Politics Now: Bill Shorten ‘weaker then Gillard, Rudd combined’ on boats
PoliticsNow: Bill Shorten has come under fire for “caving in to the Labor left” on new border protection measures.
- Shorten ‘caves in’ on boats
- Abbott blasts ‘independent’ rival
- Hacking attempt revealed
- ‘It’s unacceptable behaviour’
Hello and welcome to PoliticsNow, The Australian’s live blog on the happenings at Parliament House in Canberra.
Top story: Bill Shorten under fire for ‘caving into’ the left on borders
Primrose Riordan 5.48pm: ‘We only went to Paladin’
Home Affairs officials have conceded the awarding of $423 million in contracts to thinly capitalised company Paladin was rushed.
The company has links to an executive who allegedly has a history of failed contracts and was awarded the contracts for about two years’ worth of work providing security services to asylum seekers on Manus Island.
Read more here.
Mark Schliebs 4.40pm: Islamic State defeat won’t remove threat
Islamic State may be on the edge of defeat in Syria, but the loss won’t end the threat of homegrown “lone actors” in Australia, ASIO warns. Read more here
Richard Ferguson 4.25pm: Royal commission motion passes
A motion supporting a royal commission into institutional disability abuse has passed the House of Representatives on the voices.
The motion calls for the creation of a broad-based inquiry into the abuse and neglect of disabled Australians in public institutions over decades.
Bill Shorten announced the policy two and a half years ago, but only recently brought it back up in question time.
Scott Morrison says he has an “open mind” on the royal commission and said today he will consult with the states.
Government senators opposed the inquiry last week, and the government’s decision to vote has been widely seen as an attempt to ensure the government’s control of the floor of the House of Representatives.
The motion’s passage through parliament does not mean there will be a royal commission. Only the Governor-General, on the advice of the prime minister, can call such an inquiry.
Greg Brown 4.20pm: Tearful Kate Ellis delivers farewell
Fighting tears in her farewell speech, Kate Ellis says her exit wasn’t due to a lack of women in parliament, but because she can hand over to them. Read more here
Richard Ferguson 4.15pm: Abuse stories ‘must be heard’
Opposition social services spokeswoman Linda Burney says any royal commission into institutional disability abuse must be “broad-ranging.”
She says too many victims of abuse have not believed due to their disabilities, and perpetrators of abuse and neglect have been able to work in the care sector for years.
“I say to people with disabilities, we believe you,” she says. “We don’t just need to hear your stories, the country needs to hear your stories.”
Labor MP and former social services minister Jenny Macklin says today’s parliamentary debate about an institutional disability abuse inquiry is a “very significant day.”
“A royal commission is a place where the truth can be told, but also a place where justice can be found,” she says.
“We know how important it is that people with disabilities determine the terms of reference.
“People with disabilities themselves must guide this royal commission.”
Richard Ferguson 4.10pm: ‘We’re with you in this fight’
Greens MP Adam Bandt addresses the public gallery, where disability advocates are sitting.
He congratulates his senate colleague, Jordon Steele-John, on his advocacy for a royal commission.
“The Greens are with you in this fight,” he says.
Richard Ferguson 4.05pm: ‘We devalue people with a disability’
Bill Shorten speaks on the senate motion to establish a royal commission into the abuse of disabled people in Australian institutions.
“I’m pleased now that the parliament is voting this way. But the reason why I’m pleased is that we need to address what is the core reason why people with a disability suffer abuse, neglect and disadvantage,” he says.
“Because as a nation, we still devalue people with a disability.
“We must recognise that one of the fault lines in this country — about the way we treat people with a disability — is not that we’re ungenerous to family members or, generally ungenerous people to doing it hard. but essentially we must realise for some Australians the thought of people with disability is deeply uncomfortable because they’re unfamiliar and they devalue that and don’t understand the lives that people with disability have.”
Mr Shorten has used question time to call for a royal commission repeatedly since last Thursday.
He last asked about the establishment of such an inquiry, in question time, on May 29, 2017. Nearly two years ago.
The Opposition Leader is now talking about how the government needs to “talk with” not “talk to” disabled Australians.
“If we don’t treat people with disability as true equals if we let their impairment define their whole identity, then we create the ability for malicious control to occur,” he says.
“Where people can exert untoward and inappropriate control over people’s lives. Once we have a debate where we don’t acknowledge the legal capacity of people with disability, their legal identity, then we make decisions about their life.
“We make decisions where they live. We make decisions who they live with. What they can eat, what they can see, indeed, control of their bodies.”
Mr Shorten’s first ministerial role was as parliamentary secretary for disabilities. He widely credited for bringing the national disability insurance scheme to the nation’s attention and convincing Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard to pursue it.
Richard Ferguson 3.55pm: ‘We won’t be rushed’
Scott Morrison makes it clear the motion will not make him rush towards establishing a royal commission into disability abuse.
“I will be seeking further advice from all states and territories to discuss this important matter of establishing a royal commission as well as consulting directly and extensively with stakeholders about what the precise terms of reference might be,” he says.
“As the House knows, calling a royal commission is a matter for the executive government.
“The House, as the Senate, has put forward a motion and it will not be opposed by the government, it will be supported by the government, but it will be the government that then will take that matter into consideration and work through all the necessary issues to be able to do something positively in this area and to act on these issues.”
Richard Ferguson 3.50pm: Royal commission move
The House is now discussing a senate motion calling for a royal commission into the abuse and neglect of disabled people in institutions.
