PoliticsNow: AFP drops probe into Angus Taylor office; PM reshuffles cabinet
More than a month after the matter over an alleged document forgery was referred for investigation, the AFP found no grounds to proceed with an inquiry.
- AFP drops Taylor office inquiry
- Cabinet ins and outs
- Pitt, Chester winners in reshuffle
- Premier won’t be silenced
- Bandt’s firefighter tax
Hello and welcome to PoliticsNow, The Australian’s live blog on the happenings at Parliament House in Canberra.
Scott Morrison has announced his new cabinet in the wake of the resignations of Nationals Bridget McKenzie and Matt Canavan.
The Australian Federal Police have dropped their inquiry into Angus Taylor’s office over alleged forged documents, citing a lack of evidence.
Alice Workman 4.40pm: Albanese goes cold in Question Time
Anthony Albanese was subtly passed some throat spray during question time on Wednesday, not that you’ll see a photograph of it. Albanese popped the anti-inflammatory in his pocket, afraid the press gallery might pap him taking a puff. Find out why in today’s Strewth column.
Richard Ferguson 3.44pm: Albanese accused of hypocrisy over sports rorts
The Morrison government has accused Anthony Albanese of “hypocrisy” over the sport rorts scandal, pointing to an Auditor-General’s report which found then-minister Albanese administered a grants program which “disproportionately” gave money to Labor seats. Read the full story here.
Richard Ferguson 3.36pm: Joko to visit Canberra
Indonesian President Joko Widodo will visit Canberra next week and address the nation’s parliament.
Scott Morrison announced on Thursday that the Indonesian President will visit parliament next Monday and Tuesday and said it would cement Australia’s relationship with its closest neighbour.
“Indonesia and Australia share a strong and vibrant relationship—as neighbours, strategic partners and friends,” the Prime Minister said in a statement.
“Our relationship is founded on people-to-people links, economic cooperation and a commitment to a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
“President Widodo’s visit will be an opportunity to build on the Australia-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and discuss further cooperation on trade and investment, maritime issues, defence and security, counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, transnational crime and education.”
Next week will be Mr Widodo’s fourth visit to Australia since he was elected in 2014.
Elias Visontay 3.19pm: Attempt to suspend standing orders
The opposition are attempting to suspend standing orders, interrupting question time.
Anthony Albanese says Scott Morrison is “incapable of regret and admitting when he’s wrong”.
Since the government has the numbers in the House, the opposition will likely be unsuccessful
Elias Visontay 3.09pm: ‘I tell you what I don’t regret’
Anthony Albanese asks Scott Morrison why he refuses to express regret or “admit that he ever got anything wrong” during his handling of the bushfire crisis.
The Prime Minister responds by saying no member of the house is perfect, before recounting the government’s bushfire response.
“There are things that need to be improved and over the summer where I could have responded to events in different ways.
“I have already made those comments public because I will always seek to do my best each and every day for the people of Australia. But I tell you what I don’t regret, Mr Speaker.
“I don’t regret when I returned to Australia with my family ultimately who followed me.
“Our government is responding to the crisis of the bushfires,” Mr Morrison says, before accusing the opposition leader of being “consumed by his political ambition” and “vanity”.
Elias Visontay 2.56pm: ‘They were able to vent their frustrations’
Labor MP Terri Butler asks Scott Morrison if he regrets saying he had a conversation with a bushfire victim in the NSW south coast town of Cobargo “when video clearly shows there wasn’t a conversation”.
“He forced her to shake his hand and then turned his back on her as she asked for help,” Ms Butler says.
The Prime Minister defends his actions in Cobargo, saying: “I was the first Member of Parliament to visit Cobargo after those fires.”
“I was there and they were able to vent their frustration and their anger directly at me. When you’re Prime Minister you turn up and you listen and whatever comes at you.
“I was in Cobargo. I was there for the people of Cobargo, and I’ll be there for the people of Cobargo into the future as well,” Mr Morrison says.
Elias Visontay 2.44pm: AFP probe ‘a waste of policing time’
Angus Taylor has welcomed the Australian Federal Police’s decision to drop an inquiry into alleged document forgery in his office, saying the investigation was “a waste of our policing agencies’ time”.
“I welcome the advice of the Australian Federal Police that they have finalised this matter.” the Energy Minister said.
