And on that note, I’m going to bring the blog to a close for today.
I know it is only Tuesday, but what a week.
Tomorrow, we have more of the same, so I hope you have a hearty meal and a good rest tonight. You are going to need it.
A big thank you to Mike Bowers, who is still running around this place somewhere, and the Guardian’s brains trust, without which I would not be able to keep this ship sailing. (They bring the heart, I just provide the snark.)
You can catch up with Mike’s day at @mikepbowers. He also makes an appearance on the instagram story of @pyjamapolitics (oh - and on that, thank you to the lovely woman who pulled me aside at the market the other day to say she enjoyed it. It’s a fun and easy way to spread my love of politics, so I appreciate hearing someone gets something out of it).
As always, a big thank you to everyone who followed along today. I may not get to respond to all your messages, or comments, but I do try to read them all. So thank you.
We’ll be back here again tomorrow for more fun and games, so hopefully we’ll catch you then.
Take care of you.
Updated
I will never do anything other than stand up to Pauline Hanson and her views, but I know Mathias is one of the decent people in this Government and accept his assurance he did not mean to cause offence. https://t.co/NEKluUce20
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) May 22, 2018
John Lloyd has sent a letter to the Finance estimates hearings. He says he won’t be seeking a public interest immunity claim and says there is no inquiry “being conducted to which I am the subject”.
The letter, as transcribed by me:
“I have taken advice on the issue of public interest immunity when responding to questions raised in yesterday’s Senate estimates proceedings.
“I have carefully considered that advice.
“Public interest immunity will not be sought on the question of whether an inquiry is being conducted.
“I confirm that there is no inquiry being conducted to which I am the subject.
“I reaffirm my concern to ensure that the scheme of the Public Service Act is observed. Specially, inquiries should be conducted in a manner that ensures the privacy of a complainant and a respondent is respected during the course of an inquiry.
Speaking of prime ministers and pubs, a reader has just pointed me to this story of their mum, Quentin O’Keefe talking about the time she made Gough Whitlam wait in line for a beer on budget night, as told to the Museum of Australian Democracy.
The recording is delightful, but for those heading home on public transport or unable to listen, here is the transcript:
I found myself working in the members bar on Budget Night. It was under … It was Gough Whitlam’s government budget. I arrived, probably at 7 that night. I just walked in and found my way to the bar, and was ready to… The people that worked there just said to me it was going to be very busy. Once they finished the speech in the House, they’d be all back for a drink.
Suddenly, the speech was over about ten-to-eight, and in they came. There were hundreds of people there in front of us, so we just got busy serving drinks. It was in the course of that, that a man near the front of the bar said to me, “The prime minister should have a drink.” I looked up because… You’re so busy doing what you’re doing, you’re not even looking at people really. I looked up, and about five or six people back from the bar was Gough Whitlam.
I wasn’t exactly sure what I was supposed to do. No briefing told you whether you should serve the prime minister first, or you whatever. I figured if he was in this mob of people, and this is Australia, then he could wait his turn. I said to this man, “The prime minister can wait his turn,” and Gough heard that and said something like, “Well said comrade,” or, “That’s right comrade,” to me. I just smiled, and he laughed.”
You’ll find the original here
Updated
Finance minister Mathias Cormann and Kimberley Kitching have been locked in a stoush about the incident at the Carindale Hotel in which a man allegedly abused the prime minister when he got served first.
The man, known as Bluey, appeared on the Kyle and Jackie-o show. Kitching reads out a transcript from the show, where Bluey said he was in line for about five minutes at his local and “finally got to be served and the PM just pushed in”. Bluey made the point everyone is equal in the pub, doesn’t matter who you are.
Cormann first questioned Bluey’s account (“he would say that”) and said he does not accept the assertion that was made about the prime minister’s conduct because he was not in the pub. Malcolm Turnbull conducts himself with respect for others and if it did happen it “would have been a misunderstanding, no harm intended”.
Cormann gave further comment that there “there would’ve been a lot of people in the pub in that context to hear from the PM”, which sets Kitching off:
“So it is OK because he is more important, he pushed in because people were waiting to hear from him?”
Cormann again rejects the premise that Bluey’s version is necessarily correct and calls Kitching “Inspector Clueso”. He takes on notice a question about whether Turnbull apologised, and we move on.
Updated
Kimberley Kitching is now asking Mathias Cormann why the prime minister thought he could just push in front of someone in a pub queue and honestly, this is exactly what this afternoon session of estimate hearings needs.
“Does the prime minister think he is better than anyone else. Why did he push in?”
Anyone who missed the story - it’s here
The department would not provide details, citing concerns about identification.
Senator Murray Watt suggested explaining why a visa was cancelled without any other details about the individuals did not identify them.
Pezzullo said he would like to “seize himself of the facts” and take questions on notice.
“A minister of the crown has given advice to the HOR, I’d like to have a look at what he said, I’d like to look at the facts of the case, and then I’ll look if the department can add to the store of facts on the matter.”
Fifield is now reading out a previously released statement from Peter Dutton, criticising AAP’s original reporting (including refuting some allegations not actually made by AAP’s original reporting).
Watt asks a question, Pezzullo takes it on notice.
Watt starts to ask another question and Pezzullo takes it on notice before the words are out.
And again.
“Why is it at every stage the blanket is thrown across questions about this incident,” asks Watt.
“Why the cover up?”
Committee chair, Ian MacDonald says it’s not appropriate to ask that of the department and he should direct it to the minister.
Watt directs it to the minister.
Fifield rejects the premise.
Watt notes Pezzullo is refusing to ask his officers - sitting at the table - if they have the information he’s asking for instead of taking it on notice.
“We all know that the end result of this case was that the minister intervened and granted a visa, after some involvement of the minister’s office.”
“I don’t know that,” says Pezzullo.
“I don’t know that,” echoes MacDonald.
“What the minister rejected was any implication that this au pair was his family’s… or known to him,” responds Watt. “He didn’t reject the implication that he intervened.”
[more questions taken on notice]
“Feels like a cover up,” sings Watt.
“Mr Pezzullo has made no attempt to find out answers,” he says.
“This comes after a long running FOI battle to extract information that his department has resisted.”
Pezzullo says he had no involvement in the case.
Updated
Murray Watt is asking why Michael Pezzullo has asked other officers in the room for information previously, but is shutting this down.
He is only halfway through when Ian Macdonald tells him “that’s inappropriate” to which Watt responds “can I actually ask the question?”
Watt asks Pezzullo what would usually happen to someone who entered the country on a tourist visa who intended to work – and is told they would be denied entry.
Macdonald is now commentating from the chair like this is his own private Gogglebox.
“You’re getting crankier as the day goes on,” Watt says.
“Well if you had to listen to some of the stupid questions from colleagues who should know better...,” Macdonald says.
“Excellent display of your impartiality there, Chair,” Watt responds.
This is not a game for adults.
Updated
So far, Michael Pezzullo is taking every single question on notice.
Back in home affairs estimates and Murray Watt is attempting to ask about Peter Dutton’s intervention in the case of the au pair.
Updated
Pauline Hanson has spoken about her latest reversal of position on the company tax rate on 2GB Radio.
Hanson argues both that “we’ve got to rein in this spiralling, out of control debt” and at the same time says if the government is serious they’d bring the tax cuts in “from day one, start it now not eight years down the track”.
