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Penny Wong accuses George Brandis of 'blatant power grab' – politics live Penny Wong accuses George Brandis of 'blatant power grab' – politics live
(35 minutes later)
4.42am BST
04:42
A government question to financial services minister Kelly O’Dwyer: How will our enterprise tax plan proposals for small business and income tax cuts for individuals help grow the economy and create jobs and higher wages for the hard-working Australians of Dunkley and elsewhere?
4.41am BST
04:41
Bowen asks Morrison: Why is the Treasurer refusing to listen to Ceda, the Grattan Institute, International Monetary Fund, Moody’s, Standard and Poor’s on the urgent need for revenue measures to get the budget back into balance and maintain Australia’s three AAA credit ratings agencies?
Morrison:
What this country has to face is to grow our economy so we grow revenues. You grow small businesses into larger businesses.You ensure Australians can increase their earning capacity. That companies can profit more. Wage earners can earn more on their wages. When you achieve economic policies that increase the earnings of Australians, that’s how you raise the revenue. You don’t do it by jacking up taxes like those and others have suggested. What we have done is make sure Australians pay their fair share of tax, multi-nationals will be paying their fair share of tax.
4.38am BST
04:38
Paul Karp
In Senate question time, senator Penny Wong has taken up the attack on attorney general George Brandis by asking why he failed to stick up for the solicitor general when he was criticised by senator Ian MacDonald.
Wong said that as the first legal officer, Brandis is obliged to stand up for independent statutory officers like Justin Gleeson and Australian Human Rights Commission president, Gillian Triggs.
MacDonald accused Gleeson and Triggs of “being involved in political games”, and Wong adds MacDonald said Gleeson’s advice “has not been all that hot” and his submission to an parliamentary committee examining the spat with Brandis was “terribly unprofessional”.
The attorney general sticks to his guns that he didn’t read or hear MacDonald’s speech and adds that in an interview with Radio National Brandis had said “some very gracious things” about Gleeson.
Let’s see how cordial the attorney general and solicitor general are when they appear on Friday before the committee inquiring into Brandis’ veto over referrals for legal advice.
4.36am BST
04:36
"It's nice to be popular Mr Speaker" Tony Abbott reacts to interjections from labor #QT @gabriellechan @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/fe3l4dNc3c
4.36am BST
04:36
The Dixer question to Morrison is on Labor not supporting the government’s enterprise tax plan which cuts tax for small moving to large businesses.
4.34am BST
04:34
Labor goes to negative gearing. Very interesting.
Bowen to Morrison: Yesterday the chairman of Ceda said there is no believable end to the deficit in sight and revenue measures are “the only realistic way to balance the budget quickly”. Does the treasurer agree with this advice from Ceda and why won’t the government embrace negative gearing reform?
Morrison gets shouty. After a rant about Labor increasing questions, the treasurer says:
no, Mr Speaker, we do not agree with the Opposition that the road to dealing with the budget issues is to increase taxes and to increase the deficit as those opposite proposed at the last election.
BTW, Scott Morrison has supported limiting negative gearing excesses in the past.
4.29am BST
04:29
Tony Abbott has come in from the cold.
Come on down Tony.
4.27am BST
04:27
Tony Abbott gets a question to the trade minister Steve Ciobo. Applause and cheers erupt from the Labor benches. Abbott looks genuinely pleased, noting “nice to be popular”. Abbott asks: Will the Minister update the house on how the expanded Singapore-Australian Free Trade Agreement will support the government’s plan for jobs and growth?
4.26am BST
04:26
Paul Karp
In the senate, attorney general George Brandis has revealed in Senate question time that since the Coalition won government in September 2013, “740 people from 29 people-smuggling vessels have been intercepted and returned to their country of departure”.
