And we're done
The electoral donation reforms will pass tonight but, other than that, there is not a lot going on.
We’re going to wrap up a little early today – the last time I’ll be able to say that with the blog, given that we have the last two weeks of parliament coming up, and they are bound to be doozies.
Mostly because, well, the government has lost its majority. And speculation Scott Morrison will call the election on, or just after Australia Day, for March, is not going away.
There is also Apec and the G20 before that, and plenty of opportunities to talk about the embassy issue and how that’s not a problem for Australia.
Oh, and the Victorian election is next Saturday, right before the last parliament sitting begins.
So lots to prepare for.
Remember to check back with Guardian Australia, as we cover it all, before the politics live blog starts back early on 26 November.
A big thank you to Mike Bowers and the Guardian brains trust. The amount of work they do in a day is incredible.
And to you, for keeping us company. I know I say it every day, but you do make it all worth it. Enjoy this week off from auspol, and we’ll be back with you soon.
As always – take care of you
Updated
Brendan O’Connor has given Labor’s response to the unemployment figures:
We note the modest increase in the number of jobs created last month but it is clear that there is still more to be done.
The youth unemployment rate continues to be double the national average at 11.3%.
The underutilisation remains at 13.3%. That’s approximately 1.8 million Australians who want work, or more work, but can’t find it.
We also note with some concern the government’s attempt yesterday to spruik a 2.1 per cent annual increase in private sector wages as a positive shift in stagnant wages growth.
Updated
Someone come get the Senate.
Eric Abetz just said Labor is like skimpy swimwear?
— Alice Workman (@workmanalice) November 15, 2018
"What they show is interesting, what they hide is vital."
It’s time to go home.
My Senate Question today on the PM's comments to Islamic Leaders in Australia. pic.twitter.com/48DaqBfRFH
— Richard Di Natale (@RichardDiNatale) November 15, 2018
From Mike Bowers’s lens, to you.
Updated
Everything is completely normal and fine:
Today senator Kristina Keneally revealed her hidden acting talent 🤣 pic.twitter.com/5D54S5sv57
— BuzzFeedOz Politics (@BuzzFeedOzPol) November 15, 2018
It is worth noting though, that Melissa Price chose to talk about Concetta Fierravanti-Wells’s op-ed. She made the decision to go on national radio and discuss it.
Updated
The last solo Senate question time has ended.
Everyone take a moment to let that soak in.
Updated
And I also missed Sarah Hanson-Young asking Michaelia Cash:
As if the climate impacts of extracting the oil reserves in the Great Australian Bight weren’t bad enough, we’re not going to meet our Paris agreements if we do that, yesterday we saw the release of modelling from Equinor, the foreign company applying to drill for oil in the Great Australian Bight.
Their own modelling shows scenarios where, in the event of a spill, it could spread as far as Albany in Western Australia through to Bondi Beach and up to Port Macquarie. Why is the government backing a foreign oil company rather than the millions ofAustralians who live, work and play on our beautiful beaches and rely on our coastline?
Cash, representing Matt Canavan:
I completely reject the proposition of our question. In all the portfolios in this chamber, we back the millions of Australians you refer to, but, in relation to the specific issue you have raised, you would be aware the Bight is one of the most promising frontier oil and gas regions in the world.
Australia needs oil and gas, Senator Hanson-Young, from the Bight for, you might be interested to know, the Australian people you refer to would certainly be interested to know, energy security but also, Mr President, to protect the jobs in manufacturing.
Yes, that is something that we are prepared to do. Australia has one of the best and safest offshore regimes in the world and, in fact, Senator Hanson-Young, your former partners in crime in ALP senators Chisholm and Urquhart said last year in a Senate inquiry into oil and gas in the Great Australian Bight.
The Australian offshore oil and gas industry is subject to one of the most rigorous environmental and safety regulatory regimes in the world.
Updated
Malarndiri McCarthy to Nigel Scullion:
I refer to reports today that the minister has granted $1.4m from the Indigenous Advancement Strategy and Aboriginal benefits account funding to a Katherine based non-Indigenous company, North Australian Rural Management consultants, which has close links to the Country Liberal party. How many Indigenous people have been employed and how many Indigenous businesses have been assisted by the $1.4m grant to North Australian Rural Management Consultants?