Host Ben Fordham asked Hanson about comments from Lucy Turnbull that “Sydney is far from full” and said the phone line is already in “fierce disagreement” with the prime minister’s wife.
Hanson said:
“Well I’m sorry Lucy, you’ve got it absolutely wrong. She can live in her million-dollar mansion that she has with her husband, and I don’t knock them for that, they’ve worked hard for that, but you know they travel totally different to the average person out there on the street, they’re not on the buses, they’re not on public transport, they’re not going through the tolls, they’re not in the traffic going to the jobs day, morning and afternoon, stuck in traffic for hours. She wouldn’t have a clue what she’s talking about and neither would the prime minister. And if they really were in tune with the grassroots Australians she would not be saying what she’s saying.”
Updated
Coalition and Labor agree to new disclosure terms
Guardian Australia understands that the Coalition and Labor reached agreement last night about new disclosure requirements for candidates.
The disclosures will mirror the questions on the citizenship register currently completed by senators and MPs, but will be filled out by candidates before the election, along with questions relating to the other disqualifications in section 44.
The government is now moving to write regulations that set the new disclosure test, which will be tabled in parliament and apply the day after, in time for the upcoming byelections.
Updated
Craig Kelly, who always sits like he is about to interrupt you and your mates at the pub to tell you who the actual NRL immortals should be, had a few things to say about AGL (again) to David Speers.
.@CraigKellyMP: @aglenergy's conduct is anti-competitive and I believe there's a strong case that a successful prosecution could be brought against the company.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 22, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/4DYd5pq9Oq #speers #auspol pic.twitter.com/l8Fk1lM7mE
Updated
One Nation leader @PaulineHansonOz on @2GB873 accuses @SenatorWong of “playing the Asian card” in Senate Estimates.
— Laura Jayes (@ljayes) May 22, 2018
“It’s all a big performance” @SkyNewsAust
Mike Bowers sat through QT. Here’s some of what he saw:
Updated
PMC officials say total cost for Ruddock religious freedom review around the $600K mark, a few hundred thousand under budget, of which $119K was remuneration and allowances for panellists. Croucher had no base pay cos she's AHRC prez already. #auspol #estimates
— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) May 22, 2018
Annnnnd we are done.
Same result. One more division. Because there is no such thing as too many bells, apparently.
Back in immigration estimates:
"No one is going to be indentured to anyone" is a caveat that has to be made in our immigration policy discussions in 2018 #estimates
— Helen Davidson (@heldavidson) May 22, 2018
And the results of the division that the member be no longer heard are:
Ayes: 70
Noes: 64
Chris Bowen is next to attempt to suspend standing orders, and the same motion is applied to him. We divide, for the second time.
Somewhere, James Ashby is rubbing his hands in glee that One Nation has jumped back on to the front pages and is relevant again.
Updated
While we wait on the results of the division:
Total submissions to the Ruddock religious freedom review: 15,296 #estimates
— Tom McIlroy (@TomMcIlroy) May 22, 2018
About 2500 of the submissions were substantially similar. The biggest from the Australian Christian Lobby which had more than 2000 submissions from their website. https://t.co/Qm8ozZzHbe
— Tom McIlroy (@TomMcIlroy) May 22, 2018
“Show me the money” Anne Aly during #qt @AmyRemeikis @GuardianAus #politicslive https://t.co/D4FiWgAkPy pic.twitter.com/eO8PkeKMOM
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) May 22, 2018
We move on to the pointless motion time.
Because of the numbers. And the crossbench tends to stay out of these political fights.
Tony Burke:
I seek leave to move the following motion. Notes the government has made a secret deal with Senator Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party to give an $80bn handout for big business. The prime minister won’t tell the Australian people the details of a secret deal. Won’t tell the Australian people the cost of the secret deal. And won’t tell the Australian people if the deal is even accounted for in the budget.
Two, further notes that Senator Hanson returned to the parliament and without notice to the Australian people at the last election, the government has attempted to weaken race hate laws, attempted to introduce a university level English test for citizenship, and refused to commit to putting One Nation last.
And three, therefore, calls on the prime minister to stop making secret deals with One Nation and joint Labor in putting One Nation last.
The motion is denied.
He tries again. Christopher Pyne moves that he no longer be heard. A division is called.
Updated
Christopher Pyne still hates unions.
Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull:
Can the prime minister confirm that since the last election the prime minister has given Pauline Hanson [support for a] universal English citizenship test and now a secret deal so embarrassing the government won’t say it aloud? Why does Senator Pauline Hanson have more say over government policy than government backbenchers, and why won’t this prime minister match the actions of John Howard and put One Nation last?
Turnbull:
The government commends the budget to every member of the house and of the Senate. Including Senator Hanson and her party. We commend it to the members opposite. It is not too late for them to see the light and recognise the importance of cutting business taxes, or indeed of ensuring that personal income taxes are reformed. And Mr Speaker, we will continue to engage with all members to do everything we can to ensure that the budget is passed, all of its elements are passed, and that we are able [to provide] a stronger economy that will enable us to spend more money on hospitals, more money on schools, more money on national security, will enable us to ensure that we get stronger jobs growth.
All of those elements depend on the delivery of our economic plan, and while it may suit the leader of the opposition to give us advice about how to engage with the Senate crossbench, I can assure him we won’t be taking his advice on that or any other matter. We will be focusing on delivering a stronger economy, more jobs for all Australians.
In other news, Peter Dutton doesn’t trust Bill Shorten. #deathtodixers
Updated
Greg Hunt runs out of time for his dixer. No one minds.
Anne Aly to Malcolm Turnbull:
I refer to the prime minister’s previous answers. Is the prime minister seriously claiming the Australian people don’t have the right to know the details on the cost of his secret deal with Senator Pauline Hanson to secure his company tax cuts?
Turnbull:
As I said earlier, the government engages in negotiations with crossbenchers in the Senate. We engage with negotiations with the Labor party as well, occasionally with the Greens. We treat every member of the house with respect and consideration, and earnestly urge them to support our program. But those discussions are always held with the confidence that that respect entails, and if and when agreement is reached and legislation is passed, all is revealed.
Updated
Nick McKim is questioning home affairs on Peter Dutton’s comments a while back that South African white farmers should get “special attention” from Australia for protection here as refugees. What is that special attention, he asks.
In a nutshell, there isn’t any from the department, but might be from Dutton.
The Immigration and Citizenship Services deputy secretary, Malisa Golightly, says South Africans can apply for any visa they wish:
“In terms of processing [that application], the normal arrangements apply. The minister can decide which decisions he takes and which ones he delegates.
In terms of those from South Africa the minister has asked us to prepare the assessment … for submission to him and he will then make the decision about whether he makes the decision or delegates to the department.
She said Dutton had not asked for South Africans to be prioritised in their preparations.
There are no additional requirements.
McKim noted the department had rejected a South African man’s refugee claim in 2015, and the AAT had upheld the decision in 2017, and asked if the department’s assessment had changed. Pezzullo takes it on notice.
Updated
Clare O’Neil is back and the result is more Scott Morrison loud noises:
Referring to previous answers, she asks again: I refer to the secret deal with Pauline Hanson. Did the government account for and make provision for the secret deal?
