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| Question time: Labor targets Malcolm Turnbull over backpacker tax – politics live | Question time: Labor targets Malcolm Turnbull over backpacker tax – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 4.09am GMT | |
| 04:09 | |
| Labor to Scott Morrison: I refer to the Treasurer’s claim in Question Time that a 32.5% backpacker tax was introduced in the 2012 Budget. If that is true, why was no revenue raised from backpacker tax in 2013, 2014 or 2015? Isn’t it the real truth that this Government introduced a 32.5% backpacker tax in the 2015 Budget? | |
| Morrison: | |
| The non-resident tax rate which now applies was set by the Member for Lilley, and he claimed more than $80bn in revenue in that Budget. Now, when this became clear, Mr Speaker, that this is what had transpired, the government sought to give certainty to these arrangements. | |
| 4.00am GMT | |
| 04:00 | |
| Gareth Hutchens | |
| A new Senate inquiry has been established to investigate the problem of employers underpaying or not paying their employees’ compulsory super. | |
| Labor senator Katy Gallagher called for the inquiry. It will be due to report by 22 March 2017. | |
| The underpayment of compulsory super is a huge problem in Australia. A report from the Commonwealth auditor general last year found: | |
| The Australian Tax Office’s internal risk assessment indicates that as many as 11% to 20% of employers could be non-compliant with their super guarantee contributions, and that non-compliance is “endemic”, especially in small businesses and industries where a large number of cash transactions and contracting arrangements occur. Importantly this non-compliance primarily affects lower paid employees and those are most likely to rely on the age pension in later years. | |
| The Senate economics references committee will hold the inquiry. | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.03am GMT | |
| 3.59am GMT | |
| 03:59 | |
| Labor to Barnaby Joyce: what will be the consequences for rural and regional Australia of a 32.5% backpacker tax? | |
| Joyce says the hours are counting down before the parliament can fix the backpacker’s tax: | |
| We have approximately two hours left to do it. Approximately two hours left to do it...we are looking into the heart of the Labor Party to say, “Do you honestly believe in the Australian Labor Party, the party of shearers, the party of farmers, do you honestly believe that it is morally right that a person from Paris is going to have a tax advantage over Australian workers? Do you honestly believe that? Or have you travelled that far, have you travelled that far from your base, is it that far in the past? | |
| 3.54am GMT | |
| 03:54 | |
| The NFF continues to mop up. | |
| In reply to Sky’s tweet: | |
| .@David_Speers reports the @NationalFarmers are urging the government to accept Labor’s 13% backpacker tax proposal | |
| Well no. I confirmed we supported 15% yet would support another rate that parliament decides. It's up to parliament to get the job done. https://t.co/QidHueDN5Y | |
| 3.53am GMT | |
| 03:53 | |
| Labor to Turnbull: Since being elected PM, the PM has been willing to back down on everything he has ever believed in. Why doesn’t he back down on the backpacker tax and fix this mess before parliament rises today? | |
| Turnbull flicks the question to Scott Morrison. | |
| Morrison notes that former treasurer Wayne Swan changed the tax rates for non-residents in 2012. | |
| He says Swan’s rate lives “on and on”. | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.55am GMT | |
| 3.48am GMT | |
| 03:48 | |
| The NFF tweet Turnbull referred to: | |
| Clock ticking to avoid #BackpackerTax. Pls contact @HumanHeadline, @SenatorCulleton & @JacquiLambie. Tell them 15% is competitive & fair! pic.twitter.com/OjVxsh3lXU | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.49am GMT | |
| 3.46am GMT | |
| 03:46 | |
| The beard between. | |
| Member for Chifley @edhusicMP photo bombs Pyne & Marles @gabriellechan @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/MFp7TO7owl | |
| 3.46am GMT | |
| 03:46 | |
| Labor to Turnbull: Is the PM saying the following words were not said by the president of the NFF with in an interview with David Speers. “Do the deal today. Well, look, we don’t want to leave here with 32.5. But I do need to be consistent in this and we’ve always called for 15.” “Speers interrupted, “Yeah, yeah, but if it needs to be 15, just do it.” The president of the NFF, “Do a deal, do a deal.” Is the PM saying that that didn’t happen? | |
| (We are in danger disappearing up our own tax schedules here.) | |
| Turnbull: | |
| What this shows is the utter inability of those opposite to tell the truth. I was talking earlier today about post-truth politics, this is what is called truthiness. It used to be a satirical term used by Stephen Colbert where people say things which are sort of true but not really true ... | |
| Opposition leader is doing is thoroughly misrepresenting the farmers of the union, of course we want a resolution, but this is what the leader said, “The president of the National Farmers’ Federation has called on the government to adopt Labor’s position on the backpacker tax”, and in fact that’s exactly what they’re not doing. | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.50am GMT | |
| 3.43am GMT | |
| 03:43 | |
| Paul Karp | |
| Senator Kimberley Kitching has asked the attorney general, George Brandis, why the prime minister won’t rule out getting rid of him with a diplomatic or judicial appointment. | |
