical miles of disputed territory in the South China Sea. He fell for the old trick. He was with an experienced journalist Paul Kelly and he would have sat down and thought I want to get myself on the front page of The Australian, the front page, Paul would have said “You have to say something important though. We can’t put you on the front page because you’re a nice guy, Richard”.
Marles calls on the speaker to bring Pyne to relevance on the question. Speaker says no point of order. Pyne continues, warming to the theme.
That was his angry face. We now have seen his angry face. What really happened after he got carried away at the clan bake in Honolulu. He gets back to Australia and he has discovered he has created a storm about Labor Party foreign policy. Because the Leader of the Opposition is his best friend, he can’t repudiate him but Penny Wong didn’t feel that way. Penny...Being from the left in the Senate, she was more than happy to utterly humiliate and repudiate the member for Corio by saying the Labor Party’s policy was the same as the government’s policy.
The question, however, remained unanswered.
Chris Bowen to Scott Morrison: The Treasurer claimed this year’s Budget was an economic plan not just another Budget. Given the centre piece of the Treasurer’s so-called plan, a $50bn tax cut for big business is now dead in the water and will not pass the parliament, Treasurer what’s plan B or will it just be more Budget chaos?
Morrison goes to small and medium businesses but not big businesses. And he does not go to the situation in the senate which looks like knocking off the tax cuts for businesses with turnovers more than $10m.
One thing at a time.
Innovation minister Greg Hunt gets a government question which segues to....the CFMEU.
Albanese to infrastructure minister, Darren Chester: I refer to the gap between the government’s infrastructure rhetoric and its action. In the 2014 budget, the government promised to invest over $8bn on transport infrastructure in the 2015-16 financial year. Is the final outcome for this investment not $8bn but $5.5bn and was this more than 30% cut achieved by cutting the Pacific highway, the Bruce highway, Gateway North...
Chester:
In this year alone, there is $9bn in our infrastructure investment program. That is a record investment in the 2016-17 financial year in the foundation.
Updated
Over at Senate estimates, the heads of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission have just wrapped up.
They revealed that they have repeatedly asked successive federal governments for extra funding over the years to upgrade Asic’s ageing corporate registry, which is up for sale. But it has been to no avail.
Greg Tanner, Asic commissioner, said some of the technology underpinning Asic’s corporate registry was now 25 years old, making it unfit for the modern age.
He said if Asic’s corporate registry was privatised it would provide millions of dollars for a much-needed upgrade.
They said the upgrade would cost over $100m.
They said the corporate registry cost roughly $60m to run annually but it generated $380m in revenue, which goes to the federal government.
When asked if the government had been using it as a “cash cow” for years, Tanner said he couldn’t answer that.
Updated
There is another question on the ABCC to Darren Chester, transport minister.
Plibersek to Joyce: Does the Deputy PM support the lifting of the import ban on the Adler shotgun for use in Australian agriculture. Was his department consulted on this ban?
Joyce avoids the question.
What I can say is this is obviously a question that will be discussed by the relevant state ministers. I look forward to their deliberations, says Joyce.
It sounds like the National party leader does not have a position on the Adler ahead of the Coag meeting on Friday either.
So let me summarise.
The commonwealth has no position on the Adler. The feds are leaving it to the states to sort out what category the Adler falls into. The feds will lift the import ban for the Adler when they have decided.
A government question to immigration minister Peter Dutton: Will the Government update the house on the steps theGovernment is taking to make Australian society safer, including through the use of s. 501 of the Migration Act? Is the minister aware of any alternative approaches.
Dutton:
In May it is reported we had paid CFMEU organiser Mick Powell and union delegate Stu-e Corcoran attend a Rebels protest against the visa cancellation of a Rebels gang member. He may be an extortionist, a robber, he may turn up onto building sites and muscle subcontractors and people in a shocking way but he is not too smart Stu-e. He turned up with his Rebels outfit but what gave the game away was he was using a CFMEU emblazoned megaphone. Automatically, we knew he wasn’t just a bikie lover but he was a CFMEU official. Look at the drab looks from start to finish on this front bench. You know why? The CFMEU has donated $10 million to the Labor Party in recent years and they own and operate the Labor Party....Bikie Bill Shorten needs to realise the Australian people have worked him out.
Dutton is forced to withdraw the last line.
