PoliticsNow: Labor backs down on $5bn drought relief bill, will back it
Anthony Albanese says Labor will back the PM’s $5bn drought plan, in a dramatic backflip after spending the evening trying to stall a vote.
- Pledge to close Manus
- PNG ties strengthened: PM
- ‘Fringe dwellers can go jump’
- Pyne, Bishop probe ‘still on’
- ‘No plans’ to scrap super increase
Hello and welcome to PoliticsNow, The Australian’s blog on the happenings at Parliament House in Canberra.
Labor backs down on drought funding bill
Anthony Albanese says Labor will vote in favour of Scott Morrison’s $5 billion drought package, in a dramatic backflip after spending the evening attempting to delay the vote, Greg Brown reports.
After moving motions through the evening in an attempt to scupper a vote, the Opposition Leader has revealed Labor will vote in favour of the future drought fund.
“We won’t oppose this legislation because we support the drought funding,” Mr Albanese told the House of Representatives.
The legislation will likely be debated in the Senate tomorrow.
Labor wanted the government to delay the vote for a day so it could finalise its position in a caucus meeting tomorrow.
Parliament battles over drought fund
Labor has lost its bid to delay debate over the federal government’s proposed long-term drought fund, arguing it needs more time to eyeball the bill, AAP reports.
The Morrison government is hoping to re-introduce the bill and pass it through the lower house on Monday night, a process which usually takes two steps.
Labor argued that its caucus wouldn’t be able to discuss the bill on Tuesday morning if it was rushed through parliament, with manager of opposition business Tony Burke labelling it a “dumb idea”.
“It’s a tactic that will play well for the government in the media cycle for the next 24 hours on one particular issue,” he said.
But Drought Minister David Littleproud remained adamant the $3.9 billion kitty is a government priority given urgency needed to help drought-stricken farmers.
Labor, which has previously knocked back the fund, remains unconvinced it is the best way to help producers doing it tough into the future.
The opposition has taken issue with the coalition’s plan to draw the fund from the existing Building Australia Fund.
Labor agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon is also worried the fund won’t kick in for another year and about uncertainty on how the money will be spent.
“We still don’t know what the government is going to spend the money on — there’s been no detail on that whatsoever,” he told ABC Radio National.
“We still don’t understand why the government wants to take money away from important infrastructure projects — roads, rail etc — including in regional Australia, to pay for another important measure.”
Labor leader Anthony Albanese said the opposition would support “any level” of funding for drought-proofing measures, if it’s set aside in the budget instead of taken from the Building Australia Fund.
Mr Littleproud says the infrastructure fund Labor is concerned about has been redundant for five years, with the government separately spending $100 billion on infrastructure.
“You’re playing with the lives of Australian farming families,” he told parliament.
The National Farmers Federation has also lashed Labor’s approach, saying the government’s fund is a “holistic, strategic plan” and the game playing should end.
Despite its issues with the bill, Mr Fitzgibbon insists Labor stands ready to support farmers.
“The parliament is absolutely united on this question, we all want to do more for drought-affected farmers.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has questioned whether that is the case, saying there won’t be any deals done to secure the passage of laws setting up the fund. “Labor need to answer a simple question — will you support our farmers or not?” Mr Morrison said.
“There’ll be no deals, just a simple request to vote for the bill that will provide for long-term drought resilience works. It’s quite absurd that Labor have opposed it for this long already.” The Greens are planning to introduce amendments to the bill in the Senate, to ensure the fund has more parliamentary oversight.
— AAP
Greg Brown 6.05pm: Labor bid defeated
Labor’s attempt to delay a vote on the government’s drought fund was been defeated, by 78 votes to 67.
Water Resources Minister David Littleproud has moved to suspend standing orders to bring on a vote for the bill in the House of Representatives.
Greg Brown 5.20pm: Labor moves to delay drought funding
Manager of Opposition Business Tony Burke has moved a motion in the House of Representatives calling on the government to delay a vote on drought funding.