Scott Morrison says: “The focus of the government has been on rolling out the National Disability Insurance Scheme as well as ensuring a new quality and safeguarding system to support people with a disability.”
“The government has established new, significant and comprehensive safeguards to prevent abuse and neglected people with a disability under the NDIS.
“The Commonwealth provided $209 million to establish the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission to regulate the delivery of services under the NDIS and protect the rights of people with a disability.
“This should not be a royal commission that only looks at a narrow area of responsibility that has only become part of the Commonwealth’s responsibility in recent times. The issues that are relevant here go back over some period of time.
“Certainly back a decade. And they, principally, involve the conduct of state and territory governments in the delivery of disability services.”
3.40pm: Flood relief considered
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says a cabinet task force will consider a series of recommendations to help northwest Queensland communities devastated by floods, AAP reports.
Mr Morrison visited the region last week where he saw large numbers of dead cattle and listened to graziers and local leaders about how the recovery should be handled.
“This will require a station-by-station solution to rebuild,” the Prime Minister told parliament.
Richard Ferguson 3.10pm: MP hits out on Darling River
Labor frontbencher Amanda Rishworth asks Environment Minister Melissa Price why she has not visited the Darling River and why she has been “missing in action” over environmental issues.
“It is indeed very disappointed at the time when many communities along the Murray-Darling Basin are in a very distressed state, you should come to this place and politicise this,” the Environment Minister says.
“It is distressing for all those communities along there, and does highlight the importance of water for the environment.
“The Commonwealth environmental water holder, who I am responsible for, is monitoring the situation closely. I have been in close contact with her.
“We are a team on this side.”
This last comment causes the Opposition to erupt in laughter and applause. “More! More!” they yell as Ms Price returns to her seat.
Richard Ferguson 3.05pm: ‘Get out of the Canberra bubble’
Bill Shorten asks Scott Morrison if his recent parliamentary manoeuvres over small business, big stick policy, and a disability royal commission were because he wanted to “cling to power.”
The Prime Minister says: “I can confirm is a leader of the Labor Party can’t get his head out of the Canberra bubble.”
Richard Ferguson 3pm: Where is the big stick?
Opposition energy spokesman Mark Butler asks Scott Morrison why is not putting up his “big stick” energy divestiture policy in parliament.
Josh Frydenberg responds: “We stand for lower power prices and have delivered that, Mr Speaker.”
“The question for the member for Port Adelaide and the Labor Party is why are they on the side of the big energy companies against the consumers of Australia, Mr Speaker?
“Why do they have a problem with legislation which is going to stamp out fraudulent behaviour, Mr Speaker? Why do they have a problem with legislation that targets this conduct, Mr Speaker? Why do they have a problem with legislation that targets behaviour of companies that are acting in bad faith, Mr Speaker?”
Primrose Riordan 2.55pm: Warning over China reporting
ASIO head Duncan Lewis says he is concerned about reports in community and multicultural media suggesting the Australian Chinese community are a target for ASIO.
He said these reports appear to be prompted by the decision by Australian immigration authorities to cancel the permanent residency visa of political donor and developer Huang Xiangmo.
Mr Lewis said this is not the case and he can say “categorically” that the vast majority of the Australian Chinese community is not of interest to ASIO.
He also suggested he was worried about characterisation of the community in media more broadly. “We should not impute the many for the actions of a few,” Mr Lewis said.
The ASIO head delivered his usual warning about foreign interference.
“The current scale of foreign intelligence activity against Australian interests is unprecedented. Hostile intelligence activity poses a real and existential threat to Australian security and sovereignty”.
Richard Ferguson 2.50pm: ‘Supporters of small business’
Opposition assistant treasurer Andrew Leigh asks Scott Morrison why the government voted against “access for justice” small business reforms in the Senate, and will now support in the House.
“It’s true this Prime Minister will do everything in my power to support small and family businesses. This is the track record,” the Prime Minister responds.
“Cut the tax rate to 25 per cent, introduce legislation, as we are doing this week, under the securitisation funds to make sure small businesses can get access to the capital and finance they need. Making sure small businesses get paid on time, reducing the payment times to 20 days. Down from 30 and getting state and territory governments to back that, as well as large businesses.
“This government has done more for small and family business is than any other government.”
Richard Ferguson 2.45pm: AWU raid leaks probed
Opposition employment spokesman Brendan O’Connor asks Scott Morrison why Small Business Minister Michaelia Cash and Human Services Minister Michael Keenan initially refused to give statements to police over the AWU raid media leaks investigation.
“This is a matter before the courts I do not intend to provide any comment,” the Prime Minister says.
“Other than to remind the House ... as to what this matter is all about. Why did union fund money go to GetUp?”
Richard Ferguson 2.40pm: ‘Weaker than Rudd, Gillard on borders’
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton answers a dixer and says Bill Shorten is “weaker” than Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard “put together” on border protection.
“If they don’t understand the laws they have introduced, no wonder the mistakes of the past will be recommitted,” the Home Affairs Minister says.
“It is obvious, this man who wants to be Prime Minister is weaker than Gillard and Rudd put together.
“He couldn’t stare down the left of his party, which is a repeat of what happened with Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd.
“If Mr Shorten, the Leader of the Opposition was ever to have control of this public policy again it would be a humanitarian disaster, once again.”
Richard Ferguson 2.37pm: Labor pushes on Senate vote
Opposition social services spokeswoman Linda Burney asks Scott Morrison why government senators voted against a royal commission into disability abuse.
The Prime Minister responds and asks why Labor senators voted in support of a weaker version of the medivac bill bringing refugees from Manus and Nauru to Australia.