Mark Dreyfus is tossed out of the chamber.
Plibersek to Turnbull: This morning it is reported that the member for Parkes has backed calls for the importation of the Adler shotgun saying “I am hoping we can still get this through because I know of one gun dealer who has hundreds on order awaiting this decision”. If the ban is set in stone as the PM said yesterday, why are so many members of his Government preparing for the weapon to enter Australia?
Turnbull:
There is a difference of opinion in the community about the appropriate classification but can I say, I am not aware of anybody that wants to leave the classification as it is. Every argument I have seen involves strengthening the classification and the debate is as to how far it should go. That is a legitimate point of view on which there are differences of opinion. What there should be no difference of opinion on is whether we want to stamp out illegal firearms. That is the real issue.
A government question to Christopher Pyne: Will the minister outline to the house the government’s commitment to ensure the employer and employee organisations always act in the best interests of their members and that the rule of law is the norm on building sites across Australia and not the exception?
Pyne quotes from an email by Dean Mighell of the ETU from the trade union royal commission:
The former long-term secretary of the ETU, the electrical trade union, he provided an email to the royal commission that he had sent to other state secretaries in Victoria in mid-to late 2010.
In it he writes ‘Given that the Federal ALP is desperate for funds, surely we can say that we will help them if and only if they abolish the ABCC’. Unions are donating to federal Labor for outcomes, not promises”.
When he was asked by the royal commissioner what unions were engaging in this process of donating to the ALP for outcomes not promises, he said, “I believe that the CFMEU were again seeking the abolition of the ABCC as a policy outcome.”
There we are. Surprise, surprise, it was done. It was done by the leader of the opposition when he was the minister responsible.
Updated
WA Premier Colin Barnett says he won't support lifting the ban of the Adler lever-action shotgun @9NewsPerth
— Josh Jerga (@josh_jerga) October 19, 2016
Cathy McGowan to small business minister Michael McCormack: The Bureau of Statistics forward work program for 2016 and 17 includes a statement from the Australian statistician that the ABS will not have the resources necessary to undertake all the activities that fall within its legislative mandate. [This is] significant for those of us who live in regional Australian. This program identifies regional economic data as an area ABS may cease or wind back. Given the growth and development happening in regional Australia, including both of our electorates, we need more data not less. Can the minister give the guarantee to the people in our electorates and the rest ofAustralia that rural and regional businesses and communities will receive – the ABS will receive –the funding and resources it needs to give people doing planning in rural and regional Australia the information they need.
McCormack says the document referenced by McGowan is a planning document only.
Updated
Shorten asks Turnbull: Yesterday in the House the PM said in relation to the Adler shotgun, “It is not a temporary ban. It is permanent. It is set in stone”. But this morning when asked if it was only temporary, the PM responded, “It was always”. Does the PM want the ban to be permanent or should we just direct the question to the leader of the National party?
As Turnbull stands to answer the question, Barnaby Joyce nods wildly.
The position about the import ban is straightforward. It is there until the police ministers of the states and territories agree on their classification of lever-action shotguns and having agreed on it, then implement their measures. Then the import regulations will be adjusted to conform with the classification so agreed on. That is the case, that was the case with the ban imposed in 2015. It is the case with the ban that was imposed in 2016.
So it is set in stone until it isn’t.
Turnbull goes on to contrast Labor’s position opposing mandatory sentencing for illegal firearm crimes. Shorten wrote back to Turnbull today, maintaining his opposition to the illegal firearm bill.
Shorten said “there is no convincing evidence to prove mandatory minimum sentencing acts as an effective deterrent”. That is his view now. Let’s look at the member for Gorton, back in 2011. He boasted of introducing, in respect of people smuggling, a mandatory minimum sentence of eight years ... the reality is the Labor party ... knows mandatory minimum sentences have a very important deterrent affect. They know that.
Updated
Another government question on the ABCC to treasurer Scott Morrison.
Shorten to Turnbull: It is reported today that the member for Warringah has said there was no way on God’s earth he would have allowed eight-shot Adler guns to flood into the country when he was PM. What position is the current PM taking to Coag on Friday? What decision does the PM want the states to arrive at? Does the PM want these weapons to come into Australia?
