Evening political summary
The daily political wrap, with extra sauce:
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Tony Abbott has kickstarted a political debate on tax revenue and the federation, calling for a “mature debate” which has inevitably led to a consideration of increasing the GST. Victorian Liberal premier has rejected any rise in the tax.
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Barnaby Joyce has apologised to the parliament for changes requested by his office to hansard which did not reflect the agriculture minister’s answer. He told parliament his staff have been counselled.
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Three men dressed in a Klu Klux Klan hood, a niqab and a motorbike helmet have entered parliament in a protest against the parliamentary ruling allowing Muslim face coverings in the public gallery.
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Federal cabinet meets tonight and will consider a financial package for the victims of Mr Fluffy asbestos used in Canberra houses.
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Indigenous politicians have urged a full debate in both houses on the recognition of indigenous Australians in the constitution, with a referendum at the 2016 election or soon after.
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The government is still searching for a solution to allow the deployment of volunteer health workers to ebola areas, in case of infection.
- Tony Abbott will give a speech on medical research.
Thanks to Mike Bowers for his pictures and the Guardian brains trust, Lenore Taylor, Daniel Hurst and Shalailah Medhora.
Having cake and eating it too.
Scott Morrison’s colleagues are right behind him.
Barnaby Joyce has advised the parliament that his staff were responsible for changing hansard and they have been “counselled”. Meanwhile his opposite number Fitzgibbon has declared it #droughtgate.
Farmers will be outraged by Pyne's protection of Barnaby re his mislead & cover-up #droughtgate #qt #CountryLabor
— Joel Fitzgibbon (@fitzhunter) October 27, 2014
It seems like so long ago, but since the anti-burqa protest earlier today, the department of parliamentary services has released a statement.
The Parliament has a long standing policy that an assembly or other activity intended to draw attention to a grievance or matter of interest, whether personal, political of otherwise (a protest) is permitted in the Authorised Assembly Area.
‘Protest paraphernalia’ may be used in the Authorised Assembly Area, but not in other areas of the precinct.
People are not permitted to enter Australian Parliament House with motorbike helmets. Helmets have to be removed and cloaked for security reasons. Once again, this is a long standing arrangement.
The policy requiring the temporary removals of facial coverings that came into effect on 20th October 2014 enables security staff to identify a person who may be a security risk. In this instance, the Parliamentary Security Service followed procedures for screening visitors entering Parliament. The visitors were requested to remove the items obscuring their faces as the items were deemed to be protest paraphernalia.
Back on Palmer and PPL, though he supports the PPL funding going to childcare, he does not support the levy that was meant to fund it.
No, it’s not a question of the levy. It’s a question of we need to bring taxes down in Australia because they are too high.
He is still talking to the government about Direct Action. In case you were wondering.
Latika Bourke at Fairfax has tweeted that Joyce has blamed his staff for the hansard change.
Wouldn’t that be a broken promise, he is asked (if the government doesn’t support Abbott’s PPL).
They’ve broken every other promise, says Palmer.
Clive Palmer is talking about setting women free. I kid you not.
He is asking for the government to spend the money previously set aside for Paid Parental Leave on increased child care.
We may be straying into technical difficulties so bear with us. Maybe down for a while...
It was just a little Liquid Paper...
You did what?
The temperature is rising in the chamber.
BarnabyJoyce between start and finish of attempted censure went #50shadesOfRed #nofilter @GuardianAus @gabriellechan pic.twitter.com/DQRPxxTK83
— Mike Bowers (@mpbowers) October 27, 2014
Here is the guts of the Barnaby Joyce argument today.
Hansard drafts are sent to members to check and edit. Basically, the rule is that you can clean up comments but not change the meaning. Joyce was asked on Monday last week about drought support. He gave an answer in the chamber but the hansard appears to give a different record of answer.
Labor says it appears Joyce or his office changed a number of references from “over 4000 applications” to “nearly 4000”. But the minister’s office then appears to have added phrases, which I have put in bold below.
We are happy with the fact that
overnearly 4,000 applications have been through and if you were also a recipient of the Interim Farm Household Allowance you actually get the money until the department decides that you are not allowed to get the money. So you keep on getting the money until such time as, on the application being assessed, they decide you are not eligible for it. But it is not the case that you apply for the money and then you have to wait for your application to be approved unless it is a new application. You actually get the money straight away. So this is part of a process that is helping us look after the farmers that you left behind.
