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.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2016/nov/24/coalition-loses-vote-after-one-nation-no-show-politics-live

The article has changed 19 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 7 Version 8
Pauline Hanson rails against 'reverse racism' as Senate debates free speech – politics live Pauline Hanson rails against 'reverse racism' as Senate debates free speech – politics live
(35 minutes later)
1.56am GMT
01:56
*Choir sings, angels descend*
Sunlight spotlights Tony Abbott during PM's infrastructure statement @gabriellechan @GuardianAus @murpharoo #spooky pic.twitter.com/eOzZz4I1n9
1.55am GMT
01:55
Finance minister Mathias Cormann said the backpacker tax proposal was designed to provide certainty. He describes the ruling which found working holiday makers were non residents for tax purposes.
He says if the bills don’t pass, backpackers face a 32.5% tax rate.
Cormann says backpackers in Australia will still be better off given the wage rates and the tax rates at 19%.
I didn’t come to Australia as a result of the tax rates, says Cormann.
I came because it was a beautiful country.
1.43am GMT
01:43
There is a question over where One Nation will go on the backpacker tax.
We know Labor and the Greens are supporting Jacqui Lambie’s amendment to put the backpacker tax at 10.5%.
We know Derryn Hinch and Nick Xenophon are supporting the 19% rate with Xenophon wanting the amendments.
Updated
at 1.45am GMT
1.37am GMT
01:37
The backpackers debate has started in the Senate.
The Greens leader, Richard Di Natale, says the government has the reverse Midas touch at the moment. The backpacker tax is a mess.
The Greens have never supported any change to the tax.
Di Natale recounts the history of uncertainty since the 32.5% tax was announced in the 2015 budget.
Updated
at 1.54am GMT
1.34am GMT
01:34
Coalition establishes infrastructure financing unit in his department
Paul Karp
Malcolm Turnbull has announced he is establishing an “infrastructure financing unit” in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
The unit will “develop the funding and financing solutions for landmark projects through the use of public-private partnerships, measured use of the balance sheet and value capture”, he said.
Turnbull used his speech to call for the Senate to pass the Australian Building and Construction Commission.
He also attacked Labor over the national broadband network, saying the project was “failing” when the Coalition inherited it in 2013.
But with new management, a new plan, it is now meeting and beating its targets, and it is on track to be complete by 2020.
Bill Shorten is now on his feet responding, calling Turnbull’s handling of the NBN “biggest infrastructure stuff-up in Australian Government’s history”. He said the cost of the NBN has doubled under the Coalition.
Updated
at 1.40am GMT
1.30am GMT
01:30
Malcolm Turnbull on infrastructure process:
My government is changing infrastructure in Australia, the way we plan it, the way we fund it, and the way we partner to build it. Such reform is the only way to deliver the infrastructure that will best serve the modern Australian economy,and will enable us to leave our children and grandchildren the infrastructure they will need to succeed in this, the 21st Century. But as Infrastructure Australia does make clear, many of the reforms relate to responsibilities of state, territory and local governments. So we will continue working with our State and Territory colleagues, including at COAG, about how we can work together to deliver real change.
Bill Shorten is replying to the prime minister’s infrastructure statement.
He says public transport is not a hobby to Labor, it is embedded in the party’s policy. He describes the Abbott-Turnbull government’s record on infrastructure as dismal.
We don’t look at a train carriage and see a selfie studio. We know that public transport is about quality of life, particularly for Australians who live and work in our growing suburbs. It is about making it easier for people to get to work quicker and get home sooner, and I want to make this point very clear. Charging Australians more to drive their car without investing in public transport as an alternative inevitably means punishing those who can least afford it. Any proposal to change the funding arrangements for Australian roads should be based on equity, and investing in public transport in the outer suburbs.
1.21am GMT1.21am GMT
01:2101:21
The senate is has voted on the change of business that allows the backpacker bills to be presented, as reported earlier. The Senate is has voted on the change of business that allows the backpacker bills to be presented, as reported earlier.
Updated
at 1.28am GMT
1.12am GMT1.12am GMT
01:1201:12
Paul KarpPaul Karp
Malcolm Turnbull is on his feet in the House of Representatives, giving an update about the government’s infrastructure achievements ($80bn of spending, funding for 14 of the 15 projects on Infrastructure Australia’s priority list). He’s also giving the government’s response to Infrastructure Australia’s 15-year plan.Malcolm Turnbull is on his feet in the House of Representatives, giving an update about the government’s infrastructure achievements ($80bn of spending, funding for 14 of the 15 projects on Infrastructure Australia’s priority list). He’s also giving the government’s response to Infrastructure Australia’s 15-year plan.