Turnbull, with a wave to Tony:
The honourable member is correct to remind us that it was my distinguished predecessor, the member for Warringah, who entered into the arrangements in 2015 to impose the 12-month ban on the importation of lever-action shotguns of more than five rounds. That was a decision of his government and it was the right decision.
It would appear the prime minister’s position is a ban until the states decide how to categorise the Adler. The commonwealth has no position on the Adler. It is up to the states.
Updated
A government question on the ABCC.
The PM appears to be losing his voice...
Labor and smugglers' cove: All he needs is a parrot
Shorten to Turnbull: With a heightened terror threat, there is no way any serious Coalition Government, any government in the tradition of John Howard should be allowing rapid fire weapons on a very large scale into our country. Does the PM agree with that statement?
Turnbull goes to the bill on mandatory sentencing for illegal firearm prosecutions.
We workday and night to keep our country safe and we have asked you to support mandatory sentences and what does the Labor Party say? What does old Guthrie Featherstone [Mark Dreyfus] QC say?
He says “We oppose mandatory sentences in principle”. That is what he says. The smugglers friend. They call it smugglers cove over there. All he needs is a parrot and he could be a pirate.
The threat of illegal firearms is a threat to the safety of every Australian. The vast majority of gun crimes, the vast majority, over 90% are committed with illegal weapons. They come into this country illegally. They are smuggled, as hundreds of Glocks were smuggled during the Labor government. They come in here smuggled and we have to stop it. We know that strong mandatory sentences will send the message of deterrence.
We have jumped the shark here.
We are running down the hill into question time. 3, 2, 1....
Abbott: I did no deal with Leyonhjelm on guns, it was internal
Tony Abbott’s been busy of late. Yesterday he entered the guns debate via social media. Then, later in the afternoon yesterday, we had a chat about gun control, which I wrote up last night, and Gabi has already linked you too.
This evening he will appear on the ABC 730 program. Today he’s been stopped by journalists in the corridor.
The theme is once again guns.
The former prime minister has told reporters what he told me last night: he did not do a deal with David Leyonhjelm to put a sunset clause on an import ban of the Adler shotgun. Abbott said to me late yesterday the sunset clause was imposed because of internal pushback within the government - meaning of course, the Nationals – which we’ve seen play out over the course of today.
He’s repeated a phrase he said to me last night – there was no way on God’s earth his government was going to allow “perhaps tens of thousands of rapid fire weapons into the country.”
Tony Abbott:
One of the reasons we have avoided a mass casualty terrorist event in this country is because it is very hard to get guns. It’s particularly hard to get guns that can do a lot of damage very quickly. If you allow rapid fire guns into the country under relatively loose conditions you obviously raise the danger.
Asked whether Malcolm Turnbull should rule out allowing the gun to be imported, Abbott said:
The federal government should do whatever it needs to do to ensure rapid fire guns are not readily available in this country. No-one needs a rapid fire gun other than perhaps our law enforcement agencies, the military, and just possibly people involved in serious pest extermination, but this idea that shooters generally should have access to rapid fire weapons is just crackers, and it should never happen as far as I am concerned.
Abbott said farmers already have access to weapons allowing them to control feral animals.
Labor peanut gallery.
New best friends. On registered orgs.
Lunch time politics
- National party MPs and a Liberal MP have described the gun debate over the Adler to focus on the process, given the states decide on the classification of guns.
- Bill Shorten has had to clarify comments that he supports all of his frontbench after revealing some frustration over recent factional outbreaks as a result of his choice of a replacement for Stephen Conroy.
- Treasury secretary John Fraser has agreed that intergenerational wealth inequality is a problem, without nominating any solutions. Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson wants a review of international inequity to point to some solutions.
- Shadow early education minister Kate Ellis calls for consideration of chucking out the whole childcare payment system.
Updated
Labor: Kate Ellis urges radical childcare system overhaul
Labor’s early education spokeswoman, Kate Ellis, is speaking at the National Press Club.
She has suggested the government should consider abandoning the current childcare subsidy system in favour of alternatives including universal childcare or the government directly purchasing places.
Ellis said the problem with the current “fee and subsidy system” is the government has no “levers of control” over the costs and availability of places.
If the government directly purchased places, it would see how many places are required in a particular area and tender for their delivery.
Done correctly this could place downward pressure on costs by introducing competitive tendering for the service delivery and could cap the out-of-pocket costs of parents. This would incentivise new childcare places being created where they are required.
