PoliticsNow: Australian politics live from Canberra, Senate, House of Reps
PoliticsNow: Labor thought it could dominate with Barnaby Joyce presiding, but things did not go smoothly.
Thank you for joining us at PoliticsNow, our rolling coverage of federal politics from The Australian’s team at Parliament House in Canberra.
How the day unfolded
4.15pm:What we learned in Question Time
Labor thought it could dominate Question Time with Barnaby Joyce presiding, but things did not go so smoothly, David Crowe writes.
Malcolm Turnbull’s absence on Monday – at a regional summit in Peru – meant Barnaby Joyce was in charge of the government ranks in Question Time. Bill Shorten was confident he and his colleagues could provoke the Acting Prime Minister into making a stumble, but Joyce came into the chamber with a plan to answer every question outside his portfolio by flicking some of the answer to the relevant minister. Asked about the budget or paid parental leave, he launched into his answer by talking about government debt and left it to the minister to handle the detail.
Joyce, who gets so worked up at the despatch box that he becomes close to incoherent, wisely kept to the plan. This left Scott Morrison to lead the attack on Labor over the budget – such as Shorten’s decision to block $19 billion in savings – and workplace relations reform.
Queensland Labor MP Graham Perrett misjudged at one point by interrupting Morrison to declared it “offensive” for the treasurer to suggest Labor MPs were associated with “lawlessness” on building sites. Morrison seized on this with gusto: “Hand back the cash,” he yelled, suggesting Labor should stop taking donations from the CFMEU. For good measure, Morrison accused Shorten of having his “chain pulled” by the big construction union.
The bigger clash came when Peter Dutton took two questions from Shorten over the immigration minister’s remarks on Sky News last week about criminals in ethnic groups, a legacy he said dated back to Malcolm Fraser’s government. Labor accused Dutton of maligning the Vietnamese community, misreading his remarks. Dutton’s remarks to Andrew Bolt last week were primarily about crime among the Sudanese community in Melbourne but he also blamed the Fraser government’s intake of Lebanese Muslims.
Dutton stood his ground on this question as Labor MPs yelled across the chamber. “The advice that I have is that our of the last 33 people who have been charged with terrorist related offences in this country, 22 of those people are from second and third generation Lebanese Muslim background,” he said.
This infuriated the Labor side. “Suffer the grandchildren,” called out Labor’s Tony Burke, whose western Sydney electorate has an ethnic mix that includes the Lebanese Muslims. Others also attacked Dutton for appearing to blame migrants who came to the country decades ago for offences occurring today.
“I hold up those people who have come from all walks of life – the Vietnamese who came in, the people who’ve come in from Asia, from war-torn Europe, the people who’ve come in Lebanon – many people who have built this country over many decades deserve to be praised. But I am going to call out those people who are doing the wrong thing,” he said.
“And if we pretend otherwise, my judgement is that we only compound these problems.”
At no point did Dutton repeat the argument that these problems could be traced back to the Fraser government. Even so, he stood by the link between ethnicity, crime and terror. Labor thought it had highlighted Dutton’s slur against entire ethnic communities. On the government side, however, there was a confidence that many Australians would agree on the need for some straight talk on the matter.
3.25pm:‘I won’t be bullied’
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has crossed swords with Bill Shorten in a fiery question time exchange, accusing the Opposition Leader of misrepresenting him about his comments last week in which he criticised parts of Malcolm Fraser’s immigration policy in the 1970s.
The Opposition Leader asked Mr Dutton about the comments he made on Sky News and his statement that Malcolm Fraser “did make mistakes in bringing some people in the 1970s and we’re seeing that today”.
Mr Shorten asked what people Mr Dutton was referring to and whether he would apologise to Australia’s hard working migrant communities including the Vietnamese community.
But an angry Mr Dutton slammed the question, beginning his answer by saying: “I’m not going to be misrepresented by this great fraud of Australian politics.”