The most interesting news out of the response is that the federal government will commission a study into a road user charge for light vehicles as part of a “10 to 15-year journey” towards a possible new tax on commuters to replace petrol excise.The most interesting news out of the response is that the federal government will commission a study into a road user charge for light vehicles as part of a “10 to 15-year journey” towards a possible new tax on commuters to replace petrol excise.
The urban infrastructure minister, Paul Fletcher, announced the study on Thursday.The urban infrastructure minister, Paul Fletcher, announced the study on Thursday.
Infrastructure Australia had asked the government to “commit to the full implementation” of road user charging in the next 10 years.Infrastructure Australia had asked the government to “commit to the full implementation” of road user charging in the next 10 years.
The government noted the recommendation but said it was “premature” to express any views about the merits of a commuter charge.The government noted the recommendation but said it was “premature” to express any views about the merits of a commuter charge.
That didn’t stop Turnbull saying the point of the study was to come up with a “fairer and more sustainable” way to fund infrastructure. Watch this space.That didn’t stop Turnbull saying the point of the study was to come up with a “fairer and more sustainable” way to fund infrastructure. Watch this space.
12.59am GMT12.59am GMT
00:5900:59
Just so you get the full context.Just so you get the full context.
12.57am GMT12.57am GMT
00:5700:57
"Australia suffers from reverse rascism" Pauline Hanson speaks on repeal of 18c @gabriellechan @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/LPL7Etr1jJ"Australia suffers from reverse rascism" Pauline Hanson speaks on repeal of 18c @gabriellechan @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/LPL7Etr1jJ
12.33am GMT12.33am GMT
00:3300:33
Pauline Hanson: “I’ve had it up to here with my tolerance”Pauline Hanson: “I’ve had it up to here with my tolerance”
Pauline Hanson says she is not racist then adds she has "HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH MY TOLERANCE" #auspol pic.twitter.com/AGuTVPgpFhPauline Hanson says she is not racist then adds she has "HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH MY TOLERANCE" #auspol pic.twitter.com/AGuTVPgpFh
UpdatedUpdated
at 12.33am GMTat 12.33am GMT
12.31am GMT
00:31
Labor-Coalition agree to new PMC vote with backpacker bills done before 2pm
There will be a recommital of the vote on the passenger movement charge last night.
This has happened because Labor and the Coalition have come to an agreement.
This is the longstanding practice in the senate. It allows the government to clean up the mess of last night’s vote, which went down due to One Nation not realising the vote was on.
We understand the agreement means the backpackers bills will be debated AND VOTED ON before question time.
In theory.
12.22am GMT
00:22
Pat Dodson: "It's interesting that bigotry is back in favour"
12.19am GMT
00:19
Pauline Hanson has taken issue with Pat Dodson, who discussed his experience prior to the 1967 referendum that decided to count Indigenous people in the census. Dodson said the federal government didn’t even have the power to make laws for Indigenous Australians so the battle for freedom to access basic rights was real to him.
Hanson, however, linked it to the White Australia policy and said that policy was not aimed at Indigenous people but was aimed at the Chinese who were bringing in opium.
Is it really going to far to have an opinion that we offend, insult or intimidate others?
I’ve had it up to here with my tolerance.
But:
I welcome anyone who has come to this country to join us, assimilate and enjoy our way of life.
Updated
at 12.42am GMT
11.56pm GMT
23:56
Pauline Hanson is up now.
She is talking about the speeches relating to racism. Her first husband was Polish. She had a Laotian woman working in the fish and chip shop. She rented out a property to an Aboriginal family.
Respect must be earned.
Hanson goes through the migration history in Australia.
She says Greeks and Italians used to be called wogs. They took it in that good Aussie way.
Racism is when someone thinks one race is superior over another, she says.
I am fed up with people in and out of the house calling me a racist when they cannot find one thing that I have said that is racist, she says.
Hanson says she has been called a pig in mud and white trash and the newspapers printed it.
I could have taken it up but I never did. What I am hearing here is all one-sided.
Hanson says the QUT students highlighted something that was racist - a computer room that was only allowed to be used by Indigenous people
It’s come down in Australia to reverse racism.
She says as a politician she is protected inside the chamber but Australians who are outside are not.
We can’t have an opinion. We cant say anything any more.
11.49pm GMT
23:49
Nothing wrong with freedom particularly if you are from the ruling class
11.44pm GMT
23:44
Senators Derryn Hinch and Liberal senator James Patterson have also spoken.