Morrison:
I thank the member through the prime minister for the question regarding what was accounted for in this year’s budget. The surplus coming in one year earlier, that is what was accounted for in this year’s budget. Net debt peaking this year and falling by $30bn over the next four years. That is what was accounted for in this year’s budget. That debt falling by $230bn and more over the next 10 years, Mr Speaker. The Australian economy growing to a $2tn economy over the next four years because it is a plan for a stronger economy. What is planned for in this budget is to deliver tax relief for working Australians, all working Australians, Mr Speaker, so 94% of Australians do not favour marginal tax rate more than 32.5 cents in the dollar.
Then things get really loud and he starts talking about how the budget is keeping you safe.
Maybe the member for McMahon wants to take a point of order on protecting our borders, Mr Speaker. He can talk about the 25,000 people who turned up on illegal boats under his watch, the most failed immigration minister in the history of federation.
He’s pulled up by Tony Burke for straying wayyyyy off topic.
But I for one know I can’t go to sleep at night without knowing the budget is out there, somewhere, patrolling and watching out for me. Question: is the budget a soldier of fortune? And in which case, if I have a problem, and if no one else can help, and if I can find them, can I hire the budget?
Updated
“I think that went better when you practiced it,” Bill Shorten says as Michael McCormack sits down.
#timelessstatement
Updated
Clare O’Neil to Malcolm Turnbull:
Did the government account for its secret deal with Senator Pauline Hanson in the budget?
Christopher Pyne:
How can the prime minister answer a question about a complete hypothetical dressed up as a question about the budget? There is not, there is no question because there is no such thing as the deal she talks about. No one has confirmed that so therefore the question is based on an entire hypothetical matter.
Tony Burke:
At no stage has the government disputed that this agreement exists. At no stage have they disputed that the document exists. The question goes to whether or not money has been appropriated within the budget to account for the agreement. You can’t get anything more within the standing orders. The only agreement or document we are not allowed to ask about is the coalition agreement. If the government wants to argue, this is a Coalition agreement, they are welcome to make that case.
O’Neil reads the question again. It is ruled out of order because it refers to a “secret deal” and he is expecting him to “draw a link to previous questions ... and I am not going to do that”.
Pyne’s celebrations get a little too rowdy and he’s warned.
We move back to Queensland for the dixer, with George Christensen calling Michael McCormack to his feet and three-quarters of the parliament take the opportunity to tune out for a couple of moments (I imagine the rest are just being polite).
Updated
The dixers move from Queensland to Victoria and Scott Morrison says some words very quickly and very loudly and there’s a lot of finger pointing.
Bob Katter has the crossbench question today, which means we actually get to see him in the chamber. There is a small smattering of applause when he gets his question out in the set time limit. Crossbenchers get 45 seconds to ask their questions, not 30 seconds, and it’s all because of Katter. Everyone needs a legacy, I guess.
Is the prime minister aware there are 1.4 million temporary visa workers in Australia, the highest in the OECD? In fact, 3.6 million workers, half of the entire Australian workforce, was born overseas. The threat of deportation renders foreign workers docile, supine and super cheap, ensuring they, not Australians, get the jobs . While imported cultural and spiritual values inundate us. Still, 600,000 people pour into Australia each year. They seek the 200,000 new jobs already sought by over 200,000 school leavers.
Prime minister, you inherited this situation from Labor, but will you fix it?
Malcolm Turnbull:
Our migration program operates in the national interest of Australia and Australia alone. That is its objective. It is a recruitment exercise. Our job is to ensure that nobody comes to Australia that we do not need or want, and it is the sovereign right of the Australian people, exercised through their government, to determine that.
And of course, we saw when Labor was in office how they outsourced migration policy to people smugglers and criminals. That won’t be happening again, although if Ged Kearney, I beg your pardon, Mr Speaker, the member for Batman, has her way, that will be happening again. [Kearney shakes her head.]
We have an excellent program and Dominic and I want to describe to the honourable member some of the details. Of the people migrating to Australia, 68% are skilled migrants, 32% other streams, 14% a parent, 6% are children, and 1% fall in the other categories. The skilled program is split between employer-sponsored, skilled, independent, and state and territory and regional nominated visas. Mr Speaker, the difference, the big difference, is that we ensure that everybody that comes here comes because they are needed or wanted, and we had in 2016-17 the permanent migration program was 183,608 places, and that was roughly two-thirds skilled stream and one third family places.
So I can assure the honourable member that the migration program which is being excellently managed by the minister for home affairs, and ministers, it is one that operates in the interests of our nation and no other nation. That is our commitment, and we are determined to ensure that the mistakes, the follies and the tragedy is that occasioned Labor’s abandonment of border protection will never happen again.
Updated
Chris Bowen to Malcolm Turnbull:
Will the prime minister tell Australians the details of his secret deal with Pauline Hanson to ensure the passage of his tax cuts?
Turnbull (after going through Bowen’s book):
The reality is, Mr Speaker, that we will continue to negotiate respectfully with the crossbench in the Senate on all the measures that the Labor party and the Greens decide to try to block. We respect every member of the Senate, and we give them the courtesy and the confidence of negotiations. But Mr Speaker, the important thing is that when those negotiations are concluded and legislation is passed, it will all be before the Australian public.
So that’s a no then.
Updated
Michelle Landry gets the next dixer. Another Queensland MP!
Queensland: the greatest nation on earth (and also the state which will decide the election).
Anyways, Scott Morrison is very excited about Queensland. Let’s see him keep that attitude up after State of Origin.
Updated
Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull:
Can the prime minister confirm he has made a secret deal with Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party to ensure the passage of its big business tax cuts?
Turnbull:
As the leader of the opposition is well aware, owing to the antibusiness arrangement, coalition, between Labor and the Greens, owing to their refusal to support measures that will encourage employment, or to quote the leader of the opposition, will encourage more investment, higher productivity, more jobs and better wages, that was then, that was a few years ago, because of their concerted opposition to reducing business taxes on this and in so many other measures, we have to seek the support of the crossbench. And we do so, with respect, we do so constructively, and we have all of those negotiations conducted, as indeed they are from time to time with the opposition, in confidence and with the respect that comes from that.
The rest of the answer is about Labor’s lies, but I think we can save that for the byelection campaign ads.
Updated
Andrew Lamming gets the first dixer – another Queensland MP! (Speaking of that, the LNP candidate for Longman will be decided tonight.)
For newcomers to the blog, just a reminder that I don’t report on dixers, unless they are actual questions of importance, or the answer is something not straight from a press release. Anyone who knew my work from Queensland knows this is a bipartisan stand I have taken. #deathtodixers
Updated
Question time begins
Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull:
On the 28 March, the prime minister said about his entire corporate tax giveaway, ‘We will be committed to it today, and we will be committed to it at the next election.’ Does the prime minister stand by his answer?
Turnbull:
I do. The leader of the opposition stands by his and his party’s assessment of a reduction in tax as a getaway. And what does that mean? He can’t give away something you don’t own. And so what the Labor party says, what they believe is that every profit, every dollar of income earned by an Australian business belongs by right to the government. So any reduction in tax is a giveaway. This is the hubris of the Labor party.
So contemptuous are they of the people whose hard work and enterprise has created since September 2013 a million and 13,600 new jobs in Australia. So contemptuous are they that they regard every dollar they earn as belonging to the government, and whatever is left to them after tax as nothing more than a gift given in the mercy and charity of the Labor party, Mr Speaker. We know better than that. We know that our economy, our strong economy and all of the essential services on which it relies depends on those hard-working Australian businesses.