Speaker Bishop has promised to compare and contrast the tape and the hansard.
As members leave the chamber, Abbott pats a downcast Barnaby Joyce on the shoulder.
Speaker Bishop promises to review Barnaby Joyce's comments
Tony Burke asks Speaker Bishop to review the parliamentary footage and compare it to the official record of hansard to determine whether Joyce changed the hansard. Burke wants to know if Joyce’s conduct amounts to “misconduct”. Bishop says she will watch the tape and report back to the house.
And the final vote now on the actual suspension motion, which will be won by government. And that is question time.
Second gag is won by government. Labor’s Anthony Albanese is arguing with Speaker Bishop. Pyne gets up and moves the suspension motion be put. House votes now.
Breaking: government wins vote.
Labor agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon gets up to speak on Barnaby and gets out half a sentence before his mike is turned off and Pyne moves the gag.
Division required. Vote coming in one minute.
The house is now voting on the “closure of member” according to the parliamentary feed. That is, closing down Tony Burke. Ferme la bouche. (It sounds so much more polite).
I move that the member no longer be heard.
Tony Burke is now speaking to the suspension motion. Barnaby is in a red-faced huddle with Christopher Pyne and Tony Abbott.
Burke is saying it does happen but you have to front up and acknowledge your mistake.
Pyne has moved the gag motion so Burke cannot speak.
Labor is seeking to suspend standing orders to censure Barnaby Joyce for misleading the house last week and attempting to change the hansard to “cover up” his mistake.
A government question to Warren Truss on the East West Link in Victoria, which the Victorian Labor opposition will not support. Vote Coalition in Victoria, says Truss.
Labor asks again about Barnaby Joyce changing the hansard. “Did the minister for agriculture use the following words in his answer last Monday: If you were also a recipient of interim farmhouse household allowance, unless it is a new application? “ If not how did these words appear in the official Hansard record?
Leader of the House Christopher Pyne says Labor should be asking the speaker after question time.
Joyce says it was hard to hear the question because of the opposition noise but he provided the answer.
In a government question, Scott Morrison goes through the government processes for screening people returning from west Africa for ebola.
Labor asks a question which essentially accuses the agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce of changing the hansard in regard to drought relief applications.
Joyce quotes the numbers of applications and sits down quickly.
This is what we said when we came into the chamber and proceeded to give exactly the numbers that were given to us at 3.30 that day.
Scott Morrison is asked about Labor’s possible conversion to turn backs.
We know that if they were ever to occupy these benches ever again the people smugglers picnic would be back because that same indecision,the same division, that same weakness would come back.
Another Labor question on low consumer sentiment. The Labor theme is around low confidence in the economy due to the uncertainty over the budget. Remember the budget? Chris Bowen quotes the Westpac consumer sentiment index which remains 14% below where it was at the election.
Joe Hockey quotes his own survey, ANZ, consumer confidence data released on 21 October which shows sentiment is above the monthly average.
Oh for a statistician.
A question to Hockey from Labor about the Australian Industry Group’s September performances services index and “note this fall was blamed on ‘ongoing concerns about the weak state of the local economy and the affect of federal budget uncertainties this month’. Treasurer, isn’t it the case that your budget is notonly unfair but has also been bad for the economy?
Hockey says the Coalition is the only friend of the Australian economy.
Julie Bishop is updating the house on foriegn fighters. A total of 73 passports have now been cancelled on national security grounds.
Bishop says the government cannot “turn a blind eye” to foreign fighters “because if they then return to Australia as a battle hardened terrorist, they could have a more devastating affect here on our home soil”.
She says at least 70 Australians are fighting in Iraq and Syria.
A government question to education minister Christopher Pyne, will the minister update the house on the benefits to students of government’s expansion to the commonwealth scholarships because of its higher education reform agenda?
Pyne is lauding the announcement by Sydney University that if government’s deregulation of higher education gets through the senate, the university will increase scholarships from 700 to 9000.
In fact, one-third of undergraduate students at Sydney University would have a form of tuition and scholarship support under the government’s higher education reform agenda. We do like to hear from the Labor Party, the misty-eyed nostalgia about so-called free education under the Whitlam agenda but in fact through this government... tens of thousands of young people will get the chance to go to university.
