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| Derryn Hinch misses out on seat on Senate privileges committee – politics live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 2.24am BST | |
| 02:24 | |
| Yesterday Katharine Murphy wrote about Senator John Williams being forced to step down for Pauline Hanson to move on to the joint committee that deals with the NBN. This was an unusual move for the government to give up a number. | |
| Communications minister Mitch Fifield told Patricia Karvelas on RN last night that there was nothing to see here. | |
| Q: So let me read between the lines, or maybe you can just be honest, I mean you can do that. You’re just trying to be nice to Pauline Hanson, to make her feel comfortable with the government’s bills perhaps? | |
| Fifield: | |
| Look, to be perfectly upfront, before the ballot occurred I made the same offer to both Stirling Griff and Pauline Hanson that whichever of them was unsuccessful in the ballot, we’d be happy to try and accommodate them. And that’s what we did. | |
| Q: Ok, so is this something we’re going to see more often? | |
| Fifield: | |
| We’re in the business of trying to have the Parliament work well. The house of representatives is working well. I think the Senate, where we don’t have a majority, is also working well. | |
| 2.07am BST | |
| 02:07 | |
| Greg Jericho has written on the bracket creep tax cuts that we have covered here on the blog over the past few days. He applies the Jericho lens to a statement by finance minister Mathias Cormann and applies a few numbers. Let’s call them facts. | |
| Justifying poor policy often makes politicians say dumb things, and yesterday we saw a classic case by the minister for finance, Senator Mathias Cormann, as he attempted to argue that a tax cut for people earning over $80,000 was necessary to encourage part-time workers make the “additional effort” to work full-time. | |
| The policy to increase the threshold of the 37% income tax bracket from $80,001 to $87,001 is notionally about reducing bracket creep. | |
| Bracket creep occurs when due to a wage rise you move into a higher tax bracket. In effect, it is a tax increase by stealth. For example, a person earning $79,000 who got a 2% wage rise to $80,580, goes from paying a marginal tax rate of 32.5% to 37%. | |
| But we need a bit of context. They would only be paying 37% tax for the $579 they earned above $80,001, the rest would be unchanged. | |
| The tax changes mean that now instead of going into a higher tax bracket, this person would remain with a tax rate of 32.5%. It makes a difference of $26 a year less in tax. | |
| The biggest tax cut anyone will get is those who earn over $87,001 – they will get a cut of $315 a year, or $6 a week. | |
| 1.46am BST | 1.46am BST |
| 01:46 | 01:46 |
| I told you there has been a storm of legislation. | I told you there has been a storm of legislation. |
| *1 MR PORTER : To present a bill for an act to amend the law relating to social security, and for related purposes. ( Social Services Legislation Amendment (Transition Mobility Allowance to the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Bill 2016 ) | |
| *2 MRS K. L. ANDREWS : To present a bill for an act to provide for loans to students for vocational education and training, and for related purposes. ( VET Student Loans Bill 2016 ) | |
| *3 MRS K. L. ANDREWS : To present a bill for an act to deal with consequential and transitional matters in relation to the enactment of the VET Student Loans Act 2016, and for related purposes. ( VET Student Loans (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2016 ) | |
| *4 MR TEHAN : To present a bill for an act to amend the law relating to veterans’ entitlements and military rehabilitation and compensation, and for related purposes. (Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2016 ) | |
| *5 MR HAWKE : To present a bill for an act to amend the Customs Act 1901, and for related purposes. ( Customs Amendment (2017 Harmonized System Changes) Bill 2016 ) | |
| *6 MS O’DWYER : To present a bill for an act to amend the law relating to seafarers, and for other purposes. ( Seafarers and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2016 ) | |
| *7 MS O’DWYER : To present a bill for an act to amend the law relating to social security and veterans’ entitlements, and for related purposes. ( Social Security Legislation Amendment (Youth Jobs Path: Prepare, Trial, Hire) Bill 2016 ) | |
| Except that the duties of the financial services minister, Kelly O’Dwyer, were taken by the assistant cities minister, Angus Taylor. The financial services minister must be on the bench. | |
| Updated | |
| at 2.04am BST | |
| 1.39am BST | 1.39am BST |
| 01:39 | 01:39 |
| Matt Hatter weighs in on the Coalition agreement. | |
