PoliticsNow: Angus Taylor says he did nothing wrong in farm disclosure
As Labor continued its question time attacks, a vote on Penny Wong’s proposed inquiry failed.
Hello and welcome to PoliticsNow, The Australian’s live blog on the happenings at Parliament House in Canberra.
TOP STORY: Energy Minister Angus Taylor seeks to quash Labor attacks over his business interests in an address the House of Representatives today.
Ewin Hannan 5.33pm: IR bill vote delayed
The Lower House will not vote today on proposed laws making it easier to disqualify union officials and deregister unions with debate to resume tomorrow.
Labor’s industrial relations spokesman Tony Burke spoke today on the Ensuring Integrity Bill, mounting a wide-ranging attack on the proposed legislation which will be voted against by the ALP.
Mr Burke said the government was trying to weaken unions because they argued for pay rises and better health and safety for workers, and argued against wage theft.
The bill is subject to a Senate inquiry which will not report until late October, meaning the laws might not be voted by the Senate until November.
Richard Ferguson 3.58pm: Senate blocks inquiry into Taylor
The senate has blocked an inquiry into Energy Minister Angus Taylor’s business interests, as Labor continued to attack him in question time today.
The Senate voted 33-32 to block the inquiry proposed by Labor senate leader Penny Wong into the Energy Minister’s interests into a company Jamland, which was investigated over land-clearing.
One Nation and independent senator Cory Bernardi sided with the government, with Pauline Hanson labelling the proposed inquiry a “witch-hunt” earlier in the day.
Labor today focused on Mr Taylor’s explanations for calling a meeting with the Environment Department over the “techinical aspects” of the investigation.
Manager of opposition business Tony Burke accused Mr Taylor of having “three different reasons” for organising a meeting with bueaucrats investigating Jamland.
“One, somebody wrote a letter six months after the meeting that was addressed to somebody else,” Mr Burke says.
“Two, somebody wrote a letter three years before the meeting that was addressed to somebody else.
“And, three, he had a conversation with a bloke in Yass ... Isn’t the only consistent interest here his own?”
Mr Taylor said in question time that he was informed of the issue by farmers in the electorate, and was pointed to farming lobby concerns from as early as 2014.
I have already made a comprehensive and detailed statement on this matter covering exactly this issue to the House earlier today,” he said.
“In that statement I made clear that through discussions with farmers in late 2016 and 2017, they demonstrated deep concerns about the impact of this listing on their farming operation.
“And they pointed me to a National Farmers’ Federation submission made in 2014 expressing those concerns. 2014.
“Those opposite just want to smear farmers and those who represent farmers in this place because they are completely out of touch with farmers.”
Richard Ferguson 2.58pm: Taylor quizzed over reasons for meeting
Manager of opposition business Tony Burke accuses Mr Taylor of having “three different reasons” for organising a meeting with bureaucrats investigating Jamland.
“One, somebody wrote a letter six months after the meeting that was addressed to somebody else,” Mr Burke says. “Two, somebody wrote a letter three years before the meeting that was addressed to somebody else.
“And, three, he had a conversation with a bloke in Yass.
“Isn’t the only consistent interest here his own?”
Mr Taylor says Labor are showing “disdain” for farmers who were concerned about investigations in land clearing.
Richard Ferguson 2.34pm: Labor wants to smear farmers: Taylor
Labor environment spokeswoman Terri Butler asks Energy Minister Angus Taylor how he sought a meeting with the Environment Department over land clearing, based on a letter from farming groups that did not exist for a further six months.
The meeting in particular involved the company Jamland, which Mr Taylor has an indirect interest in.
“I have already made a comprehensive and detailed statement on this matter covering exactly this issue to the House earlier today,” he says.
“In that statement I made clear that through discussions with farmers in late 2016 and 2017, they demonstrated deep concerns about the impact of this listing on their farming operation.
