Nationals president Larry Anthony called for written complaint about Barnaby Joyce
Larry Anthony has confirmed he asked Catherine Marriott to make a written complaint to the party about Barnaby Joyce
- Turnbull initiated Joyce investigation
- Nationals MP nearly had numbers to challenge
- Michael McCormack elected new Nats leader
Thanks for joining PoliticsNow, The Australian’s live coverage of the happenings in Parliament House.
Today’s top stories were NSW MP Michael McCormack being voted in as the Nationals leader, while PM Malcolm Turnbull has returned from a whirlwind US trip.
Top story
• Malcolm Turnbull initiated Barnaby Joyce investigation last week
Rachel Baxendale 7.55pm: Marino’s advisor gets fired for email
The Turnbull government’s chief whip Nola Marino’s office has sacked her media advisor, after he sent an email to numerous journalists mocking former prime minister Tony Abbott.
Ryan Hadjimihalakis, who also goes by the name Ryan Hadji, sent an email this morning featuring an old photograph of Mr Abbott and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce chatting on the backbench in the House of Representatives.
The meme compared the men with school children, making reference to Mr Joyce’s move to the backbench with the caption: “When you get in trouble in class and you get sat next to the weird kid no one likes.”
The email was sent to numerous recipients using Mr Hadjimihalakis’s official email account and signature as Ms Marino’s media adviser, but recalled minutes later.
Ms Marino’s office this afternoon confirmed Mr Hadjimihalakis had been sacked for sending the email.
Primrose Riordan 5.15pm: 197 gone to US from Manus, Nauru
Border Force has said 197 refugees have so far left for the US from both Manus Island and Nauru after 27 left from Nauru yesterday.
An Australian Border Force official told a Senate estimates hearing there were now 756 people left in Papua New Guinea, across the three Regional Processing Centres on Manus Island, in the community, and in Port Moresby. The Border Force said 589 of those people have been found to be refugees, and 167 people were determined to be failed asylum-seekers.
Primrose Riordan 5.00pm: Bishop coy on Xi’s presidency plan
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has declined to offer an assessment of China’s decision to abolish term limits on the country’s presidency, likely to pave the way for Xi Jinping, 64, to stay in power post 2023.
Ms Bishop simply said the move was “a matter for China” and Mr Xi was an “effective leader”.
“It’s a constitutional issue for the people of China. President Xi is a very effective leader of China, but the details of this constitution and any changes to the constitution are a matter for China,” she told reporters.
China’s Constitution had previously limited leaders to two terms in office - amounting to 10 years. Mr Xi became president in 2013.
Lowy Institute fellow, Richard McGregor, said the move would infuriate Chinese officials who had helped reform China’s institutions.
“Many Chinese scholars and officials who have worked hard to advance political and legal reforms in China will be furious that Xi is throwing their efforts aside,” he wrote in the Lowy Institute’s Interpreter.
Mr McGregor said while it did signal Mr Xi was not going anywhere, it could also mean he was worried about blow back from associates of those he had taken down in his anti-corruption campaign.
“Xi’s ability to push this decision through in the short-term is undoubtedly a display of his grip on all levers of power.”
“But the very fact that he feels the need to do so could easily be a sign of something else – that he is possessed by an urgency to gather even more power than he already has to keep his enemies at bay.”
Greg Brown 4.10pm: Nationals president called for written complaint
Nationals federal president Larry Anthony has confirmed he asked Catherine Marriott to make a written complaint to the party about Barnaby Joyce last Monday.
Mr Anthony said he asked for the complaint to be made in writing about the former Nationals leader in the middle of the media storm because it was the only way he could investigate the claim.
“I had this put to me by the leader, the deputy leader and a former leader of the West Australian Nationals, I have to take these issues seriously, I said well if this is a substantial complaint then it needs to be put in writing,” Mr Anthony told Sky News.
“I think that is my duty as president of the party and that is exactly what happened.”
Mr Anthony rejected that Ms Marriott was induced to make an official complaint about Mr Joyce to put further pressure on him to resign.
“The week before I was in parliament trying to tell colleagues to give Barnaby more time, I have been his supporter for a very long time here, but when you have very serious allegations that are put to me by the leadership of another division, how am I meant to investigate it? They were looking for me to take action,” he said.
Mr Anthony said the leaking of Ms Marriott’s identity did not come from the federal Nationals organisation.
“During this whole period of last week I had many calls from MPs not related to the National Party from other individuals telling me about this issue,” he said.
“So the knowledge was out there from a large number of people so there were many areas where it could have come from.”
Mr Anthony was coy when asked if he told a West Australian state council meeting on February 17th - the day after Mr Joyce called Malcolm Turnbull inept - that he thought Mr Joyce should resign.
“I don’t think I publicly expressed that view,” Mr Anthony said.
“When I was over in Western Australia, soon after the division of Western Australia called for him to step down, it was greatly concerning to me where we had one of our affiliate parties unprecedentedly coming forward and telling him to stand down.”
