Nighty night
To my family, I, too, observe that I will be home soon. Given we know how the senate voting reform story ends, I’ve made a decision to pull up stumps now and bring you a special edition of Politics Live tomorrow morning, where will will wrap events overnight and cover the wash up.
So let’s summarise Thursday.
- The Safe Schools bushfire continued to burn around the government. Conservative MP George Christensen finally revealed his true position on Safe Schools: he didn’t approve of children being sexually liberated. Being gay, Christensen thought, was a choice, or perhaps it wasn’t, but acting on being gay was a choice – evidently a choice that people shouldn’t adopt. Supporters of the program returned fire: Christopher Pyne said there would not be a parliamentary inquiry into Safe Schools, Simon Birmingham urged colleagues to calm down, the prime minister warned the various protagonists to tread carefully in the debate. Fun times.
- The senate moved closer, rancorously, to passing the most substantial change to voting rules in thirty years. That will happen sometime overnight on current indications, or perhaps early tomorrow morning – or perhaps the government and the Greens will pull on a surprise gag motion and resolve it just after Politics Live goes to bed.
- The senate had a pretend debate about marriage equality in order for Labor and the Greens to out progressive one another without actually delivering anything.
-
Ian Macfarlane and Bruce Billson said goodbye to politics. Macfarlane talked about circuses and clowns. Billson talked about Tony Abbott and feng shui.
Thank you for being with is in such numbers through the week. One day to go. See you then.
In closing, I just want to say I’ve loved these days, and to my family, I’ll be home soon.
Thus ends the longest valedictory in history.
Over in the senate, they are in the second reading stage of voting reform. Bruce is still going in the other place. I suspect this is the longest valedictory I have ever heard.
Bruce Billson. It’s all about the personal feng shui.
Bruce Billson has just described Philip Ruddock as a great humanitarian, criticised unfairly. Perhaps I imagined it but Ruddock seemed to double blink at the compliment and the reference to criticism. “Broughie” – Mal Brough – was his cultural adviser in Indigenous affairs. Now we are speaking about threads, bringing them to the fabric of Australia.
Being in the Abbott cabinet was a great privilege.
I apologise to my colleagues who thought I went too hard on the things I believed in.
Abbott, Billson said, was a great mentor. A guru of sorts by the sounds. The wisdom, the insight, the personal feng shui.
(Yes, he did say that.)
I was the face of overseas tragedy for a while.
We are out of Bruce Billson’s period in veteran’s affairs and into being Alexander Downer’s parliamentary secretary during the Indian ocean tsunami.
I’m sorry to cover this valedictory speech in flying phrases but it is that kind of experience. Almost like beat poetry. Without the skivvies.
Almost a renaissance of opportunity.
This is Bruce Billson on the Howard government.
Passion. Positivity. And a whole lot of persistence. He’s like a fountain, this man, Bruce Billson, spewing out ebullience.
You try and do useful things for the air you suck in.
This is the Liberal MP Bruce Billson, winding up his valedictory speech.
Updated
Some very quick analytical thoughts on Turnbull's dilemma
It’s clear the prime minister is attempting to settle his prime ministership by recessing rather than asserting. He wants to be consultative. He wants to draw a line over the top down culture that existed under Tony Abbott. This is all sensible. If he wants to survive as the leader of the Liberal party, he’s got to work out a way of dealing with the conservatives within his own ranks. He’s not in a position to go to war with them, he doesn’t have that internal authority, so he has to try and reach an accommodation that will allow the government not to exist in some permanent state of war. It’s a long game Turnbull is playing, but the problem for him is he has only a short window between now and the election. And it’s not at all clear that the conservatives in his ranks are interested in suing for peace, even if he is.
Here’s Turnbull’s dilemma. People see him as being a rarity in politics: a person who stands for something. Yet his current suing for peace strategy is doubtless confusing for voters who associate him with principle rather than pragmatism. It could easily turn from confusing to outright damaging if the prime minister consents to fade from view in the pursuit of his broader objective.
He has two responsibilities: the one he’s prioritising, leading a cohesive team into battle, one where various flowers are permitted to bloom; and preserving his own political identity, which is not just abstract vanity, but hard currency for the Liberal party.
Turnbull’s personal standing and popularity was sufficient hard currency for the Liberal party to inject him back into the party leadership despite many colleagues having considerable reservations about him dating from his stint as opposition leader. He was the politician able to communicate with the sensible centre. That’s his value.
If he genuinely becomes a hostage of the right, or if he bows sufficiently to be able to characterised successfully as a hostage of the right, his own value to the Liberal party is diminished. And we all know what happens then.
Just reviewing question time quickly to order my thoughts for the afternoon, I realise I had a lapse during the health questions from Labor. I had too many balls in the air. Apologies.
I should note for the record that the prime minister did signal the government was looking at a trial dental scheme that looks after kids oral health.
Malcolm Turnbull:
As honourable members are also aware, the trial dental benefits schedule is nowhere near meeting its target with only around 30% of eligible children accessing the scheme. Yet another example of Labor over-promising and under-delivering.
