PoliticsNow: Bill Shorten puts Coalition numbers to the test
PoliticsNow: Bill Shorten moved to suspend standing orders, the first big test of the government’s numbers on the floor of parliament.
Hello and welcome to PoliticsNow, The Australian’s live blog on the happenings at Parliament House in Canberra.
Bill Shorten has tested the Coalition government on the floor of the parliament by moving to suspend standing orders. The motion was narrowly defeated as Independent women Kerryn Phelps, Cathy McGowan, Julia Banks and Rebekha Sharkie abstained.
Here’s how today played out.
Sascha O’Sullivan 8.22pm: ‘Everyone wants a Nauru solution’
Federal Member for Wentworth Kerryn Phelps is hoping for bipartisan support on her private members bill to make it easier to bring sick children on Nauru to Australian shores.
“I think everybody wants to see a solution,” Dr Phelps said.
“I talked in my first speech about a compassionate compromise. I think this is a compassionate compromise for the people who are so unwell.”
“We know the men on Manus Island have amongst the worst health in terms of their mental health, of anyone in the world… we just have to have a circuit breaker here,” Dr Phelps continued.
Dr Phelps rejected Sales’ proposition that if she and other crossbenchers sided with Labor on the issue of Nauru, while the Coalition voted against it, it would damage confidence in the government.
“It doesn’t really go to confidence. I think it goes to the fact there’s a majority in the House who believe that the people on Manus Island and Nauru deserve to have appropriate medical and psychiatric care,” Dr Phelps said.
Primrose Riordan 5.20pm: Late intervention in encryption debate
Senate President Scott Ryan has launched a late intervention in the debate over the new encryption laws, warning the changes could get in the way of rules which protect the work of parliamentarians.
The new laws are being pushed by national security agencies who want greater access to messages sent by terrorists on encrypted messaging apps.
Parliamentarians have legal immunity in certain circumstances under parliamentary privilege.
In a submission to the parliament’s intelligence committee Senator Ryan said the changes could mean authorities could access parliamentarian’s devices without notifying parliament, meaning they could get access to materials protected by parliamentary privilege.
“The main issue with covert access in relation to privilege (whether through remotely accessing the device or concealing physical access to it) is that there would be no opportunity for a parliamentarian who considers that material is protected by privilege to raise such a claim,” he wrote.
“The parliament has to rely on the agency seeking the warrant and the authority approving it to have proper regard to privilege.”
He said this might mean parliament needs to introduce further legislation to stop police using their new powers against MPs.
“It may be that privilege is best secured through legislative amendment providing that it is not lawful for proceeding in parliament to be seized, accessed, listened to, recorded or observed by such powers.”
Richard Ferguson 3.55pm: Why PM didn’t listen to Phelps
Scott Morrison says he walked out of Kerryn Phelps’ maiden speech on Monday because he had an important meeting on infrastructure, after she says he was “pretty shabby and disrespectful”.
“The Prime Minister respects all his parliamentary colleagues and works closely with the crossbench,” a spokesman for the Prime Minister told The Australian.
“On Monday afternoon he had an important meeting in relation to national infrastructure.”
Some commentators questioned the Prime Minister’s political strategy for walking out of the first parliamentary speech of a key crossbench MP considering he now leads a minority government.
Dr Phelps, the independent member of Wentworth, blasted the Prime Minister’s absence today.
“I thought Scott Morrison walking out of the chamber for my maiden speech was disrespectful to the people of Wentworth,” Dr Phelps told reporters in Canberra today.
“I thought it was pretty shabby and disrespectful behaviour.”
Richard Ferguson 3.24pm: Normal programming resumes
The motion is defeated 68-66 and question time resumes.
Tony Abbott is asking his first “Dorothy Dixer” since he was ousted as Prime Minister in 2015. The Opposition cheer loudly.
The former prime minister asks if Queensland’s government is abolishing the Family Responsibilities Commission and the consequences of that.
The Prime Minister says he strongly supports the commission and asks Queensland to reconsider.
Richard Ferguson 3.17pm: Motion lost
Motion is lost and the government survives
Bill Shorten’s motion to suspend standing orders is defeated 68-66. The government’s control of the House is safe for now #auspol @australian
— Rosie Lewis (@rosieslewis) November 29, 2018
Richard Ferguson 3.14pm: Katter in the House
Bob Katter has entered the house and voted with the government against suspending standing orders.
