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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2016/oct/10/pauline-hanson-backs-malcolm-turnbulls-country-fire-authority-bill-politics-live
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| Minister flags defunding plebiscite campaigns in return for Labor support – politics live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 6.49am BST | |
| 06:49 | |
| Simon Birmingham says government could defund yes and no cases in return for Labor's support for plebiscite | |
| David Speers of Sky has just interviewed education minister Simon Birmingham. At the end, he took a few questions on marriage equality and the plebiscite. Labor is due to decide their final position on the plebiscite bill tomorrow morning. | |
| Birmingham threw out a bone - suggesting the Coalition could consider defunding the yes and no cases. Funding was one of the issues insisted on by the right wing of the Coalition partyroom. | |
| Speers asked, personally, would you be happy to see a plebiscite that doesn’t fund the yes and no camps? | |
| I think that is a reasonable point of debate. I think we have worked very hard to keep the cost of the plebiscite as low as possible to make sure there are safeguards around any government-funded advertising that occurs so we can ensure it is respectful. Ultimately if that is something the Labor party want to take out in return for support for a plebiscite, well they should say so and put it on the table. | |
| Q: It’s a reasonable request, is what you are saying... | |
| It would be a reasonable request and one we could consider ourselves. | |
| Somewhere, Eric Abetz is exploding. | |
| 6.35am BST | |
| 06:35 | |
| If you are struggling with the Brandis-Gleeson matter, here are a few excerpts from Senate QT: | |
| Labor to Brandis: I refer to the explanatory statement on the legal services amendment solicitor general opinions direction 2016, tabled by the attorney general, which states, ‘The attorney-general has consulted the solicitor general.’ The solicitor general has said, ‘I wasn’t consulted about the direction.’ Is the solicitor general correct? | |
| Brandis in part: | |
| I consulted the solicitor general about the matter at a meeting in my office on 30 November 2015. I invited the solicitor general to put his ideas in writing, which he did, and I considered those as well. When I made the direction, I was advised by my department that the requirements of section 17 of the legislation act have been satisfied. | |
| Labor to Brandis: I refer to the solicitor general’s submission to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, which states: “at no time — I repeat: At no time during that meeting did the attorney general indicate that he was considering issuing a legal binding direction”. Given the solicitor general has directly contradicted the attorney general’s statements, will the attorney general now concede he has misled the Senate? | |
| Brandis in part: | |
| I agree with that statement, Senator Wong, because at the time of that meeting I was seeking Mr Gleeson’s views about the matter. I had formed no view whatever as to what course I would take. That is a view I formed subsequent to the meeting. | |
| Updated | |
| at 6.43am BST | |
| 5.49am BST | 5.49am BST |
| 05:49 | 05:49 |
| Brandis and solicitor general to appear before Senate committee | Brandis and solicitor general to appear before Senate committee |
| Paul Karp | Paul Karp |
| The very public spat between attorney general George Brandis and solicitor general Justin Gleeson will continue on Friday when both will appear before a Senate committee examining a controversial direction giving Brandis a veto over legal advice from the solicitor general. | The very public spat between attorney general George Brandis and solicitor general Justin Gleeson will continue on Friday when both will appear before a Senate committee examining a controversial direction giving Brandis a veto over legal advice from the solicitor general. |
| The legal and constitutional affairs references committee has just released its schedule showing a further hearing with the two main protagonists. | The legal and constitutional affairs references committee has just released its schedule showing a further hearing with the two main protagonists. |
| As Brandis explained in question time, the dispute centres on whether a meeting on 30 November to discuss the way requests for advice were referred to the solicitor general constituted a consultation. Brandis said it was, Gleeson said it did not. | As Brandis explained in question time, the dispute centres on whether a meeting on 30 November to discuss the way requests for advice were referred to the solicitor general constituted a consultation. Brandis said it was, Gleeson said it did not. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.02am BST | at 6.02am BST |
| 5.43am BST | 5.43am BST |
| 05:43 | 05:43 |
| Exhibit A. | Exhibit A. |
| 5.30am BST | 5.30am BST |
| 05:30 | 05:30 |
| Outside parliament, the natural world continues. | Outside parliament, the natural world continues. |
| Currawong braves the elements in the Senate courtyard pic.twitter.com/z5QRCwOu82 | Currawong braves the elements in the Senate courtyard pic.twitter.com/z5QRCwOu82 |
| 5.27am BST | 5.27am BST |
| 05:27 | 05:27 |
| Christopher Pyne and his hair. | Christopher Pyne and his hair. |
| 5.23am BST | 5.23am BST |
| 05:23 | 05:23 |
| Tone is in the building. | Tone is in the building. |
| 5.21am BST | 5.21am BST |
| 05:21 | 05:21 |
| Pauline Hanson's first ever question in #SenateQT is about "urgently needed lifesaving drug" medical cannabis. | Pauline Hanson's first ever question in #SenateQT is about "urgently needed lifesaving drug" medical cannabis. |
| 5.18am BST | 5.18am BST |
| 05:18 | 05:18 |
| 5.17am BST | 5.17am BST |
| 05:17 | 05:17 |
| Find a happy place. | Find a happy place. |
| 5.13am BST | 5.13am BST |
| 05:13 | 05:13 |
| Health minister Sussan Ley gets a question on World Mental Health day. | Health minister Sussan Ley gets a question on World Mental Health day. |
| I think the key message for those listening is to look after after yourself, realise the supports are out there and you are not alone. | I think the key message for those listening is to look after after yourself, realise the supports are out there and you are not alone. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.15am BST | at 5.15am BST |