Hinch talked a lot about the Bill Leak cartoon of an Indigenous father, his son and an Indigenous policeman.
I am offended and insulted that we have any law in this country which is a bad law. I am offended and insulted that such emotive and subjective words as offend and insult can be on our lawbooks. With freedom of speech, you have to stand alongside with people whose opinions you don’t share.
The Hansonites, you don’t share their opinion, but it is freedom of speech. But when you try to make martyrs and block it and shut it down, then it is dangerous.
11.31pm GMT
23:31
Pat Dodson said the Labor party would stand shoulder to shoulder with communities across the country against changes to 18c.
He says the Coalition forget that this debate is about human beings, people of different cultures who are Australians, “who have all sorts of different ways of interpreting English”.
Here are more fulsome quotes that give you a flavour of the speech.
English has its own form of tyranny and that tyranny is what causes wars, assaults, arguments and violence and the speakers who grow up with English have to understand that that is not the only frame of reference through which the world is interpreted.
Because there’s no clear definition, it seems to me, of what constitutes whiteness and the culture of whiteness. We talk of all sorts of other people that make up the Australian nation. Chinese, Indians, Lebanese, all sorts of people, Africans, who are part of the Australian population, who bring with their cultures a richness to this nation.
Instead of us moving in a way to accept and appropriate the better things of their cultures, we seek to continually divide and create ways to sustain divisions and sustain the denigration of our fellow Australians.
Nothing wrong with freedom, particularly if you are from the ruling class. There’s a hell of a lot wrong with freedom if you’ve got to battle to experience it. If you’ve got to fight for it.
Updated
at 11.46pm GMT
11.18pm GMT
23:18
Labor senator Pat Dodson is speaking on Leyonhjelm’s Racial Discrimination Act.
He is giving an amazing speech on the the bill, which I will get as soon as I can.
To be clear, the bill goes much further than the first Abbott changes to amend 18C and D. It removes a whole part of the act. This part.
PART IIA--PROHIBITION OF OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOUR BASED ON RACIAL HATRED
18B. Reason for doing an act
18C. Offensive behaviour because of race, colour or national or ethnic origin
18D. Exemptions
18E. Vicarious liability
18F. State and Territory laws not affected
Pat Dodson says the whole debate about 18C fails to take into account the fabric of the nation and the message it sends.
Updated
at 11.46pm GMT
11.06pm GMT
23:06
Peter Dutton: I have been misrepresented
Nick McKim has spoken to Sky News this morning, where he was asked about Peter Dutton’s comments regarding Lebanese Muslim Australians and Anne Aly’s threatening emails.
He has said the following:
We’re not disputing the numbers that [Dutton] quoted. Undoubtedly the advice he’s got is accurate. But just because something is fact doesn’t mean that it’s reasonable or productive to talk about it ...
So what we’ve got is a deliberate attack from Mr Dutton by quoting these numbers on a particular subsection of the Australian community. In this case Lebanese Muslim Australians.
Peter Dutton has come out on the strength of that, five minutes ago.
It is a particular character flaw of Mr Shorten that he would seek to misrepresent my words to try and gain political advantage. He has upset people within the community and he has deliberately done that. His conduct has been sneaky and tricky. It has been underhanded. Mr Shorten has a lot to answer for.
And then:
As the Greens have, I noticed comments by Senator McKim this morning saying what I have said is correct, it is factual, it is reasonable but that we shouldn’t speak about it.
Twenty-four hours ago the Greens were saying I was a racist and bigot. I want to have an honest discussion. I did that in all of the remarks I have had and that I have made in relation to what is a very important topic.
I have repeated it again this morning. I won’t step back from this. The vast majority of Lebanese Australians are law-abiding, hard-working, good, decent people who are besmirched by the small element within the community who are doing the wrong thing.
I made that clear. The fact that Mr Shorten would seek to misrepresent it shows he has been tricky but he has been caught out.
Updated
at 11.11pm GMT
10.53pm GMT
22:53
David Leyonhjelm is speaking on his private bill to amend the Racial Discrimination Act.
He has travelled through philosophers, discussed his experience when the Chaser crew went to his home with his own Wicked van after he defended Wicked’s right to free speech.
Leyonhjelm said, regarding the Chaser case:
Free speech does not require me to find them amusing.
He said it not require a lot of effort to find out where the Chaser team live and put offensive signs outside their houses.
He said if their response was to tell the good senator to F off, he would be happy but Leyonhjelm suggested they would run off to “nanny government”.
Updated
at 10.58pm GMT