| Brandis then gets up and accuses the shadow attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, of “crying wolf” over the many times he has called him to resign or criticised his performance. | |
| The only thing Dreyfus’s criticisms lacked was “any relevant facts”, he said, before labelling Dreyfus’s “obsession” with him “icky”. | |
| Brandis then begins attacking Kitching over the referral of her for possible criminal prosecution by the trade union royal commission, and notes that Dreyfus had reportedly threatened to resign if Kitching were made a senator. | |
| Labor’s Penny Wong objects on relevance numerous times, to no avail.Brandis accuses Kitching of wasting question time with “political gossip and tittle tattle” over reports Alexander Downer is annoyed at rumours Brandis could be posted to London. | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.47am GMT | |
| 3.41am GMT | |
| 03:41 | |
| The National Farmers’ Federation has just called me to say they do not support 13%. | |
| I reported on it earlier in the day based on an interview with the NFF president, Fiona Simson, by David Speers of Sky. | |
| .@David_Speers reports the @NationalFarmers are urging the government to accept Labor's 13% backpacker tax proposal https://t.co/1TB5BhD5TJ | |
| This is the transcript of the exchange. | |
| Do the deal that it takes to get the deal done. If 13% is the rate that is going to fly today, well, look, we don’t want to leave here with 32.5%. I need to be consistent in this and I have always called for 15%. | |
| Q: If it needs to be 13, just do it? | |
| Do the deal. | |
| The NFF says the NFF has never supported 13%. | |
| The NFF support 15%. | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.50am GMT | |
| 3.31am GMT | 3.31am GMT |
| 03:31 | 03:31 |
| Labor to Joyce: Is it seriously the government’s position that it would rather inflict a 32.5% tax on rural and regional Australia rather than accept Labor’s sensible 13% compromise offer? | Labor to Joyce: Is it seriously the government’s position that it would rather inflict a 32.5% tax on rural and regional Australia rather than accept Labor’s sensible 13% compromise offer? |
| I want to quote exactly what the National Farmers’ Federation said and then place it clearly before the leader of the Opposition and see if he wishes to correct the record after misleading the House. The National Farmers’ Federation says, and I quote, “to be clear, we continue to support 15% as the best policy outcome”. | |
| Updated | |
| at 3.35am GMT | |
| 3.28am GMT | 3.28am GMT |
| 03:28 | 03:28 |
| Independent Bob Katter asks energy minister about supporting ethanol in contrast to former National and LNP ministers. Part of the question from Katter: | Independent Bob Katter asks energy minister about supporting ethanol in contrast to former National and LNP ministers. Part of the question from Katter: |
| Minister [John] Anderson rejects biofuelling and now works for an oil and gas company. [Mark] Vaile works for an oil and gas companies. [Ian] McFarlane heads the Resources Council. To quote the AMA, atmospheric health [expert], Professor Carney, more people die from motor vehicle emissions than motor vehicle accidents...Minister, will you consider a health safe, cheap, reliable home-grown fuel supply, biofuels, or are you just another oil puppet? | Minister [John] Anderson rejects biofuelling and now works for an oil and gas company. [Mark] Vaile works for an oil and gas companies. [Ian] McFarlane heads the Resources Council. To quote the AMA, atmospheric health [expert], Professor Carney, more people die from motor vehicle emissions than motor vehicle accidents...Minister, will you consider a health safe, cheap, reliable home-grown fuel supply, biofuels, or are you just another oil puppet? |
| Frydenberg says the government does not support mandates but is absolutely committed to the biofuels industry. | Frydenberg says the government does not support mandates but is absolutely committed to the biofuels industry. |
| 3.22am GMT | 3.22am GMT |
| 03:22 | 03:22 |
| Labor to Scott Morrison: Last week the Treasurer declared there was no room for compromise on a backpacker tax of 19%. Today the Treasurer stated that 15% was the line in the sand? Is this the Treasurer’s final position, or just his latest? Why doesn’t the Government negotiate with the Senate the same way the PM negotiates with the hard right of his party room, and just give in? | Labor to Scott Morrison: Last week the Treasurer declared there was no room for compromise on a backpacker tax of 19%. Today the Treasurer stated that 15% was the line in the sand? Is this the Treasurer’s final position, or just his latest? Why doesn’t the Government negotiate with the Senate the same way the PM negotiates with the hard right of his party room, and just give in? |
| Scott Morrison goes through the history of the backpacker tax and says Labor is playing political games. | Scott Morrison goes through the history of the backpacker tax and says Labor is playing political games. |
| 3.18am GMT | 3.18am GMT |
| 03:18 | 03:18 |
| Joyce answers a government question on backpackers tax and goes all stream of consciousness. | Joyce answers a government question on backpackers tax and goes all stream of consciousness. |
| Joyce yells at Shorten: | Joyce yells at Shorten: |