The Labor party has made it very clear it does not simply oppose the future tax, the future elements of the enterprise tax plan that has not been legislated. It wants to repeal the tax cuts for millions of a small and medium Australian family-owned businesses.
That is what they want to do. They want to go to all those businesses, whether they are in Longman or in Braddon or in Fremantle, in Perth or Mayo or in any electorate. They want to go to them and say to them, ‘We are going to jack up your tax, we are going to jack up your tax,’ and then will they take responsibility as the economy weakens? As people lose opportunities? Those jobs diminish? As the ability of Australians to realise their dreams would be dimmed by the Labor party and its relentless attack on business.
Updated
I‘ve made a few more calls to track down the thought criminal who raised the idea that it might be a good idea if the Liberal party preselected more women.
Party sources report it was Queensland’s Michelle Landry. The wonderful owner of this live blog, Amy, reported at the weekend Landry had been summoned to appear before the LNP’s candidate review committee after speaking out against the dumping of Jane Prentice.
Referencing her summons by the star chamber, Landry told colleagues she may as well have her say.
Fellow Queenslander Andrew Laming apparently interjected that she shouldn’t worry, given only the best people get hauled before that particular body.
From his chair in the meeting, the north Queensland veteran Warren Entsch remarked of Landry’s punishment to no one in particular: “It’s a bloody disgrace.”
Updated
Before question time, both Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten have delivered tributes to Sir John Carrick, a former NSW Liberal minister.
The prime minister appeared to get emotional as he passed on this story:
His daughter Jane told me that he had one last request of his daughters. He asked them that they hold him while he died. In those prison camps, the prisoners of war deprived of all dignity, so far from their families and those they loved at home, had a pact between them. That no-one would die alone. And so those brave men who had endured so much were held until they died. And so, Sir John Carrick, he died in arms of those he loved. Jane says he died magnificently, and he deserved that, having lived a truly magnificent Australian life.
Updated
The Tasmanian government has confirmed it will join the national redress scheme for survivors of child sexual abuse. So far it's NSW, Victoria, the ACT and Queensland #auspol
— Tom McIlroy (@TomMcIlroy) May 22, 2018
Confirmation allegation made against public service commissioner
In Senate estimates Penny Wong is pursuing whether the Australian Public Service commissioner John Lloyd is under investigation – because a freedom of information request relating to emails about him was knocked back on the basis it could prejudice an investigation.
Stephanie Foster, the deputy secretary for governance in prime minister and cabinet, has just confirmed there was an allegation of a breach of law or the public service code of conduct against Lloyd.
The allegation was made on 13 December to the secretary Martin Parkinson who then referred it to the merits protection committee on 11 January. She said she doesn’t know if an investigation has commenced, and it’s therefore possible he’s not under investigation. Foster said:
The document ... referred to contained an allegation of a breach. And so the decision-maker had a reasonable expectation that that allegation could lead to an inquiry but would not necessarily. On those grounds he exempted the document.
Mathias Cormann foreshadows that the APSC is about to release a letter and Lloyd will make a further statement to the committee.
So definitely Lloyd at the centre, possibly no investigation but at least an allegation and more to come.
Updated
We are sliding towards QT – as always, hit me up with your predictions.
Updated
Squaring the circle on the Coalition party room meeting
As I flagged a bit earlier, today’s gathering of government MPs included arguments about live exports and about the future of the Liddell power plant.
As well as that, one Liberal woman mentioned that it might be a good idea for the Liberal party to get more women into the parliament in the context of the Queensland junior minister Jane Prentice recently losing her spot. Scandalously, the prime minister agreed that was sensible.
In his pep talk to colleagues, Malcolm Turnbull noted the budget had gone well. He advised colleagues to rebut “Labor’s lies”. He urged MPs to stay on message – the government was about the plan laid out in the recent budget and about keeping people safe. Turnbull noted Bill Shorten was continuing to move left, which created opportunity for the government.
The Nationals leader, Michael McCormack, agreed everyone needed to hit the hustings and sell the budget. There was some advice about claiming credit for local road works. And this observation: “If we are united, we will be re-elected.”
Updated
The UN human rights body (of which Australia is a member) has commented on the death of a Rohingya refugee:
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is profoundly saddened by the death of a Rohingya refugee on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea, today. The tragic loss of yet another vulnerable person under Australian ‘offshore processing’ again underscores the need for proper care and immediate solutions.
“With the passage of too many years and the withdrawal or reduction of essential services, the already critical situation for refugees most in need continues to deteriorate,” said Nai Jit Lam, UNHCR’s deputy regional representative in Canberra.
“Australia’s responsibility for those who have sought its protection remains unchanged. Our thoughts and condolences are with the man’s family today.”
UNHCR renews its call for the government of Australia to take immediate action to provide assistance and solutions, and to avert further harm and tragedy.
Comprehensive, intensive support for refugees and asylum-seekers remains desperately needed in both Papua New Guinea and Nauru. The national authorities of both countries lack the means and infrastructure to address growing needs.
UNHCR is continuing to seek further information from the governments of Australia and Papua New Guinea respectively.
***end statement***
Updated
Which brings this moment Mike Bowers caught earlier into sharper context:
Coalition party room meeting dispute over live export bill and Liddell
Seems like there was a bit of a blow-up in the joint party room meeting over Sussan Ley’s live sheep export bill, among other things, at least from what we are hearing.
There's been a vigorous discussion in the Coalition party room today about live exports. I'm told the PM rebuked Sussan Ley for not going through proper processes and going straight to a private members bill. But she was backed by Jason Wood, Warren Entsch, Tim Wilson ... 1/2
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) May 22, 2018
.. Russell Broadbent and Sarah Henderson. Broadbent told colleagues live exports was "white hot" & a vote changer. Entsch said the govt should be looking at transition arrangements. The industry was in steady decline & one more scandal would end it 2/2
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) May 22, 2018
There was also a blue about Liddell. Tony Abbott, Barnaby Joyce and Craig Kelly all on their hind legs about AGL proceeding with its own plans for the site #auspol @AmyRemeikis #PoliticsLive
— Katharine Murphy (@murpharoo) May 22, 2018
Updated
Your impartial Australian Public Service Commissioner at work - emailing the IPA about @AustralianLabor and our questions at #estimates. #auspol pic.twitter.com/64Srw1gv3m
— Senator Mcallister (@jennymcallister) May 21, 2018
Estimates hearing interrupted to report Rohingya refugee death
Nick McKim has stopped amid the Senate estimates hearing of the legal and constitutional affairs committee to note some breaking news – that a Rohingya refugee man on Manus Island has died.
Our information is that the man, sent to Manus Island under Australia’s offshore immigration policy, died in a motor vehicle incident after suffering violent head injuries.
McKim says it was “yet another life destroyed by our government’s punitive policies”, and requested the committee reopen an earlier line of questioning so he can ask the department about it.
Ian MacDonald says he will put it to the committee, but “I think not”. He extends his condolences to the man’s family, and then has a swipe at McKim for “appalling” political commentary.
Estimates has stopped for lunch, and a private meeting will be held to discuss reopening earlier lines of questioning for McKim.
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Concerns raised about the new airport security powers
It being Tuesday, Labor MPs have met for their caucus meeting. Several issues were canvased.