Mr Burke said the government should give Labor a day to decide if it will support the bill that will establish a $5 billion drought fund could start delivering for farmers from July next year.
Labor’s shadow cabinet was set to meet later this evening to decide its position on the drought funding bill, with the decision to be put to caucus tomorrow morning.
Mr Burke said it was unusual for a bill to be tabled and debated on the same day.
“What has been put on the notice paper today is really unusual,” Mr Burke told the House.
“There are times when we rush legislation through. I remember John Howard coming in here and rushing legislation through on national security issues where an amendment had to be made so people could be arrested later that week. It was urgent.”
Mr Burke said the government could not rely on Labor for cooperation on parliamentary procedural matters if it did not agree to delay the vote for 24 hours.
Water Resources Minister David Littleproud has rebuffed Labor’s request for a delay on a vote of the bill to establish a $5 billion drought fund.
Mr Littleproud said the government needed the maximum possible time for the bill to be debated in the Senate.
He noted Labor voted against the bill in the last term of parliament.
Rachel Baxendale 4.15pm: Senators force Bishop, Pyne jobs inquiry
Julie Bishop and Christopher Pyne’s new private sector jobs with global consultancies will be probed by a Senate committee after crossbench, Greens and Labor upper house MPs this afternoon approved an inquiry.
The entire Senate crossbench, the Greens and Labor united to vote in favour of Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick’s motion to bring on an inquiry.
The motion passed 35 votes to 29 with the support of both Centre Alliance senators, both One Nation senators, Jacqui Lambie, Cory Bernardi, Labor and the Greens.
The move for a Senate inquiry comes after the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Martin Parkinson found that the appointments did not breach ministerial standards.
These prevent a minister from accepting work that relates to their old portfolios for 18 months after leaving parliament.
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann tabled Dr Parkinson’s report in the Senate today but it failed to blunt attacks on the former ministers’ new jobs.
Richard Ferguson 4.05pm: Heat on Bishop, Pyne over jobs
Labor and the crossbench have ratcheted up attacks on former ministers Julie Bishop and Christopher Pyne for taking jobs with global consulting firms.
Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick will this afternoon move for a senate inquiry into the pair’s new consulting gigs. The motion is expected to have the support of Labor and the Greens.
But Scott Morrison has quashed an opposition motion forcing him to get his department secretary Martin Parkinson to re-investigate Ms Bishop’s new role at Palladium.
The Prime Minister attacked Labor in question time for “questioning the competence” of Dr Parkinson — Canberra’s top bureaucrat who found there was no breach of ministerial standards in Mr Pyne and Ms Bishop accepting appointments.
“I have no reason to doubt at all the competence of the secretary of the Department in relation to these matters whatsoever,” Mr Morrison said.
“My simple question is, why does the Labor Party seemed to question the competency of the secretary, the transparency of the arrangements that he has entered into are there
for him to see.
“All I can see is just another attempt by the Labor Party to get into what the former Manager of Government Business (Mr Pyne) used to call the chum bucket.”
The Opposition seized on a video from 2017 filmed in Ms Bishop’s ministerial office and published on Palladium’s website to attack her decision to accept employment with the company after leaving politics. He suggested there were unanswered questions about her relationship with the company.
“Ms Bishop told the secretary she had no contact with Palladium as Minister for Foreign Affairs. Ms Bishop appeared in a video filmed in her ministerial office and published on that web page on 9 June, 2017,” Mr Burke told the House.
“During the period Ms Bishop was Minister for Foreign Affairs, the company Palladium and its related entities entered into contracts with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade valued at over $600 million,’’ Mr Burke said.
However in the video Ms Bishop speaks of the effectiveness of aid partnerships between governments and private companies and does not mention Palladium.
But Mr Burke said the integrity of the government was linked to the observance and enforcement of ministerial standards.
“Unanswered questions remain in relation to the relationship between Ms Bishop and the departmental contractor on whose board she now since and the rigour of the inquiry by the Prime Minister’s departmental secretary and therefore calls on the Prime Minister to direct his departmental secretary to reopen the inquiry into former Minister Bishop.”