Rosie Lewis 3.13pm: Labor gets two Independents
Adam Bandt and Andrew Wilkie immediately side with Labor to suspend standing orders. Cathy McGowan, Julia Banks, Kerryn Phelps and Rebekha Sharkie will abstain. Shows they don’t want to get involved in political games #auspol @australian
— Rosie Lewis (@rosieslewis) November 29, 2018
Richard Ferguson 3.12pm: Independents abstain
The four female independents: Rebekha Sharkie, Cathy McGowan, Kerryn Phelps, and Julia Banks are abstained from the motion.
Richard Ferguson 3.10pm: Motion goes to division
As a vote to suspend standing orders comes up, leader of the house Christopher Pyne is speaking to the cross bench.
Bob Katter is not in question time. Now the motion is going to a division.
Richard Ferguson 3.08pm: ‘It’s not about PM and me’
At the beginning of the week, Scott Morrison used question time to declare the next election was about him and Bill Shorten. Today, the Opposition Leader responded.
“I thought even as remarkable as the part-time Parliament was when the Prime Minister said “it’s all about me and him”,” he says.
“No, Prime Minister, it’s about the Australian people.”
Richard Ferguson 3.02pm: PM defends himself
Scott Morrison is now speaking and defending his government against the suspension of standing orders.
“What I know has happened under this Government is there’s more Australians turning up to work under this Government than ever happened under their Government,” he says.
“Under our Government, and under the policies and the convictions and the principles of the Liberal and the National parties, more Australians are getting in to work, and less Australians are going on to welfare.”
Richard Ferguson 2.59pm: Motion seconded
Manager of opposition business Tony Burke seconds Bill Shorten’s motion.
“Look at what they’ve become. Look at what they’ve become,” he says.
“And when the Prime Minister says to us, ‘Oh, you’re all getting so cocky, you know, you all think that we’re going to be able to beat a Morrison Government.’
“We don’t even know if we’ll be against a Morrison Government.”
2.56pm: Shorten’s motion
Here is the motion Bill Shorten is trying to pass to test the numbers on the floor:
“I move — That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Leader of the Opposition from moving the following motion immediately.
That the House:
1. Notes that since moving on Malcolm Turnbull, the Government has:
a. Cancelled Parliament because it couldn’t decide who was Prime Minister;
b. Lost two Government Members, with at least one more on the way;
c. Been forced into minority Government, which the Government previously said would create uncertainty in our economy and instability for the country;
d. Created the first part-time Parliament in the history of Federation by scheduling just 10 sitting days in eight months;
e. Cancelled the Treasurer’s trip to the G20;
f. Voted for a National Integrity Commission even though it doesn’t support one;
g. Voted against tougher 15 year jail sentences for corporate criminals;
h. Abandoned the National Energy Guarantee – a policy which was designed by the Treasurer, which the Prime Minister promised would lead to lower electricity prices, and which the Member for Curtin still supports;
i. Been described by the Minister for Women as “homophobic, anti-women, climate-change deniers”; and
j. Been described by its own Prime Minister as “The Muppet Show”; and
2. Therefore calls on this ramshackle, reactionary Government to stop fighting itself and start focussing on the needs of the Australian people.”
Richard Ferguson 2.53pm: ‘Libs in civil war’
Bill Shorten says the Liberal Party is in a civil war and that they are denying reality by dismissing a series of recent election losses.
“The Parliament is part-time under this Prime Minister, but the civil war in the Liberal Party is a full-time occupation,” he says.
“The ram shackle, reactionary Coalition sitting opposite are so consumed by some form of existential identity crisis, some bizarre debate about what it means to be a real Liberal.
“They pontificate about this mythical right-wing base and they write off whole communities as irrelevant.
‘Don’t worry,’ they say, ‘Batman isn’t the real Australia. Perth is not the real Australia. Fremantle is not the real Australia. Mayo is not the real Australia. Braddon isn’t the real Australia. Longman isn’t the real Australia. Wentworth isn’t the real Australia. And Victoria isn’t the real Australia.’”
Richard Ferguson 2.46pm: Morrison’s numbers test
Bill Shorten is moving to suspend standing orders, the first big test of the government’s numbers on the floor of parliament.
It is not a motion of no confidence. It is a motion listing a litany of complaints and criticisms about the government.
Richard Ferguson 2.40pm: Why so few sitting weeks?
Manager of opposition business Tony Burke asks if there are less parliamentary sitting weeks next year because they lost Wentworth in a by-election, and member for Chisholm Julia Banks defected to the crossbench.
“They’re interested in their political games, they’re interested in the good, old Canberra bubble, Mr Speaker. That’s what they’re interested in,” the Prime Minister responds.
“They’re not as interested in what is actually happening in this place and the work that is being done.
