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Senate sits through the night to consider voting reform – politics live | Senate sits through the night to consider voting reform – politics live |
(35 minutes later) | |
10.29pm GMT | |
22:29 | |
Paul Karp | |
Greens senator Scott Ludlam has told Guardian Australia the Senate reform debate has started running at regular pace. | |
“It’s incredibly elastic - it could be over in 20 minutes without a gag or it could run until Tuesday. It’s entirely up to the mood. If you forced me to make a prediction I’d say we’ll close this out about 11am”. | |
After Senate reform there are six or seven uncontroversial bills, but senators may choose to speak on them all the same. | |
10.18pm GMT | |
22:18 | |
Labor’s Sam Dastyari, fading fast. | |
If you want a micro nap @samdastyari don't sit behind the person with the call #HotTip pic.twitter.com/AOJTw1ysMq | |
10.10pm GMT | |
22:10 | |
AAP reports the independent senator Jacqui Lambie has raised the white flag, calling it quits on the marathon session in the upper house, saying she had an appointment to meet with workers instead. | |
Jacqui Lambie: | |
It’s a done deal. There’s nothing more for me to say ... so I’m getting on with the job. | |
Cross bench colleagues are persisting. Family First senator Bob Day is speaking to amendments now. | |
10.05pm GMT | |
22:05 | |
Your mother was a huckster, and your father smelt of elderberry. | |
9.55pm GMT | |
21:55 | |
Top of the pops from overnight | |
Shalailah Medhora | |
As Murph mentioned a bit earlier, I’ve been compiling the best lines from the debate overnight. Here’s my picks. | |
Labor’s Doug Cameron quoting Monty Python’s The Holy Grail | |
You empty-headed animal food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction. | |
Special minister of state, Mathias Cormann | |
If you still want to be here on Easter Friday, on Good Friday, that’s fine. Let’s be here on Easter Friday, we will be here until this legislation is dealt with. | |
Labor’s Glenn Sterle. | |
[Slurring] I never thought I would ever miss senators Milne and Brown. I know what I’ve just said, and I can assure you I’m stone cold sober. I am so glad that Senator Di Natale, in between turtle-neck shoots, is in the chamber. Because the previous doctor Di Natale will be able to correct me if I’m wrong on a certain medical procedure. I’m actually witnessing in my mind, a political colonoscopy... I’ve actually had one. And I was wide awake, so I really get this. How brave is that? Wide awake, because I did not want to wake up with them doctors giving me a surprise, in the area that they were saying. | |
Cormann, interjecting: | |
I know this at times can sometimes be a wide-ranging debate, but I’m not sure how Senator Sterle’s colonoscopy relates to the amendment before the chair. | |
Labor’s Glenn Sterle, to Cormann: | |
Don’t give me orders, you big Belgian waffle! | |
Independent senator Nick Xenophon on ABC Radio | |
When one of the senators, my good friend Senator Sterle from the Labor party gets up and tries to draw comparisons with colonoscopies ... we’ve literally hit rock bottom. | |
Labor’s Stephen Conroy | |
First past the post voting is what you’re introducing, and you know it. | |
Labor’s Penny Wong | |
The Liberal lap dog that is Senator Di Natale... has done a deal! | |
Labor’s Stephen Conroy to an unspecified Coalition senator | |
Tony Abbott would be proud of you with your sloganeering on this issue... You are a proud Abbott warrior. | |
Stephen Conroy to Greens leader, Richard Di Natale | |
I haven’t finished. Sit down. This isn’t the Wiggles. | |
Updated | |
at 9.55pm GMT | |
9.42pm GMT | 9.42pm GMT |
21:42 | 21:42 |
The debate has entered its 35th hour. | The debate has entered its 35th hour. |
9.41pm GMT | 9.41pm GMT |
21:41 | 21:41 |
On twitter, reader David Lamb asks me this. | On twitter, reader David Lamb asks me this. |
Q: Obviously a huge amount going on, but can you articulate what Labor hopes to achieve by pressing debate on a foregone conclusion? | Q: Obviously a huge amount going on, but can you articulate what Labor hopes to achieve by pressing debate on a foregone conclusion? |
Utterly reasonable question. | Utterly reasonable question. |