Mr Dutton accused Mr Shorten of unfairly trying to demonise him. “I won’t be bullied by this union leader. That may have been his working life. He may have bullied people and he may have double-crossed everybody he’s come across in his working life, but I won’t be bullied and I won’t be demonised by this union leader,” Mr Dutton said.
But Mr Shorten persisted, following up the question with a second on the same topic in which he again pushed Mr Dutton to nominate the country from which people should not have been allowed into Australia when Mr Fraser was Prime Minister.
Mr Dutton said that he had received advice that, out of the last 33 people to have been charged with terrorist-related offences, 22 were from a second and third generation Lebanese-Muslim background.
“If the Leader of the Opposition wants somehow to conduct a phony debate in this country and not to be honest in relation to these matters, that’s an issue for him,” Mr Dutton said. “I’m not going to shy away from the facts ... Many people who have built this country over many decades deserve to be praised. But I am going to call out those people who are doing the wrong thing.”
2.45pm:Morrison coy on surplus
Treasurer Scott Morrison has declined to confirm whether the government is sticking to its prediction for a budget surplus in 2020/21.
Instead he stated the obvious - Australia’s finances will be back in the black when expenditure is less than revenue.
“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to work that out,” Mr Morrison said in response to a Labor question during parliamentary question time.
Labor ex PMs getting good run in #qt today. Morrison quotes Hawke on unions, then Frydenberg channels PJK on Greens as "opportunistic Trots"
— Rachel Baxendale (@rachelbaxendale) November 21, 2016
2.20pm:Barnaby takes the reins
Acting Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce is leading the government through question time, stepping up to fill the absence left by Malcolm Turnbull who is still returning from the APEC summit in Peru.
Announcing the change in arrangements before the start of question time, the grinning Nationals Leader said he would be representing the Prime Minister “ably and well.”
Mr Joyce was first hit with a question from Labor about social policy including the government plan to claw back a budget saving of $1.2 billion by cutting paid parental leave payments to women who already benefit from an employer scheme.
While eventually deferring to Social Services Minister Christian Porter, Mr Joyce said that Labor had previously left the government “hundreds of billions of dollars in debt” -- a factor which he said loomed large in “every decision that we make.”
1.55pm:Senator’s court move fails
Chief Justice Robert French has dismissed One Nation senator Rodney Culleton’s calls to have the challenge against his election struck out, as the Western Australian pleaded for more time to “rehydrate” his piggy bank in the lead up to Christmas.
The High Court, sitting as the Court of Disputed Returns, will hear the Senate’s referral of Senator Culleton’s election in a date to be set in December following a colourful directions hearing today.
Former Family First senator Bob Day, who resigned from the upper house this month, will have his referral heard next year, with all parties asked to come to an agreement on the facts of the case by December 22.
Mr Day and Senator Culleton may be disqualified from parliament under section 44 of the Constitution over a potential indirect pecuniary interest in an agreement with the commonwealth and, in Senator Culleton’s case, a now-annulled larceny conviction.
Independent MP Bob Katter showed up at the court after the directions hearing, lending his support to Senator Culleton who he said had been ratted on by his own party.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson supported the government’s moves to refer questions over the validity of Senator Culleton’s election to the High Court.
1.45pm:Labor senator fires up
Senior Labor figure Doug Cameron accused the government of ignoring corruption by big banks while attacking unions.
“This is the mob that wanted to get rid of penalty rates ... trying to deny women decent maternity leave,” he told parliament.
Labor is proposing several amendments, seeking to make the Australian Securities and Investments Commission the regulator rather than the separate entity the government proposes.
“Not some mate of the Coalition put in there on hundreds of thousands of dollars to run the coalition’s agenda,” Senator Cameron said.
“They rail against red tape and big government, but when it comes to attacking the union movement or paying off their mate Bob Day there’s no limit to the amount of taxpayer money that can be splashed around.”
Greens senator Lee Rhiannon said the government was lying about the true intent of the legislation, insisting its real agenda was to make it harder for workers to improve their conditions and get higher wages, in order to help out their big business mates.
