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PoliticsNow: Coalition overwhelmingly votes down ‘white’ motion

PoliticsNow: In take two of the Senate vote on Pauline Hanson’s motion, the Coalition overwhelmingly voted against it.

Greg Brown and Primrose Riordan
28 min read
3:21PMOctober 16, 2018.
Updated 6:00PMOctober 16, 2018
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Scott Morrison leads Bill Shorten as preferred Prime Minister.
Scott Morrison leads Bill Shorten as preferred Prime Minister.

Hello and welcome to PoliticsNow, The Australian’s live blog on the happenings at Parliament House in Canberra.

The Coalition has backflipped on its support of Pauline Hanson’s “it’s okay to be white motion” and voted against the same motion in the Senate.

Here’s how today played out.

Rosie Lewis 5.05pm: Govt ‘relaxed’ about ABC inquiry

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said the government has “always been relaxed” about a Senate inquiry into the ABC and continued to respect the independence of the broadcaster.

He said it was important the matter was referred to the correct committee, which was the communications references committee and not the finance references committee as proposed by Labor.

Rosie Lewis 4.40pm: ABC Senate inquiry terms

Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says the inquiry would “aim to clear the cloud over our beloved public broadcaster’s future independence”.

“In this time of low trust in politicians and a rise in fake news, it is vital that our beloved public broadcaster is able to report the news without fear or favour, and without political interference. The ABC has faced budget cuts, frivolous ideological complaints, and weathered drastic changes in the media industry to remain one of the nation’s most valued public institutions,” she said.

“Australians love their public broadcaster, and the Greens will always defend its independence.”

And here are the terms of reference in full:

The allegations of political interference in the ABC, with particular reference to:

1. the termination of ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie;

2. the conduct of the Chair and board;

3. the structure, composition and appointments of the ABC board;

4. the political influence or attempted influence of the government over ABC editorial decision-making; including

a. outcomes of the Competitive Neutrality of the National Broadcaster Inquiry and Efficiency Review — ABC and SBS; and

b. the role of funding uncertainty in facilitating political influence.

5. governance, legislative and funding options to strengthen the editorial independence and strength of the ABC to prosecute its charter obligations; and

6. any other related matters.

Primrose Riordan 4.35pm: Palestine’s ‘please explain’ to PM

The Palestinian Ambassador Izzat Salah Abdulhadi, has told The Australian the Council of Arab Ambassadors will release a statement tomorrow calling for a meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne to explain Australia’s position on Jerusalem.

The Council of Arab Ambassadors is a group of 15 Middle Eastern Ambassadors in Australia.

Rosie Lewis 4.30pm: Govt backs ABC Senate inquiry

The government has voted with the Greens to establish a Senate inquiry into “allegations of political interference” at the ABC in the wake of an extraordinary week that saw the broadcaster’s managing director and chairman lose their jobs.

The inquiry — moved by Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young — will look into alleged political interference surrounding former ABC MD Michelle Guthrie’s sacking, the conduct of former chair Justin Milne and the public broadcaster’s board, and the structure, composition and appointments of the board.

The terms of reference also focus on the “political influence or attempted influence of the government over ABC editorial decision-making”, as well as “governance, legislative and funding options to strengthen the editorial independence and strength of the ABC to prosecute its charter obligations”.

The Greens-led environment and communications Senate committee is due to report its finding by March 29.

Labor had attempted to set up an inquiry into the “interference in the independence and integrity” of the ABC through a different committee before Senator Hanson-Young moved her motion but this was rejected by the chamber.

Primrose Riordan 3.30pm: Indo deal wasn’t discussed

The issue of the bilateral free trade deal was not discussed in a recent exchange between Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Indonesian President Joko Widodo ahead of the Coalition’s foreign policy shift, government sources have said.

The ABC reported there as speculation Jakarta could reconsider the deal after Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he would consider moving the Australian embassy to Jerusalem.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has been meeting with the Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al Maliki today and may give a statement on the issue of Australia afterwards.

“During his meeting with President Jokowi at Presidential Palace, [Palestinian Foreign] Minister Malki conveyed his highest appreciation for the commitment and support of the Government and People of Indonesia for Palestine,” the Indonesian Foreign Minister tweeted yesterday.