“The Labor Party has a track record of using police referrals as a political tool. The Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Attorney-General’s pursuit of this matter is a shameful abuse of their office and a waste of our policing agencies’ time,” he said.
The Australian understands the AFP informed Mr Taylor of their decision earlier on Thursday.
Richard Ferguson 2.42pm: Albanese ‘showing lack of character’
Anthony Albanese asks Scott Morrison if he regrets saying volunteer firefighters “want to be” in the bushfires without pay.
The Prime Minister accuses the Opposition Leader of twisting his words.
“There is no issue that the Leader of the Opposition will not seek to exploit for personal, political gain. And this is just another example. Another example of his lack of character,” Mr Morrison says.
“I was reflecting comments made back to me when I had advised with Rural Fire Service’s members, and they had put it to me when they were out there they wanted to be out there protecting their communities.
“This government acted on the basis of the advice we received and working closely with the New South Wales Rural Fire Services commissioner to provide for income loss payments for Rural Fire Service members when they’re out there for more than 10 days and we did so at the request of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service commissioner.”
Richard Ferguson 2.40pm: Government ‘meeting bushfire costs’
Labor MP Susan Templeman asks Scott Morrison why her community in Macquarie must wait months before roads are cleared of bushfire debris.
The Prime Minister says that the government will be there to support those communities and work with the NSW government to clear up the roads as “quickly as possible.”
“The arrangements that have been put in place with the New South Wales government,” he says.
“The contract tender was issued by the New South Wales government I think it was about a week ago now, and they’re seeking - as was the case after the Black Saturday fires and we’ve taken that as the model - to have overamping contractors which can move in and clear all of these sites and that will be done at government expense done 50-50 between the Commonwealth and the state government.
“That will mean that those who have blocks that have been impacted by fire, their homes burnt or destroyed, that cost will be met by the government.
“We are meeting all of those responsible costs at a 50-50 basis and I look forward to working with the New South Wales Premier and her ministers to ensure that they can get that done as quickly as possible.”
Richard Ferguson 2.23pm: No bushfire levy
Labor MP Mike Kelly asks Scott Morrison why people in his bushfire-affected community who have their hours cut back have been unable to access immediate help.
The Prime Minister says businesses will be able to access assistance, but he will not introduce a levy.
“Now, when it comes to small businesses, as the member would be aware, there are qualifying criteria for businesses that have been directly impacted by those fires which is the same criteria that applies to small businesses that are affected by the floods up in north Queensland that occurred at this time last year,” he sayd.
“They apply the same criteria to those affected businesses in the bushfire-affected zones today. That is important because we will provide the same support that was provided to those
in devastating devastating disasters as to this disaster as well.
“Those measures in response to the north Queensland floods have proved to be enormously help as those businesses have gone about the repair and rebuilding process over the last year.
{But if the member is suggesting that the disaster recovery arrangements should change that, the taxpayer should be the insurer of last resort on all matters, then that is not a policy that your government pursued and it is not a policy that this government is pursuing.”
Richard Ferguson 2.19pm: A return to cabinet for McKenzie?
Anthony Albanese asks Scott Morrison if he heard a Sky News interview in which Nationals leader Michael McCormack suggested former minister Bridget McKenzie could return to cabinet.
The Prime Minister does not reveal if he did, and instead focuses on the new cabinet ministers.
“I want to congratulate the outstanding members of this House who will this afternoon be going out to government House to be sworn in as ministers in our cabinet and in our Ministry,” he says.
“They are the only members who will be sworn into the Ministry and cabinet today and they are very deserving members and they’re going to do an outstanding job.”
Elias Visontay 2.13pm: AFP drops Angus Taylor inquiry
Australian Federal Police have reportedly dropped their inquiry into Angus Taylor’s office over alleged forged documents, citing a lack of evidence
More than a month after the matter was referred to them for investigation, the AFP found no grounds to proceed with an inquiry.
“Following inquiries undertaken and information provided by NSW Police, the AFP has determined it is unlikely further investigation will result in obtaining sufficient evidence to substantiate a Commonwealth offence.” an AFP spokeswoman said.
“The low level of harm and the apology made by the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction to the Lord Mayor of Sydney, along with the significant level of resources required to investigate were also factored into the decision not to pursue this matter.”