“And they pointed me to a National Farmers’ Federation submission made in 2014 expressing those concerns. 2014.
“Those opposite just want to smear farmers and those who represent farmers in this place because they are completely out of touch with farmers.”
Richard Ferguson 2.28pm: Moves on super after royal commission
Labor treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers asks Josh Frydenberg how many of the recommendations of the banking royal commission have been adopted.
The Treasurer says the government has started applying some of the recommendations.
“We have already legislated recommendation 3.6 which will prohibit superannuation funds inducing employees. We have recommended and legislated through this place recommendation 3.7 which introduces civil penalties for trustees and directors of super
funds,” he says,
“We announced Graham Samuel would chair a review into APRA (Australian Prudential Regulation Authority) and we have accepted the recommendations from that APRA review.
“We have announced in the budget $649 million extra funding for ASIC and APRA, which is 25 per cent to 30 per cent increase. We’re extending the jurisdictions to the Federal Court to include criminal jurisdiction and the list goes on.”
Richard Ferguson 2.23pm: Crown allegations ‘serious’, says PM
Greens MP Adam Bandt asks Scott Morrison to ensure ministers and Home Affairs officials are not involved in an embroiling controversy involving Crown Casino and organised crime.
Nine reports that Crown Casino has allegedly developed links to criminal interests in China and that high rollers from Asia have landed in Australia on private planes.
The Prime Minister says the Crown saga is “very serious” and he is being updated on it.
“It is a very serious topic and deals with the integrity not only of our gaming industry but issues that go to law enforcement and border protection in this country,” Mr Morrison says.
“Our government takes allegations of illegal activity very serious seriously. Everyone is required to abide by the Australian law including casino operators, public officials, all visitors to our country.
“Our law enforcement agencies are working hard to disrupt criminal groups by financially motivated crime.
“In relation to the specific matters that were raised by the member, there has been nothing presented to me that would indicate there are any matters there for me to address.”
Richard Ferguson 2.18pm: No support for penalty rate cuts: Frydenberg
Labor’s treasury spokesman Jim Chalmers asks Josh Frydenberg why the government “supports” the cutting of penalty rates when the economy needs stimulus.
The Treasurer says he does not support the cutting of penalty rates.
“We do support an independent arbiter,” Mr Frydenberg says.
“The inconvenient truth for those opposites that when we came to government, in 2013, unemployment was 5.7 per cent. Today I can inform the House it’s 5.2 per cent.
“The number of unemployed people increased by around 220,000 people. Now, it’s an inconvenient truth for the member for Rankin when Labor was last in office, those on a minimum wage were hit by real wage cuts in three out of six years. And in every year that we’ve been in government, the minimum wage has gone up.”
Anthony Albanese then asks Mr Frydenberg if real wage growth has gone up or down since the government came to power in 2013.
“I2.3 per cent is the wages price index and wages continue to go up,” Mr Frydenberg says.
Richard Ferguson 2.14pm: Crackdown on child exploitation
Higgins MP Katie Allen asks Scott Morrison how he plans to tackle global online child exploitation.
The Australian revealed today that the Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton will lead a global push to shut down what domestic intelligence and security agencies claim is an alarming proliferation in the live-streaming of child rape.
“We’re standing up to the big tech companies who have such an important role to play in keeping our children safe online and combating sexual predators online,” Mr Morrison tells the House.
“And right now our Minister for Home Affairs … is overseas in the UK working with our partners to crackdown on child exploitation and work with our partner agencies overseas.
“We also have to ensure that we take on the big internet companies and make sure that the internet is not weaponised for sexual predators any more than it’s weaponised by terrorists.
“Our government is committed to the Australian people and taking on the issues that they are focused on. They are focused on trying to keep their children safe, whether it’s online or in the physical world.”
Richard Ferguson 2.10pm: PM won’t accept ‘unfunded empathy of Labor’ on Newstart
Scott Morrison says he will not accept the “unfunded empathy of the Labor Party” and says the Opposition has no plan to fund a boost to Newstart.