| @gabriellechan The Coalition agreement, whilst considered somewhat obscure by some, was often praised for its succinctness. #auspol pic.twitter.com/JYzwpsi1fh | @gabriellechan The Coalition agreement, whilst considered somewhat obscure by some, was often praised for its succinctness. #auspol pic.twitter.com/JYzwpsi1fh |
| Updated | |
| at 1.56am BST | |
| 1.38am BST | 1.38am BST |
| 01:38 | 01:38 |
| Trouble if I've ever seen it @gabriellechan #PoliticsLive #auspol @mpbowers @cochl @ellinghausen pic.twitter.com/ulgCPAvluN | Trouble if I've ever seen it @gabriellechan #PoliticsLive #auspol @mpbowers @cochl @ellinghausen pic.twitter.com/ulgCPAvluN |
| 1.35am BST | 1.35am BST |
| 01:35 | 01:35 |
| Gareth Hutchens | Gareth Hutchens |
| That Hinch matter. Gareth Hutchens reports: | That Hinch matter. Gareth Hutchens reports: |
| The Senate just conducted an interesting ballot. | The Senate just conducted an interesting ballot. |
| It was asked to vote on who should have a seat on the Senate privileges committee – and the contest was between the Greens senator Scott Ludlam and the new independent senator Derryn Hinch. | It was asked to vote on who should have a seat on the Senate privileges committee – and the contest was between the Greens senator Scott Ludlam and the new independent senator Derryn Hinch. |
| Hinch wanted to be on the committee and he was apparently upset that Ludlam looked likely to be renominated. The Senate voted 39-29 in Ludlam’s favour. | Hinch wanted to be on the committee and he was apparently upset that Ludlam looked likely to be renominated. The Senate voted 39-29 in Ludlam’s favour. |
| Some background. | Some background. |
| The committee’s role is to investigate conduct deemed to be obstructing the work of the Senate. It also monitors the use and abuse of parliamentary privilege. | The committee’s role is to investigate conduct deemed to be obstructing the work of the Senate. It also monitors the use and abuse of parliamentary privilege. |
| Hinch used parliamentary privilege in his maiden speech to name four men he claimed were paedophiles. He has threatened to keep doing so. He really wanted to be on the committee. | |
| The committee has eight members. Four are nominated by the government, three by the opposition, and one by a minority party and independent senators. | The committee has eight members. Four are nominated by the government, three by the opposition, and one by a minority party and independent senators. |
| The Greens and crossbenchers therefore have to talk among themselves to nominate someone. | The Greens and crossbenchers therefore have to talk among themselves to nominate someone. |
| Ludlam was previously on the committee, and his staff says he had consulted his crossbench colleagues to see if they minded him being on it again, and no one objected. So it looked as though Ludlam was on. | Ludlam was previously on the committee, and his staff says he had consulted his crossbench colleagues to see if they minded him being on it again, and no one objected. So it looked as though Ludlam was on. |
| But Hinch said he wasn’t consulted and he wasn’t happy about it. Ludlam agreed to let the Senate vote on it. | But Hinch said he wasn’t consulted and he wasn’t happy about it. Ludlam agreed to let the Senate vote on it. |
| Hinch lost. | Hinch lost. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.05am BST | |
| 1.18am BST | 1.18am BST |
| 01:18 | 01:18 |
| After a veritable tornado of bills in the house this morning, the house is back on to the plebiscite. | After a veritable tornado of bills in the house this morning, the house is back on to the plebiscite. |
| Next, to the Senate. | Next, to the Senate. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.40am BST | at 1.40am BST |
| 1.16am BST | 1.16am BST |
| 01:16 | 01:16 |
| Here we all are ... | Here we all are ... |
| How is the weather? | How is the weather? |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.40am BST | at 1.40am BST |
| 1.01am BST | 1.01am BST |
| 01:01 | 01:01 |
| The Coalition agreement: the unicorn of federal politics | The Coalition agreement: the unicorn of federal politics |
| Paul Karp has reported on George Christensen: | Paul Karp has reported on George Christensen: |
| The government cannot propose a free vote on same-sex marriage now the plebiscite is doomed because it would breach the Coalition agreement, the conservative MP George Christensen has said. | The government cannot propose a free vote on same-sex marriage now the plebiscite is doomed because it would breach the Coalition agreement, the conservative MP George Christensen has said. |