Scullion:
Thank you for your interest in this area, Senator. Can I say I stand by every dollar and every cent of the IAS funding I have approved and every IAS grant has been made in accordance with IAS guidelines.
The Indigenous organisations that deliver outcomes, I’m actively transitioning IAS funds to them, and the number is significantly increasing.
When I got the portfolio, 35% of the IAS was given to Indigenous organisations. It’s now 55%.
We’re doing pretty well over that period of time, some remarkable outcomes. But from time to time, there is a capacity for organisations, like the Red Cross, I give $2m, and they deliver to Indigenous people. Catholic Care $18m, they deliver to youth and unemployed.
World Vision we give 1.1 million because they are delivering early childhood. If you’re suggesting we cut all these funds, really, I’m not sure that’s what they’re suggesting ... Can I say, in the clear understanding of what NAMCO do, they do back-of-house and business accounting advice to Indigenous companies. Most of them say, “Yes, I can do the work but we’re struggling, we’re not big enough to have in-house” so we have business providers who provide the accounting services, advocacy services within an Indigenous business.
All reports that come to me, they do a good job. This contract was provided - it would have been over three years ago and they do a remarkable job. An allegation that somehow there’s connection to make whatever these inappropriate process is, I do note that I specifically asked – the reason I’m aware of NAMCO, is because I became aware of an issue and I asked them for a show-cause and asked them how they were going to manage the possible deception... (he runs out of time)
Updated
Turning back to the Senate and it seems Malarndirri McCarthy is asking Nigel Scullion about Indigenous funding and who is getting it.
Lorena Allam has been reporting on some of the concerns.
Scullion seems to be saying (I switched over late) that due process is being followed. I’ll chase up that answer when I get a moment.
Updated
And on balancing the relationship between China and the US, given that the relationship between those two countries is not exactly the rosiest it has ever been at the moment, Scott Morrison says:
We will deal with it the way we always have successfully. Our relationships with each of these major partners are different, and they’re both successful.
Australia doesn’t have to choose and we won’t choose. We will continue to work constructively with both partners based on the core of what those relationships are.
Updated
Back to Scott Morrison, he has been asked about Bill Shorten’s comments regarding the embassy discussion – that Morrison has made himself and Australia look stupid.
Bill Shorten doesn’t want to consider this question at all. He then says there should be a process, and when the government engages in a process, he says we shouldn’t follow the process.
I will leave it to Bill Shorten to explain the contradiction of that position.
I noted quite clearly the issue I wished the government to consider. I have been consulting with people since that time, as I said I wouldn’t.
I’ve put in place a process to do it properly and to ensure the position we ultimately arrived that is one consistent with Australian interests and not related to other matters, because Australia has to be sovereign in determining its foreign policy.
We can’t have it determined or our agenda set by any other nation. That’s just a matter of treating yourself with respect.
I’m disappointed the leader of the opposition position would be so quick to take cues on Australia’s foreign policy from those outside Australia.
Updated
Dipping back into the Senate for a moment and Peter Georgiou, of One Nation, has asked a question of Bridget McKenzie about live exports.
Which is fair enough – it is a big issue for Western Australia.
But McKenzie is reading her answer from a piece of paper. So, not exactly unexpected. And the final supplementary is the standard government dixer form of “other approaches”.
McKenzie talks about the dangers of a Labor government in this area, reading, again, from the piece of paper in front of her.
How lovely when questions without notice from crossbench senators line up so well like that.
Updated
So what are the chances we will actually move the embassy?
All I have said is that we will consider the matter, this could be consistent with the two-state solution. I said this is the context in which Australia is considering that issue, in the context of furthering a two-state solution.
I have reasserted, any meetings here and my discussions about the Australian respect for Security Council resolutions as well, the parameters of what we are considering is clear, we have a process.
I noticed the leader of the opposition doesn’t believe we should have a process. The doesn’t wish to consider the issue that is a matter for him, Australia will determine our foreign policy issues. We will consider that an hour timeframe, that matter will not be considered in the context of the issues in relation to the trade agreement.”
Anyone what to take a guess at what our security agencies will report back about the issues surrounding any actual move?
Updated
'I am not aware of him saying that' - Scott Morrison on Steve Ciobo's comments
Asked about David Crowe’s story , which reported Steve Ciobo said there was “less than a 5% chance” of the embassy move actually happening (which Ciobo did not deny having said today), Scott Morrison says he has no information it was ever actually said.
