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| Peter Dutton heads to Geneva for talks on Syrian refugee crisis – politics live | Peter Dutton heads to Geneva for talks on Syrian refugee crisis – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 12.48am BST00:48 | |
| Who wore it best? | |
| Sadly I have to swerve away from the bromance on Hadley to listen in to the foreign minister Julie Bishop, who is intent with reporters on setting the record straight about Kosovo and special refugee intakes. ‘Josh, who?’ | |
| Q: Josh Frydenberg suggested a ... | |
| Julie Bishop: | |
| No, I said that yesterday. | |
| I actually spoke about the Kosovo matter yesterday and said that’s something we should consider and that’s something that I will be raising with other foreign ministers – whether that’s an international response that would work in these circumstances and we’ll certainly take advice on that. | |
| 12.41am BST00:41 | |
| From Alan Jones, to Ray Hadley. Social services minister Scott Morrison is currently having his weekly fireside chat with Hadley, the Sydney radio host. Hadley wants to know how Morrison would he characterise the first two years of the Abbott government? | |
| Scott Morrison: | |
| Busy and effective. | |
| 12.38am BST00:38 | |
| Persisting with anger. Down in the thread, a kind reader has drawn my attention to this page from Lock the Gate which is a crowdsourcing exercise to raise funds to get the Jones anti-lawfare ad on the air. Evidently enough funds have been raised to get the ad as far as Sky News. | |
| 12.28am BST00:28 | |
| In case you are checking in while you are in the coffee line ... | |
| The morning has been brisk enough to warrant a quick summary in the event you are chancing a sneaky look at Politics Live while out for a cronut which you will later deny ever consuming. | |
| Today, Monday: | |
| Refugees: | |
| Polls: | |
| Ambivalence: | |
| Anger: | |
| Updated at 12.39am BST | |
| 12.15am BST00:15 | |
| We (the royal Guardian Australia Canberra bureau plural) are making some inquiries to see who is funding the Jones ads. The Sky version has an authorisation from a person we believe is connected with Lock the Gate. | |
| Updated at 12.37am BST | |
| 12.08am BST00:08 | 12.08am BST00:08 |
| It isolates us, it means we are not allowed to care. | It isolates us, it means we are not allowed to care. |
| Thanks muchly to Kate Ausburn who flicked me the link via Twitter. | Thanks muchly to Kate Ausburn who flicked me the link via Twitter. |
| 11.53pm BST23:53 | 11.53pm BST23:53 |
| Angry Alan | Angry Alan |
| The voluble broadcaster and Abbott confidant Alan Jones is fronting a new advertising campaign against the Abbott government’s “lawfare” changes – the changes that aim to limit the number of people who can intervene in court actions on environmental grounds against big developments. Alan is unhappy, the changes he says are undemocratic and divisive. | |
| It is quite simply, unbelievable. | It is quite simply, unbelievable. |
| The ad has been running on Sky News this morning. | The ad has been running on Sky News this morning. |
| Updated at 12.36am BST | |
| 11.43pm BST23:43 | 11.43pm BST23:43 |
| What would John Howard do? | What would John Howard do? |
| Shalailah Medhora | Shalailah Medhora |
| Just for the record, here’s what Josh Frydenberg said on asylum this morning. | Just for the record, here’s what Josh Frydenberg said on asylum this morning. |
| Maybe what John Howard did in 1999 with the Kosovans could be a bit of a guide for us. He took 4000 at that time. | Maybe what John Howard did in 1999 with the Kosovans could be a bit of a guide for us. He took 4000 at that time. |
| Some of those went home, but he did provide humanitarian response and shelter for those people who are fleeing persecution. | Some of those went home, but he did provide humanitarian response and shelter for those people who are fleeing persecution. |
| There is a very good case here for a specific response to what we are seeing from those tragic pictures in Europe. | There is a very good case here for a specific response to what we are seeing from those tragic pictures in Europe. |
| Updated at 12.02am BST | Updated at 12.02am BST |
| 11.39pm BST23:39 | 11.39pm BST23:39 |
| Speaking of jogging on the spot, the trade minister, Andrew Robb, is being asked whether he agrees with Josh Frydenberg’s call this morning to do more on refugees. Does Robb agree with Frydenberg’s argument that John Howard during his prime ministership made an exception for refugees from Kosovo, so Tony Abbott could do the same thing with the Syrians now? | Speaking of jogging on the spot, the trade minister, Andrew Robb, is being asked whether he agrees with Josh Frydenberg’s call this morning to do more on refugees. Does Robb agree with Frydenberg’s argument that John Howard during his prime ministership made an exception for refugees from Kosovo, so Tony Abbott could do the same thing with the Syrians now? |
