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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Warren Truss to reveal his retirement plans – politics live | Warren Truss to reveal his retirement plans – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 10.18pm GMT | |
| 22:18 | |
| Shalailah Medhora | |
| In estimates, the head of the foreign affairs department, Peter Varghese is being quizzed about his knowledge of Stuart Robert’s trip to China. Varghese has told Senators the department as well as the post had no prior knowledge of the visit. He says DFAT would have found out “very soon after the visit.” Varghese has also been asked whether DFAT has contributed to the Parkinson review. “I’m not aware of Dr Parkinson seeking any information from DFAT. I’m not aware of us providing any information to Dr Parkinson.” | |
| Updated | |
| at 10.20pm GMT | |
| 10.14pm GMT | |
| 22:14 | |
| Lots of business going on in the chamber. Now Barnaby Joyce has wandered in for a brief chat with Warren Truss. | |
| 10.12pm GMT | |
| 22:12 | |
| Robert is introducing some veteran’s affairs legislation. | |
| 10.09pm GMT | |
| 22:09 | |
| Two of the main protagonists of the day, Warren Truss and Stuart Robert, are currently in the House of Representatives chamber. Truss is introducing some legislation. Robert is shuffling some papers on the frontbench. | |
| 9.45pm GMT | 9.45pm GMT |
| 21:45 | 21:45 |
| Competing at the doors with Nationals running into the future is the Labor Senator Sam Dastyari, who is probably best described as indefatigable. He’s contributing to Labor’s “government in chaos” narrative with a picture demonstrating ministerial turnover since the Abbott government was first elected. | Competing at the doors with Nationals running into the future is the Labor Senator Sam Dastyari, who is probably best described as indefatigable. He’s contributing to Labor’s “government in chaos” narrative with a picture demonstrating ministerial turnover since the Abbott government was first elected. |
| (Was that only two years ago? Seems longer, doesn’t it?) | (Was that only two years ago? Seems longer, doesn’t it?) |
| 9.38pm GMT | 9.38pm GMT |
| 21:38 | 21:38 |
| Shalailah Medhora | Shalailah Medhora |
| Before Andrew Robb spoke to reporters, he was interviewed by Radio National. Robb has been open about his struggle with depression, and told Fran Kelly this morning he would like to be more involved in the mental health space. | Before Andrew Robb spoke to reporters, he was interviewed by Radio National. Robb has been open about his struggle with depression, and told Fran Kelly this morning he would like to be more involved in the mental health space. |
| He admitted that the timing of his depressive episode “wasn’t flash”, but said he has “absolutely no regrets” about getting treatment. False assumptions about mental illness were still present, he said. “The stigma has improved, but it’s still there.” | He admitted that the timing of his depressive episode “wasn’t flash”, but said he has “absolutely no regrets” about getting treatment. False assumptions about mental illness were still present, he said. “The stigma has improved, but it’s still there.” |
| 9.34pm GMT | 9.34pm GMT |
| 21:34 | 21:34 |
| Robb is telling reporters it would be good if the Liberal party considered a woman to replace him in his seat of Goldstein. (I gather Georgina Downer, daughter of the former foreign minister Alexander Downer, is in the field.) He notes Tim Wilson and others would also be excellent candidates. | Robb is telling reporters it would be good if the Liberal party considered a woman to replace him in his seat of Goldstein. (I gather Georgina Downer, daughter of the former foreign minister Alexander Downer, is in the field.) He notes Tim Wilson and others would also be excellent candidates. |
| Wilson – currently the freedom commissioner at the Human Rights Commission – was in front of an estimates committee this week and was asked by Labor Senator Jacinta Collins about whether he had any plans to seek preselection, given there is near constant speculation about Wilson seeking preselection. | Wilson – currently the freedom commissioner at the Human Rights Commission – was in front of an estimates committee this week and was asked by Labor Senator Jacinta Collins about whether he had any plans to seek preselection, given there is near constant speculation about Wilson seeking preselection. |
| The attorney-general George Brandis headed off the question. Perhaps he knew something that we didn’t know. | The attorney-general George Brandis headed off the question. Perhaps he knew something that we didn’t know. |
