This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen
on .
It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
Turnbull contradicts Tony Abbott on guns-for-votes issue – question time live
Turnbull contradicts Tony Abbott on guns-for-votes issue – question time live
(35 minutes later)
5.19am BST
05:19
Tony Abbott quotes his advisor’s note on security. It said of the Adler shotgun:
Abbott said had order gone ahead it would have more than doubled the number of Adlers.
An old shotgun had been used in the Lindt seige and shut down the city, he says.
The advisor’s note relates to the security reasons for keeping the guns off the streets.
The note said the Adler would have gone into the same category as an air rifle.
12 August
This is a smokescreen to cover up for the fact that Labor is running a protection racket for the CFMEU. You can only trust this coalition to keep our country safe.
5.12am BST
05:12
He says any Leyonhjelm deal for a vote is false.
Essentially calling his former ministers liars.
5.11am BST
05:11
OMG Tony Abbott is giving a personal explanation.
5.10am BST
05:10
Of course the government shut down the Labor motion below. The government gets one more question. Turnbull delivers a firm and fairly defiant answer on his economic plan, looking at the opposition but directed at his backbench.
Updated
at 5.11am BST
5.09am BST
05:09
In no mood to trifle....
Malcolm Turnbull throws Tony Abbott...
Under a bus...Or a train perhaps.
Exciting times.
5.00am BST
05:00
Labor has moved this motion:
That the House:
1. Notes that today the prime minister has openly contradicted the claims of the former prime minister on the guns for votes scandal;
2. Notes that in the first 15 sitting days of the 45th Parliament:
a) The government became the first majority government in more than 50 years to lose control of the House of Representatives;
b) The treasurer introduced legislation containing a $107 million black hole;
c) The Senate ran out of legislation to debate;
d) For the first time in federation, a government voted to condemn itself;
e) The former prime minister outflanked the current prime minister on his left and his right;
f) The prime minister was rolled by his extreme right-wing on issue after issue;
g) The prime minister condoned an attorney general who had misled the parliament;
h) The Health Department refused to endorse the prime minister’s absolute guarantee on the cost of seeing a doctor; and
i) The government considered trading guns for votes; and
3. Therefore, censures the prime minister for 15 sitting days of unprecedented chaos from a government in disarray.
Updated
at 5.08am BST
4.59am BST
04:59
Another vote now.
I’m told Albanese is offering Peter Dutton “lollies for votes” during the divisions.
Albo yells to Dutton:
You give guns for votes, how about lollies, we’ve got lollies over here.
4.56am BST
04:56
The government wins the gag on Burke 74-67.
Anthony Albanese gets up to second the suspension motion.
At least Tony Abbott stands for something...
until the speaker turns off his microphone because Christopher Pyne moves the member no longer be heard.
A second gag vote.
Updated
at 5.04am BST
4.53am BST
04:53
4.51am BST
04:51
I missed this one while my attention was on the Abbott Turnbull thing.
It is not avocados, it is bikies causing house affordability problem.
Peter Dutton just told #qt young people can't afford to buy an apartment because of "unions and the bikies" #auspol pic.twitter.com/DsYLoGJMXP
4.49am BST
04:49
Speaking to his motion, Labor’s Tony Burke says of the government:
You’ve got to hand it to them, they can fit a lot in 15 days.
The government moves to gag the debate. The vote is called.
4.45am BST
04:45
Labor moves to suspend the standing orders to debate guns for votes.
4.44am BST
4.44am BST
04:44
04:44
Turnbull confirms Tony Abbott was wrong on guns for votes
Turnbull confirms Tony Abbott was wrong on guns for votes
Shorten to Turnbull: Can the Prime Minister confirm that in a previous answer today he stated that the member for Warringah was wrong when he told the 7.30 report that the Prime Minister’s Office was not informed by ministers Dutton or Keenan or their staff about the guns for votes deal?
Shorten to Turnbull: Can the prime minister confirm that in a previous answer today he stated that the member for Warringah was wrong when he told the 7.30 report that the prime minister’s office was not informed by ministers Dutton or Keenan or their staff about the guns for votes deal?
I refer the honourable member to my previous answer which I think was perfectly clear.
I refer the honourable member to my previous answer which I think was perfectly clear.
That means yes.
That means yes.
Tony Abbott was wrong.
Tony Abbott was wrong.
Updated
at 4.49am BST
4.40am BST
4.40am BST
04:40
04:40
Shorten to Turnbull: Today it’s reported that the Deputy Prime Minister supports the NSW Deputy Premier taking a proposal to the NSW cabinet to allow the importation of the Adler shotgun. Is the position of the Deputy Prime Minister the position of the government and is that position consistent with the advice or recommendations of the Australian Federal Police?
