Five things we learnt from Question Time when federal parliament resumed
Federal Parliament resumed on Monday and, once the mudslinging was underway a few pearlers shone through: drug testing, golf tips, the fourth Ashes Test, bushfires, Tim Fischer and can Aldi plastic bags stuffed with cash be recycled?
NSW
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Parliament has resumed after a five-week winter break with the government and Labor clashing over drug testing welfare recipients and creating a national integrity commission.
But Question Time was dominated by one topic — who is better at running the economy.
After a series of heartfelt tributes to former Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer, the mudslinging began in earnest.
Here are five things we learnt from Question Time on Monday:
1. Albo gives Scomo a golf lesson
Labor would very much like everyone to stop talking about Labor, and start talking about the government thank you very much.
That was the key message from the Opposition throughout Question Time as they tried to focus conversation on the current state of the economy, rather than the current state of the Labor Party.
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese kicked off his question complaining about a “boast” by Prime Minister Scott Morrison that he would “wedge” Labor this week instead of focusing on “economic drivers”.
“As any golfer knows, while wedges are handy, drivers are what you need to get going,” he said.
Mr Morrison didn’t acknowledge the sporting tip, perhaps he’s already got a few golfing pointers from US President Donald Trump during the G7 last month.
2. The Coalition’s plastic recycling plan does not include Aldi bags stuffed with cash
A key reason why Labor wants everyone to stop talking about them — it took just over half an hour of questions for the ICAC-shaped elephant to crash into the House.
Mr Morrison seized on a question from Moreton MP Graham Perett, which included asking why the Government was talking about Labor instead of the economy, to do just that (the Labor Party brought it up this time after all).
“What is happening on the side of the Labor Party, and I was asked about the Labor Party, is chaos,” Mr Morrison said.
“It’s chaos and uncertainty and in New South Wales, there is the big stench of corruption.”
Mr Morrison has evidently been following the ICAC hearings into an alleged illegal donation made to NSW Labor in the form of a $100,000 bag of cash.
“When I said we had to recycle plastics, I didn’t mean Aldi plastic bags stuffed full of cash,” he said.
“That was not my plan … but it is certainly the plan of the New South Wales Labor Party.”
3. Bushfires in NSW and Queensland remain ‘volatile’
Mr Morrison updated the House on the status of the fires raging across Queensland and parts of northern NSW, warning a forecast of dry and windy conditions meant the situation was still very serious.
“It is only September and every indication is that a hot, dry summer is ahead and there are over 100 fires burning across Queensland and New South Wales,” he said.
“However, those fires of greatest concern on Friday and Saturday … in Tenterfield and Stanthorpe (in NSW), Mapplethorpe in Queensland, they no longer threaten lives and property.”
Mr Morrison said no lives were lost in the fires, but a NSW Rural Fire Service volunteer was injured while fighting a blaze near Tenterfield and still in recovery.
“Our thoughts are with him and his family,” Mr Morrison said.
“In terms of property, five houses were destroyed … and 25 non-residential structures have been destroyed in NSW fires,” he said.
“In Queensland 52 houses were damaged included 15 houses that were completely destroyed.”
4. A government of ‘stability and certainty,’ or ‘certainty and stability’?
After a sobering update on the bushfires in northern NSW and Queensland, debate turned to who was the worst at managing the economy.
Government backbenchers took turns to ask Mr Morrison, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack to outline how the Coalition’s economic policies were creating “certainty and stability”.
A version of the new catchphrase was uttered no less than a dozen times throughout debate, with the government keen to make sure Australians know it is certainly a good time to go out and spend money in our very stable economy.
Mr Morrison said it was a time of “increasing complexity” with “challenging times” ahead for Australia.
“That is why when we sat down to prepare this year’s budget, we prepared … a budget that came together to do a series of things, but most importantly, to provide the certainty and provide the stability and economic leadership that Australians needed,” he said.
While the government talked up its economic credentials, Labor MPs focused their questions on the latest economic forecasting released last week showing growth was the slowest it has been in a decade.
5. Everyone loved Tim Fischer
Former Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer was fondly remembered by politicians on both sides for his contributions to Australia in a series of heartfelt condolence speeches at the beginning of Question Time.
Mr Morrison said Mr Fischer, who passed away in August aged 73, was “an Australian original”.
“He was loved, he was admired, he was respected, he was revered,” he said.
Mr Fischer served as National Party leader from 1990 to 1999, playing a significant role in the Howard government’s push for gun control in Australia after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996.
Mr McCormack said the decision to back reform despite representing country voters who disliked the laws was a “move of conviction”.
“A less leader might have baulked, but not Tim Fischer,” he said.
“He was convinced that action was needed, what was right took precedence over what might have seemed less risk, less challenging.”
Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles said Mr Fischer was an example of the “very best” that the community and nation had to offer.
“As a result, his community loved him … in a way which completely transcended partisan politics,” he said.
“In our own age of a pre-eminent, loud, self-reinforcing social media, which sometimes seems to encourage populism, his making of a (pro-gun reform) argument, that example is a beacon to all of us here about how to do our job at the highest level, and in the best possible way.”
5A. … and the Australian cricket team.
On a matter of indulgence, Mr Morrison wanted to the first to formally congratulate the Australian teams efforts in retaining the Ashes in a thrilling fourth test overnight.
“Many of us, I’m sure, were watching the game last night but it has been an absolutely tremendous result and I want to particularly pay tribute to Tim Paine,” he said.
“Tim Paine took over the captaincy of the test team at a very difficult time for cricket in Australia, and the leadership he has shown of that team I think was rewarded last night, and can I also acknowledge the absolutely amazing efforts of Steve Smith.
“All Australians were cheering him on last night. He has answered his critics in the best way that you can in sport — with bat and ball in hand. Well done for bringing home The Ashes, boys!”
Not to be outdone on sports knowledge, Mr Albanese — having already opened the session with a reference to golf — added his congratulations to the cricket team.
“Led most ably by Tim Paine, and coached most ably by Justin Langer, and with Steve Smith back in the team, scoring a fair percentage of the runs, it must be said, that Australia has scored,” he said.
“We look forward to welcoming them back here on Australian shores, retaining The Ashes is a great effort.”
Originally published as Five things we learnt from Question Time when federal parliament resumed
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