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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Amy Remeikis

Parliament dominated by sports rorts and coronavirus – as it happened

Health minister Greg Hunt, prime minister Scott Morrison and deputy chief medical officer Paul Kelly
Health minister Greg Hunt, prime minister Scott Morrison and deputy chief medical officer Paul Kelly announce details of Australia’s emergency response plan for coronavirus. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Sigh.

That brings us to the end of this week’s blog – but not the end of the sitting. The parliament will resume on Monday, when no doubt all of the same issues will be brought up again.

Make sure you stay up to date with the Guardian tomorrow, when we will bring you the next sports grants inquiry hearing, as well as the regional grants inquiry – plus everything else.

A very big thank you to Mike Bowers, Katharine Murphy, Sarah Martin and Paul Karp, as well as everyone else in the Guardian brains trust.

And to you, as always, for following along. It means the world and we couldn’t do it without you. Yes, you. Thank you. Have a wonderful weekend – and take care of you.

Updated

The day, as seen by Mike Bowers:

One is not impressed.

The prime minister Scott Morrison arrives for a division in the house of representatives
Prime minister Scott Morrison arrives for a division in the House of Representatives. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

“ “

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese and prime minister Scott Morrison during question time
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese and prime minister Scott Morrison during question time. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

When the courtyard light is a gift to photographers

The Prime Minister Scott Morrison at a press conference
Prime minister Scott Morrison at a press conference on the latest coronavirus developments. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Waiting for a m8

The prime minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese
Prime minister Scott Morrison and opposition leader Anthony Albanese. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Updated

Just once again – we are talking about these sports rorts, because Georgina Downer presented a giant novelty cheque of taxpayer funds with her face on it, to a sports club, when she was merely a candidate for the seat of Mayo.

Whoever came up with that idea has to be in the biggest of dog houses. The inquiry will now go until June. That means it will have dragged on for six months by the time it reports back. Just drip, drip, dripping revelations.

Fantastic. Great move. Well done.

Updated

Anthony Albanese finishes with this on the sports grants affair:

Why is it the PM was consulted on April 10 before the announcements on April 11, the letter from Senator McKenzie to Sport Australia, if they weren’t having input?

And we know there are over 130 emails between the PM’s office and Bridget McKenzie’s office.

This is a red hot rort. And today we raised the issue of a football club in Scott Morrison’s own electorate that received a $50,000 grant for a project that had already been built, had already been opened.

What was the money for here? On their own Facebook site, they thanked the St George Football Association and the local council for receiving the money for the upgrade in their facilities.

This whole program goes right to the PM’s office and is all about politics and treating taxpayers’ funds as if they were Liberal-National party funds.

Updated

Is that stimulus more urgent now, Patricia Karvelas asks, than when it was first called for?

Anthony Albanese:

Well, the truth is that well before the bushfires, or this virus, we had an economy where wages were flat, where economic growth was downgraded three times in terms of its predictions, productivity was going backwards, consumer demand was very flat.

There’s nothing new about the fact that this government has presided over a lack of having an economic plan for jobs and an economic plan for growth. They had cuts in terms of skills.

We have seen figures released yesterday about a massive decline in the number of apprenticeships.

There’s no doubt they are linked to the cuts that have been made to Tafe in particular. So we think that, as we have been saying for a long period of time, since June, that the government needs to actually have less focus on itself and on politics and more plans for what the economy actually needs.

Updated

On whether Labor believes the economy needs to be stimulated, Anthony Albanese says:

Well, what we said in June of last year was that stage two of the tax cuts should be brought forward. We said it then. We still think it now.

We think that in terms of some of the infrastructure measures – it would be nice if this government stopped pork barrelling and actually did infrastructure projects that will boost productivity and boost the economy. We have maintained that position.

Updated

Anthony Albanese continues:

Well, certainly we have not sought to play politics with this. That’s why the PM’s statement is so extraordinary. He hasn’t after the decision was made, he hasn’t sought to offer a briefing.

He stood up after he shut down parliamentary question time and just said this was going to occur.

The opposition will receive a briefing but it seems to us the initial statements that Chris Bowen has made inquiries is that this is pretty similar essentially to the announcement that was made, or maybe even identical to the announcement that was made on the 18th.

Updated

Patricia Karvelas just asked Anthony Albanese about the “playing politics” allegation:

What happened this morning was that there were divisions called by the government because they were shutting down a debate.

Moving that members be no longer heard. Catherine King moved a motion before the parliament to suspend standing orders.

As you know, in order to suspend standing orders, you need 76 votes.

Labor’s only 68 when everyone’s here and everyone isn’t here. And they chose, rather than actually listen to King, a 10-minute speech about some rorts that have occurred in infrastructure and a second to speak and a 25-minute debate, they were the ones who initiated votes this morning because they’re addicted to shutting down debate in the parliament.

Updated

Just on the ‘where was Anthony Albanese’ question raised in the press conference there, we are told that the meeting wasn’t confirmed until the last minute.

Albanese was with the prime minister at the time.

Chris Bowen went to the meeting in his place, as did some of Albanese’s staff, once the briefing was confirmed and received apologies for the late confirmation of the meeting.

As for the advice the government has released, Labor says that is the same as was released publicly on 18 February.

Updated

Scott Morrison finishes that press conference with this message:

The key message that I really want to get across to Australians today is because of the actions we’ve taken, on the coronavirus, we’ve got ahead. We intend to stay ahead. And together we will get through this.

Greg Hunt:

Just in terms of briefings with Labor.

On the third of February, we briefed the opposition and these will generally involve either the chief medical officer or the deputy chief medical officer and members from my staff.

The third of February, Senator Keneally, Senator Wong, Joel Fitzgibbon, Jim Chalmers, on 12 February, the leader of the opposition, between the 12th and the 23rd of February, regular briefings in particular with the shadow health minister’s office.

On the 24th of February, shadow health minister Chris Bowen. And last night, a briefing for the leader of the opposition and Chris Bowen.

I understand that at the last minute the leader of the opposition was unable to attend last night’s briefing at approximately 7.30pm.

His office was present. Chris Bowen was there.

I’ll leave it to the leader of the opposition, I believe approximately 7.30 last night. And we will continue to provide those briefings.

It is appropriate for the national security committee to meet today. It would have been ideal if it had been able to meet uninterrupted because they were notified that we were meeting for this very purpose. But we’ll continue to provide those briefings and they’ll have to explain that.

Scott Morrison:

Can I thank Zali Steggall and Rebekha Sharkie who agreed to support the government on any procedural motions that they may have been engaged in this afternoon and enable us, the minister for health and I, to undertake the press conference.

Updated

Q: Mr Albanese suggested you’re acting politically and without decency by not briefing the opposition before you made this announcement. How do you react to that?

Scott Morrison:

I react in a very disappointed way. I’ll allow the health minister to go through the briefings that we provided to the opposition quite regularly. I’ve got to say today I was very disappointed.

The national security committee met this morning. It became apparent fairly early in the sitting day that the opposition was keen to be very disruptive in the parliament today.

I understand that. That’s politics.

We asked the opposition whether pairs could be provided for myself, the health minister, other house members of the national security committee which meant that we’d be able to undertake that meeting uninterrupted.

Sadly, that request was declined by the opposition.

And they proceeded to go about their business which resulted in seven interruptions to that meeting today.

At a time we were trying to plan for the impact of a global pandemic on the coronavirus, well, they chose politics.

Updated

On the question of what the economic boost Scott Morrison was talking about actually means, the prime minister says:

You need to be able to build on plans. That’s what scalable means. The Treasury and the treasurer are working on those presently.

Those responses, those recommendations are not yet before the government but they’ve been tasked.

And that’s an important part of our preparedness in looking ahead over the next few months. And you do this against a range of possible scenarios.

The treasurer indicated just a few days ago and he confirmed that again today Treasury has not yet finalised what their initial assessment of what they think they believe the potential impact should be.

Whether that’s over the first March quarter of the year. But you would obviously expect it to have a very real impact with the level of decline that we’ve seen obviously in travel to Australia.

This is not unique to Australia. It’s obviously happening everywhere. And of course the number of students that haven’t been able to arrive in Australia at this point from the beginning of the year.

