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| PM grilled on Senate voting reform, super and Queensland nickel – question time live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 3.42am GMT | |
| 03:42 | |
| It’s a bit strange that both Pyne and the treasurer Scott Morrison in the past two questions have both called on Labor to pass the ABCC bill, given the government today rejected the option of considering that bill immediately. Probably best not to expect things to make sense today. Too ambitious. | |
| 3.39am GMT | |
| 03:39 | |
| All you need to know about the Dorothy Dixer is Christopher Pyne just threatened to sing a Whitney Houston song. The greatest love of all. Sadly, we got speak singing instead. | |
| 3.37am GMT | |
| 03:37 | |
| Dreyfus again. | |
| Q: I refer to [the prime minister’s] previous answer. Why, according to reports, did the prime minister cause an agreement to be reached to ensure that his private company would be repaid more than $1m before the workers employed by Playup received the $1.2m in wages that they were owed? | |
| Malcolm Turnbull: | |
| While my wife and I invested in Rivo which is a company that had the Playup online site – application – at no time were we responsible for or involved in the management of the company, nor did we have any insight into the management of the company other than such accounts as the company produced for the benefit of their shareholders, and investors. | |
| So the responsibility for paying employees is obviously something that lies with the management of the company and the directors of the company which we were not numbered among those people. We were very much outside investors. | |
| Turnbull, for good measure. | |
| There may well be criticism of the directors, there may well be criticism of whether an administrator should have been appointed sooner, all of those criticisms can be made but they cannot be directed at external creditors such as ourselves. | |
| And the honourable member knows this full well and his attempt to compare that to a business that’s actually controlled by another honourable member here, is quite unworthy and it is a very, very low and unworthy smear for someone so learned in the law as him. | |
| 3.32am GMT | |
| 03:32 | |
| Shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus. | |
| Q: The treasurer in his last answer and the prime minister have been deeply critical of the member for Fairfax’s action in relation to Queensland Nickel. The prime minister said the member for Fairfax had let down the workers and the only thing the PM was concerned about was that the workers were looked after. So why, according to reports, did the prime minister receive $50,000 in monthly payments from Playup while Playup workers weren’t being paid? Hasn’t the prime minister let down the workers at Playup? | |
| This question relates to a story in yesterday’s Australian Financial Review, which I’ve had no time to get anywhere near. It concerns an investment Turnbull’s family made while in opposition. | |
| Turnbull goes through the investment he made, with his family, while in opposition in a start up tech firm called Rivo. He says everything was disclosed in accordance with the rules. The prime minister also rejects that his investment is in any way comparable with Clive Palmer’s interests in Queensland Nickel. | |
| The member for Fairfax’s position with respect to Queensland Nickel is that he at all times was in charge of Queensland Nickel. He ran that company, he was responsible for it. He had – we had no management involvement with the Rivo company. Our position was simply as an investor and then subsequently as a creditor. | |
| So our dealings were entirely at arm’s length. | |
| 3.22am GMT | |
| 03:22 | |
| As for the government’s plans on super, Morrison says we will make those announcements at the appropriate time. | |
| (The treasurer this morning again signalled the government would look at generous super tax concessions in the budget.) | |
| 3.20am GMT | |
| 03:20 | |
| Clive Palmer has the cross bench question. It’s about superannuation. Will the government allow people to draw on their super savings to buy a house. What’s the point of slaving for 50 years to never enjoy the benefits of your own hard work? | |
| Given Palmer led with his chin, the treasurer, Scott Morrison can’t resist. | |
| I thank the member for his question and I’m sure he’s equally concerned about those at the Queensland Nickel plant where he’s had some involvement in recent times and I’m sure he must be very concerned about their entitlements and their future. | |
