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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2017/feb/14/nick-xenophon-rules-out-support-for-omnibus-savings-bill-politics-live
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| Nick Xenophon rules out support for omnibus savings bill – politics live | Nick Xenophon rules out support for omnibus savings bill – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 9.54pm GMT | |
| 21:54 | |
| I mentioned that Nick Xenophon had raised earlier - with Fran Kelly - the possibility of cutting defence spending to find some more money for other government programs. He said it was a matter of thinking outside the square. | |
| There is a concern that we are literally wasting billions of dollars in defence, that more rigour in terms of defence expenditure would drive some significant savings without compromising our sovereign capabilities in terms of our defence as a nation. It seemed that the burden would fall too heavily on those who could least afford it. | |
| The defence industry minister was quick to capitalise, with an eye to the politics in Adelaide. | |
| Xenophon now wants to cut defence spending in favour of welfare. In 2016 he wanted 12 subs, 9 Frigates & 12 OPVs. Now he wants to cut them. | |
| This would be diabolical for SA. https://t.co/sMSPYsAAlc | |
| 9.46pm GMT | |
| 21:46 | |
| I just got a clip of Bill Shorten, who spoke about getting away from constantly framing Indigenous affairs in terms of good or bad outcomes. | |
| He said he wants to think in terms of healthier people, happier people, confident and proud people with no more fear and subjugation. | |
| First peoples standing proud of culture with the place and the space to be themselves. | |
| Updated | |
| at 9.52pm GMT | |
| 9.40pm GMT | |
| 21:40 | |
| I will bring you Bill Shorten’s speech on the Redfern statement as soon as I can get my hands on it. | |
| 9.38pm GMT | |
| 21:38 | |
| Updated | |
| at 9.45pm GMT | |
| 9.33pm GMT | |
| 21:33 | |
| Malcolm Turnbull is speaking at the Redfern statement breakfast. | |
| He says the government will work with Indigenous leaders to make sure programs are driven by Indigenous communities. | |
| He will ask members of the renewed Indigenous Advisory Council to work with the Redfern Alliance ... | |
| so that a broad range of views are heard and brought to bear on improving not only what we do but the way we do it. We’ll work to ensure that the Closing the Gap initiatives are community driven and recognise that Indigenous leaders are absolutely central, paramount to finding the solutions in a way that supports identity and wellbeing. We want to have more local decision-making models and we’ll continue to build the capability of governments and communities to engage in a better way of working together. | |
| Turnbull called for Australians to consider the progress made in addressing Indigenous disadvantage over the 50 years since the 1967 referendum. | |
| There are more Indigenous Australians in school, in universities, in employment, in business, living longer lives and in better health. We have come a long way over the last 50 years since the ’67 referendum but we have not come far enough. There are still significant challenges that remain. | |
| Turnbull met with an Indigenous gathering of doctors, lawyers, nurses, disability advocates, scientists, business leaders, officers in the defence forces and senior public servants among others. | |
| Those bright Indigenous Australians, bright and often young Indigenous Australians reflect the diversity of experience and aspiration that exist in our communities. It’s vitally important that the narrative is not solely one of deficit. | |
| Updated | |
| at 9.39pm GMT | |
| 9.02pm GMT | 9.02pm GMT |
| 21:02 | 21:02 |
| Good morning, | Good morning, |
| The skies are dark over Canberra this morning as Nick Xenophon, wielder of three votes in the Senate and one in the lower house, has ruled out supporting the omnibus savings bill in total. | The skies are dark over Canberra this morning as Nick Xenophon, wielder of three votes in the Senate and one in the lower house, has ruled out supporting the omnibus savings bill in total. |
| The omnibus bill has a bunch of savings measures – some harking back to the Abbott 2014 budget – which were repackaged to pay for the increase in childcare subsidies. Yesterday, as the Coalition read the signs that support for the omnibus bill was flagging, the treasurer, the social services minister and the education minister came out to link the savings to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). That is, they were throwing $3bn of the savings into a locked box for the NDIS. | The omnibus bill has a bunch of savings measures – some harking back to the Abbott 2014 budget – which were repackaged to pay for the increase in childcare subsidies. Yesterday, as the Coalition read the signs that support for the omnibus bill was flagging, the treasurer, the social services minister and the education minister came out to link the savings to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). That is, they were throwing $3bn of the savings into a locked box for the NDIS. |