Tax tactics
The ALP has resolved its parliamentary tactics for the income tax measures the Turnbull government outlined during budget week. In the House, Labor will try and amend the bill to support the tax cuts for low and middle-income earners that are due to take effect next July, then insert its own tax-cut alternative, which gives the same group of people a bigger cash rebate. Given Labor lacks the numbers in the Reps, obviously those hijinks will fail. When the legislation makes it way towards the Senate, Labor will attempt to split the bill. Labor supports stage one of the tax package, but it’s not yet clear what the opposition will do with stage two and three.
Live exports
There was a lengthy discussion about the private member’s bill being advanced by the Liberal Sussan Ley. There was one inquiry from one MP about how widespread community concern is about the live sheep trade. There was a collective response from colleagues that the issue was everywhere. There was a discussion about job creation in the meat processing sector in the event the live trade was stopped. Labor MP Steve Georganas will convene meetings about this objective. Labor’s position on the Ley private member’s bill is to wait until after the byelections are held before attempting to bring it on for a vote. Labor is currently down four MPs in the House courtesy of the dual citizenship issue.
Airport security
There was an interesting discussion towards the end of the meeting about new surveillance powers in Australian airports unveiled recently by the home affairs minister, Peter Dutton. Clearly one Labor MP was concerned Labor was supporting an expansion of police powers. The shadow attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, and justice minister, Clare O’Neil, told colleagues the change the government was proposing would require legislation but they noted police already had extensive powers to stop and search people. They remarked that Dutton often raised issues such as the recent example for political purposes. A wedge in other words. The conversation began with a question to the shadow transport minister, Anthony Albanese, about regional airport security, and it ended up with an MP observing Labor was correct to stand up to the government about its proposed watering down of 18C. The context for the 18C remark was the expansion of police powers debates can marginalise particular groups in the community.
Bill Shorten’s pep talk
Shorten in his address to colleagues said budget week had delivered a trifecta of issues. Labor could talk about more funding for services, more generous tax cuts for low and middle-income earners, and a faster return to surplus. Interestingly, the Labor leader told colleagues it was important for them to explain to voters that the party’s proposed changes to negative gearing weren’t retrospective.
- CORRECTION: The airport security post has been amended after advice that the official Labor caucus briefing misconstrued comments by the shadow attorney-general and the shadow justice minister.
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I wonder what they could be talking about.
Michaelia Cash has released the government’s response to the 2030 science plan. From her statement:
The Turnbull government has released its response to Innovation and Science Australia’s (ISA) Australia 2030: Prosperity through Innovation (2030 Plan).
The release of the National Innovation and Science agenda in 2015 framed the national discussion about what our economy needs to help business continue to grow, increase productivity, and create more and better paying jobs for all Australians.
The government welcomes the ISA board’s contribution to this discussion and its vision for Australia to be a top-tier innovation nation by 2030.
The government’s response provides a strong endorsement of the 2030 Plan’s recommendations.
In the 2018-19 budget we implemented a number of the recommendations, including:
· $1.9 billion over 12 years in additional, long-term funding for national research infrastructure.
· $500 million over 10 years in the Genomics Health Futures Mission.
· $500 million in the Great Barrier Reef, including $100 million for world-leading coral reef research to support the reef’s resilience and adaptation.
· Investment in artificial intelligence, skills development and export competitiveness as part of our broader $2.4 billion investment into research, science and technology.
· The Global Talent Scheme pilot, announced in March, to ensure we attract the best and brightest from around the world to drive world-leading Australian innovation.
· An additional $4.5 million over four years to support women in science, appointing a Women in STEM Ambassador, developing a Women in Science Strategy and supporting the Academy of Science to develop a Decadal Plan for Women in Science.
· Providing $65 million to establish the Consumer Data Right, including through open banking, as well as to create a National Data Commissioner to oversight the implementation of our earlier commitment to improve access to government-held data, while protecting individual privacy and ensuring ethical use.
· The Better Data to Track Innovation in Australia initiative, which will give us a clearer picture of how Australian innovation is tracking and where there is room to improve.
· An Independent Review of the Australian Public Service to develop long-term reforms to ensure the public service is best placed to serve Australia into the future.”
Minister for Jobs and Innovation, Michaelia Cash thanked the ISA board, chaired by Bill Ferris AC, for its work.
“The Turnbull government recognises the critical need for businesses to innovate in order to boost growth and create jobs. Research and innovation is also central to improving our quality of life,” Minister Cash said.
“The 2030 Plan has already greatly informed the government’s investment decisions and will continue to do so.
“Our recent commitments build on existing science, research and innovation investments, including through the NISA, which are already reaping rewards from investment opportunities through to addressing inequity issues for women working in STEM sectors.”
“We will continue to work with ISA to ensure innovation, science and technology drive the best economic outcomes for Australia, help us remain globally competitive and ensure we have the skills and jobs we need to prosper now and into the future,” said Minister Cash.
The Government’s response to ISA’s 2030 Plan is available at www.industry.gov.au/response-2030.
End statement
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In environment estimates hearings on Tuesday morning, the Snowy Hydro managing director and CEO, Paul Broad, said the project would be able to “out-compete” any new coal-fired power.
“We will out-compete any new coal plant – no subsidies, no government guarantees, nothing. We will out-compete them on price and reliability as the markets unfold,” he told the hearing.
It follows statements by Broad’s colleague and Snowy Hydro’s chief operating officer, Roger Whitby, to estimates hearings earlier this year that adding new coal-fired power to the energy market would jeopardise the viability of Snowy 2.0.
Broad himself also told Sky News in December that just three new coal-fired power stations would be enough to undermine the economic case for the project.
On Tuesday he told senators he no longer stood by those remarks.
“The price we’re getting for wind and solar has come down by an order of magnitude,” he said.
“As the market moves, you’ve got to re-adjust your sights.
“We think strongly that the move has happened to the point where the investment stands alone and that the economics for us with renewables now works.
“We’re saying we can out-compete a new HELE (high efficiency, low emissions) plant today.”
The Labor senator Kristina Keneally responded: “So to be clear ... you’re saying it doesn’t matter if any coal-fired power plants, or a dozen, are built – you can out-compete them?”
“That’s right,” Broad said.
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And as promised, the transcript, where the political became personal, for just a moment:
WONG: I’m asking you to release the full details of the agreement with One Nation so Australians can scrutinise what you were prepared to do across a range of policy areas to get their vote.
CORMANN: I’ve taken that on notice.
WONG: Can I ask you also, there are a number of other things Senator Hanson has put into the public arena that she is putting on the government, in terms of additional asks, and I just want to clarify if the government is intending to engage on any of these propositions or intending to deliver on them. The first is immigration, that the government should pull back on immigration numbers.
CORMANN: Well, the government’s position is on the public record. We are not proposing to make any changes.
WONG: Pensioners need a helping hand, I don’t think they have done that.
CORMANN: Our budget is a very good budget for pensioners, I’d put it to you.
WONG: I’m putting Senator Hanson’s proposals. I’m trying to clarify that.
CORMANN; I know that you always like channelling Senator Hanson.
WONG: Actually that’s a little offensive. She thinks people like me are swamping Australia.
CORMANN: You’re speaking her words.
WONG: I don’t channel Pauline Hanson. You’re the ones who cosy up to her and let her write tax policy, and government policy.