“The AFP now considers this matter finalised.” the spokeswoman said.
Angus Taylor has been contacted for comment.
Mr Taylor’s office was being investigated over documents showing travel expenses of City of Sydney staff, which were found to differ from the council’s official annual report figures.
On September 30, Mr Taylor used the figures in the documents to criticise Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, which was used to allege that councillors had spent millions of dollars on “unnecessary air travel”.
Using figures in the documents, Mr Taylor claimed that the council had “spent $1.7 million on international travel and $14.2 million on domestic travel.”
The figures cited were at odds with the council’s own reported annual figures for the 2017/2018 financial year, in which total travel overseas expenses were calculated at $1,727.77, and at $4206.32 for domestic expenses.
In early December, Josh Manuatu, a staffer for Angus Taylor, was identified as the person who obtained the false information about the travel costs, which was also handed to The Daily Telegraph newspaper.
NSW Police first launched the investigation into Mr Taylor after a referral from Labor’s shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus.
NSW Police later referred it to their federal counterparts in December because the alleged offence occurred outside their jurisdiction.
Mr Taylor has previously rejected any suggestion that he or his staff forged the City of Sydney Council annual report, insisting it was downloaded from the council’s website.
Elias Visontay 1.53pm: Promotion’s ‘no reward’
Darren Chester has denied his promotion to cabinet in this week’s reshuffle was a reward for supporting Michael McCormack over Barnaby Joyce at the Nationals leadership spill on Tuesday.
The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs said he didn’t ask the Deputy Prime Minister “for a job or promotion”, and said the new cabinet ministers have “capability and ability to get the job done”.
“Michael doesn’t operate like that. Michael is as straight as they come,” Mr Chester told ABC News.
“Not everyone gets the job they want in this place. This is not a place where every child wins a prize. It is a place where the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister decides who gets a portfolio,” he said.
Richard Ferguson 12.31pm: Chester flags Nats leadership survival rule
New cabinet minister Darren Chester has flagged a “50 per cent” rule to spill the Nationals leadership in future, following Barnaby Joyce’s failed push.
A controversial survival plan seeking to entrench Michael McCormack’s leadership – by requiring two-thirds of the Nationals partyroom vote for a spill before one can occur – was shelved yesterday.
Mr Chester — elevated into cabinet as Veterans Minister — said on Thursday that a new leadership spill rule would ensure stability in the future.
“I’d suggest that it’s a policy area in the management of our partyroom that we need to take a closer look at,” he told Sky News.
“I’m not sure the exact arrangements whether it be two thirds of half the partyroom, whatever it might be.”
A Nationals spill can be currently set off by one MP and a seconder.
Greg Brown 12.17pm: Drum in line for Deputy Speaker
Nationals MP Damian Drum has been offered the Deputy Speaker to replace Kevin Hogan.
The Australian understands Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack has given Mr Drum his backing to take the role after Mr Hogan was promoted to the outer ministry.
The role is confirmed by a vote in parliament.
Mr Drum has been contacted for comment.
Richard Ferguson 11.17am: Morrison cabinet: who’s in, who’s out
WHO IS UP
CABINET
Darren Chester - Veterans Affairs
Keith Pitt - Resources, Water and Northern Australia
David Littleproud - Agriculture (new role), Emergency Services and Drought
OUTER MINISTRY
Andrew Gee - Regional Education, Decentralisation, Minister assisting on Trade and Investment
WHO IS IN
Kevin Hogan - Minister assisting the Deputy Prime Minister
WHO IS OUT
Bridget McKenzie - resigned over a breach of ministerial standards.
Matthew Canavan - resigned to support Barnaby Joyce’s failed tilt for the Nationals leadership.
Richard Ferguson 11.10am: No change in nuclear stance: PM
Scott Morrison says the government’s position on nuclear energy has not changed, despite new Resources Minister Keith Pitt’s history as an advocate for the alternative energy source.
“Keith has been involved in an important inquiry that was undertaken by the House committee on energy,” the Prime Minister said.
“What we’re always looking for ... into the future is what the alternative fuel sources will be.
“The arrangements around nuclear are well known and the government’s policy has been clear there about the need for there to be bipartisanship to be able to move forward.”
