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Coalition to establish inquiry into section 18C of Racial Discrimination Act – question time live
Coalition to establish inquiry into section 18C of Racial Discrimination Act – politics live
(35 minutes later)
4.53am GMT
04:53
Just to keep you going...the senate committee report into attorney general George Brandis’ legal direction to the solicitor general Justin Gleeson will be tabled tonight at around 5pm.
That was the committee that saw very fiery exchanges between
Reminder: On 15 September 2016, the Senate referred an inquiry into the nature and scope of the consultations prior to the making of the Legal Services Amendment (Solicitor-General Opinions) Direction 2016 to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 8 November 2016.
This is the direction that led to the stoush that led to Gleeson resigning. His resignation became effective yesterday.
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Bowers really is enjoying the new Senate photography rules.
RUOK Senator?
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04:28
Paul Karp
Malarndirri McCarthy has asked the attorney general, George Brandis, what the government has done to ensure Andrew Robb keeps to rules about lobbying in his new gig at the Landbridge Group.
Brandis replied that – absent any evidence that Robb hasn’t complied – he’s not really sure what McCarthy is referring to. Robb has already said he understands his obligations and will abide by them.
Don’t seek to besmirch by innuendo an honourable man.
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I feel they should be singing...
I feel they should be singing ...
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I have a power of Bowers to share now...
I have a power of Bowers to share now ...
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A government question to assistant treasurer Kelly O’Dwyer: Is the Minister aware of any (Labor) threats to improving superannuation balances?
A government question to assistant treasurer Kelly O’Dwyer: Is the Minister aware of any (Labor) threats to improving superannuation balances?
See Labor superannuation policy announced overnight.
See Labor superannuation policy announced overnight.
4.10am GMT
04:10
Labor to Turnbull: Why did the PM decide to keep (Bob Day’s senate eligibility) information secret from the Australian people? Surely the Australian people have a right to know that there was doubt over whether the composition of the Australian Senate was constitutional?
Turnbull says the government proceeded:
on the Bob Day matter.
The suggestion that the special minister of state should have gone off half-cocked without knowing the facts, without knowing the law, that’s the sort of incompetence you would expect from a Labor government.
4.06am GMT
04:06
Treasurer Scott Morrison gets a government question on alternative (Labor) threats to Australia’s AAA credit rating.
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04:05
Shorten to Turnbull: the PM has claimed he wasn’t personally aware there was a potential issue under section 44 of the Constitution in relation to former Senator Day until around mid-August this year. If this was the case, did the PM or his office seek advice from his department or other sources about whether and when to make this information public? If not, why not? How could the PM keep something like this secret?
Turnbull goes through the previously published timeline and says special minister of state Scott Ryan was getting appropriate legal advice.
The government proceeded diligently, carefully on a complex matter, considered diligently and sought advice and when that advice was received, gave it to the president of the Senate and as a consequence the matter has been referred to the High Court.
3.58am GMT
03:58
Just for a change, the government has moved to a CFMEU question for trade minister Steve Ciobo.
Labor to Turnbull: Can the PM confirm that the Minister for Finance was aware before the election the bank account nominated to receive rental payments for Senator Day’s electoral office was linked to Bob Day? Isn’t it clear from the statement of theFinance Minister that the Government knew before the election that the deal was completely inappropriate? The statement does not go to when the PM was personally aware of these circumstances and I ask him to advise the House?
Turnbull:
The fact that there was an issue relating to Senator Day’s office was drawn to the attention of my chief of staff by Senator Ryan on 18th of August, as set out in his statement, and my chief of staff was asked by Senator Ryan if Senator Day sought to raise the matter with him or my office, to refer it to him. Senator Ryan passed on the substance of that conversation to me shortly there after, some days after, and that was the beginning of my awareness that there was any issue about Senator Day’s office.
3.53am GMT
03:53
Labor asks Turnbull more details about when he and the finance minister Mathias Cormann knew of some of the arrangements around Bob Day’s electoral office.
Malcolm Turnbull again says the previous statements answer the question.
3.50am GMT
03:50
Plibersek asks a question regarding whether there was a connection between education minister Simon Birmingham knew about the North East Vocational college. To visualise the point, Labor MPs hold up photos of Birmingham. It looks as though he is on the site of the training college.
Speaker Smith gets upset and cancels Labor’s question.
The government gets another question, which Christopher Pyne uses to give the new Labor senator Kimberley Kitching.
3.45am GMT
03:45
Government question to Malcolm Turnbull: How will the government’s migration legislation amendment regional processing cohort bill protect our borders? Are there any alternative views?
Malcolm Turnbull:
We know theLeader of the Opposition is giving in again to the Left of his party, just as Kevin Rudd did in 2008 and 2009. Mr Speaker, he talks about a unity ticket, he talks about being tough on borders. The fact is he trivialises it, talking about people smuggling as tourism.
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03:42
Politicians play politics
Tanya Plibersek to Malcolm Turnbull: I refer to reports that the Government awarded a college linked to former Senator Bob Day a $1.84m grant despite the fact he only asked for $1.4m. Why did the college give the college almost $500,000 more than was requested?
Turnbull flicks the question to defence industry minister Christopher Pyne.
Pyne starts up:
It’s absolutely remarkable, Mr Speaker, that the Labor Party, the party of the home insulation scheme, the party of the school halls debacle, the party of the cash for clunkers, FuelWatch as the Deputy PM points out, GroceryWatch, would have the gall to ask this government.
There was absolutely no financial connection between former Senator Bob Day and the North East Vocational Educational College. It went through all the normal processes that such a grant would go through, and was awarded on its merits, and Mr Speaker, the Labor Party stands condemned for trying to play politics with it.
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03:38
Fifth government question on border security to justice minister Michael Keenan: Will the minister update the house on the threat of terrorism? What is the government doing to keep our community safe and the Brisbane community safe and our borders secure?
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03:36
Labor to assistant treasurer Kelly O’Dwyer: The collapse of former Senator Day’s building empire has left hundreds of people who are building houses facing an uncertain future with the prospect they will lose not only their savings, but their dream homes. Can the minister confirm that the Tax Office and the National Australia Bank will be paid ahead of these people in the liquidation of Bob Day’s building empire, and that no action has been taken to recover former Senator Day’s donations of over $2 million to Family First, a party which preferenced the Liberal Party at the last election.
O’Dwyer says check out the corporations act because she cannot talk about individuals.