Greg Brown 3.40pm: ‘OK to be white’ excuse ‘weak’

Liberal senator Jim Molan says the government looked “weak” in blaming its support of Pauline Hanson’s “it’s okay to be white” motion on an administrative error.

“It was called an administrative error, that sounds a bit weak, not our best day,” Senator Molan said.

“This just wasn’t handled the right way.”

He said it was wrong of Labor and the Greens to accuse the government MPs of racism for backing the motion.

“When they imply that we are all racists because of this it is a bit strange,” he said.

Greg Brown 3.15pm: ‘There’s a cancer in Canberra’

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack goes on a polemic about MPs who background journalists when asked by Labor about The Australian’s report that Barnaby Joyce has been ringing around to complain about the National leader’s ineffective lobbying for the government to adopt an agriculture visa.

He says he has never backgrounded a journalist and has always put his name to his comments.

“There is a cancer in Canberra at the moment, it is people who background journalists, it is no good for politics and no good to parliament,” McCormack says.

“People who background journalists have to look in the mirror and ask if that is really serving the people of Australia.”

Greg Brown 3.05pm: Indonesia threat to walk

Bill Shorten asks about reports from the ABC that Indonesia is considering walking away from a free-trade deal with Australia because the government is considering moving its embassy in Israel.

Scott Morrison plays it down and says he has been in regular contact with Indonesian President Joko Widodo about the decision.

“I have been in direct contact with President Joko Widodo over the course of last night and this morning, as has the Minister for Foreign Affairs being in direct contact with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia,” Morrison says.

“This is a regular part of our management of these foreign affairs relationships and I am pleased to be able to explain very clearly the nature of the announcements I have made today and I have been very pleased with the response that have received from President Joko Widodo.

“We’ll continue to work closely and cooperatively with our allies and with our partners all around the world on these issues.”

Rosie Lewis 3pm: Phrase isn’t white supremacist: Hanson

Pauline Hanson says the phrase “it’s okay to be white” is not a white supremacist slogan, accusing others of “turning” it into racism.

The One Nation leader said she “saw common sense” when the Coalition initially voted for her motion acknowledging “it’s okay to be white” and did not know why the government had withdrawn its support.

“There is a rise of anti-white racism in this country. The most demonised person in this country is the white male. It has to stop,” she said.

“It is not a white supremacist slogan whatsoever, people have made it into a white supremacist slogan. What if I put up on the floor of parliament (and said) ‘it’s okay to be black’? What would happen then? Would they actually vote for it? I think they would’ve … They have turned it into racism, I haven’t.”

Asked where she had heard the phrase being used, Senator Hanson said: “I have heard it being said in reports that I have read that it has been said.”

The Anti-Defamation League in the US said the phrase had a “fairly long history in the white supremacist movement” and had been in use since the early 2000s.

“ADL has tracked white supremacist flyers featuring the phrase “It’s okay to be white” as long ago as 2005. In 2012, a member of Ku Klux Klan group United Klans of America actually even used the hashtag #IOTBW on Twitter,” the ADL states.

“Consequently, anybody who did come across ‘It’s okay to be white’ flyers would be fully justified in thinking that a racist motive probably lurked behind them.”

Senator Hanson said she was not a white supremacist and did not believe in the white supremacy movement.

She cited people experiencing problems applying for jobs as evidence white men were demonised and referred to a couple of media reports.

“We need to ensure that our white civilisation, our western civilisation must be protected and looked after,” Senator Hanson said.

Greg Brown 2.55pm: Embassy move ‘against advice’

Bill Shorten asks why Scott Morrison is going against the advice of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in considering moving the Australian embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

The Prime Minister says there is no longer bipartisan support for the Jewish state.

“It is true that for decades and decades, you could trust the Labor Party when it came to support for Israel. That is not the truth any more, there is not bipartisanship and agreement on these issues any more,” he says.

Greg Brown 2.50pm: ‘Desperate to win Wentworth’

Labor’s Tanya Plibersek asks Scott Morrison if he was considering moving the Australian embassy in Israel to Jerusalem because he was “desperate” to win the Wentworth by-election.

The Prime Minister says new ideas are needed to help push for a two-state solution.

