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| Registered organisations bill passes as National senators cross floor on guns – politics live | Registered organisations bill passes as National senators cross floor on guns – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 12.28am GMT | |
| 00:28 | |
| Bill Shorten: Nats get a conscience vote on guns but not marriage | |
| Katharine Murphy | |
| Labor MPs have gathered for their weekly meeting when parliament sits. Leader Bill Shorten approached his task today like an excited patron at an all you can eat restaurant. | |
| Where to start? Salad? No, perhaps straight to the pavlova. | |
| Shorten began by telling colleagues the prime minister must have been tempted to turn his plane around from Peru after yesterday’s parliamentary highlights from colleagues, which included Nationals crossing the floor to vote against the government’s position on gun regulation, and Peter Dutton musing that Malcolm Fraser shouldn’t have allowed Lebanese Muslims into Australia in the 1970s because a handful of their descendants have gone on to be charged with terrorism offences. | |
| There was also George Brandis (described by Shorten as a gift that keeps on giving) calling his Queensland LNP colleagues mediocre, which Shorten said was like Barnaby Joyce saying someone was hard to understand or Paul Fletcher saying someone was dull. | |
| On the guns vote, Shorten observed Nationals could get a conscience vote on letting a lever action shot gun into the country and but not on same sex marriage. On Lebanese Muslims, he said Labor was not inclined to call people who had been in the country for thirty years migrants, Labor was inclined to call these people Australians. | |
| On legislation and parliamentary business, Labor resolved to support various government proposals, including its revised superannuation package (although it will move amendments during the Senate debate.) There were also three questions from MPs on the backpackers tax. One Labor MP was concerned the fruit wasn’t getting picked. The shadow treasurer Chris Bowen told colleagues Labor had resolved on a position on the backpacker tax and didn’t intend to back off because the Coalition was huffing and puffing. Bowen said the legislation was not yet in the Senate, and if the government thought they could pressure the opposition into any particular position, Labor’s response was let them try. | |
| 12.02am GMT | |
| 00:02 | |
| Former Fairfax award-winning journalist and newly minted professor Michael West has an interesting column on One Nation senator Rod Culleton. It is worth a full read but here are some highlights. West writes: | |
| When [Culleton] is likely declared bankrupt again next month, unless he somehow staves off the hearing or comes into some money, it won’t necessarily affect his eligibility for parliament. One is allowed to go bankrupt while in office. The question is, was Rodney Culleton insolvent when he last emerged from bankruptcy and was therefore able to enter parliament? | |
| Just to reprise the omissions in his AEC declaration: | |
| 1. His claim personally for $450,000.00 from DEQMO Pty Ltd. | |
| 2. His director role in the company Elite Grains Pty Ltd. | |
| 3. His shareholding a in Elite Grains. | |
| 4. The two judgment debts against him from Dick Lester for $203,000 and the PCL (ANZ) judgment debt of $4.3 million. | |
| 5. Loans from Bruce Dixon. | |
| Finally, it is worth noting that One Nation party leader Pauline Hanson had been made aware of Culleton’s form back in April but still supported his candidacy. | |
| Updated | |
| at 12.24am GMT | |
| 11.52pm GMT | 11.52pm GMT |
| 23:52 | 23:52 |
| I just digress for a minute for a message from the new leader of the free world, Donald Trump, in which he outlines his agenda for the first 100 days, including withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. | |
| Only because his characterisation of his transition to government process reminded me of Tony Abbott’s messaging in his 2013 transition. | Only because his characterisation of his transition to government process reminded me of Tony Abbott’s messaging in his 2013 transition. |
| I’m confident that we will return to strong and stable government that calmly, purposefully, methodically sets about implementing its commitments. | |
| And here is the Donald. | And here is the Donald. |
| Our transition team is working very smoothy, efficiently and effectively. | Our transition team is working very smoothy, efficiently and effectively. |
| There must be a manual somewhere. | There must be a manual somewhere. |
| Updated | |
| at 12.02am GMT | |
| 11.43pm GMT | 11.43pm GMT |
| 23:43 | 23:43 |
| Just so you know. | Just so you know. |
