This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2015/aug/18/tony-abbott-under-pressure-on-leadership-dyson-heydon-canning-politics-live
The article has changed 21 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 19 | Version 20 |
|---|---|
| Tony Abbott urges discipline amid pressure over Dyson Heydon and same-sex marriage – as it happened | Tony Abbott urges discipline amid pressure over Dyson Heydon and same-sex marriage – as it happened |
| (30 days later) | |
| 8.52am BST | 8.52am BST |
| 08:52 | 08:52 |
| Night time political summary | Night time political summary |
| I think that is enough words from me. Thanks to Lenore Taylor, Daniel Hurst and Shalailah Medhora for their assistance. And Mike Bowers, take a bow. Excellent pictures. | I think that is enough words from me. Thanks to Lenore Taylor, Daniel Hurst and Shalailah Medhora for their assistance. And Mike Bowers, take a bow. Excellent pictures. |
| Good night and see you on the morrow. | Good night and see you on the morrow. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 9.19am BST | at 9.19am BST |
| 8.09am BST | 8.09am BST |
| 08:09 | 08:09 |
| Lenore Taylor has unpicked the issues underlying the Abbott government war against environmental and community groups - following the federal court decision to overturn government approval for the Carmichael coal mine. | Lenore Taylor has unpicked the issues underlying the Abbott government war against environmental and community groups - following the federal court decision to overturn government approval for the Carmichael coal mine. |
| This follows the government announcement that it will attempt to tighten the eligibility rules around who can take legal action against development projects. | This follows the government announcement that it will attempt to tighten the eligibility rules around who can take legal action against development projects. |
| Lenore writes: | Lenore writes: |
| The biggest danger to the Adani mine is its own business case, not environmental legal cases, and the Indian energy minister has unveiled plans for a rapid expansion of domestic coal production, as well as renewables, and said India aims to stop imports of thermal coal within three years, which undercuts somewhat the idea that the Adani mine’s coal is the only thing that can possibly provide power to impoverished Indians. | The biggest danger to the Adani mine is its own business case, not environmental legal cases, and the Indian energy minister has unveiled plans for a rapid expansion of domestic coal production, as well as renewables, and said India aims to stop imports of thermal coal within three years, which undercuts somewhat the idea that the Adani mine’s coal is the only thing that can possibly provide power to impoverished Indians. |
| And the tired old meme that says environmental protection and job creation are conflicting and contradictory objectives doesn’t fly any more. And it isn’t only “greenies” questioning the impact of mines and CSG wells, it’s farmers and rural communities as well. Ones often represented by the National party. | And the tired old meme that says environmental protection and job creation are conflicting and contradictory objectives doesn’t fly any more. And it isn’t only “greenies” questioning the impact of mines and CSG wells, it’s farmers and rural communities as well. Ones often represented by the National party. |
| 7.53am BST | 7.53am BST |
| 07:53 | 07:53 |
| Jacqui Lambie also speaks to the Labor matter of importance, suggesting Dyson Heydon has shown bias. | Jacqui Lambie also speaks to the Labor matter of importance, suggesting Dyson Heydon has shown bias. |
| 7.52am BST | 7.52am BST |
| 07:52 | 07:52 |
| National senator Barry O’Sullivan says in all of the hundreds of hours, Labor has only once mentioned the importance of transparency and accountability. | National senator Barry O’Sullivan says in all of the hundreds of hours, Labor has only once mentioned the importance of transparency and accountability. |
| He accuses some unionists of “criminal behaviour impacting on the productivity of this country”. | He accuses some unionists of “criminal behaviour impacting on the productivity of this country”. |
| People who are doing this are being protected by the Labor party. | People who are doing this are being protected by the Labor party. |
| 7.45am BST | 7.45am BST |
| 07:45 | 07:45 |
| Back in the senate, senator Glenn Lazarus says Tony Abbott must remove Dyson Heydon. | Back in the senate, senator Glenn Lazarus says Tony Abbott must remove Dyson Heydon. |
| Then Labor frontbencher Stephen Conroy goes through establishment of the trade union royal commission and the links between lawyers appearing at the commission. | Then Labor frontbencher Stephen Conroy goes through establishment of the trade union royal commission and the links between lawyers appearing at the commission. |
| Just a note on this move by Labor. Even if Labor wins the support of the senate cross benchers and the senate sends a message to the governor general to terminate the TURC - it would be up to Peter Cosgrove to act. | Just a note on this move by Labor. Even if Labor wins the support of the senate cross benchers and the senate sends a message to the governor general to terminate the TURC - it would be up to Peter Cosgrove to act. |
| Cosgrove takes advice from the prime minister. And for the governor general to intervene, well I would suggest we would see a constitutional crisis to rival 1975. | Cosgrove takes advice from the prime minister. And for the governor general to intervene, well I would suggest we would see a constitutional crisis to rival 1975. |
| 7.28am BST | 7.28am BST |
| 07:28 | 07:28 |
| Find a happy place! Find a happy place! | Find a happy place! Find a happy place! |
| 7.20am BST | 7.20am BST |
| 07:20 | 07:20 |
| THINGS ARE NOT GETTING ANY SLOWER HERE. | THINGS ARE NOT GETTING ANY SLOWER HERE. |
| Sorry to shout. | Sorry to shout. |
| 7.20am BST | 7.20am BST |