And that’s not just the fact they’re not in a university, it means they’re not in the country which means they’re not participating in the economy. The second round effects of these issues is what can be impacted. So that’s what is been addressed and that’s the work that’s being tasked.

Updated

Health ministers will gather tomorrow to discuss the response, now that the emergency plan is being put into action.

Sabra Lane, from the ABC’s AM program, did a very good interview this morning about what a pandemic declaration would mean.

You can find that here.

She asked professor Alexandra Phelan what it would mean if Australia enacted its emergency plan (as is happening here).

There’s a national health security law agreement.

State and territory governments agree to work with the federal government and they work together.

I mean at the end of the day we are a federation and states and territories still retain primary power for hospitals and public health.

And having that sort of agreement for leadership from the national level is a good strategy.

I mean, ultimately I think, it would be good if Australia has something like, in the future, a CDC that could be an independent body to lead a response.

Updated

The travel ban to China will continue for another week.

Updated

There is a significant change of language here with Scott Morrison when it comes to boosting the economy. From almost ruling it out, to considering it if it was “targeted, modest and scalable”:

I said the other day this is a health crisis, not a financial crisis, but it is a health crisis with very significant economic implications. The Treasury secretary and the treasurer, who is a member of the National Security Committee, is part of those discussions today and he and I made some comment on these matters several days ago.

What the treasurer is working on with the Treasury is, the advice is if we are to take any actions here, and that is still subject to advice from Treasury, which have not confirmed their advice, that any such measures would only be effective if they were targeted and modest and scalable.

We are quite aware of where the virus is impacting, in particular sectors more than others, obviously in the travel sector, it’s having a big impact in the education sector. Also, as I mentioned, the others and the impact of supply chain breakdowns, not just now between Australia and China but in the more broader global pandemic stage, those impacts would also be quite relevant.

We are aware, particularly, the export industry and the marine sector, there are particular issues there, particularly in North Queensland, and these problems are present in many other places and the Treasury is doing that work now and the treasurer will be leading a response to that.

Updated

Scott Morrison:

I want to stress, and I’m sure Dr Kelly will enforce this point, there is no evidence before us that children are at any greater risk as a result of what has occurred more recently, but we do believe to take care of our kids that we needed an even greater abundance of caution to ensure that should the coronavirus move to an extreme level or there is any particular risk that is associated with children, particularly those attending school, that we have the preparedness and arrangements in place with states and territories.

I want to thank all the states and territories for the engagement, whether it’s on this issue or any other issues, health issues that are associated.

Have tasked the minister of home affairs working with his counterparts in the states and territories to ensure service and plans in place, that we are aware of any gaps that would need to be filled at any and every level of what the virus be extended to again. I know the states are already working and are well advanced with their own plans on these issues and I commend each of the premiers and first ministers for their leadership and in showing that they are taking the same actions as we are to ensure continuity of service of more extreme cases.

There is no need for us to be moving to having mass gatherings of people stopped – if you want to go to the football and the cricket and play with your friends down the street, you can go out to the concert and you can go out for a Chinese meal.

If you do go out for a Chinese meal (and I encourage you to do so, if you can, because it is delicious and also, because these small businesses really, really need our help right now) I hope it is succulent.

Updated

Scott Morrison 'we believe the risk of a pandemic is very much upon us'

Scott Morrison has implemented Australia’s emergency response plan to deal with coronavirus.

He says while the World Health Organization hasn’t yet declared it a pandemic, he believes it is upon us, and it is time to enact the plan.

Updated

Scott Morrison is giving an update on Covid-19.

It is now spreading faster outside of China, for the first time.

Updated

While I am still wearing my ranty pants about the wellbeing budget mocking that Josh Frydenberg has engaged in ALL week, Jacinda Ardern is visiting Australia this week, and New Zealand DOES have a wellbeing budget, as part of its annual budget statement. So we are now also mocking one of our closest allies.

Get. In. The. Bin.

Updated

Friday is shaping up as a very busy day.

The prime minister is holding a press conference at 3.45pm in the PMO courtyard, the most serious of press conference locations.

Updated

The Senate inquiry into the sports grants affair has been extended until 24 June.

Updated

For the context:

Question time ends.

It’s time for the matter of public importance – which is on sports grants.

Pat Conroy starts with “this is a corrupt government, this is a corrupt government”, which he is asked to withdraw.

He does. Changing it to “this is a government that oversees corrupt processes”, which someone tries to make him withdraw, but it is allowed.

Updated

This is also because Labor is using it as well, moving to shut down members from the government from speaking, in revenge for the government shutting down its members.

Here is the latest motion to be shut down:

That the House:

1) notes:

a) Sport Australia has told the Parliament today that it provided a brief to Senator McKenzie on 3 April 2019 recommending 245 sports projects be approved;

b) Senator McKenzie wrote to the Prime Minister on 10 April, the day before he called the election, attaching a spreadsheet with projects she intended to approve by electorate, including party details;

c) on 11 April, the day the Prime Minister called the election, Senator McKenzie provided a brief to Sport Australia dated 4 April approving 228 projects for funding;

d) 73 per cent of projects approved by Senator McKenzie were not recommended by Sport Australia;

e) Sport Australia received the approved sports rorts list from Senator McKenzie after the election had been called and after caretaker conventions had commenced;

f) the Government approved a $50,000 grant to the Sans Souci Football Club in the Prime Minister’s own electorate despite the fact the project had already been built, had already been officially opened and was therefore ineligible for funding; and

g) the Prime Minister is the masterchef of cooking the books; and

2) declares the Prime Minister has repeatedly misled the Parliament and he should have the integrity to correct the record as required by House practice; and

3) calls on the Prime Minister to provide a full and frank account as to why he has used taxpayer money to advance his own Government’s partisan political interests.

Updated

Labor has returned to the signed brief of sports grants, asking how it could have been signed on 4 April if Bridget McKenzie only sought the prime minister’s feedback on 10 April.

Mathias Cormann rejected the characterisation of communication with the PMO on 10 April, explaining communication was to “make arrangements with respect to announcements”.

Asked what steps Scott Morrison took to assure himself the brief was not backdated, Cormann pointed to the Sport Australia evidence the brief was “dated 4 April”.

Asked if he can rule out that the brief was backdated, Cormann again pointed to the Sport Australia evidence the brief was “dated 4 April”.

Updated

The standard of ‘debate’ in the Australian parliament today:

Updated

Anthony Albanese is now moving a motion to suspend standing orders, over the sports grants revelations today.

It will fail.

Updated

Scott Briggs, a close ally of Scott Morrison, has left the board of a consortium bidding for the highly controversial contract to privatise Australia’s visa processing system.

Briggs, a former deputy director of the New South Wales Liberal party, was heading up a consortium named Australia Visa Processing, which was one of the frontrunners for the $1bn visa processing contract.

Briggs is also a former colleague of the current immigration minister, David Coleman.

The Guardian recently revealed that the Liberals had mistakenly disclosed a $165,000 donation from a separate company set up by Briggs, Southern Strategy.

The donation was initially declared but then scrubbed from the party’s donation records after questions from the Guardian.

Labor’s Andrew Giles has seized on Briggs’ departure, saying it shows the “complete chaos” of the government’s plan to privatise the visa system.

“We also know fundamentally that this is just a bad idea,” Giles told reporters this morning.

“Australians don’t want our visa system sold off to the highest bidder. Even Peta Credlin has acknowledged that this is a threat – not only to our national security, but our border security.”

Corporate documents confirm Briggs is no longer a director of Australian Visa Processing.

The Australian Financial Review reported that he has taken a job with DPG Advisory Solutions, a lobbying firm headed by David Gazard.

Updated

Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:

My question is again addressed to the prime minister. Why did the government approve a $50,000 grant to the Sans Souci Football Club, in his own electorate, despite the fact the project had already been built, had already been officially opened, and was ineligible for funding?

Isn’t the prime minister the MasterChef of cooking the books when it comes to the corrupt sports rorts scheme? And there’s the project opening ... (he shows a prop and is shut down).

Morrison:

Thank you. Thank you, Mr Speaker. As I’m sure the member would be able to find out by reading the report, the project was approved for funding by the then minister for sport based on its assessed eligibility by Sport Australia.