Ms Bishop has she was “entirely confident” there has been no breach of the code through her new work with Palladium, stating that all Australia’s foreign aid contracts and tenders are signed at arm’s length from the foreign minister.
Mr Pyne, the former defence minister, has been hired by EY to consult to companies in the defence sector.
Mr Pyne and EY have said his role will not involve any direct lobbying and therefore will not breach the ministerial code.
Richard Ferguson 3.37pm: Bishop safe with PM
Labor’s motion to force Scott Morrison to re-investigate former foreign minister Julie Bishop’s post-politics job with global consulting firm Palladium has failed 75 to 65.
It is a show of the Prime Minister’s new power in the House with his increased post-election majority.
Richard Ferguson 3.11pm: Bishop’s Palladium role under fire
Manager of opposition business Tony Burke asks how former foreign minister Julie Bishop could claim she had no involvement with Palladium when she took a job with the global consulting firm, after she appeared in a video for the company while in office.
The Prime Minister says to refer to his previous answer.
Mr Burke tries to suspend standing orders over Ms Bishop’s new role and call on PM&C secretary Martin Parkinson to re-investigate whether she breached ministerial standards.
Leader of the House Christian Porter moves that Mr Burke no longer be heard.
There is a division. Mr Morrison will probably win due to his new post-election majority.
Also notable, some Labor MPs are not in the House today — including former opposition leader Bill Shorten.
Ms Bishop does not appear to mention Palladium by name in the video.
Here’s the video in question
Richard Ferguson 2.57pm: Getting into the ‘chum bucket’
Manager of opposition business Tony Burke asks Scott Morrison if PM&C secretary Martin Parkinson’s investigation into former ministers Christopher Pyne and Julie Bishop was “vigorous” and “based on full disclosure.”
The Prime Minister attacks Labor for “questioning the competence” of Dr Parkinson — Canberra’s top bureaucrat.
“I have no reason to doubt at all the competence of the secretary of the Department in relation to these matters whatsoever,” he says.
“My simple question is, why does the Labor Party seem to question the competency of the secretary, the transparency of the arrangements that he has entered into are there
for him to see.
“All I can see is just another attempt by the Labor Party to get into what the former Manager of Government Business used to call the chum bucket.”
Richard Ferguson 2.54pm: Pyne, Bishop appointments questioned
Manager of opposition business Tony Burke asks if Scott Morrison stands by a report by his department which cleared former ministers Julie Bishop and Christopher Pyne of breaking ministerial standards by taking on new consulting jobs close to their old portfolios.
“I have accepted the advice of the secretary and that response that was provided by the secretary has been tabled in the Senate,” the Prime Minister says.
Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick will proceed with a motion calling for a senate inquiry into Mr Pyne and Ms Bishop’s controversial roles with global consulting firms, declaring advice provided by the Prime Minister’s departmental secretary is “troubling” in its omissions. Labor has indicated it will back that inquiry.
Former defence minister Mr Pyne has been hired by EY to consult to companies in the defence sector. Mr Pyne and EY have said his role will not involve any direct lobbying and therefore will not breach the ministerial code.
Former foreign minister Julie Bishop has been appointed to the board of global consultancy group Palladium, which has government, corporate and not-for-profit contracts.
She said she was “entirely confident” there has been no breach of the code, stating that all Australia’s foreign aid contracts and tenders are signed at arm’s length from the foreign minister.
Richard Ferguson 2.47pm: ‘No plans to change super hike’
Opposition treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers asks Scott Morrison to rule out any changes to the superannuation guarantee.
The Prime Minister says again that there are “no plans” to change the planned increase, and turns the tables on Labor — asking if it will now dump pre-election tax proposals on super.
“Does the Labor Party stand by its more than $30 billion in higher superannuation taxes, Mr Speaker? Are they going to walk away from that or are they going to continue to see superannuation as a target for their higher taxing policies?” he says.