1.25pm:Leyonhjelm casts doubt over ABCC laws
Liberal Democratic Senator David Leyonhjelm says he would not guarantee a government victory on the passage of legislation to revive the Australian Building and Construction Commission, saying he is not yet prepared to support it.
He told Sky News that he was looking to do a deal with the government to protect individual liberties in return for his support for the ABCC given his reservation that the stronger construction industry watchdog cut across personal freedoms.
“I’m simply not going to vote for the ABCC this time unless I have a satisfactory agreement with the government that overall net liberty is not going to be reduced. I’m just going to stick hard and fast to my principles. I won’t vote for an increase in taxes. I won’t vote for a reduction in liberty. Full stop,” he said.
Senator Leyonhjelm also said he had concerns about the government’s legislation to stop asylum seekers who attempted to come to Australia by boat from ever returning to Australia, even as a tourist.
“I think they will struggle to get Labor’s support and crossbench support on this lifetime ban on visas issue,” he said. “I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they don’t even try. I have got a couple of reservations about the bill myself and we’ve got some amendments being drafted now.”
1.10pm:Senator attacks Labor
One Nation’s Malcolm Roberts has used the defeat of Hillary Clinton to urge support for the federal government’s workplace legislation, insisting the world would dodge two bullets.
Senator Roberts was speaking in support of legislation to tackle union misconduct through the establishment of a Registered Organisations Commission - one of the bills used to trigger the July 2 double-dissolution election. “The world dodged the Clinton bullet, and holds out hope that by passing this legislation we can dodge the union bullet as well, the union bosses bullet,” he told the Senate today.
Senator Roberts used his speech to launch a tirade against Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, the Greens and union bosses.
The legislation was about bringing the rule of law to “elite” union bosses, he said, accusing Labor of trying to protect those with their snouts in the trough by opposing the bill.
“Stopping this bill is what an elite would do.
“In Bill Shorten’s Labor, theft and malfeasance is encouraged and flourishes unpunished with complete abandon.” Senator Roberts accused Mr Shorten of “dirty dealings” with the construction union in order to become Labor leader.
“The leader of the Labor party, a man who would not be Labor leader if it were not for the shady dealings he has engaged in with the most ill-reputed union, the CFMEU.”
Senator Roberts was repeatedly warned and forced to withdraw some comments.
12.25pm:Albo pushes high-speed rail
Opposition spokesman for infrastructure and transport, Anthony Albanese, has introduced a private members bill into parliament to create a High Speed Rail Authority to start work on a high speed line between Brisbane and Melbourne via Sydney and Canberra.
Mr Albanese said the project would “revolutionise interstate travel” by allowing people to travel between capital cities in as little as three hours while turbocharging the development of regional centres including the Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Taree, Newcastle, the Central Coast, Southern Highlands, Wagga Wagga and Albury-Wodonga.
12.15pm:Wong’s warning over US
Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong says that any new foreign affairs White Paper must prepare for the prospect of a “breakdown in multilateralism” in a speech canvassing the need for policy makers to consider Australian responses to a decline in American power.
In an address to the Australian Institute of International Affairs in Canberra this morning, Senator Wong said the White Paper flagged by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop would need to “grapple with a number of hard questions”.
One of these questions was how Australia should react to any movement from a unipolar world, dominated by the United States, to a multipolar system dominated by the competing interests of a number of key players.
Addressing the future of the ANZUS alliance, Senator Wong said more thought needed to be dedicated to how Australia should work to maintain the alliance and Washington’s focus on Asia in a changing environment.
“What would be the consequences of a breakdown in multilateralism for a middle power like Australia?” she asks. “What changes are needed to the UN and other post-war Bretton Woods institutions to engage emerging powers in the international rules-based order?”
Senator Wong’s comments follow her push last week for a possible recalibration of the Australia/US alliance following the victory of Donald Trump in the race for the US Presidency.