Shorten to Abbott: When will the PM join Denis Napthine on the campaign trail to spruik his plan to increase the GST?
Remember Napthine said he wanted none of a GST rise. Abbott says he looks forward to campaigning with the Liberal premier.
Back onto the carbon tax in a government question to environment minister Greg Hunt.
Hunt is casting his mind back to the Bad Old Days when there was a carbon price.
Murray Goulburn incurs an annual carbon tax cost of approximately $14 million. It was a tax on milk in short.
A government question to Hockey: will the Treasurer outline the state of the global economy and what affects to global events have on Australian jobs?
Shorten to Abbott: Why is the PM using health and education cuts to blackmail the States into backing his plans for increasing the GST?
I am inviting Australians to enter into a mature debate about an important subject rather than dig trenches and hurl insults at each other which, sadly is what all too often has happened in recent times.
Abbott says health and education funding are still increasing. #stoptheinsults
A question from Bob Katter on the cross bench to immigration minister Scott Morrison:
The Australian economy generates 200,000 new jobs every year. Some 300,000 school leavers and others join the work force each year. With the Government’s continuing labour policy of bringing in from overseas 200,000 migrants, 259,000 student visas and 125,000 457 (visas), 600,000 coming in and no records of any going out. Could the minister advise how the additional maybe 800,000 people will find work in an economy that generates only 200,000 new jobs a year?
ScoMo says the rate of net overseas migration each year is in the order of around 240,000 per year but the government is focussing on skilled migration. He agrees with Katter’s point that immigration has to be sustainable. Katter tries to have another crack but is over-ruled.
A government question to treasurer Joe Hockey on building a stronger economy.
Then another question from Labor to the prime minister on his pre-election GST promise.
We will certainly keep our commitments but any change to the GST is a matter for the states, says Abbott.
In a big flag to the state premiers, Abbott says if you want a change, you have to say so.
We should be prepared to look at whether we can make our federation work better and federation reform, if it is to take place, it has to be owned by the States as much as the Commonwealth.
Government question on building a stronger economy.
Then Shorten to Abbott: the PM said the GST is not going to change, full stop, end of story. Given the PM has broken promises, when will he break that promise?
Abbott says he was hoping to have a “mature debate” about the future of the federation.
That is what I am inviting members opposite to participate in, a mature debate about the future of our federation and my hope is that just for once it might be possible to have a debate rather than a screaming match.
As for the GST itself, as the leader of the opposition well knows, the GST is a matter for the states but certainly it is something that will all be looked at as part of the federation reform process and as part of the tax reform process.
Shorten to Abbott: The president of the Australian Medical Association has described Government’s response to the ebola crisis as a shambles. When will the PM finally listen to the AMA and acknowledge that the best way to deal with the ebola crisis is for the nations of the world to combine to stop it in West Africa before it spreads further?
Abbott says the government is not ruling out doing more on ebola and outlines the government’s funding to date.
As members who were watching events in Brisbane yesterday would know, we are well prepared to deal with any ebola case here in Australia. We also have a ready reaction team that can deploy at a moments notice to our region to deal with any outbreak in countries which are less well prepared than Australia to deal with this matter. That is our priority at home and in our region.
First pitch for question time coming up at 2pm...
As mentioned earlier, the health minister Peter Dutton still has still not announced any provision of personnel to ebola hot spots. But he has mentioned the government is working “on how we might assist” with CSL on collecting plasma of ebola survivors ahead of a vaccine.
We are working with CSL and the Gates foundation to see how we might assist in the collection of plasma product from people who have survived ebola, which will be of great benefit potentially to those people who are suffering from ebola at the moment. And, that seems the most immediate way of providing assistance ahead of vaccine.
And, obviously we’re weighing up whether or not we can have the safeguards in place if we send health workers into that country, but we need the support of the Opposition on this matter. I think it’s very important that we have a bi-partisan approach. I think Bill Shorten has been quite circumspect in his contribution, but I think frankly, Tanya Plibersek’s become quite hysterical about it and I don’t think that’s the sort of leadership you need in relation to these scenarios.
Lunchtime politics summary
- Liberal Ken Wyatt delivers a progress report to parliament on the move for constitutional recognition of indigenous Australians, urging a referendum at or just after the next election and a debate in both houses.
- Three men are forced to remove head coverings when they enter parliament wearing a Klu Klux Klan hood, a niqab and a motorbike helmet - in protest against a ruling which allows Muslim facial coverings in parliament.