| Andrew Robb: | Andrew Robb: |
| We’ll have to wait and see. We’ll do this in a considered way. | We’ll have to wait and see. We’ll do this in a considered way. |
| Updated at 12.01am BST | Updated at 12.01am BST |
| 11.35pm BST23:35 | 11.35pm BST23:35 |
| Mikearoo threw in a question to our star baker about whether or not he intended to centrally approve all stunts performed by Xenophon candidates in the forthcoming federal election. This would, to our observation, be a full time gig. Xenophon reserved his position. | Mikearoo threw in a question to our star baker about whether or not he intended to centrally approve all stunts performed by Xenophon candidates in the forthcoming federal election. This would, to our observation, be a full time gig. Xenophon reserved his position. |
| Speaking of reserving positions and keeping options open – if you are confused by the prime minister on Syrian refugees this morning, don’t worry. | Speaking of reserving positions and keeping options open – if you are confused by the prime minister on Syrian refugees this morning, don’t worry. |
| Tony Abbott is in fact saying we will do more and we will not do more, simultaneously. Jogging on the spot. Keeping an eye to the prevailing winds. | Tony Abbott is in fact saying we will do more and we will not do more, simultaneously. Jogging on the spot. Keeping an eye to the prevailing winds. |
| Yes, no, maybe. Strong and cuddly. | Yes, no, maybe. Strong and cuddly. |
| 11.27pm BST23:27 | 11.27pm BST23:27 |
| Good morning, Mikearoo, and good morning, Nick Xenophon, who has whipped up a submarine cake to remind the prime minister about his pre-election promise to build submarines in Adelaide. | Good morning, Mikearoo, and good morning, Nick Xenophon, who has whipped up a submarine cake to remind the prime minister about his pre-election promise to build submarines in Adelaide. |
| Happy days on the doors. | Happy days on the doors. |
| Updated at 12.00am BST | Updated at 12.00am BST |
| 11.23pm BST23:23 | 11.23pm BST23:23 |
| Shalailah Medhora | Shalailah Medhora |
| Ever the optimist, the assistant treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, on Sky just now, on the new Newspoll: | Ever the optimist, the assistant treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, on Sky just now, on the new Newspoll: |
| There’s also a glass half full in every poll, and I can see that our primary vote has gone up in today’s poll. | There’s also a glass half full in every poll, and I can see that our primary vote has gone up in today’s poll. |
| Phil Hudson, writing in the Australian about the Newspoll and the government’s primary vote. | Phil Hudson, writing in the Australian about the Newspoll and the government’s primary vote. |
| The poll of 1655 voters shows the Coalition’s primary vote recovered one point over the past fortnight to 39% but is 6.6 points lower than the election-winning result of 45.6%. | The poll of 1655 voters shows the Coalition’s primary vote recovered one point over the past fortnight to 39% but is 6.6 points lower than the election-winning result of 45.6%. |
| Updated at 11.59pm BST | Updated at 11.59pm BST |
| 11.20pm BST23:20 | 11.20pm BST23:20 |
| A cunning (invisible) plan and Canberra gossip | A cunning (invisible) plan and Canberra gossip |
| Out at potting mix central, the prime minister also got a couple of questions on polls and internals. Answering a question about the clear poll trend that shows the government would be cleaned up in any election held now, Tony Abbott offered ... | Out at potting mix central, the prime minister also got a couple of questions on polls and internals. Answering a question about the clear poll trend that shows the government would be cleaned up in any election held now, Tony Abbott offered ... |
| We are sticking with the plan. We have a plan to get taxes down, to get regulation down, to get productivity up, to create jobs, to reduce taxes, to boost prosperity. The plan is working and we are sticking with it. | We are sticking with the plan. We have a plan to get taxes down, to get regulation down, to get productivity up, to create jobs, to reduce taxes, to boost prosperity. The plan is working and we are sticking with it. |