But regardless, it is not Australia’s official position.
I don’t make anything of them [the remarks] because they don’t reflect the views of the government, I am not aware of him even having said that.
I had no knowledge of that, the position I set out yesterday is what has been relayed to the government of Indonesia.
That was very clear, we have our process, and plays, to consider the matter I highlighted some weeks ago, that’s what you would expect us to do, I said we would raise the question, we would address the question, we have a process in place to do that through a cabinet’s admission process one we have concluded that, it will make our views known, then we will move on from there, the issues are not related, they were not conflated, raised together in the meeting yesterday, I have had further opportunity to speak to President Widodo since that meeting and the engagements were warm and receptive.”
On China looking for a reset in its relationship with Australia:
We are getting on with business with China, not just the business of the commercial relationship, but a broad-based relationship, we have a comprehensive strategic partnership with China, it’s good to engage, like we did last night, cover a wide range of issues within the security of that discussion, that partnership, it was a very positive meeting, as I know you have seen the reports of and will continue to get on with business in that manner.”
Scott Morrison says he didn’t discuss China trade strategy in the official bilateral meeting, but that they chatted about it informally at dinner and “Australia’s position remains the same”. (That would be that it doesn’t recognise the South China Sea islands as Chinese territory)
Updated
Scott Morrison starts off with the positives:
Our trade arrangements, our successes are delivering more jobs, for Australia, which means unemployment is at 5%, we are keeping it there, the Australian economy is doing well.
Updated
We’ll be leaving question time in a moment because Scott Morrison is about to hold his daily press conference from Asean.
The education minister, Dan Tehan, has announced a review into how disability funding is being used in the education system. From his statement:
An independent panel will examine how commonwealth funding is used to support students with disability and report back by December 2019.
The National School Resourcing Board will examine the supplementary, substantial and extensive levels of adjustment under the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD), which sets out how disability loading is calculated.
Minister for Education Dan Tehan said the review would ensure the current settings meet the needs of students with disability into the future.
“Our government will provide $22.1 billion for students with disability between 2018 to 2027, with average growth in funding of 5.7 per cent a year,” Mr Tehan said.
“Our government wants to ensure the levels of funding adjustment categorised by the NCCD is appropriate and working to address the needs of students with disability.
“The independent board, led by Michael Chaney, will consult widely to determine if the levels of funding underpinned by the NCCD are hitting the mark.
“The review will also examine the commonwealth’s assurance processes to ensure the accuracy of the information used to calculate a school’s commonwealth funding entitlement.”
Updated
Murray Watt still doesn’t know what the big stick is but says Mathias Cormann told Sky that “as a general rule, I support government policy”.
Watt asks what are the exceptions to that rule are, and whether the power policy is one of them.
Cormann says he was tripped up by Sky’s David Speers and repeated part of the question back to him in his answer, in what he says was a “rookie” mistake. He says he “always” supports government policy.
My eyes have rolled so far back into my head they have now blocked my ears, so I miss the end of these questions, but it seems to be about some of the constitutional concerns which have been raised over the government’s ability to break up electricity companies.
Cormann says that is to be a measure of last resort and the government is committed to bringing down power prices.
Sigh.
Updated
It’s Murray Watt’s turn to ask Mathias Cormann to explain his government’s policies.
“What is the big stick and when exactly will it be used?” Watt asks about the government’s energy policy.
“On this side of the chamber we are committed to bringing electricity prices down, that is of course why we are not going to impose a carbon tax straight after the election,” Cormann starts off.
I think I can call this one early #thesenatordoesnotanswerthequestion
Wong: “He talks about a stick, he says it is big, we are just asking him what it is.”
If even Penny Wong has lost it today, what hope do any of the rest of us have?
Updated
First question from Wong to Cormann is on David Crowe’s story about Steve Ciobo advising his Indonesian counterpart there would be a “less than 5% chance” of the embassy move happening.
Mathias Cormann repeats that you shouldn’t believe everything you read in the paper. Except Ciobo himself didn’t exactly deny it on Sky News earlier today.
Wong’s second question is on the Christmas deadline, and why we can’t just know now. Cormann cites the review and the discussion the government is happening and the “due course”, which is being followed.