Updated
Bowers calls this “a touch of the Quirrells”.
Naughty Bowers.
I am a bad blogger for not posting this earlier.
This was Peta Credlin on the Adler:
Peta Credlin says there was no deal to allow Adler gun's into Australia between @TonyAbbottMHR and @DavidLeyonhjelm https://t.co/vO3NawO3xU
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) October 18, 2016
This was senator Leyonhjelm’s response.
Conflating licensed firearms owners with terrorists. When you don't know what you are talking about, you should STFU. https://t.co/Z4JXo8HtnG
— David Leyonhjelm (@DavidLeyonhjelm) October 18, 2016
If you don’t know what STFU is, google it.
NSW government trolls education minister Birmingham
As we know, the commonwealth and the states are in the process of trying to agree to the years five and six of the school funding agreements. Birmingham flagged before the election he would not honour Labor’s agreements because more money does not equal results, in the Coalition mind. The states went ballistic, as expected. This is an ongoing battle. But here is the latest release from their NSW counterparts, which suggests more money does equal results if it is used in the right places.
NSW public schools will receive a record $219 million in additional needs-based education funding in 2017, made possible by NSW signing the Gonski agreement.
Announcing the funding boost at Hurstville South Public school, NSW Premier Mike Baird said needs-based funding helps schools and students facing the greatest challenge to lift their results.
“There is absolutely no doubt that needs-based funding, made possible by Gonski, has been of enormous benefit to students right across NSW,” Mr Baird said.
“That is why NSW signed the six-year agreement and why we continue to press the commonwealth government to honour its commitments.
“The extra support students are receiving is showing real results. Funding now follows students and their needs and principals have the flexibility to make local decisions based on the specific needs of their students.”
Minister for education Adrian Piccoli said Hurstville South Public school has used its additional needs-based funding to employ additional staff to provide targeted teaching for students who need extra support in literacy and numeracy.
“At Hurstville South in 2016, 58% of Year 5 students were achieving results that put them in the top two bands of Naplan for reading and numeracy combined, up from 39% in 2012,” Mr Piccoli said.
Updated
Foreign minister Julie Bishop has been speaking about the battle to retake Mosul and fears that foreign nationals will return to home countries.
That’s why we’re working to closely with partners throughout Europe and, particularly, in our region, to detect those who have been fighting, who are experienced terrorist fighters, and ensure that they cannot carry out a terrorist attack in Europe or, indeed, in our region. And, more particularly, here in Australia.
She was at a Smart Traveller event this morning.
Updated
NSW premier Mike Baird has weighed into the gun debate following his deputy, Troy Grant.
I think the prime minister made it very clear yesterday, there can be no dilution of the Howard gun laws and we totally and utterly support that. There are other issues that state ministers are considering. We’ll obviously play a constructive role in that but the principle of diluting the Howard gun laws, that is something that will not change and the prime minister made that clear yesterday. NSW, as always, is happy to play a constructive role, but on those sort of matters guided by experts and obviously consensus, any sort of changes would require consensus of all states.
Updated
Malcolm Turnbull has written to Bill Shorten asking him to back a bill which would impose mandatory jail terms on anyone caught trafficking in firearms.
Obviously this is pushback on the gun-law debate to pressure Labor, which has already blocked the bill twice before.
The bill would mean those found guilty of trafficking illegal firearms would receive a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment with jail terms up to 20 years – double the existing maximum.
Labor has opposed the bill because they oppose mandatory sentencing.
In the letter reported in the Oz, Turnbull wrote to Shorten:
The legislation has again been introduced to the parliament and I seek your support in ensuring its smooth passage. I urge you to reconsider your opposition to legislation for tougher gun penalties for gun smugglers.
Updated
Hot socks DPM.
Just another day in paradise.
Now the foreign affairs and defence committee is on to defence force uniforms.
Major General David Coghlan says the uniform he is wearing is made in China. But the slouch hat and the combat uniform is made in Australia.
In the foreign affairs estimates committee, Labor’s Kim Carr is pressing the secretary of defence Dennis Richardson and defence minister Marise Payne who is the senior minister between Payne and defence industry minister Christopher Pyne.
Payne refused, even though Pyne is listed as higher in terms of cabinet. Payne then insists they are of equal rank.
He did appear happier when leaving the chamber.