| 9.25pm GMT | 9.25pm GMT |
| 21:25 | 21:25 |
| With the regeneration that took place in September .. | With the regeneration that took place in September .. |
| This is the trade minister Andrew Robb, in the corridor, executing the victory lap I flagged in the first post. He’s talking about esprit de corps in the government, post the leadership change – a cabinet that doesn’t leak anymore. | This is the trade minister Andrew Robb, in the corridor, executing the victory lap I flagged in the first post. He’s talking about esprit de corps in the government, post the leadership change – a cabinet that doesn’t leak anymore. |
| I’m thinking about Malcolm Turnbull as Peter Capaldi. | I’m thinking about Malcolm Turnbull as Peter Capaldi. |
| 9.20pm GMT | 9.20pm GMT |
| 21:20 | 21:20 |
| Good morning to Mike Bowers, who has captured a couple of Nationals Senators running towards the future. | Good morning to Mike Bowers, who has captured a couple of Nationals Senators running towards the future. |
| Yes, you saw what I did there. | Yes, you saw what I did there. |
| 9.11pm GMT | 9.11pm GMT |
| 21:11 | 21:11 |
| Truss outlining his plans will of course kick off a succession process in the National party. His natural successor is Barnaby Joyce, who is the National party’s most well known figure. Joyce has been positioning himself as the next leader of the party over the Christmas break. | Truss outlining his plans will of course kick off a succession process in the National party. His natural successor is Barnaby Joyce, who is the National party’s most well known figure. Joyce has been positioning himself as the next leader of the party over the Christmas break. |
| It’s not clear right now whether Joyce will get the leadership unopposed. Michael McCormack is not ruling out a tilt for the top job – a development that would prompt the first ballot for the Nationals leadership in twenty six years. McCormack has been on radio this morning signalling he might give it a crack. | It’s not clear right now whether Joyce will get the leadership unopposed. Michael McCormack is not ruling out a tilt for the top job – a development that would prompt the first ballot for the Nationals leadership in twenty six years. McCormack has been on radio this morning signalling he might give it a crack. |
| The real fight though is expected at the deputy leader level. McCormack would be a starter if he chooses not to challenge Joyce. Darren Chester has also confirmed that he will put his hand up for deputy. | The real fight though is expected at the deputy leader level. McCormack would be a starter if he chooses not to challenge Joyce. Darren Chester has also confirmed that he will put his hand up for deputy. |
| Darren Chester: | Darren Chester: |
| If the vacancy is available I will put my name forward to my colleagues and they will evaluate at the time. There will be many candidates for deputy because there’s so many people with the experience and the ability to step up into a more senior role. I expect several colleagues will put their names forward. | If the vacancy is available I will put my name forward to my colleagues and they will evaluate at the time. There will be many candidates for deputy because there’s so many people with the experience and the ability to step up into a more senior role. I expect several colleagues will put their names forward. |
| McCormack has predicted there would be a Melbourne Cup field for the deputy’s position. | McCormack has predicted there would be a Melbourne Cup field for the deputy’s position. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 9.13pm GMT | at 9.13pm GMT |
| 8.49pm GMT | 8.49pm GMT |
| 20:49 | 20:49 |
| Hello from the other side | Hello from the other side |
| Good morning good people and welcome to super Thursday in Canberra. I hope you’ve been hoarding food and liquids because it’s one of those days where leaving your desk will be difficult, unless of course you are reading Politics Live on your smart phone, on a treadmill, or in a nice cafe. Then you can move quite easily. Anyway, enough of moving or sitting. More of Super Thursday. | Good morning good people and welcome to super Thursday in Canberra. I hope you’ve been hoarding food and liquids because it’s one of those days where leaving your desk will be difficult, unless of course you are reading Politics Live on your smart phone, on a treadmill, or in a nice cafe. Then you can move quite easily. Anyway, enough of moving or sitting. More of Super Thursday. |