“We believe that we need to be open to more innovative ways to progress that agenda, and that should involve consideration not only of the recognition of the capital of Israel being in Jerusalem, but also of a Palestinian state in East Jerusalem, and for an embassy to potentially be located in West Jerusalem,” Morrison says.

He says it is an issue that is important to the Jewish community in Australia.

“I am sure members opposite know and are being silenced by members like the Member for Sydney (Plibersek), or the Member for Watson (Tony Burke) or the faction within NSW controlled by Bob Carr, who is making the Labor Party walk away from their support of Israel,” he says.

Greg Brown 2.45pm: Israel embassy ‘reaffirms’ relationship

Defence Minister Christopher Pyne uses a Dixer to declare the government’s decision to reconsider the location of its embassy in Israel will tighten the relationship between Australia and the Jewish state.

“One thing that has not changed has been our longstanding respect for the values of the state of Israel, and the Israeli people,” Pyne says.

“They are a beacon of liberal democracy in the Middle East, like no other.

“Today’s announcement by the Prime Minister reaffirmed that relationship.”

Greg Brown 2.40pm: Ruddock report ‘secret’

Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek asks why the government is keeping the Ruddock report on religious freedoms a “secret” until after the Wentworth by-elections.

The Prime Minister says the recommendations have been “reported in the press already”.

“So they are well known, they are out there,” Morrison says.

Morrison says he has spent his first seven weeks as prime minister on the drought and a crackdown on the aged-care sector.

Greg Brown 2.35pm: Gay teachers “broader discussion”

Opposition legal affairs spokesman Mark Dreyfus asks Scott Morrison if the government will join Labor and pass laws to stop religious schools from discriminating against gay teachers.

The Prime Minister says those laws will be considered in a broader discussion on religious freedoms in the government’s response to the Ruddock report.

He says the government is focused on banning religious schools from having the right to expel gay students.

Greg Brown 2.25pm: Nauru “failed on Burke’s watch”

Centre Alliance MP Rebekha Sharkie asks why the government can’t relocate children on Nauru who need medical care.

Scott Morrison says the government looks at each case on an individual basis.

He then fires up after an interjection from former immigration minister Tony Burke, calling Burke’s performance in the portfolio “an absolute disgrace”.

“He can sit there in all of his outrage and all of his squawking but he has to live with the fact that he failed on his watch,” the Prime Minister says.

Greg Brown 2.15pm: Any other ‘administrative errors’?

Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek has another shot at the government’s support for Pauline Hanson’s “it’s okay to be white” motion.

Plibersek asks if the government will also blame an “administrative error” for its policies on schools funding, penalty rates and its initial opposition of a banking royal commission.

“Is the government’s message in Wentworth really, vote for a government that has absolutely no idea what it is doing?”

Scott Morrison accuses Bill Shorten of trying to divide Australians. He says a vote against the Liberal candidate Dave Sharma as a “step closer” to Bill Shorten as prime minister.

“And a vote for anyone other than the Liberal candidate puts the wrecker, the leader of the Labour Party, one step closer to taxing you more, slowing our economy, being less safe and driving Australians apart,” the Prime Minister says.

Greg Brown 2.13pm: Criticism “a fair cop”

Manager of Opposition Business Tony Burke asks about the government supporting Pauline Hanson’s motion that “it’s okay to be white”.

He asks why the government should expect Australians to believe the government did not know the phrase was connected to white supremacist groups given it had known about the motion since September.

Scott Morrison says Labor was “playing politics” with a serious issue before passing it on to Attorney-General Christian Porter.

Porter says his office thought it was simply a motion opposing racism.

He denies his tweet after the vote showed he supported the motion.

“The tweet said that our senators deplore racism of any kind,” Porter says.

“I simply want to say that the criticism of me and my office is a completely fair cop, and I accept and apologise for the processing of my office.”

Greg Brown 2.07pm QT straight back to Turnbull

. Bill Shorten opens up question time with the coup that deposed Malcolm Turnbull as prime minister.

The Opposition Leader notes the Liberal Party’s Wentworth candidate, Dave Sharma, has said he was “appalled” by the treatment of the former prime minister.

“When will the Prime Minister tell the voters in Wentworth, why isn’t Malcolm Turnbull still the Prime Minister of Australia?”