Now we are working on dental reform and as part of that it is only natural that the government considers the effectiveness of current programs. Every program’s effectiveness has to be examined regularly and we have a responsibility to ensure that every dollar we invest in dental services delivers the best health outcomes possible. We want to ensure that funding is targeted to where it is needed most.
Catching up with a few things post question time. The assistant minister for health Fiona Nash has poured cold water on the possibility of Australia adopting a tax on sugary drinks, after news the UK would introduce one. “The government’s position at the moment is not to consider a sugar tax. I’m not open to any discussion on that,” she said.
Nash said people “have a responsibility to make their own choices when it comes to food”. Greens leader Richard Di Natale said taxing sugar was “a really interesting idea”, something Australia should “look at and consider implementing ourselves”.
More valedictories. Bruce Billson, coming up.
Preparing for my last speech in Parliament - Valedictory - Tune into the House @ 4:20pm pic.twitter.com/ykWjW3jw5M
— Bruce Billson (@BruceBillsonMP) March 17, 2016
Because it is that kind of day.
and look here's Conroy, Cameron and McGrath just saying "bottom" and "bum" over and over https://t.co/hlQFOF4gXU
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) March 17, 2016
Swan is suspended from the House for 24 hours.
The prime minister places further questions on the notice paper. A few minutes to reorient myself and I’ll be back with the afternoon.
The social services minister Christian Porter has just used an answer to argue that Wayne Swan, when treasurer in the last Labor government, did not leave enough money that was secured and identifiable for the NDIS.
Swan hollers that’s a lie.
Speaker Tony Smith asks Swan to withdraw because lie is an unparliamentary term.
Wayne Swan:
I will not withdraw, it is a lie.
Smith names Swan. The government moves over top of Smith to suspend Swan from the services of the House.
Speaker Tony Smith:
Just before I call the member for Herbert, if members could just pause for a second. I just want to address some remarks to the member for Griffith. During the minister for immigration’s answer it was very loud in the chamber and I was attempting to listen to some interjections and I’ve consulted with the clerk and I want to say to the member for Griffith, I don’t want her to be shocked but I think she had a valid point of order, and ministers will direct their remarks through the chair.
(Terri Butler is the member for Griffith.)
Labor's @terrimbutler fires up during an answer by @PeterDutton_MP #QT @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/7OVSg3Iwj8
— Mikearoo (@mpbowers) March 17, 2016
Peter Dutton:
I’m going to come to you next, sunshine, don’t worry. I’m coming to you next.
(A Keatingism? PDuddy? Yeah, nah.)
Immigration minister Peter Dutton is asked how he’s making our community safer by strengthening visa cancellation provisions for NUN citizens – and is there an alternative approach?
(Nuns? Surely not.)
PDuddy rolls on regardless. Not deporting the nuns.
Come on. Vogue.
Chris Bowen, to Morrison.
Q: Despite the talk since you became treasurer, private sector wages growth is the lowest since records began, while living standards have fallen for a record consecutive quarter. Isn’t this just yet another case of the Liberal government being all talk and no action?
Morrison says the economy is in a transition.
We have a real rate of growth in this country which is the envy of the developed world, Mr Speaker, and the member for McMahon coming up here in his audition for Vogue magazine, Mr Speaker, wants to talk down the economy. He wants to talk down the economy, Mr Speaker.
The shadow treasurer Chris Bowen would like to know whether the only steps the government has taken on income tax has been to freeze the tax-free threshold and increase the top tax rate? Morrison tells Bowen the government got rid of Labor’s taxes.
Manager of government business Christopher Pyne is absolutely shocked, Mr Speaker [because Bill Shorten] strongly, enthusiastically supported the CFMEU.
In case you were wondering, Pyne wasn’t really shocked at what Shorten said recently on the 730 Report. He’s just pretending about that to build to his crescendo.
Christopher Pyne:
If Labor wins the next election, the CFMEU win and is back at the Cabinet table just like we’ve seen in Victoria in the Daniel Andrews government, just like we’ve seen in the ACT here in the Barr Government.
If Labor wins the next election, the CFMEU wins, Mr Speaker.
The trade minister Steve Ciobo is quoting his Indonesian counterpart on #chemistry as the catalyst to get the Australia/Indonesia back on track. This is the Indonesian trade minister talking, via Ciobo.
I would like to point out that this is a direct result of the excellent chemistry between president Jokowi and prime minister Turnbull. I think we’re all benefitting from having two very business-minded leaders leading our two countries and I would add that I’m struck by the vibrancy and freshness I think both leaders and so far both sides in this negotiation have brought to the table.
If you were rude, you’d say this was a backhander against Tony Abbott. If you were rude.
Shadow treasurer, Chris Bowen.
Q: My question is to the treasurer. Despite the treasurer’s talk, isn’t it the case that the tax to GDP ratio is now higher than at any time than under the former Labor government? Isn’t this just another example of the government being all talk and no action?
The treasurer is currently working through the greatest hits on Labor policies of the past. Grocery Watch. Fuel Watch.
Speaker Tony Smith says he’s delighted by Morrison’s analogies but an analogy can’t be the whole answer. Bit of sass there from the chair.