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Victorian premier Denis Napthine rejects a potential rise in the Goods and Services Tax after Tony Abbott raised the need for federal state revenue reform and a Ceda report urges an overhaul of the federation.
Nothing is decided until everything is decided.
So says trade minister Andrew Robb following his statement on the Trans Pacific Partnernship regional trade negotiations which are occurring in Sydney.
He says the recent round of talks in Australia has brought the focus “up several notches”.
Australia is one of 12 countries involved in the TPP negotiations to free up trade in the region. It has been controversial particularly in the areas of intellectual property and the Investor State Dispute Settlement. Here is a backgrounder I prepared earlier.
Robb says the controversy is predominantly “scare mongering” by those with an anti-free trade agenda.
Don’t cover the face! Not today.
Ken Wyatt and Ed Husic muck about at a function to launch the 2014 baseball season @gabriellechan @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/rN5US0j1Pj
— Mike Bowers (@mpbowers) October 27, 2014
As flagged earlier, the report by Committee of Economic Development Australia (Ceda) says the tax revenue imbalance between the commonwealth and the states is undermining the country. This from Shalailah Medhora:
Residents could be slugged with higher road tolls and land taxes in order to redress the imbalance between the revenue-raising capacity of states and the commonwealth government, if the Ceda recommendations are followed.
It said that the states must be given increased control over revenue, particularly in the areas of health, education, public transport and roads.
“We need to move away from state governments being held to ransom by the federal government and match service delivery and funding,” Ceda’s chief executive, Stephen Martin, said.
Martin, of course, is the former Labor federal member and speaker.
Over at the Oz, Rosie Lewis is reporting that the education minister has written to crossbenchers saying he has extensive support “from third parties” for his higher education deregulation plan and it appears he has not offered any grand changes. There was some suggestion last week that Pyne was going to drop the more controversial elements of his higher ed plans, such as funding cuts. A senate report into the Higher Education and Research Reform Amendment bill 2014 is due tomorrow.
Daniel Hurst has been delving into the backgrounds of the three protestors who came into parliament this morning.
Previous media reports indicate Sergio Redegalli, an artist, is responsible for a “say no to burqas” mural on a wall in Newtown, Sydney, and was interviewed on the ABC program “Dumb, Drunk and Racist” in 2012.
Victor Waterson, a former One Nation candidate who ran for the Australia First Party in the Sydney seat of Bennelong in 2013, was quoted in August last year as saying: “I’m campaigning for a White Australia.” He received 0.6% of the primary vote.
Nick Folkes, chairman of the Party for Freedom, was part of a protest outside Marrickville Woolworths in July against the shopping centre’s “Happy Ramadan” signs. Folkes described the advertising as “offensive” and said the Party for Freedom “doesn’t support multiculturalism at all and we want Muslim immigration to Australia to stop”.
Folkes also appeared in the SBS program “Living with the Enemy” in which he argued against immigration from Africa.
Ken Wyatt delivers progress report on constitutional recognition
The progress report by Ken Wyatt and Nova Peris recommends:
- Parliament “set aside a full day of sittings to debate concurrently recommendations of the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as set out in this report with a view to achieving near-unanimous parliamentary support for and building momentum towards a referendum to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Constitution”.
- The repeal of section 25 of the Constitution
- A referendum take place at or shortly after the next federal election in 2016.
- It recommends three options for the parliament’s consideration.
Updated
Back to GST, where we started the day.
Unsurprisingly Victorian premier Denis Napthine, who faces an election on November 29, is not feeling like a rise in the GST. It’s not that he is against an overhaul of the federation per se, he wants more money, but not by jacking up the GST.
Tony Abbott, show us the money. Our fair share, that’s what we want. All of the states have to agree and I’m saying we’re happy to have a review of federalism but it’s got to be fair dinkum.
Given the competing election cycles, getting agreement from the states on reform will be like mustering cats.
Stop it Mike Bowers! Just one more. Check your hoods at the door.
Sergio Redegalli from "faceless" gets his KKK hood back from Parliamentary security @gabriellechan @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/W8DLuuYflP
— Mike Bowers (@mpbowers) October 27, 2014
The three amigos nominated their preferred parties to the media: Party for Freedom, Australia First and the Liberal party.
I don’t know what to say.