Updated
Expedition in the house with Burke and Pyne.
That’s it. Registered organisations passes the lower house.
Updated
There are another series of procedural votes on the registered organisations bill. Labor’s Ed Husic got thrown out just as the votes were beginning.
Updated
Shorten clarifies: I love youse all
Bill Shorten’s office has had to clarify a statement from the Labor leader at a press conference on Wednesday, after he failed to give unqualified backing to his current parliamentary team.
Addressing reporters on Wednesday, the Labor leader was asked about his controversial backing of the lawyer Kimberley Kitching to replace Stephen Conroy in the Senate, and about turmoil that has erupted in Victorian Labor in the wake of that decision.
Shorten responded to the questions on Wednesday by issuing only qualified endorsement of Labor’s team, and he told reporters he believed Kitching would make “a positive contribution” in the Senate.
In response to a question about recent threats to the preselections of leftwingers including Andrew Giles, Jenny Macklin and Catherine King, Shorten replied:
On balance, I am happy with the team I have got in the parliament, including some of the people you just mentioned.
Shorten’s office later qualified the leader’s statement at his press conference.
Bill is very happy with his entire team, a spokesman said.
Guardian Australia reported on Monday that the left caucus convened a special meeting to try and head off a damaging bout of infighting in Victoria, and a deputation from the left has asked Shorten to intervene to ensure the current ill feeling doesn’t escalate.
On Monday, the Victorian Labor senator Gavin Marshall – a senator closely aligned with Carr – signalled publicly that he intended to back a preselection challenge to Giles, and the two frontbenchers, Catherine King and Jenny Macklin, the threat which triggered the special caucus discussion.
During Wednesday’s press conference, the Labor leader issued a general warning about disparaging colleagues. Shorten suggested the current bout of ill-discipline extended beyond Marshall.
I don’t want to hurt the feelings of the media but I encourage all my members of parliament, including but not limited to Senator Marshall, not to either on the record or off the record, disparage colleagues.
The Carr group – which has split from the national left – feels Giles and other Victorian leftwingers are aligned with Anthony Albanese and the left power structure in New South Wales, and have displayed disloyalty both to the faction and to the Labor leader.
Marshall recently lost the support of the majority of the faction to maintain his position of Senate deputy president in the new parliament, and stood aside at Shorten’s behest. Carr ultimately remained on the frontbench after an intervention from the right faction and Shorten.
On Tuesday Albanese publicly slapped down the insurgency in the Victorian left, and delicately criticised Shorten’s captain’s call to put Kitching in the Senate. Albanese said ALP members should have input into preselections, which was a rebuke about the process installing Kitching.
Shorten on Wednesday agreed with Albanese’s call for more participation from the membership.
The process of change is ongoing. I agree we could look at improving opportunities for people to participate more in the Labor party.
Updated
Malcolm Turnbull said the time to end the rip-offs is long overdue. He asks Labor:
Whose side are you on are you on, the side of the members or are you on the side of the officials?
Turnbull says Labor remains “stubborn apologists” for union bosses who misuse their power.
The house divides on the vote.
Updated
Brendan O’Connor says Labor would make amendments to improve the bill from “political puffery”.
First, rather than creating a new government bureaucracy, the Registered Organisations Commission, Labor proposes that the Australian Securities and Investment Commission use its extensive coercive powers to investigate serious breaches of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act.
Second, we will increase penalties for behaviour which is intended to deceive union members or the regulator.
We will double the maximum penalties for all criminal offences under the Act.
We will increase the fine for false and misleading conduct from $10,800 to $18,000- and for paid officials who act in a way that materially prejudices the interests of the union or its members – we will increase the fine from $10,800 to $216,000
Just back to Brendan O’Connor first. He pointed out the registered organisations act already does a couple of things.
Let’s be clear about what is already in the Registered Organisations Act:
- The Act already prohibits members’ money from being used to favour particular candidates in internal elections or campaigns.
- It already allows for criminal proceedings being initiated where funds are stolen or are obtained by fraud.
- It already ensures that the Fair Work Commission can share information with the police as appropriate.
- It already provides for statutory civil penalties where a party knowingly or recklessly contravenes an order or direction made by the Federal Court or the Fair Work Commission.
Malcolm Turnbull is up in the house now. He is speaking to the bill, after which, the house will vote.
