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| Labor targets Scott Morrrison over negative gearing – question time live | Labor targets Scott Morrrison over negative gearing – question time live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 5.33am GMT | |
| 05:33 | |
| Shalailah Medhora | |
| Rolling back slightly. The education minister, Simon Birmingham, spoke to media before question time. He issued a “final warning” to four Islamic schools whose Commonwealth funding is under review, telling them they must clean up their act by April 11 or face being cut off. | |
| The four schools - in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth - are accused of not being properly accountable for public funds. All four are affiliated with the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (Afic). Another two Afic affiliated schools - in Sydney and Canberra - has already had its funding axed. | |
| Birmingham said the schools must clean up their act. “It is very clear that this is a last chance and a final warning that these four schools must ensure that they comply with the conditions that they have offered to the Commonwealth,” he said. | |
| Afic has told Guardian Australia that it will appeal the decision to cut off funding for its Sydney and Canberra schools, but as of Wednesday afternoon, the Department of Education had not received any notices of appeal. | |
| 5.31am GMT | |
| 05:31 | |
| Ben Doherty | |
| Meanwhile, in the other chamber, the Greens have introduced a private member’s bill into the Senate that would prohibit offshore detention for children and limit the time under-18s can be held in immigration detention in Australia to 30 days. | |
| The ‘Migration Amendment (Free The Children) 2015’ Bill would also mandate that children currently held on Nauru be returned to Australia. Introducing the bill, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young told the Senate “children do not belong in detention”. | |
| “This bill will protect the children in Australia and on Nauru. It’s high time the government stopped locking up children and I appeal to my Senate colleagues to back this essential reform.” | |
| But the bill is not expected to win support from either Coalition or Labor Senators. | |
| Both major parties support the policy of mandatory detention of boat-borne asylum seekers arriving in Australia, including children. | |
| Mandatory detention was introduced by Labor in 1992, and originally had a time limit of 273 days detention for anybody. The time limit was abandoned in 1994. | |
| Offshore processing began under the Howard government in 2001, and was reinstated by Julia Gillard in 2011. | |
| 5.21am GMT | |
| 05:21 | |
| Proving that all is fair in love, war and suspensions of the standing orders. | |
| 5.16am GMT | |
| 05:16 | |
| Brilliant shot from Magic Mike. I’m sure Gray’s sidelining has absolutely nothing to do with the pitched battle that has riven Labor for months – with Gray on the side of reforming the Senate voting system, and Labor’s Senate leadership on the side of rejecting the government’s proposal. Nothing to do with that I’m sure. | |
| 5.13am GMT | |
| 05:13 | |
| The Labor leader Bill Shorten announced just before question time that the former special minister of state, Gary Gray, had been relieved of his portfolio command. Gray will remain shadow minister for resources until he retires at the coming poll, but SMOS (my favourite acronym, SMOS) will now sit with Brendan O’Connor. | |
| (Who, him? Yes, me.) | |
| 4.56am GMT | 4.56am GMT |
| 04:56 | 04:56 |
| There’s a few things to catch up on. Give me a few minutes to survey the field and I’ll be back with the remainder of the political afternoon. | There’s a few things to catch up on. Give me a few minutes to survey the field and I’ll be back with the remainder of the political afternoon. |
| 4.55am GMT | 4.55am GMT |
| 04:55 | 04:55 |
| The result of the division means we are not considering marriage equality this afternoon. Put up your hand if you are shocked? | The result of the division means we are not considering marriage equality this afternoon. Put up your hand if you are shocked? |
| 4.53am GMT | 4.53am GMT |
| 04:53 | 04:53 |
| 4.51am GMT | 4.51am GMT |
| 04:51 | 04:51 |
| Labor’s point in this debate is Malcolm Turnbull has broken the hearts of all gay and lesbian people by not pressing ahead with marriage equality. If you believe in representative democracy then you’ve got to believe parliament can resolve marriage equality with a free vote, so let’s spare the public an expensive and divisive plebscite and bring on the resolution. Like, this arvo. Those arguments have been put by Terri Butler (pictured in the last post) and by Labor’s deputy leader Tanya Plibersek. | Labor’s point in this debate is Malcolm Turnbull has broken the hearts of all gay and lesbian people by not pressing ahead with marriage equality. If you believe in representative democracy then you’ve got to believe parliament can resolve marriage equality with a free vote, so let’s spare the public an expensive and divisive plebscite and bring on the resolution. Like, this arvo. Those arguments have been put by Terri Butler (pictured in the last post) and by Labor’s deputy leader Tanya Plibersek. |
