PoliticsNow: Defence staff needed to be shipped lockable fridges and bikes in France
PoliticsNow: Call it defence against the dark art of lunch thievery but is Defence spending on lockable fridges really necessary?
Hello and welcome to PoliticsNow, The Australian’s live coverage of the happenings in Parliament House.
Bill Shorten has updated his pecuniary interests showing a charity formerly led by environmentalist Geoff Cousins paid for the Opposition Leader’s charter flights in North Queensland and a tour of the Great Barrier Reef.
rory Callinan 9.20pm: Lockable fridges and bikes for French forces
Taxpayers have footed the bill to supply Defence staff working in France with special lockable fridges to store lunches and bikes that had to be freighted in from Australia.
The equipment was supplied as part of the fit out for Australians working on Defence’s new submarines at the Naval Group’s Cherbourg shipyard in France, a Senate Estimates hearing was told yesterday.
South Australian Senator Rex Patrick raised the issue with Defence heads during the Defence Estimates Hearing.
Deputy Secretary of the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group Kim Gillis confirmed that 19 bikes had been freighted across to France as part of 180 tonnes of equipment sent to France for the fit out.
“We were freighting a massive volume and somebody decided that it would be a good idea to have a bike to ride, 19 bikes to ride around a very large facility,’’ he said.
“As you know I used to work at Boeing and if you go into any of the Boeing facilities there are bicycles everywhere for people to ride around on because it’s efficient and effective.’’
Gillis said the bikes had to be put together by a local “bike assembler” and were currently being used by staff.
Senator Patrick queried why the bikes had to be procured in Australia and freighted to France when there are “bikes in France”.
Senator Payne said the reason was because Senator Patrick would then have asked why they bought bikes in France.
The hearing was also told that Defence had purchased special lockable fridges in France so Defence personnel could store their lunches without risk of them being stolen.
Rear Admiral Gregory Sammut said he understood the fridges had lockable compartments “that can be locked so people’s lunch doesn’t go missing if it’s particularly appetizing to others”.
Senator Patrick asked if it was true that fridges were now having to be modified so they were not lockable.
Admiral Sammut said he thought it was a case of they were just not using the locks but he would find out.
Senator Patrick asked for a cost breakdown of the bike freight and purchase and the fridges.
Defence officials took the question on notice.
Dozens of Australian personnel have been seconded to work at the shipyard in the French City of Cherbourg as part of the design proces for the Navy’s future submarines.
Greg Brown 4.00pm: Labor ‘inspired’ by Sanders, Corbyn
Labor MP Andrew Giles has paid tribute to the “inspiration” offered by Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn, declaring Bill Shorten was helping “break the mould” of the old style of politics.
Albrechtsen: Bland UK Conservatives are blind to maverick Jeremy Corbyn’s appeal
Mr Giles, a member of Victoria’s socialist left faction, referenced the two far-left figures while criticising the Greens for never having the power to implement such an agenda.
“Don’t believe the Greens hype and their ultra-cynical posturing about old parties. Instead, progressive voters should have a look at what has been happening in the United Kingdom and the United States with the movements around Jeremy Corbyn and Bernie Sanders—brave consistent voices committed to a politics that is genuinely transformative,” Mr Giles told the House of Representatives yesterday.
“They are concerned with forming governments that change how people live their lives, not how we feel about ourselves. That is one reason why this by-election in Batman matters so much: Ged Kearney stands out as someone who can make real her values as a driver of enduring change.”
Mr Giles also said the Greens only offered “cynical” two-word slogans compared to the Opposition Leader who was creating a “bold agenda across our nation”.
“This is cynicism disguised as idealism, because it denies the possibilities of real change, rejecting the inspiration offered by Corbyn and Sanders and the strong response to the bold agenda across our nation which has been set out by the Leader of the Opposition,” Mr Giles said.
“It’s this cynicism, this disingenuousness, which is politics as usual. It’s time to break that mould. Voters in Batman right now can do that by supporting Ged Kearney.”
Greg Brown 3.34pm: Who’s offended?
Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek has lashed Jobs Minister Michaelia Cash for launching a “disgraceful attack” on female staffers in Bill Shorten’s office.
“Senator Cash used the protection of Senate Estimates to launch a disgraceful attack on the young women working in this building,” Ms Plibersek said in parliament.
“It was an unprovoked attack from a minister under pressure. Like so many of my colleagues, I am very lucky to have smart young women working for me. And on their behalf I am offended.”