Shorten to Turnbull: Today it’s reported that the deputy prime minister supports the NSW deputy premier taking a proposal to the NSW cabinet to allow the importation of the Adler shotgun. Is the position of the deputy prime minister the position of the government and is that position consistent with the advice or recommendations of the Australian federal police?
Turnbull refers to Troy Grant’s statement to “tighten” the categorisation of lever action shotguns.
Turnbull refers to Troy Grant’s statement to “tighten” the categorisation of lever action shotguns.
Turnbull says the states regulate the categorisation and licensing of guns.
Turnbull says the states regulate the categorisation and licensing of guns.
He is encouraging the states to tighten the reclassification of those guns.
He is encouraging the states to tighten the reclassification of those guns.
We are encouraging the states to come to a consensus to see a reclassification with an appropriately tighter classification on those lever action weapons, and of course once that consensus is reached and they’re classification is fully implemented, then consistent with the arrangements described on several occasions now, as this ban has gone through now, three iterations, the ban would be lifted and so guns, the import arrangements would be consistent with they’re classification. That’s our commitment.
We are encouraging the states to come to a consensus to see a reclassification with an appropriately tighter classification on those lever action weapons, and of course once that consensus is reached and their classification is fully implemented, then consistent with the arrangements described on several occasions now, as this ban has gone through now, three iterations, the ban would be lifted and so guns, the import arrangements would be consistent with their classification. That’s our commitment.
Keeping Australians safe, ensuring we hold the ring, keep the guns out of the country, until the appropriate reclassification by the state and territory police ministers is agreed to.
Keeping Australians safe, ensuring we hold the ring, keep the guns out of the country, until the appropriate reclassification by the state and territory police ministers is agreed to.
4.32am BST
04:32
Malcolm Turnbull: Tony Abbott's office knew about the Leyonhjelm gun for vote deal
Onto CFMEU for a guvvie question.
Shorten to Turnbull: According to former prime minister Abbott, the minister for immigration and the minister for justice made a deal to trade guns for votes without the authority of the then prime minister. What steps has the prime minister taken to determine whether what the former prime minister said was true, or whether the minister for immigration or minister for justice are telling the truth, instead that the prime minister’s office was in fact advised?
Turnbull is on to the government’s plan for mandatory sentencing for illegal firearm crimes .... until:
Now, turning to the specific question, I have made inquiries of my ministers and can say to the house as a result of those inquiries I’m satisfied that the minister for justice acted in the full knowledge of the prime minister’s office at that time, says Turnbull.
Updated
Updated
at 4.42am BST
at 5.02am BST
4.24am BST
04:24
NXT MP Rebekha Sharkie asks Turnbull: earlier today representatives from the 100% Australian-owned consortium, BBHO, attended Parliament House. They are here in the gallery. Do you agree, as a matter of principle and for the national interests, that if there is a credible, commercially-competitive 100% Australian bid for the iconic Australian asset such as S Kidman and Co cattle empire, that should take precedence over overseas bids?
Turnbull applauds her patriotism and flicks the question to Scott Morrison who as treasurer is in charge of bids.
Morrison says Kidman is in charge of the bids and the government will only get involved if approval is required because of foreign buyer participation.
4.20am BST
04:20
Labor to justice minister Keenan: My question is again to the Minister for Justice, referring to his previous statement that there was no deal with Senator Leyonhjelm. Can the minister explain why the email from his office refers to a sunset clause of 12 months and I quote “in return for Senator Leyonhjelm’s vote”.
Keenan says lever action shotguns were in category A under the Labor government. (The easiest category to access.)
He expected the categorisation to be done in less than 12 months.
4.14am BST
04:14
Justice minister Michael Keenan ALSO contradicts Abbott on guns for votes issue.
Labor asks Keenan, justice minister: Last night on 7. 30, the former PrimeMinister, the Member for Warringah, said a deal to trade guns for votes by the Minister for Justice was not authorised. Is that accurate? Was the Minister acting without the authority of the then Prime Minister, the member for Warringah?
Keenan refuses to answer thus far. He goes over the same old processes, entirely avoiding the question until:
On the question about my interaction with the Prime Minister’s Office (Abbott) in relation to this, we interacted in the usual way as we would with the Prime Minister’s...of keeping them appraised of what was going on.
Bang. Keenan also contradicts Abbott’s story there was no deal.
4.08am BST
04:08
Immigration minister Peter Dutton contradicts Abbott on guns for votes issue.