Wong’s final question for this batch is on Morrison damaging Australia’s relationships with our Pacific allies but Cormann says the government has created free-trade agreements and there is “no better” ally for business than the Coalition government.
Updated
Question time begins
Penny Wong starts by acknowledging it is summit season, and she understands that there will be absences from time to time.
But with Simon Birmingham, Marise Payne and Matthew Canavan absent today, Wong says it would also be nice if the government ministers prioritised turning up to parliament.
She makes a reference to the government being “thinly represented” and Mathias Cormann, who has slimmed down, says he takes that as a compliment.
Then we begin.
The replies to this are, well, as you would expect after you forced an already marginalised community to campaign for the same right as heterosexual couples.
A year has passed and nearly five thousand same sex couples have been married. A Yes vote of more than 60% and nearly 80% of Australians voted - in a voluntary postal ballot. It said a lot about our commitment to democracy, equality and a fair go. Congratulations Australia! https://t.co/usFKKA75xz
— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) November 14, 2018
We are on the downhill slope to Senate question time.
For a moment, I thought it was 4pm, but that was just a fanciful whigmaleerie, as my Scottish friend would say.
It is the last one we will have (solo) this year, though. So there is a silver lining.
Amnesty International is calling on Australia to stop supporting the Myanmar military. From it’s release:
Bangladesh and Myanmar authorities must immediately halt plans to send Rohingya refugees back to Rakhine State, and Australia must cease its training and support to the Myanmar military who are continuing to commit crimes against humanity today, Amnesty International has said.
A first wave of organised returns could begin as soon as today (15 November), following the announcement of a bilateral agreement between Bangladesh and Myanmar last month which falls short of international obligations.
“This is a reckless move which puts lives at risk,” said Nicholas Bequelin, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southeast Asia.
“These women, men and children would be sent back into the Myanmar military’s grasp with no protection guarantees, to live alongside those who torched their homes and whose bullets they fled.”
Amnesty International Australia’s Rohingya Rights campaigner Diana Sayed, added:
“The Australian Government must cut Australia’s training support to the Myanmar military. That Australian taxpayers’ money continues to support human rights violators is unthinkable.”
Australia is expanding its Pacific labour scheme. From Scott Morrison’s office:
Australia continues to take our partnership with the Pacific to a new level. Building Pacific labour mobility is a priority for Australia and for our partners in the Pacific.
Our Government will progressively roll out the Pacific Labour Scheme across all Pacific island countries. Currently open to six Pacific countries, Tonga will be the next country to join the Pacific Labour Scheme. We will also discuss with our Papua New Guinean counterparts a pathway for Papua New Guinea to join the scheme.
In addition, the current cap of 2,000 places will be lifted, providing more opportunities for Pacific workers to undertake non-seasonal work for up to three years.
Uncapping the Scheme builds on the success of the uncapped Seasonal Worker Programme, which has enabled more than 28,000 job opportunities for Pacific workers in Australia since 2012.
Together, these measures will help farmers and regional communities get the workers they need, when they need them. Australia will continue to prioritise the Pacific to help fill jobs where Australian workers are not able to do so.
To support Australia’s deepening engagement with the Pacific, the Government will also establish a new Office of the Pacific in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to enhance whole-of-government coordination.
The Office of the Pacific will have increased resourcing and will support our efforts to develop even closer ties with Pacific governments and regional organisations, including the Pacific Islands Forum.
Other agencies including the Australian Federal Police, Defence, Department of Home Affairs and Attorney-General’s Department will be invited to provide secondments to the Office to help better coordinate our efforts to develop even closer ties across the region.
Mike Bowers has had some fun with the light in the Senate again
Updated
The Greens’ education spokeswoman, Mehreen Faruqi, has introduced a Senate bill to remove the education minister’s power to veto Australian Research Council grants.
The move follows furore over former education minister Simon Birmingham’s decision to block 11 grants worth $4m in the humanities.
Labor’s position is to restore a protocol that the minister publish reasons for blocking grants.
Faruqi, who is a former academic at the University of New South Wales, said:
Simply publishing the reasons for veto isn’t enough. We need to take concrete action to protect academic independence and that means taking politics out and leaving it to the experts.
As a former academic, I know that the independence of researchers is of the utmost importance and we now know that this has been massively undermined by political intervention by the Liberal government.