Morrison ignores him and frolics on. Carbon tax. Mining tax.
Labor says Morrison should follow the speaker’s advice.
Smith says it’s ok, he’s back on tax now. But I’m listening.
Labor’s questions have been framed around the prime minister caving to the right wing of the Liberal party on expenditure cuts. Two questions on health.
The government has bowled up the virtues of yesterday’s decision on the effects test. The small business minister Kelly O’Dwyer. Why Labor. Why?
Now, one might wonder why is it that those opposite do not support free enterprise, do not support small business, do not support innovation and do not support the strengthening of competition laws?
Things that make you go hmmmm.
Rather unkindly, the treasurer, Scott Morrison, uses the question from McGowan to plug the Liberal party candidate, Sophie Mirrabella.
My Speaker is to the treasurer.
This is independent Cathy McGowan.
It’s ok. I totally understand.
Turnbull, astride a barbed wire fence
Bill Shorten returns to the dispatch box to ask a question about whether the prime minister will cave in to the right wing of his party and privatise Medicare.
For some reason, Turnbull thinks this is a question about Safe Schools.
The prime minister provides this rather limp formulation, where he both attacks Shorten for extracting partisan advantage while validating the concerns about Safe Schools and rebuking the complainants in his own side.
I think when you stand astride a barbed wire fence, you risk doing yourself an injury. A nasty one.
Malcolm Turnbull:
The way the leader of the opposition has sought to extract partisan advantage from this is thoroughly unworthy.
The way that he has sought to describe any critic of the Safe Schools program as being an extremist or an ideologue or worse is utterly unworthy and he should recognise that inflaming this debate is unworthy.
I repeat what I said on the last time we discussed this and I address this to every member of this House - all members expressing views on this program should choose their words carefully and remember the impact their statements can have on young people and their families.
The act is the act
Just while the Dorothy Dixer happens, here’s the Christensen exchange on acting or not acting on your urges, via Shalailah Medhora.
Q: Do you think [sexuality] is a choice?
George Christensen:
Obviously it’s a choice... Or they can be born that way. They can choose it.
Q: Well which one is it?
George Christensen:
Whatever it is. If the person is born gay, then they’re gay. If someone makes the choice that they’re going to have homosexual sex, that’s up to them.
It’s a free world.
Q: If you think being gay is a choice -
George Christensen:
I didn’t say it was a choice. I said people could choose if they want. So I’m not saying it’s a choice people have, that they’re not born gay... You can choose to enter into homosexual relationships if you want to. It’s a free society.
Q: What’s the difference?
George Christensen:
There’s no difference... There’s no difference in the act. If you’ve chosen it of if you’re born with it. The act is the act.
Updated
Question time
Labor opens on Ian Macfarlane, and his job offer in Queensland. The Courier Mail story I pointed to earlier this morning.
Q: Can the prime minister confirm that he spoke to the Queensland premier on Friday morning about the appointment of the member for Groom as Queensland Resources Investment Commissioner. Did the prime minister attempt to interfere in the independent process, including but not limited to, requesting the appointment be delayed until after the federal election?
Turnbull’s response to Shorten is I talk to premiers all the time. Confidentially, he adds.
The Labor leader Bill Shorten is using his 90 second statement before question time to speak about Safe Schools. His message is directed at the prime minister. The prime minister needs to stand up on this issue.
Bill Shorten:
When you give into a bully, they come back wanting more. When you give into bullies on the right wing of your party, they come back wanting more.
Christensen also, according to my colleague Shalailah Medhora, observed that people could be gay but refuse to act on their urges. That old chestnut.
I’ll get the quote from her and bring it to you when I can. Question time now.
More George, on the scourge of Marxist gayness.
It’s trying to put queer gender theory into schools and I think that needs to stand in university.
If you want an anti-bullying program, have an anti-bullying program, but don’t bring queer gender theory into schools.
That’s for the esoteric part of the university, too, not mainstream schools.
Christensen has told reporters he raised concerns about the program when Tony Abbott was prime minister. Nothing happened at that point.
A fairly salient point to bear in mind, given the former prime minister is now rolling along on this backlash bandwagon. Rolling, rolling, rolling.
While I’m catching up on Christensen, on my television, the Liberal senator Cory Bernardi says this program is about implementing the Marxist agenda through the school system.
I don't want to see the sexual liberation of young people
Christensen, who is looking so delighted with himself he can hardly function, has held court in the corridor.
Q: Do you concede [the Safe Schools program] is stamping out bullying?
That’s obviously one of its outcomes, but I’m just saying it’s obviously one of its outcomes, but it’s got other outcomes as well and again, Ros Ward has talked about sexual liberation of young people.
I don’t want to see sexual liberation of young people.
Updated
Politics, this lunchtime
Let’s take stock of Thursday.
