Scott Morrison to kick off farewell tour with a goodbye speech to Parliament
One of Australia’s most controversial leaders will give his final words to Parliament.
Scott Morrison has confirmed he will polish off his 16-year political career with a final speech to parliament on Tuesday.
The former prime minister, who announced his retirement from public service in January, will deliver his parting words to his federal colleagues shortly after sitting resumes in the Lower House after 10am.
The 53-year-old backbencher said he aimed to embark on “new challenges” in the global corporate sector and spend more time with his family.
“I am extremely grateful to my family, friends, local community and local party members and supporters in Cook for their incredible support during this time which has enabled me to serve my country at the highest level,” he wrote in a social media post.
Mr Morrison will soon join US consulting firm American Global Strategies as non-executive vice chairman. He will also assume a strategic adviser role with AUKUS investor DYNE Maritime, alongside former US secretary of state and ex-CIA director Mike Pompeo.
Despite these roles being mostly based in Washington, Mr Morrison told reporters in January that he intended to work remotely from Australia.
A by-election for his southern-Sydney electorate of Cook is unlikely to be held before April.
Joyce takes leave
Barnaby Joyce is taking time off just weeks after he was filmed lying on public footpath intoxicated and slurring profanities into his phone.
The former deputy prime minister came under intense scrutiny earlier this month after a viral video emerged showing him lying on a Canberra street late at night that he later blamed on mixing alcohol with prescription medication.
Ahead of a busy parliamentary sitting day on Monday, Nationals leader David Littleproud said Mr Joyce had taken the week off after he urged the MP to take leave to deal with “personal matters”.
“I’ll take Barnaby on his word. He won’t be here this week. He’s notified me that he won’t be coming to parliament,” Mr Littleproud said.
“He’s having the week off, which we gave him the opportunity to undertake with his family.
“I respect that. And I hope, hope he went to church yesterday and all he had was altar wine.”
Mr Joyce said he was giving up alcohol for Lent.
No tax win for Albo in new polls
The Albanese government has been dealt a blow in new polling taken since its revision of the stage 3 tax cuts and days out from a crucial by-election.
Parliament will sit for the next four days before the by-election in the Melbourne seat of Dunkley, following the death of Labor MP Peta Murphy, is held on Saturday – the first big electoral test of the year.
Three new polls show despite the changes to the tax cuts – which will go through parliament this week – the government suffered a dip in its primary vote.
The Newspoll for The Australian shows the government failing to improve its position overall since December.
Labor’s primary vote fell behind the Coalition 36 to 33 per cent, although the government maintained a four-point lead on the two-party preferred vote system, 52 to 48 per cent, two points higher than February’s polling.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said she knew the by-election would be a tight call but remained confident that Labor candidate Jodie Belyea would sway voters.
“By-elections are tough and that is why our candidate is out there every single day talking to voters about what matters to them – and that is cost of living,” she said.
Nationals frontbencher Barnaby Joyce said high cost of living was “absolutely murdering people” and argued that a string of recent scandals facing Labor involving border protection would dampen its chances.
“(Voters) can’t afford what is happening at the checkout and they certainly can’t afford their power prices,” he said.
“Let’s see what the Labor Party can do. They don’t deserve to win – put it that way, let’s see what happens.”
The Newspoll results also showed Mr Albanese gaining one point as the “better prime minister” from 46 to 47 per cent, with Mr Dutton remaining steady on 35 per cent. A further 18 per cent were uncommitted.
Polling conducted by Resolve Political Monitor for the Nine newspapers found the primary vote for Labor dropped by one point from 35 to 34 per cent since December, while the Coalition gained ground from 34 per cent to 37 per cent.
While Mr Albanese was still seven points ahead of Mr Dutton (39 to 32 per cent) as the preferred prime minister, the margin was also at its lowest since Labor was returned to power.
Meanwhile, a fresh MyGov survey of 394 voters found the Liberals held a narrow lead going into Saturday’s by-election – with a 51 per cent of voters in favour against 49 per cent who opted to vote Labor, after distribution of preferences.
Despite the sway, data found the overwhelming majority backed Labor’s new right to disconnect legislation that passed earlier this month.
About 52 per cent of voters said they were less likely to vote for the Coalition in the future if Opposition Leader Peter Dutton acted on his pledge to overturn a nationwide ban on work calls after-hours.
