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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2016/mar/17/senate-enters-a-marathon-sitting-to-pass-voting-reform-politics-live
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| Senate enters a marathon sitting to pass voting reform – politics live | Senate enters a marathon sitting to pass voting reform – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 2.14am GMT | |
| 02:14 | |
| Today is mad, just quietly. Even though it’s still all on like Donkey Kong, I’m going to stand still and post a summary, next. | |
| 2.09am GMT | |
| 02:09 | |
| Backbenchers at the briefing about professor Louden’s recommendations about Safe Schools the other night say he’s recommended removing some of the resources associated associated with the program. | |
| Not enough for the conservatives. Hence all the watch this space from Birmingham. | |
| Cutting through. Conservatives want the government to kick the issue off to a parliamentary inquiry. That’s the play underway now. Give us the parliamentary inquiry and we’ll stop talking about it. Give us the inquiry or the puppy gets it. | |
| The question is will the prime minister agree to that. Today, asked about the parliamentary inquiry and whether he thought that was a good idea, Christopher Pyne said: | |
| Absolutely not. | |
| 2.00am GMT | |
| 02:00 | |
| Keep calm and carry on | |
| Buying into the Safe Schools row is the education minister Simon Birmingham. he can’t really help it. He’s the one responsible for mopping up this almighty mess. | |
| Simon Birmingham: | |
| There are concerns [about the program]. I understand why people have concerned about the content of some of the resources that were only made available over the last few months. So there is a reason as to why some of the criticisms come about now in relation to the release of those resources around this time and their potential use, for the first time ever, in this school year. | |
| That’s why we are taking and have taken a close look at those resources in particular and Professor Bill Louden, emeritus professor of education from the University of WA, eminently qualified, has done an outstanding job of looking carefully at the content of each resource, assessing it against the national curriculum, considering whether it is age appropriate. | |
| Q: Would you support a broad-ranging parliamentary inquiry? | |
| I’m confident the government’s response will be strong and will give people confidence in how the resources are used. I would urge everybody to hold fire in terms of thinking about what else might be necessary until they’ve seen that government response to give certainty. | |
| Q: The program will survive just with some of those resources excised? | |
| I am not prejudging anything. What I am determining, as I go through the professor’s findings and other criticisms is to make sure we can give people confidence there are resources in schools that support those schools to provide tolerant, inclusive environments, to provide support to students who need it in dealing with issues of sexuality and that is what we will hand down. | |
| Q: Is Tony Abbott one of those people who should hold fire before passing judgment? | |
| I’m not going to pass comment on individual colleagues. It is a message that applies equally to everybody. | |
| 1.37am GMT | 1.37am GMT |
| 01:37 | 01:37 |
| Dutton declines to buy in to the Safe Schools row. | Dutton declines to buy in to the Safe Schools row. |
| 1.36am GMT | 1.36am GMT |
| 01:36 | 01:36 |
| Peter Dutton is asked whether he’d be comfortable seeing a large group of Syrian refugees being settled in western Sydney. He says it’s optimal that people settle round and about. | Peter Dutton is asked whether he’d be comfortable seeing a large group of Syrian refugees being settled in western Sydney. He says it’s optimal that people settle round and about. |
| I would like to see people as they come from Syria and Iraq to live around the country. I think that would be a good outcome for them because Australia is avery diverse nation, particularly in regional areas, there is a demand for low-skilled work particularly within the agricultural sectors so there are opportunities. | I would like to see people as they come from Syria and Iraq to live around the country. I think that would be a good outcome for them because Australia is avery diverse nation, particularly in regional areas, there is a demand for low-skilled work particularly within the agricultural sectors so there are opportunities. |
| State governments have expressed a willingness to settle people in each state and territory. I think there is a desire to see people move around the country. That’s the desire of the state premiers. If we can help facilitate that, I think that’d be a good outcome. | State governments have expressed a willingness to settle people in each state and territory. I think there is a desire to see people move around the country. That’s the desire of the state premiers. If we can help facilitate that, I think that’d be a good outcome. |
| 1.32am GMT | 1.32am GMT |
| 01:32 | 01:32 |
| Major General Andrew Bottrell tells reporters during February: | Major General Andrew Bottrell tells reporters during February: |