4.24am BST
04:24
Rebekha Sharkie, of NXT asks transport minister Darren Chester: South Australia is grossly under-funded for road infrastructure and in 2014 we lost the supplementary local road funding that addressed this inequity. During the devastating recent storms, my electorate suffered over $10 million worth of damage to local roads, a cost my community can ill afford. Will the Government urgently review their funding model to make it urgent for SA and consider an urgent one-off grant to help repair the badly-damaged roads in my electorate of Mayo?
Chester says the Coalition government had provided $3. 2bn through the Roads for Recovery program - which is not related to the supplementary road funding. He says he will be happy to meet with Sharkie about other funding. We made some promises during the election, Chester says, in many more words. But he does not answer the question.
4.20am BST
04:20
The next Labor question is to Turnbull on whether he has obtained further advice on the mental health effects on the plebiscite on the LGBTI community.
Turnbull posits a new argument.
Professor McGorry made the point that, to agree with my proposition that Australians are able to have a civil discussion about this but he said he was concerned there were some small elements, sub-groups I think was the term he used, which would be intemperate in their conduct and that that could cause distress for some people in the LGBTI community.
I simply leave honourable members with this question, it’s a very fundamental one for our democracy. Are we going to say that we may not have a public debate on a topic when it is alleged that there will be a minority, some small groups, that will act intemperately?
He raises the constitutional referendum for Indigenous recognition, which seems to be a poor example because it is required for constitutional change.
4.14am BST
04:14
Next government question is to Christopher Pyne, defence industry minister, on Singapore’s defence relationship with Australia.
4.12am BST
04:12
Labor’s Andrew Giles asks the PM: “After the election, the prime minister said he’d learned a lesson, a very clear lesson, about his attacks on Medicare. So why hasn’t the prime minister abandoned his cuts to breast screening, MRIs and X-rays which will mean Australians will have to pay more for vital scans?
Turnbull flicks the question to the health minister, Sussan Ley, who says:
The truth is that this government is investing more in Medicare than any previous government, including any previous Labor government. The truth is that this government saw 17 million more bulk-billed consultations than any previous Labor government. The truth is that the cuts, as you describe them, are not that at all.
Updated
at 4.16am BST
4.08am BST4.08am BST
04:0804:08
The first government question to Turnbull is the importance of trade and investment, specifically with Singapore.The first government question to Turnbull is the importance of trade and investment, specifically with Singapore.
4.04am BST4.04am BST
04:0404:04
First question from Shorten to Turnbull on Medicare, followed by “can the PM answer this without a tantrum on a text message”. First question from the opposition leader, Bill Shorten to the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, on Medicare, followed by: “Can the PM answer this without a tantrum on a text message?”
Turnbull:Turnbull:
I thank the honourable member for his question and he shows his glass jaw very neatly there. Clearly the text message is a bit of an issue for them. While it is amazing, eventually, even the Leader of the Opposition realises that deceiving millions of vulnerable Australians is wrong. Even the Leader of the Opposition is starting to feel the shame, just a little bit, it’s creeping up...we are investing more in Medicare every year... I thank the honourable member for his question and he shows his glass jaw very neatly there. Clearly the text message is a bit of an issue for them. While it is amazing, eventually, even the leader of the opposition realises that deceiving millions of vulnerable Australians is wrong. Even the leader of the opposition is starting to feel the shame, just a little bit, it’s creeping up ... We are investing more in Medicare every year ...
Updated
at 4.12am BST
4.01am BST4.01am BST
04:0104:01
Here is a range of reactions to the plebiscite from MPs and senators.Here is a range of reactions to the plebiscite from MPs and senators.
