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Question time suspended as refugee protest disrupts parliament – politics live Question time resumes after refugee protest disrupts parliament – politics live
(35 minutes later)
3.34am GMT 4.09am GMT
03:34 04:09
How the refugee protest unfolded by Mike Bowers Plibersek to Turnbull: During the 2013 election, the Liberals promised they were on a unity ticket withLabor on school funding. After that election, the Liberals cut $30bn from schools. Given data released today shows that Australia’s results in school science and maths have flatlined, doesn’t this prove that this Liberal Government should put an end to its chaos and finally properly fund Australian schools?
3.31am GMT Turnbull says while Australia’s rankings are slipping, the outcomes are worse.
03:31 He says the government is spending record amounts.
Gareth Hutchens says the protestors are from the Whistleblowers Activists and Citizens Alliance. (Factcheck: this is because of indexation etc)
3.30am GMT He says we need to change the way money is spent.
03:30 We are ensuring more teachers are qualified to teach STEM projects. We are ensuring students complete those subjects for a ranking. I cite the Grattan report on this subject released this week which says “Money alone cannot create a school system that gives every Australian child a chance in life, it must be well spent”.
Incredibly wild scary scenes in parliament as protesters dragged away pic.twitter.com/YYDeHwiBQA 4.05am GMT
3.28am GMT 04:05
03:28 4.04am GMT
Protestors still being dragged from the public gallery by security. pic.twitter.com/muSDGhJxES 04:04
3.28am GMT 4.02am GMT
03:28 04:02
here's the start of the refugee protest in #QT - they shouted over Melissa Price, who tried valiantly (in vain) to continue her question pic.twitter.com/DARCMwnLaU Wilkie to Turnbull: thank you for your time last week and for allowing me to brief you on the proposal for a Tasmanian A-League football team. Obviously a Tasmanian football team would be a wonderful rallying point for the community, inject millions of dollars into the economy,establish soccer as the only true national football code and boost TV audiences. Prime Minister, do you share Tasmania’s enthusiasm for this project and what commitment can you make to support the venture and, in particular, the modest improvements to North Hobart Oval that would underpin this very exciting endeavour?
3.27am GMT Turnbull gives Wilkie all things Tasmania in his answer but the nub is here.
03:27 I’m advised that the FFA will be providing all interested parties with more details of the frame work for this expansion in the third quarter of next year. I encourage the honourable member to continue his advocacy for an A-League team in Tasmania.
Gareth Hutchens 3.59am GMT
A small group of protesters has linked and is standing near theentrance to the House of Representatives.They are yelling in unison: 03:59
We are here today because you have become world leaders in cruelty! You have shamed us on the international stage ... You use our money to abuse refugees! Shorten to Turnbull: Will the prime minister rule out appointing Senator Brandis to a diplomatic or judicial post before the next election?
A queue of visitors waiting to enter the House are a captive audience.Meanwhile, dozens of security guards are removing protesters one by onefrom the House.Cameras and journalists are everywhere. The protesters’ chant is loudand unceasing. There aren’t enough guards to remove them. I knew that the member for Isaacs’s enmity towards Senator Brandis was an obsession, I didn’t realise it was infectious.
Your policies are killing innocent people. They’re separating families. You use our money to abuse refugees. That is a no – the prime minister will not rule out appointing Brandis to a diplomatic or judicial post before the next election.
The group is protesting against Australia’s immigration policies, includingthe detention centres on Manus Island, Christmas Island and Nauru.
UpdatedUpdated
at 3.28am GMT at 4.02am GMT
3.25am GMT 3.57am GMT
03:25 03:57
Protestors in the #QT gallery should be physically ejected, and by force if necessary. And the right to peacefully protest is also one of those conventions, Tim. We're still meeting, just a little later than usual. https://t.co/ZaVgOAJTr3
3.24am GMT 3.57am GMT
03:24 03:57
I am in the press gallery from my station so I don’t have vision of the protesters. Bowers is down there so we should have some vision shortly. Question time has been suspended until it is clear. Seven protestors have superglued their hands to the railing in the public gallery. So we start #qt a bit later. Fifteen minutes of disruption is nothing compared to lifetimes of misery #CloseTheCamps
3.56am GMT
03:56
Also from the Greens...