“Because Mr Speaker, the Labor Party have learned nothing since the last election. They oppose tax relief.”
Richard Ferguson 2.43pm: Super guarantee boost under fire
Labor’s treasury spokesman asks Scott Morrison if he agrees with Liberal MPs who oppose the planned boost to the superannuation guarantee to 12 per cent.
The Prime Minister responds: “There is no plans to change the policy.”
The Australian revealed today that seven Liberal MPs in the four biggest states, including chairmen of two parliamentary committees, have criticised the increase as unfair and inefficient, urging the government to halt the legislated increase from 9.5 per cent, or wind it back for low-income workers.
Sid Maher 2.37pm: $3bn tax refunds already delivered
Josh Frydenberg says taxpayers continue to rush to claim their tax cuts which passed through parliament earlier this month.
Responding to a question from Liberal Lucy Wicks, the Treasurer said as at this morning 2.9 million Australian taxpayers had put in a tax return for the 2018-19 financial year. This was more than 460,000 than at the same time last year.
He said $3bn in refunds had been delivered.
“This is money finding its ways into the economy to be spent at a cafe, to be spent with a plumber or electrician,’’ Mr Frydenberg told Question Time.
Richard Ferguson 2.28pm: Where’s the drought envoy?
Opposition agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon asks Agriculture Minister David Littleproud why the government no longer has a drought envoy.
Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce was drought envoy before the federal election. He said at the time of Scott Morrison’s post-poll reshuffle that he found out he lost the role on the news.
Mr Littleproud attacks Labor rather than answering the question.
“People in this country want leadership, they do not want politics,” he says.
“You’re playing with the lives of Australian farming families. This is about politics. This is something that we can do better as a parliament, get behind this (drought relief package) today.”
Speaker Tony Smith tells Mr Littleproud to answer the question. The Agriculture Minister says the government no longer needed an envoy as consultations on the drought had finished.
“We have gone to the point of consultations and now it is time to get onto the job. We elevated drought to Cabinet for the first time,” he says.
“We had a prime minister who in the first couple of days of his prime ministership came to a drought affected community and has elevated drought to the highest table of his office.”
Richard Ferguson 2.28pm: We’re over the moon
Labor’s infrastructure spokeswoman Catherine King asks Scott Morrison why there is an independent Infrastructure Australia body if the Building Australia Fund is drained for his drought relief package.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack answers and starts talking about the moon landings. His electorate of Parkes was the home of the communications team which helped bring images from the landings.
“I note the presence in the chamber of the American ambassador: One small step for man, yesterday was one giant leap forward for Parkes,” he says.
Mr McCormack then gets to Ms King’s question about infrastructure spending.
“This government significantly transformed the way we invest in infrastructure. A $100 billion commitment, investment in infrastructure right across the country,” he says.
“Better roads, better rail, better airports, better seedpods. We are getting on with the job of building infrastructure to get Australians home sooner and safer.”
Richard Ferguson 2.20pm: Back drought fund, PM tells Labor
Labor’s agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon asks Scott Morrison why money from his proposed Drought Future Fund will not be spent till next July.
The Prime Minister attacks Labor for not backing the Drought Future Fund.
“We put it in the budget, we took it to the Australian people, the Australian people returned the government to government to ensure that we can get on with the job of supporting our farmers through one of the toughest drought that this country has ever seen,” he says.
“We are funding those drought resilience projects now out of the budget.
“And from July 1 next year we will draw down $100 million out of the fund. That will increase in value to $5 billion and provide permanent funding support for drought resilience projects in this country.
“I have a simple statement to make to those opposite. Why won’t you support farmers going through the drought?”
Richard Ferguson 2.18pm: Question of security
Anthony Albanese asks Scott Morrison if he doubts which sides MPs are on when they back the joint committee to security and intelligence’s recommendations on national security legislation.
The Prime Minister says it always Coalition MPs who bring the “stronger positions” to that committee.
“The Joint Standing Committee on these matters does important work in this parliament, and when members come to that committee, they bring forward the positions of their various parties to address the national security issues the country ‘s face,” he says.