Nick Folkes from anti burqa group faceless takes pics of colleagues talking to media @GuardianAus @gabriellechan pic.twitter.com/uRcaU2JlHC
— Mike Bowers (@mpbowers) October 27, 2014
A few images from the wonderful Mike Bowers.
A group called "faceless" try to enter Parl. @gabriellechan @GuardianAus #politcslive http://t.co/zegREoOURa pic.twitter.com/TQ8B3LHEBv
— Mike Bowers (@mpbowers) October 27, 2014
It is worth noting that Indonesia’s new president Joko Widodo has announced his first cabinet, which includes eight women out of 34 positions, including the country’s first female foriegn minister. Former ambassador Retno Marsudi is the foreign minister.
The three men who entered parliament were Nick Folkes (in a niqab), Sergio Redegalli (in the KKK dress) and Victor Waterson in the bike helmet.
Three men pushing parliament security from Faceless
The three men dressed in a Klu Klux Klan outfit, a niqab and a full face motorbike helmet, claim to be from a group called Faceless, which seeks to ban Muslim facial coverings. A point of clarification; it was a niqab the man was dressed in, though I called it a burqa earlier.
They entered through security, held a press conference in the public foyer and then left the building, at which point they were given back their head dress.
They said they did not want to interrupt the condolences for Gough Whitlam, which was already over.
Updated
The three aforementioned people have been allowed into parliament after taking off their head coverings and they were asked to keep their head coverings off. Which does appear to be at odds with the presiding officers rulings that head coverings could be worn after facial recognition is established.
More from Simon Cullen at ABC:
Men wearing a KKK outfit, a motorbike helmet and a niqab at Parliament House - arguing in favour of #burqaban pic.twitter.com/3WPWRo0tyr
— Simon Cullen (@Simon_Cullen) October 26, 2014
Remember the history on the burqa ban. Speaker Bishop and President Parry ruled that anyone dressed in a burqa could sit only in glassed off areas. Tony Abbott said he asked the presiding officers to reconsider the ban - even though Bishop said he had not done so. The presiding officers have since ruled that those so dressed could be taken to a private room for facial recognition (and scanning), after which, they could sit in the public galleries like everyone else.
Reporters now tweeting:
Burqa wearing dude now claiming sexism because he has had to remove face covering (women don't have to, just show face at security)
— ToryShepherd (@ToryShepherd) October 26, 2014
The KKK-dressed person, has a burqa like face covering under the white hood and is attempting to come into the building. Latika Bourke is helpfully posting photos of this unfolding drama.
There are two people, one dressed in a burqa and one dressed as Klu Klux Klan, out the front of parliament house right now - obviously seeking to test the speaker’s ruling.
Ken Wyatt calls for national leadership and has urged both houses to debate indigenous constitutional recognition to build momentum.
We are assuming there is a cabinet meeting today, being Monday on a sitting week, and we know there is also a meeting of the national security committee. That is because both the foreign minister Julie Bishop and deputy prime minister Warren Truss ditched their engagements this morning - with the greatest regret - to attend the NSC.
Ken Wyatt and Labor senator Nova Peris will release their much awaited progress report into constitutional recognition for indigenous Australians within the hour. This has been personally pushed by Tony Abbott. Wyatt will speak to the report very shortly.
Liberal indigenous MP Ken Wyatt has paid tribute to Whitlam’s reforms, acknowledging he is held as a hero by many indigenous Australians. His indigenous reforms were the “most transformational”. He quotes Maurie Ryan, Vincent Lingiari’s grandson, Galarrwuy Yunupingu and others lauding Whitlam’s reforms.
Also in the parliamentary queue is the freedom of information act amendments, which among other things, abolishes the office of the Australian information commissioner. Paul Farrell has written about these changes. The bill is here and it will:
- give the Administrative Appeals Tribunal sole jurisdiction for external merits review of freedom of information (FOI) decisions;
- makes the attorney general responsible for FOI guidelines, collection of FOI statistics and the annual report on the operation of the Act;
- gives the ombudsman sole responsibility for the investigation of FOI complaints;
- puts the Australian Privacy Comissioner into the Australian Human Rights Commission
- and repeals the Australian Information Commissioner Act 2010 to abolish the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
The condolence motion for Gough Whitlam continues. Liberal backbencher Andrew Laming, a doctor, has related his experience of admitting Gough to St Luke’s hospital in Sydney. When told that he would have to admit “Mr Smith”, Laming found Margaret Whitlam filling out the paperwork at reception.