In her speech this morning, Senator Wong repeated her call for Australia not to trade away its values because it shared an alliance with the US.
12pm:One Nation senator faces court
West Australian senator Rod Culleton has arrived at the High Court declaring that if he’s “swatted like a mozzie” he’ll still have done his bit in Australian history.
The One Nation senator is being challenged by the federal government over his possible ineligibility to run for parliament because of a larceny conviction at the time of the July 2 election.
The High Court, sitting as the Court of Disputed Returns, is holding a directions hearing on Monday for the case against Culleton and a second against former Family First senator Bob Day.
Mr Day’s eligibility is being challenged on the grounds he received an indirect benefit from the government in relation to his Adelaide electorate office. Flanked by staff members, Senator Culleton arrived at the High Court building.
“If I’m swatted today like a mozzie, well then I have done my bit in Australian history and no one can say I haven’t given it my best shot,” he told reporters. Senator Culleton also wants to tidy up the courts.
“It’s just a roulette wheel for the rich. Here I am representing myself.”
10.45am:APEC leaders defy protectionism push
Leaders of 21 Asia-Pacific nations have ended their annual summit with a call to resist protectionism amid signs of increased free-trade scepticism, highlighted by the victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential election.
The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum closed with a joint pledge to work toward a sweeping new free trade agreement that would include all 21 members as a path “sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth,” despite the political climate.
“We reaffirm our commitment to keep our markets open and to fight against all forms of protectionism,” the leaders of the APEC nations said in a joint statement.
APEC noted the “rising scepticism over trade” amid an uneven recovery since the financial crisis and said that “the benefits of trade and open markets need to be communicated to the wider public more effectively, emphasising how trade promotes innovation, employment and higher living standards.”
Speaking to journalists at the conclusion of the summit, Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski said the main obstacle to free trade agreements in Asia and around the world was the frustration felt by those left behind by globalisation.
“Protectionism in reality is a reflection of tough economic conditions,” said Kuczynski, the meeting’s host.
Referring to Britain’s vote to leave the European Union and Trump’s election win in the US, he said those results highlighted the backlash against globalisation in former industrial regions in the US and Britain that contrasts with support for trade in more-prosperous urban areas and developing countries.
“This is an important point in recent economic history because of the outcome of various elections in very important countries that have reflected an antitrade, anti-openness feeling,” he said.
This was the last international summit for US President Barack Obama and he had been expected to promote the Trans-Pacific Partnership pact, a 12-nation trade deal.
But he is no longer expected to seek ratification by Congress before he leaves office because of the election victory by Trump, who called the agreement a “disaster” for jobs.
Leaders of other nations said at the APEC meeting that they might seek to modify the TPP deal to make it more appealing to the incoming president or seek to implement it without the US But the statement issued at the close of the summit said the organisation would also work toward adoption of a broader 21-nation pact favoured by the Chinese government known as the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific.
The APEC statement also said the members would adhere to the carbon reduction goals set in Paris last year to address climate change, which they called a threat to food security and security.
10.30am:Treasurer takes aim at Labor
Scott Morrison has defended the government’s enterprise tax plan after a new analysis showed a hit to wages and profits would deepen the federal government’s deficit by $24 billion by 2020.
The government’s enterprise tax plan to reduce the corporate rate to 25 per cent is estimated to cost the budget $48.2 billion over the decade but is aimed at stimulating further economic growth and job creation.
The Treasurer today said the budget projection was for the budget to return to surplus by 2020-21, but said the mid-year economic statement – due on December 19 – would provide the most up-to-date picture of the state of the budget and its future outlook.
“Labor’s out there today saying, this shows you can’t go ahead and give these companies with $2.5 million turnover tax cuts,” he told 2GB radio/
“Actually, it says that’s exactly what we’ve got to do so those businesses have more head-room to ensure that they can give more hours to their staff or invest more in their business or be able to earn more themselves.
“If you really want to be fair when it comes to the budget, there’s some $19 billion of savings that Labor still refuse to pass. If they want to help with the budget, pass those savings. That’s what the rating agencies are saying.”