The PM says Mt Pitt will be able to deal with the competing interests of water and mines in his new, broad cabinet role.
“The authorities the minister has when it comes to water resources will be advised by a separate department,” the Prime Minister said.
“That remains where it sits. And that will continue. And the minister will acquit himself across those responsibilities.
“We all have difficult matters that we must arbitrate on and I have no doubt that Keith will be able to ensure that he can manage those interests.”
Richard Ferguson 11.06am: Reshuffle shows commitment to north, defence: Deputy PM
Nationals leader Michael McCormack says the cabinet elevations of Keith Pitt and Darren Chester show the government’s commitment to northern Australia and defence forces veterans.
“We are the first government that’s had a Minister for Northern Australia and we’ve promoted, we’ve pushed, we know the exciting potential that northern Australia has for our country,” he said.
“With the measures that we announced with virtually a standing, ongoing royal commission into our veterans with the appointments made yesterday and the decisions announced yesterday, this is going to be so important for veterans affairs.
“As a former Veterans’ Affairs Minister myself, I know how important these people are to our community.
“And I know how important it is for (Mr Chester) to be providing that continuity but now in Cabinet, around the Cabinet table, ensuring that the important decisions are taken and made there.”
Richard Ferguson 11.03am: Pitt, Chester winners in cabinet reshuffle
Nationals MPs Keith Pitt and Darren Chester have been elevated into cabinet.
Mr Pitt will be Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia.
He succeeds Nationals senator Matthew Canavan in the resources and Northern Australia portfolios, and takes Water from Nationals deputy leader David Littleproud.
Mr Chester will remain Minister for Veterans Affairs, but sit in cabinet. It’s the first time Veterans Affairs has been a cabinet position since 1993.
Mr Littleproud will take on the Agriculture portfolio from ousted minister Bridget McKenzie. He will keep his current responsibilities
In the outer ministry, Andrew Gee has been promoted from the assistant minister ranks as Minister for Regional Education, Decentralisation and Minister assisting the Minister for Trade and Investment.
Kevin Hogan has been made Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister.
Elias Visontay 9.58pm: ‘Sensible discussions’ on climate must resume: Dutton
Peter Dutton has called for a return to “sensible discussions” on climate action, supporting help for drought affected farmers and an acknowledgment of the role fuel loads have played in the bushfire crisis.
“How do we address a changing climate? Well we’ve got to help farmers who are stuck in drought affected communities to get more water, so we need more dams,” Mr Dutton told 2GB radio.
“We need to make sure that we’ve got more money going into infrastructure. Not only water retention but in local communities to help them through the next drought, and that’s the climate change action that Scott Morrison has taken.
“We’ve done all of our international obligations and met those that we’ve signed up to because that’s what Australia does, if we make a commitment we meet it.
“But you’ve got to have sensible discussions and I think there’s common sense being restored to part of the discussion about this issue, particularly around the fires where you’ve got a huge fuel load that’s responsible for the intensity of these fires,” Mr Dutton said.
Richard Ferguson 9am: Palaszczuk attacks Dutton
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has attacked Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton over his criticisms of her handling of coronavirus. Mr Dutton last week accused the Premier of trying to politicize the virus and breaking the confidence of state and federal talks by calling for borders to be closed to foreign nationals leaving China, just hours before Scott Morrison announced the decision to do so.
Ms Palaszczuk on Tuesday accused Mr Dutton of trying to “silence” her. “That’s absolutely rubbish. That is absolutely rubbish,” she told ABC News. “I stand up for what I believe is right. I won’t be silenced by the federal government. And what I say to you and your listeners is this is a public health emergency. And my focus has been on the containment and to make sure the virus is contained and does not spread. These are big issues. And I just believed at the time that the Federal Government was acting too slow. So, we’ve taken measures.”
Ms Palaszczuk’s second-term Labor government faces a state election in October.
Queensland Premier @AnnastaciaMP has hit back at Federal Minister Peter Dutton, who accused her of using the #coronavirus for political point-scoring.
— News Breakfast (@BreakfastNews) February 5, 2020
"That is absolutely rubbish. I stand up for what I believe is right. I won't be silenced by the Federal Government." pic.twitter.com/ncD5SqCnAU
Elias Visontay 8.25am: Treasurer defends economic plan
Josh Frydenberg has defended the Morrison government’s economic management after Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe delivered public and private messages to the increase spending.