Morrison won’t go there and instead talks up the government’s economic agenda.

He says the voters in Wentworth have a clear choice on Saturday’s by-election.

“They can support Dave Sharma, the Liberal candidate, who is standing up for 29,000 small businesses in Wentworth, over 60,000 taxpayers, who will be paying less tax as a result of the policies that our government has had legislated, and taken to this parliament,” Morrison says.

Sascha O’Sullivan 2.00pm: Jerusalem embassy ‘not to do with Wentworth’

Dave Sharma, Liberal party candidate for the federal seat of Wentworth, affirmed that Scott Morrison’s decision to review moving the Australian embassy to Jerusalem had nothing to do with the Wentworth by election, which has a high number of Jewish voters.

Mr Sharma met local shop owners today by the shores of Camp Cove, ahead of the election on Saturday.

“I believe we should be considering looking at moving our embassy to Jerusalem,” Mr Sharma said by the Camp Cove Kiosk this afternoon, “and do it in a way that supports the cause of a two state solution”

“I don’t think any voters here are single issue voters, I think they’re going to vote on any number of issues,” Mr Sharma said. The candidate emphasised that the timing was only due to the vote in the general assembly of the UN.

Greg Brown 1.51pm: ‘What Hanson says is fine’

Liberal-National MP Luke Howarth says the government should not have retracted its support for Pauline Hanson’s “it’s okay to be white” motion.

“They should have just come out and said straight forward that the reason that they voted for it is because when you read what Senator Hanson said, in itself, is fine,” Mr Howarth told Sky News.

Mr Howarth said Labor had linked the phrase to a white-supremacist group in the US in an attempt to change its meaning.

“Not being a US MP I wasn’t aware of it,” Mr Howarth said.

“It has given it more airtime, we are still talking about it now.”

Greg Brown 1.35pm: Christensen ‘OK to be white’

Nationals MP George Christensen has rebuffed his government’s backflip on its support of Pauline Hanson’s “it’s okay to be white” bill.

The Queensland MP sent a tweet saying it was “okay to be white” after the government opposed Senator Hanson’s motion in a re-vote this afternoon.

“It’s OK to be white. It’s OK to be Aboriginal. It’s OK to be Asian. It’s OK to be any ethnicity. If you’re for all of the above, good on you,” Mr Christensen tweeted.

“If you’re against any then you’re a racist and that’s fairly unAustralian. And it’s GREAT to be Australian!”

Greg Brown 1.20pm: Coalition backflips on “white” support

The Coalition has backflipped on its support of Pauline Hanson’s “it’s okay to be white motion” and voted against the same motion in the Senate.

Senate Leader Mathias Cormann moved that there would be another vote on Senator Hanson’s motion because the government “accidentally” backed it yesterday.

Labor agreed to allow the vote again but Pauline Hanson and other supporters of her motion did not turn up to the chamber for the re-vote.

The opposition to the motion was so overwhelming in the Senate the votes did not need to be counted.

Greg Brown 1.00pm: Greens won’t support new vote

Greens senator Rachel Siewert says her party will not support the government’s attempt to have another vote on Pauline Hanson’s “it’s okay to be white” motion.

Senator Siewert said to support another vote on the motion would let the government get away with its dishonest claim it only supported the bill because of an “administrative error”.

She said the Greens would support a separate motion that would see the Senate vote on the support for a “strong multicultural community in Australia”.

Greg Brown 12.55pm: Anning backs Hanson

Crossbench senator Fraser Anning has unsurprisingly backed Pauline Hanson’s motion, and accused the government of letting Labor and the Greens scare it into changing its position.

He says there is nothing racist about saying “it is okay to be white”.

“Right now in the Senate what we are seeing is anti-white racism in action,” he says.

Pauline Hanson’s motion was narrowly defeated. Picture: AAP.
Pauline Hanson’s motion was narrowly defeated. Picture: AAP.

Greg Brown 12.43pm: Williams “ignorant” of “white” significance

Nationals senator John Williams says he was he was “ignorant” of the significance of the “it’s okay to be white” phrase and its connection to white supremacist groups.

“I had no idea of that … I have learnt now,” Senator Williams told the Senate.

But he attacked Labor for excoriating the government for an “administrative error”, which he says happens to all sides of politics.