3.50pm: Parliament House security officer tasted powder
In one of the more bizarre stories to come from Senate estimates, it’s been revealed a senior security officer last year dipped his finger into a suspicious white powder and tasted it to confirm it wasn’t dangerous, despite having access to other testing tools.
Read more from The Australian’s Rick Morton here.
3.35pm: Focus on Barnaby
There was plenty of attention on the former Deputy Prime Minister and his replacement during Question Time. Our photographers kept a close eye on both men.
Greg Brown 3.13pm: Christensen sheepish following leadership battle
Labor’s Joel Fitzgibbon asks Nationals MP George Christensen a question in his role as chair of the publications committee.
He asks if the committee will seek evidence from Barnaby Joyce as to whether it should publish the Coalition agreement.
Christensen unusually talks down his influence. Maybe he is bruised from losing the battle for Nationals leadership this morning.
“A nonsense question like that deserves the answer that I am going to give to the member: ask a real question to government ministers, not backbenchers, that’s for starters, do your job,” Christensen says.
Christensen then goes on to say the parliamentary committee no longer meets.
“My committee has been very efficient, actually. What we have done is stream lined the processes for presentation of parliamentary papers to the parliament, as such, we no longer meet,” he says.
Greg Brown 3.05pm: Littleproud takes a stand
Agriculture Minister David Littleproud gives a very boisterous response to a Labor question about unscrupulous pay-day lenders and their impact on the farming sector.
Littleproud pulled out of the race for Nationals leadership last night but has plenty of fight left in him at QT.
“Labor only does half the job when the comes to research. They have taken a story out of The Courier-Mail that is totally taken out of context in respect to numbers,” Littleproud says.
“I am going to put up my hand and say I’m a proud business owner, something they would know nothing about.”
2.58pm: Airport’s green budget blowout
Meanwhile, Senate estimates has proved to be particularly revealing today, with Senators gasping when told the non-construction budget for the planned Western Sydney Airport would be set at $444.9 million, out of a total budget between $5-6 billion.
Read more from The Australian’s Ean Higgins here.
Greg Brown 2.47pm: Labor press PM on Joyce investigation timing
Bill Shorten asks Malcolm Turnbull why he waited until last Wednesday to investigate whether Barnaby Joyce breached ministerial standards.
The inquiry was revealed in Senate Estimates today.
“There were constant claims that the member for New England had been in breach of the statement of ministerial standards but no particulars were being given,” the PM says.
“It was appropriate and I discussed it with the member for New England, then Deputy Prime Minister at the time, that this work would be undertaken and it was undertaken by the Secretary (of Prime Minister and Cabinet).”
Turnbull says the investigation was stopped because of Mr Joyce’s resignation.
But he says there was still an inquiry into potential misuse of travel expenses by Mr Joyce and his partner Vikki Campion.
“The audit into the use of travel and travel-related expenses by Mr Joyce and Ms Campion by the independent parliamentary expenses authority is ongoing,” he says.
Greg Brown 2.41pm: Charities not tied up in foreign donation laws
Bill Shorten asks Malcolm Turnbull if charities will be impacted by the government’s foreign donation laws.
The PM says charities can take as much money from foreign entities as they like.
“But they can’t use that foreign money to fund political campaigning in Australia,” he says.
“The bill has no effect on charities political campaigning where it is funded for Australians.
“Talking about St Vincent de Paul or World Vision is a simple exercise by the Labor Party trying to distract from the fact that GetUp! wants to raise money to influence our nation’s (political system).”
Rick Morton 2.39pm: Turnbull initiated Joyce investigation
Malcolm Turnbull asked the secretary of his department to investigate whether Barnaby Joyce had breached the ministerial guidelines by having a relationship with his one-time staff member Vikki Campion but the investigation has now been sensationally called off.
The information, revealed for the first time in a Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee estimates hearing this afternoon, shows the Prime Minister was apparently looking for ways to remove Mr Joyce from office.
Mr Turnbull asked Martin Parkinson to look into the matter last Wednesday, when he was overseas in the United States and two days before Mr Joyce resigned.
Mr Turnbull’s letter to Mr Parkinson referred to a discussion on Wednesday morning.
“As I reiterate to you the Deputy Prime Minister continues to give me his assurances that he has not breached the guidelines however to ensure complete transparency the Deputy Prime Minister and I have agreed that you will examine these matters,” Mr Turnbull wrote last Wednesday.
“The Deputy Prime Minister has assured me that he will cooperate with you on these matters.”
The senate committee heard this afternoon, however, that the issue will not be pursued.
Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet deputy secretary Stephanie Foster told the hearing that “in light of the deputy prime minister resigning the advice was there was no need to continue.”
Senator Cormann read a letter from Martin Parkinson to Mr Turnbull in which he said there was little point continuing a probe into the ministerial conduct of a former minister.
