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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2016/oct/11/labor-expected-to-lock-in-opposition-to-marriage-equality-plebiscite-politics-live
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| Malcolm Turnbull criticises Labor's comments on South China Sea – politics live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 3.13am BST | |
| 03:13 | |
| Just to clarify, Turnbull said the legislation for a plebiscite would continue its passage through the lower house and the Senate – notwithstanding Labor’s opposition to the bill. | |
| But he would not rule out a free vote to amend the Marriage Act to allow for marriage equality – if the plebiscite bill fails. | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.23am BST | |
| 3.05am BST | |
| 03:05 | |
| Somewhere over the rainbow... | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.11am BST | |
| 3.00am BST | |
| 03:00 | |
| The Coalition will push the plebiscite bill, does not rule out a free vote | |
| Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed the plebiscite bill will still be debated in the lower house today and then it will move to the Senate. Asked whether he will allow a free vote, he does not rule it out. | |
| A question from Katharine Murphy: | |
| Q: We do know that today the numbers are not there for the plebiscite to pass the parliament. So it really is a simple question. The plebiscite will fail. Will you allow a free vote in this parliament? | |
| It is all very well to say the Senate will not vote for it. We respect the Senate. The bill is not even in the Senate yet. The Senate has to deal with the bill. It will come through and I am confident that it will pass the House. Then it will come to the Senate and the Senate has to deal with a bill. So that is the focus. | |
| So he wants Labor to argue their case against the plebiscite in both chambers, which may be a calculation there is popular support for it. But the PM also keeps his cards close to his chest on a free vote in parliament – which, up until last September, he supported. | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.12am BST | |
| 2.52am BST | |
| 02:52 | |
| The prime minister has been asked about Paul Keating’s criticism of Labor’s defence shadow, Richard Marles, on the South China Sea dispute. He made the critique in a Troy Bramston story: | |
| Paul Keating has slammed Labor defence spokesman Richard Marles for saying that the government must authorise the military to determine freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea to defend Australia’s interest and send a clear message to China. | |
| The former prime minister has also expressed concern that Labor is too compliant in its attitude towards US naval interests in the Pacific rather than adopting a more independent outlook that better balanced strategic and economic priorities. | |
| Mr Keating told the Australian that Mr Marles’s comments “if reported correctly, were shocking to hear from a Labor spokesman”. | |
| “A decision to sail a naval vessel through a disputed area in which we know there is a risk of conflict with the forces of another power – large or small – is one which should only ever be taken by the elected government in the full awareness of the circumstances at the time.” | |
| Malcolm Turnbull agrees with Keating. | |
| I agree with former prime minister Paul Keating on this. Decisions of that kind should be taken by governments ... Outsourcing that to naval officers, no matter how distinguished, misses the point. | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.07am BST | |
| 2.47am BST | 2.47am BST |
| 02:47 | 02:47 |
| The defence minister, Marise Payne, on the restructure of ASC: | |
| It is absolutely vital that we have the right ship-building structures in place to deliver on what are very ambitious plans to deliver historic, continuous naval ship-building programs. It is absolutely essential. Whether it is our offshore patrol vessels, or our future frigates, or the Pacific patrol boats being constructed in advance of those. These platforms which not only for a core of our naval capability but they provide engagement and support in our region and they will do that for many decades to come. | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.14am BST | |
| 2.41am BST | 2.41am BST |
| 02:41 | 02:41 |
| The defence industry minister, Christopher Pyne says it is a red letter day. | |
| We will have one of the most modern and busiest ship yards in the world. Osborne North will have one of the most modern and busy submarine shipyards in the world. It will bring to Australia a significant multinationals sub contract involving DCNS. It will drive jobs and growth and create high technology advancement in jobs. The infrastructure will make Australia one of the centres of naval antisubmarine shipbuilding in the world. It will create a new export industry for our country and it is a red-letter day for the defence industry. | |