| I know that our member is. I know our member for Herbert is very concerned about those Queensland Nickel workers. | |
| 3.15am GMT | |
| 03:15 | |
| Shorten is back with Senate voting reform. Isn’t the government proceeding with Senate voting reform to impose $100,000 university degrees? | |
| Malcolm Turnbull: | |
| The leader of the opposition’s conspiracy theory knows no bounds. | |
| 3.12am GMT | |
| 03:12 | |
| While the prime minister is pulling the levers and feeling excited, here’s something I find exciting. Look at Philip Ruddock. Meme made flesh. | |
| Father of the House @philipruddockmp photo bombs the 2016 Class pic @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/QWxHZLHS8t | |
| The class photo was taken just before question time. | |
| 3.09am GMT | 3.09am GMT |
| 03:09 | 03:09 |
| A Dorothy Dixer allowing the prime minister to conclude Labor are terrible flip floppers on Senate voting reform. | A Dorothy Dixer allowing the prime minister to conclude Labor are terrible flip floppers on Senate voting reform. |
| Bill Shorten is back with a question for Malcolm Turnbull. | Bill Shorten is back with a question for Malcolm Turnbull. |
| Q: Isn’t it the case that the prime minister has made a deal with the Greens political party to change the Senate voting rules so that if he wins the election he can force absolutely anything he wants through the parliament just like John Howard did with Work Choices? Isn’t this part of the government’s plan to force through measures from the 2014 Budget which are still listed in the Senate? | Q: Isn’t it the case that the prime minister has made a deal with the Greens political party to change the Senate voting rules so that if he wins the election he can force absolutely anything he wants through the parliament just like John Howard did with Work Choices? Isn’t this part of the government’s plan to force through measures from the 2014 Budget which are still listed in the Senate? |
| Turnbull feels this analysis is no more than a rather miserable conspiracy theory. | Turnbull feels this analysis is no more than a rather miserable conspiracy theory. |
| He [Shorten] knows full well that the reason we are supporting the reform of the Senate voting system is precisely the reason he and his party supported it until very recently. | He [Shorten] knows full well that the reason we are supporting the reform of the Senate voting system is precisely the reason he and his party supported it until very recently. |
| 3.05am GMT | 3.05am GMT |
| 03:05 | 03:05 |
| Question time | Question time |
| The hour of glower will be positively peaceful when compared with the senate performance this morning. Labor opens today on the budget. When is it? Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen. | The hour of glower will be positively peaceful when compared with the senate performance this morning. Labor opens today on the budget. When is it? Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen. |
| Q: We already know the budget is scheduled for 10 May. Is that the date the treasurer will actually deliver it? | Q: We already know the budget is scheduled for 10 May. Is that the date the treasurer will actually deliver it? |
| Treasurer, Scott Morrison: | Treasurer, Scott Morrison: |
| The budget on 10 May, it’s going to be a very important budget ... | The budget on 10 May, it’s going to be a very important budget ... |
| 3.02am GMT | 3.02am GMT |
| 03:02 | 03:02 |
| Shalailah Medhora | Shalailah Medhora |
| Quickly before question time. Iranian foreign minister, Javad Zarif, appears cool on the idea of forced deportation of failed refugees. Zarif was in Canberra on Tuesday for a meeting with his Australian counterpart, Julie Bishop. He said Australia was “within its legal rights” to consider deportations, but that Tehran “cannot force them to come back to Iran. We don’t have any objection to Iranian citizens coming back to Iran voluntarily,” he said. “If anybody wants to come back voluntarily, we always take our citizens with pride.” | Quickly before question time. Iranian foreign minister, Javad Zarif, appears cool on the idea of forced deportation of failed refugees. Zarif was in Canberra on Tuesday for a meeting with his Australian counterpart, Julie Bishop. He said Australia was “within its legal rights” to consider deportations, but that Tehran “cannot force them to come back to Iran. We don’t have any objection to Iranian citizens coming back to Iran voluntarily,” he said. “If anybody wants to come back voluntarily, we always take our citizens with pride.” |