His defence comes after The Australian revealed Dr Lowe frustrated government ministers when he relayed calls to boost spending in a rare confidential cabinet briefing on Monday, before echoing the same sentiments in a public speech on Wednesday. “We are spending more on important areas like infrastructure, where we have a 10 year $100 billion dollar rolling infrastructure program. You are hitting some capacity constraints in some states and we’ve heard that from Labor treasurers not just from the federal government so we are spending money in areas of need.” Mr Frydenberg told Sky News. “I think what we do have is a plan that’s delivered one and a half million new jobs and unemployment, like I said, was 5.7 per cent under Labor it’s been 5.1 per cent under us according to the last numbers. What we’ve seen over the last reported year is that 75,000 small businesses have been created, whereas in Labor’s last year 62,000 small businesses, closed their doors.”
Elias Visontay 8.15am: Treasurer ‘looking around for excuses’
Tanya Plibersek has accused Josh Frydenberg of using the coronavirus and bushfire crisis as “excuses” for poor economic growth that predates both epidemics. The backlash comes as the Treasurer wrote to his state counterparts on Wednesday and goes on a media spree on Thursday morning warning the coronavirus’ financial hit on the Australian economy will be greater than that experienced from the SARS outbreak.
“He (Mr Frydenberg) was trying to put down all of the poor growth figures in the economy down to the coronavirus and the bushfires.” the Labor education spokeswoman told Sky News.
“He’s looking around for excuses for the fact that even before Christmas, before the bushfires, before the coronavirus, we’ve got very low rates of growth,”
“We’ve got phenomenally historic low wages growth, we’ve got unemployment and underemployment at close to $2 million. We’ve got very low business investment, business and consumer confidence were very low before any of this.” Mr Plibersek said.
“The problem with the Treasurer using the Coronavirus and the bushfires to explain the poor numbers that we’re looking at economically is that it means he is not dealing with the fundamental flaws in the economy.”
“They (Coronavirus and bushfires) are not excuses for an economy that was tanking before either of those things were even on the horizon. We’ve had six years of economic mismanagement from this government.” she said.
Richard Ferguson 8.10am: Bandt’s firefighter tax
Greens leader Adam Bandt is calling for a tax on coal, oil and gas to fund more paid firefighters. In his first big stunt as the left-wing party’s new leader, Mr Bandt will unveil his tax plan along with 15 firefighters from the ACT’s United Firefighters Union.
“Five of Australia’s top coal companies, Peabody, Yancoal, CITIC, Sumitomo and Whitehaven had earnings of $54 billion between them over the past five years, yet paid zero income tax in Australia,” he said in a statement. “The burning of coal, oil and gas is fuelling the climate crisis and putting Australian lives at risk. It’s time that fossil fuel companies start meeting the costs of tackling the climate emergency. Firefighters and experts such as the Climate Council have said that doubling the number of firefighters is necessary to fight these catastrophic fires.” Mr Bandt has had a controversial start to his new job, having accused big business of “killing people” and claiming Scott Morrison’s climate policies will lead to “three times more deaths” than in the 2019-20 bushfires.
Richard Ferguson 8.00am: Virus an unknown: PM
Scott Morrison says the coronavirus has not yet demonstrated the same potential for economic damage as SARS, but the current size of the Chinese economy and the new disease’s rate of transmission make it “a bit of an unknown.’’
Josh Frydenberg has warned state treasurers that the short-term economic shock sparked by the coronavirus could be more severe than the SARS outbreak in 2003, The Australian has learned.
The Prime Minister on Thursday morning said: “We can’t pretend there is no impact to a global virus like this.
“There’s not a lot of good news here but when the previous viruses hit, international tourism to Australia fell by 11 per cent in one quarter, in the next quarter it bounced back 16 per cent,” Mr Morrison told Sydney’s 2GB radio.
“The advice we are getting from Treasury, the Reserve Bank, and others is that of course it will have an impact and the Treasurer is having that modelled as we speak.
“The nature of its virus and how it spreads across the global economy is a bit of an unknown at the moment. At this stage, it hasn’t demonstrated the same sort of severe outcomes that the previous viruses – SARS and MERS did – but the rates of transmission are much higher.