It is patently clear that politicians simply cannot be trusted to put the interests of the community ahead of their own political agendas.The Australian Research Council has a rigorous peer review process that must be trusted to guide research funding.
On Tuesday Labor’s industry and innovation spokesman, Kim Carr, told Guardian Australia that he does not support removing the discretion entirely.
He said as minister he had never exercised the power but removing it is “not universally supported in the research community” and ARC recommendations are “not infallible”.
Updated
“I think that Mr Morrison made a major mistake when he floated the kite before the Wentworth byelection to say we would move Australia’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which broke 70 years of bipartisanship and didn’t do anything to accomplish peace in the Middle East,” Bill Shorten said of Scott Morrison’s idea to have a “discussion” about moving our Israeli embassy ahead of last month’s Wentworth byelection.
“Mr Morrison made a mistake. Frankly he made himself look stupid and made our country look stupid. If he has decided not to move the embassy, for goodness sakes, just tell us so we can all get on with everything else.
“I don’t see why this nation has to wait until Christmas so Mr Morrison can climb off his high horse and admit he made himself and Australia look stupid.”
Updated
Four votes later and
The government's hours motion passes with Labor support, so we'll definitely have a Senate vote on the Electoral Funding and Disclosure bill (foreign donation ban) at or before 6:15pm. #auspol
— Paul Karp (@Paul_Karp) November 15, 2018
Scott Morrison made a 'major mistake' – Bill Shorten
On the embassy issue, Bill Shorten said Scott Morrison “made himself look stupid and made our country look stupid”.
“Let’s just get on with it, no shame in admitting you are wrong, let’s just get on with the next issue.”
Shorten calls the discussion thought bubble an “ad man mistake” and Morrison is “running Australia, not an advertising campaign”.
Updated
It is almost the 10 year anniversary of the Victorian Black Friday bushfires.
Bill Shorten is in Kinglake, saying we “need to make sure that there is help available” for people who might need a “helping hand” dealing with the event.
I meant to post this earlier.
Re the Fairfax report that he privately suggested “less than 5% chance” of shifting Embassy to Jerusalem, Steve Ciobo says: “As the PM has made clear, no decision has been taken, it is being reviewed, and a decision will be announced in the future.”
— David Speers (@David_Speers) November 14, 2018
You’ll note it is not a denial.
Update on where the electoral funding legislation debate is at:
There is a suspension to bring on the hours motion (extending the time the Senate sits) to make sure the bill passes tonight.
Updated
You may remember Alan Staines from a little bit ago – he left Parliament House with a plan to walk to Sydney to raise awareness about Australia’s suicide rate.
He’s almost there.
An 86-year-old man is walking the 320km journey from Canberra to Sydney to raise awareness and support Australians affected by suicide. https://t.co/k2Y8Kro5rY
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) November 15, 2018
And remember:
Crisis support services can be reached 24 hours a day: Lifeline 13 11 14; Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467; Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800; MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78; Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636.
Updated
The labour force figures are out – no change.
The unemployment rates remains steady at 5%.
Updated
The government’s foreign donation ban bill will pass the Senate after the shadow minister of state, Don Farrell, confirmed on Thursday morning that Labor would support the bill.
Farrell takes the debate back to Labor’s attempts two years ago to ban foreign donations, and its decision six months ago to refuse to accept them.
But the opposition’s support is somewhat surprising because in October Labor raised the alarm that other provisions of the bill would override state donation laws. After a flurry of government amendments, it seems Labor’s concerns have been addressed, although the Greens have legal advice that the law could allow developer donations to flow back to state campaigns despite state bans, for example, in Queensland.
Farrell:
I hope to see the swift passage of this legislation today. And I call on the prime minister to tell Liberal party to stop taking foreign donations … The opposition will be supporting this legislation with the lengthy and various amendments we have requested subsequently listed by the government.
Farrell talked extensively about Labor’s work to improve the bill to address concerns of charities and the not-for-profit sector about a “web of bans, hurdles and regulatory red tape”.
But the Greens’ democracy spokeswoman, Larissa Waters, warned that the bill “purports to restrict the influence of foreign money but doesn’t achieve that very well”, describing it as only a “small step forward” on that front.
The electoral law expert Prof Joo-Cheong Tham argued in January that the bill did not stop dual citizens or Australian residents and their businesses from making donations.
Waters noted that Sam Dastyari’s dealings with the Sydney-based Chinese businessman Huang Xiangmo would not even be captured by the law.