| Updated | |
| at 2.58am BST | |
| 2.38am BST | 2.38am BST |
| 02:38 | 02:38 |
| The finance minister, Mathias Cormann, says there will be a structural separation within ASC between ship-building and submarines. | |
| It is a structural separation which is designed to ensure that the ASC is in the best possible position. Reform is built on the successful work that we have done for the destroyer program and the sustainment reforms. | It is a structural separation which is designed to ensure that the ASC is in the best possible position. Reform is built on the successful work that we have done for the destroyer program and the sustainment reforms. |
| It will be completed by mid 2017. | It will be completed by mid 2017. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.59am BST | |
| 2.35am BST | 2.35am BST |
| 02:35 | 02:35 |
| Malcolm Turnbull’s press conference opens with a lecture on the Country Fire Authority. Which is confusing. | Malcolm Turnbull’s press conference opens with a lecture on the Country Fire Authority. Which is confusing. |
| But then segues onto changes in the sub builder ASC and defence generally. Turnbull is going through all of Labor’s crimes: | |
| cleaning up that mess, making up for that neglect, commissioning the vessel and setting out in our defence white paper, our plan and a way forward to secure our future ... | |
| Updated | |
| at 2.59am BST | |
| 2.31am BST | 2.31am BST |
| 02:31 | 02:31 |
| 2.27am BST | 2.27am BST |
| 02:27 | 02:27 |
| Just to a quick summary of the day ahead of the PM’s press conference. | Just to a quick summary of the day ahead of the PM’s press conference. |
| 2.17am BST | 2.17am BST |
| 02:17 | 02:17 |
| Tomorrow His Excellency Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore will visit Parliament. | Tomorrow His Excellency Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore will visit Parliament. |
| Like I say, the parliamentary sitting week is getting away from us so it is unlikely that the plebiscite bill will get through both chambers this week. Next week, the senate does not sit because it will be doing senate estimate committees. | Like I say, the parliamentary sitting week is getting away from us so it is unlikely that the plebiscite bill will get through both chambers this week. Next week, the senate does not sit because it will be doing senate estimate committees. |
| 2.15am BST | 2.15am BST |
| 02:15 | 02:15 |
| Malcolm Turnbull coming up at 12.30pm with the ministers for finance, defence and defence industry. What on earth could it be? | Malcolm Turnbull coming up at 12.30pm with the ministers for finance, defence and defence industry. What on earth could it be? |
| 2.13am BST | 2.13am BST |
| 02:13 | 02:13 |
| Nice, Mike. | Nice, Mike. |
| 2.09am BST | 2.09am BST |
| 02:09 | 02:09 |
| Finally Bill Shorten is asked about criticising Turnbull for keeping a plebiscite promise, knowing that the right wing of his party insisted on maintaining the plebiscite promise. | Finally Bill Shorten is asked about criticising Turnbull for keeping a plebiscite promise, knowing that the right wing of his party insisted on maintaining the plebiscite promise. |
| Just because you have a few National party MPs threatening to bring down the government, that’s Mr Turnbull’s problem. But that’s not Australia’s problem and my problem. My issue is marriage equality. I don’t have to do what the extreme right of the National and Liberal Party do. Mr Turnbull made that bed a long time ago. He has to lie in it now. He signed up to Tony Abbott’s agenda, he signed up to Tony Abbott’s plebiscite. He has to live with his conscience. | Just because you have a few National party MPs threatening to bring down the government, that’s Mr Turnbull’s problem. But that’s not Australia’s problem and my problem. My issue is marriage equality. I don’t have to do what the extreme right of the National and Liberal Party do. Mr Turnbull made that bed a long time ago. He has to lie in it now. He signed up to Tony Abbott’s agenda, he signed up to Tony Abbott’s plebiscite. He has to live with his conscience. |
| 2.01am BST | 2.01am BST |
| 02:01 | 02:01 |
| Bill Shorten says he will work with the crossbenchers, the Greens, the Liberals to have a vote in the parliament. Just not a plebiscite. | Bill Shorten says he will work with the crossbenchers, the Greens, the Liberals to have a vote in the parliament. Just not a plebiscite. |
| We will work with anyone to achieve marriage equality. We will work with the Liberals to have the vote but the point about it is a plebiscite is the wrong path to achieve marriage equality. | We will work with anyone to achieve marriage equality. We will work with the Liberals to have the vote but the point about it is a plebiscite is the wrong path to achieve marriage equality. |