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| Coalition divisions on Safe Schools widen as Senate marathon sitting continues – politics live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 3.09am GMT | |
| 03:09 | |
| The act is the act | |
| Just while the Dorothy Dixer happens, here’s the Christensen exchange on not acting on your urges, via Shalailah Medhora. | |
| Q: Do you think [sexuality] is a choice? | |
| George Christensen: | |
| Obviously it’s a choice... Or they can be born that way. They can choose it. | |
| Q: Well which one is it? | |
| George Christensen: | |
| Whatever it is. If the person is born gay, then they’re gay. If someone makes the choice that they’re going to have homosexual sex, that’s up to them. | |
| It’s a free world. | |
| Q: If you think being gay is a choice - | |
| George Christensen: | |
| I didn’t say it was a choice. I said people could choose if they want. So I’m not saying it’s a choice people have, that they’re not born gay... You can choose to enter into homosexual relationships if you want to. It’s a free society. | |
| Q: What’s the difference? | |
| George Christensen: | |
| There’s no difference... There’s no difference in the act. If you’ve chosen it of if you’re born with it. The act is the act. | |
| 3.05am GMT | |
| 03:05 | |
| Question time | |
| Labor opens on Ian Macfarlane, and his job offer in Queensland. The Courier Mail story I pointed to earlier this morning. | |
| Q: Can the prime minister confirm that he spoke to the Queensland premier on Friday morning about the appointment of the member for Groom as Queensland Resources Investment Commissioner. Did the prime minister attempt to interfere in the independent process, including but not limited to, requesting the appointment be delayed until after the federal election? | |
| Turnbull’s response to Shorten is I talk to premiers all the time. Confidentially, he adds. | |
| 3.00am GMT | |
| 03:00 | |
| The Labor leader Bill Shorten is using his 90 second statement before question time to speak about Safe Schools. His message is directed at the prime minister. The prime minister needs to stand up on this issue. | |
| Bill Shorten: | |
| When you give into a bully, they come back wanting more. When you give into bullies on the right wing of your party, they come back wanting more. | |
| 2.57am GMT | |
| 02:57 | |
| Christensen also, according to my colleague Shalailah Medhora, observed that people could be gay but refuse to act on their urges. That old chestnut. | |
| I’ll get the quote from her and bring it to you when I can. Question time now. | |
| 2.51am GMT | |
| 02:51 | |
| More George, on the scourge of Marxist gayness. | |
| It’s trying to put queer gender theory into schools and I think that needs to stand in university. | |
| If you want an anti-bullying program, have an anti-bullying program, but don’t bring queer gender theory into schools. | |
| That’s for the esoteric part of the university, too, not mainstream schools. | |
| 2.47am GMT | |
| 02:47 | |
| Christensen has told reporters he raised concerns about the program when Tony Abbott was prime minister. Nothing happened at that point. | |
| A fairly salient point to bear in mind, given the former prime minister is now rolling along on this backlash bandwagon. Rolling, rolling, rolling. | |
| While I’m catching up on Christensen, on my television, the Liberal senator Cory Bernardi says this program is about implementing the Marxist agenda through the school system. | |
| 2.41am GMT | |
| 02:41 | |
| I don't want to see the sexual liberation of young people | |
| Christensen, who is looking so delighted with himself he can hardly function, has held court in the corridor. | |
| Q: Do you concede [the Safe Schools program] is stamping out bullying? | |
| That’s obviously one of its outcomes, but I’m just saying it’s obviously one of its outcomes, but it’s got other outcomes as well and again, Ros Ward has talked about sexual liberation of young people. | |
| I don’t want to see sexual liberation of young people. | |
| Updated | |
| at 2.41am GMT | |
| 2.35am GMT | |
| 02:35 | |
| Politics, this lunchtime | |
| Let’s take stock of Thursday. | |
| Safe Schools | |
| Senate voting reform | |
| Same sex marriage | |
| Operation Sovereign Borders | |
| Ian Macfarlane bids politics farewell | |
| Onwards, upwards, to 2pm. | |
| Updated | |
| at 2.37am GMT | |
| 2.14am GMT | 2.14am GMT |
| 02:14 | 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. | 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 | 2.09am GMT |
| 02:09 | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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: | 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. | Absolutely not. |
| 2.00am GMT | 2.00am GMT |
| 02:00 | 02:00 |
| Keep calm and carry on | 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. | 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: | 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. | 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. | 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? | 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. | 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? | 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. | 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? | 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. | 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 |