Rosie Lewis 12.40pm: ‘Wentworth voters should know’

Labor senator Kristina Keneally says the voters of Wentworth should know if they vote for Liberal candidate Dave Sharma “they are actually voting for a party that stands with One Nation”.

Greg Brown 12.35pm: “White” vote deferred

A division for a vote in the House of Representatives on a Labor motion condemning the government for supporting a Pauline Hanson motion has been deferred.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is now in the house tabling legislation for the fast tracking of tax cuts for businesses with a turnover of up to $50 million.

Rosie Lewis 12.30pm: “Shameful episode”

Greens leader Richard Di Natale called yesterday’s vote a “shameful episode in the history of the Liberal Party”.

“There was a time when the Liberal party would never consider supporting this motion.”

Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick said he was concerned a staffer was being blamed for the stuff up. He said such blame was inappropriate.

The Senate will shortly vote on the motion again and the Coalition will this time oppose it.

Michael Roddan 12.25pm: “Sensible compromise” on GST

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says state treasurers have backed a plan to limit a proposed law ensuring no states or territories would be worse off under the new GST redistribution.

The guarantee will be put in place over the transition period between 2021-22 and 2026-27 — not in perpetuity as some government MPs had argued for in the Coalition party room meeting on Tuesday.

“A sensible compromise has been reached,” Mr Frydenberg told reporters.

“I give credit to my colleagues in the party room have supported this solution,” he said.

“I have spoken to state treasurers, Liberal and Labor, and they support this way forward as a reasonable and sensible approach.”

The new GST redistribution model, which Labor has flagged support for if it included a no-state-worse-off clause, introduced a floor of 75c in the dollar for GST funding. It will benchmark distribution to the states based on the economic strength of either NSW and Victoria. Meanwhile, the Commonwealth fund a $9 billion kitty to ensure the states and territories are no worse off at the end of the period, when measured against what the previous distribution method would have doled out.

The Productivity Commission will undertake a review in 26-27 to see if the new system is working “efficiently and effectively”, Mr Frydenberg said.

Rosie Lewis 12.14pm: ‘Pathetic attempt at clean up’

Labor’s Senate leader Penny Wong has attacked Finance Minister Mathias Cormann for a “pathetic attempt at a clean up” after he clarified the government should have opposed Pauline Hanson’s motion acknowledging “it’s okay to be white”.

Senator Wong said the government was trying to walk away from the “appalling” motion not because it was “wrong” but because it was trying to save the blue ribbon seat of Wentworth at Saturday’s by-election.

Greg Brown 12.10pm: Labor condemns government over ‘white’ motion

Manager of Opposition Business Tony Burke has attempted to suspend standing orders in the House of Representatives to move a motion condemning the government for supporting Pauline Hanson’s motion that “it’s okay to be white”.

Mr Burke wants the house to recognise: “that the House rejects the resolution put to the Senate yesterday which included a white supremacist slogan that is also used by hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan”.

Leader of the House Christopher Pyne says the government will not support Labor’s motion because the support of Pauline Hanson’s motion was an “administrative error”.

Greg Brown 11.40am: Porter excuse ‘flimsy, inadequate’

Opposition legal affairs spokesman Mark Dreyfus has slammed the government’s excuse for supporting Pauline Hanson’s “it’s okay to be white” motion as “flimsy and inadequate”.

Mr Dreyfus said it was wrong for Attorney-General Christian Porter to blame the blunder on his staff and an “administrative error”.

“As Attorney-General, Christian Porter is in charge of the Racial Discrimination Act and interpreting other complex legislation. Does he seriously expect Australians to believe that he couldn’t interpret what Senator Hanson’s motion meant? Mr Porter needs to front up and take responsibility for this himself,” Mr Dreyfus said in a statement.

“Up until late last night, Christian Porter was still trying to justify the government’s decision on Twitter, with Leader of the Senate Mathias Cormann himself, following suit.

“This is not something the government can just shrug off. This is government senators being seen to endorse a battle cry of the white supremacy movement inside the Australian parliament. It is appalling.”