She said the “sheer weight of regulation will have a chilling effect”, with charities and not-for-profits unable to determine if they can take part in issue-based advocacy during election campaigns.
Updated
One year ago today:
Updated
Our man in Washington is keeping busy:
A nice catch up and a laugh with the Presidents before their sit down discussion in NY. Both are terrific human beings ( and good golfers). #billclinton #georgewbush #newyork @… https://t.co/OYm433lpmF
— Joe Hockey (@JoeHockey) November 15, 2018
Australia, New Zealand at impasse over deportations
Bilateral discussions between Australia and New Zealand have been unable to progress talks owing to a swath of thorny issues.
New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, headed to Singapore this week with promises to raise the deportation of New Zealand citizens with her Australian counterpart, and to discuss the Nauru refugee impasse.
Australia has deported more than 1,000 New Zealand citizens in the last two years, with many having no family connections or friends in that country, or anywhere to go.
Ardern raised the deportation issue with Scott Morrison in a half-hour meeting in Singapore on Wednesday, the first face-to-face between the pair since Morrison claimed the top job.
But Ardern’s famed diplomacy skills fell flat, with the Australian PM refusing to offer any concessions on the deportations and reiterating a “consistent”, unchanged line, Ardern said.
“We’ve consistently raised the issue of deportations … we have asked Australia to consider whether or not some discretion around the policy applying should be considered.”
Ardern was uncharacteristically brief when asked by media if Morrison had been receptive to New Zealand’s appeals.
“Yeah,” she said. “I made the point that there has been examples where we’ve taken the view that we’ve had deported individuals who wouldn’t necessarily claim to have any connection to New Zealand.
“He acknowledged that, and there is discretion in the system, for me it was important to make the point.”
Ardern said she did not have time to raise the issue of the Nauru refugees with Morrison but planned to do so at later meetings during the East Asia Summit and Apec.
Updated
A very big thank you to the Senate secret squirrels who have pointed out just who will be missing from Senate QT today (spoiler: practically everyone who ever answers questions and is not Mathias Cormann).
Marise Payne is overseas. Mathias Cormann will answer for her.
Matt Canavan has ministerial business. Michaelia Cash will answer for him.
Simon Birmingham is also overseas. Bridget McKenzie will answer questions for him.
Updated
Greg Hunt is pleased to be able to cross My Health off his list. From his statement:
The Morrison Government has successfully passed important privacy measures relating to My Health Record, through the Senate, strengthening Labor’s original legislation and further protecting the health information of Australians.
They include tougher penalties for those that misuse the system, strengthening provisions to safeguard against domestic violence, prohibiting employers from requesting and using health information from an individual’s My Health Record and that no health information or de-identified data be released to insurers.
The Senate has also passed amendments that law enforcement agencies can only access a person’s My Health Record with a warrant or court order and anyone who chooses to cancel a record at any time will have that record permanently deleted.
These additional measures will ensure Australians have their health information protected under law in an already secure system.
Yesterday the Government also worked with the Senate crossbench to extend the opt-out period for My Health Record.
The opt-out period will be extended until January 31, 2019, however, it’s important to note that people can opt-out or opt-in at any time in their lives.
Updated
My Health Record passes the Senate
My Health Record has officially passed the Senate.
It still has to go back to the House, because of the amendments – most notably, the extension of the opt-out period to 31 January – but it is done and dusted.
The Senate is now discussing the electoral funding and disclosure changes.
Those relate to the changes George Brandis announced before resigning from parliament. It stops foreign entities from being able to donate, and sets up a new register for those working for a foreign powers to disclose.
Updated
It’s also been a year since the marriage equality plebiscite returned with a decisive ‘yes’ from the Australian public.
There will be a small gathering of the bipartisan ‘yes’ supporters in parliament to acknowledge the anniversary later this afternoon
Outside the Senate this morning, Penny Wong had a little more to say about the embassy “discussion”.
I saw the reports that the former trade minister Mr Ciobo has tried to reassure his former Indonesian counterpart that there is only a 5% chance. What chaos. What does this say about our credibility and consistency in the region? And that’s why Scott Morrison really needs to end this now, make his position clear, walk away from a decision that he is going to walk away from anyway.
