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Government grilled on energy policy – question time live Government grilled on energy policy – question time live
(35 minutes later)
4.17am GMT
04:17
Labor’s Joel Fitzgibbon to Barnaby Joyce: Yesterday in the Senate, the minister for defence confirmed she was aware before the election of the potential requirements for the expansion of the Shoalwater Bay and Townsville Field military training areas. Given the deputy prime minister is also deputy chair of the national security committee of the cabinet, and the minister for agriculture, and the leader of the National party, did he first become aware that the expansion could require the acquisition of prime agricultural land before or after the election?
Christopher Pyne rises and says the question should go to the person representing the defence minister in the lower house (running interference for Joyce).
Labor’s Tony Burke says fair go, government members ask Joyce about issues relating to agriculture (in this case the land acquisitions) all the time. Speaker Smith says the question is not in order. Which allows the prime minister to call the end of question time (something that is set by the time or the number of questions).
Updated
at 4.19am GMT
4.13am GMT
04:13
Plibersek to Turnbull: Last night, the Senate passed a motion demanding the minister for education immediately release the government’s plan for school funding. Sir, when will the prime minister end the uncertainty and come clean about just how badly schools will be hit by his $30bn of cuts?
Turnbull says we investing more money than ever before in education funding (I covered this earlier) and he then goes to the VET-FEE help debacle which saw some private colleges ripping off students. The policy was implemented under Labor.
Updated
at 4.15am GMT
4.09am GMT
04:09
A government question to the energy minister, Josh Frydenberg: Will the minister update the House on the government’s actions to reduce emissions and lower electricity bills for hardworking Australians, without compromising their energy security? What hurdles stand in the way to achieving this security for hardworking Australian families?
Frydenberg mentions the new standards to reduce emissions.
A national energy productivity plan to get a 40% boost by 2030. You can reduce pressure on the grid, creating more stability.
If you can reduce consumption, you can lower costs.
If you can reduce consumption, you can also lower emissions.
He says the government has introduced:
new standards for buildings through the commercial disclosures program, which “could lead to a $50m energy saving”,
new standards around appliances which means a state-of-the-art are air-conditioner sold in Australia in 2003 wouldn’t meet the minimum conditions and standards today
new lighting standards as well which could save a household up to $2,400 over the next 10 years.
Updated
at 4.15am GMT
4.02am GMT
04:02
Trade minister Steve Ciobo gets a Dixer which allows him to run a Counterfeit Bill (Shorten) joke.
Then Labor to Scott Morrison: Now that the minor parties have joined with Labor to oppose the government’s latest unfair cuts, will the treasurer take his cuts to families, pensioners and carers and new mums out of the parliament and out of the budget? Why does the treasurer continue Joe Hockey’s practise of artificially propping up his budget with measures that will not pass the parliament?
Shorter Morrison is that people have to cop the cuts because the budget is unsustainable.
We think that the generation that is incurring this expenditure has to be the generation that pays for that expenditure. Now, we think that expenditure should be more affordable. We think that expenditure should be more sustainable.
3.58am GMT
03:58
Labor to Turnbull: Under the government’s latest cuts to paid parental leave, a female police officer in Victoria will lose 12 weeks of paid parental leave. That’s a loss of around $8,000. Can the prime minister explain to police officers who sacrifice so much to protect our community why he wants them to return to their challenging work sooner, with less money, because of his cuts to paid parental leave?
Turnbull said the government stands by police, defence forces, etc etc.
He flicks the question to social services minister Christian Porter, who does not go to the detail of the question.
Updated
at 4.02am GMT
3.52am GMT
03:52
A government question to foreign affairs minister, Julie Bishop: Will the minister advise the House how high-efficiency, low-emissions coal technology is helping countries meet their Paris agreement targets? Is the minister aware of any alternative approaches that would increase cost-of-living pressures for hardworking families?
Julie Bishop says the International Energy Agency clean coal centre in London, found in a report in September 2015 that new Healy technology, “the high-energy, low-emissions technology”, in 10 Asian economies, has already reduced carbon emissions by some 479m tonnes per year.
Now, the assessment by the International Energy Agency clean coal centre in London is: if all the new power stations embracing high-efficiency, low-emissions technology had been ultra-super-critical, the decrease in emissions would have been not 479 million tonnes a year, but over 2 billion tonnes a year.
Updated
at 4.00am GMT
3.47am GMT
03:47
Jenny Macklin to Malcolm Turnbull: Why is the prime minister choosing to harm 1.5 million Australian families, and threaten the national disability insurance scheme, instead of scrapping his $50bn handout to big business?