| #BREAKING US President-elect Donald Trump says he will move to withdraw from #TPP trade deal "on day one" | #BREAKING US President-elect Donald Trump says he will move to withdraw from #TPP trade deal "on day one" |
| 11.42pm GMT | 11.42pm GMT |
| 23:42 | 23:42 |
| One down, one to go: the ABC of the ABCC | One down, one to go: the ABC of the ABCC |
| Later today the ABCC bill will be debated in the Senate, following hot on the heels of the registered organisations. We insiders who are on the outside are not expecting a vote today but hey, anything could happen in the final fortnight. | |
| So let’s just brush up. | So let’s just brush up. |
| The ABCC bill: | The ABCC bill: |
| One Nation senators have said they will support the ABCC, with the exception of Rod Culleton, who has been a bit cagey. We don’t know where he stands as of this minute. | |
| That leaves the government chasing four more votes. David Leyonhjelm wants other as yet unnamed libertarian amendments to unnamed legislation. So we will put him aside at this point. | That leaves the government chasing four more votes. David Leyonhjelm wants other as yet unnamed libertarian amendments to unnamed legislation. So we will put him aside at this point. |
| Nick Xenophon with his three votes and Derryn Hinch want some sort of security of payment amendment. The problem they are hoping to solve is about subcontractors who getting stiffed on payments by larger or lead contractors on construction sites. | Nick Xenophon with his three votes and Derryn Hinch want some sort of security of payment amendment. The problem they are hoping to solve is about subcontractors who getting stiffed on payments by larger or lead contractors on construction sites. |
| Given the government’s rhetoric revolves around jobs and growth and small business is supposed to be the engine room of growth, one would think security of payments should be a no brainer. | Given the government’s rhetoric revolves around jobs and growth and small business is supposed to be the engine room of growth, one would think security of payments should be a no brainer. |
| Les Williams of the Subcontractors Alliance says the issue is big contractors get the cheque for a job, employ small contractors who do the work, then big contractors either go broke or divert the money onto other jobs. Payments are either late or non-existent or renegotiated down due to assessment of “workmanship” after the fact. The small contractor has no money to employ lawyers to chase big builders who don’t pay. | Les Williams of the Subcontractors Alliance says the issue is big contractors get the cheque for a job, employ small contractors who do the work, then big contractors either go broke or divert the money onto other jobs. Payments are either late or non-existent or renegotiated down due to assessment of “workmanship” after the fact. The small contractor has no money to employ lawyers to chase big builders who don’t pay. |
| Here is some of Williams submission he delivered to the crossbench: | Here is some of Williams submission he delivered to the crossbench: |
| The construction industry accounts for between 8 and 10% of GDP but 25% of all insolvencies. | |
| Asic and the ATO advised a 2015 Senate committee inquiring into construction industry insolvency of an emerging business model involving company directors, their corporate advisors and liquidators. | |
| This sanitised corporate description is better described as construction industry fraud that targets the revenue of and costs Australia’s 350,000 construction industry small business $3bn including employee entitlements and the ATO a further $700 million annually. | |
| The number of construction company directors prosecuted for insolvent trading, fraud and breaches of duties is almost nil due to compromised ASIC reporting and protection by liquidators. | The number of construction company directors prosecuted for insolvent trading, fraud and breaches of duties is almost nil due to compromised ASIC reporting and protection by liquidators. |
| Williams said the problem with the ABCC is it just targets one side of the industry – unions (which is OK, he adds) – but there is a whole other side they are ignoring: big construction. | |
| He said the big building companies are driving the ABCC bill targeting the unions but they don’t want to talk about the bad behaviour their members involved in. | He said the big building companies are driving the ABCC bill targeting the unions but they don’t want to talk about the bad behaviour their members involved in. |
| I am sure if Australians knew what went on in this industry they would be appalled. | I am sure if Australians knew what went on in this industry they would be appalled. |