“While we are on the topic about what people do in the Senate what I know is what the Labor Party senators did in the Senate last December when they voted for the original Labor Party bill on border protection, without getting any advice from security agencies,” he says.
“The Leader of the Opposition was happy to trash our borders the Senate, they would have voted for the bill in its original form in this house in December. You cannot trust Labor on our borders.”
Richard Ferguson 2.35pm: ‘Who voted against a royal commission?'
Bill Shorten asks Scott Morrison to confirm every government senator voted against a disability abuse royal commission, and which minister directed them to do so.
The Prime Minister responds that Malcolm Turnbull took the idea to COAG and did not get any support from the states.
And he thanks a Greens senator for reaching out to him on a royal commission.
“I’d like to thank Senator (Jordon Steele-John) as he has written to me, he believes there should be a royal commission in this area,
“And he has written to me to provide a terms of reference Mr Speaker — something that has evaded the Leader of the Opposition for now more than two years.”
Mr Morrison says the government will respond to Mr Shorten’s question on who directed senators, and confirming they all voted against a royal commission, later today in the House.
Richard Ferguson 2.30pm: Shadow minister ‘making assumptions’
Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek asks Scott Morrison what government minister told Coalition senators to vote against a disability abuse royal commission.
“The Shadow Minister makes a whole range of assumptions in the question, which are a lot speculate upon,” the Prime Minister responds.
“I’m so used to the member of Sydney coming to the dispatch box and making a bunch of assertions,” Mr Speaker.
“What ministers are doing are getting on with establishing the National Disability Insurance Scheme.”
Richard Ferguson 2.20pm: Phelps ‘talking like a Liberal'
Independent MP Kerryn Phelps asks Josh Frydenberg how he will protect consumers from changes to mortgage broking, recommended by the banking royal commission, and ensure the big banks do not benefit.
The Treasurer says: “I’d like to thank the member for Wentworth. She says she was a Liberal and how she is talking like a Liberal.”
“The reality is, there are 16,000 mortgage brokers, Mr Speaker. They employ around 27,000 people. And the coalition is standing with mortgage brokers against those opposite who want to disrupt their business model.
“We will not abolish mortgage brokers like those opposite, who, if they implement, every single one of the (royal commission’s) recommendations as they promise, we will see the big banks benefit at the expense of small businesses, namely the mortgage brokers.”
Richard Ferguson 2.15pm: NDIS staffing query
Labor MP Emma Husar asks when the government will support an ALP proposal to lift the NDIS’s staffing cap to reduce waiting times for families trying to organise plans.
Social Services Minister Paul Fletcher responds.
“Inevitably with the scheme of the scale they will be instances where the level of service is not what it should be and we continue to work towards improving that,” he says.
“What we are seeing is reform across the scope of the work of the NDIS agency, improvement to the participant pathways from the 1 October last year, a new general participant pathway rolled out with a face-to-face meeting for every participant coming into the scheme.
“Over a week ago we announced a range of significant changes to the guidelines, for specialist disability accommodation which have already produced, responses from specialist providers, people like summer housing and young care, indicating they see these changes is very positive is likely to increase the flow of specialist disability.”
Richard Ferguson 2.10pm: Labor ‘politicising’ disability
Opposition social services spokeswoman Linda Burney asks if Scott Morrison will “say and do anything to cling onto power” by waving through a motion supporting a disability abuse royal commission, but not establishing one.
The Prime Minister responds: “I was going to thank the member for the question but I specifically made a request to the Opposition that they would not seek to engage in partisan politics on support for people with disabilities.”
“We will continue to take action to put in place the National disability insurance scheme, we will fund that, we will work towards all the issues and there are many in implementing what is a significant scheme.
We will continue to make sure the commission is in place to allow us to receive complaints and act on them operate I will work with stakeholders and state and territory governments to take further action in this area.
“I’m disappointed that when the Labor Party raised this issue for the first time in almost two years, they come in here and seek to play partisan politics over people with disabilities.
“I would ask them to refrain from that in the government will get on with the job.”
Richard Ferguson 2.05pm: PM: I did not oppose inquiry
Bill Shorten opens up question time by continuing to call for a royal commission into disability abuse. He asks Scott Morrison why every government senator opposed it.
“The government takes the abuse and neglect of those disabilities seriously. At no point as a Prime Minister have I said I oppose a royal commission,” the Prime Minister responds.
“What I said clearly in the house last week was we would consider this matter clearly and, that matter will come before the house later today, I expect the motion to be passed as I made clear over the weekend, Mr Speaker.
“I invite the Leader of the Opposition to stop seeking to make this a partisan issue and make sure we have bipartisanship on the issue of people with disabilities.”
Ben Packham 2pm: Nats unrest over ‘big stick’ fail
Nationals MPs have expressed their anger to party leader Michael McCormack behind closed doors over the government’s decision to shelve its “big stick” legislation to crackdown on market manipulation by energy companies.
A number of Nationals MPs spoke out on the issue in the Nationals partyroom today, including Barnaby Joyce, Keith Pitt, and Llew O’Brien.
It’s understood Mr McCormack committed to raiding the matter with Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg, but made no promises the legislation would be put to a vote in the parliament before the election.
The Treasurer revealed last week that the controversial big stick bill was unlikely to be put to a vote before the election, amid fears the government would lose a vote on a Greens amendment that would ban government support for coal-fired power.
One Nationals MP told The Australian that the party had dropped the ball on the issue and should have been pushing the government harder on the issue, in order to differentiate the government from Labor.