| 07:20 | 07:20 |
| Labor's extraordinary motion calling on GG to terminate trade union royal commission. | Labor's extraordinary motion calling on GG to terminate trade union royal commission. |
| Daniel Hurst | Daniel Hurst |
| From Daniel Hurst: | From Daniel Hurst: |
| Labor has given notice that it will seek Senate support for an extraordinary motion calling on the governor general, Peter Cosgrove, to terminate the royal commission into trade unions because of the dispute over the commissioner, Dyson Heydon. | Labor has given notice that it will seek Senate support for an extraordinary motion calling on the governor general, Peter Cosgrove, to terminate the royal commission into trade unions because of the dispute over the commissioner, Dyson Heydon. |
| If the majority of senators agree to the motion, the Senate would send a message to Cosgrove saying that Heydon “by his conduct in accepting an invitation to speak at a function raising campaign funds for the Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division) has failed to uphold the standards of impartiality expected of a holder of the office of Royal Commissioner”. | If the majority of senators agree to the motion, the Senate would send a message to Cosgrove saying that Heydon “by his conduct in accepting an invitation to speak at a function raising campaign funds for the Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division) has failed to uphold the standards of impartiality expected of a holder of the office of Royal Commissioner”. |
| “Accordingly we respectfully request Your Excellency to revoke the Letters Patent issued to the Honourable John Dyson Heydon AC QC,” the proposed motion states. | “Accordingly we respectfully request Your Excellency to revoke the Letters Patent issued to the Honourable John Dyson Heydon AC QC,” the proposed motion states. |
| Labor’s Senate leader, Penny Wong, gave notice on Tuesday that she intended to move the motion on the following sitting day, Wednesday. | Labor’s Senate leader, Penny Wong, gave notice on Tuesday that she intended to move the motion on the following sitting day, Wednesday. |
| In a statement, she said parliament had a responsibility to take the unusual step because the prime minister, Tony Abbott, had refused to take action. | In a statement, she said parliament had a responsibility to take the unusual step because the prime minister, Tony Abbott, had refused to take action. |
| “Mr Abbott’s refusal to budge means the appropriate way for the Senate to express its view is through an address to the governor governor,” Wong said. | “Mr Abbott’s refusal to budge means the appropriate way for the Senate to express its view is through an address to the governor governor,” Wong said. |
| The clerk of the Senate, Rosemary Laing, has provided advice to Wong about the upper house’s power to address the governor general. | The clerk of the Senate, Rosemary Laing, has provided advice to Wong about the upper house’s power to address the governor general. |
| Laing said the most common form of address to the governor general was an expression of thanks for a speech at the opening of parliament, but the Senate had made use of addresses “for several significant purposes” in the first half of the 20th century. | Laing said the most common form of address to the governor general was an expression of thanks for a speech at the opening of parliament, but the Senate had made use of addresses “for several significant purposes” in the first half of the 20th century. |
| This included a motion in 1931 urging the governor general to refuse to approve regulations in the current session that were the same in substance as regulations already disallowed by the Senate, and a motion in 1914 asking the governor general to submit six constitution alternation proposals to the people even though they had not been passed by the House of Representatives. | This included a motion in 1931 urging the governor general to refuse to approve regulations in the current session that were the same in substance as regulations already disallowed by the Senate, and a motion in 1914 asking the governor general to submit six constitution alternation proposals to the people even though they had not been passed by the House of Representatives. |
| “In summary, an address is the appropriate form for communications at the highest level between a legislature and another arm of government, namely, the executive,” Laing wrote. | “In summary, an address is the appropriate form for communications at the highest level between a legislature and another arm of government, namely, the executive,” Laing wrote. |
| “Indeed, it could be argued that only the legislature can undertake such a serious task as is envisaged by an address concerning the letters patent for a royal commissioner.” | “Indeed, it could be argued that only the legislature can undertake such a serious task as is envisaged by an address concerning the letters patent for a royal commissioner.” |
| The full text of the proposed motion is: | The full text of the proposed motion is: |
| (1) That the following Address to His Excellency, the Governor-General be agreed to: | (1) That the following Address to His Excellency, the Governor-General be agreed to: |
| “To His Excellency the Governor-General, General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd) | “To His Excellency the Governor-General, General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd) |
| May it please Your Excellency- | May it please Your Excellency- |