The Coalition agreement between the Liberal and National parties became the subject of a tense exchange between senators Penny Wong and Mathias Cormann, representing the Prime Minister at the hearing.
Despite the revelation, Mr Cormann said there was no evidence on which the Prime Minister could have acted to call for Mr Joyce’s resignation and that when he was Acting Prime Minister last week.
Greg Brown 2.33pm: Labor’s ‘disgraceful’ move on Murray Darling plan
Malcolm Turnbull gets stuck in to Labor about its “disgraceful” opposition to reducing the amount of environmental water set aside in the Murray Darling Basin Plan.
The PM says Labor’s move may make Victoria and NSW leave the plan.
“It is recklessness on a grand scale,” he says.
“This is a disgraceful abandonment of jobs, farmers, production of the environment, an abandonment by the Labor Party as they pursue green votes in the seat of Batman.”
Greg Brown 2.26pm: McCormack’s first QT test
Greens MP Adam Bandt asks Michael McCormack if he is still a “climate change denier”.
It is ruled out of order.
Bandt is very unhappy but Speaker Tony Smith isn’t backing down.
“It is out of order. I am not going to waste the time of the House on issues that are black and white in the standing orders,” he says.
McCormack then gets a Dixer from Nationals MP Llew O’Brien about his brand new infrastructure portfolio.
He reads his response just about word for word from a sheet of paper, but he appears more across his brief than Barnaby Joyce did in the last week of QT.
“We are building and expanding dams, we’re upgrading our major transport routes because this is what keeps regional communities going,” McCormack says.
Greg Brown 2.15pm: Turnbull admits McKenzie’s error
Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek asks if deputy Nationals leader Bridget McKenzie was correct in saying the Governor-General has a copy of the Coalition agreement.
Malcolm Turnbull delivers a preamble about how “magnificent” Senator Mckenzie was before admitting she got it wrong.
“In terms of the question relating to the Coalition agreement, it is an agreement between two political parties, it is an administrative agreement only,” the PM says.
“It is not being made public in the past, that has been the practice. The Governor-General does not have a copy of it.”
Greg Brown 2.10pm: PM talks up US trip
Malcolm Turnbull gets a Dixer on his recent trip to the United States.
The PM uses it to sell the economic benefits of business tax cuts.
“It was impossible not to be struck by the of economic optimism and growing business confidence in the United States,” Turnbull says.
“President Trump’s company tax cuts have generated a real economic buzz in the United States.
“Business leaders are enthused by the cuts in regulation and red tape and we’re already seeing this translated into higher levels of investment and higher wages.”
Greg Brown 2.07pm: Labor return to Joyce
Bill Shorten asks why Malcolm Turnbull was “powerless” to sanction Barnaby Joyce for breaking the ministerial standards.
The PM says the standards are enforced and “revised”, while criticising the Opposition Leader for delaying its support to the bonk ban.
Greg Brown 2.05pm: McCormack addresses the House
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack addresses the House about his new role.
“It is a great privilege and I seek to do my best always. I thank the member for New England for his services to the nation. Bridget McKenzie remains the deputy. I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance the party and the people of Australia,” he says.
Barnaby Joyce sits unmoved on the backbench.
Greg Brown 2.01pm: McCormack’s first QT as Deputy PM
New Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack walks into the House of Representatives for Question Time with Malcolm Turnbull.
He takes his spot on the front bench next to Attorney-General Christian Porter and Leader of the House Christopher Pyne.
While this is happening, deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek savages the Nationals for the way it dealt with sexual harassment claims levelled at Barnaby Joyce. She said the claims should not have been referred to police and it was right for them to be investigated by the organisation. She also criticised the leak of the complainant’s identity.
1.45pm: ‘I had heard the stories’
Opposition agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon says he knew about the sexual assault allegations levelled at Barnaby Joyce for “some time”, arguing Malcolm Turnbull probably knew about them as well.
Mr Fitzgibbon said he had “heard stories” of claims about inappropriate behaviour of Mr Joyce towards West Australian woman Catherine Marriott.
“I have known of the Catherine Marriott situation for some time, or at least I had heard the stories, and if I knew Malcolm Turnbull and others have known about it as well,” Mr Fitzgibbon told Sky News.
“I think she took the right course, no woman wants to come out on these issues, it obviously can be very embarrassing and you can come off second best unfortunately
“That is the real issue here, she did the right thing she tried to keep it under the radar and go to the National Party, obviously not really seeking redress for her but for the sake of other women of making sure the National Party made sure it didn’t happen to others.
“She has done it on a confidential basis and then someone in the National Party, or I see Andrew Broad was blaming the Libs, has taken that public, and that arguably a strategy in favour of Barnaby Joyce.”
Mr Fitzgibbon said Mr Joyce tried to undermine her claim by asking them to be investigated by police. “The moment he says it needs to be tested by police, it gives the air of innocence, it is designed to suggest they have nothing to worry about but what it also does is undermines her claim,” he said.