Turnbull:
The honourable member – she has a great heart, and I don’t doubt that. And I’m sure she wants the NDIS to work. But, Mr Speaker, somebody has to pay for it. You cannot keep on borrowing your way into the future. I wish the honourable members opposite would show one-tenth of the compassion they talk about all the time for the generations to come. Their failure to provide to live within our means is imposing an unconscionable burden of debt on our children and grandchildren.
Updated
at 3.53am GMT
3.43am GMT3.43am GMT
03:4303:43
In the Senate...In the Senate...
One nation leader Pauline Hanson during #QT in the #Senate @gabriellechan @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/ljDxjLgIcqOne nation leader Pauline Hanson during #QT in the #Senate @gabriellechan @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/ljDxjLgIcq
UpdatedUpdated
at 3.44am GMTat 3.44am GMT
3.42am GMT3.42am GMT
03:4203:42
A government question to immigration minister Peter Dutton: Will the minister update the House on steps the government is taking to ensure that the 457 visa program is a supplement to, and not a substitute for, Australian workers? How would an alternative approach jeopardise job security and opportunities for hard-working Australians?A government question to immigration minister Peter Dutton: Will the minister update the House on steps the government is taking to ensure that the 457 visa program is a supplement to, and not a substitute for, Australian workers? How would an alternative approach jeopardise job security and opportunities for hard-working Australians?
Then Tony Burke to Barnaby Joyce: Yesterday in Question Time, the Deputy Prime Minister ridiculed anyone who received preferences from the Green political party. Given the WA Nationals have now retaliated against the WA Liberals by cutting a deal to preference the Greens Party ahead of the Liberals, does the Deputy Prime Minister stand by the answer he gave in this place yesterday? Is he now determined to just ridicule himself for the sake of consistency and every other member of the WA National Party?Then Tony Burke to Barnaby Joyce: Yesterday in Question Time, the Deputy Prime Minister ridiculed anyone who received preferences from the Green political party. Given the WA Nationals have now retaliated against the WA Liberals by cutting a deal to preference the Greens Party ahead of the Liberals, does the Deputy Prime Minister stand by the answer he gave in this place yesterday? Is he now determined to just ridicule himself for the sake of consistency and every other member of the WA National Party?
Joyce begins with a long circuitous answer on Bill Shorten’s personal poll numbers. The vibe is about Labor leadership tensions but I can’t really give you an example of a whole sentence.Joyce begins with a long circuitous answer on Bill Shorten’s personal poll numbers. The vibe is about Labor leadership tensions but I can’t really give you an example of a whole sentence.
Tony Burke takes a point of order:Tony Burke takes a point of order:
I refer to page 505 of practice, which reads, “Although there is no specific rules set down by standing order, the House follows the practice of requiring members’ speeches to be in English.”I refer to page 505 of practice, which reads, “Although there is no specific rules set down by standing order, the House follows the practice of requiring members’ speeches to be in English.”
Barnaby does not answer the question.Barnaby does not answer the question.
The question relates to reports, including this one from the Oz:The question relates to reports, including this one from the Oz:
The WA Nationals have preferenced the Greens ahead of their Liberal colleagues in two upper house regions, including putting the state’s agriculture minister Mark Lewis behind a sitting Greens legislative councillor.The WA Nationals have preferenced the Greens ahead of their Liberal colleagues in two upper house regions, including putting the state’s agriculture minister Mark Lewis behind a sitting Greens legislative councillor.
The move will deepen a rift between the two Coalition partners who have clashed over the Liberal Party’s decision to do a “grubby” and “disgraceful” preference deal with One Nation to help Colin Barnett cling on to power in WA.The move will deepen a rift between the two Coalition partners who have clashed over the Liberal Party’s decision to do a “grubby” and “disgraceful” preference deal with One Nation to help Colin Barnett cling on to power in WA.
3.34am GMT3.34am GMT
03:3403:34
Shorten to Turnbull: This year it is reported Queensland has experienced more than 23 times as many extreme power price spikes, and that NSW almost four times as many as South Australia. Given that NSW and Queensland are the states with the highest dependence on coal, and the lowest levels of renewable energy in the nation, how does the prime minister explain these massive power spikes in Queensland and New South Wales when he can’t blame renewable energy?Shorten to Turnbull: This year it is reported Queensland has experienced more than 23 times as many extreme power price spikes, and that NSW almost four times as many as South Australia. Given that NSW and Queensland are the states with the highest dependence on coal, and the lowest levels of renewable energy in the nation, how does the prime minister explain these massive power spikes in Queensland and New South Wales when he can’t blame renewable energy?