Richard Ferguson 1.55pm: ‘Not sophisticated enough’
National Cyber Security Adviser Alastair MacGibbon says the “sophisticated state actor” who attacked parliament and the major parties was “not sophisticated enough to remain undetected” and swiftly detected.
“While the compromise of any network is extremely unfortunate, the public can be reassured that our agencies detected the intrusion and acted decisively to confront it,” he said in Canberra today.
“While this offender was sophisticated enough to compromise the networks, it was not sophisticated enough to remain undetected.
“The Australian Cyber Security Centre is undertaking significant remediation activities.”
Mr MacGibbon says the government does not yet know was behind the cyber attacks on parliament and the major political parties.
“We don’t know who is behind this, nor their intent,” he said in Canberra. “We know what they have affected and our job at the moment is in securing those networks.
“We, of course, will continue to work with our friends and colleagues, both here and overseas, to work out who is behind it and hopefully their intent.”
Richard Ferguson 1.30pm: ‘Idiocy’ of medivac bill revealed
Liberal senator Jim Molan, a co-author of Operation Sovereign Borders, says the three-day timeline for ministers to review medical transfers of refugees become “absolutely meaningless” if there was a wave of applicants from Manus Island and Nauru.
“The Greens sponsored this bill and the Greens has subsequently said there are 300 people that they are ready to move,” he told Sky News.
“And if those 300 come at us very, very fast — the three days in which the various assessments must be conducted become absolutely meaningless.
“And the idiocy of this bill is how are we going to find six plus three people, six of whom are not going to be paid anything, to sit down 300 medical cases in three days.
“And if you can’t find those six people, they come to Australia anyway. That’s the advice the government has received.”
Rosie Lewis 1.20pm: Nats: Morrison is listening
Nationals MPs are claiming the government’s backdown on a key plank of Labor’s small business overhaul as a win, as Scott Morrison prepares to vote through the reforms in the House of Representatives.
Labor’s overhaul, which the Coalition voted against in 2017, allows small businesses to more easily take legal action against larger competitors and will be waved through by the minority Morrison government in the House of Representatives today after Nationals MP threatened to cross the floor.
“It’s a pragmatic reform. We put in place the effects test that gave people the ability to do this but the cost of justice made it prohibitive for anybody to put their hand up,” Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said.
“This is a good reform, one the Nats back and we’re happy to see it go through … (Mr Morrison) continues to listen and that’s a good thing.”
Rosie Lewis 1.10pm: Out of time on ‘big stick’
Agriculture Minister David Littleproud claims the government was forced to take its “big stick” reforms to the election because it ran out of sitting days to legislate the contentious changes, as he dismissed the need for an alternative policy to reduce power prices.
Scott Morrison has been forced to pull the policy — to break up energy companies if they don’t drop power prices — from the parliamentary agenda and will instead take it to the election after he failed to win enough support to pass the laws.
Nationals MPs are angry the government is not pushing ahead with the policy in parliament, though the bill is set to be introduced in the Senate in April.
Asked if the government needed a Plan B, Mr Littleproud, a senior Queensland Nationals MP, said: “We intend to win (the election and then) we’ll have the numbers and that’ll be palatable to the parliament.
“We’ve run out of sitting days. The reality is we’re not going to be able to get it, I’ve got some reforms I wanted to get through as well but we’re not going to get there. We’ve got Senate estimates this week and then they only come back in April.
“The reality is we tried to put it in place, we’ve made a commitment and the differentiation is clear — we’re trying to reduce energy prices, we’re trying to stick to our international commitments around emissions, we’re doing that but we’ve got to understand people have got to be able to turn their lights on, keep their airconditioning going and my farmers need to be able to turn their pumps on and at the moment it’s killing them.”
Richard Ferguson 1.05pm: ‘We don’t want to see hacks’
Assistant finance minister Zed Seslja says the government is “constantly working” to improve cyber-security in parliament.
“No system is 100 per cent foolproof. There is a lot of work that is done. And the Senate President (Scott Ryan) spoke about this a couple of days ago about rapid response and the various layers of defence,” he told Sky News.
“We absolutely accept that nothing is perfect and we’re constantly working to make it as strong as it possibly can be.
“We don’t want to see any sorts of hacks. Yes, members of the public generally need to be mindful of their cyber-security. Obviously, when you’re talking about the workings of government and parliament, it is more important. That is why a lot of resources are put in it.”
Richard Ferguson 12.55pm: ‘Very sophisticated actors’
Labor senator Kimberley Kitching says Scott Morrison’s revelations about cyber-attacks on parliament and major political parties strengthens the case to shift responsibility for MPs’ emails security to foreign intelligence services.
“The DPS (department of parliamentary services) ... are a little out of their depth. These are very sophisticated actors in this sphere,” she told Sky News.
“Everyone assumes the email system here (in Parliament House) is secure. We know it’s not.
“As the President of the Senate said this morning ... cyber security is now a matter for everyone.”
12.20pm: Katter moves to protect farmers
Australia’s central bank should have a third board that can help ensure the financial sustainability and development of agricultural operations, according to independent MP Bob Katter, AAP reports.
Mr Katter has presented legislation to parliament that would set up the Australian Reconstruction and Development Board. The proposal comes as much of the agricultural industry is struggling under high debt.