Safe Schools
- The controversy surrounding Safe Schools took a farcical twist first up when it became clear early this morning that a petition launched by LNP backbencher George Christensen calling for the program to be defunded had vanished. It’s now been located and is circulating in the senate. The petition asks for the funding for the program to be suspended until there is a parliamentary inquiry. Former education minister Christopher Pyne has said today that the program should continue and there should not be a parliamentary inquiry. The current education minister Simon Birmingham has told colleagues to calm the hell down until they see the government’s response to an independent review. The prime minister has said ... well, nothing.
Senate voting reform
- The upper house is preparing to sit until the wee small hours to deal with the Senate voting reform legislation. I suspect the House will have to sit tomorrow to deal with the results of tonight – which, depending on your point of view, is either an extended temper tantrum or an utterly reasonable extended debate about the biggest change to voting procedures in thirty years.
Same sex marriage
- Don’t even bother. Nothing actually happened of a substantive nature at all except a whole lot of brinkmanship followed by political butt covering and grand standing. Oh, and an LNP senator thought it might be a good idea to have a plebiscite on abortion and euthanasia given we were having a plebiscite on marriage equality. Sorry, nothing to do with me, I just watch this nonsense for a living.
Operation Sovereign Borders
- The Navy has turned back a couple of asylum boats in recent weeks. Twenty five boats carrying 698 people have been turned back and returned to their country of departure since the policy began.
Ian Macfarlane bids politics farewell
- The former resources minister Ian Macfarlane has given his valedictory speech to parliament, warning the place populated by clowns and is descending into a circus. What on earth can he be talking about?
Onwards, upwards, to 2pm.
Updated
Today is mad, just quietly. Even though it’s still all on like Donkey Kong, I’m going to stand still and post a summary, next.
Backbenchers at the briefing about professor Louden’s recommendations about Safe Schools the other night say he’s recommended removing some of the resources associated associated with the program.
Not enough for the conservatives. Hence all the watch this space from Birmingham.
Cutting through. Conservatives want the government to kick the issue off to a parliamentary inquiry. That’s the play underway now. Give us the parliamentary inquiry and we’ll stop talking about it. Give us the inquiry or the puppy gets it.
The question is will the prime minister agree to that. Today, asked about the parliamentary inquiry and whether he thought that was a good idea, Christopher Pyne said:
Absolutely not.
Keep calm and carry on
Buying into the Safe Schools row is the education minister Simon Birmingham. he can’t really help it. He’s the one responsible for mopping up this almighty mess.
Simon Birmingham:
There are concerns [about the program]. I understand why people have concerned about the content of some of the resources that were only made available over the last few months. So there is a reason as to why some of the criticisms come about now in relation to the release of those resources around this time and their potential use, for the first time ever, in this school year.
That’s why we are taking and have taken a close look at those resources in particular and Professor Bill Louden, emeritus professor of education from the University of WA, eminently qualified, has done an outstanding job of looking carefully at the content of each resource, assessing it against the national curriculum, considering whether it is age appropriate.
Q: Would you support a broad-ranging parliamentary inquiry?
I’m confident the government’s response will be strong and will give people confidence in how the resources are used. I would urge everybody to hold fire in terms of thinking about what else might be necessary until they’ve seen that government response to give certainty.
Q: The program will survive just with some of those resources excised?
I am not prejudging anything. What I am determining, as I go through the professor’s findings and other criticisms is to make sure we can give people confidence there are resources in schools that support those schools to provide tolerant, inclusive environments, to provide support to students who need it in dealing with issues of sexuality and that is what we will hand down.
Q: Is Tony Abbott one of those people who should hold fire before passing judgment?
I’m not going to pass comment on individual colleagues. It is a message that applies equally to everybody.
Dutton declines to buy in to the Safe Schools row.
Peter Dutton is asked whether he’d be comfortable seeing a large group of Syrian refugees being settled in western Sydney. He says it’s optimal that people settle round and about.
I would like to see people as they come from Syria and Iraq to live around the country. I think that would be a good outcome for them because Australia is avery diverse nation, particularly in regional areas, there is a demand for low-skilled work particularly within the agricultural sectors so there are opportunities.
State governments have expressed a willingness to settle people in each state and territory. I think there is a desire to see people move around the country. That’s the desire of the state premiers. If we can help facilitate that, I think that’d be a good outcome.
Major General Andrew Bottrell tells reporters during February:
We returned a group of potentially illegal immigrants to Sri Lanka in cooperation with the Sri Lankan government. Earlier this month we assisted in the return of a group to Indonesia. In conjunction with partner countries, in addition to the 698 people who have been returned from 25 people smuggling boats, in conjunction with partner countries, around 57 additional people smuggling ventures have been disrupted.
Which has resulted in a further 1,900 people not getting on to a risky people smuggling venture bound for Australia.
Peter Dutton says the number of children in detention has now been reduced to 29 and that number will continue to go down as I consider further cases and try to make arrangements for community detention.
Down the Blue Room, the government is giving an update on Operation Sovereign Borders. Immigration minister Peter Dutton says “in recent weeks” two boats have been intercepted.
Peter Dutton:
Since Operation Sovereign Borders began, 25 boats carrying 698 people have been turned back and safely returned to their country of departure.
The flow of intelligence and recent research informs us we must remain resolute because people smugglers in their operations continue and we stare that threat down on a regular basis.