| He said if One Nation was interested in working people they would not support the ABCC bill without amendments. He said in Pauline Hanson’s own state, there were 85,000 subcontractors employing 250,000 people. | He said if One Nation was interested in working people they would not support the ABCC bill without amendments. He said in Pauline Hanson’s own state, there were 85,000 subcontractors employing 250,000 people. |
| Williams wants laws to be changed to ensure building payments are put into a trust fund, which is held at arm’s length from all companies to protect small contractors. | |
| The difficulty is that state governments all have different versions of security of payments. | The difficulty is that state governments all have different versions of security of payments. |
| Earlier in the year, Xenophon met with stakeholders like Williams to look what could be done over security of payments. They all signed a joint statement that looked like this: | Earlier in the year, Xenophon met with stakeholders like Williams to look what could be done over security of payments. They all signed a joint statement that looked like this: |
| So that might give you an idea of where the ABCC amendments are heading. | So that might give you an idea of where the ABCC amendments are heading. |
| Updated | |
| at 12.08am GMT | |
| 10.39pm GMT | 10.39pm GMT |
| 22:39 | 22:39 |
| Culleton holding three thick sheafs of paper which he says is evidence of ANZ bank misconduct against farmers. pic.twitter.com/mII9L43mRc | Culleton holding three thick sheafs of paper which he says is evidence of ANZ bank misconduct against farmers. pic.twitter.com/mII9L43mRc |
| 10.39pm GMT | 10.39pm GMT |
| 22:39 | 22:39 |
| Rod Culleton has the drivin’ in him. You either do or you don’t. | Rod Culleton has the drivin’ in him. You either do or you don’t. |
| Culleton is showing the room a video with shots of tractors, trucks and horse-racing - "that's my lead truck" pic.twitter.com/IIRLPOQlZg | Culleton is showing the room a video with shots of tractors, trucks and horse-racing - "that's my lead truck" pic.twitter.com/IIRLPOQlZg |
| 10.13pm GMT | 10.13pm GMT |
| 22:13 | 22:13 |
| Tony Burke: Malcolm Fraser's mistake was he didn't stop the grandchildren? | Tony Burke: Malcolm Fraser's mistake was he didn't stop the grandchildren? |
| That’s enough of last night. Because it is so last night. | That’s enough of last night. Because it is so last night. |
| The comments by immigration minister Peter Dutton regarding Lebanese Muslim Australians continue to ricochet around the nation. | The comments by immigration minister Peter Dutton regarding Lebanese Muslim Australians continue to ricochet around the nation. |
| Dutton said former Liberal party prime minister Malcolm Fraser should not have let Lebanese Muslims into Australia in the 1970s because a small cohort of people had been charged with terrorism-related offences. | Dutton said former Liberal party prime minister Malcolm Fraser should not have let Lebanese Muslims into Australia in the 1970s because a small cohort of people had been charged with terrorism-related offences. |
| The advice I have is that out of the last 33 people who have been charged with terrorist-related offences in this country, 22 of those people are from second- and third-generation Lebanese-Muslim background. | The advice I have is that out of the last 33 people who have been charged with terrorist-related offences in this country, 22 of those people are from second- and third-generation Lebanese-Muslim background. |
| Labor’s Tony Burke, whose electorate of Watson takes in large Muslim Australian communities, was flabbergasted. | Labor’s Tony Burke, whose electorate of Watson takes in large Muslim Australian communities, was flabbergasted. |
| I was astonished. I expect the people angriest about this would be security agencies. Peter Dutton has attacked a group that last been cooperating so closely with our security agencies. His argument is Malcolm Fraser should not have allowed certain individuals into Australia based on their race and religion because of the grandchildren they would have? | I was astonished. I expect the people angriest about this would be security agencies. Peter Dutton has attacked a group that last been cooperating so closely with our security agencies. His argument is Malcolm Fraser should not have allowed certain individuals into Australia based on their race and religion because of the grandchildren they would have? |