1.35pm: Business backs new deputy
Business groups have welcomed Michael McCormack’s elevation as deputy prime minister, after his previous work as a small business minister and reports that he wants the position brought back into cabinet, AAP reports.
Mr McCormack won the backing of the Nationals party room today and now takes on his predecessor Barnaby Joyce’s the portfolio of infrastructure and transport.
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry boss James Pearson said Mr McCormack understood better than most the sacrifices small businesses make every day. “He knows business needs the support of government in crucial areas such as tax, energy costs, workplace relations reform, skills and training and infrastructure if they are to succeed in a globally competitive world,” Mr Pearson said in a statement.
Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox said Mr McCormack’s portfolio responsibilities are vital for employment, business success and productivity and provide solutions to the connectivity of regions and congestion in our major cities.
“As a grassroots political leader, the new Deputy PM will appreciate that the issues in his new portfolio are equally important for the cities and the bush and a key underpinning of our communities and economic prosperity,” he said.
MGA Independent Retailers chief executive officer Jos de Bruin said in his role as small business minister, Mr McCormack travelled the country talking to family and privately owned businesses. “We are confident that he will continue to use his voice for small businesses in cabinet,” Mr de Bruin said.
1.15pm: Profit holding pattern
The federal government’s $5.3 billion investment to build Sydney’s second airport isn’t likely to generate a return until 2050, AAP reports.
The Western Sydney Airport will be based in Badgerys Creek, on the city’s outskirts, and is scheduled to open in 2026.
The infrastructure department’s Greg Whalen told a Senate hearing today that it would be 20 to 25 years after the airport opens before a return would be seen.
12.50pm: MP goes to water
Nationals MP Andrew Broad says he know more about agriculture and water than his Nationals colleague in charge of the portfolios. David Littleproud.
Mr Broad said ministry positions would be up to new leader Michael McCormack, saying he would have an input in policy regardless of his position.
“Just because I know a lot about water doesn’t mean that I can’t have input,” Mr Broad told Sky News. “Just, for example, if David Littleproud became the agriculture minister, now I probably know more about agriculture and water than David but my job is to get the best outcome for the farmers of Australia who I represent.
“So my job is to work with the minister and make him the best minister he can be because it is about the farmers, it is not about us.”
Mr Broad, who was the first National MP to publicly call for Barnaby Joyce to resign, said the former leader could make a comeback
“In the 1930s there was a guy walking across a room in Whitehall ... and someone said ‘he never amounted to much, his name is Churchill’,” Mr Broad said.
“We are all fallen, we are all mistaken, we all learn from our experiences and we come back more empathetic as a result.
“I think that would be a great story to tell but that is a choice of what Barnaby chooses to do with his future.”
.@broad4mallee: The @Barnaby_Joyce story wasn't one of 'grace' and was going to keep rolling on... we might see a grace story in time.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 26, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/1cdIbm8YJT #auspol pic.twitter.com/2ZqmgrVTtR
12.25pm: An age-old debate
Children are pleading for support for their ageing parents because they’re too frail to do it themselves, Labor MP Julie Collins says.
Her office is being inundated with cries for help as waiting lists grow for the Home Care Packages that allow people to stay in their homes longer, AAP reports. The government has promised it’s working through solutions, but Ms Collins says more packages are needed now.
The spokeswoman for ageing angrily told parliament today that she wouldn’t stand by while older people languish at home or are forced into hospital because home support isn’t available.
“If we can afford $65 billion in tax cuts for big business we can afford to look after older Australians,” Ms Collins said, supporting a motion to condemn the government and call for immediate action.
Her party colleague Steve Georganas said he put forward the motion because more than 100,000 people are on the waiting list, which grew by 12,000 between July and September last year.
“These are some of our most vulnerable people, older Australians who have worked all their lives, paid their taxes and built the foundations on which we stand on today for the lives that we lead,” he said.
The government has committed a further 6000 packages and Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt promised further action again today.
He said aged care support was a complex issue and would be a challenge for all future governments, particularly as Baby Boomers age.
“The Turnbull government hasn’t failed,” he said. “It’s working through a number of measures that will address the growing need.”
12.05pm: McCormack ‘can heal turmoil’
Nationals MP David Gillespie says Michael McCormack will “get the team going again” as he brushes off concerns the party had emerged from its leadership change as deeply divided.
Mr Gillespie, who withdrew his candidacy for Nationals leader yesterday, said Mr McCormack was the right man to heal a hurting party.
“He has got a lot of work to do to heal the turmoil and the hurt in our party but he is the man for the moment and our new leader, we are all supporting him,” Mr Gillespie told Sky News.
“I withdrew my candidacy; it was obvious I didn’t have the numerical support and in 21 votes if you are short a few you are not there.
“I am very happy to get behind who our party has chosen, Michael is a very good fellow.”
11.40am: Labor puts heat on Nats
Labor MPs have lined up to put pressure on a divided Nationals after it elected Michael McCormack as party leader.