“Our exposure to that (the Chinese economy), the number of visitors, the number of students, that why are working through each of these issues.”
Richard Ferguson 7.50am: PM confirms overflow sites
Scott Morrison confirms the government is looking at mining camps and hotels as potential overflow sites for Australians coming in from coronavirus hotspots.
The Prime Minister said those sites would not be filled with evacuees from Wuhan, with the island detention centre having the capacity to take Australians set to board a second evacuation flight.
“What we’ve also tasked the Defence Force to do is identify overflow facilities, that was done when we looked at the first flight,” Mr Morrison told 2GB.
“You could expect us, giving the evolving nature of the coronavirus, and its impact globally, that we would be hoping to seek contingency plans for down the road.
“We’re only talking about Australians. We’ve closed the borders for two weeks.”
Mr Morrison did not rule out keeping the ban on foreign nationals leaving or transiting through mainland China for more than the two week period.
The move to find alternative accommodation came as Josh Frydenberg warned state treasurers that the short-term economic shock sparked by the coronavirus could be more severe than the SARS outbreak in 2003, The Australian has learned.
On the coronavirus:
— 2GB 873 (@2GB873) February 5, 2020
The PM says a second rescue flight to Wuhan is being arranged now.
"We'd be able to cater for that at Christmas Island." https://t.co/CfNtnIE49T
Elias Visontay 7.25am: Virus impact ‘worse than SARS’
Josh Frydenberg has warned the coronavirus’ financial hit on the Australian economy will be greater than that experienced in the SARS outbreak of 2003 because some elements of our relationship with China have strengthened up to “20-fold”.
The Australian revealed this morning that the Treasurer sent a letter to state treasurers on Wednesday delivering the bleak economic message, on the same day the Morrison government was identifying isolated mining camps and hotels as temporary quarantine centres for the potential evacuation of thousands of Australians from coronavirus hotspots.
The Treasurer said the virus is “clearly evolving in quite a dangerous way. ”
“When it comes to the economy it will have a significant impact because China is our number one trading partner,” Mr Frydenberg told Sky News.
“While the epidemic of SARS back in 2003 had an impact on our economy and provides us with a bit of a guide, we’re more integrated economically with China today than we were back then.” he said.
“In fact the Chinese economy is four times bigger today than it was in 2003 so that means that what happens in China has a larger effect on the global economy too.
“We’ll be watching it very carefully and Treasury (is) undertaking someone analysis.
“(Treasury) have told me … that it is actually too early to tell what the full impact will be.
“Since 2003 the number of foreign students from China to Australia have doubled, the number of tourists has increased by seven fold and the amount of Chinese investment in Australia has increased by 20 fold so it’s been quite a significant development.”
“We have a large number of students, more than 200,000 from China. Last year we had more than 1.4 million tourists from China.” Mr Frydenberg said.
What’s making news:
Isolated mining camps and hotels are being identified as temporary quarantine centres as the Morrison government prepares for the potential evacuation of thousands of Australians from coronavirus hot spots.
A Labor motion calling for an inquiry into the $100m sports rorts saga — a scheme that this week claimed the scalp of former deputy Nationals leader Bridget McKenzie — has passed the Senate, establishing a new probe into the program.
The Prime Minister’s office has admitted an electoral officer erred in saying an $8400 grant to the Cronulla Sailing Club came from Scott Morrison, as the saga surrounding the controversial $100 million sports grants program continues.
The Morrison government is increasingly frustrated with Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe’s calls for it to spend more to lift the nation’s flagging productivity, after a confidential cabinet briefing from the RBA boss on Monday left ministers exasperated by an absence of detailed policy ideas.
A controversial survival plan seeking to entrench Michael McCormack’s leadership — by requiring two-thirds of the Nationals party room vote for a spill to occur — has been shelved by the party.
The constitutional validity of a government crackdown on agents of foreign influence will be challenged in the High Court by a small not-for-profit group whose president was threatened with six months’ imprisonment under new national security laws.
Alice Workman’s Sketch: “In politics, losers don’t have friends,” one Liberal joked after spotting Barnaby Joyce drinking champagne alone on Tuesday night.
Dennis Shanahan writes: For Labor, it was so much ammo for too few shots during the first question time of 2020.
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