“Full of hubris, full of arrogance, full of the swagger, full of the swagger that you’re used to seeing with the cocky union militant official walking on to the site, walking up to a small business owner and telling them how it’s gonna be.”
Richard Ferguson 2.36pm: Phelps asks first question
Independent MP Kerryn Phelps asks her first question in the house about the business case for the widely criticised My Health Record database.
“Will the Prime Minister guarantee to provide the business case for the My Health Record database to this House in this sitting fortnight?,” she asks.
“This will be the final opportunity before the opt-out period is on 31 January 2019, and Australians need to be assured about the true intentions of this program?”
Health Minister Greg Hunt says My Health Record will always be in public ownership and he is happy to provide Dr Phelps with the relevant documents she seeks. He also defends the scheme.
“I would note that in terms of the benefits, this is about helping the 230,000 people in Australia who have some form of medication misadventure, or medication clash, avoid those clashes to ensure patients have direct access to their own records,” he says.
Richard Ferguson 2.33pm: Here’s where Malcolm, PM agree
Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek asks if Scott Morrison agrees with a late night tweet from Malcolm Turnbull last night.
“A centrist government was blown up; in August and it wasn’t done by moderates,” Mr Turnbull tweeted.
The Prime Minister says he agrees with Malcolm Turnbull that Bill Shorten should not be Prime Minister.
“I agree with Malcolm Turnbull when he says that the leader of the Labor Party is the biggest risk to the Australian economy,” he says.
“That’s what I agree with Malcolm Turnbull on, and have for many, many years, Mr Speaker.”
2.29pm: Girls want to be like Julie
A great leader who has inspired and will continue to inspire so many girls and women across Australia and around the world. “I just want to be a Foreign Minister like Julie Bishop†year 12 student, @AvilaCollege Chisholm https://t.co/H2FVjF4gMG
— Julia Banks MP (@juliabanksmp) November 29, 2018
Richard Ferguson 2.26pm: A question of truth
Bill Shorten asks Scott Morrison why he did not back tougher jail sentences for corporate criminals.
“Why does the leader of the Labor Party lie all the time, Mr Speaker?,” the Prime Minister responds.
Mr Morrison is asked withdraw the comment and does. He rephrases his answer.
“I could say, “Why does the Labor Party - why does the leader of the Labor Party misrepresent the truth, Mr Speaker?” he says.
Richard Ferguson 2.17pm: ‘Labor did nothing about corporate crime’
Opposition justice spokeswoman Clare O’Neil asks Scott Morrison why the government did not back Labor’s proposed tougher jail sentences for corporate crimes.
The Prime Minister says he was the treasurer who established the Banking Royal Commission.
“That Leader of the Opposition, all of those opposite, when they sat on the government benches, did absolutely nothing,” he says.
Josh Frydenberg takes over the dispatch box and says Labor did nothing when last in government to deal with misconduct in the banking sector and corporate Australia.
“In six years, the Labor government did absolutely nothing to increase the
penalties for misconduct,” the Treasurer says.
“Now, as a result of the actions that this Government has taken, we have increased criminal penalties for corporate misconduct for individuals five-fold.”
Richard Ferguson 2.14pm: United in face of bushfires
Bill Shorten says Gracemere, Queensland may not be a town everyone in Australia knows, but that all people should show their support for the fire-threatened town now.
The reason why I think we should, all Australians should know where Gracemere is, is it was actually the biggest evacuation in the history of the area,” he says.
“Massive cooperative effort, and it went seamlessly. Exactly as the people there had planned to do ... that should make us all very proud.”
Richard Ferguson 2.12pm: MPs in electorates over fires
Capricornia MP Michelle Landry and Forde MP Bert van Manen are not in question time.
They are in their electorates supporting constituents affected by the bushfires.
Richard Ferguson 2.05pm: “Heartbreaking”: PM on natural disasters
Scott Morrison opens question time by updating the house on the storms in NSW and bushfires in Queensland.
“Three deaths have been attributed to the storms. This is a terrible tragedy. One of those deaths was an SES volunteer who was responding to the storms, out there helping others when he lost his life,” he tells the house.
“A volunteer with a young family. It is truly heartbreaking.”
The Prime Minister says NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has not formally requested federal assistance.
Mr Morrison also asks Queenslanders to heed the advice of authorities as dangerous bushfires.
“I simply say this — please take the advice you are given. You can rebuild a home, but you cannot rebuild a lost family,” he says.
“It’s now time to listen, stay calm and put those you love first.”
Richard Ferguson 1.45pm: GetUp wants apology
Left-wing group GetUp has called on a Liberal MP to apologise for claiming they provided false and misleading information into a parliamentary inquiry into the last federal election.
