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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2016/feb/22/newspoll-shows-labor-neck-and-neck-with-the-turnbull-government-politics-live
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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
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| Senate voting legislation will go to parliament today, Turnbull says – politics live | Senate voting legislation will go to parliament today, Turnbull says – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 1.43am GMT | |
| 01:43 | |
| My Guardian Australia colleague Stan Grant is currently giving an address to the National Press Club. I’ll try and look in on that once I get a small break from Senate reform. | |
| 1.37am GMT | |
| 01:37 | |
| Two crossbench senators, David Leyonhjelm and Bob Day (Family First) have been spotted in the corridor adjacent to the prime minister’s office. Not clear whether they have popped in to have a cup of spicy chai and a chat about Senate reform, or whether this is a lunchtime constitutional. | |
| 1.33am GMT | |
| 01:33 | |
| Is there a seconder for this motion (having a gratuitous crack at the treasurer)? | |
| Labor’s Chris Bowen: | |
| The government has a problem when Scott Morrison can’t even go on Ray Hadley! | |
| (It’s true. The treasurer did miss his regular chat with Hadley this morning. We assume he was detained by the special party room meeting on Senate voting reform.) | |
| Pyne is moving that Bowen be no longer heard. | |
| 1.24am GMT | |
| 01:24 | |
| For all the good folks sweating on the Senate reform bill, here’s a link. It’s just lobbed online. | |
| 1.22am GMT | |
| 01:22 | |
| The procedural skirmishes continue. Morrison has succeeded in tabling that legislation. Now Labor is attempting to suspend the standing orders to require the treasurer to make a speech outlining policies to improve the economy. | |
| Tony Burke: | |
| Maybe he’ll want to talk about unicorns for 46 minutes. | |
| That’s enough for Pyne. He’s moving that Tony Burke be no longer heard. | |
| 1.15am GMT | 1.15am GMT |
| 01:15 | 01:15 |
| Sorry, we really can’t help ourselves. | Sorry, we really can’t help ourselves. |
| Come. We ride. | Come. We ride. |
| 1.13am GMT | 1.13am GMT |
| 01:13 | 01:13 |
| Scott Morrison wanders to the dispatch box. I’m representing the special minister of state, he notes. The former special minister of state, Mal Brough, is sitting directly behind him. | Scott Morrison wanders to the dispatch box. I’m representing the special minister of state, he notes. The former special minister of state, Mal Brough, is sitting directly behind him. |
| 1.09am GMT | 1.09am GMT |
| 01:09 | 01:09 |
| (That rather tart Burke reference about Morrison is a reference to the recent leadership challenge.) | (That rather tart Burke reference about Morrison is a reference to the recent leadership challenge.) |
| 1.07am GMT | 1.07am GMT |
| 01:07 | 01:07 |
| Manager of opposition business Tony Burke says it is ironic the treasurer is the one introducing this legislation. Scott Morrison goes to the National Press Club last week and has zero to say on jobs, Burke contends. Waffle is all he has. But chasing votes? Well, Morrison is an expert at that. A vote harvester from way back. | Manager of opposition business Tony Burke says it is ironic the treasurer is the one introducing this legislation. Scott Morrison goes to the National Press Club last week and has zero to say on jobs, Burke contends. Waffle is all he has. But chasing votes? Well, Morrison is an expert at that. A vote harvester from way back. |
| 1.04am GMT | 1.04am GMT |
| 01:04 | 01:04 |
| Manager of government business Christopher Pyne is in the house now suspending the standing orders in order to allow the Senate reform legislation to be brought on now. | Manager of government business Christopher Pyne is in the house now suspending the standing orders in order to allow the Senate reform legislation to be brought on now. |
| Pyne says the government cannot possibly be accused of lobbing this proposal without warning. There has been a wealth of debate and a parliamentary inquiry by the joint committee on electoral matters. He is clearly filibustering here. | Pyne says the government cannot possibly be accused of lobbing this proposal without warning. There has been a wealth of debate and a parliamentary inquiry by the joint committee on electoral matters. He is clearly filibustering here. |
| Ah yes I get it, he’s waiting for the treasurer to arrive. Scott Morrison will be introducing the legislation (presumably representing Cormann). | Ah yes I get it, he’s waiting for the treasurer to arrive. Scott Morrison will be introducing the legislation (presumably representing Cormann). |
| 12.51am GMT | 12.51am GMT |
| 00:51 | 00:51 |
| Quick Mathias, bung the Senate on. | Quick Mathias, bung the Senate on. |
| 12.47am GMT | 12.47am GMT |
| 00:47 | 00:47 |
| Meanwhile, what was I saying about the barricade in the red room? | Meanwhile, what was I saying about the barricade in the red room? |
| Thanks for singling me out in your power grab speech @malcolmturnbull, I will return the favour in the chamber #auspol | Thanks for singling me out in your power grab speech @malcolmturnbull, I will return the favour in the chamber #auspol |
| 12.45am GMT | 12.45am GMT |
| 00:45 | 00:45 |
| Q: Does this change advantage the Coalition? | Q: Does this change advantage the Coalition? |
| Richard Di Natale: | Richard Di Natale: |
| Look, there are claims and counter-claims about what it will do. | Look, there are claims and counter-claims about what it will do. |
| If you’re a small party, the advice I give you is: do what the Greens have done. Become a grass roots movement, get people elected at local government, at state government, into the national parliament, and you will find that you have success in this place. | If you’re a small party, the advice I give you is: do what the Greens have done. Become a grass roots movement, get people elected at local government, at state government, into the national parliament, and you will find that you have success in this place. |
| That’s how you build a political movement. | That’s how you build a political movement. |
| 12.43am GMT | 12.43am GMT |
| 00:43 | 00:43 |
| Di Natale, continuing, in response to ‘what’s in this for you’? | Di Natale, continuing, in response to ‘what’s in this for you’? |