| We returned a group of potentially illegal immigrants to Sri Lanka in cooperation with the Sri Lankan government. Earlier this month we assisted in the return of a group to Indonesia. In conjunction with partner countries, in addition to the 698 people who have been returned from 25 people smuggling boats, in conjunction with partner countries, around 57 additional people smuggling ventures have been disrupted. | We returned a group of potentially illegal immigrants to Sri Lanka in cooperation with the Sri Lankan government. Earlier this month we assisted in the return of a group to Indonesia. In conjunction with partner countries, in addition to the 698 people who have been returned from 25 people smuggling boats, in conjunction with partner countries, around 57 additional people smuggling ventures have been disrupted. |
| Which has resulted in a further 1,900 people not getting on to a risky people smuggling venture bound for Australia. | Which has resulted in a further 1,900 people not getting on to a risky people smuggling venture bound for Australia. |
| 1.29am GMT | 1.29am GMT |
| 01:29 | 01:29 |
| Peter Dutton says the number of children in detention has now been reduced to 29 and that number will continue to go down as I consider further cases and try to make arrangements for community detention. | Peter Dutton says the number of children in detention has now been reduced to 29 and that number will continue to go down as I consider further cases and try to make arrangements for community detention. |
| 1.27am GMT | 1.27am GMT |
| 01:27 | 01:27 |
| Down the Blue Room, the government is giving an update on Operation Sovereign Borders. Immigration minister Peter Dutton says “in recent weeks” two boats have been intercepted. | Down the Blue Room, the government is giving an update on Operation Sovereign Borders. Immigration minister Peter Dutton says “in recent weeks” two boats have been intercepted. |
| Peter Dutton: | Peter Dutton: |
| Since Operation Sovereign Borders began, 25 boats carrying 698 people have been turned back and safely returned to their country of departure. | Since Operation Sovereign Borders began, 25 boats carrying 698 people have been turned back and safely returned to their country of departure. |
| The flow of intelligence and recent research informs us we must remain resolute because people smugglers in their operations continue and we stare that threat down on a regular basis. | The flow of intelligence and recent research informs us we must remain resolute because people smugglers in their operations continue and we stare that threat down on a regular basis. |
| We do know that 14,000 people are positioned in Indonesia. They are prepared to hop on boats. That is not to speak of the threat that exists in other countries in the region. | We do know that 14,000 people are positioned in Indonesia. They are prepared to hop on boats. That is not to speak of the threat that exists in other countries in the region. |
| 1.16am GMT | 1.16am GMT |
| 01:16 | 01:16 |
| See what I mean? | See what I mean? |
| The Labor Party just voted with the Liberal Party against a vote on #MarriageEquality. Very disappointing. pic.twitter.com/E76fTyOZ7j | The Labor Party just voted with the Liberal Party against a vote on #MarriageEquality. Very disappointing. pic.twitter.com/E76fTyOZ7j |
| 1.15am GMT | 1.15am GMT |
| 01:15 | 01:15 |
| Let's cut through the nonsense | Let's cut through the nonsense |
| Back to the Senate. It’s just a very small thing but let’s pause in the moment to just admire the current progressive-off on marriage equality in the upper house in all its inglory. | Back to the Senate. It’s just a very small thing but let’s pause in the moment to just admire the current progressive-off on marriage equality in the upper house in all its inglory. |
| Ian Macdonald just made a speech in the marriage equality debate that spanned twenty minutes. I would estimate about three minutes of the speech was actually about marriage equality. He was listened to in silence. | Ian Macdonald just made a speech in the marriage equality debate that spanned twenty minutes. I would estimate about three minutes of the speech was actually about marriage equality. He was listened to in silence. |
| Labor’s Doug Cameron spoke next. He digressed in his speech to rebut some of Macdonald’s speech. Green senator Robert Simms was in his feet in ten seconds to take Cameron to task for straying from the core point. Simms told Cameron, you people wanted this debate, why don’t you stick to the point. | Labor’s Doug Cameron spoke next. He digressed in his speech to rebut some of Macdonald’s speech. Green senator Robert Simms was in his feet in ten seconds to take Cameron to task for straying from the core point. Simms told Cameron, you people wanted this debate, why don’t you stick to the point. |
| Well, actually, it was the Greens who wanted this debate, in private members business time. The Greens voted against having a lengthy debate and a substantive vote earlier this morning, when it rejected the suspension motion from LDP senator David Leyonhjelm. | Well, actually, it was the Greens who wanted this debate, in private members business time. The Greens voted against having a lengthy debate and a substantive vote earlier this morning, when it rejected the suspension motion from LDP senator David Leyonhjelm. |
| So let’s just cut through all the nonsense and say what’s going on here. | So let’s just cut through all the nonsense and say what’s going on here. |
| I’ve been saying this all day. Politics, eh? | I’ve been saying this all day. Politics, eh? |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.22am GMT | at 1.22am GMT |
| 12.39am GMT | 12.39am GMT |
| 00:39 | 00:39 |
| There’s a moment, too. | There’s a moment, too. |
| 12.38am GMT | 12.38am GMT |
| 00:38 | 00:38 |