Liberal MP for Tagney Ben Morton told the House of Representatives today failed to provide the full details of a survey into the issues GetUp should focus on the 2016 national poll, and that they only revealed the correct information on threat of summons.
Mr Morton also said the left-wing group lied about the top three issues in their 2016 election vision survey.
A GetUp spokeswoman told The Australian the survey was not the only driver of their election campaign, they did not doctor survey results and that they wanted a formal apology from Mr Morton.
“Mr Morton should apologise for wasting everyone’s time. These are the same false, misleading accusations Mr Morton has been peddling for months,” she said.
“Mr Morton knows (because we have told him numerous times) that GetUp quite literally cannot run effective campaigns without members taking action.
“This is yet another attack on the right of everyday people to have their say from a desperate government trying to distract from its own political implosion.”
1.40pm: Phelps not ineligible: independents
New independent federal MP Kerryn Phelps’ colleagues on the crossbench have defended her eligibility to sit in parliament, against claims she may not eligible due to her work as a doctor.
Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie says there is no conflict of interest in Dr Phelps having handled commonwealth-paid Medicare rebates, as they are paid to patients and not to doctors, AAP reports.
“It is self-evident that a Medicare rebate is paid to the patient,” he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday, with Greens MP Adam Bandt backing up the sentiment.
Primrose Riordan 1pm: G20 exclusion “slight”: Carr
Former Foreign Minister Bob Carr has criticised the Morrison government, saying Australia has been excluded from a trilateral meeting between India, Japan and the US at the weekend’s G20 summit.
US President Donald Trump’s National Security Adviser John Bolton said the trilateral meeting will be attended by the US President, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
If Australia was to be included it could mean that the consultations between senior Australian, Indian, American and Japanese officials — dubbed the quadrilateral and aimed at balancing China’s power in the region — had been elevated to much higher level.
Mr Carr, who heads up a think tank aimed at fostering relations between Australia and China, said the move was an “an egregious slight” given Australia’s investment in the quad.
“A three way meeting with two of our partners — our talk of the Indo-Pacific looks somewhat feeble when Japan and India are sitting down with the US president and we’re out in the corridor,” he said.
Australian National University National Security College head Rory Medcalf described Mr Carr’s criticism as a “cheap shot” and said the quad discussions were ongoing at a lower level.
“There has never been any indication of an intent to elevate it to a political level, and certain not directly to leaders’ level. It makes most sense at this stage as an officials-only dialogue, something both the government and Labor agree on,” he tweeted.
“The quad is a useful adjunct to other pieces of regional security architecture. But the trilaterals are more important. And Australia-Japan-US trilateral co-ordination, including at high political levels, was on display at APEC.”
Rosie Lewis 12.50pm: Legal advice crucial on eligibility
Independent MP Rebekha Sharkie wants a stronger threshold to determine which MPs go to the High Court under section 44 of the Constitution as key crossbenchers and the government consider a mass referral that includes Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.
The Centre Alliance MP said the Solicitor-General Stephen Donaghue QC could provide advice on members under an eligibility cloud.
If the government or Labor attempted to refer a parliamentarian who according to Dr Donaghue’s advice still had questions to answer, they should be referred.
“My position is that Peter Dutton has questions to answer as raised in the advice offered by the Solicitor-General,” Ms Sharkie told The Australian.
Ben Packham 12.50pm: Nauru bill “makes medical sense”
Refugees and asylum seekers could be evacuated to Australia to receive medical attention on the advice of just two doctors, under a new private members’ bill to be introduced by independent MP Kerryn Phelps.
The new Member for Wentworth said the bill was “urgent” and she would seek to introduce it into parliament on Monday.
“It makes sense. It’s common sense. It makes medical sense,” she said.
“And it’s something I think we can use as a template for moving forward on these sorts of issues where we can take a bipartisan approach if there is goodwill on all sides.”
Dr Phelps conceded that some of those transferred under the proposed arrangement would require “permanent” medical treatment in Australia.
If the government refuses to allow the bill to be debated, Ms Phelps would need to muster an absolute majority of 76 votes in the parliament to suspend standing orders and allow debate to proceed — a tough ask in the current parliament.
Crossbench MP Bob Katter said he was “strongly opposed” to the bill.
Mr Katter said if the “doors were open” to allow children and adults to receive medical treatment in Australia, there could be more deaths at sea.
Without Mr Katter, Ms Phelps would need the support of 68 Labor MPs, all of the remaining six crossbenchers, and two rogue Coalition MPs, to have the bill debated.
The Greens, independent senators Tim Storer and Derryn Hinch, and independent MP Andrew Wilkie, all expressed their support for the bill.