Minister slams opposition as ‘Chicken Little”
The Coalition has been labelled the “Chicken Little” of Australian parliament, as the government accused them of “making up” figures around the country’s incoming fuel efficiency standards.
Earlier this month, the government announced its proposal to place a yearly cap on the emissions output for new cars sold in Australia, in a bid to incentivise carmakers to supply low- and zero-emissions vehicles and penalise companies that do not.
During Question Time, Nationals Leader David Littleproud asked Infrastructure Minister Catherine King how much more expensive a Toyota Rav4 would be under Labor’s plan.
“Industry analysis shows the popular family SUV, the Toyota RAV4, will be taxed up to an extra $11,000,” he said.
Ms King said the figure Mr Littleproud had quoted was “completely made up”.
“On this side of the house we want Australians to have greater choice in the new vehicles that they buy, and to pay less of their hard-earned cash on fuel,” she said.
Response to Unis Accord “in due course”, minister
Education Minister Jason Clare says Australia needs to build a “better and fairer education system across the board” in the wake of the final Universities Accord report being handed down.
The most significant review of Australia’s higher education sector in more than 15 years, the panel made 47 recommendations – including overhauling the HECs-HELP system and bolstering the university attainment rate in the country.
During Question Time on Monday, Mr Clare said helping more students finish university relied on the government first improving high school attainment.
“The same kids who are not getting a crack at university at the moment are the same kids who are not finishing high school at the moment,” he said.
“It’s all connected. We need to build a better and fairer education system across the board. It helps ensure no-one is held back and no-one is left behind.”
Mr Clare said the government would consider the report, and respond in due course.
Australia takes ‘next steps’ against Russia
The Australian government has announced financial sanctions and travel bans on seven prison officials “involved in the mistreatment of Alexei Navalny”.
Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Richard Marles said the government held Russian President Vladimir Putin and his government responsible for the Opposition Leader’s treatment and death in custody.
“The Australian government is deeply shocked and saddened by the death of Mr Navalny. These sanctions are the next step in Australia’s efforts to hold to account those responsible for grave breaches of Mr Navalny’s human rights,” Mr Marles said.
“As Australia has made clear to Russia, we join calls for an independent and transparent investigation into Mr Navalny’s death.
We acknowledge Mr Navalny’s heroic contribution to promoting democracy in Russia and his tireless opposition to President Vladimir Putin’s regime – work for which he has paid the ultimate price.”
‘Buggers’: Lambie’s heads case for defence shake-up
Independent senator Jacqui Lambie has called for the sacking of senior defence officials in a brutal dressing-down of defence force culture.
On Sunday, Defence Minister Richard Marles admitted that there were “cultural issues” plaguing his department following reports that he was at odds with senior figures in his own department.
Mr Males told Sky News that things had gotten so bad that he hauled Defence Secretary Greg Moriarty and Defence Chief Angus Campbell in for a closed-door meeting to demand a better culture of excellence late last year.
In a blow-up on Monday, Senator Lambie said the issue was a 15-year-long problem and demanded that Mr Marles fire his defence secretary effective immediately.
“If you can’t see that the top echelon of defence needs to go and needs to be removed, effective immediately, and also the secretary [Mr Moriarty]. that’s a good start,” she told Nine.
“Get rid of these buggers because there is a problem.”
Anger over vape ban
Coalition MPs have raised the alarm over high rates of youth vaping across Australia despite strict new importation laws.
The Albanese government’s crackdown on vaping came into full force on January 1 after a total ban on the import of disposable vapes.
The only vapes legally allowed into the country are pharmaceutical products prescribed by a doctor to help people quit smoking.
Despite new laws, Liberal backbencher Warren Entsch claimed that illegal nicotine sales had gone through the roof, flagging a rise in the number of underage children purchasing vapes in convenience stores located near schools.
“Everywhere you go you see them. The problem with these places is they sell for cash – in fact, some of them have got ATMs … so these people are selling them at ridiculously low prices, so everybody knows who they are,” he told Sky.
More than 13 tonnes of disposable vapes worth an estimated $4.5m have been seized by border authorities since Australia’s new vaping laws took effect in January.
It’s widely expected that the changes will encourage an uptick in black market activity, with the federal health department estimating that illegal sales are worth $400m each year.
The week in parliament
Labor will spend the week fighting cost-of-living fires on multiple fronts, as the government gears up to pass its new-look tax cuts against a backdrop of another housing battle.