Don’t tell me I channel Pauline Hanson. I find that personally offensive. I can tell you what happened to me and my family and people like us, when she stood up in the parliament, possibly before you were here, saying Australia was in danger of being swamped by Asians. I will never do anything other than fight her. Yeah well, bad call.
CORMANN: We will never do anything other than seek consensus for the economic growth agenda that we took to the last election.
WONG: I’m offended. You should withdraw it, you should withdraw it.
CORMANN: I did not want to cause offence Senator Wong.
WONG: Yes, well, you should withdraw it. Someone Asian, channelling Pauline Hanson?
CORMANN: Confected outrage.
WONG: How dare you, it’s not confected. It is not confected.
CORMANN: You were by your own admission channelling Senator Hanson. You were reading, you were reading her comments.
WONG: I am asking you, your response, to her position on policy. You’re the ones who are dealing with her. You’re the ones negotiating with her.
CORMANN: And that is something that a responsible government has a responsibility to do.
WONG: How about, rather than telling me I’m channelling her, tell me what you are prepared to deal with. Are you prepared to consider her position for coal-fired power station being funded in the budget?
CORMANN: Well again, I’ve been on the public record on that this morning. We’re not prepared to compulsorily acquire a coal-fired power station.
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Over in the regional affairs estimate hearings, and Labor MPs say they have the numbers on the decentralisation program. From Stephen Jones’s statement:
Of the 98 jobs earmarked for relocation, 82 will go to one of Australia’s capital cities, including:
· 40 jobs to relocate from Canberra to Adelaide
· 25 jobs to relocate the 20 kms from Sydney to Parramatta
· 10 jobs to relocate from Canberra to Darwin
Only 16 of the 98 jobs earmarked for decentralisation will go to a non-capital city.
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Mike Bowers was in the committee room for the exchange between Wong and Cormann.
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Our welfare bill is going to hit nearly $190 billion and it is rising all the time. Where is the money coming from? That is why I have to be realistic about this. I have to actually be, you know, pragmatic in my decisions, how I handle this, and in all good conscience, I cannot. I am looking at the long-term vision of this country, not the short term.
It is not about what is right for One Nation, it is not about One Nation. It is about the people of this country. Get past the short term vision of handing out, you know, it is like lollipops they are handing out, buying votes. This has to be, decisions have to be made to take us into the long-term of our future generations and providing for those people who need our assistance and help.”
You know why the welfare bill is rising? Because of pensions. Because we have an aging population. You know why we bring in skilled migrants? Because we don’t have enough people with the necessary skills to keep our economy going. The economy which supports the welfare bill, which is largely created by Pauline Hanson’s own electorate pool. And again, not that it even mattered here, because her vote meant nothing without Storer and Hinch.
I. Cannot. Even. With. Today.
More Pauline Hanson:
“I haven’t had an opportunity to actually speak to the Minister Corman, but we put it on the record. I have the utmost respect for Minister Corman. He has been a man that I have faith in and I have a lot of time for him. He has negotiated with me on this. I know he is devastated over this. But it is not Minister Corman. It is his colleagues and the government that have let him down.
And as I have stated, they have got to address the higher immigration numbers coming to this country, they have to address – and put a coal-fired power station in north Queensland – they have got to address their budget spending. We cannot keep giving away borrowed money to other countries when we cannot look after our own in this country. High immigration numbers is what is destroying the standard of living in Australia.
“The cities cannot cope any more. That has to be addressed. I am a senator for the people of Australia. I am now in a position that holds – I am a person with my colleagues – that holds the balance of power in Senate. In all the conscience, I look back in time and think I could have made a difference and I never did anything about it. The people of this country want leadership. They want honesty and they want trust. And I had to do that job. I regret pulling out of this, considering the budget papers that were handed down, I cannot continue to pass these corporate tax cuts.
“What the government needs to do is pull back on immigration numbers, I have been talking for over a year now about the PRRT, and they cannot rip the guts out of this country without gas off the north-west shelf, and not paying their right amount of tax. They have to give us a 15% domestic gas supply. And that actually must introduce royalties again. It was under the Labor government that got rid of royalties. We are, in this last year, sold $35 billion worth of gas from the north-west shelf.
“We only recovered in total with the Western Australia government and the commonwealth government, $1.9 billion. We should be getting more out of our resources than that, and yet the governments are reluctant because they are saying it’s going to hurt the multinationals because of sovereignty. But don’t buy that. I don’t buy it at all. Unless we actually look at a revenue stream for our country, we will not have the money to provide for future generations, those that are on [pensions and] self-funded retirees. We are not looking after these people and we are letting the multinationals rip the guts out of our country and they are not paying for it.”
One Nation is one of a crossbench which holds the balance of power in the Senate and on this issue, its position was already null and void by Derryn Hinch and Tim Storer.
Anyone would think the party was lacking in relevance and hurting from all the commentary – it just follows the government and was desperately looking for a foothold ahead of the next election.
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Pauline Hanson explains latest tax position
Pauline Hanson on why she has reneged on company tax cuts:
When I spoke to the government about company tax cuts, at the time, we didn’t see the budget that the government put out.
In the budget, I just feel that they are not addressing the black hole in the budget, and I have got concerns that we are not going to be paying down debt. The government is expecting to make personal tax cuts.
I said I would support the first and second stage, the third stage I have concerns because that will not be around until about 2024, 2025. In all honesty, how can I support company tax cuts that are happening in eight years down the track, and I say no, I cannot support personal tax cuts. Australians need that support now. Not eight years down the track. I have got people in a study that are homeless, I have businesses and industries shutting down, and as I said, the only way that they need to go now is to reduce electricity costs to businesses, industries, manufacturing, because they are going to be closing down, jobs will be lost.”
No mention of the byelections though. Or that all of the information was available before the budget. Or that she had said she would not support the company tax cuts in a letter published in the Australian, before announcing she had to support company tax cuts, before now, saying she cannot again.
Also – just a reminder – the government doesn’t have the numbers for this already, so this grandstanding is just that – grandstanding.
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And if you’d like to see that Penny Wong/Mathias Cormann exchange yourself, Henry Belot from the ABC has cut it up for you:
A heated exchange in #estimates as Mathias Cormann says Penny Wong "likes channeling Pauline Hanson" and then suggests there's some "confected outrage" going on. @politicsabc pic.twitter.com/HJOdFhql5Q
— Henry Belot (@Henry_Belot) May 22, 2018
The average wait time between applying and receiving citizenship has increased from 12 months to 16 months in the past two years, Senate estimates has heard.
This is largely due to a larger number of applications, the department’s increase in screening processes “from a national security and criminality risk perspective”, and a change in the nature of applications coming through.
Luke Mansfield, from the Department of Home Affairs, says there has been an increase in the number of applications from people who arrived “some years ago” without identity documentation.
Complaints about the length of time have also increased.
Asked if Home Affairs has looked into the level of English required for citizenship, since the Coalition’s bill failed to pass last year, the department secretary, Michael Pezzullo, says the department is researching the “level of functional competency one requires to operate in a modern liberal capitalist society” .
Ian MacDonald wants to know if councils are funded by the department to run citizenship ceremonies. They aren’t – they get untied grants.
MacDonald goes where we know he was heading – councils who refuse to conduct citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day, and have had their ability to conduct ceremonies stripped. He asks if any have reapplied; the department says no. If they want to they have to front up to the minister and explain themselves, essentially.