Labor wants voters to take away two messages from this filibuster: | Labor wants voters to take away two messages from this filibuster: |
9.35pm GMT | 9.35pm GMT |
21:35 | 21:35 |
Down in the chamber, Labor senator Jacinta Collins, is objecting to senator Ian Macdonald verbalising behind her. She then gets cranky with the Greens. She says the Greens have complained during the night that Labor is looking at them, so perhaps they’ll understand the pressures associated with trying to speak while Ian Macdonald is sitting behind you, verbalising. | Down in the chamber, Labor senator Jacinta Collins, is objecting to senator Ian Macdonald verbalising behind her. She then gets cranky with the Greens. She says the Greens have complained during the night that Labor is looking at them, so perhaps they’ll understand the pressures associated with trying to speak while Ian Macdonald is sitting behind you, verbalising. |
Jacinta Collins: | Jacinta Collins: |
Yes I am cranky. | Yes I am cranky. |
Bravely, from the chair, Labor’s Gavin Marshall implores Macdonald to be quiet. First time for everything I imagine. | Bravely, from the chair, Labor’s Gavin Marshall implores Macdonald to be quiet. First time for everything I imagine. |
Collins is now objecting to legislation being rammed through the parliament at lightning speed. The Greens crack up at that. | Collins is now objecting to legislation being rammed through the parliament at lightning speed. The Greens crack up at that. |
9.27pm GMT | 9.27pm GMT |
21:27 | 21:27 |
Conroy has popped by ABC24. | Conroy has popped by ABC24. |
One of the reasons that people got a bit short last night was Mathias Cormann, the minister, would sit there and when Ricky Muir asked him a question or Bob Day or Penny Wong or Jacinta Collins or myself ask him questions, he would sit there and shrug – he wouldn’t even stand up and do the courtesy of answering questions. | One of the reasons that people got a bit short last night was Mathias Cormann, the minister, would sit there and when Ricky Muir asked him a question or Bob Day or Penny Wong or Jacinta Collins or myself ask him questions, he would sit there and shrug – he wouldn’t even stand up and do the courtesy of answering questions. |
So things did get short and colourful last night, but they [the government] are defacto introducing a first pass the post voting system for the Senate. You can just vote one, advocate to just vote one, no consequences and you will see 3.4m Australians disenfranchised – their votes will not be used ultimately to determine who gets elected to the Senate. You will get 75% of Australians electing 100% of the senators. | So things did get short and colourful last night, but they [the government] are defacto introducing a first pass the post voting system for the Senate. You can just vote one, advocate to just vote one, no consequences and you will see 3.4m Australians disenfranchised – their votes will not be used ultimately to determine who gets elected to the Senate. You will get 75% of Australians electing 100% of the senators. |
That’s a voting rort, that’s not Senate electoral reform. | That’s a voting rort, that’s not Senate electoral reform. |
9.18pm GMT | 9.18pm GMT |
21:18 | 21:18 |
The first Labor amendment has been defeated. Family First senator Bob Day is now moving a similar amendment which deals with the timing the new voting regime takes effect. That will be defeated too. | The first Labor amendment has been defeated. Family First senator Bob Day is now moving a similar amendment which deals with the timing the new voting regime takes effect. That will be defeated too. |
9.13pm GMT | 9.13pm GMT |
21:13 | 21:13 |
I’m sorry if I’m slurring my words. No alcohol has been involved. | I’m sorry if I’m slurring my words. No alcohol has been involved. |
Nick Xenophon, doing the soft shoe after Conroy in the ABC studios. | Nick Xenophon, doing the soft shoe after Conroy in the ABC studios. |
9.10pm GMT | 9.10pm GMT |
21:10 | 21:10 |
Meanwhile, the life-affirming aroma of coffee wafts from Aussie's along the corridors of power... | Meanwhile, the life-affirming aroma of coffee wafts from Aussie's along the corridors of power... |