‘Appalled’: Jacqui Lambie cracks it as government gags debate on own bill

A push by crossbench senators Jacqui Lambie and David Pocock has failed after Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke blocked a vote on his own bill.

A crossbench push to split Labor’s controversial workplace laws has failed after the government voted to gag debate on its own legislation.

Last week influential Senate crossbenchers Jacqui Lambie and David Pocock successfully passed four private members bills through the upper house in a bid to expedite the passage of non-contentious elements of the government’s Closing Loopholes Bill.

These include protections for emergency service workers who have been diagnosed with PTSD, measures to stop discrimination against employees who have experienced domestic violence, changes to small business insolvency laws and to expand assistance for those who suffer from silicosis.

But on Monday afternoon, when the legislation was sent to the lower house, the government voted against bringing on debate, as it wants the legislation to pass in full.

A push by senators David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie to split the government’s controversial IR bill has failed. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The government’s intervention means the controversial changes won’t come until July 2024, if they pass the parliament, six months after senators Lambie and Pocock bills had specified.

Speaking after the government’s move to stifle debate, Senator Lambie accused Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke of putting the passage of the entire bill ahead of protections for vulnerable Australians.

“These were good laws. They were Burke’s. Now these vulnerable Australians will have to wait until at least July next year – that’s assuming the ‘Closing Loopholes’ bill goes through at all,” Senator Lambie said.

“I am shocked and I am appalled that the minister would play politics with people’s lives like this.”

The Closing Loopholes bill in its entirety includes reforms to clamp down on labour hire, to make it easier for casual workers to convert to permanent roles, to empower the Fair Work Commission to introduce minimum pay and conditions for gig economy workers, and to increase penalties for wage underpayments.

The government’s intervention to gag debate means protection for emergency service workers with PTSD will be delayed by six months if they pass the parliament. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Grilling begins over ‘ceasefire’ calls

Earlier, the first Question Time of the parliamentary sitting week was dominated by questions about the domestic implications of the ongoing Middle East conflict, and on cost-of-living.

There are only two joint-parliamentary sitting weeks left in the year, with the government trying to pass as many pieces of legislation as it can.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton began Question Time by asking Mr Albanese whether it was the government’s position to call for an Israeli ceasefire.

He put to the Prime Minister that on Sunday, Foreign Minister Penny Wong had “claimed Israel, in carrying out its defensive war against terror group Hamas, is breaching international law and should undertake a ceasefire.”

Mr Albanese in response said the transcript of Senator Wong’s interview “did not say that”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backed in Penny Wong. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“What the Foreign Minister spoke about was perfectly consistent with the motion that was moved in this parliament that was supported by the Opposition on the floor of this parliament,” he said.

“That indeed we continue to support, I think it provides a principle way of moving forward. It provided for one unequivocally condemns the attacks on Israel by Hamas, asserted Israel’s right to defend itself, it also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

“It condemned anti-Semitism. It went on to say, to recognise that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people, nor their needs and aspirations. It acknowledged the devastating loss of Israel and Palestinian life and the innocence civilians on all sides suffering …

“It said, which was backed up by the Foreign Minister yesterday, Australia’s consistent position in all contexts is to call for the protection of civilian life.”

Mr Dutton then sought to bring Mr Albanese back to the question, to which the Prime Minister continued to back in Senator Wong.

“We know that we have a responsibility to not seek to politicise these matters, but to engage in a principle way going forward,” Mr Albanese said.

He then condemned “unequivocally” the Caulfield demonstration on Friday night.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese marked the fifth anniversary of the national apology to institutional child sex abuse victims. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

‘How many children must die’: Bandt questions

Greens leader Adam Bandt asked Mr Albanese when Labor would “join France and most of the world in calling for a ceasefire”.

Mr Albanese responded: “We have said very clearly that Israel does have a right to defend itself. We have also said that the way it does matter”.

“And we must distinguish between Hamas and Palestinian citizens. And we have said the same thing consistently,” he said.

Penny Wong, Greens clash over Israel

Meanwhile in the senate, Senator Wong has clashed with the Greens as the minor party dials up their demand for the government to call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The Foreign Minister faced a grilling from both sides of politics during a tense question time on Monday afternoon.

She condemned the ugly clash between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protesters in Caulfield on Friday night as “utterly unacceptable”.

“A protest near a synagogue was not the right thing to do. And it should not be repeated and the organisers have apologised, which is the right thing to do,” she said.