“Rort, rort, rort,” yells Ed Husic, loud enough to be heard across the building.

The problem is – the projects were not ineligible when they were put forward by Sport Australia. But the minister’s office took so long to make any decisions, by the time the grants were awarded, almost half the projects were ineligible.

Updated

Labor has asked about Damian Drum roping the deputy prime minister, Michael McCormack, in to help keep the DP Jones aged care centre in Murchison open, as first reported by Guardian Australia.

The aged care minister, Richard Colbeck, confirmed that Drum arranged for McCormack to visit on 31 October and explained that a grant was given because the circumstances were “quite unique” and it needed a “tailored solution”. The centre had connections to other community services including a doctor, community house and pharmacist, he said.

Colbeck explained the government wanted a new provider to take the centre over and that “additional resources were provided to extend the period of administration so negotiations with prospective providers could be undertaken”.

No real answer was given on the question of whether McCormack lobbied the prime minister. Indirectly Colbeck rejected the idea the move was to shore up Drum’s vote in the Nationals party room, by again repeating it was done to keep the centre open.

Updated

Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:

My question is again to the prime minister, who has claimed in this parliament that the approval of the corrupt sports rorts scheme was made on 4 April.

How is that consistent with the fact that the audit office has found that Senator McKenzie wrote to the prime minister, advising him of projects she intended to approve on 10 April, prior to her providing the documentation on 11 April?

If you weren’t in charge, why was the minister asking for your permission?

Morrison:

The member is unaware, I think, of the way this program operated.

(very loud interjections)

... Mr Speaker, as I have advised the House on numerous occasions, the decision-maker in this process was the minister for sport, not the prime minister.

There was no authorisation provided by me as prime minister on the projects. Those authorisations were provided on 4 April, according to the approval of the brief by Senator McKenzie, on that date, as advised by Sport Australia.

Updated

Peter Dutton has also picked up on the word of the day “plan”, saying it at least 13 times in three minutes (and seven seconds – he was given extra time after being interrupted).

Updated

Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:

My question is again to the prime minister and I say, given the audit office and Sport Australia have both confirmed that the sports rorts projects were approved on 11 April, the day the election was called, why was the brief approving the project backdated by the government by a week to 4 April? Didn’t the government know the decision was dodgy and it was trying to cover its tracks?

Morrison:

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The leader of the opposition is being untruthful.

He’s being completely untruthful. The brief from Senator McKenzie that actually provides, gives the authority, for the approval of these projects, Sport Australia confirmed was dated 4 April 2019.

Updated

Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:

My question is to the prime minister, who just told parliament that Senator McKenzie provided the advice on 4 April. Doesn’t this directly contradict the Sport Australia evidence today in the Senate that this advice was provided at 8.46am on the day the parliament called the election? Will the prime minister correct the mislead of this parliament?

Morrison:

Mr Speaker, I don’t accept the leader of the opposition’s mischaracterisation of this at all. The leader ... I hope the leader of the opposition was more truthful when he appeared as a witness at the criminal conspiracy trial, Mr Speaker ...

Tony Burke interrupts with a relevance point, but Morrison is allowed to continue.

Morrison:

I will repeat what I said earlier. Sport Australia advised the committee this morning that they received a brief from Senator McKenzie that was dated 4 April 2019. That’s what occurred.

Updated

While we enter the 10th circle of hell, which is another “alternative plan” dixer, it might be worth popping back to the 90-second statements made ahead of question time, where the LNP MP Ross Vasta decided today, of all days, was the perfect time to talk about a sports club grant (which was awarded under the community development grant program):

I would like to congratulate the Australian Academy of Martial Arts on the official opening of their new training facility, or dojo, in Mount Gravatt last week. As AAMA continue to grow, the need for a new dojo became apparent when they approached me about community grants. I was more than happy to help. I was very pleased to be able to support this upgrade with a $185,000 Morrison government grant to help the club continue its 47-year legacy in the Mount Gravatt community.

At the official opening, I met with AAMA founder, Shihan Graham Keller, who provided us with a special martial arts demonstration. With a 47-year legacy in the region, it’s so important that we support our local sporting clubs to help them remain a part of their community for years to come.

The funding contribution from our government not only helped build this fantastic new dojo but it also means the volunteer-operated club will be able to continue offering affordable karate tuition fees for families. Martial arts is a great inclusive sport for women, children and families. Teaching philosophies such as courtesy, self-discipline, self-defence and fitness, I’m glad the Morrison government is helping AAMA continue its teachings in the community for all ages and abilities.

I also would like to acknowledge the state government and the Brisbane city council for their contribution to complete this project. An inclusive community is a happy community.

Updated

Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:

My question again goes to the prime minister, and I refer to his previous answer. How could the minister’s decision be made on 4 April if Senator McKenzie sought the agreement of the prime minister and his office on 10 April? Can the prime minister guarantee that the document by minister McKenzie was not backdated?

Morrison:

Mr Speaker, as I responded earlier, as Sport Australia advised the committee this morning, Senator McKenzie’s authority, approval, of the projects was dated and provided on 4 April 2019. Mr Speaker, what the member has suggested is that there was some requirement for the prime minister ...

(There are interjections.)

Morrison:

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The premise of the member’s question is false. The prime minister is not the decision-maker in relation to the program that he has suggested. As I’ve said on numerous occasions, the authority for making, the ministerial authority on these decisions was the minister for sport. The minister for sport, Mr Speaker, authorised those arrangements, and that authorisation is dated 4 April 2019.

Siri, show me what fudging looks like.

Updated

And the idea of a wellbeing budget has been floated previously – by Josh Frydenberg’s own side of politics.

Here is Tim Fischer, the former Nationals leader and deputy prime minister, writing in the Australian in 2006:

Jigme Singye Wangchuck also created the concept of gross national happiness, not as some vague feel-good dogma for meditation but as a serious attempt to ensure government policies reached beyond the fiscal to ensure general wellbeing and happiness.

It is based on four carefully worked out pillars to give gross national happiness great depth and is now used by Indigo Shire in northeast Victoria.

The concept is being taken up worldwide, especially in Canada, which has introduced gross national happiness in the form of a quarterly index timed to match the four seasons.

Updated

Government MPs are now wetting themselves laughing over yoga positions.

Tim Wilson almost breaks his desk he slaps it so hard.

Josh Frydenberg:

So, I thought to myself, what position would he be assuming at the dispatch box? Was it position number five, the downward dog, Mr Speaker? No. Was it position number six, the reclining pigeon, Mr Speaker? No, no, no, no. Position number seven, Mr Speaker, the twisted deer, Mr Speaker. But then the vision came to me, then the vision came to me through the incense, Mr Speaker. What was the position, number eight? It was the sleeping swan, Mr Speaker!

He comes with an illustration, but is told to put it away.

I know I have harped on about this, but it is really, really disappointing the treasurer is continuing with this attack. It’s been every day this week now, and it’s low. Because we know governments should be looking at the wellbeing of their people. It’s one of their main jobs. And there are plenty of examples of western nations, similar to our own, which have put out a statement, with the budget, listing how it applies to improving the welfare of the people.

Laughing about yoga poses, elements of eastern cultures and religions, and the idea of looking after the most vulnerable people in our society is not only juvenile, it shows contempt for large sections of the community the government claims to represent.

Updated

Josh Frydenberg:

And they are inspired, they are inspired by their spiritual leader, the member for Rankin, Mr Speaker. The member for Rankin, Mr Speaker. And I was thinking yesterday, I was thinking yesterday, as the member for Rankin was coming into the chamber fresh from his ashram deep in the mountains of the Himalayas, barefoot into the chamber, robes flowing, incense burning, beads in one hand, wellbeing budget in the other, I thought to myself, what would the yoga position that the member for Rankin would assume?

Tony Burke asks about relevance.

Tony Smith:

The question did ask about alternative policies, and, uh ... I’m listening very closely. I’m just going to point out to the treasurer that no one would enter the chamber in the way he says, because it would breach the dress code in the standing orders.

Updated

Josh Frydenberg is once again heaping shit on the idea of a wellbeing budget.

How good is a government that cares?