“And what I have noted in my time in this place is that it has always been those who sit on this side of the house have always brought the stronger position. It is always
those I sit on the side of the house.”
Labor MPs shout that Mr Morrison is a “disgrace”.
The government has called on Labor to pass through a raft of national security bills including temporary exclusion orders for foreign fighters.
Greg Brown 1.33pm: Lib calls for Newstart hike
Liberal senator Dean Smith has called on Scott Morrison to increase the rate of Newstart.
“I think that Liberals should pay very close attention to the comments of former leader John Howard on this matter,” he said in the Senate while debating a Greens bill to increase the payment by $75 a week.
“I am someone who believes the Newstart allowance amount should be more than reviewed, which was Labor’s last position, it should be increased.”
Ben Packham 1.26pm: PNG fails to secure Manus timetable
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has failed to secure a commitment from Scott Morrison in bilateral talks today to come up with a firm timetable to get refugees and asylum-seekers off Manus Island.
Mr Marape said last week that he wanted to see refugee processing in his country end “as soon as possible”, and had asked Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton to “expedite” the matter.
However, on his first official visit to Australia today, Mr Marape said Australia and PNG would develop a “mutually workable timetable” to get the refugees and asylum-seekers out of PNG.
“It’s a work in progress for us,” he said.
“As I said, the Manus asylum-seeker program was a program that both governments initiated and agreed to participate in it in 2013 and 14 and thereabouts.
“So both governments will both work in bringing this to a conclusion that is mutually beneficial.”
Richard Ferguson 12.29pm: No more detention on Manus: Marape
Papua New Guinea prime minister James Marape says his country will work with Australia to finally close the Manus Island offshore processing facility.
“There is no more detention. People are living freely in Manus, and also some have moved to Port Moresby for medical, and moving around freely,” he said in Canberra.
“And I’ve expressed clearly to Minister (Peter) Dutton that we need to establish a schedule and timetable towards full closure of the entire asylum processes.
“As PNG has always stood in to assist Australia in times of need, as it has done for us also, we will ensure that we have a mutually workable timetable and closer program that is healthy for all of us, but more importantly, healthy for those people who have been part of us in Manus and PNG.
“Some are classified as refugees. Those classified as final refugee, the international convention of refugees will apply. Those who aren’t classified as refugees, we’ll see where they’re given encouragement to move back to their home of origin or where they’d like to move.
“Those are works in process that both governments have agreed to. And for us, to find some closure in the Manus area.”
Scott Morrison says more than 1000 people have left Manus Island since the Coalition came to power in 2013, and that the PNG and Australian governments were working together to resettle people.
“We’re just going to continue to work through the issue pragmatically as we have,” he said in Canberra.
“I think we’ve made extraordinary progress. The terrible scourge of people smuggling is something that Papua New Guinea and Australia have worked closely together to frustrate and defeat but the challenge remains present, as we know, and the reports and the briefings that have been provided by the Minister for Home Affairs testifies to.
“We’re dealing with the problem of people who found themselves on Manus Island because of the failed border protection policies of the previous government. That’s who is on Manus Island. That’s who is there.”
Richard Ferguson 12.08pm: PNG ties strengthened: PM
Scott Morrison says his meeting today with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape elevates the two countries’ relationship to a new strategic level. Mr Marape is the first foreign head of government to officially visit Canberra since the Prime Minister was re-elected in May.
“Today, we’ve made some important agreements, and those agreements are to elevate our relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea to a comprehensive, strategic and economic partnership,” Mr Morrison said in Canberra.
“Taking the relationship to annual leader level dialogues and other relationships that bring together the totality of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea.
“There is an economic relationship — one that’s about enabling the joint prosperity of both of our countries, that is supporting and enabling the health and well being and education of our citizens.
“There is a relationship which is tackling and addressing the security challenges that we face together and we work together in addressing. And thirdly, in improving and building on all of the connections that we have — whether it’s through programs like our secondary school program, or indeed, a passion that we both share with rugby league.