| The government response, articulated by Christopher Pyne, was this is too serious an issue to be the subject of a political stunt. I, Christopher Pyne, will be campaigning for marriage equality because the time has come to sort this out. We have a process for sorting it out. And excuse me, isn’t Labor’s policy for a conscience vote now followed by a bound vote – and didn’t you just lose a senator (Joe Bullock) over that policy last night? Does that policy actually make sense to anyone? (No, was the Pyne view.) In any case, was his final contribution, if you want to actually do something, we could make sure we pass a bill ensuring that a yes vote in a plebiscite becomes a tick and flick issue after the next election. You, know, if you want to do something apart from posture. | The government response, articulated by Christopher Pyne, was this is too serious an issue to be the subject of a political stunt. I, Christopher Pyne, will be campaigning for marriage equality because the time has come to sort this out. We have a process for sorting it out. And excuse me, isn’t Labor’s policy for a conscience vote now followed by a bound vote – and didn’t you just lose a senator (Joe Bullock) over that policy last night? Does that policy actually make sense to anyone? (No, was the Pyne view.) In any case, was his final contribution, if you want to actually do something, we could make sure we pass a bill ensuring that a yes vote in a plebiscite becomes a tick and flick issue after the next election. You, know, if you want to do something apart from posture. |
| That’s the summary. The House is dividing now. | That’s the summary. The House is dividing now. |
| 4.41am GMT | 4.41am GMT |
| 04:41 | 04:41 |
| 4.37am GMT | 4.37am GMT |
| 04:37 | 04:37 |
| Ok, back to present tense. | Ok, back to present tense. |
| Here’s the motion that has just been moved by Labor MP Terri Butler. This is an attempt to force a free vote today on marriage equality, ahead of Mardi Gras this weekend. | Here’s the motion that has just been moved by Labor MP Terri Butler. This is an attempt to force a free vote today on marriage equality, ahead of Mardi Gras this weekend. |
| I seek leave to move the following motion — | I seek leave to move the following motion — |
| The House: | The House: |
| 1. Notes: | 1. Notes: |
| a. The prime minister has previously said he supports a free vote on marriage equality; | a. The prime minister has previously said he supports a free vote on marriage equality; |
| b. Former prime minister John Howard supports a free vote on marriage equality; | b. Former prime minister John Howard supports a free vote on marriage equality; |
| c. Members of the prime minister’s own party have said that they would not respect the result of the prime minister’s plebiscite on marriage equality; | c. Members of the prime minister’s own party have said that they would not respect the result of the prime minister’s plebiscite on marriage equality; |
| d. A plebiscite on marriage equality would cause a divisive national debate, which would harm community cohesion and give voice to extreme bigotry; and | d. A plebiscite on marriage equality would cause a divisive national debate, which would harm community cohesion and give voice to extreme bigotry; and |
| e. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex Australians and their families are just as valued as every other member of the Australian community; and | e. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex Australians and their families are just as valued as every other member of the Australian community; and |
| 2. Calls on the prime minister to be the prime minister that Australians hoped he would be and allow a free vote in the parliament on marriage equality; and | 2. Calls on the prime minister to be the prime minister that Australians hoped he would be and allow a free vote in the parliament on marriage equality; and |
