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Nationals MP to withdraw support for government if there is parliamentary vote on marriage equality – politics live
Labor commits to blocking marriage equality plebiscite – politics live
(35 minutes later)
1.03am BST
01:03
Here is one Mike Bowers prepared earlier.
12.58am BST
00:58
As a result of this news, there is press conference with Bill Shorten at 11.30am.
12.44am BST
00:44
Paul Karp has confirmed Labor has indeed voted to block the plebiscite unanimously. This means the bill is dead.
12.38am BST
00:38
Labor reportedly going to vote against the plebiscite
Sky News is reporting that Labor has confirmed it will block the legislation to enable a plebsictie on marriage equality.
12.33am BST
00:33
Ah Matt...
@gabriellechan Healing divisions one hug at a time. You're welcome, Australia. #politicslive pic.twitter.com/sZHLpiFiKO
12.31am BST
00:31
I just want to pause here to note my freedom confusion.
The conservatives in the Coalition believe the attorney general’s draft marriage amendment does not go far enough.
The changes, to be implemented only after a plebiscite, contain exemptions for religious organisations but not small businesses.
Conservatives believe the exemptions should also apply to small businesses on the grounds of freedom of speech. What if you object to same-sex marriage but you cannot, under law, refuse to bake a wedding cake or sew a dress?
David Leyonhjelm agrees.
David Leyonhjelm says he wants gov's plebiscite exposure draft to allow businesses to refuse service to same-sex marriages #auspol
But, for the freedom warriors, why does freedom not extend to the right of same-sex couples to marry?
John Howard’s 2004 changes actually restricted freedoms to define marriage as between a man and a woman. There was not a peep from the freedom warriors then.
To recap, if I have this straight...
Same-sex couples should not be free to marry.
But, if they are free to marry, businesses should be free to refuse services to same-sex couples.
At the same time, while it’s gone off the boil, the same freedom warriors are arguing to amend 18c so people are free to insult and offend.
So under this logic, you would be free to call Penny Wong a racial name but she is not free to marry.
Makes sense.
Updated
at 12.52am BST
12.12am BST
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Meanwhile, the minister for women, Michaelia Cash, has released a statement celebrating International Day of the Girl Child, “a global event recognising the rights of young girls around the world, whilst also acknowledging the ongoing challenges they confront”.
Meanwhile, the minister for women, Michaelia Cash, has released a statement celebrating International Day of the Girl Child, “a global event recognising the rights of young girls around the world, whilst also acknowledging the ongoing challenges they confront”.
Updated
Updated
at 12.23am BST
at 12.23am BST
12.11am BST
12.11am BST
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00:11
There is too much happening here but I cannot bypass this. Trump’s 2005 comments were a “victory for women”, says Sky commentator and former Lib MP Ross Cameron.
There is too much happening here but I cannot bypass this. Trump’s 2005 comments were a “victory for women”, says Sky commentator and former Lib MP Ross Cameron.
"Wildly gesticulating Trump supporter mansplains women's issue to a woman who can't get a word in edgeways" pic.twitter.com/f3jrORDtjl
"Wildly gesticulating Trump supporter mansplains women's issue to a woman who can't get a word in edgeways" pic.twitter.com/f3jrORDtjl
The rise and fall of civilisations may be renamed ‘who get’s the girl’.
The rise and fall of civilisations may be renamed ‘who get’s the girl’.
Be still, my celestial body.
Be still, my celestial body.
12.05am BST
12.05am BST
00:05
00:05
Bill Shorten spoke briefly about the marriage plebiscite before going off to caucus. He is not for turning.
Bill Shorten spoke briefly about the marriage plebiscite before going off to caucus. He is not for turning.
It is a shocking waste of $200m. The Liberal party is not going to bind themselves to it. It will be compulsory to vote but it is not compulsory to accept the outcome. The number of experts who have come out in recent weeks and explained that the potential for harm, in a divisive and ugly debate, the government cannot guarantee that everyone will be civilised when debating their peers. And now overnight we see the attorney general is blundering again and he is now saying that the only way we can have the plebiscite is by watering down anti-discrimination laws against gay people. I mean, this government does not want this to happen.