Chris Kenny 12.10pm: ALP’s epic mistake
Voters know it is inherently reckless to weaken border protection. It’s only politicians, activists and journalists of the Left that have failed to grasp this. Read more here
Richard Ferguson 12.05pm: PM details hack attack
Scott Morrison is giving a national security statement in the House of Representatives, and says major political parties were targeted in a cyber attack. Read more here
11.55am: Greens out to block Adani mine
The Greens are trying to goad federal Labor into blocking Adani’s Carmichael coal mine by supporting legislation that would prohibit new thermal coal mines in Queensland’s Galilee Basin, AAP reports.
Greens MP Adam Bandt has introduced the draft laws to parliament, saying the world is in the midst of a climate emergency and the basin is a “giant carbon bomb”.
“The Labor Party could stop the Adani Carmichael coal mine today,” Mr Bandt says.
11.45am: McGowan’s regional push
Independent Victorian MP Cathy McGowan has used what will likely be her last opportunity to introduce a bill to federal parliament to call for an Office for Regional Australia, AAP reports.
Ms McGowan, who is retiring from politics at the next election, says such an authority is needed to properly respond to a 2018 parliamentary report on regional development.
“We need an Office for Regional Australia because the regions are different to the cities,” she told parliament.
Richard Ferguson 11.35am: Shorten addresses disability probe, boats
Bill Shorten says a disability abuse royal commission would cost $26 million.
“Labor, because of our economic reforms, is able to allocate $26 million to this royal commission,” he said in Canberra today. “This shouldn’t be as big and as costly as some royal commissions.
“To Australia who are perhaps suffering royal commission fatigue, another royal commission … Let me set you straight, there hasn’t been a royal commission into abuse of people with disability.”
The Opposition Leader continues to back his decision to support medical transfers for refugees from Manus Island and Nauru to the Australian mainland.
“What we have done is codify when people who need medical treatment, in our care, instead of having Peter Dutton in charge of health plans,” he said.
“Ask yourself, when you are feeling sick, do you go and see Peter Dutton or do you go and see the doctor?
“This is where the government are such a cheeky bunch of roosters. They have brought 900 people here already from Manus and Nauru based on medical advice.
“Yet somehow when Labor and Kerryn Phelps and the conscience of the Liberal Party proposed putting some rules around it, the government said somehow that was a terrible idea.”
Richard Ferguson 11.25am: David and Goliath battle
Bill Shorten says he is backing “David in a David and Goliath struggle” by backing access to justice measures making it easy for small businesses to take legal action against big competitors.
Scott Morrison will wave through the changes after facing defections on the floor of the House of Representatives from Nationals MPs.
“They opposed Labor’s measures to protect small business,” the Opposition Leader said.
“We want to give small business the power to take on big is this when they believe the business is behaving badly to small business, and we have done this by saying that small business shouldn’t face the litigation hurdle of paying the cost of big isn’t as in the court case.
“So essentially we are backing David in a David and Goliath struggle.
“The government is splitting the Senate and split in the House. The problem in Australia is that we have a government to incompetent and too divided to run a government, but to desperate and too scared to face the people.”
Richard Ferguson 11.20am: No ‘token’ effort
Bill Shorten says he will not accept a “token vote” on a disability abuse royal commission from the Coalition today.
“It’s not enough for you to vote for a royal commission and then forget about it,” he said in Canberra alongside disability advocates.
“Labor, the crossbench and indeed people with disability, their families and carers, won’t let you.
“It is not enough to just have a token vote in the parliament just because you’re afraid of losing the vote. We will get a good outcome but not for a good reason.”
Richard Ferguson 11.10am: Small business win
Opposition assistant treasurer Andrew Leigh has welcomed the government’s plan to wave through “access to justice” legislation today allowing small businesses to more easily take legal action against larger competitors.
“If he backs Labor’s access to small business amendment in the House today, he’ll do not because he believes in it but because he’s a desperate prime minister who is desperate to avoid Nationals crossing the floor against him,” Dr Leigh said in Canberra today. “If it passes the House today, it will be a great day for Australian small business.”
Labor has had its own conflict with small business groups in the past week, when they were blasted for trying to repeal regulations which protect small and family businesses from up to $8m in “double-dipping” holiday pay claims.
Primrose Riordan 11.05am: Update on cyber attack
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is set to make a statement to the House of Representatives today about cyber security. The statement comes in the wake of a cyber attack on parliament’s computer systems. So far Australia’s top cyber bureaucrats and spies have not attributed the attack to any country or said whether data had been stolen.
Primrose Riordan 11am: Leaks evidence ‘destroyed’: AFP
The AFP thought there was enough evidence to lay charges over the AWU raid leak affair, but believes evidence was destroyed. Read more here
Richard Ferguson 10.55am: ‘I won’t let this moment pass’
Greens senator Jordon Steele-John says he will not “let this moment pass” on setting up a disability abuse royal commission, and does not expect the government’s claims it will take support from the states to call such an inquiry.
“It needs administrative letters of patents from the states ... but that does not hinder the government immediately,” he told Sky News.
“It’s exactly what they did with the royal commission into the building industry, exactly what they did with the royal commission into Don Dale, and it’s exactly what they did with the royal commissions into institutional child abuse and aged care.
“That last one they turned around in 24 hours. I am not willing to let this moment pass by and I’m not going to let the government use the excuse of administrative procedure to scuttle out of the fact they’ve been wrong on this for five years.”
.@Jordonsteele on the prospect of a disability inquiry: This cannot be a 'quick, cheap royal commission.' This needs to be an in-depth inquiry.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 17, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/vxbkMEvoxB #SkyLiveNow pic.twitter.com/ZG3dllSrq0
Richard Ferguson 10.35am: Shorten pushes disability probe
Bill Shorten continues to ramp up his calls for a disability abuse royal commission, as a motion supporting the inquiry is set to pass parliament with Scott Morrison’s support.