“This is genuinely a humanitarian crisis,” Mr Wilkie said. “This is exactly the sort of thing that should trump all other business.”
A spokesman for Labor immigration spokesman Shayne Neumann said Labor would not comment on the bill until it had seen it.
Labor for Refugees spokesman Shayne Prince said it was “a tremendous idea”.
“I don’t know why it’s not done already. These are decisions that should be made by doctors not bureaucrats,” Mr Prince said.
Comment was being sought from Immigration Minister David Coleman.
Richard Ferguson 12.45pm: ScoMo’s LGBTI “disappointment”
Scott Morrison is “disappointed” Labor is pushing their own bill to ban discrimination against LGBTI students in religious schools.
Labor senate leader Penny Wong introduced the bill today and it will be debated later tonight, with a vote due for Monday.
“I’d sought to deal with this in a bipartisan way. I put forward two proposals to seek to deal with this,” the Prime Minister said.
“I’m disappointed that the Labor Party has sought to politicise this.
“We heard nothing from them for over a month before we heard one of them, the Shadow Attorney-General (Mark Dreyfus) decided to go and do an ABC radio interview.”
Attorney General Christian Porter revealed earlier this week that negotiations with Labor broke down over protections for religious schools to impose their own rules on gay and transgender students, such as compelling them to attend religious services.
Richard Ferguson 12.30pm: “Never say never” on no confidence
Crossbench MP Bob Katter says “never say never” to supporting a motion of no confidence in Scott Morrison, despite drawing up a deal with the Prime Minister on confidence and supply.
“You say never say never in politics, alright? It’d be a very brave crossbencher that would bring down the government,” he told Sky News, “I would not if I could avoid it.”
Mr Katter did say he would continue to miss votes in parliament if he considered them “party games.”
“I never vote on petty partisan political things. Party games, we do not vote on.”
The Australian revealed last week that Scott Morrison was considering a “Bob Katter wrangler” for the final parliamentary sitting fortnight, amid concerns the maverick independent MP may not make it to the chamber for key votes.
When asked if there was such a wrangler from the government today, Mr Katter laughed and said: “I’m sure there are.”
Richard Ferguson 12.15pm: Katter won’t back Nauru
Crossbench MP Bob Katter will not back Kerryn Phelps’ bill to “temporarily evacuate” refugees on Nauru to Australia for medical reasons.
“I’m strongly opposed … Individual cases make bad law,” he told Sky News.
Mr Katter said if the “doors were opened” by a bill to remove children and adults needing medical attention on Nauru, Australia could see deaths at sea.
Dr Phelps will need an absolute majority of 76 MPs to suspend standing orders to bring on debate on her amendments to the Migration Act.
Without Mr Katter, the Nauru evacuation bill needs the 68 Labor MPs in parliament next week, the remaining six crossbenchers, and two rogue Coalition MPs.
.@tomwconnell: This is a temporary medical evacuation of people on Nauru.@RealBobKatter: Hard cases make bad law. Those people who want the door opened, let that be on their consciences that 2,500 people perished.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) November 29, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/ykweMevBOK #Newsday pic.twitter.com/FC3iAxYWmx
Richard Ferguson 11.30am: Phelps moves on Nauru
Independent MP Kerryn Phelps will move amendments to the Migration Act to immediately evacuate children and adults who need medical attention off Nauru.
The independent MP’s bill will be a major test for Scott Morrison’s control of the House of Representatives, and a challenge to Labor’s position on asylum seekers.
“This is something that is urgent, this is not something that can wait till next year,” Dr Phelps said.
Dr Phelps made the evacuation of children off the Nauru offshore processing centre a key plank of her election campaign in October’s Wentworth by-election.
The Greens, independent MP Andrew Wilkie, independent senator Tim Storer and Justice Party senator Derryn Hinch have lent support to Dr Phelps’s Nauru bill.
.@drkerrynphelps: I'm not about making threats. I'm about presenting the merits of an incredibly important issue, that is the humanitarian and medical crisis on Nauru, and this should rise above any political manoeuvring.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) November 29, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/ykweMevBOK #SkyLiveNow pic.twitter.com/ocFheYVdC9
Ben Wilmot 11.25am: Libs sell up
The Victoria Liberal Party has today revealed the sale of its long-time headquarters in Exhibition Street in Melbourne’s central business district for an above expectations price of $37.1 million.
The sale to an undisclosed luxury brand will help refill the party’s coffers after it funded the recent failed election campaign to unseat the Victoria’s Andrews government.
After 30 years occupying the space, the Liberal Party of Victoria will vacate the premises at the end of 2019.