MacDonald wants to know, just quickly, if MPs can conduct ceremonies themselves.
“I just wondered if there was a chance for me to do it by myself – not that I want to, not that I’ll apply to.”
He’s just wondering.
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In Senate estimates Penny Wong has been probing Mathias Cormann about whether the Coalition will meet One Nation’s demands to pass the company tax cuts.
Cormann suggests that putting the demands to him amounts to “channeling Pauline Hanson”.
Wong reacts fiercely:
She thinks people like me are swamping Australia ... don’t tell me I am channeling Pauline Hanson, I found that personally offensive ... I can tell you what happened to people like me and my family when she stood up and said Australia was at risk of being swamped by Asians
Wong demanded that Cormann withdraw. The finance minister said he did “not want to cause offence” but then accused Wong of confecting outrage.
This set Wong off again:
“[To say] to someone who is Asian, to accuse them of channeling Pauline Hanson. IT IS NOT CONFECTED.”
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'Too scared to go out to restaurants' "unremarkable" claim
The Greens senator Richard Di Natale is asking the home affairs secretary, Michael Pezzullo, where Dutton got his information that Melburnians were too scared to go out to restaurants because of African youth gangs.
Pezzullo says he gives ministers lots of advice but “not in relation to threats to dining”.
He says he took that to be a figure of speech from Peter Dutton.
“I do recall assessments being provided as to what you might call ethnic-based crime,” he says.
Mitch Fifield jumps in:
“[Dutton] was making the observation that law and order and crime, and particularly gang crime, is something that is front of mind with Victorians, and Melburnians in particular. That’s something I can attest to as someone resident in Melbourne.
“I think it was an entirely unremarkable observation that the minister made, that there is concern in Victoria about the incidents of gang crime.
“Minister Dutton was simply reflecting community concern.”
Di Natale said people in the communities referred to didn’t find it “unremarkable”, and were affected by the statements.
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WOW. Big turnaround in the finance estimates hearing. Penny Wong is legitimately angry – properly angry – after Mathias Cormann said she was “channelling Pauline Hanson”.
I’ll get the transcript to you as soon as I can, but she asked Cormann “how dare he” given what Hanson had said about Australia “being swamped by Asians”.
“I will NEVER forget,” Wong said.
Cormann, looking genuinely shaken, said he did not mean to cause offence. “You know that,” he said.
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And it has just been pointed out to me that the IPA has support for its position:
@TheIPA makes a strong case. For every legislated ‘right’ there is a corresponding restriction on our democratic freedoms. We don’t need advocates for legislated rights - that is what the law is for. Let’s focus more on protecting freedoms like speech, association & religion. https://t.co/RdMoxw0wUO
— Linda Reynolds (@lindareynoldswa) May 22, 2018
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John Setka’s comments that sometimes you need to act outside the law to get results continues to cause grief for the Labor party and this morning on Radio National, Brendan O’Connor was forced to deny the party was in “lockstep” with the union and its demands regarding workplace law:
Well look, it’s an affiliate of the Australian Labor party and of course it has rights to raise issues with us. Even if it wasn’t affiliated to the ALP – there are many unions that are not – I engage with all of them as I do employer bodies and employers. They’ve got rights to raise issues with us about – in particular safety [in] one of the most dangerous industries in Australia, with one of the highest fatality rates. Terrible casualties. Of course, therefore, they will impress upon me, and indeed my colleagues, the things they would like to see happen in relation to our policies. I can assure you, Hamish, that we engage with all stakeholders, and we will come out, and continue to come out, with policies well before the next election. They will be fairer for working people and will tackle job security, wage theft and the like.
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Mike Bowers sat in on the finance estimates hearings. From his lens:
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I forgot to point to this earlier, but better late than never.
The latest Guardian Essential poll is out. From Katharine Murphy’s report:
Voters are more attracted to Bill Shorten’s tax and economic plans than Malcolm Turnbull’s but the contest between the major parties appears to be tightening, according to the latest Guardian Essential poll.
The new survey of 1,025 voters found 45% of the sample backed Shorten’s tax plan outlined in budget week compared with 33% supporting the Coalition’s seven-year income tax package.
Similarly, 44% of the sample supported Labor’s approach – increasing spending on health and education while giving a tax cut to low and middle-income earners – with 38% supporting the Coalition’s approach, which is to give both companies and workers a tax cut.
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I have not received one (oh, the humanity – however will I recover) but this is a thing which has been getting around parliament:
Clive Palmer has sent the press gallery copies of his book: it is in two volumes and weighs 4.5kg pic.twitter.com/AecK97gGM9
— Michael Koziol (@michaelkoziol) May 22, 2018
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You may have seen today that the IPA wants the position of Race Discrimination Commissioner to stay vacant. I’ll let them explain, in their statement:
The position of Race Discrimination Commissioner is based on the concept that Australians should be divided and separated according to their “race” – a concept which should find no place in modern-day Australia, according to a new Institute of Public Affairs parliamentary research brief, sent to all federal members of parliament today.
IPA research fellow Morgan Begg said, “The role of Race Discrimination Commissioner is a divisive political advocacy role with no substantive function. Instead of filling this position, the Turnbull government should leave it vacant.
“Dr Soutphommasane has sought to divide Australians. He actively encouraged people to make complaints to the AHRC following the publication of a cartoon in the Australian drawn by Bill Leak.
“The problem with replacing the role with someone who represents ‘middle Australian values’ is that the legislation under which the commission must operate is based upon the assumption of identity politics and racial division – not racial equality and social cohesion,” said Mr Begg.
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Everything is totally cool with China
The government is working very hard to smooth over any suggestion Australia’s relationship with China has been damaged by some of the tough talk over foreign interference at the height of the Sam Dastyari hysteria.
Reports Australian wine exports have had their product trade “slowed” have been dismissed as the normal ebb and flow of foreign trade. The Australian reported that Penny Wong and Richard Marles are off to China in September, with Wong saying yesterday she wanted to see more “consistency” in our relationship with China.
Meanwhile, Julie Bishop has been all smiles at the G20 foreign ministers meeting.
Thank you @JorgeFaurie for hosting #G20 #ForeignMinisters meeting. A pleasure to see my colleagues in #BuenosAires 🇦🇷including #Bojo #WangYi #StefBlock 🇬🇧🇨🇳🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/97JuuBmAIG
— Julie Bishop (@JulieBishopMP) May 22, 2018
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Pauline Hanson will hold a press conference on her position on the company tax cuts.
In Tasmania.
Labor’s Penny Wong and finance minister Mathias Cormann have had a lengthy exchange in Senate estimates about the government’s company tax cut deal with One Nation which appears to have fallen apart this morning because Pauline Hanson has pulled out.
Cormann repeated his line that the government had reached agreement on “a whole series of things” with One Nation – which he noted gave “firm private and public assurances” it would support company tax cuts.
Cormann said that its deal with One Nation was contingent on the successful passage of legislation, but based on Hanson’s comments today it “might well be that we may never get there”.
Cormann said the government had “given it a red hot go” to pass the corporate tax cuts in March, but fell short. When Wong tried to take Cormann through new details of the deal outlined in the Australian this morning, the finance minister repeatedly said the premise of the questions were wrong and “there is no deal” because One Nation appear to have withdrawn support.
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Apparently a deal is not a deal, until legislation passes.