We do know that 14,000 people are positioned in Indonesia. They are prepared to hop on boats. That is not to speak of the threat that exists in other countries in the region.
See what I mean?
The Labor Party just voted with the Liberal Party against a vote on #MarriageEquality. Very disappointing. pic.twitter.com/E76fTyOZ7j
— Richard Di Natale (@RichardDiNatale) March 17, 2016
Let's cut through the nonsense
Back to the Senate. It’s just a very small thing but let’s pause in the moment to just admire the current progressive-off on marriage equality in the upper house in all its inglory.
Ian Macdonald just made a speech in the marriage equality debate that spanned twenty minutes. I would estimate about three minutes of the speech was actually about marriage equality. He was listened to in silence.
Labor’s Doug Cameron spoke next. He digressed in his speech to rebut some of Macdonald’s speech. Green senator Robert Simms was in his feet in ten seconds to take Cameron to task for straying from the core point. Simms told Cameron, you people wanted this debate, why don’t you stick to the point.
Well, actually, it was the Greens who wanted this debate, in private members business time. The Greens voted against having a lengthy debate and a substantive vote earlier this morning, when it rejected the suspension motion from LDP senator David Leyonhjelm.
So let’s just cut through all the nonsense and say what’s going on here.
- Labor wants to delay this week’s substantive vote on Senate voting reform, and in the process inflict as much political damage on the Greens as possible. That’s why the various atomic wedgies. It’s about coming after the Greens ahead of the election, muddying them up.
- The Greens want to throw some of the mud back. Hence all the outrage about Labor. How dare they speak so rudely to us. How dare they be so mean. How dare they deploy some of our ‘party of protest’ political tactics back on us.
- Now to marriage. Labor doesn’t want a vote on marriage equality in the senate this week because the numbers are probably not there for a yes vote. That’s the simple facts of the matter. A no vote is a setback the equality campaign doesn’t need. A vote this week would also cause embarrassment. Not all Labor senators would vote yes.
- Greens leader Richard Di Natale didn’t want a vote either. He made this quite clear during an interview with Fran Kelly earlier this week when he was very cool on the notion of bringing on a vote. What if we lose, Di Natale said very honestly to Kelly, when she suggested to him that a bird in the hand is better than a bird in the bush. What if we lose.
- But everyone’s political position, of course, needed to be protected.
- So what we have this morning is a little kabuki play.
- Labor worked with David Leyonhjelm to give the Greens a chance to have a debate and a substantive vote on marriage equality – knowing of course the numbers weren’t there. The Greens rebuffed that opportunity for a vote.
- The Greens then made a show of bringing on a debate that it knows did not have the numbers to proceed to a definitive vote in the truncated form they’d bowled it up – three speakers and a gag. The Greens just tried and failed to gag the private member’s business debate and force a vote. Labor worked with the government to ensure a vote didn’t happen today.
I’ve been saying this all day. Politics, eh?
Updated
There’s a moment, too.
Love this picture. Ian Macfarlane, saying farewell.
The Liberal also referred to the plebiscite interchangeably as a referendum.
Let's have a plebiscite on abortion and euthanasia too
Liberal senator Ian Macdonald has just told the chamber Australia should have a plebiscite not only on same sex marriage, but also abortion and euthanasia. Why not ask the people what they think, Macdonald reasons, perhaps not comprehending that observation begs the inevitable question – why not just do your job?
Updated
A long time friend of Politics Live, Matt Davey, has a visual on the atomic wedgie hour.
@murpharoo The Atomic Wedgie Show is a programme whose time has come. Oh look, it's the crossbench. #painintheSenate pic.twitter.com/E3MhcISW2a
— The Matt Hatter (@MattGlassDarkly) March 17, 2016
Bless him. Good to post it now. The Senate has now moved to the same sex marriage debate that it refused to have this morning because the government and the Greens didn’t back the Leyonhjelm motion.
The prime minister is paying tribute to Ian Macfarlane, a big thinker and a big dreamer. A long range politician. His patriotism will see him making an enormous contribution to the nation and its people for many years to come.
I’ve said it already today, but politics – eh? This is how it ends.
Bit of history of these two characters. Macfarlane and Turnbull were personally close, allies in government and in opposition when the Coalition split over carbon pricing and Turnbull lost the party leadership. When Turnbull returned to the party leadership I was absolutely amazed he dumped Macfarlane from the ministry given their personal history, but he did. That was a cold act. There’s no other way to characterise it.
That development prompted Macfarlane to do something quite out of character – the self indulgent tilt last year to try and get back onto the front bench by flipping over the the National party room. It was crazy and it ended badly. Now the final act, which was, according to the Courier Mail story this morning, if that story’s accurate, the prime minister trying to hold off Macfarlane’s departure from politics because it didn’t suit the government’s election timing.
Who was it who said about politics, if you want a friend in politics, get a dog.