Turnbull starts up with the vaudeville.Turnbull starts up with the vaudeville.
There’s a wonderful retro quality about the leader of the opposition’s performance today. He reminds me as one of those old Soviet leaders whose country slipped backwards and backwards and they would be able to produce some figures from Gosplan showing the umbrella factory was beating production levels and he would be able to produce all the...There’s a wonderful retro quality about the leader of the opposition’s performance today. He reminds me as one of those old Soviet leaders whose country slipped backwards and backwards and they would be able to produce some figures from Gosplan showing the umbrella factory was beating production levels and he would be able to produce all the...
....and he holds up The Guardian!....and he holds up The Guardian!
( Much thigh-slapping on the government backbenches and frontbenches.)( Much thigh-slapping on the government backbenches and frontbenches.)
The story he was holding up:The story he was holding up:
Extreme price spikes in Queensland’s fossil fuel-dominated electricity market this year have far eclipsed those seen in South Australia last July, which sparked calls of a national inquiry into renewable energy and led the federal Coalition to call for a halt to state-based renewable energy targets.Extreme price spikes in Queensland’s fossil fuel-dominated electricity market this year have far eclipsed those seen in South Australia last July, which sparked calls of a national inquiry into renewable energy and led the federal Coalition to call for a halt to state-based renewable energy targets.
UpdatedUpdated
at 3.37am GMTat 3.37am GMT
3.28am GMT3.28am GMT
03:2803:28
Barnaby Joyce gets a question on the importance of the dairy industry to the Australian economy.Barnaby Joyce gets a question on the importance of the dairy industry to the Australian economy.
He uses it to belt Labor on electricity prices (given dairy and irrigation businesses use a lot of power).He uses it to belt Labor on electricity prices (given dairy and irrigation businesses use a lot of power).
3.26am GMT3.26am GMT
03:2603:26
Bob Katter asks about Australia Post CEO Ahmed Fahour’s $5m salary. In 2014 Australia Post sacked 900 staff and in the same year, the CEO donated $2.2m to his brother’s Islamic museum. In light of Australia Post’s generosity, minister, can I get $30,000 to repair the Catholic church in Julia Creek?Bob Katter asks about Australia Post CEO Ahmed Fahour’s $5m salary. In 2014 Australia Post sacked 900 staff and in the same year, the CEO donated $2.2m to his brother’s Islamic museum. In light of Australia Post’s generosity, minister, can I get $30,000 to repair the Catholic church in Julia Creek?
(Australia Post did not donate the money, Fahour did as a private citizen.)(Australia Post did not donate the money, Fahour did as a private citizen.)
Minister rep for communications Paul Fletcher says the prime minister has already expressed disapproval at the salary and if you want money for the church, apply through the “building better regions” program.Minister rep for communications Paul Fletcher says the prime minister has already expressed disapproval at the salary and if you want money for the church, apply through the “building better regions” program.
UpdatedUpdated
at 3.29am GMTat 3.29am GMT
3.22am GMT3.22am GMT
03:2203:22
Labor’s Meryl Swanson to Turnbull: On Friday, prime minister, a supply shortage in coal-dependent NSW meant power was cut to Tomago, Australia’s largest aluminium smelter in my electorate. Yesterday, the CEO of Tomago said, “The way the energy system is working at the moment is dysfunctional, what we saw on Friday was a genuine system security risk.” When will the prime minister stop blaming renewable energy and admit he has an energy crisis on his hands?Labor’s Meryl Swanson to Turnbull: On Friday, prime minister, a supply shortage in coal-dependent NSW meant power was cut to Tomago, Australia’s largest aluminium smelter in my electorate. Yesterday, the CEO of Tomago said, “The way the energy system is working at the moment is dysfunctional, what we saw on Friday was a genuine system security risk.” When will the prime minister stop blaming renewable energy and admit he has an energy crisis on his hands?
The energy minister, Josh Frydenberg, is yelling, another lie, another lie, another lie.The energy minister, Josh Frydenberg, is yelling, another lie, another lie, another lie.
He is forced to withdraw.He is forced to withdraw.