Smashed avocado myth smashed
Following on from Treasury secretary John Fraser’s comments, the Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson who extracted the information has put out a statement.
At least the Treasury secretary did not accept the premise put forward by Bernard Salt that the reason that younger people aren’t buying homes is because they are blowing their income on smashed-avocado hipster breakfasts.
I put to Mr Fraser that 25-34 year olds are less well off than the same age group a decade ago and every other older age group has significantly increased in wealth. He accepted that this was true but could only talk in the abstract on how we could address it.
Mr Fraser said that he knew that more and more people are relying on the “bank of mum and dad” to enter the housing market. Clearly, given the pre-existing inequality, this situation will only worsen over time.
Investors are using their property-delivered wealth and generous tax concessions to outbid an entire generation who are losing hope at ever being able to own their own home.
The issue of housing affordability, along with income inequality and climate change is completely absent from the Treasury’s corporate plan. It’s time for a root-and-branch review of intergenerational inequity in the tax system to fix this worsening stain on our society.
Updated
O’Connor is speaking now against the registered organisations bill.
Bill Shorten has also been speaking at a solar farm – with high-vis jacket – about the issues of the day.
Q: How would you explain the differences between this controversial shotgun and other shotguns on the market that fire more than seven shots?
I am not going to get into a debate about every brand of shotgun on the market. What I am not going to do is stand by when we catch Malcolm Turnbull trading gun laws for votes on other pieces of legislation.
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The Coalition wins the suspension on the registered organisations: 74 - 68.
That means only Labor’s Brendan O’Connor can speak on the bill.
Labor loses the amendment. Now the House votes to cut back debate on registered orgs.
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There will be a number of procedural votes on this motion due to Labor trying to amend the bill. Bear with me...
The lower house is dividing now on the Coalition’s suspension motion which would push the registered organisations bill through the lower house so it could sit waiting for the Senate to return on 7 November. With its bigger brother ABCC.
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Treasury secretary John Fraser: intergenerational wealth inequality is a huge issue
The Treasury secretary, John Fraser, is appearing before Senate estimates this morning.
He was just asked by Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson about intergenerational wealth inequality.
Fraser said it was a “huge issue” and much of it had to do with property prices.
He said much wealth is tied up in property in Australia and young people were increasingly relying on the “bank of Mum and Dad” to get into the property market.
He said it’s got to the point where it is affecting parents’ superannuation accounts. Parents are having to help pay for house deposits for their kids, or they’re paying their kids’ rents so they can save for a deposit themselves.
He said the policy priority ought to be land release, and the supply of housing generally, to release some of the pressure.
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Liberal MP Ian Goodenough has come out to back the Nationals’ excursion on the Adler. He supports the higher capacity Adler shotgun going into category B. This from Andrew Probyn’s article.
Mr Goodenough said he endorsed a move by New South Wales police minister Troy Grant to have the shotgun reclassified, saying it was not practical to enforce and “arbitrary ban”.
“This is consistent with the technical characteristics of the firearm, and fits into a logical hierarchy,” he said.
“The design of the lever-action mechanism has been around since the 1860’s – mainly for rifles in the American Civil War.
“There are several other models of lever-action shotguns in circulation including the Winchester Model 9410, Uzkon LA887, Pardus Lax12, and Zhong Zhou PW87 – to name a few.
“That is why an arbitrary ban on certain models will not be practical to enforce.”
PM Turnbull under friendly fire: WA Liberal MP Ian Goodenough backs importing quickfire Adler shotgun#auspol https://t.co/1CPZOUpmwc
— Andrew Probyn (@andrewprobyn) October 18, 2016
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Brendan O’Connor, Labor shadow employment minister, says there are new members in the parliament who have not had a chance to debate the bill.
New Labor MP for Perth, Tim Hammond, sitting in camera shot behind O’Connor, shakes his head sadly.
Christopher Pyne has moved a suspension of standing orders to bring on the registered orgs bill:
(1) Resumption of debate on the second reading of the bill being called on and the first opposition member immediately called to speak;
(2) At the conclusion of the speech of the first opposition member on the second reading of the bill, the prime minister being called immediately to conclude the second reading debate and the question then being put immediately on the second reading of the bill, a governor general’s message being reported and the question being put immediately on the third reading of the bill; and
(3) Any variation to this arrangement to be made only by a motion moved by a minister.