“Or indeed, the relationship between our church programs and church leaders, which is an ongoing part of our connections. And indeed, a broader part of the Pacific Step Up program.”
Richard Ferguson 11.25am: ‘Fringe dwellers can go jump’
Agriculture Minister David Littleproud says “fringe dwellers” who are against the Murray-Darling Basin Plan “can take a run and jump”, likening the plan to achieving peace in the Middle East.
“The fringe dwellers that are there that are trying to pull this plan apart, I couldn’t give a rat’s,” he told Sky News.
“The one thing I worry about is making sure the basin states are committed to this and we are, because we’ve got leadership take the politics out of this and we get on
“We don’t always agree but this is Australia’s biggest environmental program and it’s working.
“The legislation’s done. We’ve got the neutrality test on the 450 water. That’s like akin to getting peace in the Middle East.
“We got everyone to agree. This is something to be proud of … We’re not going to let fringe dwellers try and tear us down. This is too important to the two million Australians who live up and down the basin.”
A group of the nation’s leading water experts criticised the ABC last week for its recent coverage of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, saying a Four Corners episode propagated myths and misrepresented the science of the plan.
Rachel Baxendale 10.57am: Pyne, Bishop probe still on: Patrick
Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick says he is still likely to call for a Senate inquiry into Christopher Pyne and Julie Bishop’s post-politics jobs, after reading advice from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet which has cleared them of breaching ministerial standards.
Senator Patrick says he will listen to an address on the issue from government Senate leader Mathias Cormann, due at 12:20pm, before making a final decision.
Questions had been raised over the former ministers, who have both taken jobs connected to their old portfolios, but Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Secretary Martin Parkinson found that the former foreign minister and defence minister are not in breach of the ministerial codes after a weeks-long inquiry.
“I will wait to see what Cormann says at 12:20 in the chamber,” Senator Patrick told The Australian.
“On what is before me at present, I will still be asking the Senate to conduct an inquiry.”
Greg Brown 10.29am: Newstart bill to be debated
The Greens have brought forward a bill in the Senate calling for an increase in the Newstart allowance to $150 per week.
The bill will be debated this morning, starting with Greens senator Rachel Siewert, but the legislation unlikely to come to a vote today.
Scott Morrison has remained opposed to increasing the payment despite pressure from Labor and Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce.
Richard Ferguson 8.15am: Labor’s issues with drought fund
Labor’s agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon says the problems with Scott Morrison’s drought future fund “are many” and he believes the money in the fund will be spent “for political purposes”.
Mr Fitzgibbon said this morning he remains opposed to the drought bill in its current form as it takes money away from the Building Australia Fund, which he accused the Prime Minister of disliking because it allocates money to projects at arm’s length from government.
“We stand ready we just don’t want to take money from regional road projects,” Mr Fitzgibbon told ABC radio.
“They want to be able to spend the money wherever they want it spent for political purposes.
“You have more faith in Scott Morrison than me if you think that a paper guarantee that it will be spent on X, Y and Z is how it will be spent.”
Richard Ferguson 7.49am: Bishop, Pyne cleared
Former Coalition frontbenchers Julie Bishop and Christopher Pyne have been cleared of breaching ministerial standards after taking on post-politics jobs connected to their old portfolios.
Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Martin Parkinson — Canberra’s top bureaucrat — has advised Scott Morrison that the former foreign minister and defence minister are not in breach of the ministerial codes after a weeks-long inquiry.
Richard Ferguson 7.42am: ‘No plans’ to scrap super increase
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the government has “no plans” to dump the superannuation guarantee increase to 12 per cent, despite a push from Liberal MPs.
“We don’t have any plans to make any changes to what is currently legislated,” he said in Canberra.
“The current legislation provides from July 1 2021 onwards that the level of super guarantee increases by half a per cent a year until it reaches 12 per cent in July 1 2025.
“That is what is currently legislated and we have no plans to change that.”