It is a shocking waste of $200m. The Liberal party is not going to bind themselves to it. It will be compulsory to vote but it is not compulsory to accept the outcome. The number of experts who have come out in recent weeks and explained that the potential for harm, in a divisive and ugly debate, the government cannot guarantee that everyone will be civilised when debating their peers. And now overnight we see the attorney general is blundering again and he is now saying that the only way we can have the plebiscite is by watering down anti-discrimination laws against gay people. I mean, this government does not want this to happen.
Updated
Updated
at 12.08am BST
at 12.08am BST
12.03am BST
12.03am BST
00:03
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Just a housekeeping catch up. The chambers do not start sitting until midday for the partyroom meetings.
Just a housekeeping catch up. The chambers do not start sitting until midday for the partyroom meetings.
11.45pm BST
11.45pm BST
23:45
23:45
Scott Morrison is talking about tightening up the welfare system, off the back of a Telegraph story that claims prime ministers from Howard onwards cannot get welfare recipients below 20% of the population.
Scott Morrison is talking about tightening up the welfare system, off the back of a Telegraph story that claims prime ministers from Howard onwards cannot get welfare recipients below 20% of the population.
He says getting a “transfer payment from government is now what many Australians have as part of their income”.
He says getting a “transfer payment from government is now what many Australians have as part of their income”.
Updated
Updated
at 11.52pm BST
at 11.52pm BST
11.35pm BST
23:35
Scott Morrison: Trump comments loathsome and cannot be dismissed
Scott Morrison is speaking to Ray Hadley.
The treasurer is asked about the US election race. He says Donald Trump, with the 2005 remarks regarding women, is winning the race to the bottom.
He agrees with the PM yesterday, “those comments were loathsome” and says they cannot be dismissed as “locker room banter”.
They are not welcome in the locker room or any room ... you don’t hear them around this place ... Nine lives certainly seem to be up on those comments.
Asked about what happens if he is elected, Morrison says the US-Australian alliance runs very deep.
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at 11.50pm BST
11.28pm BST
23:28
Back to the CFA vote.
Senator Jacqui Lambie was the only crossbench senator to vote against the CFA volunteers bill.
Those who voted for:
11.18pm BST
23:18
Innovation and nursing. What could be better?
Ever vigilant, Mike Bowers has noticed that when the prime minister is feeling confident, he does this foot thing on the podium. Sometimes photographers see a lot more than the rest of us.
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at 11.22pm BST
11.10pm BST
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We are expecting Labor to block the same-sex marriage plebiscite bill, which would mean it is dead in the water. But the bill remains on the parliamentary program for debate today in the house and tomorrow in the Senate. So if Labor rolls out of caucus with the expected “no”, will the government withdraw the legislation?
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at 11.22pm BST
10.58pm BST
22:58
Nationals MP Andrew Broad to withdraw support for government if there is a parliamentary vote on marriage
Nationals MP Andrew Broad has just told me he would withdraw support for the government if there is a parliamentary vote on marriage without a plebiscite.
We must honour our election commitments. The choice between the Coalition and Labor was clear in the election campaign. We promised a plebiscite, Labor promised a conscience vote.
Broad will not say whether that withdrawal means he will withdraw support for all legislation but he rejects a suggestion he would sit on the crossbench.
I’m a Nat!
He does say that if the plebiscite goes ahead, he will vote the same way as his electorate, rather than the same way as the national outcome.
For me not to vote how they decide would cheapen their vote.
Broad says he trusts the Australian people to have a respectful debate. Broad received 64 letters on the subject, handwritten and not form letters. He said 32 were supportive of the change and 32 were in support of the status quo.
They were very respectful.
Updated
at 11.23pm BST
10.50pm BST
22:50
Marriage Act amendments exposure draft
These are the key points on the draft amendment released by George Brandis:
1. The definition of marriage would change: The definition of marriage in s5 of the Marriage Act would be changed to replace “a man and a woman” with “two people”.
2. The conditions for a valid marriage would stay the same: It will continue to be the case that a marriage would be void if, for example, the parties are in a ‘prohibited relationship’, consent was not real, or one or both parties are not of marriageable age.