Macfarlane is now reflecting on the state of politics. He says his inclination as a politician was always to strive for bipartisanship. It’s not easy. It often attracts criticism from your own side. But it gets good policy, he says. Bipartisanship is not the norm in 2016. He says spectacle and winner takes all is now the default, and it’s smashing public confidence in the profession. Macfarlane quotes The Australian’s Chris Kenny in arguing that shallow politics and shallow journalism is turning politics into a sideshow. And with that, he wishes Malcolm Turnbull all the best in winning the coming election.
Unhappiness abounds
Labor’s former special minister of state, Gary Gray, is still unhappy that Labor hasn’t supported the government on Senate voting reform.
Speaking of unhappy, Ian Macfarlane is making a valedictory speech to the House. Hardly anyone is in the chamber to hear it. He’s reflecting on his career as a cabinet minister in the Howard and Abbott governments, his staff, and his family. He’s very emotional. It’s bad no-one is in the house to hear this.
What are these senators afraid of?
Speaking of Senate madness, Murph has suggested I bring readers up to speed with another issue.
The rules which govern photography in the Senate are not the same as the rules that we work under in the House of Representatives. Basically they state that you must only photograph the senator with the call, which means the Senator who is on their feet speaking. This rules out most of the action, anything happening behind the scenes as well as photographs of who is voting which way when the all important divisions are called.
This week legislation is before the Senate which will have far reaching consequences to who gets elected to the chamber in future federal polls. A request to photograph divisions was put to the president of the Senate’s office this week by press gallery president, Fairfax photographer Andrew Meares. The president can grant permission for photographs of divisions from time to time if nobody objects to the request.
President Stephen Parry put the question this morning to the senate, the only person to rise in his seat, Victorian Labor senator Stephen Conroy. He did not speak, just rising in his seat was enough to defeat the proposal. So this means the all important photographs of Greens voting with the government tonight to change the Senate voting rules will now take place without any photographic scrutiny.
After the move was defeated this morning Meares said:
It is disappointing that this Senate has chosen not to be accountable to the public who elected them. A secret Senate vote is not the sign of a healthy democracy.
I am less guarded than my colleague. This is what I’d say about it. Stephen Conroy talks the talk but he cant walk the walk I’m afraid, I think its frustrating and I really wish I could understand what his objections are.
Unfortunately he didn’t have to give any reasons – he just rose in his place. I don’t think that this move on his behalf represents so called Labor values he is supposed to represent.
Updated
Things are clearly out of hand in the senate. I’m seeking guidance about why the assistant minister to the prime minister, James McGrath, is stockpiling supplies of malted beverages.
Fark. Even I can see that this Milo malarkey is getting out of hand. I'm well sorted if the Soviets invade. #auspol pic.twitter.com/RMWqrutEGP
— James McGrath (@JamesMcGrathLNP) March 16, 2016
Can someone remember the kids?
The Labor leader Bill Shorten has been stopped by reporters after the domestic violence function.
Q: What is your view on a push for a parliamentary inquiry into the Safe Schools program?
I think it’s beyond a joke that Mr Turnbull is fanning the fires of the lunar right of his political party. At the end of the day, this is a voluntary program for cools to opt in to. I would rather trust the welfare of Australia’s children to their parents, the schools and administrations than a group of ideological members of the Liberal party. Mr Turnbull has to show leadership. His mistake was not in slapping down this issue earlier. Now he has a stand-off between an insurgent right-wing backbench and his minister for education. What concerns me about this whole thing is that kids who are grappling with their sexuality in their teenage years should have the ability to be supported at school. They don’t need senators in Canberra from the Liberal party making judgments about these kids. It should be left to the experts. I do not include in the list of experts the Liberal party of Australia.
Q: What do you make of the petition that’s circulating calling for funding to be suspended?
First of all, I think it’s weird that some people in the Liberal party are so obsessed with other people’s sexuality and at another level all together, this petition is a ginger group, it’s the Tony Abbott supporters undermining Mr Turnbull. There is a lot going on here. But at the end of the day, can someone forget about the internal dysfunction of the Liberal party? I’m sure Mr Turnbull is not comfortable with the debate raging in his party. But as we know he doesn’t control his party. Can someone remember the kids? This is about schools, parents and kids.
Just because Murph didn’t quite catch the full quote from Christopher Pyne on Safe Schools before. Here it is.
I didn’t want to bring my 48-year old attitudes to these materials, because I have children of my own, if they were being bullied I would want them to be able to get the kind of support they need.
O petition where art thou, an update
Warren Entsch wasn’t having a lend. Christensen’s Safe Schools petition really has vanished. It was last seen in question time yesterday. Accident or misadventure. I know I shouldn’t laugh, but I am laughing. Politics really is absurd, isn’t it?
I need to note also that both the prime minister and the opposition leader have been at a function to raise awareness about domestic violence. Both have made speeches this morning. If I can cop a break in the weather I’ll chase them up.
A couple of things I haven’t had time to cover yet. The effects test first. Readers with me yesterday will know that the government pledged to introduce an effects test into the competition law despite big objections from big business and despite the fact Malcolm Turnbull was cool in the proposal when it came to cabinet during Tony Abbott’s prime ministership.
The small business minister Kelly O’Dwyer has been on radio this morning. One of the main criticisms about the effects test is it will drive up consumer prices by limiting the scope businesses have to aggressively discount their prices.