| He sits there with a Cheshire grin and the Member for Hunter [Joel Fitzgibbon], you are so clever with the damage you’ve done, you’ve so clever with the damage you’ve done. You don’t care about Australian workers, you never have cared about Australian workers, you are so inside the belt way, that is all this is about. You are a disgrace about what has happened today, when you should have shown tomorrow turnaround, show some ticker, get that grin off your face, it is not funny at all. The whole point of what you are doing to the Australian horticultural industry is exactly what you did to the Australian live cattle industry. | He sits there with a Cheshire grin and the Member for Hunter [Joel Fitzgibbon], you are so clever with the damage you’ve done, you’ve so clever with the damage you’ve done. You don’t care about Australian workers, you never have cared about Australian workers, you are so inside the belt way, that is all this is about. You are a disgrace about what has happened today, when you should have shown tomorrow turnaround, show some ticker, get that grin off your face, it is not funny at all. The whole point of what you are doing to the Australian horticultural industry is exactly what you did to the Australian live cattle industry. |
| 3.13am GMT | 3.13am GMT |
| 03:13 | 03:13 |
| Labor to Turnbull: On the backpacker tax, the PM has gone from 0% to 32.5%, then to 19%, then threatened 32.5% again, then to 15%, then threatened 32.5% again and every time he said it was his final offer. When will the PM accept Labor’s sensible compromise of 13%? PM, it’s time to end the chaos. | Labor to Turnbull: On the backpacker tax, the PM has gone from 0% to 32.5%, then to 19%, then threatened 32.5% again, then to 15%, then threatened 32.5% again and every time he said it was his final offer. When will the PM accept Labor’s sensible compromise of 13%? PM, it’s time to end the chaos. |
| Turnbull says Bill Shorten is a representative of the foreign workers union. | Turnbull says Bill Shorten is a representative of the foreign workers union. |
| Foreign backpackers from some of the richest countries in the world pay less tax than Australians, and they even pay less tax than Pacific islanders working here as part of an aid exercise, designed to enable them to remit money to their families in their communities in some of the poorest countries in the world. The Labor party has no principles, it has no consistency, it has no values. | Foreign backpackers from some of the richest countries in the world pay less tax than Australians, and they even pay less tax than Pacific islanders working here as part of an aid exercise, designed to enable them to remit money to their families in their communities in some of the poorest countries in the world. The Labor party has no principles, it has no consistency, it has no values. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.20am GMT | at 3.20am GMT |
| 3.08am GMT | 3.08am GMT |
| 03:08 | 03:08 |
| Labor to Turnbull: Today the President of the National Farmers’ Federation has called on the government to adopt Labor’s position on the backpacker tax, stating, and I quote, “Do the deal today. Do what it takes to get the deal done. Do the deal. Do a deal!” Is the PM seriously going to inflict a 32.5% backpacker tax on rural and regional Australia because he is too arrogant to sign up to Labor’s sensible compromise? | Labor to Turnbull: Today the President of the National Farmers’ Federation has called on the government to adopt Labor’s position on the backpacker tax, stating, and I quote, “Do the deal today. Do what it takes to get the deal done. Do the deal. Do a deal!” Is the PM seriously going to inflict a 32.5% backpacker tax on rural and regional Australia because he is too arrogant to sign up to Labor’s sensible compromise? |
| Turnbull describes Labor’s position as “sheer satire”. | Turnbull describes Labor’s position as “sheer satire”. |
| Turnbull flicks the question to Barnaby Joyce, who says the government has come further than Labor. | Turnbull flicks the question to Barnaby Joyce, who says the government has come further than Labor. |
| This is the sort of contemptuous approach of the Labor party and they talk about it as if it is all about a number and they say it must be a number, if you’ve moved from 10.5% to 13%. We’ve moved from 32.5% to 19% to 15%, and yet all the time all you do is destroy. You are a wrecker, you want to destroy... | This is the sort of contemptuous approach of the Labor party and they talk about it as if it is all about a number and they say it must be a number, if you’ve moved from 10.5% to 13%. We’ve moved from 32.5% to 19% to 15%, and yet all the time all you do is destroy. You are a wrecker, you want to destroy... |
| Well, the Australian people are watching you with your swarmy look, your swarmy little press conferences, your smile, it is all just a joke. It doesn’t matter. It is just other people’s jobs and at the heart of this, what is it? What does he stand behind? He stands behind having a worse rate, a worse rate for Australian workers, actually discriminated against. | Well, the Australian people are watching you with your swarmy look, your swarmy little press conferences, your smile, it is all just a joke. It doesn’t matter. It is just other people’s jobs and at the heart of this, what is it? What does he stand behind? He stands behind having a worse rate, a worse rate for Australian workers, actually discriminated against. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.16am GMT | at 3.16am GMT |
| 2.59am GMT | 2.59am GMT |
| 02:59 | 02:59 |
| Question time is in two minutes. | Question time is in two minutes. |
| 2.54am GMT | 2.54am GMT |
| 02:54 | 02:54 |
| 2.27am GMT | 2.27am GMT |
| 02:27 | 02:27 |
| Lunchtime politics | Lunchtime politics |