Labor’s first two questions in the Senate are about the timeline of Sport Australia receiving the final list of projects to receive sports grants at 8.46am on 11 April 2019, 17 minutes after parliament was prorogued and the government entered caretaker mode. Anthony Chisholm suggests this was a “breach of the caretaker conventions”.

Mathias Cormann: “The minister did nothing of the sort.”

Cormann notes Sport Australia’s evidence that although it RECEIVED the brief on 11 April, it was DATED 4 April.

Chisholm suggests this was “backdated” to 4 April after Bridget McKenzie sought feedback from the prime minister on 10 April. Cormann repeats it was “dated” 4 April and accuses Labor of making “false assertions”.

Dated or backdated – who to believe?

Updated

Andrew Wilkie to Michael McCormack:

Deputy prime minister, following the shocking deaths of thousands of sheep aboard the Awassi Express in 2017, some weak reforms to the live animal export industry were announced. But it now turns out that, despite most Australians still opposing this cruel trade, even the flimsy reforms have been quietly dumped.

Deputy prime minister, this week, why did you ignore the advice of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and approve a live animal export ship failing ventilation requirements? And how can the community ever believe that the government cares about animal welfare when even the half-baked safeguards we do have are ignored on a ministerial whim?

McCormack (who is reading from this answer, very diligently):

Mr Speaker, there is a commitment to phasing out two-tier vessels for live sheep exports. A ban on two-tier vessels was implemented through marine order 43, as the member for Clark would be aware, on 1 January.

Where existing vessel operators require further transition time and can demonstrate genuine intent to comply with the new standards, they are able to apply for limited and temporary extensions for two-tier decks carrying sheep. Any application will be considered on a case-by-case basis, individually. They must say why they are unable to meet deck heights.

As a condition for any exemption, any exemption whatsoever, exporters will also need to have an animal welfare management plan that has been approved by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.

My department has been working very, very closely with the livestock transport trading company, the exemption applicant, since 18 December last year, to agree to a plan to enable them to meet the requirements under marine order 43, with clear milestones to ensure that they are meeting their commitments.

And my department consulted with AMSA, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, as the administrator of marine orders, including number 43. AMSA did not – I repeat, did not – advise against the exemption application.

The operator has committed to a timetable to comply with the requirements and has agreed arrangements to manage animal welfare with the department of agriculture. Now, on this basis, I have approved one temporary exemption to the twin-tier requirements for the vessel. The House should note that the exemption only relates to twin-tier requirements. It is only in relation to this decking and associated ventilation, and only for sheep. If the vessel doesn’t comply with the agreed requirement, the exemption will be revoked.

Updated

Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:

Can the prime minister confirm that 73% of the projects approved by Senator McKenzie in the spreadsheet she provided to him were not recommended by Sport Australia, and that he obtained the spreadsheet from Senator McKenzie the day before he called the election?

Morrison:

What I can confirm is what I have just said previously in answer to the previous question, and that the authority for approving those projects was signed, dated 4 April 2019, for the third round of community sport infrastructure grants, Mr Speaker. I can also confirm that the emails in relation to these matters in question were tabled on 13 February in compliance with an order for the production of documents from the Senate. The emails reflect general communication in the program, including the coordination of events and media engagements.

Updated

In related news, my eye has twitched so hard, it’s now flying around the room.

Updated

Paul Karp tells me Labor is asking the same questions in the Senate about the sports grants affair – and is getting the same answers.

Updated

Michael McCormack is delivering a dixer with the dazzle of a poorly tuned piano, and Christian Porter looks like he is drifting off to his happy place, which I assume is a mirror.

Updated

Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:

My question is to the prime minister. The prime minister has claimed his only involvement in the corrupt sports rorts scheme was passing along information. Why, then, on the day before he called the election did the prime minister obtain a colour-coded spreadsheet from Senator McKenzie with projects she intended to approve, listed by party and electorate?

Morrison:

I would refer the member simply to the evidence provided today that Sport Australia advised the committee this morning that they received a brief from Senator McKenzie dated 4 April 2019, approving the third round of the community sport infrastructure grants.

Updated

Scott Morrison is taking a dixer on the differences between a plan and a goal.

Or something.

He doesn’t seem to be mentioning the plan for a surplus, which was ticked off as a goal achieved ahead of time, but now looks like it is going back in the aspiration column.

Question time begins

Julie Collins to Scott Morrison:

The aged care minister has said about the closure of an aged care home in my electorate, decisions of this nature are a matter for the organisation’s management, and refuses my community’s request for assistance.

How can that be the government’s position when it gave more than half a million dollars to an aged care home in the member for Nicholls’ electorate, to a home which is now closed?

Greg Hunt takes it:

One of the things that we have done is established a Business Improvement Fund for aged care facilities in rural and regional areas.

That was something that was announced in January. And, in particular, we have established that program precisely to address the issue of aged care facilities in rural and regional areas that are facing pressures. And so that is what we have done.

That fund is there. That is available to people from all electorates.

... But, directly in relation to the member’s question, with regards to her facility, I’m not aware of the dates or the details, which were not provided.

I’m happy to deal with them. But the Business Improvement Fund was announced in January.

In relation to the other facts put forward, they are incorrect. I say that because the program, working with the administrator, with regards to Murchison, began last year and it’s part of an ongoing program of working with the administrator. And it also has an independent contractor advising.

Updated

Scott Morrison gets ahead of question time on indulgence to congratulate Bob Katter on his 50th wedding anniversary (he’s not in the chamber).

Anthony Albanese joins in on the congratulations, as does Tony Smith, who adds that the member’s absence means “one less difficult question I have to deal with”.

Updated

It’s time for who’s that MP?

It’s Andrew Wallace.

He’s an LNP backbencher from the Sunshine Coast.

It’s OK if you didn’t know that.

Updated

Asked about the Nationals (and some Liberals) who claim a net zero 2050 emissions target would bring about end of days, Trent Zimmerman tells the ABC:

No one is saying that getting to 2050 with a net zero target is an easy task. It is a challenge.

We know in many areas we are doing really well.

One of the major forecasters predicted on the weekend that we will get to 84% renewables in the system by 2050 based on current policy settings.

That is the type of work that we need to build on. We obviously have some important initiatives in place to encourage, for example, renewable energy entering the market. But there will be more that we have to do and it is working with those communities.

I think getting the plans right, making sure they are feasible, is so important because the alternative approach, which Labor has done, announcing a policy without any plans to back it up, actually creates an understandable anger within part of the community.

Updated

Liberal MP says coalition needs to look at a 2050 net zero emissions target

On the subject of a 2050 net zero emissions target though, Trent Zimmerman is a lot more bolshie.

I think it is a target we need to look at.

We have a good target for 2030 but we need to look beyond that as we head into Glasgow.

There is obviously a lot of interest around the world of a net zero target, but I also accept the basic proposition that targets are meaningless unless you have the plan to actually outline to the community how you are going to deliver it.

That is why I support the government doing its due diligence, outlining a roadmap that will be released very soon, and being able to assure the community that firstly it is achievable, not just basically a target without backing, and secondly it will provide opportunities for Australians going forward. I think if we get it right, this will provide more opportunities.

Updated

Trent Zimmerman is speaking to the ABC about the North Sydney pool, which received funding from a government program set aside for regional projects:

In relation to the swimming pool projects, I can only speak about my own experience, and in this case you had an internationally famous pool used by tens of thousands of Sydneysiders and visitors that on the advice of the local council was at risk of actually failing and being forced to close.

The council has already had to start restricting access to its grandstands. So the need for funding for projects like this I think is very tangible. In this case, the council provided to us a detailed cost assessment of detailed data analysis in that form the basis for us being able to make that election commitment.

From the sports grants program, there have been lessons, we are committed to implementing the auditor general public recommendations and that is exactly what we would do.

Updated

We are in the downhill slide to question time – because obviously time flies when you are slowly dying inside.

It doesn’t take a genius to work out that sports grants will feature fairly prominently.

Labor has also backed the government’s small and medium business fund.

From AAP:

Small and medium businesses will soon be able to access a new $540m investment fund to stimulate growth.

Labor will back the coalition government’s election promise, paving the way for legislation to pass federal parliament.

Eligible Australian businesses will be able to access investments of between $5m and $15m, provided they can demonstrate three years of growth and profitability.

The Australian Business Growth Fund will get $100m from taxpayers with each of the big four banks matching the contribution.