Opposition agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon said the Coalition agreement between the Liberal and National parties should be made public.
“Malcolm Turnbull is only Prime Minister today because of arrangements he’s entered into with a minor party called the Nationals. The Australian people are absolutely entitled to know what arrangements Malcolm Turnbull agreed to, to be Prime Minister,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
“Malcolm Turnbull is so determined to keep it a secret he has been fighting me in the courts for the last couple of years to keep that a secret.”
Mr Fitzgibbon said Mr McCormack was the first non-farmer to be elected Nationals leader since Charles Blunt in 1989.
“So Michael McCormack is going be off to a slow start to prove that he can adequately represent the farming community,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
“But of course this goes beyond agriculture. This is a party which purports to represent rural and regional Australia but Michael McCormack over the last four years has lined up to vote for every cut Malcolm Turnbull has imposed on rural and regional Australia.”
Labor frontbencher Andrew Leigh said the Nationals should stand up to the Liberal Party.
“We need to see from the Nationals a willingness to stand up against the Liberals, rather than just to tuck quietly into line,” Mr Leigh told Sky News.
“Australians won’t get to see the new Coalition agreement between the Liberals and Nationals, I’m guessing. But I expect there is very little in there for the regional towns that the Nationals claim to represent.”
Queensland senator Murray Watt lashed Nationals MP George Christensen for calling on the party to break from the Coalition.
“How many times have we actually seen this from George Christensen? He’s like the boy who cried wolf,” Senator Watt said.
“Last year alone, George Christensen was going to cross the floor on the banking royal commission and didn’t. He was going to cross the floor on penalty rates and he didn’t. He was going to cross the floor on the backpacker tax and he didn’t,” Senator Watt said.
“And who can forget that last year he was the anonymous National Party MP who was going to resign from the Government unless Malcolm Turnbull was gone as the leader by Christmas.
“I think people in Mackay and Queensland are pretty sick of George Christensen just huffing and puffing, and rolling over when he gets down here to Canberra.”
11.25am: Seal of approval
Nationals federal president Larry Anthony has thrown his support behind Michael McCormack being elected leader of the Nationals.
“Michael’s heart and soul is in regional Australia and he will be a strong advocate for the hard working people we represent.” Mr Anthony said in a statement.
“A former regional newspaper editor and small business owner, Michael understands the issues facing the regions and everyday working families.
“As Small Business Minister, Michael covered the breadth of Australia talking with local small and family business and stood up for key reforms to help them grow.
“Regional Australia can trust Michael to stand up for their issues and fight for a fair share for local communities.”
He said Barnaby Joyce would “continue to be a positive force” within the Nationals.
11.10am: Lone wolf
Nationals MP George Christensen isn’t afraid to go it alone. He was a surprise candidate for the party leadership this morning, and he maintains the formal coalition agreement with the Liberal Party should cease.
Pamela Williams 11am: Questions to answer
The issue of what Matt Canavan knew about the Barnaby Joyce affair and when he knew it will go to the heart of questions in Senate estimates this week — Read more here
Ben Packham 10.55am: Labor to continue Joyce attack
Labor is using Senate Estimates today to probe the full details of the employment of Barnaby Joyce’s former chief-of-staff, Diana Hallam, as a senior public servant on the Inland Rail project.
Labor Senator Glenn Sterle has put more than 15 questions to Department of Infrastructure bureaucrats, to be answered after 3.15pm.
They include questions on how the assistant secretary role was advertised, the number of applicants, how many were interviewed and whether there was any ministerial involvement in the process.
Ms Hallam left Mr Joyce’s office following internal upheaval over the then-Deputy Prime Minister’s relationship with his media adviser.
10.45am: McCormack sworn in
Michael McCormack has been sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister and has also taken over the infrastructure and transport portfolios.
Mr McCormack was sworn in at Government House and he also took the cabinet portfolios that were previously held by Barnaby Joyce. He was sworn in by Victorian Governor Linda Dessau and Malcolm Turnbull was among the guests.
“I, Michael Francis McCormack, do swear that I will well and truly serve the people of Australia in the offices of Deputy Prime Minister and minister for infrastructure and transport,” Mr McCormack said.
“I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia.”
.@M_McCormackMP has been sworn in at government house after being elected as the leader of the National Party.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 25, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/cTpigMYPIW #auspol #SkyLiveNow pic.twitter.com/UiFLktZD7B
Primrose Riordan 10.35am: Labor queries Border Force probe
Home Affairs Secretary Michael Pezzullo has revealed Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Martin Parkinson has taken over administrative oversight of an investigation into Border Force head Roman Quaedvlieg.
“Because of his seniority special arrangements have to be put in place,” Mr Pezzullo said under questioning about the inquiry in a senate estimates hearing today.
Senator Kim Carr attacked Mr Pezzullo over the length of the investigation into Mr Quaedvlieg, who has been on paid leave for nine months.
