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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2016/sep/14/malcolm-turnbull-same-sex-marriage-plebiscite-bill-labor-coalition-politics-live

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Bill Shorten expected to tell Labor MPs to block marriage equality plebiscite – politics live Bill Shorten expected to tell Labor MPs to block marriage equality plebiscite – politics live
(35 minutes later)
3.20am BST
03:20
Turnbull says the arguments against the plebiscite have fallen into two categories.
He says those two arguments are valid but the government has decided on the plebiscite so they have “decided to proceed”.
But he says the argument that the debate will be not be civil “insults the Australian people”.
3.15am BST
03:15
Turnbull: It is a matter of conscience and we should respect it.
BTW, Bill Shorten is not in the house because he has flown to Canada to meet Justin Trudeau.
Turnbull:
But there are many other Australians who are equally filled with love, equally respectful of gay couples, equally respectful of the families, of gay couples, of same-sex couples, who will, in thoroughly good conscience, vote no. And they will do so not because they disrespect gay couples, not because they disrespect the couple that was in the house yesterday with their little boy, they will do so because of a deeply felt conscience. It is a matter of conscience and we should respect it.
Updated
at 3.19am BST
3.12am BST
03:12
Malcolm Turnbull: I support same sex marriage because I am a conservative
Turnbull:
We have to respect there are sincerely held views on this issue. They are views very often informed by deeply felt conscience, informed by religious commitment very often, informed by faith. It is we have to respect and we must respect – and I can say the government respects, the diversity of views on this issue ...
From the bottom of my heart that our society was stronger if more people were married and there were fewer divorces. If there was something we could do to make families happier, it would be a wonderful thing. We know that the breakdown of the family unit is one of the great causes of hardship, of poverty, of so many of our social ills ...
And sticking together and working hard and supporting their children and their families and enabling their dreams. And that is why I support same-sex marriage. David Cameron summed it up very well some years ago when he said, “I support same-sex marriage, not despite being a conservative, but because I am a conservative, because we value commitment.”
So that is where I stand, that is where Lucy stands.
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3.09am BST
03:09
Malcolm Turnbull harks back to the change in attitudes on the issue. He remembers speaking to George W. Bush in 2007 about the issue of superannuation changes relating to same-sex couples.
I remember discussing this point with President Bush many years ago, at the time of Apec in 2007, when we were discussing what were the big moral issues in Australian politics, and we talked about this issue of equal access to superannuation, and I remember the president said: “Well, those are all issues of finance. The big moral issue is the one about marriage.” And we have to respect that it is a very big moral issue.
Updated
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3.06am BST
03:06
Turnbull on the plebiscite bill:
I present to the House today the commitment that we made in the election campaign to put the question of whether same-sex couples will be allowed to marry under Australian law to the Australian people in a plebiscite. Now, we believe that that commitment is one that all members of this parliament should support and respect. It is thoroughly democratic. It is thoroughly democratic. Every Australian will have their say and, if the opposition support the plebiscite in the Senate, the plebiscite can be held on 11th February, which is the soonest practicable date.
Updated
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3.05am BST
03:05
The budget bill has passed.
We are onto the same-sex marriage plebiscite. Malcolm Turnbull is on his feet.
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3.03am BST
03:03
Christopher Pyne has moved to shut down the debate, given Bandt and Wilkie have had a fair go. Andrew Wilkie has asked that his and Bandt’s dissent be recorded.
3.01am BST
03:01
The Greens MP Adam Bandt says if we can find this tricky deal in 20 minutes of debate, what else will we find in the budget omnibus bill agreed to by the Coalition and Labor?
I for one am not prepared to wave it through?
The clue to your job is in the title - TO OPPOSE!
Updated
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2.59am BST
02:59
It looks as though the plebiscite bill is not going to get to the plebiscite before question time.
2.58am BST
02:58
Bandt on Arena: they are robbing Peter to pay Paul
Answering the crossbench queries, Chris Bowen says we have an agreement to work together to ensure the deal for $800m for Arena.
Bandt says the fact that neither Bowen nor Morrison answer the question properly suggested they had been caught out.
He says the $800m to “save” Arena was taken out of another government “clean energy bucket”, according to the bill’s explanatory memorandum.
So to be clear, Cormann said yesterday the $800m to “save Arena” would be taken from the Clean Energy Innovation Fund.