HSBC and Macquarie Group will tip in $20m apiece to give the fund an initial $540m, which is estimated to rise to $1bn as it matures.

Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson criticised spending $100m of public money on a fund run by the big banks.

“Why give them a leg up by essentially giving them control of an enormously influential private equity fund in the area of small and medium enterprise financing,” he told parliament.

Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick raised concerns the fund’s investment instructions were not public.

“It begs the question, why do you ask the Senate to vote on it when we are blind to the mandate,” he said.

Updated

A Labor motion to set up a Senate inquiry into Holden’s withdrawal from Australia has passed.

The inquiry will look at:

(a) The impacts of that decision on:

(i) Holden employees.

(ii) The Holden dealership network (small and medium sized businesses and family enterprises, and their employees).

(iii) The Holden research and development facilities.

(iv) Owners of Holden vehicles (including service and repair)

(b) The role of the Franchise Code and the Government’s proposed dealership amendments to the Franchise Code.

(c) Government or other policy settings on manufacturing, research and development, business support and transition, and employee support.

(d) Any related matters.

Brendan O’Connor says it is necessary:

We are losing one of Australia’s most loved and iconic brands due in part to the inaction of the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government.

The prime minister needs to do more than just ‘watch’ and take action to ensure the 200 dealers and 9,000 workers are properly supported.

If only this government could find some of the enthusiasm it used to goad Holden to leave Australia, and channel it into supporting small businesses and their staff.

Updated

This motion, from Larissa Waters, just failed the Senate – the day after a vigil for Hannah Clarke and her children was held in parliament:

Pauline Hanson called a vote on the motion (Waters puts forward this motion every fortnight, with the updated figure of women who have been killed in domestic and family violence incidents – a lot of the time it is passed on the voices).

Once the vote was called, Hanson, Malcolm Roberts, the government and Jacqui Lambie voted it down.

The Senate notes that:

(a) Since the last sitting of the Senate, two more women have been killed by violence in Australia taking the national toll since the start of 2020 to nine, as reported by Counting Dead Women Australia from Destroy The Joint.

(b) There is no national government reporting program to record the ongoing toll of women killed by violence in real time and ensure that these horrifying statistics receive ongoing public attention.

(c) On average, one woman is murdered every week by her current or former partner.

(d) According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Personal Safety Survey 2016:

(i) More than 370,000 Australian women are subjected to violence from men each year.

(ii) 1 in 3 Australian women has experienced physical violence.

(iii) 1 in 5 Australian women has experienced sexual violence.

(iv) 1 in 6 Australian women has experienced physical or sexual violence by a current or former partner.

(v) 1 in 4 Australian women has experienced emotional abuse by a current or former partner.

(vi) Australian women are nearly three times more likely than men to experience violence from an intimate partner.

And:

(vii) Australian women are 2.5 times more likely to be hospitalised for assault injuries arising from family and domestic violence than men, with hospitalisation rates rising by 23% since 2014-2015.

(The motion continued, you can find it here).

Updated

The baboons live on.

However his baby making abilities, do not.

Updated

And the hearing ends.

It will resume tomorrow, where the department of health and Kate Palmer, the former chief executive of Sport Australia, will appear.

Sports Australia’s Luke McCann tells Katy Gallagher he met with the minister’s office and the department of health ahead of today’s appearance, where the Anao report was discussed.

He says it was a general discussion.

Updated

Major changes to sports grants recommendations revealed

Sport Australia witnesses have said in the third and final round of the community sport infrastructure grant program, it recommended 225 projects on 3 April, the minister approved 228, but there were only 61 projects in common.

This explains why the Australian National Audit Office found a massive discrepancy, with 73% of projects funded by the minister but not recommended by Sport Australia.

There’s also more detail on timing. The final list went to the prime minister’s office on 10 April.

On 11 April, Sport Australia received a signed brief from Bridget McKenzie’s office, signed and dated 4th April.

Labor is trying to establish:

  • Why there were lots of changes at the last minute
  • Whether the minister waited for input from the prime minister
  • Why the minister dated the approval 4 April, if it was only provided to Sport Australia at 8:46am 11 April, 17 minutes after the government entered caretaker mode.

Updated

Ian Thorpe has joined the campaign against the religious discrimination bill. Thorpe says his preference is the bill be scrapped, to ensure protections for LGBTI people are maintained.

Swimming legend Ian Thorpe with the CEO of Equality Australia Anna Brown after a press conference in Parliament House Canberra called to discuss his personal concerns about the impact of the Religious discrimination Bill.
Swimming legend Ian Thorpe with the CEO of Equality Australia Anna Brown after a press conference in Parliament House Canberra called to discuss his personal concerns about the impact of the Religious discrimination Bill. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian
Ian Thorpe
Ian Thorpe Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

The federation chamber was shut down for “disorderly behaviour” – which was Labor moving to shut down government MPs from speaking.

At least according to the deputy speaker, Trent Zimmerman:

I made it clear before the federation chamber was suspended that the type of conduct that we’re seeing this morning has been deemed by the Speaker to be an abuse of the forms of the House and disorderly conduct.

I alerted to the chamber to the consequences of this continuing. I’m therefore deeming that the Federation Chamber is experiencing disorderly behaviour, according to standing order 187. I therefore adjourn the Federation Chamber until 10.30 am on Monday 2 March.

Updated

Ed Husic, who may now be able to call himself a regional MP, given that North Sydney has received a grant from a regional fund (with the justification from the mayor being, well, the pool is used by regional people) managed to bring some Husic humour to the situation in the chamber this morning:

We found out that $10 million was spent by this government for ‘the noted country town of North Sydney’ so that it could get a swimming pool upgrade, which is fantastic!

When challenged on why North Sydney got $10 million, in another example of the rorts that have been uncovered in the last few months, the mayor described this as a totally justifiable decision on the basis that people from the country would swim in North Sydney and this would justify a regional grant. I’ve heard of Pitt Street farmers but not Boorowa backstrokers – and that’s what this is facilitating in this place.

The member for North Sydney is singing ‘I’ve been everywhere man’ – from Waverton to Wollstonecraft, from Mosman to Artarmon, from Chatswood to Cremorne, from Naremburn to Castlecrag!

This is a joke. It goes to show you how bad this government is when they try to funnel into North Sydney $10m of money that was supposed to support the regions.

But who knows, this could be a plan by the member for North Sydney to usurp the deputy prime minister by becoming a National party MP in North Sydney.

I think this is what we are looking at; they could have a National party MP from North Sydney. That’s the type of A-grade rorting that the National party has become renowned for – and now they’re bringing it to North Sydney.

What an absolute embarrassment it is that you could use taxpayer funds in that way.

Updated

Leftwing warrior Peter Dutton (leftwing is all things, according to the home affairs minister, who once said annoying “dirty lefties” was “too easy”, has bolstered his leftwing credentials by backing a change to the national anthem.

Cathy Freeman has backed changing “we are young and free” to “we are one and free”, given that Australia’s Indigenous people represent one of the oldest cultures in the world.

Dutts is into it. WITHIN REASON.

I think there should be a conversation about it. I don’t have any opposition to it,” he told Ray Hadley.

I don’t know whether it starts a slippery slope, if people want to change other parts or drop off other verses.”

But then reverts back to full Dutts.

It annoys me beyond description when you see athletes representing our country and refuse to sing the national anthem. I think it’s an outrage.”

Yup. THAT’S the outrage.

Updated

Sarah Hanson-Young won the Greens hunger games and retains environment as one of her portfolio areas. (There was some scuttlebutt she may have lost it following the leadership change.)

So the redacted portfolio change is ... dental health.

So the SA senator will now have responsibility for environment, water, and dental health.

The more you know.

Updated

Turns out there have been a few instances of “covering your arse” entered into the hansard over the years. Which makes sense. This is Australia after all.

09 Jun 1999 – Stephen Conroy

Mr Spier —We do not, senator. I think that is playing with semantics. We cannot say in all cases or in no cases —

Senator Conroy — You are covering your arse I know. I am now asking you to tell us in which cases you consider the introduction of a GST will see an increase of 10%. And if you are saying there are not any, then why do you qualify it in the letter?

