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Senate voting reform legislation passes after 40 hours of debate – politics live | |
(35 minutes later) | |
3.06am GMT | |
03:06 | |
Q: Do you feel, as Labor is predicting, that this could be akin to the deal the Democrats did with the Howard Liberals – and you’ll suffer accordingly? | |
Greens leader Richard Di Natale. | |
No, I don’t obviously. I’ve heard that refrain used I think against all sorts of pieces of legislation that we’ve supported in the past under Bob and Christine. There’s a key difference here. This is a long-held policy position of the Greens that is something we’ve supported for a very longtime. It is something that I think the community understands. | |
3.04am GMT | |
03:04 | |
Meanwhile, the Greens are claiming victory on Senate voting reform. | |
Green senator Lee Rhiannon. | |
The reform’s in place. We were determined to get it in before the coming election and that’s been achieved. In many ways, the beauty of this is that it’s very simple. Effectively, the only change is that it’s now the voters who will determine their preferences and the change above the line, the change below the line means it will be much easier for the voters. | |
2.59am GMT | |
02:59 | |
Looking ahead, the government will shortly announce its intentions on the Safe Schools program. | |
2.52am GMT | |
02:52 | |
David Leyonhjelm. | |
This week, we learnt that there’s no principle that the government, the Greens or Nick Xenophon will not abandon for a few extra seats in parliament. This unholy alliance has raised the bottom rung of the ladder to exclude new parties from the Senate, make it a lot harder for those of us already here. | |
But the minor – the fightback of the minor parties – starts now. | |
Updated | |
at 3.09am GMT | |
2.49am GMT | |
02:49 | |
Over in the Mural Hall, David Leyonhjelm and Bob Day are telling reporters they are intending to run candidates in seats at the forthcoming election and preference against the Coalition. They will direct preferences to the ALP. | |
2.46am GMT | |
02:46 | |
I’m out of the chamber and back at my desk. Give me a few minutes to work out what I’ve missed and then we’ll push forward. | |
2.33am GMT | 2.33am GMT |
02:33 | 02:33 |
That’s it. It’s done. The Greens are ebullient. Hugs all round. The biggest change to Australian voting procedures in three decades. Done. | That’s it. It’s done. The Greens are ebullient. Hugs all round. The biggest change to Australian voting procedures in three decades. Done. |
2.32am GMT | 2.32am GMT |
02:32 | 02:32 |
Labor’s Doug Cameron has just pointed to a line of empty seats between the government and the Greens. | Labor’s Doug Cameron has just pointed to a line of empty seats between the government and the Greens. |
Is that the DMZ? | Is that the DMZ? |
2.31am GMT | 2.31am GMT |
02:31 | 02:31 |
A man and his pillow. | A man and his pillow. |
2.29am GMT | 2.29am GMT |
02:29 | 02:29 |
In the final count, the lights have just dramatically dimmed in the chamber. Silly erupts. Labor starts yelling about doom and the end of democracy. Everyone is laughing just a little bit loudly. The morning after the sleepover. | In the final count, the lights have just dramatically dimmed in the chamber. Silly erupts. Labor starts yelling about doom and the end of democracy. Everyone is laughing just a little bit loudly. The morning after the sleepover. |
2.27am GMT | 2.27am GMT |
02:27 | 02:27 |
Holding on for that final vote. | Holding on for that final vote. |
2.22am GMT | 2.22am GMT |
02:22 | 02:22 |
LDP senator David Leyonhjelm. | LDP senator David Leyonhjelm. |
This dirty little deal between the Greens and the Liberals could easily be called the Rhiannon re-election bill, or the wipe out the minor parties bill. | This dirty little deal between the Greens and the Liberals could easily be called the Rhiannon re-election bill, or the wipe out the minor parties bill. |
Leyonhjelm says he doesn’t understand why the government has pursued this. He says it will make the management of the Senate more difficult. | |
It is a no win for everyone. | It is a no win for everyone. |
Updated | |
at 3.08am GMT | |
2.19am GMT | 2.19am GMT |
02:19 | 02:19 |
Nick Xenophon is sitting down the back with his pillow. Just saying. | Nick Xenophon is sitting down the back with his pillow. Just saying. |
2.18am GMT | 2.18am GMT |
02:18 | 02:18 |
Rhiannon can hardly be heard in the chamber over Labor’s mutterings. | Rhiannon can hardly be heard in the chamber over Labor’s mutterings. |
Labor’s Sam Dastyari. | Labor’s Sam Dastyari. |
Can someone start playing the music. The wind up music. The Oscars wind up music. | Can someone start playing the music. The wind up music. The Oscars wind up music. |
Rhiannon says the chamber should pause to remember the contribution of Labor’s John Faulkner to electoral reform. | Rhiannon says the chamber should pause to remember the contribution of Labor’s John Faulkner to electoral reform. |
Sam Dastyari. | Sam Dastyari. |
He hates you! | He hates you! |
2.13am GMT | 2.13am GMT |
02:13 | 02:13 |
Green senator Lee Rhiannon says the 17th of March is an historic day in Australian politics. | Green senator Lee Rhiannon says the 17th of March is an historic day in Australian politics. |
It’s the 18th, half the Senate screams out. It is, indeed, the 18th. | |
Updated | |
at 3.08am GMT | |
2.12am GMT | 2.12am GMT |
02:12 | 02:12 |
Wong says this is about the Coalition entrenching its dominance of the Senate and we all know what that means for working people. | |
Updated | |
at 3.08am GMT |