At the last election the Labor Party came up with $387 billion of higher taxes and they still didn’t come up with a way to fund an increase in the Newstart allowance,” he says.
“I will not allow this Labor Opposition to go out and make all sorts of promises to Australians about Newstart when they have no intention of funding it and no intention of backing it up with a real policy.”
Richard Ferguson 2.04pm: ‘Could you live on Newstart, PM?’
Labor backbencher Sharon Bird opens question time by asking Scott Morrison if he could live on Newstart.
The Prime Minister defends his reluctance to raise the dole, by stating it already goes up with consumer price index and his focus is getting Australians into work.
“Those payments are indexed every six months along with every other welfare payment,” he says, “and the Australian public provides that support.”
“But the most important support that is provided by this government is to ensure that people can get off welfare and work.
And this government has set records both for youth unemployment, getting people
into jobs, people across the spectrum, older Australians, younger, female Australians, getting them into work because the best form of welfare is a job.”
Labor says Mr Morrison is not answering the question. Speaker Tony Smith says Mr Morrison is being directly relevant on the question.
Richard Ferguson 1.20pm: Taylor: I followed the rules on disclosing farm stake
Angus Taylor has sought to quash Labor’s attacks over his business interests in a statement to parliament, as senate crossbenchers vow not to support a “witch hunt” inquiry to him.
The Energy Minister has been scrutinised over his indirect interests in the company Jamland, which was investigated by the federal Environment Department over land clearings. Mr Taylor — before he was in cabinet — attended a meeting concerning the investigation.
Jamland does not appear on Mr Taylor’s register of member’s interests. But the parent family company which has a stake in Jamland does.
Mr Taylor today said if he was made to register Jamland, it would be a “major change” to how MPs declare their business interests.
“This farming partnership — a common legal partnership for rural holdings — has held a one third interest in a farm near Delegate,” he told parliament.
“If the register of interests were required to record minority, non-controlling interests held at three levels down at a family company, this would be a major change to current practice.
“For instance, investments made by public companies held by members would need to be disclosed.
“It would require changes to disclosures for many in this place, including those opposite.”
Mr Taylor repeated his claims made last week in question time that he had no direct role in Jamland or his family company, and that he had never meddled in the investigation over land clearing.
“My interests have been declared in complete adherence to the rules,” he told the House today.
“I have had no association with the events leading to the compliance action that has been the subject of these allegations, and I have never made a representation in relation to it. I never would.
“My focus was advocating for the interest of the farmers in my electorate and the region.”
One Nation and independent senator Cory Bernardi have promised to block a senate inquiry into Mr Taylor’s business interests.
Labor is expected to keep the heat on Mr Taylor over his business interests and rising power prices throughout the parliamentary week.
Olivia Caisley 1.16pm: Allen’s maiden call on climate change
Dr Katie Allen has used her maiden speech in federal parliament to call on Australia to act on climate change and be open to the transition to renewable energy.
“Climate change is real and affects us all,” the new Liberal MP told the lower house today, labelling the move an “economic imperative.”
“It is not just an environmental imperative to act — it’s an economic one. “We need to be open to new possibilities to reduce emissions to hasten that future and use our Australian pragmatism to lead the world in sustainable energy.”
The new member for the blue-ribbon Victorian seat of Higgins, who took over from former MP Kelly O’Dwyer when she retired, said Australians were ready to discuss new technologies such as hydrogen, and alternative energy sources such as nuclear.
Dr Allen said she was proud to be part of a government that had made a “significant contribution” to mental health and paid tribute to her brother, Tim, who suffers from schizophrenia.
She also flagged concern regarding the health gap of indigenous Australians, arguing the first step for equality was constitutional recognition.
