PoliticsNow: Labor reschedules national conference
The ALP has all but locked in a new date for the conference after a clash with the upcoming Super Saturday by-elections.
Hello and welcome to PoliticsNow, The Australian’s live blog on the happenings at Parliament House in Canberra.
Greg Hunt has hit back after being sledged during QT, reminding Bill Shorten of an infamous incident.
Ben Packham 7pm: Labor switches national conference
The ALP national conference is likely to be held in the week before Christmas, after a clash with the upcoming Super Saturday by-elections forced Labor to defer the party’s top policy forum.
Labor’s national executive will meet tomorrow to confirm the date.
There are two other options up for consideration, one in January and another in April.
However, the view among senior ALP figures is “the sooner the better”.
Labor has scrambled to reschedule the conference, to be held in Adelaide, after Speaker Tony Smith announced five upcoming by-elections - four of them forced by parliament’s citizenship crisis - would be held on July 28.
Labor branded the move a “disgraceful delay and a sneaky tactic from Malcolm Turnbull”.
The party needed to host the event at the originally planned venue, the Adelaide Convention Centre, or it would lose about $300,000 in booking fees.
Primrose Riordan 4.50pm: Female veterans probe launched
A new parliamentary inquiry will look at whether there is enough support for former army reservists and female veterans, as well as examine whether services provided by ex-services organisations can be more efficient and co-ordinated.
The review by Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade will be chaired by Senator Linda Reynolds.
“The Committee recognises that the Australian Government has introduced a number of measures to support veterans when they leave the ADF and move into the next phase of their lives,” Senator Reynolds said.
“This inquiry will examine whether these existing measures and services are providing the support veterans need to continue active and productive civilian lives.
“The inquiry aims to improve the services available to ensure all our veterans have access to mental health care and employment opportunities, including whether there could be a greater role for Ex-Service Organisations in providing ongoing support.”
Submissions can be lodged by June 13.
Primrose Riordan 3.58pm: Bishop queries fund use in Palestine
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has written a letter this week to the Palestinian Authority asking for assurances Australian aid hasn’t funded payments to “martyrs”.
The Palestinian authority has been accused of paying stipends or “martyr payments” to the families of those killed or jailed by Israeli authorities of up to US$3,500 a month.
A DFAT official said the payments were in conflict with Australian values.
“Obviously that is completely at odds with Australian values,” the official told a Senate Estimates hearing under questioning from Liberal Senator Eric Abetz.
“So on the 29th of May our foreign minister has written to her counterpart raising concerns about these payments that show up in the Palestinian authority’s budget and seeking assurances that the Australian funding in any way enable or encourage acts of violence.”
“The Foreign Minister herself sought further explanation and assurance from the Palestinian authority.”
Australia allocated $43.8 million in humanitarian assistance to the region in 2017-18 and reduced the funding slightly to $43 million in 2018-19.
Earlier this year the US passed The Taylor Force Act to stop funding to the Palestinian Authority until the authority stops these payments. The act had exemptions for funding to water and childhood vaccination programs.
Senator Abetz said: “I find it unacceptable we are willing to provide funding in these circumstances”.
3.47pm: Concern over Chinese military base
Despite assurances that Vanuatu has ruled out allowing China to build a military base on its shores, Australian diplomats aren’t complacent.
China is building a wharf in Vanuatu funded by a concessional loan and in April there were reports it was seeking a military base. Beijing dubbed the reports “sheer fiction”.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade official Daniel Sloper told a Senate estimates hearing there were concerns any potential bases could lead to strategic competition in a region that doesn’t experience that at present. Secretary Frances Adamson said there were concerns it could also lead to a direct military threat to Australia.
The job of diplomats was to ensure the region remains peaceful and uncontested and that the “distant prospect of a foreign military base” in the Pacific remains that way, Ms Adamson said.
Asked if she considers it distant: “We never want to be complacent about these things”.
AAP
Greg Brown 3.16pm: Hunt confirms second complaint
Health Minister Greg Hunt says a senior public servant has also made a complaint about being on the receiving end of one of his verbal tirades.
After being asked by Labor’s Catherine King if there are any more complaints made against him, Hunt confirms there was a complaint made by a former secretary of the health department, who complained to the Prime Minister’s office.
He says the Prime Minister raised the issue with him. He adds the reason for his tirade was because of a delay in the rollout of cervical cancer screenings.
“There was a risk not long after I came in (it would) not commence and women would be left without screening which is literally a life and death issue,” he says.