Primrose Riordan 11.09am: Diplomats welcome PM embassy move

Israeli diplomats in Australia have welcomed Mr Morrison’s comments. “We warmly welcome PM Morrison statement on Jerusalem which provides evidence of Australia’s willingness to continue, as it always has, towards building peace and stability in the Middle East,” Israeli embassy spokeswoman Eman Hasisi Amasha said. Read more here.

Greg Brown 11.00am: party room meets on GST deal

The Coalition party room has agreed to demands by state governments to include a provision in the new GST legislation that no state will be worse off under the new model, Sky News is reporting. The party room reportedly agreed to guarantee no state will be worse off during the “transition period” of the policy, which is until 2026. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg will announce the deal in a press conference later today.

Greg Brown 10.55am: Hanson says it’s ‘OK to white guilt’

Pauline Hanson has attacked the government for withdrawing its support for her “it’s okay to be white” motion. The One Nation leader labelled the backdown “it’s okay to be white guilt”.

“The Australian government has withdrawn support for Senator Hanson call to acknowledge the rise of anti-white racism and that it is okay to be white, claiming it was the ‘regrettable’ result of an ‘administrative process failure’,” Senator Hanson tweeted this morning.

Read more on the government’s Senate blunder here.

Greg Brown 10.30am: ‘White’ blunder not my fault: A-G

Attorney-General Christian Porter says he had no knowledge that a staffer from his office advised Coalition senators to vote in favour of a Pauline Hanson motion that it is “okay to be white”.

Mr Porter said the directive sent from his office to back the motion was a mistake and its intent was misinterpreted by his office.

“An early email advising an approach on the motion went out from my office on this matter without my knowledge,” Mr Porter said in a statement.

“It appears that, of the very large number of motions on which my office’s views are routinely sought, this one was not escalated to me because it was interpreted in my office as a motion opposing racism. The associations of the language were not picked up. Had it been raised directly with me those issues would have been identified.”

Primrose Riordan 9.55am: Emergency meeting over Israel embassy

The head of the Palestinian diplomatic delegation to Australia, Izzat Salah Abdulhadi, has said the 15 Middle Eastern embassies in Canberra are likely to hold an emergency meeting today to discuss Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s comments on Jerusalem.

Mr Morrison said he was open to following the US decision on moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and would consider moving Australia’s embassy to Jerusalem based on a number of conditions ahead of the Wentworth by-election.

Mr Abdulhadi told The Australian the comments were “alarming” and did not contribute toward a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.

He said he was not consulted in advance of Mr Morrison’s comments and he would be asking for an explanation from the Department of Foreign Affairs today.

Mr Abdulhadi said the comments had also alarmed the diplomats from other Middle Eastern embassies in Australia.

He said they had a Whatsapp group and had been discussing the issue this morning and they were likely to meet in person later today.

Dennis Shanahan 9.40am: Coalition to blame for shemozzle

The current debate on religious freedom has been politicised, blighted and distorted to the extent that it threatens to destroy the whole idea of religious freedom, and it is the Coalition government that is responsible. Cynical political manipulation, shameless reporting and conflation of unrelated issues — such as funding non-government schools and discrimination against students — have all filled the public space because the Turnbull and now Morrison governments have mishandled the issue.

Read the article in full here.

Labor is milking the Ruddock review leak

Greg Brown 9.35am: OK to be white vote ‘administrative error’

Mathias Cormann has apologised for Coalition senators backing a Pauline Hanson motion in the upper house that “it’s okay to be white”.

Senator Cormann took full responsibility for the blunder that he blamed on an “administrative process failure”.

However yesterday Mr Cormann appeared to boast about Senators supporting the motion

Read the story in full here.

Primrose Riordan 9.15am: Calls to boycott Saudi conference

Senate crossbenchers are pressuring the government to boycott an upcoming investment summit in Saudi Arabia and to ask for an official explanation from Saudi diplomats over the disappearance of columnist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey.

CNN reported today that Saudi Arabia is preparing a report claiming Mr Khashoggi died after an unauthorised interrogation went too far. The report will be widely translated as a move to distance King Salman and Crown PrinceMohammed bin Salman from the incident.

Saudi Arabia's consulate is cordoned off by Turkish police in Istanbul. Picture: AFP.
Saudi Arabia's consulate is cordoned off by Turkish police in Istanbul. Picture: AFP.