Labor then denied that was part of the deal this morning. Again, from the Guardian story:
A spokesman for Mark Butler, Labor’s climate and energy spokesman, told Guardian Australia he was confused and surprised by Cormann’s comments.
“Our understanding and expectation is that he is not cutting CEFC,” he said. “The government’s clean energy innovation fund was never the subject of negotiations.
“The discussion was progressed on the basis that any save that fell short of what we needed would be made up for by some other area, and that’s exactly what happened. So no cut to the Clean Energy Innovation Fund is needed.
So both Bandt and Wilkie are questioning this, given it is contained in the explanatory memo for the bill.
The clerk of the house is rushing around with a new memo. The revised memo takes out the reference. To which, Wilkie says, where is it coming from then?
Bandt:
They are robbing Peter to pay Paul ... this is what happens when you do dirty deals.
Updated
at 3.07am BST
2.41am BST2.41am BST
02:4102:41
Ok Bandt’s amendment was voted down. Now the house is moving onto the amendments agreed between Labor and the Coalition. OK, Bandt’s amendment was voted down. Now the house is moving onto the amendments agreed between Labor and the Coalition.
Adam Bandt is asking the treasurer about the Clean Energy Innovation fund, quoting Mikey Slezak’s story this morning. Adam Bandt is asking the treasurer about the Clean Energy Innovation Fund, quoting Mikey Slezak’s story this morning.
The finance minister, Mathias Cormann, has said the Coalition’s deal with Labor to save some funding for the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Arena) will be balanced by a new cut to the Clean Energy Innovation Fund – but Labor has denied that was the agreement.The finance minister, Mathias Cormann, has said the Coalition’s deal with Labor to save some funding for the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Arena) will be balanced by a new cut to the Clean Energy Innovation Fund – but Labor has denied that was the agreement.
Speaking on Sky News, Cormann said: “Labor has asked for us to restore $800m of that for grants funding so we will do that but the capital available to the Clean Energy Innovation Fund will be reduced accordingly.”Speaking on Sky News, Cormann said: “Labor has asked for us to restore $800m of that for grants funding so we will do that but the capital available to the Clean Energy Innovation Fund will be reduced accordingly.”
It is understood that would in effect be cutting the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) by $800m, because the innovation fund is part of the CEFC.It is understood that would in effect be cutting the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) by $800m, because the innovation fund is part of the CEFC.
He also stated that the proposed $1.3bn in cuts to Arena were actually going to be diverted from Arena to the innovation fund, suggesting that the new deal is reversing that move.He also stated that the proposed $1.3bn in cuts to Arena were actually going to be diverted from Arena to the innovation fund, suggesting that the new deal is reversing that move.
Bandt wants to know where the money is coming from to save Arena. General confusion ensues.Bandt wants to know where the money is coming from to save Arena. General confusion ensues.
Updated
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2.29am BST2.29am BST
02:2902:29
Adam Bandt, Bob Katter, Andrew Wilkie and Cathy McGowan voted against the first of many procedural questions on the budget omnibus bill. The fifth crossbencher, NXT MP Rebekha Sharkie, is the only crossbencher not there.Adam Bandt, Bob Katter, Andrew Wilkie and Cathy McGowan voted against the first of many procedural questions on the budget omnibus bill. The fifth crossbencher, NXT MP Rebekha Sharkie, is the only crossbencher not there.
Bandt, Katter, Wilkie & McGowan vote against the Govt. & Opposition on the omnibus bill @gabriellechan @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/TqK1OSNjurBandt, Katter, Wilkie & McGowan vote against the Govt. & Opposition on the omnibus bill @gabriellechan @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/TqK1OSNjur
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2.25am BST2.25am BST
02:2502:25
The House is dividing still on the Greens’ amendment to the budget omnibus bill.The House is dividing still on the Greens’ amendment to the budget omnibus bill.
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2.24am BST
02:24
There have been some questions in the thread about why the government is filibustering in government business. In the parliamentary program, there are certain times set down for certain business, such as government biz or private member’s biz or indeed question time.
At the beginning of a parliament, obviously while the lower house is debating things, the Senate has got little to do because they are waiting for bills to pass. Things like the budget bills were being nutted out, the plebiscite bill had to be sorted in cabinet and party room and other bills were not simply not ready to go. Labor’s clear grasp on procedural matters also allowed a slowing of the process.
Therefore, if the government business session has no business, they have to talk about something else or they move on to Other People’s Agendas. Which is not good for a government.