Mr Quaedvlieg has been on leave amid an internal investigation into allegations he helped a junior staffer, with whom he had a relationship, secure work at Sydney airport.
“Why is he still on forced leave?” Senator Carr said.
Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity is conducting the investigation.
Mr Pezzullo said the cost of creating the Home Affairs department will come in at under $10 million dollars, and $2m had already been spend on the changes.
Mr Pezzullo has slammed criticism of his newly created department as “flights of conspiratorial fantasy” in the senate estimates hearing today.
Mr Pezzullo said critics seems to be suggesting that the department and its leaders were secretively constructing an extra-judicial apparatuses of power without proper parliamentary oversight.
He said there was no “sinister” concentration of power going on and the criticism was “wrong”.
The Home Affairs Department has about 14,000 staff and the Home Affairs Portfolio overall which is overseen by Minister Peter Dutton has about 23,000 staff, according to Mr Pezzullo.
The Home Affairs portfolio has an overall budget of $7 billion, which is $23bn over the forward estimates, not including ASIO’s budget.
10.20am: PM welcomes new Nats leader
Malcolm Turnbull has congratulated Michael McCormack after he was elected leader of the Nationals.
The Prime Minister said he would work closely with the incoming Deputy Prime Minister.
“I’m delighted to welcome the appointment of Michael McCormack as the new leader of the National Party and Deputy Prime Minister,” Mr Turnbull said in a statement.
“Michael McCormack is a strong advocate for rural Australia. He will continue his party’s long tradition of standing up for farmers and all those living in regional Australia.
“The Liberal Party has been in coalition with the Nationals for more than seventy years and our enduring and successful political partnership will continue under Michael’s leadership of the National Party.
“I congratulate Michael McCormack on his appointment and I look forward to working closely with him and the entire Coalition team in the interests of all Australians.”
10.15am: Littleproud’s late call
Agriculture Minister David Littleproud was just a few MPs short of winning the support of the Nationals partyroom, highlighting division in the party.
The Australian understands that Mr Littleproud was about three votes short of Michael McCormack when he pulled out of the contest at 11pm last night.
Mr Littleproud is understood to have pulled out when he realised he would not quite get the numbers, wanting to avoid the party looking divided.
9.55am: ‘A week in politics is a long time’
Nationals senator John “Wacka” Williams says he does not know if Barnaby Joyce could become Nationals leader again, saying it was unknown what would happen to the leadership after the next election.
Senator Williams, a supporter of Mr Joyce, said he did not know what the future would bring for Mr Joyce.
“Who knows what the future brings, if you had said to me four weeks ago Barnaby Joyce won’t be Deputy Prime Minister in four weeks’ time, I would say: ‘what do you mean by that?’,” Senator Williams told Sky News.
“A week in politics is a long time, who knows what comes after the next election but I’m sure Barnaby will be a huge supporter to Michael McCormack, Bridget McKenzie and the team.”
Senator Williams said believed Mr McCormack would help the Nationals mend strained relations with the Liberal Party.
“I think he will do a good job of that, there has certainly been some ill feeling, some terrible headlines and surely some are pretty disgruntled about the last few weeks,” Senator Williams said. “It will move on, we will move past that, I’m sure Michael McCormack and Malcolm Turnbull will get along very well and we will have a good, strong Coalition as we move along during the year.”
9.40am: Tweet surrender
This just sent out from @NolaMarinoMP’s office.....and then recalled! @Barnaby_Joyce @TonyAbbottMHR 🤨 @SkyNewsAust pic.twitter.com/C7ZM5s4WdM
— Laura Jayes (@ljayes) February 25, 2018
9.35am: ‘That’s democracy’
Queensland Nationals MP George Christensen has offered his congratulations to new party leader Michael McCormack, despite running against him in this morning’s ballot.
Mr Christensen referenced his Facebook post on the weekend when he suggested the Nationals should walk away from a formal coalition with the Liberal Party.
“Michael, a fellow member of the Class of 2010, is a good mate of mine and we sat together on the backbench for our first three years in parliament,” Mr Christensen said in a statement.
“I expressed my views on the need to change the current political direction the Nationals are moving in, in a Facebook post over the weekend. My colleagues did not agree with my views, and that’s democracy.
“I now look forward to working with our new leader while representing the people of central and north Queensland and keeping up the fight for local jobs and opportunities.”
9.25am: ‘They don’t care who wears the Akubra’
Australians care more about the details of the coalition agreement than who leads the National Party, a Labor frontbencher says.
Joel Fitzgibbon has called for transparency regarding the coalition arrangement that would see Mr McCormack elevated to the position of deputy prime minister, AAP reports.
“In my experience, Australians care little about who will be wearing the Akubra. They really don’t know any of the candidates,” Mr Fitzgibbon told reporters in Canberra today.
“(Michael McCormack) could get off to a good start by not being Barnaby Joyce, by doing the opposite of Barnaby Joyce and sharing the coalition agreement with the Australian people.”
