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| Turnbull: double-dissolution election will be called if ABCC bill not passed | Turnbull: double-dissolution election will be called if ABCC bill not passed |
| (6 months later) | |
| Malcolm Turnbull has ended months of political and policy indecision with a surprise announcement that he will call a 2 July double-dissolution election unless the Senate passes industrial laws when special constitutional provisions are used to recall it next month. | Malcolm Turnbull has ended months of political and policy indecision with a surprise announcement that he will call a 2 July double-dissolution election unless the Senate passes industrial laws when special constitutional provisions are used to recall it next month. |
| The prime minister threw down the gauntlet to the Senate crossbench declaring “the time for games is over”, saying three weeks was ample time for senators to consider and pass the bills reconstituting the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) and regulating registered organisations. The Senate is being recalled from 18 April. | The prime minister threw down the gauntlet to the Senate crossbench declaring “the time for games is over”, saying three weeks was ample time for senators to consider and pass the bills reconstituting the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) and regulating registered organisations. The Senate is being recalled from 18 April. |
| If the bills do not pass, Turnbull said a double-dissolution election would be called and fought on economic management. | If the bills do not pass, Turnbull said a double-dissolution election would be called and fought on economic management. |
| If the Senate does not budge on its longstanding opposition to the bills, Turnbull’s high-risk strategy paves the way for a nine-week winter election campaign from the time of budget – which will now be delivered one week early on 3 May, and in effect for a 15-week campaign from now. | If the Senate does not budge on its longstanding opposition to the bills, Turnbull’s high-risk strategy paves the way for a nine-week winter election campaign from the time of budget – which will now be delivered one week early on 3 May, and in effect for a 15-week campaign from now. |
| Turnbull said he had finally decided on the plan last night, and had formally informed his cabinet in a hook-up at 10am shortly before the public announcement at 10.30. Sources said the leadership group and some cabinet ministers had been told “on a need-to-know basis” and the prime minister talked the plan through with the attorney general, George Brandis, and the employment minister, Michaelia Cash, on Sunday night. | Turnbull said he had finally decided on the plan last night, and had formally informed his cabinet in a hook-up at 10am shortly before the public announcement at 10.30. Sources said the leadership group and some cabinet ministers had been told “on a need-to-know basis” and the prime minister talked the plan through with the attorney general, George Brandis, and the employment minister, Michaelia Cash, on Sunday night. |
| “Our intention, our determination is to have the [industrial bills] passed,” he said. “We are very alert to the way in which Senate procedures have been used and you saw it all last week, to frustrate the business of government and frustrate reform. Now, I make – I simply make the observation, the senators are entitled to do that, if they don’t want to pass the ABCC bills then they should resolve to reject them and then the decision will be left to the Australian people.” | “Our intention, our determination is to have the [industrial bills] passed,” he said. “We are very alert to the way in which Senate procedures have been used and you saw it all last week, to frustrate the business of government and frustrate reform. Now, I make – I simply make the observation, the senators are entitled to do that, if they don’t want to pass the ABCC bills then they should resolve to reject them and then the decision will be left to the Australian people.” |
| The treasurer, Scott Morrison, said he did not know definitively that the budget had been brought forward until Monday morning, but had been part of discussions on the possibility of it being moved. | The treasurer, Scott Morrison, said he did not know definitively that the budget had been brought forward until Monday morning, but had been part of discussions on the possibility of it being moved. |
| “Previously people asked me what day is the budget, 10 May; that’s what it was until I was advised this morning that it will be on 3 May,” he told reporters. | “Previously people asked me what day is the budget, 10 May; that’s what it was until I was advised this morning that it will be on 3 May,” he told reporters. |
| Cash said she would negotiate with the crossbench, but the government’s position was clear. | Cash said she would negotiate with the crossbench, but the government’s position was clear. |
| “Our intent is to see these bills passed because they are good policy. But again, as the PM made clear today, the time for playing games is over. I will negotiate in good faith but I’m not about to tolerate amendments just for amendments’ sake. These bills must be passed.” | “Our intent is to see these bills passed because they are good policy. But again, as the PM made clear today, the time for playing games is over. I will negotiate in good faith but I’m not about to tolerate amendments just for amendments’ sake. These bills must be passed.” |
| Cash said the Senate was in a state of paralysis and the government “really have no other options available to us” except to bring parliament back early to definitively deal with its industrial relations bills. She said it was pointless to consider the ABCC bill in committee because the Greens and Labor opposed it. | Cash said the Senate was in a state of paralysis and the government “really have no other options available to us” except to bring parliament back early to definitively deal with its industrial relations bills. She said it was pointless to consider the ABCC bill in committee because the Greens and Labor opposed it. |
| Turnbull said the election would be “fought on the overall economic agenda”. | Turnbull said the election would be “fought on the overall economic agenda”. |
| “The issue in the election is who do you believe is best able to continue successfully to manage Australia’s economic transition?” he said. “Who has the policies and the leadership that will ensure there is more investment, more innovation, greater productivity, and better jobs for your children and grandchildren? That is the question. Every single policy we have set out is calculated to deliver those outcomes.” | “The issue in the election is who do you believe is best able to continue successfully to manage Australia’s economic transition?” he said. “Who has the policies and the leadership that will ensure there is more investment, more innovation, greater productivity, and better jobs for your children and grandchildren? That is the question. Every single policy we have set out is calculated to deliver those outcomes.” |
| But he said the industrial reforms were also essential because: “They will ensure that unions are more accountable, more transparent, managed in the same ... transparent manner that public companies should be managed. | But he said the industrial reforms were also essential because: “They will ensure that unions are more accountable, more transparent, managed in the same ... transparent manner that public companies should be managed. |