“The Jewish community in this country has a right to feel safe, and to be safe stopping all Australians, have a right to feel safe and to be safe stop no-one in this country should be fearful because of who they are and the faith they practise.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong clashed with the Greens in Senate Question Time on Monday over the Israel-Hamas conflict. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Beach

Senator Wong said there was “no place” for prejudice, anti-Semitism, racism or Islamophobia in Australia. But it was a question from senator Jordan Steele John that ended with outcry “outrageous” and “shame”.

The Western Australian demanded to know how many civilians and young people would die in Gaza before the government called for a ceasefire.

“This government, this country, has a longstanding position of recognising and supporting the right of the state of Israel to exist,” she hit back.

“I appreciate that’s not, may not be your view. But that is our view.”

“Outrageous,” Senator Steele John yelled back.

Senate President Sue Lines called the Senate to order, and the Foreign Minister continued her answer, referring him back to her comments on Sunday.

The government has repeatedly said it supports Israel’s right to defend itself but has urged it to act within international law and has called for a humanitarian pause in fighting.

Senator Wong told the ABC “we all want to take the next steps towards a ceasefire but it cannot be one sided”. She also called on Israel to cease attacking hospitals.

The Greens senator asked if given those comments she would “call out these actions as the war crimes that they are.”

“You may decide you want to make those sorts of assertions. That’s not the role of Foreign Minister and I don’t propose to,” Senator Wong responded.

“I would have thought some of the events we’ve seen would lead you to a slightly more moderate tone.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese marked the fifth anniversary of the national apology to institutional child sex abuse victims. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Labor grilled on cost of living

The Prime Minister has copped a host of questions from the Opposition over cost of living, the first in “months” Mr Albanese claimed.

Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor asked him why Australians were “paying the price of a distracted Prime Minister, failing to focus on the real issues affecting Australians”.

Mr Albanese in response rattled off statistics about how much better Australians are under Labor, citing the improved unemployment rate, the higher participation rate, and the closing gender pay gap.

Next up was Deputy Liberal Leader Sussan Ley, who asked a very similar question to Mr Taylor.

Mr Albanese offered a similar response to the one he’d just given.

‘Life is harder for people’: Gallagher

Over in the Senate, the Coalition is also questioning the government about the rising cost of living, with opposition finance spokesperson Jane Hume pointing to the decline in real wages and the Reserve Bank’s punishing round of rate hikes to claim Labor has mismanaged the economy.

Acknowledging that “life is harder for people”, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said the government was focused on addressing the cost of living crunch and listed measures including energy bill relief, investments in childcare and Medicare, increasing Commonwealth rental assistance and expanding paid parental leave.

“We on this side of the chamber accept that many thousands of Australians are doing it tough right now,” Minister Gallagher said.

“We accept that, which is why our job has to be completely focused on the measures that we can take to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives without adding to the inflation challenge in the economy.”

House marks five years since abuse apology

Before Question Time kicked off on Monday, Mr Albanese commemorated the fifth anniversary of the National Apology to the victims and survivors of institutional child sexual abuse.

Mr Albanese paid tribute to former prime minister Julia Gillard for making the Royal Commission possible, and to Scott Morrison for delivering the “powerful words” in the initial apology five years ago.

“As he said in here, half a decade ago, ‘today as a nation we confront our failure to listen, to believe, and to provide justice’,” Mr Albanese said, invoking Mr Morrison.

“This was a turning point. And as we listened to the speeches that day, here and across the nation, we heard from the member for Maribyrnong (Bill Shorten), 10 of the most important words to be spoken in this place: ‘We hear you now. We believe you. Australia believes you’.

“Amid everything that was said during that apology, that was the beating heart of it.”

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton paid tribute to the victims and survivors of institutional child sexual abuse. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Dutton also paid tribute to Ms Gillard and Mr Morrison, and spoke about how important it was that the crime – which he said “largely goes unspoken” – is talked about.

“It’s an uncomfortable subject, it’s difficult to talk about, but we must be upfront and open,” he said.

“We have to have that conversation.”

Mr Dutton also paid tribute to the 17,000 victims and survivors who shared their “terrible stories” with the Royal Commission.

“As a House today, we salute your courage … We as a House express our sorrow for what you endured,” he said.

Mr Dutton then called on Mr Albanese to commit to a royal commission to child sexual abuse within Indigenous communities.

G-Flip met with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese afterwards. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

G-Flip puts on intimate show at parliament

But it’s not all hard work for politicians and staffers this week, who were treated to an intimate performance by Aria-nominated artist G-Flip on Monday.

The three-song gig kicked off Aria week, which will take place on Wednesday night.

“What a cute little Monday activity for us all,” G-Flip joked to the hundreds of workers who ventured outside into the courtyard to watch the performance.