If you want to know more, the parliament has live minutes in both the Senate and the lower house, which gives you an idea of the timing of sessions like government business and other matters. Keep refreshing so you are up to date.
Updated
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2.13am BST
02:13
Coalition announces a national gun amnesty for illegal weapons
Gareth Hutchens
The Turnbull government has made two gun-related announcements this morning.
It says it will be introducing legislation to parliament this week to crack down on illegal guns.
The legislation will increase the maximum penalties for gun smuggling to up to 20 years and make mandatory minimum sentencing of five years for those who are convicted of gun smuggling.
The government also plans to start a national gun amnesty so people can hand in their illegal guns without penalty. It will not be a buyback.
The justice minister, Michael Keenan, said his state and territory colleagues have agreed in principle to the plan but the details will have to be worked out.
He said his National party colleagues were onboard.
“Everybody is on board with this because there’s no one in the Coalition wants to see more illegal guns on the streets,” he said.
“This isn’t about targeting people who legally own firearms. This is about targeting the grey market, the black market for guns, and getting guns that are not registered or held properly off our streets.”
Fairfax Media reported on Wednesday that the crackdown comes after an unprecedented wave of violent firearm-related crime in Melbourne.
Updated
at 2.43am BST
2.06am BST
02:06
Sorry, jumped the gun. The first vote was on the consideration of the bill. There will be a number of amendments coming. The first is a Greens amendment to take out the cuts to Arena, which is $500m off its $1.3m funding package, leaving it with $800m.
Wind back the tax breaks to the mining companies or the banks, says the Greens MP Adam Bandt.
Updated
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2.06am BST
02:06
Not happy Bill.
Updated
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2.03am BST
02:03
The lower house is now voting on the budget omnibus bill.
2.02am BST
02:02
I just want to clarify the Labor position on the plebiscite. While Bill Shorten is understood to be recommending blocking the plebiscite, it has yet to be ticked off by both the shadow cabinet and the caucus – both required processes in Labor policy formulation. #justsaying
Updated
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2.00am BST
02:00
The treasurer is back in the house to close off on the omnibus bill.
In the meantime, have a read of Paul Karp’s story about finance department advice warning government it may not make its planned surplus in 2020.
The finance department has warned the re-elected Turnbull government that a number of “significant downside risks” may prevent its planned slim surplus in 2020.
The risks include blocked “zombie” budget savings measures and cost blowouts in the national disability insurance scheme.
This is the guts of the advice:
The brief noted the government planned to achieve a 0.2% budget surplus by 2020-21 and to shrink payments as a proportion of GDP from 25.8% to 25.2% in that time.
The “significant downside risks” which might ruin the planned surplus included:
1.52am BST
01:52
It’s a really good speech from Andrew Wilkie in its breadth. He has covered refugees and climate change as well as budget measures. He says its important to look after the community and as climate change is the biggest threat to Australia, he does not shy away from talking about it. The term “quisling” is repeated regularly – and he ends on it, in regard to Labor.
You are a pack of quislings.
Updated
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1.41am BST
01:41
In the house, Adam Bandt and Andrew Wilkie are tearing strips off Labor for doing the budget deal with the Coalition.
Wilkie describes the budget omnibus bill as a
black-hearted bill ... it is not a fair-minded bill ... it betrays Labor voters.
He asks:
Why not go after high-income earners ... people like us.
By way of contrast, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Income Tax Relief) is coming into the house later this afternoon. This is the “bracket creep” bill that:
Amends the Income Tax Rates Act 1986 to increase the third personal income tax threshold so that the rate of tax payable on taxable incomes from $80 001 to $87 000 for individuals is 32.5%.
It effectively gives people earning more than $80,000 a $315 tax cut.
Updated
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1.29am BST
01:29
Bill Shorten is expected to recommend to the caucus that Labor blocks the Coalition’s plebiscite legislation. Shorten and Labor have been equivocating on what they will do with the legislation even though they oppose a plebiscite and believe there should be a free vote in parliament.
Last night Labor said Shorten would be consulting with groups and people effected by the plebiscite debate. This expected recommendation this morning to block the bill is a move forward. Possibly to leave his own caucus is in no doubt as to what his position is. Labor will still do the consultations but from a known leadership position of blocking the plebiscite bill.
There are twists with double pikes going on here. Bear with me.
Updated
at 1.33am BST