Frydenberg takes the question after a short introduction by Turnbull. Frydenberg says:Frydenberg takes the question after a short introduction by Turnbull. Frydenberg says:
Tomago, as the prime minister said, makes up around 10% of NSW demand. Now, since their contract with AGI, I think, goes back to 1991, there is a provision when prices go high for AGL to enter a relationship to reduce the supply to Tomago and the key point is that the member for Port Adelaide said there was residential load shedding. Now, in the press release at 7:30pm on 10 February, he said that didn’t happen. Now, this is a consistent pattern. You’ve been found out. Mistruths, misleading the parliament again and again.Tomago, as the prime minister said, makes up around 10% of NSW demand. Now, since their contract with AGI, I think, goes back to 1991, there is a provision when prices go high for AGL to enter a relationship to reduce the supply to Tomago and the key point is that the member for Port Adelaide said there was residential load shedding. Now, in the press release at 7:30pm on 10 February, he said that didn’t happen. Now, this is a consistent pattern. You’ve been found out. Mistruths, misleading the parliament again and again.
UpdatedUpdated
at 3.27am GMTat 3.27am GMT
3.15am GMT3.15am GMT
03:1503:15
Government question to Scott Morrison: Will the treasurer update the House on the action government is taking to promote investment that creates jobs and reduces costs of living pressures on hard-working Australian families? Is the treasurer aware of any alternative approaches that put the Australian economy at a competitive disadvantage?Government question to Scott Morrison: Will the treasurer update the House on the action government is taking to promote investment that creates jobs and reduces costs of living pressures on hard-working Australian families? Is the treasurer aware of any alternative approaches that put the Australian economy at a competitive disadvantage?
Answer:Answer:
He will.He will.
He is.He is.
UpdatedUpdated
at 3.16am GMTat 3.16am GMT
3.14am GMT3.14am GMT
03:1403:14
You can’t handle the truth.You can’t handle the truth.
3.12am GMT3.12am GMT
03:1203:12
First government question to Turnbull on energy policy.First government question to Turnbull on energy policy.
Mark Butler to the prime minister: Last week in NSW, power was cut to households in the electorates of Bennelong, Reid and Robertson. Power was also cut to the Tomago smelter whose normal power consumption is equivalent to 1 million households – this is despite the fact that NSW has the highest dependence on coal power in the nation. When will the prime minister stop blaming renewable energy and admit he has a national energy crisis on his hands?Mark Butler to the prime minister: Last week in NSW, power was cut to households in the electorates of Bennelong, Reid and Robertson. Power was also cut to the Tomago smelter whose normal power consumption is equivalent to 1 million households – this is despite the fact that NSW has the highest dependence on coal power in the nation. When will the prime minister stop blaming renewable energy and admit he has a national energy crisis on his hands?
Turnbull starts up.Turnbull starts up.
That blackout in September cost Arrium $30m. And what did the member for Port Adelaide describe it as, Mr Speaker? It was a “Hiccup”! It was a hiccup! Just another hiccup! And he complains about one hiccup after another in South Australia. You are seeing businesses being put to the wall in his own state.That blackout in September cost Arrium $30m. And what did the member for Port Adelaide describe it as, Mr Speaker? It was a “Hiccup”! It was a hiccup! Just another hiccup! And he complains about one hiccup after another in South Australia. You are seeing businesses being put to the wall in his own state.
Butler takes a point of order, the Speaker turns him down and Butler argues the point. Speaker Smith throws him out for defiance.Butler takes a point of order, the Speaker turns him down and Butler argues the point. Speaker Smith throws him out for defiance.
The honourable member who is leaving the chamber now – he cannot cope with the truth.The honourable member who is leaving the chamber now – he cannot cope with the truth.
UpdatedUpdated
at 3.16am GMTat 3.16am GMT
3.04am GMT3.04am GMT
03:0403:04
Question time:Question time:
Shorten to Turnbull: Why is the prime minister holding the future of the national disability insurance scheme hostage to his cuts to families, carers, pensioners and young people?Shorten to Turnbull: Why is the prime minister holding the future of the national disability insurance scheme hostage to his cuts to families, carers, pensioners and young people?
It is hard to imagine more gall than we’ve got from the leader of the opposition. There he is – he told Peter Van Onselen that the NDIS was good political motivation, good stuff, he said, and we’ve all signed up, we all supported it, as prime minister I’ve signed up every jurisdiction. But there’s a little thing the Labor party forgot, Mr Speaker - it’s paying for it!It is hard to imagine more gall than we’ve got from the leader of the opposition. There he is – he told Peter Van Onselen that the NDIS was good political motivation, good stuff, he said, and we’ve all signed up, we all supported it, as prime minister I’ve signed up every jurisdiction. But there’s a little thing the Labor party forgot, Mr Speaker - it’s paying for it!
The problem with socialists is eventually they run out of other people’s money.The problem with socialists is eventually they run out of other people’s money.
UpdatedUpdated
at 3.12am GMTat 3.12am GMT
2.45am GMT2.45am GMT
02:4502:45