UpdatedUpdated
at 4.09am BSTat 4.09am BST
3.57am BST3.57am BST
03:5703:57
Julia Gillard: women need power to change thingsJulia Gillard: women need power to change things
Julia Gillard has given a speech on the life of British MP Jo Cox. It is well worth a read. Here are a few highlights:Julia Gillard has given a speech on the life of British MP Jo Cox. It is well worth a read. Here are a few highlights:
I genuinely believe that politics is a noble calling, not a grubby, necessary evil. We are so incredibly fortunate to live in free and fair democracies where we have the right to run for parliament. Jo was an exceptional person, there’s no doubt about it. But she wasn’t unique, and she would have been the first person to say so. There are so many women in our communities who could serve with distinction: we need to help them to get into parliament and to be proud to be political.I genuinely believe that politics is a noble calling, not a grubby, necessary evil. We are so incredibly fortunate to live in free and fair democracies where we have the right to run for parliament. Jo was an exceptional person, there’s no doubt about it. But she wasn’t unique, and she would have been the first person to say so. There are so many women in our communities who could serve with distinction: we need to help them to get into parliament and to be proud to be political.
Of course, this isn’t just about numbers, and it’s not about ‘having a go’. It’s about results. Women need power to change things. You can’t change things if you are a name on a ballot, a quota filled – you need your seat in parliament. Participation is the start, but power is the end. Jo knew that – it’s why she worked so hard across party lines to make sure that women were running for seats they could win and it’s why she herself joined a party where she stood a shot of becoming an MP and, one day, a minister, even a prime minister.Of course, this isn’t just about numbers, and it’s not about ‘having a go’. It’s about results. Women need power to change things. You can’t change things if you are a name on a ballot, a quota filled – you need your seat in parliament. Participation is the start, but power is the end. Jo knew that – it’s why she worked so hard across party lines to make sure that women were running for seats they could win and it’s why she herself joined a party where she stood a shot of becoming an MP and, one day, a minister, even a prime minister.
Jo had courage, but she was also unashamed to have ambition. She wanted to go far, and she wanted to lift up others as she climbed. There’s no stain in aspiring to the highest office in your country. It doesn’t taint the purity of your purpose.Jo had courage, but she was also unashamed to have ambition. She wanted to go far, and she wanted to lift up others as she climbed. There’s no stain in aspiring to the highest office in your country. It doesn’t taint the purity of your purpose.
Today, I want to say to you loudly and clearly: have the highest of ambitions for yourself, for your purpose. Jo believed Britain could be a force for change in the world, and she fought for that.Today, I want to say to you loudly and clearly: have the highest of ambitions for yourself, for your purpose. Jo believed Britain could be a force for change in the world, and she fought for that.
There is a lot more, in fact I could copy the whole speech over but question time looms.There is a lot more, in fact I could copy the whole speech over but question time looms.
UpdatedUpdated
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3.43am BST3.43am BST
03:4303:43
Wong again calls for Brandis to resign.Wong again calls for Brandis to resign.
UpdatedUpdated
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3.33am BST
03:33
Here is Wong’s case:
This matter started when senator Brandis made an amendment to the legal services directions in May.
The legal services directions set out rules and requirements for the performance of commonwealth legal work.
Brandis’s amending direction bars the solicitor general from providing legal opinions or advice to anyone in government without the attorney general’s permission.
It prohibits any commonwealth agency or officer from referring a question of law to the solicitor general without the written permission of the attorney general.
This is a blatant power grab.
It is a bid to control the flow of legal advice from the independent solicitor general to government departments and to senior figures in the government.
Updated
at 3.39am BST
3.30am BST
03:30
Wong is reprising the dispute between the AG and the SG.
Wong says Brandis seems to believe that the only legal opinion anyone may need is his opinion.
3.27am BST
03:27
OK, in the Senate, Penny Wong is talking George Brandis, his greatest hits and his latest dispute with the solicitor general.
She says the attorney general should not mislead the parliament and the public. It is not trivial and represents a major attack on the solicitor general.
Updated
at 3.29am BST
3.20am BST
03:20
Tell 'em they're dreaming – high court to pollies
Here is the next take from AAP on pollie perks ...
High court judges unanimously held that amendments to legislation and rulings by the Remuneration Tribunal did not constitute acquisition of property.A majority held that changes to the life gold pass legislation, reducing return air trips for retired MPs from an unlimited number to 25 and now 10, also did not constitute acquisition of property other than on just terms.In The Castle, the Aussie battler Kerrigan family resort to the high court when developers seek to acquire their home to expand an airport.The case hinged on Section 51 (xxxi) of the constitution which says that property can’t be acquired other than on just terms.Entitlements for politicians, past and present, remain deeply controversial and have been progressively wound back from their most generous heights.The high court directed that the four meet the unspecified but likely substantial cost of their challenge.