Without their drum kit, G Flip entertained the crowd with an acoustic set, playing “Australia”, “Waste of Space”, and “The Worst Person Alive”.

Afterwards, they stopped for photos and a quick chat with Mr Albanese.

G-Flip performed three songs at an intimate gig at Parliament House on Monday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Protesters descend on Parliament House

Outside the building, about 400 demonstrators gathered on the front lawns of Parliament House, to demand the government support a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Many of the protesters arrived from Sydney and Melbourne on Monday morning.

The crowd heard from a number of leaders in the Free Palestine movement, including activists, academics and religious leaders.

NSW senator David Shoebridge is expected to address the audience later.

“Albanese you can’t hide, you’re committing genocide,” the protesters chanted.

A Palestinian Flag has been erected by a demonstrator on one of the Parliament House flag poles.

Pro Palestine supporters gathered outside Parliament House for a protest on Monday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

‘Wrong’: Tick off on robo debt

The federal government has accepted, either in full or in principle, all 56 recommendations from the robodebt royal commission.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus tabled the government’s response to the inquiry on Monday afternoon.

“The robo-debt scheme was wrong … we said we’d act to ensure that nothing like this can ever happen again and today, we take the next step towards delivering on that commitment.”

Social Services Minister Bill Shorten said the government’s response to the Robodebt Royal Commission would be a challenge for the Opposition. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

Government Services Minister Bill Shorten said the findings dish out a new challenge Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.

“It was Labor who called for the Royal Commission which the now leader of the Opposition Mr Dutton called a political witch hunt. The test is now for Mr Dutton,” Mr Shorten said.

Commissioner Catherine Holmes’s scathing 990-page report found the Coalition’s robo debt scheme, which was designed to claw back allegedly overpaid welfare, was mishandled and was “devised without regard to the social security law”.

The report found the former department of human services head Kathryn Campbell had been “responsible for a department that had established, implemented and maintained an unlawful program”.

She has since resigned from her Defence Department gig in the wake of the report. When asked how long it would be before the inquiry would claim other high profile scalps, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said all 16 investigations had now commenced.

Gallagher hits out at Opposition over Robodebt

Following the announcement that the government has agreed to all of the recommendations from the Royal Commission into the unlawful Robodebt scheme, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher has used Senate question time to criticise the former government.

Established by the former Coalition government between 2015 and 2019, Robodebt was an automated debt collection system which employed income averaging to illegally raised alleged debts of almost $1.8bn.

Ms Gallagher said the illegal scheme had caused “ongoing and significant harm”, and was a “legacy” of the Coalition’s years in power.

“When they lecture us on cost of living we always remember what they did to Australia’s most neediest people who relied on social services and social security,” Senator Gallagher said in response to a dixer from NSW Labor Senator Deborah O’Neill.

“They hounded them and they threatened them with jail and we are addressing all of these recommendations.”

Question Time is set to be dominated by questions on cost of living and domestic implications of conflict in the Middle East. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Busy week to close out sitting year

In the second-last joint sitting week of the year, the government is hoping to push through significant pieces of legislation before Christmas, after a senate-only week during which the government’s centrepiece industrial relations reforms were split in two.

Four private senator bills, introduced by independent senators Jacqui Lambie and David Pocock, removed non-contentious elements like greater protection for workers experiencing domestic violence and greater support for emergency services workers.

This week, the House of Representatives is set to come under pressure to vote for the carved out bill, as debate continues on the Closing Loopholes Bill more broadly.

Other key pieces of legislation the House is set to consider this week include gambling reforms, further tranches of paid parental leave, and strengthening disability support.

Meanwhile, the Senate is set to be the site of a fight over controversial changes to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, and senators will also consider counter-terrorism matters and a contentious sea-dumping bill.

Independent MP Monique Ryan wants a crackdown on lobbyists. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Independent’s bid for lobbying crackdown 

Independent MP Monique Ryan has put forward a draft law to force ministers to reveal their diaries as part of efforts to crack down on lobbyist influences in Canberra.

The private member’s bill, introduced on Monday, would legislate a code of conduct to regulate in-house visits made by lobbyists, impose fines for breaches and restrict their ability to influence election campaigns.

It would also require ministers and top public servants to wait at least three years after leaving their roles to accept a lobbying job in the same portfolio.

A major study done by the Grattan Institute in 2018 found at least one in four ministers go on to work for lobbyist firms, peak bodies or consultancy firms after leaving their positions.

Dr Ryan’s bill follows in the footsteps of other independents including Senators Lambie and Pocock, who have also pushed for tougher regulation of lobbyists.

Originally published as ‘Appalled’: Jacqui Lambie cracks it as government gags debate on own bill