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Turnbull flips and supports an effects test in competition law – question time live Shorten attacks 'weather vane' Turnbull over latest policy backflip – politics live
(35 minutes later)
4.46am GMT
04:46
Rightio, let’s crack on. The LNP backbencher George Christensen is on Sky News now. As we reported earlier today, Christensen is in the centre of the new controversy over the Safe Schools program. He’s told host David Speers that the letter he’s circulating calling for the program to be defunded has already be signed by the majority of the Coalition backbench in the House of Representatives. The letter will head shortly to the Senate.
4.35am GMT
04:35
Shalailah Medhora
While Murph is getting in touch with her inner Taylor Swift, there’s more to this morning’s Ian Macfarlane saga...
This morning, the former resources minister’s office said he had been offered the role of Queensland’s resources investment commissioner. But the position now is he’ll be rejecting it.
No reason was given.
This about face comes just hours after the Queensland premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, told reporters that Macfarlane had not been offered the role as the selection process was ongoing.
4.32am GMT
04:32
Further questions have been placed on the notice paper. Give me a moment to shake it off, and I’ll be back with the afternoon.
4.24am GMT
04:24
4.22am GMT
04:22
Burke asks rhetorically, if fear is all you have, if that’s all you’ve got, why didn’t you leave the job to Tony Abbott? He’s much better at scare campaigns than you.
And I’ve got to say, if fear is all you’ve got going for you, why did you bother replacing him?
He was better at it! Much better at it!
4.20am GMT
04:20
Labor’s Tony Burke, rather unkindly.
Some of the longest ten minutes the parliament has ever been through! Ten minutes and the backbench is still there! I haven’t heard them for so long – that speech cleared the public gallery, tranquillised the backbench.
Who would have thought we would get to the point in question time when the toughest question you could have asked a prime minister is what is your government’s tax policy!
Burke works up a doomed theme with backbench interventions.
To be warned anytime you hear someone from other side say they are passionate about an issue, the issue is doomed. The issue is doomed.
He was passionate about the republic. Doomed!
He was passionate about marriage equality. Doomed!
This guy over here was passionate about dealing with bracket creep. Doomed! Gone!
Passion about climate change. Doomed!
As long as they say they believe in something, guaranteed they will fly the kite and then cut the cord (and) watch it blow away.
Every chance they get where people think maybe they’re going to stand for something – this prime minister then comes in and shows the only leadership he’s capable of: to stand for nothing.
What we have is something who created so much hope among a lot of people, that the nation’s debate at least, whether you agree with him or disagreed with him, the debate of the nation would improve when he became PM.
And since then you can find debate – but it’s him disagreeing with himself on a daily basis.
He gets up in question time, he asks himself questions. He does an interview, he argues with what Malcolm said the day before. And I have to say you are doing really well in the debate. It’s riveting television!
4.10am GMT4.10am GMT
04:1004:10
That’s a fair lug of provocation, but Turnbull is responding in low key fashion. He says key economic indicators have improved during the past six months of his prime ministership. He says he’s pushing ahead with tough reforms, like media ownership and the effects test in competition law, the defence white paper, the innovation statement.That’s a fair lug of provocation, but Turnbull is responding in low key fashion. He says key economic indicators have improved during the past six months of his prime ministership. He says he’s pushing ahead with tough reforms, like media ownership and the effects test in competition law, the defence white paper, the innovation statement.
Malcolm Turnbull:Malcolm Turnbull:
We have taken the hard problems out of the too hard basket. We have consulted carefully, considered it carefully and we have announced our decision. That is governing. That is making decisions, making hard decisions.We have taken the hard problems out of the too hard basket. We have consulted carefully, considered it carefully and we have announced our decision. That is governing. That is making decisions, making hard decisions.
4.05am GMT4.05am GMT
04:0504:05
Shorten is talking about the shrinking prime minister. The shrinking treasurer.Shorten is talking about the shrinking prime minister. The shrinking treasurer.