“Last week in the Senate, the Liberals and Nationals voted against a royal commission,” the Opposition said in a joint statement with deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek and opposition social services spokeswoman Linda Burney.
“On the weekend, Scott Morrison tried to airbrush history and gloss over last week’s obstruction in the parliament, when he used every trick in the book to deny, delay and defer a royal commission.
“He needs to unequivocally get behind this today. This must be voted upon today. We must get a result today.”
The Prime Minister has said he has an “open mind” when it comes to a royal commission, but he wants to focus on the current aged care sector inquiry and establishing the NDIS.
Michael Roddan 10.20am: Ashby, Burston matter not resolved
Senate President Scott Ryan has called for anyone with further information about the conduct of United Australia Party senator Brian Burston and Pauline Hanson’s controversial chief of staff James Ashby to come forward, warning he is yet to fully resolve the matter.
A spat between Senator Burston, a former One Nation senator, and Mr Ashby last week at Parliament House culminated in Senator Hanson’s chief of staff being banned from Parliament House indefinitely. Senator Burston has also confessed to smearing blood on Senator Hanson’s office door after he was involved in a scuffle with Mr Ashby on Wednesday night outside the Great Hall.
Appearing before Senate Estimates today, Senator Ryan said the laws of the Australian Capital Territory applied to those inside Parliament House, and any breach of those laws needed to be referred to the police, after he explained the Senate President lacks to the lower to suspend or apply sanctions to Senators or their staff.
“With respect to the events I outlined to the chamber last Thursday afternoon, as I said on the day I encourage anyone with relevant information to bring it to me. I have yet to conclude my consideration of the matter,” Senator Ryan said.
“I will continue to seek any resolution to any conflict between senators that impinges on the ability of all to work in this building.”
Senator Ryan also warned parliamentarians he would revoke the ability of staff to sponsor visitors into the building if they or their guests behaved poorly.
Last week the Senate President revoked Mr Ashby’s parliamentary pass and declared the staffer would be prohibited from re-entering the building “for the time being” over inappropriate behaviour.
A witness to the tussle, which could be the first fight between two pass-holders in the building’s history, said Mr Ashby provoked Senator Burston as he was leaving a Minerals Council of Australia dinner and tensions became heated when the staffer turned his camera on the parliamentarian’s wife. Senator Burston allegedly threw Mr Ashby’s phone away and also pushed him.
The bitter feud between Senator Burston and Mr Ashby goes back until at least midway through last year. Senator Burston accused Mr Ashby of harassing and threatening him for some time and claimed he had instigated the fight for political purposes.
The Australian Federal Police confirmed it would look at whether to investigate the Wednesday night incident after Senator Burston referred the matter to the authorities.
Senator Ryan also apologised for the protracted security upgrade to Parliament House after Lend Lease subcontractor Steelvision collapsed, noting the works on the parliamentary entrances will likely cost taxpayers up to $1.5 million.
Richard Ferguson 10.10am: Abbott attacks ‘independent’ rival
Tony Abbott has blasted his local rival Zali Steggall’s “conservative” credentials as he fights to keep his North Shore seat of Warringah.
“The basic point to make is a vote for an independent is a vote for Labor,” he told Sydney’s 2GB radio.
“The independents there don’t have any positive message apart from vague waffle about climate.
“My principal opponent has said that Labor doesn’t go far enough on climate change, and admitted she’s never voted Liberal in her life, at least at a federal level.
“She didn’t vote for the Howard government, she didn’t even vote for the Turnbull Government. How left do you have to be to not even vote for the Turnbull Government?”
Ms Steggall has portrayed herself as Liberal-aligned candidate and attacked Labor’s tax policies. The former Olympian says she has voted Liberal in state and local elections, but she has never voted for Mr Abbott while she has lived in the electorate.
Richard Ferguson 10am: Abbott: we can win on security
Tony Abbott says the Ipsos poll shows the government can win the next election on its security and anti-’retiree tax’ messages, even if the government has not “always been great at politics.”
“Governments that have conviction and character can come back, there’s no doubt about that,” the former prime minister told Sydney’s 2GB radio.
“What we’ve seen from the Prime Minister and from his senior ministers over the past few months is conviction.
“I am the first to admit that sometimes this government hasn’t been great at politics, but throughout our time we have been a highly competent, pretty effective government.
“Our borders are secure, our community is as safe as government can make it, our economy is strong, more than a million new jobs have been created.”
Primrose Riordan 9.40am: Cash, Keenan no-shows
The Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin has defended his organisation’s role in both the detention of refugee Hakeem Al-Araibi in Thailand and the leaking of information about the Australian Workers Union raids in 2017.
Mr Al-Araibi, 25, was detained at Bangkok airport on November 27 as he was the subject of an Interpol “red notice” originally requested by Bahrain. He was subsequently detained for 75 days.
Thailand effectively blamed Australia for his detention as the country said Canberra informed them that Mr Al-Araibi was the subject of a red notice.
Mr Colvin tells senate estimates that the AFP’s Interpol bureau was not aware of Mr Al-Araibi’s visa status until November 28, after he was detained. The AFP Interpol bureau then rescinded the red notice on December 1.
Mr Colvin said there had been “wrongful speculation” about the AFP’s involvement and internal reviews were now being carried out about communications issues in Home Affairs.
