This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

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

The article has changed 17 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 8 Version 9
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)
1.20am GMT
01:20
Doug Cameron says if you want to know how the Liberals operate, follow the money. Banks, property developers. The associated entities. They take money and do favours. Who gets priority access? The people making the donations. And associated entities hide the identities of the donors.
I can go on, and on, and on. It is an absolute rort. If there was ever a need for a royal commission, it’s into the associated entities of the Liberal party.
1.14am GMT
01:14
He was up, like a jack in the box!
This is Labor’s Doug Cameron, pointing out how quickly the finance minister leapt to his feet to defend corporate political donations.
He says the Greens as recently as February 24 were demanding immediate action on disclosure and donations.
They are an absolutely pathetic mob. You can’t trust a word that comes out of Senator Di Natale’s mouth. They really are a do nothing mob.
1.10am GMT
01:10
Greens leader Richard Di Natale says the Greens support the amendments in principle but the donations issue is currently before a parliamentary inquiry. He says he looks forward to Labor’s support when the issue emerges out of committee.
He says the public will look on at events in the senate this week with disgust and contempt. Di Natale says the public will view the discussion in the senate as little more than a stunt. He says we need an improvement to the disclosure regime.
Richard Di Natale.
I hope this isn’t just another tactic.
1.05am GMT
01:05
Mathias Cormann.
This is a transparent stunt and the government won’t be supporting these amendments.
1.03am GMT
01:03
Labor is moving amendments now to lower the disclosure threshold on political donations. Labor senator Jacinta Collins says the Greens have played lame on this issue. Finance minister Mathias Cormann says the government opposes lowering the disclosure threshold to $1,000 because the system is fine.
Cormann said Labor had a chance to pursue this when in government supported by the Greens, and failed to do so. He notes Labor had six years in government. In 2010, you had the numbers in parliament to do something about it, Cormann says. You left it stranded. Ha, ha, ha. (That’s how Cormann laughs. Ha, ha, ha.)
12.53am GMT
00:53
Labor’s Jacinta Collins.
Can I make the point about JSCEM [the joint committee on electoral matters]?
Green senator Robert Simms.
Oh, not again.
Please.
12.44am GMT12.44am GMT
00:4400:44
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.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.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 GMT12.38am GMT
00:3800:38
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.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 GMT12.35am GMT
00:3500:35
A couple of chamber shots from last night.A couple of chamber shots from last night.
12.30am GMT12.30am GMT
00:3000:30
Straight out of the authoritarian handbook.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.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
00:10
I’m not alone.
Q: Is this an acknowledgement that the port of Darwin should not have been sold to a Chinese company?
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.
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.
12.06am GMT
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.
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.
Updated
at 12.11am GMT
11.54pm GMT
23:54
The pace is picking up in here considerably. Whipping through amendments now.
11.52pm GMT
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.
@murpharoo most days... today, however...
I think the Senate needs a hug.
Updated
at 12.04am GMT
11.49pm GMT
23:49
I was going to move an amendment to the amendment ..
That’s Ricky Muir.
11.45pm GMT
23:45
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.
Updated
at 11.47pm GMT
11.38pm GMT
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.
Updated
at 11.47pm GMT