Mr Fitzgibbon said Australians didn’t understand the coalition agreement or why the government was determined to keep it a secret. He cited Germany and New Zealand as precedents where coalition power-sharing arrangements had been made public.
Mr Fitzgibbon said he had been engaged in court action for several years to make the coalition agreement documents public.
Legal expenses were paid partly out of his own pocket, as well as crowd-funding and support from the legal firm he had engaged.
“The Australian taxpayer is paying expensive lawyers to keep Malcolm Turnbull’s coalition deal secret,” he said.
Mr Fitzgibbon also noted Mr McCormack would be the first non-farmer to lead the Nationals since Charles Blunt in 1990.
“Barnaby Joyce certainly was all hat and no cowboy,” he said. “Michael McCormack’s going to be off to a slow start demonstrating that he can adequately represent the farm community.”
9.10am: ‘George is a friend of mine’
New Nationals leader Michael McCormack says he wants to be known as “a fighter”. “I have a huge challenge ahead of me,” Mr McCormack tells the media waiting outside the party room meeting.
He describes surprise leadership contender George Christensen as “a friend of mine and he will continue to be so”.
8.50am: Christensen gave an ‘outstanding speech’
Mr McCormack said he was not disappointed Mr Christensen challenged him for the leadership.
“Not at all and I congratulate George Christensen for putting up his hand. He gave an outstanding speech as he always does,” he said.
“It is democracy, that is the National Party. We talk openly about things with each other once the doors shut. We are a party that is united going forward.”
He said he would have a discussion with Malcolm Turnbull about a renegotiating the Coalition agreement, flagging he wanted a closer relationship with the Liberals to keep Labor out of office.
“He has been an outstanding Prime Minister for our nation and the economic policies that we have put in place with the Liberals have added to those 1100 jobs a day,” Mr McCormack said.
“We are the parties for small business and ... we want to make sure that continues and that can only continue with a close relationship with the Liberals.”
.@M_McCormackMP has congratulated @GChristensenMP for also contesting the leadership, but has not revealed how many votes he received.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 25, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/uGq1rNcJgi #auspol pic.twitter.com/x4rgxqPKok
8.40am: Barnaby Joyce ‘an outstanding leader’
New Nationals leader Michael McCormack has described himself as a “team player” and that he would fight for rural and regional Australia.
“We have delivered well above our weight and will continue to do so. It is important for our constituents to know that we always have their back,” Mr McCormack said.
“We are the party of farmers, that is what we are based on, but we are a party for so many other things. Looking at the people behind me, serving alongside me working together for rural and regional Australia, they come from all different backgrounds of life.”
He also paid tribute to Barnaby Joyce, saying the former leader took the Nationals to a new level which he would build on.
“He has been an outstanding leader. His service to our party and to our nation will never be diminished. His legacy will endure,” he said.
8.35am: Nats refuse to release ballot details
Nationals whip Michelle Landry would not release the numbers of the ballot.
“I am not entering into that. We spoke about what the National Party has done and we have done a lot for regional Australia and proud of what we have done so there is a new era now,” Ms Landry said.
She defended Mr Christensen for running for party leader against the wish of acting leader Bridget McKenzie who did not want a contested ballot.
“George decided he wanted to stand up and talk about the National Party values and what we have done for regional Australia and I think that is very important,” she said.
8.30am: McCormack elected, Christensen runs
Michael McCormack has been elected new Nationals leader and will become the Deputy Prime Minister after winning in a contested party room ballot this morning.
Mr McCormack prevailed despite an unexpected challenge from maverick Queensland MP George Christensen.
8.20am: ‘A proven track record’
Nationals MP Darren Chester says he was an early backer of Michael McCormack for new party leader as he believes the NSW MP will be able to unite the team of 21 rural MPs.
Mr Chester said Mr McCormack was more experienced than other leadership aspirants, making him a better choice for Deputy Prime Minister.
“I took the view that he was the most experienced minister we had in the House of Representatives, he had a proven track record in his portfolios whether it was defence or in the small business portfolio and I thought he was the type of person who could unite our party at a difficult time in pour party’s history,” Mr Chester told Sky News.
“I believe David Gillespie and David Littleproud could have also done the job but I thought that Michael was the one who was best to take us forward.”
8.10am: Cormann douses leak speculation
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says he does not think the identity of Barnaby Joyce’s sexual harassment complainant was leaked by the Liberal Party, rebuffing claims from Nationals MP Andrew Broad.
Senator Cormann said he did not think anyone in the Liberal Party knew of the complaint, despite Mr Broad last night saying a Liberal MP was aware of the complainant’s identity.
“I don’t believe so, I certainly was not aware of the complaint and I do not believe that anybody else in the Liberal Party was aware of the specifics of the complaint to the National Party, “ Senator Cormann told ABC radio.
“I am not aware of the circumstances in which it became public but any allegation of sexual harassment is very serious and obviously needs to be dealt with in the appropriate way.”