I think it’s worth posting this segment of the interview for the record. An absolute win for consumers, O’Dwyer says. I reckon we’ll hold her to that.
Q: Okay, we all know we can go into Coles or Woolworths and buy a litre of milk for a dollar, we all know that that is an unrealistic price but if the producers are paid the right price, then that price will go up, surely?
Kelly O’Dwyer:
Well, look, as I said, there’s a lot of speculation around, around these changes in terms of the broader impact but one thing I can absolutely guarantee is that for consumers it will be an absolute win, for small business in Australia, it’s an absolute win and for the competition process, it is an absolute win.
Q: Is it going to be an absolute win if you’re paying $2.50 for your litre of milk rather than $1? It’s hard for a consumer to see that.
I mean, you’re speculating on the impact of the price of milk and we’ve heard from the big supermarket …
Former education minister Christopher Pyne has been stopped by reporters in the corridor. Journalists want to know about his attitude to the Safe Schools program. Pyne says kids shouldn’t get bullied, and in the past, when assessing the validity of the program, he didn’t want to bring his 48 year old self to the debate. This is about the kids, he thinks, and kids need support.
Green senator Robert Simms has accused Labor of wedge politics.
Hang on, says Labor’s senate leader Penny Wong. You say you want a vote today, you are out, saying it on social media – then vote for a motion that will give you both a full debate on marriage equality and a vote. Today.
Penny Wong:
Twice in three days the Australian Greens will vote to prevent a vote on marriage equality!
A return to the atmoic wedgie hour
Speaking of the senate, it’s begun today’s proceedings. Right now the DLP senator David Leyonhjelm is suspending the standing orders again to reorder today’s business.
He’s trying to bring on the Greens marriage equality bill again, as he did earlier in the week. He wants the Greens to vote for the suspension now rather than have a debate in private members business later this morning. He says his motion would guarantee a vote this week, which is likely the last sitting week before the budget. It would be perverse to do otherwise, he says.
The Greens won’t support this motion.
(This is getting ludicrous now. The Greens want a one hour debate today and they want Labor’s support to force a vote after an hour. Labor says if the Greens want a resolution then they should support the Leyonhjelm motion, which guarantees a long debate and a vote. For God’s sake, people.)
For Greens leader Richard Di Natale, the hits can happen outside the senate. He’s a former VFL footballer.
Perhaps the Safe Schools petition has resurfaced?
Tony Abbott has signed the petition to suspend funding for Safe Schools program
— David Speers (@David_Speers) March 16, 2016
It really is post modern politics to sign a petition to defund a program you funded when when you were prime minister.
Still with the tabloids another good story this morning in The Courier Mail. Readers with me yesterday will know we had the bizarre story of former resources minister Ian Macfarlane making it known he’d been offered a new job by the Queensland government, then the Queensland government making it known that it hadn’t offered Macfarlane a job.
Now, a twist. Renee Viellaris reports.
Malcolm Turnbull personally urged Annastacia Palaszczuk to delay appointing Ian Macfarlane to a plum role under a plan to save his government from a damaging by-election. The prime minister rang the premier last week asking her to keep open the newly created position of a Resources Investment Commissioner for another three months, which has further fuelled speculation he plans to call a double dissolution election.
The bizarre phone call was met with surprise by Ms Palaszczuk, who dismissed the plea, and wants to announce a candidate and turbocharge jobs in the struggling resources sector.
The Courier-Mail can reveal Macfarlane, who has already announced he would not recontest his seat of Groom, was planning to quit parliament as early as last Friday. It is believed he is the preferred candidate for the job and a contract is ready for him to sign. It has been speculated Turnbull thought he was also trying to help his mate, who under law cannot accept a job while he is a member of parliament.
Recapping the Stuart Robert story for folks who have forgotten the fine print.
The Herald Sun revealed five weeks ago that Robert, while assistant defence minister, went to China in a personal capacity to support Liberal donor and friend, Paul Marks, during a signing ceremony between his company, Nimrod, and a Chinese government-owned company called Minmetals.
Given it’s their story, I’ll let Ellen Whinnett and Fiona Hudson pick up the tale.
Robert witnessed the ceremony, posed for photos and later led a delegation of business people, including some from Nimrod, to meet Chinese officials. Minmetals reported on its website that the then assistant defence minister spoke on behalf of the defence department. At the time, Robert owned shares in one of Marks’s companies, gold miner Evolution. He later told an inquiry that through a trustee he also held shares in another Marks-linked company with a direct stake in Nimrod.
Shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus referred the matter to the AFP on February 14, citing sections of the law that deal with abuse of public office by Commonwealth officials. The maximum penalty for a breach is five years’ jail. On February 16, the AFP advised that the matter was still being evaluated. On February 29, it said there was no update. But last night, it confirmed that following Dreyfus’s referral, an investigation was now under way.
Robert lost his ministry in the subsequent controversy.
Dreyfus referral cites potential abuse of public office
Here is the text of the Dreyfus referral to the AFP.