| Ultimately, we think what we are doing is good for democracy. | Ultimately, we think what we are doing is good for democracy. |
| I don’t think it will make a big difference to the Greens’ prospects. | I don’t think it will make a big difference to the Greens’ prospects. |
| 12.42am GMT | 12.42am GMT |
| 00:42 | 00:42 |
| Greens leader Richard Di Natale is speaking to reporters outside. This is all about strengthening the democracy, he says. | Greens leader Richard Di Natale is speaking to reporters outside. This is all about strengthening the democracy, he says. |
| I understand that the Labor party – people like Gary Gray, Alan Griffin and many others I’ve spoken to privately want to see reform. They believe that we need to ensure that we have a functioning democracy. | I understand that the Labor party – people like Gary Gray, Alan Griffin and many others I’ve spoken to privately want to see reform. They believe that we need to ensure that we have a functioning democracy. |
| But there are people inside the Labor party who wield their power and influence through these back-room deals. The factional power - the factional operators inside the Labor party who wield their influence as a result of these backroom deals don’t want to see reform. Well, again, we say to them: we live in a democracy. Let’s make sure that people’s vote’s reflected in the ballot box. | But there are people inside the Labor party who wield their power and influence through these back-room deals. The factional power - the factional operators inside the Labor party who wield their influence as a result of these backroom deals don’t want to see reform. Well, again, we say to them: we live in a democracy. Let’s make sure that people’s vote’s reflected in the ballot box. |
| Di Natale cites the ABC election analyst Antony Green (who I quoted in the last post). | Di Natale cites the ABC election analyst Antony Green (who I quoted in the last post). |
| Antony Green’s made it very clear he doesn’t believe there’s a high likelihood of the Coalition getting control of the Senate. | Antony Green’s made it very clear he doesn’t believe there’s a high likelihood of the Coalition getting control of the Senate. |
| (What Di Natale doesn’t say is Green has said quite clearly this proposed change will benefit the Coalition’s position, for the reasons he outlined at the tail end of my last post.) | (What Di Natale doesn’t say is Green has said quite clearly this proposed change will benefit the Coalition’s position, for the reasons he outlined at the tail end of my last post.) |
| 12.34am GMT | 12.34am GMT |
| 00:34 | 00:34 |
| Quick translation of all that | Quick translation of all that |
| Hmm, the voters, yes. Hmm. Moving forward. Here’s the broad outline. | Hmm, the voters, yes. Hmm. Moving forward. Here’s the broad outline. |
| Here are the main points of the Senate voting reform package the government is proposing, in detail. | Here are the main points of the Senate voting reform package the government is proposing, in detail. |
| Here’s what the Greens leader, Richard Di Natale, is saying about this. | Here’s what the Greens leader, Richard Di Natale, is saying about this. |
| It is vital that Senate voting reform is in place before the next election. The Greens had proposed a series of changes to how the Senate is elected including allowing voters to determine their own preferences when they vote above the line. We understand that the proposed new voting system would instruct voters to number at least six boxes. We are pleased that the bill will end the era of back room party preference deals with the removal of group voting tickets. | It is vital that Senate voting reform is in place before the next election. The Greens had proposed a series of changes to how the Senate is elected including allowing voters to determine their own preferences when they vote above the line. We understand that the proposed new voting system would instruct voters to number at least six boxes. We are pleased that the bill will end the era of back room party preference deals with the removal of group voting tickets. |
| Here’s one very quick translation from the ABC’s election analyst, Antony Green, on this issue that Labor is concerned about: that the proposed change will boost the prospect of the Coalition winning control of the Senate. Readers with me since the opening of today’s play will know already that Bill Shorten is reserving his position on this package. | Here’s one very quick translation from the ABC’s election analyst, Antony Green, on this issue that Labor is concerned about: that the proposed change will boost the prospect of the Coalition winning control of the Senate. Readers with me since the opening of today’s play will know already that Bill Shorten is reserving his position on this package. |
| Antony Green: | Antony Green: |
| As long as the Greens are there, Labor will poll fewer votes than the Coalition. At a half Senate election, the Coalition will find it easier to win three seats than Labor because Labor’s vote is lower, and Labor will often find itself competing with the Greens for the same seat, the same final seat. So that’s what the Labor party’s concerned about, the way the voting works they’re more reliant, they will be forced to be more reliant on the Greens in the Senate, where the coalition may end up being able to govern with someone like Nick Xenophon or other crossbenchers. | As long as the Greens are there, Labor will poll fewer votes than the Coalition. At a half Senate election, the Coalition will find it easier to win three seats than Labor because Labor’s vote is lower, and Labor will often find itself competing with the Greens for the same seat, the same final seat. So that’s what the Labor party’s concerned about, the way the voting works they’re more reliant, they will be forced to be more reliant on the Greens in the Senate, where the coalition may end up being able to govern with someone like Nick Xenophon or other crossbenchers. |
| 12.19am GMT | 12.19am GMT |
| 00:19 | 00:19 |
| The prime minister has wrapped up now. Given that all got a bit choppy with the protest, I’ll come back shortly with a stocktake on Senate reform. | The prime minister has wrapped up now. Given that all got a bit choppy with the protest, I’ll come back shortly with a stocktake on Senate reform. |