29 Apr 2011- TURNER, Ms Robin Leslie, Member, Apology Alliance Australia

Chair: Of your son?

Ms Turner : Of my son. I think in today’s world that is called covering your arse.

Updated

Mike Bowers has attempted to show you the shut down Federation Chamber, but we can’t, because – p a r l i a m e n t.

This was the official response to the request:

I’m afraid photography in the Federation Chamber is only permitted to take still photographs of proceedings.

That doesn’t include when the government has cancelled proceedings, apparently.

Updated

Some interesting evidence just now about how the program evolved over time:

In the first round, Sport Australia provided Bridget McKenzie with the raw scores of 1,924 projects it had assessed, and a list of projects that already reflected projects the minister was “supportive of”. That is, it did not provide an independent list of its own recommendations.

Luke McCann: “The minister was advising us which grant applications she was supportive of.”

But by round three, Sport Australia provided “a list of our recommendations”.

McCann: “In our view, as we worked through the iterative process, we needed to be better at providing our advice, to be consistent with better practice.”

So, in the first round Sport Australia was accommodating the minister’s wishes, and by the last round, it wanted it ON RECORD what their independent view was.

Sport Australia witnesses reject the suggestion they had worked out the program was a “rort” and wanted their view on record.

Updated

A petition to evacuate the remaining 200 or so Australians still trapped in Wuhan has collected more than 600 signatures in less than a day.

Earlier, Guardian Australia broke the story of the 18-month toddler, Chloe Luo, who is still trapped in the locked-down Hubei province, as well as 78-year old Garry Ridder and many more.

This is despite the evacuation flights supposedly prioritising “the isolated and vulnerable”, according to Scott Morrison.

So far more than 500 Australians have already been evacuated out of Wuhan, across two Australian government flights, and 170 have been evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.

But the government says there are no plans for a third evacuation flight out of Wuhan.

“These people should be treated the same as those Australians from Hubei and 170 from [the] Japan cruise who have already safely returned home,” the petition says.

Updated

The Greens are making a portfolio reshuffle announcement at 11.30.

This is how they announced it.

WHO:
- Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP
- Australian Greens Spokesperson for █████████ Sarah Hanson-Young

Federation Chamber shut down for the day

The federation chamber has been adjourned for the rest of the day (it’s the chamber where overflow speeches from debates go) after it was shut down by Labor motions seven times yesterday.

I know this seems a little inside baseball, but a parliamentary chamber has been closed down over a debate about parliamentary debate.

Updated

Labor is moving to close down a member speaking in the House of Representatives.

It’s Gladys Liu this time.

That brings a division, which means all the MPs have to file into the House.

Updated

Janet Rice has been probing what the purpose of the blank forms provided by Sport Australia were, and whether they were connected to the new (/late) applications that lobbed shortly thereafter.

Luke McCann confirms that Sport Australia records indicate the forms were “for new applications to be submitted under a potential round three”.

After Sport Australia raised concerns on 5 March, the minister’s office advised they were “for the purpose of advocating in the budget process”.

Rice asked if Sport Australia felt it had been “lied to”. McCann responds that they took the minister’s office “at face value” and it was “not for [him] to comment” on whether the blank forms were used to help five new clubs apply late.

Updated

Yup.

A whip’s alert has just gone out.

WHIP’S ALERT 27 FEB – THE FEDERATION CHAMBER HAS BEEN ADJOURNED FOR THE REST OF THE DAY.

Updated

The federation chamber has been suspended (at around 10.04am).

This dates back to a battle the opposition and government are waging against each other. Because Labor’s attempts to debate the sports grants (and other matters) keep getting shut down, it has been calling divisions on government MPs to shut down their speeches.

That has been annoying a lot of government backbenchers – they don’t get to deliver their speeches that they put on their social media, plus, quorums keep getting called, so they have to stop whatever business they are doing and run into the chamber.

Labor is making the point that stopping debate is really fricking annoying and goes against democratic principles.

Sensing that Labor would continue its tactics today, the government has taken the step of just shutting the chamber down.

Updated

The parliament has passed a bill changing how welfare recipients report their income.

From AAP:

Welfare recipients will now report income as it appears on a payslip rather than estimating a figure based on hours worked over a fortnight.

Legislation passed the Senate on Thursday making changes to Centrelink reporting expected to save the federal budget $2.1bn over four years.

People reporting income to Centrelink currently have to estimate a figure based on how many hours worked in a fortnight and rate of pay, taking into account penalty rates.

Under the new system, which will come into place in July, welfare recipients will be able to enter details on their payslips.

The changes would also allow welfare recipients’ employment and income data to be pre-filled online, the same as tax returns.

The government hopes Centrelink payments will become more accurate, preventing people being owed money or paid too much.

Labor amended the bill to include a one-year review of the new system, meaning it will return to the lower house for final approval.

An online portal will be set up to help people with the change, with videos and written examples to help explain the system.

The changes will impact about 550,000 Australians.

The bill also marks the start of single-touch payroll for welfare recipients.

That means a person’s income data from the Australian Taxation Office will be automatically uploaded to the government system so bureaucrats can double-check figures.

It comes after the government’s robodebt debacle saw many people served with notices for money they didn’t owe.

The system, which has now been wound back, was recently declared unlawful by the federal court and is the subject of a separate class-action lawsuit.

Updated

This explanation is not going to age well.

Katy Gallagher has asked Sport Australia when Bridget McKenzie’s office sent back the final list of her decisions on round three of grant funding.

A brief went from Sport Australia to McKenzie on 4 April 2019, the prime minister’s office gave some feedback on 10 April, and Luke McCann replies that McKenzie’s final decision came through at 8:46am on 11 April 2019.

Gallagher suggests that parliament was dissolved at 8:30am and “we were in caretaker at that point in time”. McCann says he was not aware of this.

Updated

John Wylie says he won’t comment on the “legal basis” minister Bridget McKenzie used to award the grants.

The auditor general wrote in its report that it was “unclear” what the legal basis was.

Wylie says he won’t comment on the minister’s legal basis, but he is confident that Sports Australia acted appropriately.

Updated

Eric Abetz is probing how 272 projects were assessed as eligible by Sport Australia but then became ineligible by the time funding agreements were signed.

Luke McCann suggests that although eligibility criteria stated work must not have commenced, applicants were confused about the “interpretation of commencement”.

He suggested that if the audit office took a “very narrow interpretation” even seeking a development approval may result in a project being ineligible.

But McCann then conceded he didn’t know how the ANAO assessed 272 projects were ineligible (43%). Clubs were “explicitly advised” they should not commence work until an agreement was signed, and this was defined as “undertaking of any activities that contribute to physical upgrades ... this includes site clearing, earth works, building works, or any form of early works”.

This doesn’t sound like a DA would make a project ineligible. Nevertheless, Abetz summarises that this sounds like “technicalities at their absolute worst” being used to describe projects as ineligible.

Updated

There was an interesting short exchange in the hearing that reflects the different starting points of Sports Australia and the minister.

The Liberal senator Eric Abetz has been trying to set up an argument that Bridget McKenzie had discretion to approve these sports grants under criteria she considered important.

Abetz asked the Sports Australia chairman John Wylie whether he thought it would have been fair if 20% of electorates had missed out on money. Wylie said distribution of funds across electorates wasn’t a consideration for bureaucrats engaged in a merit selection process.

Considering what’s going to to particular electorates is “not our job”, Wylie notes

Updated

Then there was this gem from Richard Colbeck:

And the actual transcript from the committee hearing where the auditor general’s office DID correct Eric Abetz:

Eric Abetz: Thank you. I just wanted to clarify that. The next issue I seek to clarify: you found that no ineligible project or application was funded?

Brian Boyd:

No, that’s not what we found. To go to the start of chapter 3, which is the chapter on assessment, the finding there was: ineligible applications were identified and no applications assessed as ineligible were awarded grant funding.

That’s the Sport Australia eligibility assessment process. What then happened was that late applications were taken on board, which were ineligible under the guidelines; amendments were made for existing applications, which were ineligible under the guidelines, and they were funded.

But at the time, to say this relates to the Sport Australia assessment process, Sport Australia removed from its list those it assessed as ineligible – that’s what that finding is. Subsequent letters say there were the five new applications and the four amended applications.