Labor Senator Murray Watt has also been pursuing the issue of the leaking of information about the Australian Workers Union raids to the media. Labor alleges the leak was to smear Labor Leader Bill Shorten.
An AFP officer said the police asked both Senator Michaelia Cash and Liberal MP and Human Services Minister Michael Keenan to provide witness statements but they declined.
Senator Watt questioned why Senator Cash was not representing lower house MP and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton — instead he was represented by Linda Reynolds. Senator Reynolds said Senator Cash would front estimates today and as she was assistant Home Affairs Minister, it was appropriate she was in the committee.
Senator Cash has faced questions in the controversy, so Labor appears to be attempting to imply she is avoiding the hearing.
Richard Ferguson 9.20am: Plibersek plays down poll blow
Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek says a recent drop in the polls is expected after Scott Morrison’s blasting of the Opposition over boats, but called on her party to stay the course.
“When you have a Prime Minister running a full ball scare campaign it will have impact,” she told the Nine Network this morning.
“We need to be clear to people the changes we made last week apply to a few hundred people on Manus Island and Nauru. This is not a significant change when it comes to our borders.”
Richard Ferguson 8.50am: ‘This is unacceptable behaviour’
Energy Minister Angus Taylor has dismissed suggestions his “big stick” divestiture policy is ideologically inconsistent with the Liberal Party’s free market principles.
“This is not philosophical. This is about whether Australian consumers are getting a good deal,” he told Sky News.
“The Liberal Party and Coalition have always backed strong competition policy.
“(It’s about) Lower prices, keeping the lights on. We want more supply into the marketplace — we’ve got 66 proposals that have come forward and we will proceed with those as quickly as we possibly can.
.@ljayes: You do not have an energy policy at the moment. What is it without this legislation? @AngusTaylorMP: Lower prices, keeping the lights on.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 17, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/LdnZZXHuqe #amagenda pic.twitter.com/Z3J7F6zQ86
“We want the big stick legislation through as quickly as possible, and ultimately that is good competition policy, recommended by the ACCC, to prevent market manipulation, prevent shutting out competitors in the marketplace and to prevent dodgy practices like the rule change we’re pushing through the AMC now where people are paying up to $1000 extra a year because they pay a couple of days late. This is unacceptable behaviour from an industry that needs to start focusing on its customers.”
Mr Taylor says he will bring on the laws in parliament if Labor backs the legislation, otherwise he will take it to the next election.
“We will put that through the parliament if the Labor Party is prepared to support us and do the right thing, “ he said.
“12 times they’ve voted against it and they’ve got to decide whether they are going to back us.
“(If not) then the Australian people are going to make a decision about them, because they are weak on borders, they are weak on the big energy companies.”
Last week, Regional Development Minister Bridget McKenzie said the legislation would be introduced in the April budget sitting week. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann then said “introducing it is one thing” and it would be taken to the election.
The big stick policy has been a point of contention with both business and economically dry Liberal MPs such as Julie Bishop because it gives government the power to break up energy companies.
The government has shelved the big stick policy in parliament and will now take it to the federal election in May.
Richard Ferguson 8.43am: Labor dismisses latest poll
Labor’s assistant treasury spokesman Andrew Leigh has dismissed a Nine/Ipsos poll showing a massive tightening of the two-party preferred vote before the election.
“I haven’t commented on opinion polls in my nearly nine years in politics. In my six years as an academics I was arguing that polls get too much attention,” he told ABC News.
“Labor is focused on the big issues, stagnant living standards and the fact that debt is going up while we’re seeing living standards flatlining. They are the big issues for us.”
Labor are now at 51 per cent, to the Coalition’s 49 per cent in the Ipsos 2PP poll. That is a fall of 3 points and now appears to put the Coalition in a winnable position for the May federal election.
The Morrison government has had a boost in the latest Ipsos-Nine poll and now sits 3 points up at 49% to Labor’s 51% TPP.@TroyBramston: We really need to see a trend in polls to show that the government is back in the game.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 17, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/nFwJPSXzum #frontpage pic.twitter.com/6o7gNyRPOp
Jessica Cortis 8.40am: Morrison ‘the people smugglers’ billboard’
Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek says Scott Morrison is the “people smugglers’ billboard”.
Ms Plibersek told Channel 9 the Prime Minister had been “dishonest” about the medivac law.
“He is the people smugglers’ billboard right now when he’s saying our borders have become weaker somehow — it’s not true,” she said.
Richard Ferguson 8.22am: Unlawful boat arrivals ‘cost $16bn’
Immigration Minister David Coleman has dismissed refugee advocate claims that the 64,000 asylum seeker arrivals by plane over the past five years diminishes the issues with illegal boats.
“95 per cent of those people (who arrive by plane), those asylum claims are rejected,” he told Sky News.
“It’s very important to note in terms of boat arrivals, we obviously (have) those very tragic human consequences. We had 1200 people drown at sea ... we saw 8000 kids placed in detention.
“The cost to Australian taxpayers since 2007, from the unlawful boat arrivals that occurred in that period, is now over $16 billion.”
.@DavidColemanMP on the medivac bill: This bill sets an 'extraordinarily low' bar for asylum seekers to come to Australia for medical treatment.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 17, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/q73YNHEwDW #FirstEdition pic.twitter.com/SRKtm5HLdn
Richard Ferguson 7.54am: ScoMo questions Labor’s resolve on turnbacks
Scott Morrison has poured doubt on Labor’s will to turn boats back and taken aim at Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek.