“I think in that situation, while it was a strong discussion, it resulted in the right outcome, the program was able to be continued and I have utmost respect for the public servant involved.”
Greg Brown 3.05pm: Focus returns to tax
Labor’s Graham Perrett asks Malcolm Turnbull why he won’t support Labor’s plans for bigger tax cuts for low and middle income earners.
“Why does this arrogant and out of touch Prime Minister want a million Australians, including labourers, teachers, nurses, electricians and mechanics to pay more tax and big business to pay less?”
Turnbull says a public school teacher would pay up to $1200 more tax a year under Labor’s proposals.
“The difference between the government’s personal income tax reform and what Labor has proposed is that we have a comprehensive plan for reform,” he says.
Greg Brown 2.52pm: ‘I have never sold out workers’
Labor’s Jenny Macklin escalates the opposition’s use of calling Malcolm Turnbull “arrogant and out of touch” in questions, referring to him as an “arrogant and out of touch former investment banker”.
The Prime Minister laments Ms Macklin did not list his entire career.
“I imagine if there had been more time allotted to the question, she could have run through my entire career and characterised it so favourably,” he says.
He then gets government MPs loudly banging on tables when he accuses Bill Shorten of selling out the interests of union members.
It also gets opposition MPs yelling loudly, creating plenty of noise in the chamber.
“The honourable member and her leader can accuse me of being a friend of big business as much as they like. But you know something, I have never sold out the people I represent,” he says.
“I have never sold out workers, I have never sold out people who work with their penalty rates, not like the Leader of the Opposition.”
Greg Brown 2.43pm: Hunt hits back
Health Minister Greg Hunt hits back at Bill Shorten for copping sledging for his verbal tirade against a 71-year-old grandmother, asking if the Opposition Leader wants to “talk about pies”.
Hunt was being served plenty of comments from the opposition benches as he was answering a question on his portfolio, before he reminded Mr Shorten about the time he threw down a pie in anger and allegedly swore at the shop keeper.
“Want to talk about pies, we can talk pies if you want,” Hunt says.
Labor MPs laughed and then heckled louder.
Greg Brown 2.35pm: Labor goes again on ‘secret deal’ with One Nation
Opposition treasury spokesman Chris Bowen asks about the government’s “secret deal” with One Nation on company tax cuts, after senator Brian Burston confirmed he shook hands with Mathias Cormann and struck a deal.
Malcolm Turnbull gives a staunch defence on the government’s policy to cut taxes for all businesses.
“We are committed to doing everything we can to secure the votes of the senators to pass our budget measures,” he says.
“We are determined to deliver on our commitment to the Australian people to deliver jobs and growth.”
Greg Brown 2.32pm: Front pages in QT
A battle of the tabloid front pages takes place in question time. Peter Dutton holds up a front page of the Courier Mail showing alleged bad behaviour of unions.
Labor’s Tanya Plibersek holds up the Herald Sun’s front page about Greg Hunt’s verbal tirade and yells: “what about this, what about this”.
Greg Brown 2.28pm: PM launches Hunt defence
Labor’s Catherine King again asks Malcolm Turnbull if he is aware of any further complaints against Health Minister Greg Hunt.
The Prime Minister fobs it and launches a defence of the “outstanding job” Hunt is doing.
“The minister is rectifying the failings of the Labor Party in government,” he says.
“The minister is listing one life-saving drug after another on the PBS in a manner that the Labor Party was not able to afford to do. The minister’s management of the health portfolio is saving lives.”
Greg Brown 2.24pm: Labor press PM on Hunt
Opposition health spokeswoman Catherine King asks if Malcolm Turnbull is aware of any further complaints against Health Minister Greg Hunt.
The Prime Minister didn’t quite say.
“All ministers are expected to treat the people with whom they deal, whether they are third parties, stakeholders, constituents, colleagues, public servants, with respect,” Turnbull says.
“And sometimes ministers fall short. The minister for health has acknowledged that he did fall short and he has apologised for it, as he should.”
Greg Brown 2.16pm: Hunt took ‘too long’ to apologise
Labor MPs don’t seem convinced by Health Minister Greg Hunt’s apology for his expletive-laden tirade at a 71-year-old grandmother.
Hunt says the Prime Minister’s office acted on complaints about Hunt’s behaviour but he “took too long” to apologise.
“I have apologised to the mayor of Katherine and today I want to repeat that apology publicly and sincerely and absolutely,” Hunt says.