Plibersek to immigration minister Dutton: Last night on the 7.30 report, the former prime minister, the member for Warringah, said a deal on trade – to trade guns for votes by the minister for immigration was not authorised. Is that accurate? Was the minister acting without the authority of the then prime minister, the member for Warringah?
Dutton confirms:
But there’s no question that at an advisor’s level, there would have been discussions around this issue.
Updated
at 4.14am BST
4.00am BST
04:00
On to question time....
3.58am BST
03:58
Cathy McGowan explains her position.
It is so disappointing that this is still dragging on. Like many others I was looking forward to seeing a resolution on 11 February 2017.
My first preference has always been for a conscience vote by the parliament on marriage equality. In the absence of a conscience vote I agreed to support the plebiscite but this option is now gone.
I call on all parties to come together in good faith to respectfully discuss the process from here. I look forward to working with the government and the opposition to resolve the issue as quickly as we can.
Updated
at 4.03am BST
3.47am BST
03:47
Cathy McGowan votes for free marriage vote in parliament, then for plebiscite
Paul Karp
The government has won two key votes in the lower house on the plebiscite bill: one voting down a Labor amendment to immediately consider a free vote; and another approving the plebiscite bill. It now passes to the Senate.
Independent Cathy McGowan voted with Labor for a free vote but when that failed she voted with the Coalition in favour of the plebiscite.
“Now we need to find a Plan C,” she tells Guardian Australia - in reference to the fact the Senate is expected to reject the plebiscite because it is opposed by Labor, the Greens, the Nick Xenophon Team, Derryn Hinch and the Coalition’s own Dean Smith.
Updated
at 3.47am BST
3.45am BST
03:45
Penny Wong wants to talk about the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (Asis) in the senate estimates.
Dfat secretary Frances Adamson says she doesn’t believe it is appropriate to talk about Asis at all.
It relates to a story in The Australian about Asis operations. Foreign minister Julie Bishop commented on details of Asis operations. Wong asks why it is not appropriate to talk about Asis in estimates but it is appropriate to talk to a newspaper.
Adamson refuses to answer. Wong tries again. Adamson firmly says no.
Minister Concetta Fierravanti-Wells takes the question on notice asking why it is appropriate for Bishop to discuss Asis operations in public.
Then Wong moves to former treasurer and now US ambassador Joe Hockey accepting a luxury cruise from trucking magnate Lindsay Fox was declared. Here is part of the original story in the Oz in July this year:
Australia’s Ambassador to the US, Joe Hockey, has taken time out from his busy schedule to celebrate the 80th birthday of businessman Lindsay Fox.
Mr Hockey was snapped in the Mediterranean with mining billionaire Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest, and actress Deborra Lee-Furness.
The former Treasurer is friends with Mr Fox’s daughter Lisa, who is based in New York.
Mr Fox, who turns 80 in April next year, is sailing a collection of friends from Athens to Venice to celebrate. Other high-profile guests include Eddie McGuire, Jeff Kennett and Greg Norman.
They are passengers on a luxury liner called Seabourn Odyssey, which has been chartered at a reported cost of about $200,000 per day for the seven-day cruise.
More than 450 guests are believed to be on deck for the birthday bash.
Dfat takes it on notice.
3.33am BST
03:33
Ben Doherty
The Department of Foreign Affairs (Dfat) has confirmed the Guardian’s story from this morning, that Australia will vote against a resolution before the United Nations General Assembly to begin negotiations on outlawing nuclear weapons.
The UNGA will vote on the resolution later this month, but Australia has been a prominent agitator to defeat the push for a total global prohibition of nuclear weapons.
Under questioning from Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon, Dfat first assistant secretary Richard Sadlier confirmed Australia would maintain its opposition.
Consistent with the position to that we took to the open-ended working group [into nuclear disarmament] report, we will be voting no with respect to that resolution.
Sadlier told estimates Australia’s position of nuclear disarmament was “consistent and clear”.
We do not support a ban treaty. A ban treaty that does not include the nuclear weapons states, those states which possess nuclear weapons, and is disconnected from the rest of the security environment, would be counterproductive and not lead to reductions in nuclear arsenals.
Sadlier said a ban treaty would “deepen divisions” between nuclear and non-nuclear weapons states.
The push for a global prohibition is gathering momentum – a “humanitarian pledge” supporting the abolition of nuclear weapons has 127 nation signatories – but a ban treaty remains contentious without any support from the countries that actually have the weapons.
Australia relies on the “extended nuclear deterrence” of the US’s nuclear arsenal, but its prominent role in seeking to stymie ban treaty negotiations – including lobbying other countries to vote ‘no’ – has raised significant international attention.