“My time in the Northern Territory looking at the high rates of mortality in the newborn population of our indigenous people shocked me,” she said. “It mirrored what I had seen in Kenya — yet here we were Australia — a first-world country.”
The new politician said immigration was central to Australia’s economic prosperity, vowing to make sure new migrants were made to feel at home. The best way to create opportunity was through a robust education, she added, saying the system needs to respond to digital disruption.
“Our higher education system needs support and investment to capitalise on its excellence. I will fight to defend academic freedoms,” she said.
Greg Brown 11.15am: Inquiry push into Angus Taylor set to fail
Labor’s push to set up an inquiry into Energy Minister Angus Taylor is set to fail, with One Nation and senator Cory Bernardi confirming they will oppose it.
Senator Bernardi told The Australian he will vote against a motion to set up the inquiry when it is pushed by Labor in the Senate this afternoon.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson also confirmed she would oppose the probe into Mr Taylor’s investments, and allegations he misused his position for private gain.
“I’ve looked at the paperwork with this and I think it’s a witch hunt against Angus Taylor,” Senator Hanson told Nine’s Today show.
The Australian reported this morning One Nation and Senator Bernardi were unlikely to support the inquiry, despite it receiving support from the Greens and Centre Alliance.
The Opposition will this week keep its focus on Mr Taylor. He had meetings in March 2017 with Environment Department officials and the office then environment minister Josh Frydenberg where he lobbied to have protections for endangered grasslands watered down. The meetings were held as investigations were under way into the alleged poisoning of 30ha of grasslands on a NSW property owned by Jam Land Pety Ltd. Mr Taylor’s brother Richard is one of Jam Land’s directors while his family investment company, Gufee, is a shareholder.
Mr Taylor has denied wrongdoing saying he was not obliged to declare indirect investments and his meetings with environmental officials were merely to represent farmers in his electorate.
Richard Ferguson 8.35am: Porter pushes crossbencher on unions
Industrial Relations Minister Christian Porter is pushing for key crossbench senator Rex Patrick to back his union-busting bills, as the Centre Alliance MP hesitates over the power it gives ministers.
Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick wants the Ensuring Integrity Bill to be amended to remove a minister’s ability to refer rogue unions or union officials to the courts, where they could be deregistered.
The Industrial Relations Minister said he would work to soothe Senator Patrick’s concerns and said he should back the crackdown on rogue unions because he is “a champion of integrity.”
“That has a longstanding history in industrial law. These are things we will discuss with Rex,” Mr Porter told ABC radio.
“One of the interesting things about Rex Patrick is Rex has long been a campaigner and champion for integrity. That integrity is not just about inside government … there has to be proper behaviour in unions.”
Mr Porter said the bill was needed to make workplaces safer from “repetitious lawbreakers” in the union movement.
“We’ve had Federal Court judges note that militant elements of the CFMEU have been such repetitious lawbreakers for so long and shown absolutely no inclination whatsoever to ever make any effort at all to change that culture,” Mr Porter said.
“There’s now not sufficient deterrents to Commonwealth law to stop unlawful behaviour in workplaces. And that actually endangers the safety of employees in Australia”.
The government will resume debate on the Ensuring Integrity law in the House of Representatives today, where it will be passed by the government’s majority.
Independent senator Jacqui Lambie has signalled she will support the union-busting measures, but Mr Porter said senate support was still to be determined.
“We’re discussing matters with the crossbench but there is nothing set in stone at the present point in time,” he told ABC radio.
“There have been public comments by crossbenchers about their concerns around the behaviour of certain rogue militant elements of the union movement.
“Tonight will be the House of Representative’s passage of the bill. We’ll take this one step at a time.
Richard Ferguson 8.10am: Cormann stares down Newstart pressure
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann is staring down pressure from government MPs to boost Newstart and scrap a boost to the superannuation guarantee.
The Finance Minister said any decision on Newstart would be based on what is affordable in the budget, as former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce unleashed a morning media blitz advocating for an increase in the dole.