| Love this picture. Ian Macfarlane, saying farewell. | Love this picture. Ian Macfarlane, saying farewell. |
| 12.36am GMT | 12.36am GMT |
| 00:36 | 00:36 |
| The Liberal also referred to the plebiscite interchangeably as a referendum. | The Liberal also referred to the plebiscite interchangeably as a referendum. |
| 12.34am GMT | 12.34am GMT |
| 00:34 | 00:34 |
| Let's have a plebiscite on abortion and euthanasia too | Let's have a plebiscite on abortion and euthanasia too |
| Liberal senator Ian Macdonald has just told the chamber Australia should have a plebiscite not only on same sex marriage, but also abortion and euthanasia. Why not ask the people what they think, Macdonald reasons, perhaps not comprehending that observation begs the inevitable question – why not just do your job? | Liberal senator Ian Macdonald has just told the chamber Australia should have a plebiscite not only on same sex marriage, but also abortion and euthanasia. Why not ask the people what they think, Macdonald reasons, perhaps not comprehending that observation begs the inevitable question – why not just do your job? |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 12.34am GMT | at 12.34am GMT |
| 12.30am GMT | 12.30am GMT |
| 00:30 | 00:30 |
| A long time friend of Politics Live, Matt Davey, has a visual on the atomic wedgie hour. | A long time friend of Politics Live, Matt Davey, has a visual on the atomic wedgie hour. |
| @murpharoo The Atomic Wedgie Show is a programme whose time has come. Oh look, it's the crossbench. #painintheSenate pic.twitter.com/E3MhcISW2a | @murpharoo The Atomic Wedgie Show is a programme whose time has come. Oh look, it's the crossbench. #painintheSenate pic.twitter.com/E3MhcISW2a |
| Bless him. Good to post it now. The Senate has now moved to the same sex marriage debate that it refused to have this morning because the government and the Greens didn’t back the Leyonhjelm motion. | Bless him. Good to post it now. The Senate has now moved to the same sex marriage debate that it refused to have this morning because the government and the Greens didn’t back the Leyonhjelm motion. |
| 12.26am GMT | 12.26am GMT |
| 00:26 | 00:26 |
| The prime minister is paying tribute to Ian Macfarlane, a big thinker and a big dreamer. A long range politician. His patriotism will see him making an enormous contribution to the nation and its people for many years to come. | The prime minister is paying tribute to Ian Macfarlane, a big thinker and a big dreamer. A long range politician. His patriotism will see him making an enormous contribution to the nation and its people for many years to come. |
| I’ve said it already today, but politics – eh? This is how it ends. | I’ve said it already today, but politics – eh? This is how it ends. |
| Bit of history of these two characters. Macfarlane and Turnbull were personally close, allies in government and in opposition when the Coalition split over carbon pricing and Turnbull lost the party leadership. When Turnbull returned to the party leadership I was absolutely amazed he dumped Macfarlane from the ministry given their personal history, but he did. That was a cold act. There’s no other way to characterise it. | Bit of history of these two characters. Macfarlane and Turnbull were personally close, allies in government and in opposition when the Coalition split over carbon pricing and Turnbull lost the party leadership. When Turnbull returned to the party leadership I was absolutely amazed he dumped Macfarlane from the ministry given their personal history, but he did. That was a cold act. There’s no other way to characterise it. |
| That development prompted Macfarlane to do something quite out of character – the self indulgent tilt last year to try and get back onto the front bench by flipping over the the National party room. It was crazy and it ended badly. Now the final act, which was, according to the Courier Mail story this morning, if that story’s accurate, the prime minister trying to hold off Macfarlane’s departure from politics because it didn’t suit the government’s election timing. | That development prompted Macfarlane to do something quite out of character – the self indulgent tilt last year to try and get back onto the front bench by flipping over the the National party room. It was crazy and it ended badly. Now the final act, which was, according to the Courier Mail story this morning, if that story’s accurate, the prime minister trying to hold off Macfarlane’s departure from politics because it didn’t suit the government’s election timing. |
| Who was it who said about politics, if you want a friend in politics, get a dog. | Who was it who said about politics, if you want a friend in politics, get a dog. |
| 12.16am GMT | 12.16am GMT |
| 00:16 | 00:16 |
| Macfarlane is now reflecting on the state of politics. He says his inclination as a politician was always to strive for bipartisanship. It’s not easy. It often attracts criticism from your own side. But it gets good policy, he says. Bipartisanship is not the norm in 2016. He says spectacle and winner takes all is now the default, and it’s smashing public confidence in the profession. Macfarlane quotes The Australian’s Chris Kenny in arguing that shallow politics and shallow journalism is turning politics into a sideshow. And with that, he wishes Malcolm Turnbull all the best in winning the coming election. | Macfarlane is now reflecting on the state of politics. He says his inclination as a politician was always to strive for bipartisanship. It’s not easy. It often attracts criticism from your own side. But it gets good policy, he says. Bipartisanship is not the norm in 2016. He says spectacle and winner takes all is now the default, and it’s smashing public confidence in the profession. Macfarlane quotes The Australian’s Chris Kenny in arguing that shallow politics and shallow journalism is turning politics into a sideshow. And with that, he wishes Malcolm Turnbull all the best in winning the coming election. |