10.20am:Dutton open to more refugees
The federal government has flagged it may take more refugees fleeing war zones in Syria and Iraq.
So far 6507 have arrived in Australia — a little over half the intake announced by the Abbott government in 2015.
“If we get this program right (it allows us) to say to the Australian people that we may want to expand this program,” Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has told the ABC’s Australian Story.
“And if people have faith in the integrity of the process, then it does give the government the ability to expand beyond the 12,000.”
Mr Dutton acknowledged the process could be “long and protracted” but defended the need for security checks.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told reporters in Lima, Peru where he is attending the APEC summit, the government had no plans to increase the 12,000 number.
But he noted there were plans to increase the annual humanitarian intake.
9.30am:‘We’ll do everything to support Trump’
Malcolm Turnbull says discussions at the APEC summit in Lima focused on the pursuit of further free trade agreements as well as the role of America in global affairs following the election of Republican candidate Donald Trump as the next US President.
The Prime Minister said free trade and economic liberalisation increased the opportunities for job creation and economic growth across the region, with hopes being directed towards a larger regional free trade pact known as the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific or FTAAP.
He said discussions focused on harnessing the opportunities of reducing the barriers to trade in services.
Mr Turnbull said there was a “lot of discussion” about the US election and the implications for free trade with Barack Obama encouraging nations to wait and see the future direction of American trade policy.
He said that President Obama wanted President-elect, Donald Trump, to do well in the job and was encouraging other world leaders to reach out to him.
“We all want the best for our great friend the United States and we want the best for its President. And so we’ll do everything we can to support President Trump just as Barack Obama will,” he said.
9.10am:Turnbull confident on ABCC laws
Malcolm Turnbull has made the case for the revival of the Australian Building and Construction Commission by saying that more than $100 billion worth of projects had been disrupted by construction union “lawlessness.”
As revealed today by The Australian, the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union had been found guilty of workplace law breaches on projects $78 million and was facing the courts for alleged breaches on projects worth $25 billion.
Mr Turnbull, speaking in Lima where he is attending the APEC summit, said he was “quietly confident” of passing the ABCC through the parliament with crossbench support.
“If you look at the news today, if you look at $100 billion worth of projects that have been disrupted, held-back, interfered with if you like by industrial disruption that need not happen if the rule of law prevailed in the construction sector,” he said.
“The ABCC bill seeks to do no more than ensure the rule of law applies to the building and construction sector. These are good reforms, good economic reforms and we will be encouraging the Senators to support them.”
8.40am:“We need a better system”
South Australian crossbench Senator Nick Xenophon says the government does not yet have the votes of his three upper-house seats for its registered organisations commission legislation, saying he will propose a series of amendments to the bill.
Senator Xenophon, who met with Employment Minister Michaelia Cash yesterday, said there was a need for a separate body to oversee union and employer bodies and rejected Labor’s proposal for this role to be handed to the corporate regulator, ASIC.
“The ALP’s amendment of having ASIC look after unions or employer organisations as the regulatory body won’t work,” he said. “ASIC has enough issues of its own to regulate our companies. So, having a dedicated organisation in the context of our complex but well developed industrial relations system makes sense to me.”
Senator Xenophon said he was interested in attaching whistle-blower protections to the government’s legislation and flagged further discussions with the government on this front today.
On the revival of the Australian Building and Construction Commission, Senator Xenophon said the government was seriously engaging with him on his proposed amendments to help subcontractors from being ripped-off through changes to security of payment laws.
“Security of payments legislation is absolutely critical,” he said. “When I have subcontractors who say, ‘well look, we’re not happy about union behaviour on sites, but we’re as unhappy or even unhappier about the behaviour of principal contractors on sites, where enormous damage is done ... We need to have a better system in place,” he said.
Senator Xenophon also said that building products used on work sites needed to comply with Australian standards because there were hundreds of millions of dollars -- “if not billions” -- being spent on rectification of sites because of the use of sub-standard products.
