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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2016/mar/18/senate-sits-through-the-night-to-consider-voting-reform-politics-live
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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) | |
12.44am GMT | |
00:44 | |
In this division, Leyonhjelm has been appointed teller for the ayes. It’s a short count. Bob Day, Ricky Muir, Dio Wang, John Madigan. No sign of Glenn Lazarus and Jacqui Lambie, as we’ve reported, has pulled up stumps. | |
Nick Xenophon is voting with the Greens, government and Labor. I believe this amendment was about optional preferential voting in the House of Representatives. | |
12.38am GMT | |
00:38 | |
While I’m looking back, if you’d like to hear about the Labor senator Glenn Sterle’s diagnostic procedures, it’s your lucky day. | |
12.35am GMT | |
00:35 | |
A couple of chamber shots from last night. | |
12.30am GMT | |
00:30 | |
Straight out of the authoritarian handbook. | |
The LDP’s David Leyonhjelm isn’t taking a backward step. He’s speaking to an amendment that would introduce voluntary voting. | |
12.23am GMT | |
00:23 | |
No bridge too far in this river. | |
Mugabe. @DavidLeyonhjelm has just compared the senate reforms with Robert Mugabe. Possibly a bridge too far... pic.twitter.com/9EOMoGvO1o | |
12.22am GMT | |
00:22 | |
While I was posting Lenore Taylor on Morrison I missed a Mugabe reference in the Senate debate from the LDP senator David Leyonhjelm. The finance minister thinks this was a humorous reference. So I think we are all good. | |
Updated | |
at 12.37am GMT | |
12.18am GMT | |
00:18 | |
Lenore Taylor | |
Some explanation. Scott Morrison has just announced new rules for the Foreign Investment Review Board to scrutinise the sale of critical infrastructure to any foreign private investor. | |
Current rules require scrutiny only for foreign state-owned enterprises and meant the Firb did not scrutinise the sale of the Port of Darwin to a Chinese company with alleged links to the People’s Liberation Army. | |
The US – which has 1,200 marines stationed in Darwin – was blindsided by that announcement and Richard Armitage, former US deputy secretary of state, said he was “stunned” by the $500m deal. | |
Morrison refused to be drawn on whether that sale would have proceeded under the new rules, but said they would mean a number of pending sales would now be scrutinised, including the NSW electricity distributor Ausgrid, the Western Australian bulk handling facility Utah Point, the Port of Melbourne, the Port of Fremantle and a stake in the NSW Endeavour electricity network. | |
Morrison said the change could be made by regulation and would apply from 31 March to the sale of “an airport or an airport site, a port, infrastructure for public transport, electricity, gas, water and sewerage systems, existing and proposed roads, railways, intermodal transfer facilities, the part of the northern land transport network, or a designated by a state and territory government as significant or controlled by the government as well as telecommunications infrastructure, and nuclear facilities”. | |
It is the latest in a series of restrictions on foreign ownership by the government, including reduced thresholds for the purchase of agricultural land. | |
Updated | |
at 12.37am GMT | |
12.10am GMT | 12.10am GMT |
00:10 | 00:10 |
I’m not alone. | I’m not alone. |
Q: Is this an acknowledgement that the port of Darwin should not have been sold to a Chinese company? | Q: Is this an acknowledgement that the port of Darwin should not have been sold to a Chinese company? |
Scott Morrison: | Scott Morrison: |
These thresholds apply to investments above $250m. They’re the normal rules that apply for private investors. There was a set of processes that led to that decision under previous arrangements and I’m not here really to comment on those arrangements, they are considered under the framework that has been in place for sometime. | These thresholds apply to investments above $250m. They’re the normal rules that apply for private investors. There was a set of processes that led to that decision under previous arrangements and I’m not here really to comment on those arrangements, they are considered under the framework that has been in place for sometime. |
Q: Would the support of the Darwin port face extra scrutiny under this process? | Q: Would the support of the Darwin port face extra scrutiny under this process? |
The port of Darwin is sold. It’s not a matter that is coming up. I don’t intend to engage in hypotheticals. | The port of Darwin is sold. It’s not a matter that is coming up. I don’t intend to engage in hypotheticals. |
12.06am GMT | 12.06am GMT |
00:06 | 00:06 |
Over in another part of the building, treasurer Scott Morrison has announced that from 31 March this year the Foreign Investment Review Board will formally review “critical infrastructure assets” sold by state and territory governments. | Over in another part of the building, treasurer Scott Morrison has announced that from 31 March this year the Foreign Investment Review Board will formally review “critical infrastructure assets” sold by state and territory governments. |
While governments can and do work with the Commonwealth when selling such assets the proposed change will formalise the process and ensure that future sales of critical infrastructure to privately owned investors are scrutinised under the FIRB arrangements. | While governments can and do work with the Commonwealth when selling such assets the proposed change will formalise the process and ensure that future sales of critical infrastructure to privately owned investors are scrutinised under the FIRB arrangements. |
Hmm, I’m sensing the sale of the port of Darwin. The sale the Americans didn’t approve of. | Hmm, I’m sensing the sale of the port of Darwin. The sale the Americans didn’t approve of. |
Updated | Updated |
at 12.11am GMT | at 12.11am GMT |
11.54pm GMT | 11.54pm GMT |
23:54 | 23:54 |
The pace is picking up in here considerably. Whipping through amendments now. | The pace is picking up in here considerably. Whipping through amendments now. |
11.52pm GMT | 11.52pm GMT |
23:52 | 23:52 |
I have asked the Senate on Twitter whether it knows where the current debate sits in the stats about longest continuous political debates. Something astonishing has happened. The Senate has admitted frailty. | I have asked the Senate on Twitter whether it knows where the current debate sits in the stats about longest continuous political debates. Something astonishing has happened. The Senate has admitted frailty. |
@murpharoo most days... today, however... | @murpharoo most days... today, however... |
I think the Senate needs a hug. | I think the Senate needs a hug. |
Updated | Updated |
at 12.04am GMT | at 12.04am GMT |
11.49pm GMT | 11.49pm GMT |
23:49 | 23:49 |
I was going to move an amendment to the amendment .. | I was going to move an amendment to the amendment .. |
That’s Ricky Muir. | That’s Ricky Muir. |
11.45pm GMT | 11.45pm GMT |
23:45 | 23:45 |
There’s some talk down on the floor about the longest continuous Senate debate. I’ll ask the Senate gurus for guidance. | There’s some talk down on the floor about the longest continuous Senate debate. I’ll ask the Senate gurus for guidance. |
The last division makes the Senate voting reform changes effective from 1 July. That’s a Greens amendment that passed with government support. | The last division makes the Senate voting reform changes effective from 1 July. That’s a Greens amendment that passed with government support. |
Updated | Updated |
at 11.47pm GMT | at 11.47pm GMT |
11.38pm GMT | 11.38pm GMT |
23:38 | 23:38 |
The two Senate leaders, Penny Wong and George Brandis, are having an amiable chat across the table while the Greens leader Richard Di Natale is on his feet. Wong looks quite pale. | The two Senate leaders, Penny Wong and George Brandis, are having an amiable chat across the table while the Greens leader Richard Di Natale is on his feet. Wong looks quite pale. |
Updated | Updated |
at 11.47pm GMT | at 11.47pm GMT |