Just like a relationship is not a relationship until it is social media official, and a meal is not a meal until it completes the digestion process.
Cormann: "there is nothing to be made public unless we reach sufficient consensus with non-govt senators". So, essentially, there is no deal with One Nation until the company tax cuts actually pass. #auspol #estimates
— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) May 21, 2018
What was in government deal with One Nation?
Penny Wong is working to establish who met with Pauline Hanson from the government (and whether the prime minister was among them) and what was promised in exchange for her support for the company tax bill.
CORMANN: Look, I mean there have been a whole series of meetings I’ll have to take on notice various times we – in terms of our engagement with crossbenchers – as you’d appreciate at various times, whether it’s the Labor opposition, the Greens or other crossbenchers, if there are requests for briefings in relation to specific technical aspects then obviously that is facilitated in the usual way but I’ll have to take on notice the specifics in terms of our engagement with One Nation.
WONG: And in relation to the company tax agreement, on how many occasions did the prime minister meet with Senator Hanson?
CORMANN: I’ll have to take that on notice.
WONG: Were you present at meetings where the prime minister did meet with Senator Hanson?
CORMANN: … I’ll have to take that on notice. I mean, I’ve had a very long series of meetings directly with Senator Hanson and other One Nation senators and other members of the One Nation team. I mean, as you would expect there have been other meetings with other members of the government, in terms of who was at what meeting. I’d rather be precise and accurate so I’ll take that on notice.
WONG: Well, I didn’t ask how many, you’ve taken on notice how many. The question that I would have assumed you could answer Senator Cormann is: were you present at any meetings between Senator Hanson and the prime minister?
CORMANN: Well, to be perfectly honest I can’t specifically remember. Because there have been a whole series of meetings. I have been involved in meetings with the prime minister, as you would expect. I have been involved with crossbenchers, I have been involved in meetings with non-government senators across the Senate. As to who was in which meeting, I’d rather make sure I get that detail correct and give you that on notice.
Mathias Cormann just launched into quite a lengthy tirade against Bill Shorten in answer to one of the questions. Wong let him go on for a little, until he started with, “I find him quite shifty” and then told the chair that she understands that Cormann is “under a lot of pressure” and is “dealing with it” with lectures and monologues, but that personal attacks should be withdrawn. He withdraws.
Updated
Penny Wong asks when Malcolm Turnbull decided to hand tax policy over to One Nation. Cormann: "that is a ridiculous proposition" also labels it "hysterical". #auspol #estimates
— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) May 21, 2018
While Ian Macdonald appears to have just discovered twitter bots and now wants to know if any followers belonging to a certain senator’s twitter account (it’s Kimberley Kitching, whose greatest twitter crime is actually using waaaaayyy too many emojis) were involved in the Russian interference campaign with the US election.
While we process that, Penny Wong has managed to get Mathias Cormann to confirm the government did look at PRRT reforms as part of its discussions on company tax, with One Nation. He quickly adds that what Hanson wanted (the issue here is that Hanson’s support was given in exchange for more than just the apprenticeship program) was also what the government wanted to look at anyway.
“So Pauline Hanson gets to write government policy, but not government backbenchers,” Wong said, meaning the concessions to Hanson result in One Nation writing government policy.
Mathias Cormann just said “we gave it a red hot go” in regards to getting its company tax plan through the senate.
I know you are all reading that in a Belgian accent.
Never one to let an opportunity pass him by, Derryn Hinch has something to say
Hanson company tax backflip. Strange that One Nation was passionately lobbying me personally only two weekends ago to lift my $500mill limit and fully back the govt’s cuts. Sounded like Corman PR men. What happened?
— Derryn Hinch (@HumanHeadline) May 21, 2018
Mathias Cormann is facing off against Penny Wong in the finance estimates hearing.
Wong is stepping him through the deal timeline with Pauline Hanson.
He looks tired, to be honest.
Updated
“This is not about any of us, this is not about politics, this is about the Australian people,” Mathias Cormann just told Sky about Pauline Hanson’s dudding of the government on the company tax cuts (again, not that it really matters, because the government didn’t have the numbers anyway).
Cormann says the government met its side of the deal, and gave Hanson what she wanted (remember the apprenticeship program?) and described it as a “disappointing decision to turn their back on what they know to be the right thing for the Australian economy”.
Asked about Tony Abbott’s call for the government to force AGL to sell the Liddell power station, Cormann says the government is “not in the business of compulsorily acquiring” private assets.
Updated
In case you missed it, Jane Hume was on the bad show last night (which is what I call Q&A) and said women and people of colour need to “work harder” if they want to get into parliament.
“I really dislike being patronised as if I am a minority,” Hume told the ABC’s Q&A on Monday night. “[Women] have to work for what we want. And for women that don’t get there, the trick is work that little bit harder. Don’t get bitter, get better. Work harder.”
Calla Wahlquist sat through it so you wouldn’t have to.
But I’m taking what she said last night more as a message to preselectors in Victoria, given her number-one ticket spot is under threat. Hume’s support for marriage equality, which included co-signing the cross-party bill, has made some of the far-right faction who had originally supported her quite cranky. And suddenly – voila! Tough talk on the bad show.
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Hunt on for missing athletes
Home affairs minister Peter Dutton has given a doorstop to rail against Labor’s refugee policies and has also confirmed that about 50 athletes from the Commonwealth Games are unaccounted for.
Dutton confirmed there is “an operation being conducted by the department ... in conjunction with state policing agencies, to try to find leads in relation to these people and to take them into immigration detention and to deport them”.
Later he added the qualifier they will be deported “if they’re found not to be owed protection” – so, of course, they can claim asylum. But Dutton said that “many of the 190 who have applied for protection visas are just trying it on” and warned they should “consider their position carefully”.
Asked to address the missing 50 athletes, Dutton said:
My message to the 50 [athletes] is the Australian public won’t be taken for a ride. We aren’t going to tolerate people who come here on visas that have been issued in good faith and then [you] take advantage of our system. We want to see those 50 people present themselves to the Australian Border Force because if they don’t, ABF will find out where they are, they will be taken into immigration detention and they will be deported
Updated
Good morning and welcome to day 24
It’s a chilly Tuesday along the east coast - and the halls of parliament, after Pauline Hanson reneged on her party’s support for the government’s company tax cut, presenting a list of impossible demands if the government wants her back.
That includes cutting immigration, doing things to help pensioners, bringing energy prices down....anyone would think there was a byelection in a key One Nation electorate coming up.
But really, it’s all a moot point. Derryn Hinch and Tim Storer had already said no, and neither looked like budging, which makes One Nations support or lack of support, at this stage, pointless. The company tax cuts had already been benched.
Talking of tax, Labor is ramping up its pressure on the government to split its income tax package, so the low and middle income tax cuts have a chance of passing quickly.
Estimates is back and so is question time, but no laws are actually being passed this fortnight.
And Ged Kearney’s maiden speech addressing Australia’s refugee policy is continuing to cause waves - the government has seized on it as proof Labor is going to go “soft” on border protection. Labor is yet to formulate its policy. We’ll see more on that this weekend, following the Victorian branch conference.
But to the day!
Mike Bowers is out and about - find him at @mpbowers and @mikepbowers. He’ll also pop up on the Instagram story in @pyjamapolitics. You’ll catch me in the comments and also at @amyremeikis.
Got your morning pick me up? Let’s go!