| Malcolm Fraser’s mistake was that he didn’t stop the grandchildren? This is a bizarre, weird argument of racial profiling. I’m sure this is not the sort of argument that the old Malcolm Turnbull would have wanted to lead as prime minister and now that Malcolm Turnbull is back in the country, it will be interesting to see whether or not he is of the same view as Peter Dutton. He’s declared a war on a community that has been so important in cooperation with local authorities. | Malcolm Fraser’s mistake was that he didn’t stop the grandchildren? This is a bizarre, weird argument of racial profiling. I’m sure this is not the sort of argument that the old Malcolm Turnbull would have wanted to lead as prime minister and now that Malcolm Turnbull is back in the country, it will be interesting to see whether or not he is of the same view as Peter Dutton. He’s declared a war on a community that has been so important in cooperation with local authorities. |
| Which gives you a pretty good idea of what Labor’s first question will be in question time. | Which gives you a pretty good idea of what Labor’s first question will be in question time. |
| My question is to the prime minister. Do you agree with the comments of your immigration minister … | My question is to the prime minister. Do you agree with the comments of your immigration minister … |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 10.54pm GMT | at 10.54pm GMT |
| 10.01pm GMT | 10.01pm GMT |
| 22:01 | 22:01 |
| Penny Wong: Your side has never liked trade unions | Penny Wong: Your side has never liked trade unions |
| Penny Wong spoke against the registered organisations bill, describing it as the last instalment in a long line of conservative actions against trade unions. | Penny Wong spoke against the registered organisations bill, describing it as the last instalment in a long line of conservative actions against trade unions. |
| The fact is that those on the other side and their predecessors, the conservatives of Australian politics, have never accepted that trade unions play a legitimate and important role in our workplaces and in our society. From Stanley Bruce, who tried to scrap the federal arbitration system in the 1920s, to John Howard’s Work Choices legislation, which cut pay and conditions for Australian working people, it is the same ideological agenda over decades: Liberals and their predecessors always want to attack trade unions, deregulate the labour market, cut wages and conditions, and reduce the fundamental rights and protections for working people. That is who they are, that is what they believe, and this bill is simply another instalment in that story. | The fact is that those on the other side and their predecessors, the conservatives of Australian politics, have never accepted that trade unions play a legitimate and important role in our workplaces and in our society. From Stanley Bruce, who tried to scrap the federal arbitration system in the 1920s, to John Howard’s Work Choices legislation, which cut pay and conditions for Australian working people, it is the same ideological agenda over decades: Liberals and their predecessors always want to attack trade unions, deregulate the labour market, cut wages and conditions, and reduce the fundamental rights and protections for working people. That is who they are, that is what they believe, and this bill is simply another instalment in that story. |
| 9.56pm GMT | 9.56pm GMT |
| 21:56 | 21:56 |
| Derryn Hinch: extend whistleblower protections from unions to corporate sector | Derryn Hinch: extend whistleblower protections from unions to corporate sector |
| Now to the registered orgs debate. | Now to the registered orgs debate. |
| Senator Derryn Hinch spoke to the bill and gave a sense of the sort of thing crossbenchers have experienced. | Senator Derryn Hinch spoke to the bill and gave a sense of the sort of thing crossbenchers have experienced. |
| In recent weeks, I have spent a lot of time with ministers, shadow ministers, union officials, including from the CFMEU, and other senators. I will be voting for the amended bill, if the planned amendments pass. To get to this position, I have read many proposed amendments. I have supported some, and I have rejected others. The opposition encouraged crossbenchers to work on amendments. I suspect the big picture—as Paul Keating would say—was to get this bill and the ABCC legislation watered down as much as possible so that if, in the end, they did get passed, they would be closer to a gelding than a stallion. | In recent weeks, I have spent a lot of time with ministers, shadow ministers, union officials, including from the CFMEU, and other senators. I will be voting for the amended bill, if the planned amendments pass. To get to this position, I have read many proposed amendments. I have supported some, and I have rejected others. The opposition encouraged crossbenchers to work on amendments. I suspect the big picture—as Paul Keating would say—was to get this bill and the ABCC legislation watered down as much as possible so that if, in the end, they did get passed, they would be closer to a gelding than a stallion. |