Of course this poor old treasurer must hate going to cabinet these days. Has this treasurer won a single economic argument with Barnaby Joyce since he got there? I understand it must be very embarrassing to lose arguments to Barnaby Joyce!Of course this poor old treasurer must hate going to cabinet these days. Has this treasurer won a single economic argument with Barnaby Joyce since he got there? I understand it must be very embarrassing to lose arguments to Barnaby Joyce!
Shorten wonders whether the treasurer has been to see the foreign minister about a diplomatic posting. Perhaps Washington? No, that’s gone. Perhaps something more low profile. New Zealand?Shorten wonders whether the treasurer has been to see the foreign minister about a diplomatic posting. Perhaps Washington? No, that’s gone. Perhaps something more low profile. New Zealand?
Shorten says Turnbull has become the ultimate hollow man, nothing more than a paid advocate for the Liberal party.Shorten says Turnbull has become the ultimate hollow man, nothing more than a paid advocate for the Liberal party.
The reason why we’re not getting tax reform in this country is Mr Turnbull believes in nothing else other than himself. That is a very confident set of beliefs, I understand.The reason why we’re not getting tax reform in this country is Mr Turnbull believes in nothing else other than himself. That is a very confident set of beliefs, I understand.
Everything he said that he believed in before he came PM: tax reform, climate change, the CSIRO, even marriage equality – all of it’s been dropped.Everything he said that he believed in before he came PM: tax reform, climate change, the CSIRO, even marriage equality – all of it’s been dropped.
The only thing agile about this program are not his tax reforms, it’s his convictions.The only thing agile about this program are not his tax reforms, it’s his convictions.
This man puts the vain into weather vane.This man puts the vain into weather vane.
3.58am GMT3.58am GMT
03:5803:58
Here’s the Shorten suspension motion.Here’s the Shorten suspension motion.
That the House:That the House:
3.52am GMT3.52am GMT
03:5203:52
The suspension gives me a moment to share this happy snap of happy Bruce.The suspension gives me a moment to share this happy snap of happy Bruce.
While Bill Shorten is talking the former prime minister Tony Abbott is paying studious attention to his papers.While Bill Shorten is talking the former prime minister Tony Abbott is paying studious attention to his papers.
3.49am GMT3.49am GMT
03:4903:49
Shorten is now on his feet seeking to suspend the standing orders.Shorten is now on his feet seeking to suspend the standing orders.
3.48am GMT3.48am GMT
03:4803:48
Malcolm Turnbull, continuing:Malcolm Turnbull, continuing:
What the honourable member is asking, he wants to know the contents of the budget on the 16th of March. He wants to know the budget on the 16th of March! They want us to present the budget in March!What the honourable member is asking, he wants to know the contents of the budget on the 16th of March. He wants to know the budget on the 16th of March! They want us to present the budget in March!
Well, Mr Speaker, the contents of the budget and tax changes contained therein will be delivered on budget night, in the normal way.Well, Mr Speaker, the contents of the budget and tax changes contained therein will be delivered on budget night, in the normal way.
And, look, Mr Speaker, the honourable members opposite, they were reckless and unwise enough to publish their own tax plans.And, look, Mr Speaker, the honourable members opposite, they were reckless and unwise enough to publish their own tax plans.
Oh, yes.Oh, yes.
This is their special formula ...This is their special formula ...
3.46am GMT
03:46
Bill Shorten to Turnbull.
Q: My question is to the prime minister. What is the government’s tax policy?
Malcolm Turnbull:
The leader of the opposition knows full well that any changes to tax in any government’s life are not announced almost invariably in the budget!
Bill Shorten:
I didn’t ask what the PM’s future tax policy is. I just wanted to find out what the government’s current tax policy is.
Malcolm Turnbull:
Mr Speaker, at a high level, philosophical level, our commitment is to taxes that are lower, fairer, simpler. We want to ensure that the tax system works as effectively as possible and applies the least dead weight loss to if economy.
3.39am GMT
03:39
Malcolm Turnbull:
Lower house prices, higher rents, less investment, that can mean only one thing – fewer jobs, fewer businesses, less enterprise. That is Labor’s recipe: It’s a recipe for economic failure.
