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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2016/nov/30/malcolm-tunbull-george-brandis-bill-shorten-nick-xenophon-building-watchdog-politics-live
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| Question time resumes after refugee protest disrupts parliament – politics live | Question time resumes after refugee protest disrupts parliament – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 4.44am GMT | |
| 04:44 | |
| 4.42am GMT | |
| 04:42 | |
| 4.40am GMT | |
| 04:40 | |
| 4.39am GMT | |
| 04:39 | |
| The previous question relates to Julie Bishop’s role as a lawyer, defending CSR against compensation cases over asbestos. | |
| Question time is over. | |
| 4.36am GMT | |
| 04:36 | |
| Things are getting willing in here. | |
| Tony Burke to foriegn minister Julie Bishop: I refer to ongoing concerns about asbestos entering the Australian construction industry [by] illegal imports. Has the minister had any discussions with her international counterparts for a treaty to combat the trafficking of asbestos. If so, has the minister taken any advice on conflicts of interest? | |
| The question is flicked to industry minister Greg Hunt. He starts on Labor’s pink batts program. | |
| Tony Burke takes a point of order on evidence. | |
| I can understand them not wanting to talk about the conflicts of interest. But that was the question. | |
| Burke yells something back and the government benches call on him to withdraw. | |
| It was impossible to hear. | |
| Bishop answers. | |
| 'You wanna go outside with me and say that, boy?' - FM Julie Bishop yells to Tony Burke re a suggestion of conflict of interest #qt #auspol | |
| 4.31am GMT | |
| 04:31 | |
| Labor’s Tony Burke to Christian Porter: The WA treasurer told his parliament, and I quote, we contacted the then assistant minister to the prime minister, Christian Porter, who knows a lot about this issue. We showed it to him and the commonwealth. We got a letter from the commonwealth saying it supported the action, we would not have proceeded without that support. | |
| Why does the WA government provide a different account to what the minister just provided. Can the minister now outline his entire involvement in the Bell Group matter? | |
| I will publish Porter’s full answer again. | |
| I note the comments made publicly by the West Australian treasurer, Mike Nahan. When this matter became a matter of public note, I searched my own recollection and cross referenced that with my diary. | |
| My best recollection, supported by my recourse to my diary, there was a meet being the West Australian treasurer, Mike Nahan, on 5 February 2015. | |
| We discussed a range of issues and I meet with Mike Nahan somewhat often. | |
| My recollection was at the meeting, he noted the WA government was considering a legislative course to resolve the Bell litigation. One month later. | |
| At this person’s request, I met with Mr Rod Whittler. He is the managing director of the insurance WA. | |
| He provided me with an overview pursuant to resolve the Bell litigation and, having cross-researched by own memory with a search of my diary, my best recollection is that I did not receive any further information or have further meetings specifically regarding the bill legislation, until the receipt of that email. | |
| To March 2016, my office received the email that I described, and those circumstances were subject to an accurate summary by the attorney general, George Brandis. | |
| And I note further as I [acquainted] in my conversation with Senator Brandis, I had not been involved in any discussions with Mr Hockey’s office and West Australian ministers. | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.37am GMT | |
| 4.26am GMT | |
| 04:26 | |
| Labor to the social services minister, Christian Porter: Will the minister confirm that yesterday he wrote to me in his capacity as minister for social services stating he would refuse to table certain documents asked about in question time on the basis the WA government asserted legal privilege over those documents even though the minister was no longer a member of the WA government when he received them? | |
| Porter gives a very detailed statement, which he reads verbatim. | |
| Careful exercise, this one. | |
| As a matter of background, as was noted in the attorney general’s statement, I spoke with the attorney general, George Brandis, on 3 March 2016. The terms of that conversation are accurately described by the attorney general in his statement where he notes I relayed my own background knowledge of the WA government’s attempt to end the Bell winding up. | |
| I also offered a view that a statutory scheme to bring the winding up to a swifter conclusion and better return to creditors was in principle a good thing. I did note to him in that conversation I had not been involved in any discussions between Mr Hockey’s office and WA ministers and that I had not at that time the resources to form a view on the constitutional revenue aspects of the legislation. | |
| The reason I went to see attorney general George Brandis was because, as also noted in the attorney general’s statement, on 2 March 2016, my office had received an email from the WA state solicitor. | |