Meanwhile, Cash’s threat is just plain ugly according to Caroline Overington. Read her comment piece here.
Greg Brown 3.11pm: What’s his name?
Labor’s Brendan O’Connor points to inconsistencies in the government about which minister is in charge of the Fair Work Act. Malcolm Turnbull said earlier in QT Craig Laundy was the minister in charge of the act while Michaelia Cash told Senate Estimates she was also in charge of overseeing the laws.
The PM accidentally calls O’Connor the “member for O’Connor”, who sits on the government backbench.
“He’s over there,” Labor MPs yell while pointing to Liberal MP Rick Wilson.
Turnbull recovers to talk up the efforts of the “member for O’Connor”. Opposition MPs yelled: “What is his name?”
He goes on to say O’Connor and Bill Shorten supported the CFMEU despite it breaking the Fair Work Act “again and again”.
“What they didn’t know was that the Leader of the Opposition was getting ready to cancel the Adani licence,” he says.
Greg Brown 2.59pm: Albo in hot pursuit
Anthony Albanese goes again on Michael McCormack’s infrastructure portfolio, reminiscent of his pursuit of Barnaby Joyce a fortnight ago.
He asks why there are no new projects planned under the Turnbull/McCormack government.
“Thanks for the plug,” McCormack says.
McCormack goes onto list all the projects underway in Tasmania while spruiking the reelection of the Liberal Hodgman government.
Greg Brown 2.54pm: Deputy PM spruiks government’s infrastructure spend
Labor’s Anthony Albanese asks Deputy PM Michael McCormack about his new infrastructure portfolio.
“I asked him why federal infrastructure funding for South Australia was only $95 million in 2020/21 or just two per cent of the federal infrastructure and transport budget?”
McCormack says the government is spending lots of money on infrastructure in South Australia.
He adds the government has averaged $8 billion of annual infrastructure spend compared to Labor’s $6bn.
Greg Brown 2.44pm: Carbon tax not on the cards
Opposition social services spokeswoman Jenny Macklin asks how many pensioners will lose the energy supplement under the government’s policies.
Social Services Minister Dan Tehan dodges the question, saying the government would not introduce a carbon tax while accusing Labor of a “secret” plan to do so.
“We do not believe that we need an energy supplement, which was brought in because of the carbon tax. If you won the other side had secret plans to reintroduce the carbon tax, then you should do so,” he says.
Greg Brown 2.37pm: ‘Ninety-nine per cent of people will be no worse off’
Labor’s Maria Vamvakinou asks how many widows will have the bereavement allowance cut “while this government is giving a $65 billion handout to big business”.
Social Services Minister Dan Tehan says the government’s reforms were about “simplifying” seven payments into one.
“Ninety-nine per cent of people will be no worse off under these changes,” Tehan says.
Greg Brown 2.29pm: ‘Bulldog’ remains popular
Nationals MP Ken O’Dowd - who declared himself a (very) early challenger to Barnaby Joyce’s leadership - asks Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack a question.
There is a roar of applause from both sides of the House. Even Joyce had a chuckle.
“Will the Deputy Prime Minister update the House on how the Coalition government is delivering jobs creating infrastructure and resources across Queensland?”
McCormack thanks the “very popular” O’Dowd.
“He is not only popular in his own electorate, obviously popular in here as well as he should be. He works hard and he is a fighter,” McCormack says.
Greg Brown 2.26pm: Shorten in the QT firing line
Labor goes on company tax cuts and low wage growth for its first three questions. Bill Shorten again uses the word “inept”, coined by Barnaby Joyce, while asking the PM about his priorities.
Turnbull uses it to lash the Opposition Leader about his trip on the Great Barrier Reef with Geoff Cousins.
“After receiving thousands of dollars of a generous hospitality from the Australian Conservation Foundation, courtesy of Geoff Cousins, a reef cruise, a charter flight ending in Townsville, accommodation, a long list,” he says.
“All of that was provided, however, it was done in secret because the Leader of the Opposition said to Geoff (there should be) no media.”
Greg Brown 2.16pm: ‘He says whatever suits his purpose at the time’
Labor’s Catherine King goes on business tax cuts.
“Why is this inept PM giving a $65 billion handout for big business, including big insurers, instead of trying to help ordinary Australians with the cost of private health insurance?”
The PM says Bill Shorten used to believe in company tax cuts.