| (The Plan. The Plan. The Plan. If I can ever leave my desk and get to a press conference I’ll inquire what this plan actually is because it’s not entirely evident from my slightly distant live post. A cunning plan, this one.) | (The Plan. The Plan. The Plan. If I can ever leave my desk and get to a press conference I’ll inquire what this plan actually is because it’s not entirely evident from my slightly distant live post. A cunning plan, this one.) |
| Then about the burst of Get Hockey which I flagged first up. How frustrating are the continuing reports about Hockey’s future? | Then about the burst of Get Hockey which I flagged first up. How frustrating are the continuing reports about Hockey’s future? |
| Abbott: | Abbott: |
| I just don’t get into Canberra gossip. | I just don’t get into Canberra gossip. |
| (Apart from suggesting none too gently on breakfast TV this morning that the treasurer may or may not be the treasurer this time next year, that is. Apart from that digression, our prime minister is a strictly gossip free zone.) | (Apart from suggesting none too gently on breakfast TV this morning that the treasurer may or may not be the treasurer this time next year, that is. Apart from that digression, our prime minister is a strictly gossip free zone.) |
| In Turkey, interviewed by the ABC after a weekend G20 meeting, Joe Hockey for his part had the official talking point too. How about all this static around you and your position as treasurer? | In Turkey, interviewed by the ABC after a weekend G20 meeting, Joe Hockey for his part had the official talking point too. How about all this static around you and your position as treasurer? |
| Joe Hockey: | Joe Hockey: |
| That’s just gossip. I’m focused on doing the job the treasurer should do. | That’s just gossip. I’m focused on doing the job the treasurer should do. |
| I don’t respond to gossip. | I don’t respond to gossip. |
| Updated at 11.58pm BST | Updated at 11.58pm BST |
| 11.06pm BST23:06 | 11.06pm BST23:06 |
| The assault of the open microphone continues. Tony Abbott is now outside in Pialligo flanked by about 10 colleagues. He’s moved to a press conference. | The assault of the open microphone continues. Tony Abbott is now outside in Pialligo flanked by about 10 colleagues. He’s moved to a press conference. |
| Abbott is asked about Josh Frydenberg’s off piste comments which I referenced in the first post: Australia can do more and should do more. | Abbott is asked about Josh Frydenberg’s off piste comments which I referenced in the first post: Australia can do more and should do more. |
| Q: What would you say to him and other Liberal members that would like to see an increased intake from Syria the overall humanitarian intake from Australia? | Q: What would you say to him and other Liberal members that would like to see an increased intake from Syria the overall humanitarian intake from Australia? |
| Abbott: | Abbott: |
| That is exactly what we are doing. Last year, the conflict in Syria and Iraq was responsible for some 30% of our overall intake. The overall intake is going up to 18,000 in the next couple of years. This is one of the dividends of stopping the boats. Because we have stopped the boats, it’s the Australian government which is now able to select people who come in under our refugee and humanitarian intake. | That is exactly what we are doing. Last year, the conflict in Syria and Iraq was responsible for some 30% of our overall intake. The overall intake is going up to 18,000 in the next couple of years. This is one of the dividends of stopping the boats. Because we have stopped the boats, it’s the Australian government which is now able to select people who come in under our refugee and humanitarian intake. |
| Under the former government it was the people smugglers doing the selection. So now we are in a position to say there is a crisis in Syria. We are prepared to respond. And we will take from camps family groups of persecuted minorities. | Under the former government it was the people smugglers doing the selection. So now we are in a position to say there is a crisis in Syria. We are prepared to respond. And we will take from camps family groups of persecuted minorities. |
| That is what we will do. | That is what we will do. |
| Q: New Zealand prime minister John Key is going to take hundreds of extra Syrian refugees above their annual humanitarian intake of 750. Can you see any circumstance in which Australia should take increased Syrian refugees outside of the humanitarian intake that we are already taking in? | Q: New Zealand prime minister John Key is going to take hundreds of extra Syrian refugees above their annual humanitarian intake of 750. Can you see any circumstance in which Australia should take increased Syrian refugees outside of the humanitarian intake that we are already taking in? |
| Abbott: | Abbott: |