3.37am GMT
03:37
Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull.
Q: My question is to the prime minister. Last year the prime minister said: “Bracket creep is seeing Australians earnings on average head into the second top tax bracket.” PM isn’t breaking your word on tax cuts more proof that every idea this prime minister has ends up going right down the drain?
Now, Bill, about your negative gearing policy.
3.34am GMT
03:34
All the Dorothy’s today have been on the effects test thus far.
All business will be able to back themselves, will be able to take risks, will be able to engage in that entrepreneurial activity, which means that we can grow jobs in our economy.
(This is small business minister Kelly O’Dwyer. I really have been here too long. I can’t quite wrap my mind around her supporting an effects test. Too much cognitive dissonance.)
3.30am GMT
03:30
Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull.
Q: My question is to the prime minister. The prime minister promised new economic leadership. The government promised tax cuts. Isn’t it true that all things that the government promised have gone down the drain and all that are left are the extreme cuts of the Abbott government’s 2014 budget?
The prime minister thinks things are going well. Thanks for asking. The government is providing real economic leadership.
3.28am GMT
03:28
Green MP Adam Bandt to Malcolm Turnbull.
Q: My question is to the PM. NASA has just said that February was the hottest month on record ever. Smashing a century of global temperature records by a stunning margin, results that scientists have described as a climate emergency. Prime minister, do you agree with your own chief scientist that under current policies we are losing the battle against climate change?
Turnbull says emotion and passion is all very well but evidence matters more.
What we need in the response to global warming - and I don’t doubt the temperature figures that the honourable member referred to, but what we need is a clear commitment of all governments, all major economies, to emissions reduction strategies.
We have made those commitments. We have the policies in place. They are working. And that is the object of the exercise. This is not a question - emotion and passion all have their place. But in terms of reducing our emissions, what we need is policies that work.
The policies that are in place are working, they are able to meet the targets that we committed to in Paris and if they do so and if other nations continue to do so we will be well on the way to ensuring that we meet the global objective.
(Other questions also matter with respect. Policies working – well, that’s still moot right now – at what cost? That used to be a foundation question in climate policy, emissions reduction at least cost. You can’t say that about direct action.)
3.21am GMT
03:21
Bowen, persisting with Morrison and passion.
Q: My question is to the treasurer. The treasurer said the government wanted to deliver: “large personal income tax cuts, significant personal income tax cuts, big income tax cuts, very big income tax cuts and bigger income tax cuts”. Treasurer, what happened? What killed off the treasurer’s passion and what exactly does the treasurer stand for?
Morrison says it helps to have a surplus when you think about cutting taxes. Labor didn’t leave the government a surplus. He says the government looked at a tax mix switch but the numbers didn’t add up. Now we are at Labor’s wickedness on the negative gearing policy.
Scott Morrison:
Under the policy of housing affordability, apparently the way you address housing affordability is stopping people investing in shops and shares and factories and partnerships and vehicles and all these things.
Mr Speaker, this government doesn’t rush out with ill-considered policies.
We leave that to those opposite.
3.15am GMT
03:15
A Dorothy Dixer for Morrison on the effects tests being a consumer nirvana.
3.13am GMT
03:13
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen.
Q: My question is to the treasurer. In January, the treasurer said that fixing bracket creep was one of his highest priorities saying: ‘I’m quite passionate about it because I think it’s one of the things that is holding the Australian economy back.’ But now, less than two months later the government has walked away from income tax cuts. What is the point of this government? What has happened to the treasurer’s passion? And when will the government start governing?
Scott Morrison says the government will do what it can to help people out there earning in the economy.
This is the government on this side of the House that got rid of the carbon tax, this is the government on this side of the House that got rid of the mining tax, got rid of the member’s opposite bank deposits tax. This is the government that has reduced taxes, not increased taxes in net terms. What we have done is delivered on our commitments to reduce the tax burden on Australians and that is what we are about.
3.09am GMT
03:09
Moving on now to lost passions.