| 3. Suspends so much of the standing and sessional orders as would prevent Private Members’ Business Order of the Day No. 1 in the Federation Chamber relating to the Marriage Legislation Amendment Bill 2015, being returned to the House for further consideration, being called on immediately and being given priority over all other business for passage through all stages by no later than 6.30pm on Wednesday, 2 March 2016, with the question on the second reading being put immediately. | 3. Suspends so much of the standing and sessional orders as would prevent Private Members’ Business Order of the Day No. 1 in the Federation Chamber relating to the Marriage Legislation Amendment Bill 2015, being returned to the House for further consideration, being called on immediately and being given priority over all other business for passage through all stages by no later than 6.30pm on Wednesday, 2 March 2016, with the question on the second reading being put immediately. |
| 4.31am GMT | 4.31am GMT |
| 04:31 | 04:31 |
| As escalations go, this one is pretty serious | As escalations go, this one is pretty serious |
| A live blog requires you to keep moving, always. But it is equally important that we stop periodically to make sure things don’t get lost in the wash. | A live blog requires you to keep moving, always. But it is equally important that we stop periodically to make sure things don’t get lost in the wash. |
| So today, this happened. A former prime minister Tony Abbott decided to defend his legacy in an interview with the The Australian newspaper. He, Tony Abbott told The Australian that he, Tony Abbott, would have built Australia’s new fleet of submarines sooner than the man who replaced him, Malcolm Turnbull. The Australian had copies of documents that seemed to bear out Abbott’s arguments, confidential NSC documents no less. As vanquished leader tantrums go, this was a good one, following on from foot stamping in the Coalition partyroom meeting on Tuesday on budget strategy. | So today, this happened. A former prime minister Tony Abbott decided to defend his legacy in an interview with the The Australian newspaper. He, Tony Abbott told The Australian that he, Tony Abbott, would have built Australia’s new fleet of submarines sooner than the man who replaced him, Malcolm Turnbull. The Australian had copies of documents that seemed to bear out Abbott’s arguments, confidential NSC documents no less. As vanquished leader tantrums go, this was a good one, following on from foot stamping in the Coalition partyroom meeting on Tuesday on budget strategy. |
| Turnbull had two options today: ignore the provocation or double down and go to war. He’s chosen go to war of his two options. There is now a police investigation into the leak to The Australian. Turnbull also gave a different version of Abbott’s history to the House in the first and second questions in question time today, a version he was at pains to point out was backed by Australia’s defence chiefs. | Turnbull had two options today: ignore the provocation or double down and go to war. He’s chosen go to war of his two options. There is now a police investigation into the leak to The Australian. Turnbull also gave a different version of Abbott’s history to the House in the first and second questions in question time today, a version he was at pains to point out was backed by Australia’s defence chiefs. |
| Turnbull chose to greet Abbott’s provocation on Tuesday with obsequiousness. Not today. As escalations go, this one is pretty serious. | Turnbull chose to greet Abbott’s provocation on Tuesday with obsequiousness. Not today. As escalations go, this one is pretty serious. |
| 4.17am GMT | 4.17am GMT |
| 04:17 | 04:17 |
| Further questions have been placed on the notice paper. | Further questions have been placed on the notice paper. |
| Labor is moving now in the House to stir the pot on marriage equality. I’ll keep an ear on that obviously, but I think it’s more important right now that I give you a quick summary of the implications of that question time session. Be back with that in a minute. | Labor is moving now in the House to stir the pot on marriage equality. I’ll keep an ear on that obviously, but I think it’s more important right now that I give you a quick summary of the implications of that question time session. Be back with that in a minute. |
| 4.14am GMT | 4.14am GMT |
| 04:14 | 04:14 |
| Labor’s Jenny Macklin, to the prime minister. | Labor’s Jenny Macklin, to the prime minister. |
| Q: Isn’t it the case that by not addressing what the treasurer calls excesses or enthusiasms in negative gearing the prime minister is choosing to protect tax breaks for people buying their seventh house instead of protecting older Australians from cutting to their pensions? | Q: Isn’t it the case that by not addressing what the treasurer calls excesses or enthusiasms in negative gearing the prime minister is choosing to protect tax breaks for people buying their seventh house instead of protecting older Australians from cutting to their pensions? |
| Turnbull says housing affordability is a big issue, but it’s predominantly a state issue because its about land release and zoning. | Turnbull says housing affordability is a big issue, but it’s predominantly a state issue because its about land release and zoning. |