| I think your question says it all. New Zealand takes 700. We take 13,750 now, and we are building up to 18,000. On a per capita basis Australia takes more refugees through the UN high commissioner for refugees than any other country. | I think your question says it all. New Zealand takes 700. We take 13,750 now, and we are building up to 18,000. On a per capita basis Australia takes more refugees through the UN high commissioner for refugees than any other country. |
| And, yes, good on New Zealand for announcing that they’re going to take a few hundred. Australia has already taken 4500. Australia has already taken 4500 and, yes, we will do more. We will do more because this is an ongoing crisis. | And, yes, good on New Zealand for announcing that they’re going to take a few hundred. Australia has already taken 4500. Australia has already taken 4500 and, yes, we will do more. We will do more because this is an ongoing crisis. |
| Q: If the UNHCR suggests to minister Dutton we should increase Australia’s humanitarian intake would that be considered by the Abbott government? | Q: If the UNHCR suggests to minister Dutton we should increase Australia’s humanitarian intake would that be considered by the Abbott government? |
| Abbott: | Abbott: |
| Let’s not pre-empt the results of those discussions. | Let’s not pre-empt the results of those discussions. |
| What we are determined to do is to take more people from Syria and that war-torn part of the world as a response to this particular crisis, but again I stress we are taking people from camps because the last thing we want to do is to encourage and reward people smuggling. | What we are determined to do is to take more people from Syria and that war-torn part of the world as a response to this particular crisis, but again I stress we are taking people from camps because the last thing we want to do is to encourage and reward people smuggling. |
| We are taking people from camps and we are taking family groups; our focus will be on family groups, from persecuted minorities. | We are taking people from camps and we are taking family groups; our focus will be on family groups, from persecuted minorities. |
| Updated at 11.57pm BST | Updated at 11.57pm BST |
| 10.51pm BST22:51 | 10.51pm BST22:51 |
| A morning of strong expectations and stepping up | A morning of strong expectations and stepping up |
| Hello lovely people and welcome to Monday in Canberra. It’s only early in the parliamentary day but the immigration minister, Peter Dutton, is winging his way to Geneva for talks on the Syrian refugee crisis. The prime minister is in Pialligo, a place of potting mix, garden ornaments, hipster pottery and smoked goods. Tony Abbott’s purpose in Pialligo is to be open for business, to have a plan, and stick to it. | Hello lovely people and welcome to Monday in Canberra. It’s only early in the parliamentary day but the immigration minister, Peter Dutton, is winging his way to Geneva for talks on the Syrian refugee crisis. The prime minister is in Pialligo, a place of potting mix, garden ornaments, hipster pottery and smoked goods. Tony Abbott’s purpose in Pialligo is to be open for business, to have a plan, and stick to it. |
| The prime minister has done a live cross to breakfast television, where he is asked whether Australia should boost its refugee intake to the level under the previous Labor government, not just take more people from Syria from within the current quota, which is what the prime minister has signalled his government will do. | The prime minister has done a live cross to breakfast television, where he is asked whether Australia should boost its refugee intake to the level under the previous Labor government, not just take more people from Syria from within the current quota, which is what the prime minister has signalled his government will do. |
| Tony Abbott thinks probs not ... | Tony Abbott thinks probs not ... |
| Let’s not forget under the former government that number [the humanitarian intake] was filled by the people smugglers. | Let’s not forget under the former government that number [the humanitarian intake] was filled by the people smugglers. |
| But then again ... | But then again ... |
| We are looking at what more we can do. As well as a strong security response we need a strong humanitarian one. | We are looking at what more we can do. As well as a strong security response we need a strong humanitarian one. |