3. Foreign same-sex marriages would be recognised in Australia: All valid marriage solemnised under the law of a foreign country, including same-sex marriages, would be recognised in Australia if they are consistent with Australian law. A foreign marriage would not be valid in Australia if the marriage would be unlawful in Australia, for example, if the parties are siblings, in a parent-child relationship, or are polygamous.
4. Existing protections for ministers of religion would be retained and strengthened: ministers of religion would be able to refuse to solemnise a marriage on the grounds that the marriage is not the union of a man and a woman, if that refusal conforms to the doctrines, tenets or beliefs of the minister’s religion, or is necessary to avoid injury to the religious susceptibilities of adherents of the religion, or if (irrespective of the teachings of his or her church) the minister has a conscientious objection to same-sex marriage.
5. Marriage celebrants (including those who are not ministers of religion) would be able to refuse to marry a same-sex couple: In addition to the existing law whereby marriage celebrants are under no obligation to solemnise marriage, the Marriage Act would be amended to allow marriage celebrants who are not ministers of religion to refuse, on the basis of conscientious or religious beliefs, to solemnise a marriage on the grounds that the marriage is not the union of a man or a woman. Religious bodies and religious organisations would also be able to refuse to provide facilities, goods or services for the purpose of solemnisation of a same-sex marriage, or for purposes reasonably incidental thereto, if the refusal conforms to the doctrines, tenets or beliefs of the religion, or is necessary to avoid injury to the religious susceptibilities of adherents to that religion.
In the event that the parliament passes the plebiscite bill, the government proposes the establishment of a joint select committee to review and report on the exposure draft. The composition of the committee would be as agreed by the government, the opposition, and crossbench parties.
Updated
at 11.26pm BST
10.36pm BST
22:36
Nats MP @broad4mallee indicates he'll withdraw support for government if there is a vote on same-sex marriage without plebiscite #auspol
I am not sure whether National MP Andrew Broad means total withdrawal of support or just on this issue. Checking, checking...
10.34pm BST
22:34
The house is a hive of activity this morning.
Malcolm Turnbull has just spoken to the Australian College of Nursing Parliamentary Breakfast for the launch of White Paper, Nurses Essential to Health Reform.
Bill Shorten is speaking to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (Ceda) this morning.
Katharine Murphy did a preview here:
Australia’s opposition leader, Bill Shorten, will declare that Donald Trump is “entirely unsuitable to be leader of the free world” in a speech to a Canberra conference on Tuesday.
The Labor leader will tell the Committee for Economic Development of Australia on Tuesday morning that Australia’s alliance with the US is “bigger than any individual and stronger than any disagreement”.
“But I know I am not the only one relieved that with every passing day, with every disgusting, demeaning comment Mr Trump makes, the possibility of him being president fades,” the Labor leader will say.
“By his own words and his own actions, he has confirmed the worst fears of millions in the United States and beyond its borders – he is entirely unsuitable to be leader of the free world.”
The head of the Prime Minister’s Office Martin Parkinson spoke to Ceda last night.
We have party room meetings this morning. Cabinet met last night, which is why those marriage amendments appeared so late.
Updated
at 10.51pm BST
10.21pm BST
22:21
Late last night, just before 10pm according to the Dynamic Red, the fair work amendment (respect for emergency services volunteers) bill 2016 passed 37 to 31. We are just tracking down the votes.
BTW, the Dynamic Red is not Katharine Murphy but the live updates for the Senate.
Updated
at 10.52pm BST
10.09pm BST
22:09
Good morning blogans,
It is all about marriage equality this morning. The political weather is cool with a lot of bluster this morning but let’s separate out what is real and what is rhetoric.
The concrete points:
Apart from those points, these are the political points:
He argued on Sky that the amendments set out the general rules of the act – the rest is up to the courts.
People will always be able to dream up borderline cases, I mean that is what courts are for to interpret acts of parliament. All we can do in acts of parliament is to explain a general rule. And the general rule we have created is an absolute exemption for ministers of religion. An absolute exemption on conscientious grounds for civil celebrants and an absolute exemption for churches and religious bodies in relation to the provision of facilities or the sale of goods or services reasonably incidental to a same-sex marriage ceremony.
OK there is a whole lot more in Brandis’s remarks, which I will bring you in the minute. Let’s crank this thing up. You can join me in the thread or on the Twits @gabriellechan with the man with the lens @mpbowers.