Then, because things took longer, because you were now running two rounds rather than three and funding agreements were in place, you had eight projects where, according to the details provided by the proponent, the project had been completed before the funding grant was signed.

They’re ineligible under the program. There were 270-something where the project had started before the funding agreement was in place, which is also ineligible under the program. We get to around 43% of those which were awarded funding which by the time the funding agreement was signed were ineligible.

Updated

Sport Australia has explained why Bridget McKenzie approved late applications for a number of projects, and for the most part it’s because they had won state government funding but needed federal funding as well.

Luke McCann explained:

  • Katanning Country club: the Western Australian state government indicated support if it received federal funding.
  • Westbury bowling club: the club was unable to utilise the green for six months of the year due to drainage, which was “not viable for club in a small town”. The club would close which would be “devastating on the community”.
  • Belgrave reserve netball: had grown exponentially and the minister believed the project was “vital to the continuation of the club”.
  • Yeppoon swans: had concrete cancer in their light poles, they needed to remove lights, and without a grant their fields would be unusable except in daylight.
  • Nagambie foreshore walk: the Victorian state government would contribute majority if federal government supported it.
  • Pennant Hills AFL: got $1m from NSW state government but the project wouldn’t proceed without federal government funding.

Updated

Eric Abetz is now asking questions.

It was the Liberal senator’s questioning at the last hearing which revealed that almost half of the projects funded by the program were ineligible under the rules, by the time the minister’s office granted funding.

Fantastic. Great move. Well done Eric.

Chair John Wylie says it’s the view of Sports Australia that Bridget McKenzie was the decision-maker, under the rules.

Of the 2,000 applications made, 1,300 clubs missed out.

Updated

Sports body confirms it raised concerns with Bridget McKenzie's office

John Wylie, chair of Sports Australia, said it showed “due stewardship” of the community sports infrastructure grant program by raising risks with the minister (Bridget McKenzie’s) office.

So far chief operating officer Luke McCann has given two instances of Sports Australia’s Robin O’Neil raising concerns:

  • First on 5 December 2018 he “outlined risks with the methodology and process, in terms of the approval process”;
  • And on 5 March 2019 he raised concerns that McKenzie’s office had asked for an application form after applications had closed.

Rob Dalton, acting chief executive officer, says Sports Australia was “comfortable risks were managed because we communicated them”.

Witnesses take on notice (1) if they can provide written minutes of its audit and risk committee and (2) whether the minister’s office responded to the above concerns.

Everyone repeats that the minister is the decision-maker, it’s not Sports Australia’s job to monitor how decisions are made.

Updated

Speaking of the ABC, Lucy Barbour, a very excellent regional and rural affair reporter with the broadcaster, had a story this morning with Pat Conaghan calling for a raise to Newstart.

The Cowper Nationals MP (mid-north coast NSW) has looked around and seen the growing poverty in his electorate and told Barbour it is beyond time the rate (basically $280 a week, a figure which has not changed in real terms for two decades) was raised.

Conaghan has a fan in Acoss CEO Cassandra Goldie:

It’s not right that in Australia, one of the wealthiest countries in the world, we have one in six children living below in the poverty line.

One third of single parent families live in poverty in Australia and we know how hard it is for single parents, who are mostly women, to get by on Newstart while looking for paid work that allows for their caring responsibilities.

By increasing Newstart, the government can reduce our unacceptable adult and child poverty rates, while boosting the economy to create jobs, especially in regional areas.

In the wake of the devastating bushfires and drought, regional communities are really struggling and increasing Newstart is one of the best ways to kick start these local economies, creating jobs.

Queensland LNP senator James McGrath, who is in a deadlocked battle with Amanda Stoker for the LNP’s Liberal Senate spot, is continuing his battle against the ABC.

The pair are attempting to out-conservative each other, as they fight for the number one spot on the ticket. The number two spot goes to a National. The number three spot is never guaranteed. So, in the grand tradition of Queensland sending young-fogies to Canberra, senator ‘I don’t know what the youth are into’ McGrath, is waging war against the national broadcaster.

Updated

It has taken a while (there was a very long introduction) but we have the first revelation.

Sports Australia first raised concerns to Bridget McKenzie’s office on 5 March (before the election, but when one was very much on the cards).

Updated

Sports minister Richard Colbeck was asked about a North Sydney pool receiving $10m from a fund earmarked for regional facilities (so many Nationals will be just THRILLED to learn North Sydney is now regional).

He told the ABC:

I go back to the original statement that was said when the prime minister announced the project. They were clearly election commitments the administration of the program now is about delivering on the commitments that we made during the election campaign.

(Also, points to anyone who could point out Colbeck in a lineup. No one does ‘generic middle aged white guy’ quite like the Australian parliament.)

Updated

Just a reminder, given that it is technically #tbt – this entire sports grant affair was referred to the auditor general by Labor because someone thought it would be a great idea to allow Georgina Downer to present a giant novelty cheque with her face on it, to a sports club, while she was just a candidate.

Updated

The sports rorts inquiry begins

Sports Australia is up today.

Featured are:

John Wylie, chair

Robert Dalton, acting chief executive officer

Luke McCann, chief operating officer

Updated

Meanwhile, from a MP who spent the summer watching the impacts of climate change – worsening natural disasters – comes this story.

Labor’s Mike Kelly, the member for Eden-Monaro, spoke to SBS news about his summer. And why he believes the climate change “debate” in the political class is “criminal”.

Updated

A vigil was held for Hannah Clarke and her children, Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey, last night in parliament house.

Scott Morrison:

We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people past, present and [inaudible] future. We gather here tonight, there are no parties, there are no aisles, there are no MPs, or senators, staff, it is just people who are grieving and shocked and saddened, angry, frustrated.

And the only words I can offer tonight are four names, Hannah, Aaliyah, Laianah, and Trey.

We must speak their names.

We must remember their names.

We must remember them, their souls, their lives, their hopes, their dreams, their strength, their courage.

All of that was taken away in a murderous act of violence, which none of us here can comprehend.

We’ve just sung Amazing Grace and I can only think that the only response is to seek to understand this, is just to understand grace [inaudible].

The families of Hannah and her children, they have shown such strength and such grace, and we want to stand with them here tonight.

We stand with them, with our hearts and everything we have to let them know that they won’t stand alone.

But to all of those others who face the same dangers this day and every day, to those who have had the same thing stolen from them through murderous acts of violence in the past, we also remember you here tonight.

And we gather, and we remember.

We give thanks for what we each have, because times like this remind us of [inaudible].

I want to thank everybody for coming here tonight [inaudible] and the spirit in which we come. It’s a good thing we do tonight, and I thank those who’ve gathered us here tonight

Updated

Back on Angus Taylor for a moment – the energy minister was also asked on ABC Breakfast if he had confidence none of his current or former staff altered the document which was used in a political attack against Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore:

Q: Just one more question, really briefly if I may, because this is the first time we had the opportunity since the ADF continues for that investigation into that document. Do you have confidence that none of your current or former staff was used to falsifying the document you used against Clover Moore.

Taylor: We had two police forces, the New South Wales police and the AFP considered and closed this matter.

Q: I’m asking you about you? Do you have ...

Taylor: And closed this matter. There’s a political referral from the Labor party. It’s been considered twice over now. They have closed the matter. And I’m focused on making sure we get Australia affordable, reliable energy while we bring down our emissions not just through to 2030, but beyond. That’s my focus. That’s what the Australian people want us as a government to do and me as the relevant minister to do and I’ll keep focusing on that everyday.

Updated

In case you haven’t seen it, Chris Knaus has this story:

The prime minister’s department broke the law by inexplicably delaying a freedom of information request about allegations the former public service commissioner improperly aided the rightwing Institute of Public Affairs.

Findings delivered by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) in November found the department had failed to process the FOI in legal timeframes, according to documents obtained by the Guardian.

It was a recurring problem at the department in 2017/18. The OAIC found the department met the legally-imposed deadlines in just 35% of FOIs that year.

Anthony Albanese was very quick out of the blocks this morning. He stopped by doors (which MPs only go through when they have something to say to the media).

This prime minister treats the parliament with contempt.

There are real questions to answer about his office and his involvement with this sports rorts sage.