Updated
at 3.21am BST
3.13am BST
03:13
High court tells doesn't get the vibe on pollie perks ...
Like this!
Breaking news from AAP and the high court:
Four former federal politicians have lost their high court challenge over reduced post-parliamentary perks.
The four – a Howard government defence minister, John Moore, the Hawke government minister Barry Cohen and Labor MPs Barry Cunningham and Anthony Lamb – had used the same legal principle made noteworthy by the Australian comedy movie The Castle.
They argued their entitlements under the Superannuation Act and to a life gold travel pass were their property which had been acquired by the commonwealth other than on the just terms required by a section in the constitution.
We are awaiting more from our colleagues at AAP.
Updated
at 3.22am BST
3.10am BST
03:10
The Singaporean PM is addressing a lunch in the great hall in parliament over lunch. Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten have both spoken. It is of a similar vein to earlier, so unless there is a cracking line, I will move on to other matters.
3.06am BST
03:06
A minister for young people? Cathy McGowan thinks so
The Indi independent, Cathy McGowan, gave a speech last night calling for a minister for young people and a campaign from the Australian Electoral Commission to engage young people in civic participation.
There is a backstory.
McGowan won her first election in 2013 against the Liberal frontbencher Sophie Mirabella by 439 votes. After the election, there were complaints referred by the Liberal party and an investigation by the Australian relating to allegations of electoral fraud by a number of young voters who were involved with the McGowan campaign. One was McGowan’s niece.
The original story ran in September 2014 and there were allegations raised during the joint standing committee on electoral matters (Jscem). The Australian Electoral Commission investigated and then the Australian federal police.
The AFP then charged Maggie Ellen McGowan, 27, and Sophie Petrea Fuchsen, 24, with providing false and misleading information, alleging the pair voted in the seat of Indi while living in Melbourne during the 2013 election.
The case dragged on and eventually was thrown out in April this year, almost two years after it began. From the story:
Outside court the women’s lawyer, Rob Stary, said the case was bound to fail and a terrible waste of resources.
Both women were students at the time and the AEC website clearly said students did not need to change their “home address”, he had told the court.
“The original complaint, whoever it was that initiated it, was quite scurrilous,” Stary told reporters.
The heart of the issue is around country kids who go to cities to study. As they often have no fixed address, they remain enrolled for voting and other purposes at their family home. But within this loophole, someone found cause to complain. On the numbers, given these are conservative electorates in regional Australia, it seems incredible that the complaint may have originated within the Coalition. If these young people cannot enrol at their home address, it is likely they would remain without a vote.
Anyway back to McGowan. She wants the appointment of a minister for young people, to “address systemic barriers that prevent young people from civic participation, to advocate on their behalf, and help ensure that when policies affecting young people are considered, they do not have an adverse impact”.
This is what she said last night.
There is confusion about enrolment rules. The involvement of the Australian federal police, Australian Electoral Commission and media in the affairs of 27 young people in my electorate caused the loss of trust in our democratic political institutions. In 2016 approximately 350,000 eligible young people were not enrolled to vote. In the eyes of many young people, these events are even more reason why they feel it makes no sense to engage. No wrongdoing was found after rigorous investigation but these young people are still being scrutinised. We need to stand up for our young people, we need to support them and we need to encourage them to participate in politics. The AEC needs to be supported to engage young people.
Updated
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2.34am BST
02:34
A summary, before the time gets away.
Updated
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2.11am BST
02:11
Old chums.
Updated
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2.07am BST
02:07
Come on down.
Malcolm the Magnanimous calls Tony Abbott down to see the Singaporean PM, who praised the former PM’s significant barbecue skills.
Updated
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