“Newstart is not designed to be a replacement salary … 99 per cent of recipients of Newstart allowance are on other welfare payments,” Senator Cormann told ABC radio.
“We are spending more than a third of our budget on welfare. These sorts of judgments in the end do have to be made with a view of ensuring that our welfare budget are sustainable.
“We have to make judgments on what is affordable in the budget.
“We understand that people on welfare — and people on Newstart allowance in particular — that that is a tough circumstance and our focus on helping all Australians, particularly those unemployed, in getting into work.”
Senator Cormann refused to comment on Mr Joyce’s revelations that he is struggling financially as a result of leaving cabinet last year.
“I am not going to provide commentary on Barnaby’s commentary,” Senator Cormann said.
Liberal MPs have also been calling for the planned superannuation guarantee increase to 12 per cent to be dumped.
The Coalition backbench push has earned the ire of former Labor prime minister Paul Keating who has labelled any prospective scrapping of the super boost “theft, outright theft.”
“This issue has been settled … this is not something we will be reopening,” Senator Cormann told ABC radio.
Richard Ferguson 7.21am: ‘Where are the tissues? My god!’
Pauline Hanson is backing former National leader Barnaby Joyce’s push for an increase in the Newstart allowance, but has labelled revelations he is struggling financially “ridiculous and stupid.”
Eighty-four per cent of Newstart recipients skip meals and 66 per cent don’t use heating in winter, according to a survey to be released today by the Australian Council of Social Service as Labor and lobby groups ramp up pressure on the government to increase the welfare payment.
Mr Joyce — the former deputy prime minister — told The Courier Mail today that he is breaking government ranks to push for an increase in the dole due to his recent financial experiences since resigning from cabinet last year.
”It’s not that I’m not getting money it’s just that it’s spread so thin,” he told the Courier Mail.
“I’m just saying these circumstances have made me more vastly attuned … it’s just a great exercise in humility going from deputy prime minister to watching every dollar you get.”
"Where’s the tissues, my god!" @PaulineHansonOZ slams Barnaby Joyce over claims he's struggling to make ends meet on his $211,250 salary. #9Today pic.twitter.com/pY8xY8AhHN
— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) July 28, 2019
Senator Hanson today was scathing of Mr Joyce’s statements as he is on a salary of more than $211,000 a year, but said more needed to be done to support Australians on low incomes.
“He feels skint? Where are the tissues, my god?” the One Nation leader told the Nine Network.
“What a ridiculous, stupid way to explain himself and he is saying Newstart allowance, people need a helping hand, which I’ve been saying for some time now.
“They do need an increase to the Newstart allowance.
“It shouldn’t be a way of life but people cannot get those jobs, they cannot get that extra employment that they need. They need to be able to pay for their rent. They need to be able to put food on the table.”
What’s making news:
Scott Morrison has spearheaded a post-election surge in support for the Coalition following passage of the government’s $158 billion income tax cuts, drought funding package and national security legislation, while cementing his authority as Prime Minister.
Australia will lead a global push to target online child exploitation in a bid to shut down what domestic intelligence and security agencies claim is an alarming proliferation in the live-streaming of child rape.
A review of navy planning warns fundamental changes will be needed to ensure sufficient crews for the nation’s $50 billion next generation submarines, including better pay, family-friendly conditions and recognition of submariners as an elite force.
Australian Federal Police and intelligence agencies are fighting growing foreign interference threats “with one hand tied behind their backs”, national security sources say.
Energy Minister Angus Taylor is banking on the support of conservative crossbenchers Cory Bernardi and Pauline Hanson to avoid a Senate probe into his investments, and allegations he misused his position for private gain.
Eighty-four per cent of Newstart recipients skip meals and 66 per cent don’t use heating in winter, according to a survey to be released today by the Australian Council of Social Service as Labor and lobby groups ramp up pressure on the government to increase the welfare payment.
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