“He says whatever suits his purpose at the time, and just like he told the workers at Oaky North, that he is pro-coal, and he tells Geoff Cousins that he is going to withdraw the licence for the Adani mine, and put those workers out of a job,” Turnbull says.
Earlier, he made fun of Mr Shorten for using the “f-word” in an interview with GQ.
“Then he complains that he doesn’t think that Lucy and I would invite him for dinner. As long as he promises not to do that again, we wouldn’t have any objection,” Turnbull says.
Greg Brown 2.10pm: Another ‘Point Piper millionaire’
Malcolm Turnbull uses a question from Bill Shorten about low wage growth to get stuck into the Opposition Leader for telling Geoff Cousins he would revoke the Adani coalmine licence.
The PM calls Cousins a “Point Piper millionaire”.
“They are dreadful people,” he says.
“Wages growth is driven by the laws of supply and demand, and if there is no demand for the jobs of coalminers, their wages won’t go up.”
Greg Brown 1.28pm: ‘We need to protect young girls’
Social Services Minister Dan Tehan says there should be no reason “cultural issues” should prevent young girls from being removed from homes where they are being sexually abused.
Mr Tehan said it was not good enough that Territory child protection staff had ignored cases where young girls were sleeping with older men because of cultural issues.
“There are no cultural issues, we have to make sure that doesn’t happen and that is what we will be seeking to do,” Mr Tehan told Sky News.
“We have to make sure that the outcomes on the ground means that Australian law is being abided by, that we are putting in place policies which mean when there are young girls in danger that we will act.”
Greg Brown 1.06pm: Slow car recall ‘an indictment’
Labor’s consumer affairs spokesman Tim Hammond has welcomed the compulsory recall of millions of cars but criticised the government for not doing it sooner.
“It is an indictment, quite frankly, on this government that they have taken so long to pull the trigger on a compulsory recall,” Mr Hammond said.
“Labor welcomes the compulsory recall, we welcome any step that makes Australian families safer, but this is long overdue, and it is an indictment on this government – who quite frankly at this moment doesn’t even have a minister responsible for consumer affairs.”
Greg Brown 12.40pm: ‘Best form of welfare is a job’
Malcolm Turnbull has been out spruiking figures showing 100,000 welfare recipients have got a job since 2015 through the government’s wage subsidy program.
“Wage subsidies are supporting businesses to give vital work opportunities to Australians facing disadvantage,” the Prime Minister said in a joint statement with Jobs Minister Michaelia Cash and Assistant Jobs Minister Zed Seselja.
“The best form of welfare is a job. The Turnbull government is committed to getting as many Australians into work as possible by creating more and better jobs. Every Australian deserves a job to support themselves and their families.”
The wage subsidy program provides payments of up to $10,000 to employers who hire and retain people on long-term welfare.
Primrose Riordan 12.10pm: Michaelia Cash’s extraordinary threat
Jobs Minister Michaelia Cash has withdrawn controversial comments made about Bill Shorten in a Senate Estimates committee.
Watch Cash’s comments and read why here.
Greg Brown 11.32am: Environmental charity paid for Shorten’s Queensland trip
Bill Shorten has updated his pecuniary interests showing a charity previously led by environmentalist Geoff Cousins paid for the Opposition Leader’s charter flights in North Queensland and a tour of the Great Barrier Reef.
Mr Shorten yesterday declared he received gifts from the Australian Conservation Foundation, which Mr Cousins was the president of until November 24 last year.
Mr Cousins lobbied the charity to pay for Mr Shorten to view coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef, which it agreed to do.
The declaration was made on the same day Mr Cousins told the ABC the Opposition Leader indicated he would revoke the Adani licence if Labor won power.
The update says the non-government organisation paid for a reef tour provided by the Wavelength Reef Cruises on January 23rd.
The next day Mr Shorten took a charter flight – paid for by ACF – from Cairns to Carmichael River and Doongmabulla Springs, ending in Townsville.
ACF chief executive Kelly O’Shanassy said the donation was organised by Mr Cousins.
“Earlier this year the Opposition Leader reached out to Geoff Cousins proposing that they travel to the Great Barrier Reef to witness the damage from climate change-fuelled coral bleaching and to discuss the Adani coal projects,” she said.
“Geoff approached ACF asking for our assistance in organising such a trip and arranging scientific experts to explain the further damage the Adani coal mine would inflict on the Reef, the climate and our native species.
“ACF was happy to organise the trip as it provided one of our senior elected representatives in Canberra with a chance to see firsthand the damage climate change is doing to our Great Barrier Reef.