| That contained a summary briefing and slide show of the history of the Bell matter as well as copies of an exchange of letters between Dr Nahan and Mr Hockey. | |
| I did not pass those documents on to any of my federal colleagues or anyone outside my office. Rather, because the issue was outside my portfolio responsibilities I considered the best course was to inform Attorney-General Brandis which I did on 3 March 2016. | |
| I informed him I thought it was advisable he contact the WA Attorney-General directly which I now understand he did the next day.I did not provide any documents to the Attorney-General George Brandis, considering it appropriate he receive any views of the WA Attorney-General directly from him. | |
| When I spoke to Ms O’Dwyer on 4 March 2016, it was similarly to put to her that as minister for small business and assistant treasurer, it might be advisable for her to contact the WA attorney general, which again I understand she did the next day. | |
| I understand that yesterday correspondence was sent to attorney general George Brandis from Michael Mischin, the attorney general of WA. I am informed in that correspondence, the WA government considered documents provided to me contained repetitions of material relating to the Bell litigation, which I was previously apprised of in my former role as attorney general for WA and treasurer for WA and that the WA government asserts legal professional privilege over the documents as well as claiming a public interest immunity against their production in present and future legal proceedings. | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.37am GMT | |
| 4.19am GMT | |
| 04:19 | |
| Peter Dutton is doing his regular CFMEU dump. | |
| He says: | |
| [Shorten] is consorting through his CFMEU links with criminals and thugs, people convicted of criminal offences and that is the reality of this leader of the opposition. | |
| Tony Burke objects. | |
| If that wasn’t an imputation against a member of parliament, an improper motive, I don’t know what was. | |
| Smith reprimands Dutton. | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.30am GMT | |
| 4.16am GMT | |
| 04:16 | |
| Brendan O’Connor to Turnbull: Yesterday in question time the prime minister said the reason he sold out of the vulture fund is because his investment adviser told him to. The fact the vulture fund attributed to the suffering of people was not [important]. And is this why he refused to sell his shares in 7-Eleven? | |
| Turnbull says he answered the question yesterday and suggests O’Connor update his own pecuniary interest statement regarding what his own super fund invests in. | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.31am GMT | |
| 4.11am GMT | |
| 04:11 | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.15am GMT | |
| 4.09am GMT | 4.09am GMT |
| 04:09 | 04:09 |
| Plibersek to Turnbull: During the 2013 election, the Liberals promised they were on a unity ticket with Labor 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? | |
| Turnbull says while Australia’s rankings are slipping, the outcomes are worse. | Turnbull says while Australia’s rankings are slipping, the outcomes are worse. |
| He says the government is spending record amounts. | He says the government is spending record amounts. |
| (Factcheck: this is because of indexation etc) | (Factcheck: this is because of indexation etc) |
| He says we need to change the way money is spent. | He says we need to change the way money is spent. |
| 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.’ | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.16am GMT | |
| 4.05am GMT | 4.05am GMT |
| 04:05 | 04:05 |
| 4.04am GMT | 4.04am GMT |
| 04:04 | 04:04 |
| 4.02am GMT | 4.02am GMT |
| 04:02 | 04:02 |
| 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? | |
| Turnbull gives Wilkie all things Tasmania in his answer but the nub is here. | Turnbull gives Wilkie all things Tasmania in his answer but the nub is here. |
| I’m advised that the FFA will be providing all interested parties with more details of the framework 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. | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.16am GMT | |
| 3.59am GMT | 3.59am GMT |
| 03:59 | 03:59 |
| Shorten to Turnbull: Will the prime minister rule out appointing Senator Brandis to a diplomatic or judicial post before the next election? | Shorten to Turnbull: Will the prime minister rule out appointing Senator Brandis to a diplomatic or judicial post before the next election? |
| I knew that the member for Isaacs’s enmity towards Senator Brandis was an obsession, I didn’t realise it was infectious. | I knew that the member for Isaacs’s enmity towards Senator Brandis was an obsession, I didn’t realise it was infectious. |
| That is a no – the prime minister will not rule out appointing Brandis to a diplomatic or judicial post before the next election. | That is a no – the prime minister will not rule out appointing Brandis to a diplomatic or judicial post before the next election. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.02am GMT | at 4.02am GMT |