Updated
Then there is this:
While in Jakarta earlier this month, Australian Finance Minister @MathiasCormann picked up a classic Indonesian souvenir… 📹 pic.twitter.com/Hn1nnEzWtn
— Gary Quinlan (@DubesAustralia) November 14, 2018
Updated
Jordon Steele-John has thanked young people for advocating for a longer My Health Record opt-out time.
The Senate forced the government to extend the opt-out time until 31 January yesterday. Steele-John said in a statement:
This is a huge win for young people and one that I am proud to have championed on their behalf.
Had this amendment not passed, the parents of a young person visiting their doctor to help facilitate reporting of domestic abuse or family violence would have been able to see the record, instantly placing that young person at even further serious risk of harm.
This period in a young person’s life is one filled with change that facilitates the right to medical privacy, including from their own parents.
Why allow 14- to 17-year-olds the right to make decisions about their body if we’re not also going to afford them the privacy to make those decisions without fear of judgment, repercussions or interference?
We came so close to this disastrous outcome because the government is not willing to listen to young people.
Updated
Meanwhile, Penny Wong, who has made her thoughts on the embassy move “discussion” very clear from the beginning (basically that it’s bupkis to risk a key allied relationship over a byelection) repeated her thoughts on ABC radio this morning:
The decision – the rashly announced, ill-considered, rushed decision that he announced – was going to have implications for our standing in the region.
Apart from anything, Fran, it goes to consistency, and it goes to credibility.
And, unfortunately, Scott Morrison has undermined both of those. And I think the only way out of it is, rather than holding on to this judgment until Christmas, which is what he told reporters he would do yesterday, under pressure, when asked, “When will you make a decision on the embassy in Israel?”
He was pressed and he said, “Christmas?”
Well, why wait till Christmas?
Updated
Everything is going so well Melissa Price has responded to the Concetta Fierravanti-Wells op ed in the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday, on ABC radio.
Fierravanti-Wells was talking about the importance of Australia’s relationship with the Pacific, which is why she found it disappointing that a “L-plate minister” had damaged that relationship.
By that, Fierravanti-Wells meant Price’s conversation with the former president of Kiribati, when she came across him at a Canberra restaurant, and, allegedly (she denies it, despite witnesses vouching for the reported disparaging remarks) said: “I know why you are here, it’s for the cash. For the Pacific, it’s always about the cash. I have my chequebook here, how much do you want?”
Speaking to Patricia Karvelas late yesterday, Price said she was upset by her colleague’s written remarks.
I will ask her about why she would say these comments in the Sydney Morning Herald? I cannot believe she hasn’t been hearing what I’ve been saying, that she would actually believe I would be disrespectful.
I’m deeply wounded by this. I’m not an L-plate minister. I was the assistant minister back in December. Many parts of the portfolio I have responsibility for now I had back in December. That is her opinion and I’m getting on with the job.
As the former minister dealing with the Pacific, Fierravanti-Wells has many contacts and sources in that area. She wouldn’t have written what she did without thought.
Updated
Good morning
Well, the embassy “discussion” is the gift that just keeps on keeping on, with Scott Morrison doing his best to attempt to hose down Indonesia’s concerns Australia could move its Israeli embassy to Jerusalem.
We’ll know the outcome of those “discussions” by the end of the year, he said yesterday.
But with Indonesia balking at signing a free-trade agreement with Australia, not to mention the multibillion-dollar beef trade between the two nations, as well as the need for a healthy diplomatic relationship, the fact we are even having the discussion is an issue.
Fairfax Media’s David Crowe has reported that Steve Ciobo has privately told his Indonesian counterpart there is “less than a 5% chance” the move would ever be given the green light.
That would make sense, because that’s what everyone in the government is saying. But it’s now at a point where it’s damned if you do and damned if you don’t, because we all know that Indonesia thinks it’s an issue. Which makes ending the discussion in the place it was always going to end after the “review” – not moving the embassy – seem as if we are doing it because Indonesia was unhappy.
But moving the embassy would be insanity, on a wider scale than Indonesia, because there are a hell of a lot of European allies who would have questions as well.
Good times.
We’ll follow those developments, as well as everything else that happens today, the last day of Senate-palooza. Thank goodness.
Mike Bowers and the Guardian Australia brains trust is on deck. I haven’t had any coffee this morning, so that needs to change. But everything else? We’re ready.
Let’s get into it.
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