Senator Cormann said there was no issue with Mr Joyce not telling Malcolm Turnbull he would resign.
“I can’t see there was any issue there, the Prime Minister was in the US, I was acting for him in Australia and Barnaby rang me and I took it from there,” he said.
Senator Cormann said he was “very confident” he was the first to tell the Prime Minister of Mr Joyce’s pending resignation, about two hours before his announcement on Friday.
This is despite claims Mr Turnbull was told about the Mr Joyce’s decision by journalists.
“I am very confident that I was the first to advise Malcolm formally of the decision that Barnaby had made,” he said.
Meanwhile, Barnaby Joyce has walked into the Nationals party room meeting sided with acting leader Bridget McKenzie and NSW senator John “Wacka” Williams. He will resign as party leader, opening the way for the likely election of NSW MP Michael McCormack.
.@tomwconnell: Whatever @Barnaby_Joyce says about no sniping, we have to take it with a grain of salt. MORE https://t.co/ZqKMvfxkvy pic.twitter.com/yL4ALvVA5n
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 25, 2018
8am: ‘He’s no Barnaby’
The man poised to take leadership of the Nationals has been described by his own constituents as “very quiet” and “no Barnaby”, with senior party figures privately conceding there is a lack of depth in the Nationals’ parliamentary ranks — Read more here
7.45am: Coalition renegotiation
NSW Nationals senator John “Wacka” Williams says the Coalition agreement may be renegotiated after the party elects its new leader this morning.
Senator Williams said there could be tweaks to the agreement between the Liberal and National parties, including adding the portfolio of small business to cabinet.
“It may be revisited, for example the small business minister where it sits et cetera, Bruce Billson was a cabinet minister for many years with (the portfolio of) small business and that may be the case,” Senator Williams told the ABC.
“We will have the discussions after the meeting, we have a normal party meeting at 10.30am each Monday, so after the election of the leader at 8am the next meeting there will be time to discuss these very important issues.”
Senator Williams said the expected new leader Michael McCormack will build his profile while in the role of Deputy Prime Minister, describing him as a politician with “fight”.
7.30am: Twist to Barnaby Joyce saga
Barnaby Joyce’s sexual harassment complaint is broader than initially thought, with the outgoing Nationals leader also facing allegations of sexual misconduct.
The lawyer representing the complainant, West Australian woman Catherine Marriott, has revealed further information about the complaint that was the final straw in Mr Joyce’s decision to resign to the backbench.
“The complaint made by our client related to an allegation of both sexual harassment and/or sexual misconduct,” lawyer Emma Salerno told the ABC.
The Weekend Australian revealed the identity of Ms Marriott.
Nationals set to pick new leader
Mr McCormack will become the 18th Deputy Prime Minister and replace Barnaby Joyce, who will move to the backbench following the fallout of his affair with staffer Vikki Campion.
Meanwhile, Malcolm Turnbull arrives back in Canberra from the United States this morning for the House of Representatives sitting week. Senate Estimates also kicks off this week, with hearings today on the portfolios of environment, communications, finance and legal affairs.
What’s making news:
• Low-key NSW Nationals MP Michael McCormack is set to take over from Barnaby Joyce as Deputy Prime Minister today after a push by several colleagues failed to install Queensland rookie David Littleproud as the party’s new leader.
• Pauline Hanson has torpedoed the government’s proposed company tax cuts, ruling out the support of One Nation senators and saying there is no guarantee it would boost investment while it would hurt local investors and add to government debt.
• Nationals MP Andrew Broad has linked a Liberal MP to the leak of the woman’s name who made a sexual harassment complaint to party officials against Barnaby Joyce only days before his resignation as leader.
• Malcolm Turnbull has come under increasing pressure from the crossbench to use his numbers in the House of Representatives to refer Labor MP Susan Lamb to the High Court over citizenship concerns.
• The Prime Minister has invited Donald Trump to visit Australia as early as this year after a groundbreaking visit to Washington in which the two leaders committed to stronger action against North Korea and the need for robust US military engagement in the Asia Pacific. During talks in the White House at the weekend, the Prime Minister extended an informal invitation to Mr Trump and Melania Trump to visit Australia.
• Malcolm Turnbull and Australia’s top business leaders are using their first-hand briefings on the effect of Donald Trump’s tax plan to argue that failure to follow suit would result in the loss of capital, jobs and investment to the US.
• Donald and Melania Trump have been given his-and-hers RM Williams products from the Turnbulls — Australian leather boots that are often the footwear of choice for parliamentarians, city and country people alike.
• Premiers and chief ministers might travel overseas together more regularly following the success of an unprecedented delegation to the US.
Miners change tune on climate change
Peak mining industry body The Minerals Council of Australia has joined the fight on climate.
Labor to turn up heat on Taylor
Labor will use the final two weeks of parliament to heap pressure on Energy Minister Angus Taylor.