“The Senate … calls upon the Australian Government to show its support for a free press and international rules based order by not sending any Australian official to the 2018 Davos in the Desert summit,” the motion from the Greens, Centre Alliance and Cory Bernardi says.

“The Senate … requests the President of the Senate to provide the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia …. with the text of this motion and to invite the Ambassador to submit a statement setting out the Kingdom’s official response concerning the allegations that Jamal Khashoggi was murdered inside the Kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul.”

Turkish officials have been allowed to inspect the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul this week, which Mr Khashoggi entered nearly two weeks ago seeking divorce papers so he could marry his fiance.

While Australia does not have a comprehensive relationship with Saudi Arabia, the government has been attempting to foster trade and defence links.

Austrade is set to facilitate Australian companies to attend a major investment conference, the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh (also known as Davos in the Desert) from October 23-25.

Defence Minister Christopher Pyne has also said Australia is preparing to sign a defence export deal with Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said the Australian government needed to respond to “this egregious attack on the free press”.

“With dozens of organisation pulling out of Saudi Arabia’s “Davos in the Desert” event next week over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, Australian cannot be one of the nations to publicly support the regime at this time by attending this event,” he said.

Yesterday Foreign Minister Marise Payne said she was “deeply concerned” about the events and said she was speaking to her colleagues about any further response.

Greg Brown 9.00am: PM regrets ‘white’ vote

Scott Morrison says it was “regrettable” Coalition senators supported a motion pushed by Pauline Hanson that it was “okay to be white”.

The Prime Minister said Senate Leader Mathias Cormann would address the issue later today, after claims Attorney-General Christian Porter instructed government senators to back One Nation’s motion.

“I’m sure all Australians stand against racism in whatever form it takes but the Leader of the Government in the Senate will be making a statement about that later today,” Mr Morrison said.

“I found it regrettable but the Leader of the Government in the Senate will be making a statement on that shortly.”

Read the story in full here.

Greg Brown 8.45am: Embassy move ‘sensible suggestion’

Scott Morrison says new ideas are needed to achieve a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine as he confirmed the government was considering moving Australia’s embassy in the Jewish state to Jerusalem and was reviewing the Iran nuclear deal.

Read the story in full here.

Greg Brown 8. 12am: Embassy move ‘contributes to peace’

Defence Industry Minister Steven Ciobo says it is worth considering whether moving the Australian embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would help influence a two-state solution.

“We are looking at this because, frankly, Australia has firmly believed for some time that the solution with respect for Israel and the Palestinian Authority is to have a two-state solution,” Mr Ciobo told Sky News.

“Now it may very well be that part of delivering this two-state solution, recognising Jerusalem as the capital, may in fact be an important contributor to that because that could satisfy both Israel and potentially the Palestinian Authority.”

Greg Brown 8.00am: Embassy move ‘no hindrance to peace’

Conservative Liberal MP Eric Abetz has praised Scott Morrison for considering moving Australia’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Israel.

“Israel is the only free and democratic nation in the Middle East and I am pleased that the Australian government is strongly considering recognising its sovereignty and self-determination by moving the Australian Embassy to Jerusalem,” Senator Abetz said in a statement this morning.

“This very strong decision is something that a number of my parliamentary colleagues and I have advocated in favour of for some time and will send a strong signal around the world about our support for western democratic values and our close friendship with the state of Israel.

“As West Jerusalem is not subject to final status negotiations which means that a move of our embassy would not present a barrier or hindrance to peace.”

Sascha O’Sullivan 7.55am: ‘No gay discrimination’

Dave Sharma and independent Kerryn Phelps before a candidates’ debate at Bondi Surf Club. Picture: Hollie Adams.
Dave Sharma and independent Kerryn Phelps before a candidates’ debate at Bondi Surf Club. Picture: Hollie Adams.

Dave Sharma, the Liberal party’s candidate for the federal seat of Wentworth, has reiterated that he is dedicated to protecting school children from discrimination in schools and doesn’t want to see teachers discriminated against.

“I would want to see no child discriminated against for any reason, at any school,” Mr Sharma, said on 2GB this morning, ahead of the by-election on Saturday.

The proposed religious freedom laws over discrimination of students and teachers on the basis of sexuality and gender orientation, has prompted furore in the seat of Wentworth, which has a high gay population.