| 12.09am GMT | 12.09am GMT |
| 00:09 | 00:09 |
| Unhappiness abounds | Unhappiness abounds |
| Labor’s former special minister of state, Gary Gray, is still unhappy that Labor hasn’t supported the government on Senate voting reform. | Labor’s former special minister of state, Gary Gray, is still unhappy that Labor hasn’t supported the government on Senate voting reform. |
| Speaking of unhappy, Ian Macfarlane is making a valedictory speech to the House. Hardly anyone is in the chamber to hear it. He’s reflecting on his career as a cabinet minister in the Howard and Abbott governments, his staff, and his family. He’s very emotional. It’s bad no-one is in the house to hear this. | Speaking of unhappy, Ian Macfarlane is making a valedictory speech to the House. Hardly anyone is in the chamber to hear it. He’s reflecting on his career as a cabinet minister in the Howard and Abbott governments, his staff, and his family. He’s very emotional. It’s bad no-one is in the house to hear this. |
| 11.50pm GMT | 11.50pm GMT |
| 23:50 | 23:50 |
| What are these senators afraid of? | What are these senators afraid of? |
| Mike Bowers | Mike Bowers |
| Speaking of Senate madness, Murph has suggested I bring readers up to speed with another issue. | Speaking of Senate madness, Murph has suggested I bring readers up to speed with another issue. |
| The rules which govern photography in the Senate are not the same as the rules that we work under in the House of Representatives. Basically they state that you must only photograph the senator with the call, which means the Senator who is on their feet speaking. This rules out most of the action, anything happening behind the scenes as well as photographs of who is voting which way when the all important divisions are called. | The rules which govern photography in the Senate are not the same as the rules that we work under in the House of Representatives. Basically they state that you must only photograph the senator with the call, which means the Senator who is on their feet speaking. This rules out most of the action, anything happening behind the scenes as well as photographs of who is voting which way when the all important divisions are called. |
| This week legislation is before the Senate which will have far reaching consequences to who gets elected to the chamber in future federal polls. A request to photograph divisions was put to the president of the Senate’s office this week by press gallery president, Fairfax photographer Andrew Meares. The president can grant permission for photographs of divisions from time to time if nobody objects to the request. | This week legislation is before the Senate which will have far reaching consequences to who gets elected to the chamber in future federal polls. A request to photograph divisions was put to the president of the Senate’s office this week by press gallery president, Fairfax photographer Andrew Meares. The president can grant permission for photographs of divisions from time to time if nobody objects to the request. |
| President Stephen Parry put the question this morning to the senate, the only person to rise in his seat, Victorian Labor senator Stephen Conroy. He did not speak, just rising in his seat was enough to defeat the proposal. So this means the all important photographs of Greens voting with the government tonight to change the Senate voting rules will now take place without any photographic scrutiny. | President Stephen Parry put the question this morning to the senate, the only person to rise in his seat, Victorian Labor senator Stephen Conroy. He did not speak, just rising in his seat was enough to defeat the proposal. So this means the all important photographs of Greens voting with the government tonight to change the Senate voting rules will now take place without any photographic scrutiny. |
| After the move was defeated this morning Meares said: | After the move was defeated this morning Meares said: |
| It is disappointing that this Senate has chosen not to be accountable to the public who elected them. A secret Senate vote is not the sign of a healthy democracy. | It is disappointing that this Senate has chosen not to be accountable to the public who elected them. A secret Senate vote is not the sign of a healthy democracy. |
| I am less guarded than my colleague. This is what I’d say about it. Stephen Conroy talks the talk but he cant walk the walk I’m afraid, I think its frustrating and I really wish I could understand what his objections are. | I am less guarded than my colleague. This is what I’d say about it. Stephen Conroy talks the talk but he cant walk the walk I’m afraid, I think its frustrating and I really wish I could understand what his objections are. |
| Unfortunately he didn’t have to give any reasons – he just rose in his place. I don’t think that this move on his behalf represents so called Labor values he is supposed to represent. | Unfortunately he didn’t have to give any reasons – he just rose in his place. I don’t think that this move on his behalf represents so called Labor values he is supposed to represent. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 11.51pm GMT | at 11.51pm GMT |