He said the government’s preference was to pass the ABCC through negotiation with the crossbench rather than trying to ram it through a joint sitting of parliament.
8.25am:Cormann “confident” over industrial relations bills
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the government is “quietly confident” that it will be able to pass its two double dissolution industrial relations bills through the parliament.
Senator Cormann told ABC radio that Employment Minister Michaelia Cash had engaged constructively with the Senate crossbench on both the revival of the Australian Building and Construction and Commission and the creation of registered organisations commission to oversee unions and employer bodies.
Senator Cash met with her Opposition counterpart, Brendan O’Connor, yesterday with Senator Cormann saying the government would not accept a Labor proposal to have ASIC provide the oversight role that the registered organisations commission would be have under the government’s legislation.
“The royal commission into union corruption actually assessed that particular proposition and recommended against giving this responsibility to ASIC, pointed to the need for a separate and independent registered organisations commission. And of course the government has accepted that recommendation of the royal commission,” he said. “Labor is just throwing up a few red herrings trying to make themselves look reasonable.”
8.05am:Hinch: 18-week parental leave cap to rise
Derryn Hinch says he expects the coalition will raise the 18 week cap to claim both the government parental scheme and employer-funded under a fair compromise. “I think they will go for this, so it will be 20 weeks and it won’t come in until October so any family that is pregnant now won’t be affected,” he told the Seven Network on Monday.
But fellow crossbencher Pauline Hanson agrees with the government’s original plan to offer 18 weeks and prevent so-called “double-dipping”.
“We have got to stop this welfare handout mentality,” she said. “Women have come a long way and yes we need to assist women to get back into the workforce and I’m all for that, but double dipping, totally oppose it and people have to be responsible for the kids they bring into this world, not the taxpayer.”
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann was coy about the negotiations, but confirmed parliament would not be considering the measure before the long summer break. “It clearly won’t come into effect on January 1, 2017,” he told ABC radio. The precise starting time would be determined by an agreement with the cross bench.
8.00am:Hanson ‘happy’ to have Culleton back
Pauline Hanson says she will welcome Rod Culleton back to the floor of the Senate if his eligibility is confirmed by the High Court.
The One Nation senator’s case begins on Monday, with the nation’s highest court to rule on his alleged ineligibility to run for parliament at the July election because of a larceny conviction.
Asked whether she would welcome Senator Culleton back to parliament, Senator Hanson told the Seven Network: “Of course, I am very happy to have four senators”.
7.45am:Deficit ‘reflects profits growth
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says that forecasts from Deloitte Access Economics showing another $24 million being added to the federal deficit over the next four years reflect lower wages and profits growth.
He rejected suggestions that the government’s proposed ten year enterprise tax plan to reduce the corporate rate to 25 per cent was being pursued at the wrong time with a rebound in iron ore and coal export prices.
Senator Cormann argued the net effect of the government’s policies, including the corporate tax cuts, would still have an improvement on the budget bottom line to the tune of $250 billion out to 2026-27.
“At 30 per cent we are at the higher end of international business taxation. If we reduce the business tax rate as we propose to do to25 pent cent that puts us into the middle of the pack of OECD countries,” he said.
There appears to be growing support in the Senate for both the restoration of the Australian Building and Construction Commission to crack down on illegal activity on building sites as well as the establishment of a new registered organisations commission to oversee union and employer bodies.
Malcolm Turnbull and Barack Obama have held a lengthy meeting on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in Peru to map a way forward on critical issues such as the US commitment to the Asia/Pacific as a cloud hangs over the economic and strategic future of Australia’s most enduring and strongest alliance.
The government has received new warnings from Deloitte Access Economics suggesting that an economic hit to wages and profits will deepen the federal deficit by $24 billion by 2020 with deficits on track to total $108.8 billion over the next four years — up from the $84.6 billion estimate set out in the federal budget.
Additional reporting: AAP
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