“In the past ACF has made similar offers to Coalition and Crossbench MPs so that they too might witness the unprecedented mass coal bleaching that hit the Great Barrier Reef in 2016 and 2017.”
Greg Brown 10.55am: Shorten ‘said he was pro-coal’
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says Bill Shorten is “anti-mining” and “anti-Queensland” after revelations he told millionaire environmentalist Geoff Cousins he would probably revoke the Adani licence if Labor won power.
Senator Hanson said the Opposition Leader told her last year he was pro-coal.
“Midway through 2017, Bill Shorten said to my face he was pro-coal, unlike others within Labor, and yet over recent weeks, leading into the Victorian by-election of Batman, he has completely flipped on support for miners and the coal industry,” Senator Hanson said.
“Bill Shorten will stop at nothing to keep the Greens preference deal alive, even if it means killing off up to 10,000 indirect and direct jobs for Central and North Queensland towns (that) have been struggling with ailing economies.”
Greg Brown 9.55am: Shorten ‘credibility on line’
Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg says the Adani coalmine has been through extensive environmental approvals and Bill Shorten had no proof its licence should be revoked.
Mr Frydenberg said the Opposition Leader was attempting to use reports about Adani allegedly giving false environmental samples at the Abbot Point Terminal, which was unrelated to the Carmichael mine.
“Adani went through a very extensive environment process, indeed one that has been challenged in the courts multiple times and has been upheld and so the Carmichael mine has gone through the process,” Mr Frydenberg told Sky News.
.@JoshFrydenberg: 'Section 145 of the EPBC Act allows for the revocation of approval for the Adani mine if environmental claims don't stack up, but there's no evidence to invoke Section 145 and @billshortenmp knows this'
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 27, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/ZqKMvfxkvy #amagenda pic.twitter.com/AJOw8QZrDr
“It is a mine that is in the Galilee Basin, it is 300km inland in a dry dusty part of Queensland and it has received strong support from local mayors, from the unions and local communities.”
He said there was no reason to invoke section 145 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, which would allow the government to revoke an approval if there was new information that came to light.
“The evidence is not there, if he is talking about something to do with the Abbott Point Terminal that is not related to the approval for the mine itself, the Carmichael mine in the Galilee Basin,” he said.
“Bill Shorten needs to provide that evidence that he believes is cause for a revocation.”
Mr Frydenberg attacked Mr Shorten for telling millionaire environmentalist Geoff Cousins he would probably revoke the Adani licence if Labor won power.
“The problem for him is that his public statements have been inconsistent, he goes to Rockhampton and he says the Labor Party is the party of the miners, he goes to Batman and says the Labor Party is the party of the environment,” he said
“His shadow assistant minister on climate change Pat Conroy says he welcomes the jobs from Adani and Bill Shorten says that Adani is bringing fake jobs.
“Bill Shorten will say what he thinks people will want to hear, he can’t be trusted and obviously now his credibility is on the line.”
Greg Brown 9.40am: Marles - No Adani under Labor
Opposition defence spokesman Richard Marles says the Adani coalmine would probably never go ahead under a Labor government because the party does not believe the project should receive any public funds.
Shadow Defence Minister @RichardMarlesMP: Adani is a project that doesn't stand up environmentally or economically and @AustralianLabor's position has been very clear on this.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 27, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/ZqKMvfxkvy #amagenda pic.twitter.com/y13cHqvnmR
Mr Marles rejected the Prime Minister’s claim Bill Shorten has been inconsistent on Labor’s support on the mine in Central Queensland’s Galilee Basin, saying the party had always been skeptical on the project.
He said the mine was only viable with government subsidies, something Labor was opposed to.
“I think we have been clear, this is a project which doesn’t stand up economically or environmentally, our position has been clear all along: that it shouldn’t be a recipient of public money and that really does make no sense at all,” Mr Marles told Sky News.
“I think without public money it doesn’t go ahead and so our position would be very clear: if we are in government now we wouldn’t be providing subsidies or support for it and under those circumstances it wouldn’t go ahead.”
Greg Brown 9.20am: 2.7m cars recalled
Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar says the government will enforce a compulsory recall of 2.7 million cars because a voluntary recall had been “not been satisfactory”.
Mr Sukkar said owners of vehicles with the dangerous Takata airbags – including some makes of Ford, Holden and Volkswagen – would need to replace the airbag by the end of 2020.