So. Labor would get one speaker and then the bill would be voted on after Malcolm Turnbull speaks.
This happened on the ABCC bill yesterday. If the government got the numbers on that bill yesterday, I am assuming they will get the numbers today. Except I would never assume anything about numbers in this parliament.
Updated
There is a discussion between Christopher Pyne and Tony Burke, the two managers in the lower house, about whether the registered organisations bill – the amended bill – should be debated.
Pyne wants to whip it through on the grounds that it has been debated exhaustively in its previous incarnations. Pyne was in full theatrical mode and had the Labor frontbench in stitches, which I shall try to bring you shortly.
Burke says it has been amended and members should have a chance to have a say. It was the subject of a double dissolution bill, for crying out loud, says Burke.
If the leader of the house doesn’t like debate, I would suggest he gets a different job.
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There has been a lot of discussion about the Adler in the thread and readers point out some useful things which I have verified with a firearms expert on this issue.
That is the very simple point to reinforce that the Adler 5-shot is already in the country. The argument is about the higher capacity Adler shotgun with 10 cartridges in the magazine.
The Adler is currently available in category A, the least restricted category. While all the states have slightly different rules, here is an indication of the categories in NSW.
What firearms are applicable to a Category A firearms licence?
- Air rifles.
- Rimfire rifles (other than self-loading).
- Shotguns (other than pump action or self-loading).
- Shotgun/rimfire combinations. All prohibited firearms are excluded from this licence category.
What firearms are applicable to a Category B firearms licence?
- Muzzle-loading firearms (other than pistols).
- Centre-fire rifles (other than self-loading).
- Shotgun/centre-fire rifle combinations.
NSW National party leader Troy Grant wants to put the Adler into category B, as Lucy Barbour reported.
Placing the Adler in category B would ensure that gun users wanting to import the firearm could do so, provided it was for a specific purpose like shooting feral pigs.
Anti-gun lobbyists argue it should be moved into the more restrictive C or D categories, alongside semi-automatic weapons.
I endorse @senbmckenzie and @MarkCoultonMP calls for the Adler shotgun to be classified as Category "B" on technical grounds.
— Ian Goodenough (@IanGoodenoughMP) October 18, 2016
Late last night, in estimates, Labor got down to questioning the attorney general George Brandis on his appointment of Theo Tavoularis to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
Tavoularis is a Liberal party donor and reportedly appeared for Brandis’ son in court. He was asked by Labor on Monday if he organised for Tavoularis to represent his son at a discounted rate. At that time Brandis said he could not remember.
Just before 9pm last night, Wong asked Brandis, did you get mates rates on a legal service from a donor because of your position as AG?
Brandis was outraged. Chair Ian Macdonald said it was an outrageous question.
Brandis said:
I am restraining myself Mr Chairman. Rule the questions out of order, I will not be entertaining them.
Macdonald said Wong should apologise, to which she said: “What for?”
I don’t think Senator Wong has the capacity to apologise. I think you are wasting your breath.
AG George Brandis wasn't prepared to answer questions from Senator Pratt on his relationship with this lawyer - https://t.co/uvKAaTQyIA pic.twitter.com/acI4dcvdfM
— Matthew Doran (@MattDoran91) October 18, 2016
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A little less emotion, a little more evidence, says Coulton.
As I said the two industrial relations bills are front and centre of the government’s agenda.
Nick Xenophon’s lower house MP Rebekha Sharkie voted for the ABCC bill late yesterday.
Overnight NXT indicated they would knock back the Coalition’s one-month wait for the unemployed benefits for young people.
They will also knock back limits placed on the pension for those who spend more than six weeks overseas.
Sharkie pointed out on the pension rule changes, it would save about as much as the marriage plebiscite would cost. She suggested spending priorities were a matter for the government.
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Malcolm Turnbull has spoken to Bridge and Spida on Gold 92.5FM on the Gold Coast to discuss alleged union thuggery on the Commonwealth Games site.
He is asked about David Leyonhjelm saying he felt deceived by the government on the Adler ban.
Turnbull replied:
Let me be very clear about this: there is no proposal, or contemplation, or possibility of any weakening of John Howard’s gun laws. The national firearms agreement is set in stone.
The Adler shotgun is a category A weapon and can be widely bought by those with appropriate registration, he notes.