| Bishop had hoped to finalise a deal on the forced return of people who had had their refugee claims rejected, but on Tuesday conceded that “consular discussions” on the issue were ongoing. | Bishop had hoped to finalise a deal on the forced return of people who had had their refugee claims rejected, but on Tuesday conceded that “consular discussions” on the issue were ongoing. |
| 2.59am GMT | 2.59am GMT |
| 02:59 | 02:59 |
| I say it often. How good is that Mike Bowers? | I say it often. How good is that Mike Bowers? |
| 2.56am GMT | 2.56am GMT |
| 02:56 | 02:56 |
| I’m sorry, Bill Shorten’s speech got lost in the wash there. I’ll circle back round after question time. A few things to circle round on today. Question time is coming up. | I’m sorry, Bill Shorten’s speech got lost in the wash there. I’ll circle back round after question time. A few things to circle round on today. Question time is coming up. |
| 2.53am GMT | 2.53am GMT |
| 02:53 | 02:53 |
| 2.48am GMT | 2.48am GMT |
| 02:48 | 02:48 |
| Labor’s senate leader is on her feet with a short summation of the morning’s proceedings. Penny Wong has been granted a five minute statement. | Labor’s senate leader is on her feet with a short summation of the morning’s proceedings. Penny Wong has been granted a five minute statement. |
| Wong says it’s a pretty extraordinary day when the Greens vote with Cory Bernardi against the senate considering marriage equality. What happened to the party’s mantra on marriage equality .. | Wong says it’s a pretty extraordinary day when the Greens vote with Cory Bernardi against the senate considering marriage equality. What happened to the party’s mantra on marriage equality .. |
| Every Green, every vote, every time. | Every Green, every vote, every time. |
| Except today. | Except today. |
| Today we are voting with senator Bernardi. | Today we are voting with senator Bernardi. |
| You might want to interject but everyone knows what you’ve done today. | You might want to interject but everyone knows what you’ve done today. |
| Wong says pushing off the debate to private senators’ time would mean the issue gets one hour’s consideration on Thursday. No vote. Today, we could have forced a vote, Wong says. Where is your backbone? Wong wonders. Where is Greens leadership? | Wong says pushing off the debate to private senators’ time would mean the issue gets one hour’s consideration on Thursday. No vote. Today, we could have forced a vote, Wong says. Where is your backbone? Wong wonders. Where is Greens leadership? |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.51am GMT | at 2.51am GMT |
| 2.40am GMT | 2.40am GMT |
| 02:40 | 02:40 |
| Meanwhile, back at atomic wedgie central. | Meanwhile, back at atomic wedgie central. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.42am GMT | at 2.42am GMT |
| 2.37am GMT | 2.37am GMT |
| 02:37 | 02:37 |
| Because there wasn’t quite enough on, the foreign minister Julie Bishop is now holding a press conference with her Iranian counterpart, foreign minister Dr Javad Zarif. The Iranian foreign minister has just made an interesting contribution on the vexed subject of human rights. | Because there wasn’t quite enough on, the foreign minister Julie Bishop is now holding a press conference with her Iranian counterpart, foreign minister Dr Javad Zarif. The Iranian foreign minister has just made an interesting contribution on the vexed subject of human rights. |
| I am happy we discussed important issues including human rights. We need to have a more serious approach to human rights where human rights does not become an instrument of political pressure but, rather, for Iran as a country, as the only serious country in the region that holds elections and people can vent their frustrations at the ballot box instead of through violence and extremism, we hope that the improvement of human rights, which is a duty for all of us, towards our citizens and towards the international community should be and could be carried out more impartially and without political considerations. | I am happy we discussed important issues including human rights. We need to have a more serious approach to human rights where human rights does not become an instrument of political pressure but, rather, for Iran as a country, as the only serious country in the region that holds elections and people can vent their frustrations at the ballot box instead of through violence and extremism, we hope that the improvement of human rights, which is a duty for all of us, towards our citizens and towards the international community should be and could be carried out more impartially and without political considerations. |