| In other words, if you don’t support the savings measures such as cuts to family tax benefits and the four week wait for the dole for young people, you won’t get the childcare increase or the NDIS fully funded. | In other words, if you don’t support the savings measures such as cuts to family tax benefits and the four week wait for the dole for young people, you won’t get the childcare increase or the NDIS fully funded. |
| Nick said no. I’m not playing that game. You can get the savings from elsewhere. Ooh, like defence. | Nick said no. I’m not playing that game. You can get the savings from elsewhere. Ooh, like defence. |
| He told Katharine Murphy last night: | He told Katharine Murphy last night: |
| As negotiating tactics go, this is about as subtle as a sledgehammer. | As negotiating tactics go, this is about as subtle as a sledgehammer. |
| He said the government “should not pit vulnerable Australians currently receiving family tax benefit against another group of vulnerable Australians wanting to access the NDIS”. | He said the government “should not pit vulnerable Australians currently receiving family tax benefit against another group of vulnerable Australians wanting to access the NDIS”. |
| Looking into the day, we are expecting the prime minister to present the ninth Closing the Gap report at midday in the parliament. | Looking into the day, we are expecting the prime minister to present the ninth Closing the Gap report at midday in the parliament. |
| Katharine Murphy reports that Tony Abbott has bobbed up while we are speaking Indigenous affairs. | Katharine Murphy reports that Tony Abbott has bobbed up while we are speaking Indigenous affairs. |
| The former prime minister Tony Abbott said he was concerned that Malcolm Turnbull was no longer taking the government to spend a week each year in a remote community. | The former prime minister Tony Abbott said he was concerned that Malcolm Turnbull was no longer taking the government to spend a week each year in a remote community. |
| Speaking to the ABC radio on Monday evening, Abbott defended his record in Indigenous affairs and described his practice of spending a week in an Indigenous community when he was prime minister as a “very important indication to our country” about priorities. | Speaking to the ABC radio on Monday evening, Abbott defended his record in Indigenous affairs and described his practice of spending a week in an Indigenous community when he was prime minister as a “very important indication to our country” about priorities. |
| He said it was “a little disappointing” that the intergovernmental pilgrimage to a remote community was no longer happening under Turnbull, who scrapped the visits when he took the Liberal leadership. | He said it was “a little disappointing” that the intergovernmental pilgrimage to a remote community was no longer happening under Turnbull, who scrapped the visits when he took the Liberal leadership. |
| However, an extract circulated ahead of Indigenous affairs minister Nigel Scullion’s speech to the Senate on Tuesday said the government remained steadfast in its commitment to “do things with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, not to them”. | However, an extract circulated ahead of Indigenous affairs minister Nigel Scullion’s speech to the Senate on Tuesday said the government remained steadfast in its commitment to “do things with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, not to them”. |
| “This has meant as an overhaul in the way the Indigenous affairs portfolio operates,” Scullion will tell the Senate. | “This has meant as an overhaul in the way the Indigenous affairs portfolio operates,” Scullion will tell the Senate. |
| The prime minister and Bill Shorten are speaking to a Closing the Gap breakfast this morning ahead of Indigenous leaders presenting him with the Redfern statement, a call for a more “just approach” to Indigenous affairs. Mike Bowers is there and we will have some pictures shortly. | The prime minister and Bill Shorten are speaking to a Closing the Gap breakfast this morning ahead of Indigenous leaders presenting him with the Redfern statement, a call for a more “just approach” to Indigenous affairs. Mike Bowers is there and we will have some pictures shortly. |
| Talk to us in the thread, on the Twits @gabriellechan and @mpbowers or on my Facebook. Grab a hot beverage and strap yourself in. | Talk to us in the thread, on the Twits @gabriellechan and @mpbowers or on my Facebook. Grab a hot beverage and strap yourself in. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 9.19pm GMT | at 9.19pm GMT |