| But in the end, Hinch argued the registered organisations bill was needed. | But in the end, Hinch argued the registered organisations bill was needed. |
| This legislation has been a long time coming. It is time, I believe, for a full-time, independent regulator for this sector, which has been wracked with scandal, rather than the current body dealing with it part time. The union movement will only be strengthened if potential members can be confident that all of their leadership are working to benefit members, not to personally benefit themselves. I do not see this as an attack on unions. I see it as an effective way to improve the way that this sector is governed. No-one, including people within the union movement, wants to see a repeat of the Kathy Jackson or the Craig Thomson rorts. Kathy Jackson misappropriated $900,000 from the Health Services Union. Craig Thomson squandered $300,000 of union members’ money—much of it on prostitutes. | This legislation has been a long time coming. It is time, I believe, for a full-time, independent regulator for this sector, which has been wracked with scandal, rather than the current body dealing with it part time. The union movement will only be strengthened if potential members can be confident that all of their leadership are working to benefit members, not to personally benefit themselves. I do not see this as an attack on unions. I see it as an effective way to improve the way that this sector is governed. No-one, including people within the union movement, wants to see a repeat of the Kathy Jackson or the Craig Thomson rorts. Kathy Jackson misappropriated $900,000 from the Health Services Union. Craig Thomson squandered $300,000 of union members’ money—much of it on prostitutes. |
| So Hinch and Nick Xenophon voted for the bill only after amendments were included for whistleblowers. | So Hinch and Nick Xenophon voted for the bill only after amendments were included for whistleblowers. |
| It would cover anonymity, compensation and protection. Even though it now deals specifically with unions, it must in the near future be extended with the same powers and the same protections to whistleblowers in the corporate sector. As my grandma used to say, ‘What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.’ | It would cover anonymity, compensation and protection. Even though it now deals specifically with unions, it must in the near future be extended with the same powers and the same protections to whistleblowers in the corporate sector. As my grandma used to say, ‘What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.’ |
| Hinch said when he was railing against Kathy Jackson and Craig Thomson in his various media programs, he never thought he would be in a position to do something about the “selfish, self-serving thieves”. It became personal. | Hinch said when he was railing against Kathy Jackson and Craig Thomson in his various media programs, he never thought he would be in a position to do something about the “selfish, self-serving thieves”. It became personal. |
| I will admit that in this case it is partly personal. When the stories started coming out about Craig Thomson spending $500 a time on hookers I was actually lying in a hospital bed, and watching members of his old union, the Health Services Union, doing menial tasks for about, I guess, $15 an hour. I remember that I watched a middle-aged European woman with a mop cleaning up after a burst colostomy bag. I thought at the time that her union fees for the year would probably be around the $500 that Thomson spent on one prostitute in one assignation. Maybe better auditing would have sprung people like Thomson, Kathy Jackson and Michael Williamson, and it may have sprung them hundreds of thousands of dollars earlier. | I will admit that in this case it is partly personal. When the stories started coming out about Craig Thomson spending $500 a time on hookers I was actually lying in a hospital bed, and watching members of his old union, the Health Services Union, doing menial tasks for about, I guess, $15 an hour. I remember that I watched a middle-aged European woman with a mop cleaning up after a burst colostomy bag. I thought at the time that her union fees for the year would probably be around the $500 that Thomson spent on one prostitute in one assignation. Maybe better auditing would have sprung people like Thomson, Kathy Jackson and Michael Williamson, and it may have sprung them hundreds of thousands of dollars earlier. |