The compulsory recall was recommended by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
.@MichaelSukkarMP: I agree with ACCC's recommendation as the previous voluntary recall was not satisfactory...this is one of the largest recalls in Australia's history, with a total of 4 million cars affected by defected airbags.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) February 27, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/9e0YDnRQSG #amagenda pic.twitter.com/mD61aeHf7r
Owners of cars with the defective airbags need to contact the car manufacturer, which will replace the product with no cost to the consumer.
“The compulsory recall will force manufacturers, dealers, importers and other suppliers to ensure that all dangerous Takata airbags are located and replaced as quickly as possible,” Mr Sukkar said.
“Importantly for consumers, vehicle manufacturers will be required to cover the full cost of replacing these airbags.”
Mr Sukkar said it was one of the largest recalls in Australia’s history.
The impacted cars can be found on the Product Safety Australia website.
Greg Brown 8.30am: Shorten ‘duplicitous’ over Adani
Malcolm Turnbull has labelled Bill Shorten “duplicitous” for telling millionaire environmentalist Geoff Cousins he would probably revoke the Adani coalmine licence if Labor won power.
The Prime Minister said the Opposition Leader “says one thing to the greenies and another thing to the miners”.
“He isn’t straight. He isn’t fair dinkum and he’s being shown up for precisely what he is: someone who will sell out workers and miners and his own union members in order to pick up some Green votes in inner city electorates like Batman,” Mr Turnbull said.
“This is a guy who goes out to work sites and goes out to see the CFMEU miners at Oaky and he tells them he’s backing them, he’s right behind them. He says he believes in their industry. He wants to support them and their jobs.”
Greg Brown 8.10am: Quaedvlieg decision ‘made shortly’
Malcolm Turnbull says a decision on the future of Border Force Commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg will be made “very shortly” as issued his disappointment the investigation has dragged on so long.
The Prime Minister said Attorney-General Christian Porter would make a decision on Mr Quaedvlieg’s employment with the government department “within weeks”.
He added the Australian Federal Police was investigating how contents of a report into Mr Quaedvlieg’s relationship with a Border Force staff member were leaked to the press.
“I was very disappointed to see that material in the newspapers today and I understand that the AFP is already investigating that,” Mr Turnbull said.
“I should also say I’m disappointed that the matter has taken so long to resolve but as you can understand it is a matter that has to be deal with by the public service processes the report on Mr Quaedvlieg’s circumstances is with the Attorney-General and I expect him to make a decision on it shortly.”
Greg Brown 8.05am: New Coalition agreement signed
A new Coalition agreement was signed on Monday after Michael McCormack was sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed.
The Prime Minister said the agreement was signed under “exactly the same terms” as when Barnaby Joyce was leader.
“And which, I might say, is the same terms it’s been in more or less for a very long time,” Mr Turnbull said.
The Australian reported this morning that senior Nationals’ sources said the Coalition agreement was finalised on Monday.
What’s making news:
Millionaire businessman and environmentalist Geoff Cousins has revealed private conversations with Bill Shorten last month, claiming the Opposition Leader promised to revoke the Adani coalmine licence as soon as he took government.
The former federal director of the Nationals, Scott Mitchell, has blamed Barnaby Joyce for having divided the party through his own ambition, leaving it riddled by personality-driven factionalism for the first time in its 98-year history.
The arrival of the National Broadband Network in Malcolm Turnbull’s home suburb of Point Piper has sparked dark mutterings in the well-manicured street as neighbours struggle to get connected.
Bill Shorten has revealed his biggest regret as a union leader was failing to promote more women and he wishes he spent more time “educating blokes about casual sexism”.
A trial to test 5000 new welfare recipients for drug abuse will be introduced into parliament today in stand-alone legislation after the government was forced to separate it from its broader package of welfare reforms last year.
Malcolm Turnbull has accused Bill Shorten of doing the bidding of the CFMEU after the Labor leader likened the Fair Work Act to cancer and promised to change the law to make it harder for employers to lock out workers.
Bill Shorten has escalated attacks on the government’s proposed corporate tax cuts, accusing Malcolm Turnbull of trying to replicate “Trumponomics” with policies that benefit the rich.
More Coverage
Miners change tune on climate change
Peak mining industry body The Minerals Council of Australia has joined the fight on climate.
Labor to turn up heat on Taylor
Labor will use the final two weeks of parliament to heap pressure on Energy Minister Angus Taylor.