| (Separately on Sky News, the assistant treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, thinks Australia can do more and should do more. Separately again on Radio National, the opposition defence spokesman, Stephen Conroy, points to Labor’s commitment to double the humanitarian intake, from 13,000 to 27,000. That is stepping up.) | (Separately on Sky News, the assistant treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, thinks Australia can do more and should do more. Separately again on Radio National, the opposition defence spokesman, Stephen Conroy, points to Labor’s commitment to double the humanitarian intake, from 13,000 to 27,000. That is stepping up.) |
| Switching back to Abbott, the prime minister notes that Australia is involved in airstrikes against the death cult, and he reasons it is very important to do what we can over time to restore order in a difficult part of the world. (Hint hint. Better bomb Syria. Hint hint.) If your eyes have been firmly elsewhere during the non-sitting weeks, we expect the government to make a decision about whether to expand Australia’s operations into Syria this week. Labor thus far has only supported action in Iraq. (Separately on Radio National, Stephen Conroy: when it comes to Syria, we need a briefing, and we need legal advice. We want answers before we give a commitment.) | Switching back to Abbott, the prime minister notes that Australia is involved in airstrikes against the death cult, and he reasons it is very important to do what we can over time to restore order in a difficult part of the world. (Hint hint. Better bomb Syria. Hint hint.) If your eyes have been firmly elsewhere during the non-sitting weeks, we expect the government to make a decision about whether to expand Australia’s operations into Syria this week. Labor thus far has only supported action in Iraq. (Separately on Radio National, Stephen Conroy: when it comes to Syria, we need a briefing, and we need legal advice. We want answers before we give a commitment.) |
| Switching back to Pialligo, the prime minister is also asked about the Newspoll on the government’s second anniversary of taking power. Like the 29 Newspolls before it, it shows Labor would win a federal election held today at a gallop. Abbott is pointed towards his disapproval rating of 63%. | Switching back to Pialligo, the prime minister is also asked about the Newspoll on the government’s second anniversary of taking power. Like the 29 Newspolls before it, it shows Labor would win a federal election held today at a gallop. Abbott is pointed towards his disapproval rating of 63%. |
| Q: How does that make you feel today? | Q: How does that make you feel today? |
| There’s a sense in which politicians can never work hard enough. | There’s a sense in which politicians can never work hard enough. |
| There’s always a long way to go, but we have a plan, Sam, and we are sticking to the plan. | There’s always a long way to go, but we have a plan, Sam, and we are sticking to the plan. |
| Q: Will Joe Hockey still be the treasurer if the government gets a three-year anniversary? | Q: Will Joe Hockey still be the treasurer if the government gets a three-year anniversary? |
| That’s my very strong expectation, Sam. | That’s my very strong expectation, Sam. |
| Gulp. Again if you’ve had your eyes firmly averted during the non-sitting period, there’s been a unseemly burst of “get Joe” – colleagues briefing various reporters anonymously about the treasurer’s deficiencies. There seems to be some persistent sort of delusion in some quarters of the government that dumping Joe Hockey will solve the government’s problems. It really won’t, but by all means, dream on good peeps. | Gulp. Again if you’ve had your eyes firmly averted during the non-sitting period, there’s been a unseemly burst of “get Joe” – colleagues briefing various reporters anonymously about the treasurer’s deficiencies. There seems to be some persistent sort of delusion in some quarters of the government that dumping Joe Hockey will solve the government’s problems. It really won’t, but by all means, dream on good peeps. |
| That’s enough for a first post. Apologies for choppy opening. Our politicians are lurching on to every open microphone available. They’ve missed you all, and I confess, so have I. Clear your throats and flex your fingers. The Politics Live comments thread is open for your business and you can find Mikearoo and me on the twits @murpharoo and @mpbowers | That’s enough for a first post. Apologies for choppy opening. Our politicians are lurching on to every open microphone available. They’ve missed you all, and I confess, so have I. Clear your throats and flex your fingers. The Politics Live comments thread is open for your business and you can find Mikearoo and me on the twits @murpharoo and @mpbowers |
| Buckle in. Here comes Monday. | Buckle in. Here comes Monday. |
| Updated at 11.54pm BST | Updated at 11.54pm BST |