“And they say will still turn boats back, well really? Really?” he told Sydney’s 2GB radio.
“Tanya Plibersek, sitting in the national security committee with Bill Shorten, ‘oh trust us, we’ll turn boats back’. They don’t know what’s involved. I do.”
Ms Plibersek and other Labor left figures, such as Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong, have repeatedly said they would support boat turnbacks since it became Labor policy in 2015, despite their previous opposition.
Richard Ferguson 7.42am: ‘I didn’t want to re-open Christmas Island’
Scott Morrison has mocked Bill Shorten’s insistence he listens to security officials after Labor MPs blasted the reopening of the Christmas Island detention centre.
The reopening of Christmas Island was advised by security officials.
“I didn’t want to have to re-open the Christmas Island detention centre, a week ago I didn’t have to,” he told Sydney’s 2GB radio.
“You’ve got the Labor Party up there saying ‘oh., we will always follow the advice of agencies on this’, but yet they’re describing the decision to re-open Christmas Island as ridiculous.”
Richard Ferguson 7.15am: ScoMo ‘cried over asylum seekers’
Jenny Morrison has revealed her Prime Ministerial husband cried over asylum seekers in her first major solo interview.
Scott Morrison recently alluded to a Lifeline audience that he wept over young asylum seekers when he was immigration minister under Tony Abbott. Mrs Morrison confirmed he did indeed cry.
“He’s sensitive about issues. He never took any of those decisions lightly,” she told Nine’s Honey website.
“It might seem like he’s gung ho but you need someone tenacious sometimes to hold the line.”
Mrs Morrison revealed how she first got wind her husband was about to become Australia’s head of government while she was folding washing and caught a news bulletin out the corner of her eye, and quickly drove to Canberra.
She also said she had tried to maintain a normal life for her and the Prime Minister’s two young daughters.
“I might be the prime minister’s wife but I’m still a mum with two young girls and trying to keep things as normal as possible,” Mrs Morrison said.
“One of those things was staying in a school they are familiar with because they are staying in an unfamiliar house (Kirribilli).”
Richard Ferguson 7am: What’s making news today
Scott Morrison returns to Canberra with a spring in his step and a boost in the polls, but still has to try and control an increasingly difficult parliament.
■ Scott Morrison is targeting migrant communities critical to his re-election in a bid to seize on Bill Shorten’s shift to fast-track refugee medical transfers to Australia, as the government ramps up pressure on Labor in a move drawing comparisons to John Howard’s Tampa moment.
.@ScottMorrisonMP leads 48-38 as preferred PM in the latest Ipsos-Nine poll.@GideonCRozner: Leaders generally don’t rate, and the ones that do turn out to be fizzers.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 17, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/nFwJPSXzum #frontpage pic.twitter.com/vqUnPeN1pS
■ Labor and the Greens have accused Scott Morrison of losing control of the national agenda as parliament resumes, with the Prime Minister preparing to wave through one of Bill Shorten’s key small-business reforms amid threats from Nationals MPs they will cross the floor to vote with the opposition.
■ More than half a million Australians approaching retirement could suffer a double tax hit to their savings plans under Labor’s policy to axe franking credit refunds and curb negative gearing, new tax data analysis says.
■ The CFMEU will demand Bill Shorten’s candidates across Queensland pledge support for the coalmining industry — including Adani’s controversial Carmichael mine — or face the wrath of union campaigners in their seats at the federal election.
.@GideonCRozner: Labor has been on such a roll for so long, it has masked their identity crisis. For a long time they’ve had to straddle their two bases.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 17, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/ykweMevBOK #frontpage pic.twitter.com/rf8IhZpFCm
■ The world has underestimated Chinese President Xi Jinping’s determination to curb US power in the Asia-Pacific region and pull Taiwan into China’s orbit as confidence in the West’s political system crumbles, according to a former Australian ambassador to the US.
■ The government’s crackdown on “zombie” superannuation accounts will pile pressure on union and employer-backed industry funds relying on sky-high rates of lost and inactive member accounts to exit the $2.8 trillion nest egg system.
■ Michaelia Cash’s former chief of staff Ben Davies will be grilled in the Federal Court today about the source of his advance knowledge of raids on the Australian Workers’ Union after his lawyers failed in a bid to stop the questioning.
■ Labor will use parliament to target Liberal MP Ian Goodenough following revelations the West Australian backbencher used his official social media to promote his business interests and took Asian investors to two lobster businesses that give his company a commission for securing export deals.
■ The federal government is expected to soon decide whether to proceed with the multibillion-dollar Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro scheme, as more Coalition backbenchers express doubt about the economic and political wisdom of proceeding with the project championed by Malcolm Turnbull.
■ The federal government has rejected outright calls from NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro for Scott Morrison to consider a national royal commission into the Murray-Darling Basin water system.
■ Labor states have backed demands from Bill Shorten and the Greens to establish a royal commission into abuse of the disabled after Attorney-General Christian Porter declared that the state governments would have to co-operate before pushing ahead with any national inquiry.
■ Labor senator Kimberley Kitching has called for full oversight of the parliamentary IT system to be shifted to the nation’s foreign intelligence agency, saying the Department of Parliamentary Services lacks the capacity to protect politicians’ emails from being hacked by foreign actors.
■ Australia will sign a new security pact with Vanuatu but has been unable to secure an exclusive agreement with the influential Pacific nation, which says it won’t jeopardise its relationships with other nations, including France and China.
■ Peter van Onselen writes Team Morrison in theory is playing to win; more likely it can at best ameliorate the size of defeat.
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