“It was my fault and my responsibility and I accept that. It is important for me to both repeat that and I have apologised. My fault, my responsibility.
“I took too long, my fault, my responsibility.”
Greg Brown 2.10pm: PMO didn’t ignore Katherine mayor
Labor goes on revelations Health Minister Greg Hunt yelled expletives at Katherine mayor Fay Miller.
Tanya Plibersek asks why the government ignored Miller’s complaints until it went to the media.
Malcolm Turnbull claims he did not ignore the complaints, despite Miller only receiving an apology after Hunt realised the story was running in the Herald Sun.
“My office would not ignore the correspondence from the mayor of Katherine, quite the contrary,” the Prime Minister says.
“The minister has apologised and that is what the mayor of Katherine sought from him and that apology was appropriate.”
Greg Brown 2.05pm: Tampons or luxury yachts?
Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek asks if Malcolm Turnbull would prefer to have luxury yachts GST-free, rather than tampons.
She claims Liberal MP Stuart Robert said he thinks luxury yacht purchases should be GST-free.
Scott Morrison jumps up and takes, arguing Ms Plibersek “does not know how to tell the truth”.
“These are the simple facts. GST is applied to those vessels. If you buy them, if you lease them, it is a 10 per cent (GST). They are the facts, stop telling untruths,” the Treasurer says.
Greg Brown 1.50pm: AEC introduces eligibility checklist
Political candidates running for federal politics will have the “option” to prove of they are eligible to run for parliament under changes announced by the Australian Electoral Commission.
A “qualification checklist” has been included in the candidate nomination form and will be ready for the “Super Saturday” by-elections.
But the checklist does not need to be filled out.
“As part of the nomination process, candidates now have the option to complete a qualification checklist outlining their Australian citizenship and their family history,” said Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers.
“If a candidate chooses to complete the checklist, and provides consent, it will be published on the AEC website. A candidate can complete the checklist and request that it not be published.
“Candidates’ qualification checklists will be published on the AEC website following the declaration of nominations for an election or by-election, unless the candidate has indicated that they do not wish the checklist to be published.”
Greg Brown 1.40pm: Delay in live export reform
The government has delayed entering legislation to reform the live sheep export industry because it is worried it won’t have the numbers to push the legislation through the House.
The Australian understands the government will delay introducing the bill because it is missing four MPs in the House, including Barnaby Joyce and Trade Minister Steven Ciobo. The legislation was supposed to be debated today.
Government figures were concerned there was an outside chance it could be scuppered in the House, if Labor walks away from its agreement to give pairs and Liberal MPs Sussan Ley, Jason Wood and Sarah Henderson cross the floor.
Opposition agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon said Malcolm Turnbull was “running scared”.
“The actions taken today clearly show that Malcolm Turnbull is running scared that he does not have the confidence of his party to stop Labor’s amendment,” he said.
“After all the feigned anger over the Awassi Express incident, the Prime Minister is now putting his own political survival ahead of animal welfare standards.”
Greg Brown 1.12pm: Burston a man who kept his word: Pitt
Nationals MP Keith Pitt has praised One Nation senator Brian Burston for rebuffing Pauline Hanson and vowing to back the government’s tax plan.
“I am really pleased that he has actually stuck to his word, this is a man who shook hands, gave a commitment and he has kept that,” Mr Pitt told Sky News.
“Clearly Mr Burston sees that the proposal for our tax plan into the future are important for the nation and of course for employment, the GDP and all of those things.”
Greg Brown 12.05pm: One Nation ‘split, chaotic’
Bill Shorten has used a split in One Nation over company tax cuts to say a vote for the minor party is a “vote for the Liberal Party”.
The Opposition Leader said the split in One Nation showed Pauline Hanson’s party could not be trusted on blocking Malcolm Turnbull’s big business tax cuts.
“I notice that yet again Pauline Hanson’s One Nation political party appears to be split and chaotic. Labor is never surprised when Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party vote with the Liberals,” Mr Shorten said.
“A vote for the One Nation Party is a vote for the Liberal Party.
“A vote for the One Nation Party is a vote for corporate tax cuts for the big banks. A vote for One Nation is a vote to cut schools and hospitals.”
Greg Brown 11.45am: PM welcomes redress
Malcolm Turnbull has welcomed four more institutions - Anglican Church, the Salvation Army, the Scouts and the YMC – today joining the National Redress Scheme for survivors of child sex abuse.