The fact is that there were 136 emails between his office and Bridget McKenzie’s office.

The fact is a list given to his office by the minister’s office in stage three of which 76% of the projects chosen were not those chosen by Sport Australia.

And the fact is, the prime minister continues to mislead parliament. He says that all projects were eligible.

What we thought was, ‘Well, what does that mean anyway?’

Because I’m eligible to play the Davis Cup, but I won’t get to play because I am not as good as another 20,000 players who could be chosen ahead of me around Australia. But, this prime minister didn’t even get that right.

Because we know that in 43% of cases, in terms of this sports rorts saga, they weren’t eligible projects. And we heard that from the Australian National Audit Office. Then we know that there was actually these colour-coded documents that were going between Bridget McKenzie’s office and the prime minister’s office.

But Mr Gaetjens, the prime minister’s former chief of staff, who was investigating as head of Prime Minister and Cabinet, whether the prime minister’s office had any involvement, only got one copy of the colour-coded list, which was colour-coded in terms of rort here, rort there.

And we saw yesterday, the prime minister speak about members making applications on behalf of their electorates. Bear in mind that this was taxpayers’ funds. This wasn’t election commitments.

This is something that was in the budget. And he referred to the member for Lindsay, who of course, wasn’t a member of parliament at that time.

It just shows that the prime minister was saying that this was a Liberal party and National party fund, but it was actually taxpayers’ funds.

The prime minister treats taxpayers’ funds as if they’re his own.

Updated

This is not a new conspiracy.

Here is Graham Readfearn writing on it in 2014. What is damaging about it though, is that it is increasingly creeping into our political debate, lending it legitimacy.

In case it has to be said, the BoM has not changed climate records as part of a global conspiracy to convince you that climate change is real. It is not part of a leftie/Illuminati/alien agenda to pull the wool over your eyes.

Sometimes, the weather stations have to be moved. And when that happens, you make adjustments for changes in the environment.

Any changes the bureau make, are peer-reviewed. They have to go through a rigorous, independent, academic process.

As Readfearn reported in 2014:

At Bourke, for example, the station had been moved three times in its history. Detective work had found that a noticeable shift in the readings in the 1950s had likely been due to changes in vegetation around the instrument.

At Amberley, the bureau noticed a marked shift in the minimum temperatures it had been recording, which was also likely due to the station being moved.

Another site at Rutherglen had data adjusted to account for two intervals – 1966 and 1974 – when its thought the site was moved from close to buildings to low-flat ground.

I’ll let you know if they start selling tin-foil hats in the parliament gift shop.

In the midst of that, George Christensen moved to extend Craig Kelly’s speaking time. He was also denied.

Kelly joins Liberal senator Gerard Rennick in accusing the Bureau of changing it’s records. He hasn’t received a briefing from the bureau or anything. But he did read someone from the IPA writing about it once, and that’s good enough for him.

And of course, there was Liberal senator Jim Molan’s admission that he doesn’t rely on evidence for his climate change views, which are ‘he could be convinced’ it is happening.

But it is good that the government is completely as one that climate change is happening. Completely. As. One.

Updated

Craig Kelly continues. Now, with a bigger audience:

Kelly:

I’m pleased that the Labor party actually called that – because there are many members here in the chamber to hear these facts I’m talking about.

Our historic Marble Bar temperature record, the longest heatwave in the nation, the longest heatwave record in the world, is no longer – because our Bureau of Meteorology staff, sitting in their offices in Canberra, have looked back into the past and found that the people taking that temperature record almost 98 years ago made a mistake and measured it too hot.

I will give you a few examples. On 7 March 1924, the raw recording at Marble Bar was 40.8C. But, as I said, 98 years later, someone sitting in an office in Canberra worked out that they made a mistake and the temperature was actually only 39C – 1.8C cooler.

On 15 February 1924, the raw recording from Marble Bar was 44.3C. Again, they didn’t know what they were doing and they read it wrong; we know that because of the adjustments that have been made almost 100 years later.

The true temperature, according to the BoM, was 43.2C, down 1.1C.

Yet there was one day they actually got the temperature right.

On 23 January 1924 they recorded 44C up at Marble Bar. Yet the bureau says that number was right! This cooling of the past temperature records has reduced that 160-day world record heatwave back in 1923-24 to 128 days, which makes it no longer a record

(Tony Burke moves to adjourn the debate, but cannot):

What a shame that the manager of opposition business doesn’t want to hear the facts. Here we have a historic record that should make us all realise what our pioneers went through, living through the longest heatwave in history.

But this is no longer. The past has been changed according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

They know better today, sitting in an office 4,000 miles away, what the temperature was back in – (Time expired).

Updated

Reading through the hansard from yesterday, and it seems Craig Kelly has dived wholeheartedly into the exciting range of tin foil hats,

Here he is talking on an appropriation bill:

When I was at school, I remember hearing the story of the world’s longest heatwave. The record was set in Marble Bar in 1923-24. For 160 days, it was—using the old measurement—over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

That gave me a greater appreciation of the struggles and the efforts of previous generations of Australians, and the hardships that they went through to build this country up.

The Bureau of Meteorology used to have a whole page about this record, the Marble Bar heatwave of 1923-24, on their website, under ‘Climate education’. It said: The world record for the longest sequence of days above 100°Fahrenheit (or 37.8° on the Celsius scale) is held by Marble Bar in the inland Pilbara district of Western Australia.

The temperature, measured under standard exposure conditions, reached or exceeded the century mark every day from 31 October 1923 to 7 April 1924, a total of 160 days. Surprise, surprise!

That’s no longer on the Bureau of Meteorology website. It has disappeared, maybe down a memory hole. I’m not sure. It gets more interesting.

There’s a gentleman called Chris Gillham, a researcher from Western Australia, who has found out that, as the bureau have...

(Labor attempts to move that he no longer be heard. It loses the division)

Good morning

Sports rorts is back in the spotlight, with the Senate inquiry into the government program up first thing this morning.

Sports Australia will appear at the committee today. This comes after the auditor general answered some questions on notice on the issue revealing 136 emails were exchanged between Bridget McKenzie’s office (as the then minister) and Scott Morrison’s office about the program, including one the day before the election was called.

Morrison has maintained that his involvement was limited to representations, and the auditor general said it didn’t believe the prime minister was any more or less successful in those representations than anyone else.

But as Paul Karp reported yesterday, it’s not going to slow down:

Scott Morrison has been drawn further into the sports grants controversy after it was revealed his office exchanged 136 emails with the former sports minister Bridget McKenzie’s office about the program and one of the clubs in his electorate received funding despite being ineligible.

On Tuesday Labor pressed the issue on multiple fronts, as clubs that missed out came forward to complain to a Senate inquiry, and a Senate order for production of documents revealed Morrison attended an event at the Sans Souci Football Club, which was given $50,000 despite its project nearly having been completed.

Meanwhile, the government is also facing questions about how $10m, which was part of a program meant to help put pools and changing facilities in regional areas, ended up in a North Sydney pool complex.

It led to this exchange between Angus Taylor and an ABC Breakfast host over whether or not North Sydney was “regional”.

Q: How would you describe North Sydney then?

Taylor: Well, North Sydney is like every other part of Australia – lots of kids ...

Q: Is it regional? Is it rural?

Taylor: And adults who want to play sport and they need investment.

Q: Is it regional or rural, Mr Taylor?

Taylor: It’s clear - North Sydney is in Sydney. There’s no doubt about that. But my point is a broader one which is the one type of infrastructure investment that is very clearly in need of more investment and support from government that I see again and again and again is sporting infrastructure. It’s hugely important.

Meanwhile, Jacqui Lambie has reiterated she will not negotiate with the government over its ensuring integrity bill, until it releases the Gaetjen’s report into sports rorts. Morrison will not do that. And so you have a situation where most non-government senators are doing all they can to disrupt government business in the Senate, in a bid to force the government into releasing the report. We don’t know what Morrison’s former chief of staff turned departmental head looked at, how many versions of the colour-coded spreadsheets he examined, or who he talked to. We don’t know what it says – only what the prime minister says it says. That will most likely come up in the hearings as well.

We’ll have all of that and more as the day unfolds.

Ready?

Let’s get into it.

Updated

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