| The chief nationals whip made the comment on Sky News on Thursday, as Nationals MPs who oppose same-sex marriage began a campaign to prevent reconsideration of a free vote now Labor has said it will vote the plebiscite down. | The chief nationals whip made the comment on Sky News on Thursday, as Nationals MPs who oppose same-sex marriage began a campaign to prevent reconsideration of a free vote now Labor has said it will vote the plebiscite down. |
| It comes after Malcolm Turnbull refused to rule out a free vote on marriage equality, in direct contrast to the stance taken by the Nationals leader, Barnaby Joyce. | It comes after Malcolm Turnbull refused to rule out a free vote on marriage equality, in direct contrast to the stance taken by the Nationals leader, Barnaby Joyce. |
| “All I will say on that is if all of a sudden the policy becomes a free vote, my firm view, and it’s not just a view it’s actually the reality, [is] that is breaking one of the tenets of the Liberal National Coalition deal,” Christensen said. | “All I will say on that is if all of a sudden the policy becomes a free vote, my firm view, and it’s not just a view it’s actually the reality, [is] that is breaking one of the tenets of the Liberal National Coalition deal,” Christensen said. |
| “That would be quite a serious matter so I don’t think that’s going to eventuate.” | “That would be quite a serious matter so I don’t think that’s going to eventuate.” |
| It is a really interesting question, this Coalition agreement. It is the unicorn of Australian politics, often cited, rarely seen. Or maybe to mangle my metaphors, a magic pudding, expanding to whatever is required. | It is a really interesting question, this Coalition agreement. It is the unicorn of Australian politics, often cited, rarely seen. Or maybe to mangle my metaphors, a magic pudding, expanding to whatever is required. |
| The point of keeping it secret is that the deal can be all things to all people. No facts required. Bearing that in mind ... | The point of keeping it secret is that the deal can be all things to all people. No facts required. Bearing that in mind ... |
| As far as we can ascertain, there is a written deal and then there is a handshake deal between Malcolm Turnbull and Barnaby Joyce. I have it on good authority that the written deal is not seen by the National MPs in the party room. The discussion of the deal tends to be in broad brushes. | As far as we can ascertain, there is a written deal and then there is a handshake deal between Malcolm Turnbull and Barnaby Joyce. I have it on good authority that the written deal is not seen by the National MPs in the party room. The discussion of the deal tends to be in broad brushes. |
| So if Christensen says its part of the Coalition deal, he must be talking about the handshake deal between Turnbull and Joyce. | So if Christensen says its part of the Coalition deal, he must be talking about the handshake deal between Turnbull and Joyce. |
| In any case, given that the plebiscite bill looks to be going down the tube, the important question is what does the Coalition agreement say on the next step? | |
| Broad and Christensen have come out to kibosh a free vote in anticipation of the next step – in case Turnbull gets the whacky idea of allowing the parliament to vote. | Broad and Christensen have come out to kibosh a free vote in anticipation of the next step – in case Turnbull gets the whacky idea of allowing the parliament to vote. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.07am BST | |
| 12.39am BST | 12.39am BST |
| 00:39 | 00:39 |
| Karen Andrews, as assistant minister for education, has introduced the VET loan bills. | Karen Andrews, as assistant minister for education, has introduced the VET loan bills. |
| 12.22am BST | 12.22am BST |
| 00:22 | 00:22 |
| Lee and Turnbull are asked about the tendency towards protectionism. Lee says there is nothing to be gained by closing ourselves off in our little corner. | Lee and Turnbull are asked about the tendency towards protectionism. Lee says there is nothing to be gained by closing ourselves off in our little corner. |
| Turnbull: | Turnbull: |
| The critical role for us as leaders is to set out the facts clearly, reassure our communities and explain to them that turning your back on technology, turning your back on innovation, turning your back on this change is only a road back to impoverishment, as Prime Minister Lee said. And the world has seen that film before, so this is not a theoretical proposition. | The critical role for us as leaders is to set out the facts clearly, reassure our communities and explain to them that turning your back on technology, turning your back on innovation, turning your back on this change is only a road back to impoverishment, as Prime Minister Lee said. And the world has seen that film before, so this is not a theoretical proposition. |