The Australian reveals today that seven Liberal MPs in the four biggest states, including chairmen of two parliamentary committees, have criticised the increase as unfair and inefficient, urging the government to halt the legislated increase from 9.5 per cent, or wind it back for low-income workers.
Richard Ferguson 7.15am: Labor wary drought future fund
Richard Marles says the opposition is still wary of backing Scott Morrison’s drought future fund as it takes money from a fund meant for infrastructure. “There needs to be a drought funding package for regional Australia and places which are in drought. There’s no question of that at all,” he told ABC News. “And we absolutely support money being provided to those who need assistance in respect of drought. The issue here is that what’s being proposed is to take money from the Building Australia Fund. Now, we can all have a good look at that.
“The Building Australia Fund provides for critical infrastructure in drought-affected regions themselves so as it stands, there’s a risk that this is literally robbing Peter to pay Paul.
“We want to understand how the Government plans to make sure that there is the appropriate money there to support the farmers who are doing it tough in a way that doesn’t reduce the critical infrastructure that the farmers need.”
The Prime Minister has said he will not make “special deals” to pass his drought future fund unamended this week, and warned Labor he will turn to the crossbench if it does not support him.
Richard Ferguson 7.10am: Labor hints at backing jihadist bill
Labor’s deputy leader Richard Marles has signalled the opposition will back the government’s temporary exclusion orders for foreign fighters “at the end of the day.”
“Labor supports, in principle, a regime of temporary exclusion orders, and we always have,” Mr Marles told ABC News. “This is complex legislation. It needs to be done in a way that is lawful, in that it needs to be able to survive High Court challenges.
“There are a number of recommendations which Liberal members of the (Joint Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence and Security) supported. We want to get through the bottom of that and work with the Government on that.
“But at the end of the day, we completely acknowledge the importance of having a temporary exclusion order regime and we’ll work cooperatively with the Government to achieve that.”
Richard Ferguson 7.05am: Labor sticks with Medevac
Labor will not vote to repeal laws easing the medical evacuation of refugees from offshore detention centres, deputy opposition leader Richard Marles says. “We’re not going to support the repeal of the Medevac legislation. At the end of the day, this is a pretty modest piece of legislation,” he told ABC News. “It is about ensuring that doctors’ voices are heard when we’re determining where people on Manus and Nauru should be provided medical treatment.
“Now, around 40 people have come to Australia as a result of this. That’s in a context where the Government, itself, has brought hundreds of people from Nauru to Australia in order to receive medical treatment in the last few years
“So the idea that the Medevac Bill will see the sky fall in as the Government is asserting, is completely ridiculous. What we’re about is good legislation and good policy.
“The Medevac Bill is that, and we’re not going to support the repeal of it.”
Scott Morrison is due to push his election promise to repeal the medivac laws this week, along with other national security legislation.
7am: What’s making news
Josh Frydenberg is facing growing backbench calls to ditch the superannuation guarantee increase to 12 per cent as the government prepares to launch a far-reaching review into the effectiveness of the $2.8 trillion savings pool.
Scott Morrison has demanded crossbench senators pass the $5 billion drought-relief package, saying there would be no deals when it is put to parliament today.
The Greens have been accused of hypocrisy and jeopardising Tasmania’s position as the renewable energy powerhouse of Australia after-party leader Richard Di Natale backed predecessor Bob Brown’s concerns about a proposed wind farm on Tasmania’s Robbins Island.
Labor has yet to decide whether it will support the government’s proposed laws that could send animal rights activists to jail for up to five years for publishing material inciting others to trespass or engage in property damage or theft on private farms.
A vote on new laws preventing Australians linked to terror groups from returning home could go down to the wire in the Senate as Labor and crossbenchers indicate that while they support the overhaul in principle, they have serious concerns about aspects of the government’s bill.
Attorney-General Christian Porter has declared the $200,000 “contrition payment” by celebrity chef George Calombaris a “light penalty”, saying he had an “open mind” about legislating higher penalties for the underpayment of wages, including criminal penalties for serious repeat offending.
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