While the changes to the stage 3 tax cuts will be the focus of the Senate this week, debate on the government’s proposed Help to Buy scheme will resume in the lower house.
If passed, the shared equity scheme would allow more than 40,000 Australians to co-own their first home with the government, requiring just two per cent of a deposit.
The government says it’s a crucial part of Labor’s broader housing agenda, but are staring down the Coalition and the Greens.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, debate will continue on the changes to the tax cuts.
The Coalition is set to vote in favour of the policy, but will likely use the vote to move amendments undermining the government as they did when the Bill went through the lower house.
Warnings over ‘pork season’
An independent MP has launched a bid to stamp out pork-barrelling, warning it has been rampant ahead of the Dunkley by-election.
There are currently no laws to criminalise pork-barrelling in Australia, which happens when politicians use and divert taxpayer funds to target voters in an effort to drum up votes.
Ahead of the introduction of her private members bill to criminalise pork-barrelling on Monday, Helen Haines warned it was absolutely “critical” that pork-barrelling was made illegal before the upcoming election.
“Pork barrelling is happening right now during the Dunkley by-election, and before long the government and the opposition will be campaigning for the next federal election,” she told ABC’s Radio National.
“We know there has been an egregious breach of trust when it comes to the expenditure of public money.
“It’s absolutely critical that we stamp this out once and for all – we’re entering election season pretty soon and that’s prime pork season.”
‘Grim’: Emotional debate over Gaza
A Greens senator says the Albanese government has “failed” people living in Palestine before his motion to have Australia condemn Israeli occupation in Gaza was voted down.
There are calls for the Labor government to take up a stronger position on the Israel-Hamas conflict after it voted in favour for a humanitarian ceasefire during a UN-led resolution last week.
After urging the government to reconsider its stance, Greens senator Jordon Steele-John said this week marked a “very grim milestone”, with nearly 30,000 people in Palestine reported dead since war broke out in October.
“The scale of human suffering we are witnessing every night on TV and on social media is unimaginable,” he said.
“The government has failed the people of Palestine … All our government has been able to offer at this time is at best meaningless words.”
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said the escalating conflict was “incredibly distressing” and called for a “responsible joint effort” towards a pathway to peace in the Middle East.
“It is of deep regret that the Senate continues to receive suspension motions from the Greens political party who are clearly only looking for ways to look at how they can use this crisis to whip up anger for votes,” she said.
The motion was defeated 31 to 11.
‘Rubbish’ nuclear blow-up
A new poll showing that younger Australians would back a transition to nuclear power has been slammed as a “fantasy and a distraction” as the Coalition continues its war against the country’s renewables transition.
The Labor government has set an ambitious goal to convert 82 per cent of the country’s energy sources to renewables by 2030.
However, a recent Newspoll conducted for The Australian shows about 55 per cent of voters would back a proposal to replace retired coal-fired power plants with small modular nuclear reactors.
Ms Plibersek said nuclear was the most expensive solution at a $389bn estimated cost to taxpayers.
“Until you tell them that there will be a nuclear reactor next door then I don’t think that anybody would support nuclear power,” she told Sunrise.
“It is a fantasy and distraction to what we need to do,”
According to the new poll, about 65 per cent of people aged 18 to 34-year-olds backed nuclear power, despite research indicating that younger generations were the most concerned about climate change.
Mr Joyce, who has long opposed Labor’s renewables plan, argued that regional Australia couldn’t cope with the renewable energy transition.
“You’re selling the wind farms … the price of power will goes through the roof and liability goes through the roof and liability goes through the floor and the money goes overseas.
Sparkies on strike
Electricians and tradesmen working in Canberra’s Parliament House have walked off their jobs for 24-hours to demand higher wages.
Members from the Electrical Trades Union some full-time electrical staff building have been paid about $30,000 below the industry average.
TU NSW & ACT secretary Allen Hicks said workers were “fed up” and called on the Department of Parliamentary Services to offer staff a better pay deal.
“It’s a kick in the guts to have contractor staff who’re paid competitive industry rates working alongside trade-qualified permanent employees who’re earning the equivalent of a contractor apprentice,” Mr Hicks said.
“We have federal politicians acknowledging the need to fill the chronic shortage of electrical workers, yet one of their departments is offering their trades staff a dud deal that does nothing to retain and attract the workforce.
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