| We, the Senate of the Commonwealth of Australia in Parliament assembled, respectfully submit that the Honourable John Dyson Heydon AC QC, whom Your Excellency requested to make inquiry into and report upon the governance arrangements of separate entities established by employee associations or their officers (Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption), by his conduct in accepting an invitation to speak at a function raising campaign funds for the Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division) has failed to uphold the standards of impartiality expected of a holder of the office of Royal Commissioner. | We, the Senate of the Commonwealth of Australia in Parliament assembled, respectfully submit that the Honourable John Dyson Heydon AC QC, whom Your Excellency requested to make inquiry into and report upon the governance arrangements of separate entities established by employee associations or their officers (Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption), by his conduct in accepting an invitation to speak at a function raising campaign funds for the Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division) has failed to uphold the standards of impartiality expected of a holder of the office of Royal Commissioner. |
| Accordingly we respectfully request Your Excellency to revoke the Letters Patent issued to the Honourable John Dyson Heydon AC QC.” | Accordingly we respectfully request Your Excellency to revoke the Letters Patent issued to the Honourable John Dyson Heydon AC QC.” |
| (2) That so much of standing order 172 be suspended as would prevent the President transmitting the Address to His Excellency in writing only. | (2) That so much of standing order 172 be suspended as would prevent the President transmitting the Address to His Excellency in writing only. |
| 7.14am BST | 7.14am BST |
| 07:14 | 07:14 |
| Having gone off the script regarding marriage equality, Attorney general, George Brandis, has veered back on track at Sky following Tony Abbott’s little pep talk to cabinet this morning. #readtheriotact | Having gone off the script regarding marriage equality, Attorney general, George Brandis, has veered back on track at Sky following Tony Abbott’s little pep talk to cabinet this morning. #readtheriotact |
| The prime minister is very good at the bring out the best of all the members of his team. He’s a bit like a coach. I’m not going to discuss obviously what takes place in cabinet but one of this prime minister’s great virtues is the store he places on collegiality....one of the reasons Tony Abbott is such a great leader is because like the captain or perhaps the coach of a team, he always insists of a team game and he always brings out the best in the players. | The prime minister is very good at the bring out the best of all the members of his team. He’s a bit like a coach. I’m not going to discuss obviously what takes place in cabinet but one of this prime minister’s great virtues is the store he places on collegiality....one of the reasons Tony Abbott is such a great leader is because like the captain or perhaps the coach of a team, he always insists of a team game and he always brings out the best in the players. |
| Brandis says the government is playing a good game now. | Brandis says the government is playing a good game now. |
| 6.51am BST | 6.51am BST |
| 06:51 | 06:51 |
| Labor’s Joe Ludwig has begun speaking on a matter of public importance in the senate relating to Dyson Heydon. | Labor’s Joe Ludwig has begun speaking on a matter of public importance in the senate relating to Dyson Heydon. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.56am BST | at 6.56am BST |
| 6.49am BST | 6.49am BST |
| 06:49 | 06:49 |
| Red faces. | Red faces. |
| Speaker Smith punts first govt member the winner is @EwenJonesMP @GuardianAus @gabriellechan http://t.co/uozJsUwecd pic.twitter.com/U88upOVnAH | Speaker Smith punts first govt member the winner is @EwenJonesMP @GuardianAus @gabriellechan http://t.co/uozJsUwecd pic.twitter.com/U88upOVnAH |
| 6.47am BST | 6.47am BST |
| 06:47 | 06:47 |
| Shalailah Medhora | Shalailah Medhora |
| A message from the senate, via Shalailah. | A message from the senate, via Shalailah. |
| The Senate will shortly debate the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Powers, Offences and Other Measures) bill, an omnibus piece of legislation that, among other things, seeks to strengthen the penalty for forced marriages. The most contentious part of the bill, however, is the clause creating a five year mandatory sentence for the trafficking of firearms. Both Labor and the Greens are opposed to this part of the bill. | The Senate will shortly debate the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Powers, Offences and Other Measures) bill, an omnibus piece of legislation that, among other things, seeks to strengthen the penalty for forced marriages. The most contentious part of the bill, however, is the clause creating a five year mandatory sentence for the trafficking of firearms. Both Labor and the Greens are opposed to this part of the bill. |
| 6.45am BST | 6.45am BST |
| 06:45 | 06:45 |
| 6.38am BST | 6.38am BST |
| 06:38 | 06:38 |
| From question time, Labor members asked to leave the chamber included Jones, Husic, Chalmers, Butler, Perrett and Watts. | From question time, Labor members asked to leave the chamber included Jones, Husic, Chalmers, Butler, Perrett and Watts. |
| From the government side, Ewen Jones was asked to leave. | From the government side, Ewen Jones was asked to leave. |
| If it pleases you, Mr Speaker. | If it pleases you, Mr Speaker. |
| 6.29am BST | 6.29am BST |
| 06:29 | 06:29 |
| Is it getting hot in here? | Is it getting hot in here? |
| Communications minister Malcolm Turnbull #QT @gabriellechan @GuardianAus http://t.co/4w9M71U4ru pic.twitter.com/qoBzRqFMmp | Communications minister Malcolm Turnbull #QT @gabriellechan @GuardianAus http://t.co/4w9M71U4ru pic.twitter.com/qoBzRqFMmp |
| 6.22am BST | 6.22am BST |
| 06:22 | 06:22 |
| In the Senate, Daniel Hurst reports that Labor is speaking on | In the Senate, Daniel Hurst reports that Labor is speaking on |
| the need for a royal commissioner to appear to be unprejudiced and impartial. | the need for a royal commissioner to appear to be unprejudiced and impartial. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.25am BST | at 6.25am BST |