What has been proposed by police ministers and justice ministers is that this classification be changed so its availability be more restricted. The police ministers have not been able to reach agreement on that ... which is why a year ago we stepped in and said ‘right, until you agree on the reclassification of this particular weapon, there will be an import ban on it’. And that import ban will remain until such time as the state ministers come to a landing on the reclassification.
Tony Abbott: no way on God's Earth I would let Adlers flood the country
Abbott, Adlers and anxieties.
Tony Abbott has challenged Malcolm Turnbull to find “another deregulatory measure” to win the Liberal Democratic party senator David Leyonhjelm’s vote on restoring the building and construction commission and take gun control definitively off the table.
Abbott told Guardian Australia on Tuesday evening there was “no way on God’s Earth” he would have allowed eight-shot Adler guns to “flood into the country” while he was prime minister.
Abbott said he had moved to ban the weapons when he heard the guns were being imported, detecting the “anxiety” of police and security agencies – and the ban had then been subjected to a sunset clause because of what he termed “pushback in the Coalition” – not because of any agreement with Leyonhjelm on nonrelated migration legislation.
The pushback was from the Nationals, including three very senior members and officials who were on a shooting trip when they heard about the Adler ban in 2015.
Updated
Mark Coulton and other National MPs are worried that the current debate is not based on evidence but on emotion.
It is my deep frustration Fran that this has become a major issue when it is really one of process. There is no one that I’ve heard that say the import of the Adler shotgun will make life less secure for the citizens of Australia.
He goes to the conversion kits available that can convert the five-shot Adler to an 11 shot. Coulton says he finds it hard to believe that conversion is possible but if people do that, they are breaking the law and should be prosecuted.
Coulton takes issue with Fran’s formulation that Turnbull said the Adler ban was set in stone.
He did not say the ban is set in stone ... There will be no watering down of process were his words.
Updated
Fran Kelly has been talking to National MP Mark Coulton, who says there are a lot of rapid-fire guns that are quite legal.
He said Malcolm Turnbull and justice minister Michael Keenan were “spot on” with their messages.
This is about classification.
Coulton says the proposals is to put the Adler from category A to B. This would be a strengthening of firearm laws around the Adler. He says the change in classification would mean only farmers and certain shooters would have access.
Coulton says the Adler would mainly be used to shooting feral animals like pigs.
Currently, farmers might use pump-action or double-barrel shotguns to do that job.
But Coulton says there is demand for the Adler because it is seen to be reliable because it doesn’t jam, it is not expensive and has a reputation for efficiency.
Updated
Good morning
With Malcolm Turnbull ratcheting up his rhetoric on maintaining the line on gun laws for the Adler shotgun, you could have started counting down the hours before his Coalition partner entered the debate.
Ding!
Late last night, two National MPs came out.
Nationals MP for Parkes Mark Coulton told Latika Bourke of Fairfax:
I’m hoping we can still get this through because I know of one gun dealer who has hundreds on order waiting for this decision
Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie told Faifax:
It is the responsibility of the states and territories to classify and restricting its access as [Grant’s] approach is a positive and common sense step.
The reason she says this is because the federal government is responsible for the import but the states are responsible for the classifications of guns.
The Howard-Fischer National Firearms Agreement requires the states to agree to the classification and before the federal government agrees to the import.
If the states cannot agree, the import ban remains in place.
The states and feds are meeting on Friday.
The Abbott government put the ban in place with a sunset clause as part of a deal with crossbencher David Leyonhjelm.
Overnight Abbott’s former chief of staff and Sky commentator Peta Credlin said:
“I want to say there was absolutely no deal between Tony Abbott and David Leyonhjelm in order to bring in the Adler shotgun,” she said.
“Let’s not forget we had gone through terror raid after terror raid and obviously Martin Place and Tony was adamant that it would not come into the country in the current classification that it was proposed for nor would it come in in the immediate aftermath of those arrest,” she said.
Credlin suggested Abbott would still feel the gun would still have “no place in Australia”.
Let’s get on with it. I am @gabriellechan on the Twits and @mpbowers is lurking. Stay with us during the day because there is plenty more, particularly around the Australian Building Construction Commission bill. While the Nick Xenophon Team voted for it in the House yesterday, they will seek to amend in the Senate in coming weeks.
Oh, and estimates are on again. Giddy up.
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