Richard Ferguson 11.15am: Turnbull gets benefit of doubt
Liberal MP Craig Kelly says it would be disappointing if former Liberal MPs assisted rival independents, but has given Malcolm Turnbull the benefit of the doubt in his dealings with Wentworth MP Kerryn Phelps.
“It would depend what the assistance amounted to. If it was assistance in running against me, it would be something I would be very disappointed in,” he told reporters in Canberra.
“Malcolm will make up his own decision … I think someone that retires from the seat, someone comes into their seat, even if they’re from another party, it’s fair enough.”
“Kerryn Phelps moving into Malcolm’s old office, If Malcolm left some stationary or there … or some pot plants, I have no great objection to that.”
Richard Ferguson 10.55am: “War on science”
The government is leading a “war”on science, opposition industry spokesman Kim Carr says.
The comments come after Bill Shorten announced last night that former chief scientist Ian Chubb will lead a strategic review into Labor’s science policy.
“Under a Shorten Labor Government, Labor will restore confidence and trust in our scientific community and restore science to the centre of government,” he says.
“What we have seen in previous times with this government is that a war has been launched against our scientific community — whether it be in climate change, whether it be in energy policy, whether it be on basic things like the growing gap in inequality in Australia.”
“The review, headed by Prof Ian Chubb AC, will draw on experience in other parts of the world, such as the Nurse review in the UK or a comparable review in Canada. The review will ensure that we get the very best value for money from our science spend, which is currently over $10 billion a year.”
Richard Ferguson 10.35am: Claims GetUp misled inquiry
Left-wing activist group GetUp has been accused of providing false and misleading information to a parliamentary inquiry into the last federal election.
Liberal MP for Tagney Ben Morton told the House of Representatives today GetUp failed to provide the full details of a survey into the issues GetUp! should focus on the 2016 national poll.
“Five times GetUp failed or refused to provide the full results of this survey. Instead providing misleading, and on one occasion, false information while giving implausible reasons for this refusal,” he told the house.
Mr Morton, a former WA Liberal state director, said GetUp lied about the top three issues its members wanted it to focus on and only gave the parliamentary committee correct information after the threat of summons.
“This was a serious, calculated and persistent ‘cover-up’ which impeded the committee’s efforts to establish the truth about the results of GetUp’s 2016 election vision survey,” he said.
The matter will be raised in the House of Representatives as a potential contempt of parliament, he added.
GetUp have been approached for comment.
Richard Ferguson 10.25am: Abbott backs Kelly
Tony Abbott has lent his support to Liberal MP Craig Kelly, who says today he will not defect from the Coalition if he loses his preselection battle.
“Always good to be with a real Liberal!,” the former prime minister tweeted, with a picture of him and Mr Kelly attached.
Mr Kelly was in a Robert Menzies t-shirt and Mr Abbott was in a shirt and tie.
The member for Hughes told reporters today that Scott Morrison called him last night after media reports he was considering running as an independent if he lost his preselection battle, and that he assured him he would stay with the government.
Always good to be with a real Liberal! pic.twitter.com/ngdMJbvF1L
— Tony Abbott (@TonyAbbottMHR) November 28, 2018
Richard Ferguson 9.40am: Phelps “did homework” on eligibility
Independent MP Kerryn Phelps says she has not been contacted by the government over concerns about her eligibility to sit in parliament.
It has been floated that the government would try to refer Dr Phelps and a number of Labor MPs to the High Court if moves are made against Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.
Dr Phelps she has not been contacted by Leader of the House Christopher Pyne over any Section 44 concerns.
“I haven’t had any direct contact with anyone in the government about my eligibility to sit in parliament,” she told reporters in Canberra.
“As I’ve said on many occasions, I made sure I did my homework to the extent that anyone can.
“If there’s an alternate view, I’d be interested in hearing it.”
Richard Ferguson 9.30pm: Walkout “shabby, disrespectful”: Phelps
Independent MP Kerryn Phelps says Scott Morrison was “pretty shabby and disrespectful” for walking out of her maiden speech on Monday.
“I thought Scott Morrison walking out of the chamber for my maiden speech was disrespectful to the people of Wentworth,” she told reporters in Canberra today.
“I had just been elected by the people of Wentworth to represent them, and for the Prime Minister and the majority of the frontbench to walk out was disrespectful for the people of Wentworth because it would important for them to hear the messages the people of Wentworth wanted to bring.”
“I thought it was pretty shabby and disrespectful behaviour.”