Question Time brought to a halt as peaceful protesters hold MPs to account demanding gov #CloseTheCamps. Brave. Powerful. Proud. #qt
3.55am GMT
03:55
Richard Di Natale’s chief of staff applauds the refugee protestors in parliament.
Great work everyone. They're not listening to anything else. https://t.co/R9P3GbLy0C
3.55am GMT
03:55
All the Dixers are on the need for the ABCC.
3.54am GMT
03:54
Shorten to Turnbull: Ever since the government announced the 32.5% backpacker tax in the 2015 budget, it has been mired in complete and utter chaos. Given the Senate has once again endorsed the sensible compromise of a 10.5% backpacker tax, when will the prime minister put policy above politics, take up Labor’s offer to deliver this sensible compromise and just clean up this mess?
Turnbull says Shorten pretends to be a champion of the poor Australian worker but he wants foreigners to pay less tax.
The leader of the opposition, when he is not pretending to be a champion of the poor and oppressed, when he is not pretending to be a tribune of the people, claims to be standing up for Australian workers, denouncing the horror of foreigners coming to work in Australia, stealing Australian jobs, his patriotic heart beats so hard, Mr Speaker. But then when it comes to backpackers, all of whom are foreigners, he wants them to pay 10.5% tax.
UpdatedUpdated
at 3.26am GMT at 4.02am GMT
3.21am GMT 3.51am GMT
03:21 03:51
From Labor MP Tim Watts: The government is now on a Dixer question relating to the ABCC. The PM calls Bill Shorten by his name rather than his proper title. Peter Dutton interjects, using Shorten’s name.
So much of our democracy relies on respect for basic conventions. Allowing the Parliament to meet in civil debate is surely fundamental. Labor’s Tony Burke protests. He is cranky with the speaker – which is unusual for him.
You just had on interjection the immigration minister do the exact same thing and not calling people by their titles. Either maintain the rules of this place or don’t. On this day of all days you should not be letting people get away with it.
Tempers are fraying.
UpdatedUpdated
at 3.21am GMT at 4.03am GMT
3.20am GMT 3.49am GMT
03:20 03:49
It seems the remaining 6 protesters really have super glued their hands to the leather of the public gallery and aren't moving. Malcolm Turnbull on the amazing story by James Massola of Fairfax regarding welfare changes. It came from a leaked government document.
3.18am GMT The PM has said the government will pursue the leaker.
03:18 I’m advised that shortly before question time the secretary of the Department of Social Services, Mr Finn Pratt, did refer the matter that the member for Isaacs about to the Australian federal police and asked the commissioner to accept the matter for investigation.
Big refugees protest continues outside the House of Reps after bringing question time to a halt #auspol @westaustralian pic.twitter.com/5Zds2hZMpm This was the Labor question asked before the refugee protest.
3.16am GMT Updated
03:16 at 3.54am GMT
Well done to security for dealing so professionally and calmly with these pro-illegal immigrant protesters who have shut down parliament. 3.45am GMT
"Close the bloody camps now. Bring them here. Let them stay" protesters continue to shout. pic.twitter.com/tO3EPeXhqP 03:45
3.11am GMT Labor roars.
03:11 Bill Shorten says Labor stayed in the building because he does not believe the parliament should be shut down by protesters.
Politicians were told, "You are fear-mongers!" #qt I also briefly want to add the reason why the Labor party stayed in here today is because we will never give in to those who wish to shut this parliament down. No matter what the protest, no matter who tries it or what the issue they think it is, this is the exact opposite of democracy. We reward those who would seek to stop this parliament [from] operating by walking away from them and giving in to them.
3.10am GMT Updated
03:10 at 3.54am GMT
Looks to be about 30 protestors. Coalition MPs have walked out. #qt #auspol 3.44am GMT
3.09am GMT 03:44
03:09 Christopher Pyne, leader of the House, notes it is the worst protest since the ACTU protest in 1996.
Most of the government benches have cleared but the Labor Party has stayed put. The chants continue "Where is your moral compass". He advises that the parliament should check if any MPs signed protesters into the building.
3.08am GMT Updated
03:08 at 3.45am GMT
Some have glued their hands to the railing.
3.08am GMT
03:08
"We will not stop until you close all the detention centres" They have linked arms as more guards arrive. Some applause from gallery at end
3.07am GMT
03:07
I count 27 people, arms locked. 1 more being dragged away. 4 guards on scene. No police.