Dear Commissioner,
I refer to you for investigation the activities of then Assistant Defence Minister Mr Stuart Robert MP while in China in August 2014.
Mr Robert’s conduct has been the subject of an internal investigation by the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, who concluded that Mr Robert had breached ministerial standards.
However, the publicly reported facts indicate that Mr Robert’s conduct may also have involved serious criminality. I would be grateful if the Australian Federal Police would investigate whether Mr Robert has committed any federal offence.
It is clear that Mr Robert sought to benefit Mr Marks, a significant Liberal donor, but the revelation that Mr Robert himself stood to gain financially through his shareholdings in a company related to Nimrod is even more serious. The prime minister has been careful to say only that this created an “impression” that Mr Robert stood to gain personally from his trip. Whether he intended to do so now merits a proper police investigation.
I note in particular that section 142.2 of the Criminal Code, “abuse of public office”, makes it an offence for a minister to exercise any influence or engage in any conduct in the course of his or her duties with the intention to dishonestly obtain a benefit for himself or herself or another person. This offence applies even where a person merely “holds himself or herself out” as acting as a minister.
The government has not released Dr Parkinson’s report, nor the information he relied on, and it may be that other offences also apply.
Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.
Mark Dreyfus
Updated
I gather the Dreyfus referral relates to Stuart Robert and shares in a related company. I’m chasing his referral and will post it when I get it.
The Australian Federal Police have issued a statement in relation to Stuart Robert.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) can confirm it received a referral on Sunday 14 February 2016 from Mark Dreyfus QC MP in relation to this matter. The matter is now being investigated and while this occurs, it is not appropriate to provide further comment.
Some breaking news from the Herald Sun journalist Ellen Whinnett.
Exclusive: Police are investigating dumped minister Stuart Robert over China trip @theheraldsun @Fiona_HS #auspolhttps://t.co/kSOJKAg7WN
— Ellen Whinnett (@ellenwhinnett) March 16, 2016
Entsch was asked whether the government review into Safe Schools was a whitewash as critics claim. Conservative MPs say the review only visited five schools and didn’t look at the full range of materials. Entsch says his impression of the review was it was short, sharp and a bit limited – but it was balanced.
Q: Was it a whitewash?
Of course not. It was quite balanced.
He feels some of the education being offered through the program could be offered to some of the adults in the parliament. Entsch says comments like all kids start of being confused until they end up normal are absurd. He suspects children are more tolerant than adults.
O petition, where art thou?
Warren Entsch, a staunch advocate of LGBTI issues within government ranks, has just been interviewed by Radio National. He says colleagues campaigning against the Safe Schools program have a “particular agenda.” He says the current debate really needs “a voice of reason.” His view is the current backlash is being driven by interest groups outside the parliament. Entsch has also noted that people can “draw their own conclusions” why nothing was heard of this program when Tony Abbott was the prime minister.
Entsch has told Radio National he has seen the petition being circulated by Christensen – the letter calling for the program to be defunded until a parliamentary inquiry is conducted – but he refused to sign it or circulate it.
Warren Entsch:
I handed it back. I wasn’t prepared to pass it on.
He says he got an email last night from Christensen’s office asking about the whereabouts of said petition. The email asked did anyone know where the petition was.
It seems to have disappeared.
Entsch says he had nothing to do with any disappearance.
Happy Thursday
Good morning and welcome to Canberra, where hot air is belching in regular intervals over the top of parliament house. No, not a gaggle of aggrieved backbenchers, but a cluster of balloons moving gracefully across the lake. As I drove in this morning a giant censorious owl was staring in incomprehension at parliament house. It seemed fitting.
We can all make like giant censorious owls and via this live coverage, watch the banquet that politics serves up this Thursday. In no particular order, the government’s senate voting reform package will work its way through the red room at some point in the next 24 hours courtesy of an agreement between the government and the Greens.
We expect a short debate on marriage equality during private members time in the senate today. A vote on the legislation is not, technically, impossible, but it’s highly unlikely. This debate is happening because earlier in the week the Greens denied themselves the opportunity of voting on their own marriage bill because of the agreement they’d reached with the government on senate voting reform.
The Coalition is still roiling over the Safe Schools programs. Yesterday, under the cover of parliamentary privilege, and later on Sky News, LNP backbencher George Christensen, accused a professor linked to the anti-bullying program of being an advocate of paedophilia. Christensen is pushing for a parliamentary inquiry into the program because he doesn’t approve of the outcome of a recent review the government undertook of the program at the request of conservative MPs, including Christensen. The Australian reports this morning that the deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, intends to raise the issue with the education minister Simon Birmingham. I’ve heard one government backbencher, Ewen Jones, standing up for the value of the program on the wireless this morning. Thus far we’ve heard nothing at all from the prime minister. I wonder if we will?
Rather than wonder, let’s press on. The comments thread is wide open for your business. Magic Mike and I are up and about on the twits. He’s @mpbowers and I’m @murpharoo You can also chime in (and I hope you do) on my Facebook forum, which you can see here. If you are Mike mad (many people are, including me) you can follow him on Instagram at mikepbowers