.@drkerrynphelps: I think what voters hate is hearing there is a culture of toxicity and bullying within a political party and that someone felt so miserable, they had to leave and become an Independent.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) November 28, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/2X7LH9POfb #AMagenda pic.twitter.com/pdPTezJbBs
Richard Ferguson 9.25am: VET review dismissed
Opposition TAFE spokesman Doug Cameron has dismissed Scott Morrison’s review of the vocational education sector announced last night.
“Labor announced a comprehensive review of post-school training back in February and I have got absolutely no confidence in any review that the Coalition does into the VET sector,” Senator Cameron told reporters in Canberra.
“This is a government who has cut $3 billion from the VET sector since they were elected. There are 140 000 fewer apprentices now.
“They cut $270 million from apprenticeships in the last budget and they are appointing a New Zealand former Tory Minister to conduct the review.”
Richard Ferguson 9.20am: Phelps says she didn’t discuss Banks
Independent MP Kerryn Phelps says she has not discuss former Liberal member Julia Banks’s defection with Malcolm Turnbull and that their discussions have been limited to electorate matters.
The Australian revealed today that Dr Phelps has been in regular communication with her predecessor in Wentworth and that a staff member of Mr Turnbull’s was involved in an office “handover.”
“Of course I have (been in contact with Mr Turnbull). He is the former member for Wentworth and wants to make sure there’s an orderly handover,” Dr Phelps told Sky News.
“Obviously people have conservations about what’s going on in the electorate and locally.”
When asked if they had discussed Julia Banks, Dr Phelps said: “No, no, no.”
.@drkerrynphelps has confirmed she has been in contact with @TurnbullMalcolm since becoming the member for Wentworth.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) November 28, 2018
'Of course I have. He is the former member for Wentworth and wants to make sure there's an orderly handover.
MORE: https://t.co/2X7LH9POfb #AMagenda pic.twitter.com/SfotE0iofO
Remy Varga 9.25am: Turnbull’s teachers retweet
Malcolm Turnbull has retweeted a tweet by his daughter that appears to be taking a dig at the former Liberal candidate in the Wentworth by-election.
Dave Sharma came under fire after calling teachers “underemployed” and said they worked “hours closer to three-quarters of a regular full-time job” in an op-ed published in the Sydney Morning Herald during the campaign.
Daisy Turnbull yesterday quote tweeted a parliamentary sitting calendar, writing: “Shout out to all the MPs and candidates who have commented about teachers not working full time..”
It was retweeted by Mr Turnbull.
The former PM has come under for his social media use after it was reported he had started following an Instagram account dedicated to unseating Tony Abbott from the seat of Warringah.
Richard Ferguson 8.40am: Kelly wears heart on chest
Craig Kelly has been in the halls of parliament wearing a Robert Menzies t-shirt to show his loyalty to Scott Morrison in the Liberal Party, hours after the Prime Minister called him to check he was still in the fold.
The member for Hughes said Mr Morrison called him last night after media reports he was considering running as an independent if he lost his preselection battle, and that he assured him he would stay with the government.
Mr Kelly also told reporters in Canberra that he was “more than happy” to face that preselection battle, which he is widely expected to lose.
“I’m more than happy to put my record and my credentials up the line. I’ve been able to move my seat further up the pendulum, more places up the pendulum, than anyone else in the partyroom,” he said.
Richard Ferguson 8.25am: Kelly staying put
Craig Kelly says he is “certainly not defecting” from the Liberal Party despite speculation he will move to the crossbench if he loses his preselection battle in the federal NSW seat of Hughes.
“I have a contract with the people of Hughes,” he told ABC radio.
“If they (voters) give us that wonderful obligation, we have to a duty to fulfil that to the end of the parliament.”
He also told ABC radio that he strongly supported Scott Morrison and wanted to talk about the government’s achievements.
Mr Kelly refused to rule out running as an independent yesterday. He is widely expected not to hold his preselection for Hughes.
Richard Ferguson 8.10am: Liberals could lose O’Dwyer: poll
A shock poll shows Industrial Relations Minister Kelly O’Dwyer is at risk of losing her blue-ribbon seat of Higgins, as Labor takes the two-party preferred lead following the state election.
The Herald Sun reports that a Reachtel poll, commissioned by the CMMFEU, has Labor ahead 53 per cent to the Coalition’s 47 per cent in the Victorian seat.
The Liberals have a 38.6 per cent primary vote in the poll, compared to the 52 per cent Ms O’Dwyer won in the 2016 federal election. No candidate names were used in the survey.
Ms O’Dwyer succeeded former treasurer Peter Costello in the leafy eastern Melbourne seat. It was also the former seat of prime ministers Harold Holt and John Gorton.