The Prime Minister said redress will be given to people’s whose lives were “shockingly impacted by sexual abuse”.
“We have to confront the truth that has been revealed, as difficult as it is, and the National Redress Scheme is part of the healing process,” Mr Turnbull said in a joint statement with Social Services Minister Dan Tehan.
“The governments and institutions that sign up accept the system failed every single person in Australia who suffered sexual abuse in an institution that was meant to protect them.
“Redress is not compensation, however it will acknowledge the hurt and harm suffered by the individual and ensure institutions take responsibility for the abuse that occurred on their watch, by their people.”
Primrose Riordan 11.25am: China snub for Ciobo
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Secretary Frances Adamson has said a Chinese government minister was “not available” to meet with Trade Minister Steve Ciobo on his recent visit to China.
Mr Ciobo visited China to meet with officials and attend an AFL match in Shanghai.
Ms Adamson said the Australian government “indicated” to the Chinese government that a meeting with his counterpart “would be welcome”. But the Chinese minister was “not available”, Ms Adamson said in response to questions from Labor Senator Penny Wong.
Mr Ciobo met Shanghai officials and discussed trade issues Australian companies are currently facing with a Chinese Ministry of Commerce official at a business event he attended in Shanghai.
Defence Minister Marise Payne and the DFAT secretary have also said Mr Ciobo’s recent statements do not reflect the Australian government’s position on the South China Sea.
Mr Ciobo recently refused to echo her previous criticism of Beijing’s deployment of long-range bombers to the South China Sea, and said it was “a decision for China”.
Ms Adamson first responded by saying that: “the Australian government’s position has been set up by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Defence and the Prime Minister and that is well known.”
Asked if Mr Ciobo’s remarks reflected the Australian position, Ms Payne said: “no it means Australia is concerned about militarisation of those features”.
Senator Payne told The Australian last week she condemned Beijing’s deployment of H-6K bombers to Woody Island in the Paracel Islands. Asked whether China should be landing long-range bombers on a disputed island, Mr Ciobo said he was not going to engage in “megaphone diplomacy”.
Greg Brown 11.15am: More institution join redress scheme
Four more institutions have joined the Catholic Church in signing up to the National Redress Scheme: the Anglican Church, Scouts Australia, the YMCA and the Salvation Army.
“Can I thank the institutions here with us today for the leadership they have shown, for owning up to past wrongs, for owning up for behaviour that can only be described as despicable and deplorable, but for wanting to turn a page, to provide redress and to make sure that the survivors get the justice that they deserve,” said Social Services Minister Dan Tehan.
Greg Brown 10.40am: ‘Burston sold himself out’
Pauline Hanson claims One Nation senator Brian Burston had told her he agreed with her policy to block the government’s company tax cuts, despite the senator claiming he was blindsided by the One Nation leader’s announcement she had pulled her support.
Senator Hanson accused Senator Burston of “selling himself out for $55 million,” and said he would not be allowed to vote against party policy on the issue. The Australian revealed this morning Senator Burston has vowed he would vote in favour of tax cuts to big business, contradicting his leader.
Senator Hanson said she had a nine minute phone conversation with Senator Burston last Monday and he agreed the party should pull its support for the enterprise tax plan.
“I have a record on my phone, I had a nine minute conversation with Brian Burston on Monday morning,” Senator Hanson said.
“I actually put the proposal to (One Nation senators Brian Burston and Peter Georgiou) in regards to pulling out of the company tax cuts, they both agreed with it.”
She said she had not spoken to Senator Burston since last Monday, arguing he has “sold himself out”.
“I know he hasn’t been well, I have tried to make contact with him but because of our schedules, we haven’t been able to,” she said.
.@PaulineHansonOz: You can’t open up the floodgates, the multinationals coming in here, not paying their taxes here, which is eventually going to destroy our own Australian companies when 98 per cent of them pay their taxes.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 31, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/qovlpk9byK#SkyLiveNow pic.twitter.com/4JzHUEuxUj
Greg Brown 10.20am: Cormann ‘appreciative’ of Burston tax flip
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says he is “very appreciative” One Nation senator Brian Burston will vote in favour of the government’s company tax cuts.
Senator Cormann said the government will push ahead with its plan after The Australian revealed Senator Burston would defy his party leader and support tax cuts for big business.