| He insists Labor hasn’t thought through the consequences of its negative gearing policy. | He insists Labor hasn’t thought through the consequences of its negative gearing policy. |
| The treasurer spoke earlier about the apartment developments. And the fact that most of the buyers for apartments in most of our cities, particularly in close to the city where the member for Sydney’s electorate is and where my electorate is, are investors, because the properties are typically rented out. They’re rental properties. | The treasurer spoke earlier about the apartment developments. And the fact that most of the buyers for apartments in most of our cities, particularly in close to the city where the member for Sydney’s electorate is and where my electorate is, are investors, because the properties are typically rented out. They’re rental properties. |
| What the Opposition’s policy will do is have this very adverse effect. It will have this very adverse effect. The Opposition’s policy would mean that investors would be able to buy an apartment off the plan from Meriton or Mirvac or somebody like that, but then when they chose to sell that apartment they would not be able to sell it to an investor. Yet that is the market. So that would have the consequence of not only reducing the value of those apartments on the resale, but it would also start progressively reduce the stock of housing that was available for rental. | What the Opposition’s policy will do is have this very adverse effect. It will have this very adverse effect. The Opposition’s policy would mean that investors would be able to buy an apartment off the plan from Meriton or Mirvac or somebody like that, but then when they chose to sell that apartment they would not be able to sell it to an investor. Yet that is the market. So that would have the consequence of not only reducing the value of those apartments on the resale, but it would also start progressively reduce the stock of housing that was available for rental. |
| 4.07am GMT | 4.07am GMT |
| 04:07 | 04:07 |
| 4.01am GMT | 4.01am GMT |
| 04:01 | 04:01 |
| I missed excesses becoming enthusiasms in that press conference earlier today. | I missed excesses becoming enthusiasms in that press conference earlier today. |
| Neat-o. | Neat-o. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.02am GMT | at 4.02am GMT |
| 3.59am GMT | 3.59am GMT |
| 03:59 | 03:59 |
| A Dorothy Dixer on cyber security. | A Dorothy Dixer on cyber security. |
| Bowen is back on negative gearing. Given the treasurer today has redefined “excesses” of negative gearing as “enthusiasms” – will the treasurer now outline what the enthusiasms are? | Bowen is back on negative gearing. Given the treasurer today has redefined “excesses” of negative gearing as “enthusiasms” – will the treasurer now outline what the enthusiasms are? |
| Scott Morrison says he spoke today about distributions in negative gearing. | Scott Morrison says he spoke today about distributions in negative gearing. |
| I said you can call them excesses, you can call them enthusiasms, you can call them whatever you like. They can refer to it however they wish. I simply made the point that across the income spectrum different Australians engage with negative gearing at different levels of activity. There’s no great shock about that. | I said you can call them excesses, you can call them enthusiasms, you can call them whatever you like. They can refer to it however they wish. I simply made the point that across the income spectrum different Australians engage with negative gearing at different levels of activity. There’s no great shock about that. |
| 3.54am GMT | 3.54am GMT |
| 03:54 | 03:54 |
| Chris Bowen has asked the treasurer whether or not he knows what negative gearing is given earlier he described it as an “entirely legitimate practice to offset the cost of earning an income against that income.” (He did, actually. A slight swerve into incoherence.) | Chris Bowen has asked the treasurer whether or not he knows what negative gearing is given earlier he described it as an “entirely legitimate practice to offset the cost of earning an income against that income.” (He did, actually. A slight swerve into incoherence.) |
| Q: Is the treasurer aware that that is not negative gearing? Does the treasurer know what negative gearing is? | Q: Is the treasurer aware that that is not negative gearing? Does the treasurer know what negative gearing is? |
| The treasurer thinks people aren’t interested in school boy debating tricks, they are interested in real developments in the economy. | The treasurer thinks people aren’t interested in school boy debating tricks, they are interested in real developments in the economy. |