The seat takes in suburbs like Toorak, Armadale, Malvern, South Yarra and Prahran. Areas which saw big swings to Victorian Labor in Saturday’s state election.
“I will continue to work hard each and every day to represent the community that I live in and that I’m raising my young family in,” Ms O’Dwyer told the Herald Sun.
Richard Ferguson 7.55am: Budget isn’t “fixed”: Bowen
The budget is not “fixed” and still needs Labor’s tax changes despite Josh Frydenberg preparing to deliver a surplus, opposition treasury spokesman Chris Bowen says.
Mr Bowen said the surplus projection was largely due to international economic conditions being “benign” and that Labor has promised bigger budget surpluses over the forward estimates.
He also said Labor would not revisit negative gearing changes or his capital gains tax
“I don’t take the view that the country and the Treasurer of the day and can put their feet up and says all’s fixed,” Mr Bowen told ABC radio.
There is still downside risk in the economy, the global economy. There is the chance of some downturn at some point … we need bigger budget surpluses to have a bigger buffer.”
Richard Ferguson 7.25am: Turnbull’s tweet
Malcolm Turnbull has took to Twitter to say he is not behind the Coalition’s crossbench woes, despite revelations he has kept in close contact with independent MP Kerryn Phelps.
“Attribution bias — blaming others for the consequences of your own actions is a common symptom of paranoia,” he tweeted.
“Imagining “invisible” people are out to get you is also a classic symptom. Not often on the front page of course …”
The Australian reports today the former prime minister has been messaging Dr Phelps, the independent who claimed his seat of Wentworth, and a former electorate office staffer worked for his successor for three days as part of a “handover”.
Former Coalition colleagues last night expressed ongoing concern over the support Mr Turnbull has given Dr Phelps, after he was unwilling to provide public backing to Liberal candidate Dave Sharma during the Wentworth by-election campaign.
7.20am: More Australians know Bishop
Scott Morrison may be the prime minister but less Australians know of him than former foreign minister Julie Bishop, a new poll reveals.
A survey of more than 1400 Australians found 82 per cent knew of Ms Bishop, making her more recognised than all current ministers, AAP reports.
Three quarters (75 per cent) of Australians knew of Mr Morrison, while 70 per cent knew of Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, according to the recognition poll by the Australia Institute.
What’s making news:
Malcolm Turnbull has been in regular contact with Kerryn Phelps and one of his staff members helped the independent MP, who played a key role in counselling Julia Banks before her shock defection from the Liberal Party.
The Christmas cheer flowed freely in Canberra last night at the crossbenchers’ end-of-year bash as they welcomed their shiny new recruit, Julia Banks, to the fold.
Josh Frydenberg has been forced to abandon a trip to the G20 summit in Argentina as the government struggles to reassert control over the parliament following the defection of Victorian Liberal Julia Banks to the crossbench.
Crossbenchers Andrew Wilkie and Cathy McGowan could support a mass referral of MPs — including Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton — to the High Court, potentially giving the government enough numbers to test the eligibility of Labor and crossbench members under constitutional clouds.
NSW Liberal MP Craig Kelly last night would not rule out a move to the crossbench if he lost the preselection contest for his seat of Hughes and confirmed he was being urged to immediately resign as a Liberal MP.
Scott Morrison will use his pre-election budget war chest to deliver extra funding for schools, hospitals and pharmaceutical benefits, in a move to claim back political leverage from Labor ahead of delivering the nation’s first surplus in a decade.
Scott Morrison will hold meetings with British Prime Minister Theresa May at this week’s critical G20 meeting in Argentina to ensure trade negotiations with both Britain and the EU remain on track amid uncertainty surrounding the proposed new Brexit deal.
Scott Morrison is considering proposals to be put at the G20 summit to recognise human trafficking and anti-slavery as priority global issues in need of urgent action from world leaders.
Labor is working with big polluters on a new carbon trading scheme using a system of Abbott government emissions caps on individual businesses as the basis for the new regime.]
Christian higher education providers — which teach 56,000 students and employ 2000 staff — have warned Scott Morrison that they could face legal penalties for upholding a biblical view of marriage under his plan to reframe religious freedom protections.
Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan will push for a review of the nation’s charter of educational goals, amid concerns over declining academic standards since the original agreement was endorsed a decade ago.
The Coalition will try to change the law to give stronger legal cover to Australian spies using weapons overseas in order not to jeopardise a major espionage operation.
James Jeffrey’s sketch: Questions to Morrison’s shrinking government a turn-up for books.
Dennis Shanahan writes Malcolm Turnbull’s continuing close co-operation with Kerryn Phelps is fuelling deep suspicions he is working against the Libs.
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