| “The construction industry is a huge part of the Australian economy. We are paying a very high price for the lawlessness and the high level of industrial disputation in that sector. Having a strong construction industry watchdog, the ABCC, we know – this is not theory – when it was in place, until Labor abolished it, there was a significant increase in productivity. | “The construction industry is a huge part of the Australian economy. We are paying a very high price for the lawlessness and the high level of industrial disputation in that sector. Having a strong construction industry watchdog, the ABCC, we know – this is not theory – when it was in place, until Labor abolished it, there was a significant increase in productivity. |
| “Since it has been abolished ... the level of disputation has increased, lawlessness has got worse, productivity has not improved.” | “Since it has been abolished ... the level of disputation has increased, lawlessness has got worse, productivity has not improved.” |
| Turnbull said the proclamation he asked the governor general, Peter Cosgrove, to make under section five of the constitution overrode the views of the majority of senators that they would not sit again until the date the budget was scheduled to be handed down. | Turnbull said the proclamation he asked the governor general, Peter Cosgrove, to make under section five of the constitution overrode the views of the majority of senators that they would not sit again until the date the budget was scheduled to be handed down. |
| Under an agreement with the Greens to get changes to Senate voting procedures through the Senate last week, the ABCC bill was not debated and the opposition parties had tried to engage numerous tactics to ensure it would not be debated in time for Turnbull to use it as a double-dissolution trigger – given such an election must be called by 11 May. | Under an agreement with the Greens to get changes to Senate voting procedures through the Senate last week, the ABCC bill was not debated and the opposition parties had tried to engage numerous tactics to ensure it would not be debated in time for Turnbull to use it as a double-dissolution trigger – given such an election must be called by 11 May. |
| Turnbull said if the Senate passed the two industrial bills a normal election would be held later in the year and he would not use the other available trigger – legislation abolishing the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. | Turnbull said if the Senate passed the two industrial bills a normal election would be held later in the year and he would not use the other available trigger – legislation abolishing the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. |
| Crossbenchers criticised the decision to bring back parliament. “I would love to go on being a senator for Queensland, but I’m not going to be blackmailed,” the independent senator Glenn Lazarus told reporters. The prime minister was “being self-absorbed” in making Monday’s announcement, he said. | Crossbenchers criticised the decision to bring back parliament. “I would love to go on being a senator for Queensland, but I’m not going to be blackmailed,” the independent senator Glenn Lazarus told reporters. The prime minister was “being self-absorbed” in making Monday’s announcement, he said. |
| “I didn’t see it coming, I don’t think anyone saw it coming,” the independent senator Nick Xenophon said. “That’s the prime minister’s prerogative. He’s made a pretty nifty manoeuvre that will no doubt cause fireworks in the Senate.” | “I didn’t see it coming, I don’t think anyone saw it coming,” the independent senator Nick Xenophon said. “That’s the prime minister’s prerogative. He’s made a pretty nifty manoeuvre that will no doubt cause fireworks in the Senate.” |
| The crossbench has been in lengthy negotiations with the government over amendments to the ABCC bill – including improvements in procedural fairness – but Turnbull indicated the government had little appetite for changes. | The crossbench has been in lengthy negotiations with the government over amendments to the ABCC bill – including improvements in procedural fairness – but Turnbull indicated the government had little appetite for changes. |
| The Family First senator, Bob Day – who had previously supported the ABCC bill – said Turnbull had called him on Monday morning to ask him to back the bills despite his anger at the Senate voting changes, and to help him to convince other crossbenchers to also support them. | The Family First senator, Bob Day – who had previously supported the ABCC bill – said Turnbull had called him on Monday morning to ask him to back the bills despite his anger at the Senate voting changes, and to help him to convince other crossbenchers to also support them. |
| Day said he would back them but would not help talk around his crossbench colleagues. | Day said he would back them but would not help talk around his crossbench colleagues. |
| The Palmer United party senator, Dio Wang, has proposed the creation of a national anti-corruption body, similar to the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Crruption and also wants greater judicial review of the extraordinary powers provided for under the ABCC bill. | The Palmer United party senator, Dio Wang, has proposed the creation of a national anti-corruption body, similar to the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Crruption and also wants greater judicial review of the extraordinary powers provided for under the ABCC bill. |
| The setting up of a national anti-corruption body that looks at the behaviour of politicians as well as workers in other sectors is supported by the independent senator John Madigan, too. | The setting up of a national anti-corruption body that looks at the behaviour of politicians as well as workers in other sectors is supported by the independent senator John Madigan, too. |
| Several crossbenchers have supported the proposal to broaden the scope of the watchdog to take in sham contracting and the practice of phoenixing – where companies declare bankruptcy to avoid paying debts before starting a new business under a different name. | Several crossbenchers have supported the proposal to broaden the scope of the watchdog to take in sham contracting and the practice of phoenixing – where companies declare bankruptcy to avoid paying debts before starting a new business under a different name. |
| The government is reportedly considering a proposal put forward by the Liberal Democrat senator, David Leyonhjelm, to include a sunset clause on the building industry watchdog, meaning the ABCC would expire eight years after its establishment. | The government is reportedly considering a proposal put forward by the Liberal Democrat senator, David Leyonhjelm, to include a sunset clause on the building industry watchdog, meaning the ABCC would expire eight years after its establishment. |
| Xenophon has not yet formally submitted his amendments but he wants stronger protections for union whistleblowers included in the legislation. | Xenophon has not yet formally submitted his amendments but he wants stronger protections for union whistleblowers included in the legislation. |