Laming remembers as a child, seeing his mother listening to a shortwave radio in Papua New Guinea, and telling him - ashen-faced - darling, Mr McMahon has lost the election.
Laming muses that Gough could probably pick him as a Tory, when he walked into the hospital room, based on his haircut, distressed denim and pointy-toe shoes. (Wow, there’s a whole other story there.)
But Whitlam happily gave him a three hour lecture on the Australian banking system, in the longest hospital admission in Laming’s experience.
Laming lauded Whitlams great achievements.
Labor’s health spokesman Catherine King has a rather long private members bill today, outlining the world’s response to ebola, noting calls from the United Nations for member states to respond and thanking front line health workers. Presumably this is to contrast the government’s slow response to the outbreak.
That motion is expected before noon.
Health minister Peter Dutton has been “gaming through” ebola scenarios with the prime minister and Scott Morrison on the weekend. Following the negative test of a young woman in Queensland, Dutton says Australia is well placed to test quickly and trace contacts.
He says there is still no decision on sending health workers to west Africa, notwithstanding reports last week that the government was planning to send volunteer health workers in response to international calls for assistance.
As members and senators file into the building, parliament is due to begin at 10am. There will be more condolences for Gough Whitlam and private members motions before government business, which includes aged care amendments.
Asylum seekers is also on the agenda today.
Labor’s Richard Marles has said Labor could support a policy of turning back asylum seeker boats if Indonesia supported it. If so, it would be a backflip with double pike on a policy that it has vociferously panned.
Marles conceded on Sky that the government’s policy had had an impact.
If there was a situation if in which Indonesia agrees with this, then that’s a game-changer. We are open-minded on this. We are utterly committed to make sure that the humanitarian crisis that happened on our borders [of asylum seekers drowning at sea while trying to reach Australia] never happens again.”
Scott Morrison was at once crowing and also warning that Labor isn’t really that tough. They won’t do it, he said.
In opposition they voted against turn backs and temporary visas. The Australian people know who they can trust on our borders.
Meanwhile, Ben Doherty has a story this morning that ScoMo ignored his department’s advice that it was illegal for him to refuse permanent visas for boat arrivals found to be refugees.
His department apparently warned that it would be challenged in the high court and he would lose. And the High Court did. Who knew public servants know stuff?
Updated
Good morning dear readers,
It’s Monday and I know you will be thrilled to start the political week with the deadset sexy topic of vertical fiscal imbalance. How about a higher GST?
Jokes aside, it has long been a bugbear of the states that they have to provide services without much power to raise tax. Former NSW premier Nick Greiner says the states spend twice as much as they raise in tax.
Funding is out of whack, Greiner said.
If you were having a life over the weekend, you may have missed the prime minister’s speech to commemorate Sir Henry Parkes in the NSW town of Tenterfield, which has kicked off this new-old debate.
Tony Abbott wants to reform the federation, which he described as a “dog’s breakfast”. In his manifesto Battlelines, Abbott was an aggressive defender of commonwealth powers but he has now softened that stance, perhaps as a show of faith to the states.
Here is the relevant quote from Shalailah Medhora’s story:
We would be failing in our duty not to consider better management of the ‘dog’s breakfast of divided responsibilities’ – as I have previously called it – that characterises the Australian federation today.
I remain a pragmatic nationalist – but the states exist, they have wide powers under the constitution and they can hardly be abolished – so, rather than pursue giving the commonwealth more authority over the states, as I proposed in my 2009 book, Battlelines, better harmonising revenue and spending responsibilities is well worth another try.
The elephant in the room is, of course, the Goods and Services Tax. Before the election, Abbott ruled out raising the GST and Labor has accused him of egging on the states to call for an increase.
On cue, the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) is releasing reform options. Balls in the air include a raising the GST, giving the states a share of income-tax revenue or greater land taxes to fund their needs.
Also on the agenda this morning, the government’s reaction to ebola, after the news that an 18-year-old woman has tested negative initially for suspected ebola. The health minister Peter Dutton has been out early talking about the government’s arrangements. More on that in a minute.
We will be here and on Twitter at @gabriellechan and @mpbowers. Do stay with us while we navigate the parliamentary day.