| Today, in no particular order, we expect the trade minister Andrew Robb to perform the odd victory lap (he confirmed last night his intention to retire at the next election); we expect some rampant speculation about who might replace Robb in his Victorian seat (people are telling me Tim Wilson, currently at the Human Rights Commission, is likely to make a strong play for Goldstein); we expect the Parkinson review – a process that will determine the immediate future of the human services minister Stuart Robert (current guidance is we’ll get that before question time); and we expect Warren Truss – an enigma wrapped up in a riddle – to lay out a timetable for his exit from politics. Bless him. | Today, in no particular order, we expect the trade minister Andrew Robb to perform the odd victory lap (he confirmed last night his intention to retire at the next election); we expect some rampant speculation about who might replace Robb in his Victorian seat (people are telling me Tim Wilson, currently at the Human Rights Commission, is likely to make a strong play for Goldstein); we expect the Parkinson review – a process that will determine the immediate future of the human services minister Stuart Robert (current guidance is we’ll get that before question time); and we expect Warren Truss – an enigma wrapped up in a riddle – to lay out a timetable for his exit from politics. Bless him. |
| And parliament is sitting and Senate estimates is doing its thing and a bunch of reporters are hot on the trail of ministers and donor mates and Rolex watches as a subset of the Robert controversy. | And parliament is sitting and Senate estimates is doing its thing and a bunch of reporters are hot on the trail of ministers and donor mates and Rolex watches as a subset of the Robert controversy. |
| On that front, here is the front page of the Herald Sun this morning. This picture is what’s known in our business as a bad look. | On that front, here is the front page of the Herald Sun this morning. This picture is what’s known in our business as a bad look. |
| Tomorrows @theheraldsun front page tonight #auspol #springst full story at https://t.co/59TlROAn8X pic.twitter.com/4r4WRkwaLz | Tomorrows @theheraldsun front page tonight #auspol #springst full story at https://t.co/59TlROAn8X pic.twitter.com/4r4WRkwaLz |
| Ellen Whinnett and Fiona Hudson report that Robert organised a dinner in his parliament house office with Tony Abbott and a Chinese business mogul, Li Ruipeng, at the request of his donor mate, Paul Marks. This dinner took place three months before the election in 2013. | Ellen Whinnett and Fiona Hudson report that Robert organised a dinner in his parliament house office with Tony Abbott and a Chinese business mogul, Li Ruipeng, at the request of his donor mate, Paul Marks. This dinner took place three months before the election in 2013. |
| The Chinese businessman presented the group with Rolex watches – a development we learned about yesterday – and the Herald Sun reports this morning the MPs returned the generous gifts to Mr Marks, not to Mr Li, “because by the time they realised that the watches were not fake, Mr Li had disappeared.” | The Chinese businessman presented the group with Rolex watches – a development we learned about yesterday – and the Herald Sun reports this morning the MPs returned the generous gifts to Mr Marks, not to Mr Li, “because by the time they realised that the watches were not fake, Mr Li had disappeared.” |
| It’s interesting to note in the story a spokesman for Tony Abbott volunteers the fact that the now treasurer Scott Morrison was also present during the evening. Morrison for some reason missed being in the photo. Generous of the Abbott office to provide the fact check. | It’s interesting to note in the story a spokesman for Tony Abbott volunteers the fact that the now treasurer Scott Morrison was also present during the evening. Morrison for some reason missed being in the photo. Generous of the Abbott office to provide the fact check. |
| Anyway this is a chunky opening post, and I know you’ll be keen to kick off your own conversation. So the comments thread is now open for your thoughts, and you can find Magic Mike and I on the twits @mpbowers and @murpharoo | Anyway this is a chunky opening post, and I know you’ll be keen to kick off your own conversation. So the comments thread is now open for your thoughts, and you can find Magic Mike and I on the twits @mpbowers and @murpharoo |
| Perform some light stretches, jog lightly on the spot, and keep the ibuprofren handy. Here comes Thursday. | Perform some light stretches, jog lightly on the spot, and keep the ibuprofren handy. Here comes Thursday. |