The issue of religious freedom has divided the seat of Wentworth, which was previously held by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull. Independent candidate Kerryn Phelps is in with a fighting chance to win the blue-ribbon seat.

Mr Sharma pointed to the laws that were introduced under Labor in 2013, and maintained that he was in support of protecting gay students.

“Public opinion has moved on considerably since that time and we all recognise now that we need to amend these laws,” he said.

Mr Sharma also noted that the Ruddock review of religious freedom, leaked last week, covered discrimination against teachers.

“Teachers should be recruited on the basis of their fit for the values of the school and their belief in the values of the school but nonetheless I don’t want to see teachers discriminated against.”

Greg Brown 7.30am: Israel embassy move ‘desperate’

Labor has slammed Scott Morrison for considering moving Australia’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong said the move was part of a “desperate” attempt to hold onto the seat of Wentworth, which has a high Jewish population.

“Scott Morrison is now so desperate to hang on to his job, he is prepared to say anything if he thinks it will win him a few more votes — even at the cost of Australia’s national interest,” Senator Wong said in a statement this morning.

“Australia’s policy towards Israel is both longstanding and bipartisan — as it should be when Australia’s national interests are at stake.

“Both the government and the opposition have supported the approach of most other nations of maintaining our embassy in Tel Aviv on the grounds that Jerusalem’s status must be determined as part of an overall two state solution that recognises the State of Israel behind secure borders.

“The people of Wentworth, and all Australians, deserve a leader who puts the national interest ahead of his self-interest, and governs in the best long term interest of the nation, not one prepared to play games with long standing foreign policy positions five days out from a by-election.”

What’s making news:

Scott Morrison has signalled a potential relocation of Australia’s embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in line with a decision by US President Donald Trump earlier this year to formally recognise the city as the legitimate capital of Israel.

Australia’s Grand Mufti has signalled open hostility to gay teachers in Islamic schools in defiance of Bill Shorten’s proposed changes to discrimination laws, saying they engage in “abnormal practices that contradict nature” and suffer from “mental illness”.

Guidelines for autism cases will be streamlined nationwide and doctor-shopping for diagnoses will be eliminated, under a series of reforms aimed at stemming a blowout in the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Wentworth independent Kerryn Phelps has sparred with Liberal candidate Dave Sharma for the first time in a head-to-head debate, accusing his party of being “dominated by climate change sceptics” and having no policy on the issue.

Labor is examining giving unions and workers the right to strike in support of industry-wide pay claims but the Fair Work Commission could be given greater powers to suspend industrial action against multiple employers.

A government inquiry into the saga that crippled the ABC and claimed the scalps of Michelle Guthrie and Justin Milne has revealed the former managing director was first warned of her dismissal in late August, a month before she was sacked.

Marise Payne has tried to tone down more aggressive comments from Donald Trump’s National Security Adviser, John Bolton, about Australia and the US sailing together through the South China Sea, saying she will not flag future operations.

A push by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson to acknowledge it is “OK to be white” has been narrowly voted down by the Senate despite support from the government and crossbenchers.

South Australian Labor’s Right aligned leader Peter Malinauskas wants a Shorten-led federal government to immediately close Nauru and scrap Australia’s offshore immigration detention centre policy.

Scott Morrison’s overwhelming support as being best able to handle the issue of asylum-seekers typifies the new problem for Bill Shorten now that Malcolm Turnbull has gone.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack has been “walked all over” by Scott Morrison after the Prime Minister refused to back a Nationals plan to introduce a special visa for farm workers, according to colleagues.

Barnaby Joyce’s call for the federal government to favour new coal-fired power stations over the proposed $4.5 billion Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project yesterday reignited the coal-versus-renewable debate, with a second Coalition backbencher expressing doubts about the scheme’s viability but an eminent environmental economist saying to dump it would be irresponsible.

Federal Labor has brokered a deal to quell internal revolt over its support for the government’s Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, but a key union remains disappointed at what it regards as the party’s “betrayal” of Australian workers.

James Jeffrey’s sketch: Ask and you shall receive … a put-down.

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Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/politicsnow-religious-freedom-debate-threatens-wentworth-byelection/news-story/db7afe43a41b02c8d8a053894a1d5678