“The government has never walked away from the agreement we have reached (with One Nation), I have said consistently that the government remains 100 per cent committed to the agreement we reached with Senator Hanson and the One Nation team,” Senator Cormann said.
“The government is very appreciative of the fact that Senator Burston has announced he will stick to the agreement that was reached.”
Greg Brown 10.10am: Cash dodges AWU questions
Labor has used Senate Estimates to ask a series of questions to Jobs Minister Michaelia Cash regarding the subpoena requested by the Australian Workers Union, which she has said she will fight.
Senator Cash refused to answer questions, taking them all on notice.
Greg Brown 9.30am: 18 refugees leave Manus
Assistant Jobs Minister Zed Seselja has welcomed news that a further 18 people have left Manus Island for the United States.
Sky News understands another 18 refugees have left Manus Island for resettlement in the US.@tanya_plibersek: Resettlement in the US is good step but @AustralianLabor can’t understand why the govt won’t accept New Zealand’s offer.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 30, 2018
MORE: https://t.co/OS3IHLSqCk #amagenda pic.twitter.com/5ZF6BzK6LC
The Australian has confirmed a Sky News report that 18 people left Manus for the US this week, taking the total number of asylum seekers who have been accepted by the US to 267.
“Obviously it is positive that we are seeing some of those movements, we didn’t put people on Manus, this was something we very much inherited,” Senator Seselja said.
“We do have an issue with people on Manus of course and we are working very closely with our partners like the United States to make sure that we can deal with Labor’s legacy.”
Greg Brown 8.40am: Hunt sorry for apology delay
Health Minister Greg Hunt has apologised for delaying an apology to a 71-year-old grandmother to whom he directed a torrent of expletives.
Mr Hunt this morning admitted he should have apologised earlier to Fay Miller, after the Herald Sun revealed he intimidated and repeatedly swore at her during a private meeting in December, including telling her she needed to make Nationals senator Nigel Scullion her “f...ing best friend”.
He didn’t call Ms Miller, the mayor of the Northern Territory town of Katherine, to apologise until yesterday, after being approach for a response to her accusations by the Herald Sun.
“I should have apologised earlier,” Mr Hunt said.
“I have apologised to the mayor of Katherine and today I want to repeat that apology publicly and sincerely, and absolutely.
“It was my fault and my responsibility and I accept that, and I think it’s important for me to both repeat that I have apologised to the mayor, but to repeat that apology publicly.”
Greg Brown 8.15am: Gillard praised for child abuse inquiry
Social Services Minister Dan Tehan has praised Julia Gillard for setting up the Royal Commission into child sexual abuse.
“No one quite understood the crimes that had taken place, what had occurred, what the survivors had endured, and I think the royal commission shone a light on that that shocked the nation and I have got no problems whatsoever in praising Julia Gillard for setting this royal commission up,” Mr Tehan told ABC radio.
Mr Tehan urged more institutions to join the National Redress Scheme after the Catholic Church confirmed yesterday it would opt into the program.
“We would ask that every non-government institution now opt into the National Redress Scheme, the Catholic Church has obviously led the way in their statement yesterday, they know that they need to seek atonement, they need to seek forgiveness for what took place,” he said.
What’s making news:
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party has been plunged into a damaging political crisis, with senator Brian Burston declaring he would support the government’s $35.6 billion company tax cuts in a direct challenge to his leader’s authority.
Health Minister Greg Hunt has apologised for unleashing a torrent of expletive-laden abuse at a 71-year-old grandmother, six months after the event.
Barnaby Joyce will return to Canberra in time for the final sitting fortnight before the “Super Saturday” of five by-elections, despite being granted medical leave until the end of next month.
More than $610,000 in taxpayers’ funds have so far been spent by government agencies defending legal action brought by the Australian Workers’ Union over the controversial police raids on its offices by the Registered Organisations Commission.
The car industry has warned that some of Australia’s most popular cars will be taken off the market, or face significant price hikes, under tough carbon-emissions standards being actively considered by the Turnbull government.
Australian War Memorial director Brendan Nelson has defended his decision to pursue donations of $560,000 from the Australian-Chinese businessman accused of funding the bribery of a UN official, saying Chau Chak Wing was among several high-wealth individuals approached for funds.
Australia’s tax commissioner Chris Jordan has attacked the ABC over a Four Corners episode, rejecting suggestions his employees were a “mongrel bunch of bastards”.
Jason Falinski is facing a preselection challenge in the safe NSW electorate of Mackellar from conservative candidate Frits Mare.
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