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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2017/mar/20/george-brandis-finally-releases-his-diaries-politics-live
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| Mobile numbers of former PMs and politicians reportedly published online – as it happened | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 5.42am GMT | |
| 05:42 | |
| Night-time politics | |
| Penalty rates dominated question time as Labor raised the cases of workers losing a proportion of penalty rates under the Fair Work Commission decision. The government argued that enterprise bargaining agreements had previously traded away penalties under agreements between bosses and unions. | |
| Sticking to industrial relations, the government began the day by announcing plans to make secret payments between unions and employers illegal. | |
| The Coalition party room is still struggling with the issues of 18C and marriage equality. On the Racial Discrimination Act, the moderates are pushing for changes in process rather than the law while the conservatives want to remove “insult and offend” from the act. On marriage, conservative MPs are reportedly investigating the potential for a postal voluntary plebiscite to avoid the need to pass legislation through the parliament and thus get an indication of the public mood. | |
| Many politicians phone numbers were published inadvertently. The Department of Parliamentary Services blamed a private contractor. | |
| George Brandis’ diaries were published and we all heaved a sigh of relief. | |
| Newspoll showed a bump for Malcolm Turnbull, increasing the Coalition’s primary vote by three points and his lead as preferred PM by three points. It still leaves Labor ahead in the two-party preferred vote 52%-48%. | |
| That is your lot for today. I am running off to a podcast. Stay tuned for an interesting guest ahead. Thanks to the brains trust of Gareth Hutchens, Paul Karp, Katharine Murphy, Greg Jericho and Mike Bowers. | |
| Tomorrow is another day. | |
| Good night. | |
| Updated | |
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| at 5.16am GMT | at 5.16am GMT |
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| at 5.16am GMT | at 5.16am GMT |
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| Politicians phone numbers reportedly published | Politicians phone numbers reportedly published |
| Fairfax’s Adam Gartrell reports the private mobile phone numbers of hundreds of federal politicians, former prime ministers and senior political staffers have been inadvertently published online. | Fairfax’s Adam Gartrell reports the private mobile phone numbers of hundreds of federal politicians, former prime ministers and senior political staffers have been inadvertently published online. |
| It allegedly happened after the Department of Parliamentary Services did not properly delete the numbers before they published the most recent round of politicians’ phone bills. | It allegedly happened after the Department of Parliamentary Services did not properly delete the numbers before they published the most recent round of politicians’ phone bills. |
| While in previous years the numbers were taken out of the PDF documents altogether, this time it appears the font was merely turned white – meaning they could still be accessed using copy and paste. | While in previous years the numbers were taken out of the PDF documents altogether, this time it appears the font was merely turned white – meaning they could still be accessed using copy and paste. |
| The only numbers absent were those of the very top cabinet ministers including prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, treasurer Scott Morrison, attorney general George Brandis and a handful of others. | The only numbers absent were those of the very top cabinet ministers including prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, treasurer Scott Morrison, attorney general George Brandis and a handful of others. |
| But who was on the list? | But who was on the list? |
| Julia Gillard | Julia Gillard |
| John Howard | John Howard |
| Paul Keating | Paul Keating |
| Bill Shorten and some staff | Bill Shorten and some staff |
| Barnaby Joyce | Barnaby Joyce |
| Christopher Pyne | Christopher Pyne |
| Mitch Fifield (communications minister) | Mitch Fifield (communications minister) |
| Christian Porter | Christian Porter |
| Richard Di Natale | Richard Di Natale |
| Former Liberal trade minister Andrew Robb | Former Liberal trade minister Andrew Robb |
| Former Liberal minister Jamie Briggs | Former Liberal minister Jamie Briggs |
| But the department is blaming a private contractor, Telco Management. I have requested a comment from Telco. | But the department is blaming a private contractor, Telco Management. I have requested a comment from Telco. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.04am GMT | at 5.04am GMT |
| 4.34am GMT | 4.34am GMT |
| 04:34 | 04:34 |
| File this under B for bizarre. | File this under B for bizarre. |
| Sharri Markson of the Daily Tele has reported that Coalition conservatives are actually considering a marriage plebiscite by postal vote. Markson has confirmed with the Australian Electoral Commission that it is an option. | Sharri Markson of the Daily Tele has reported that Coalition conservatives are actually considering a marriage plebiscite by postal vote. Markson has confirmed with the Australian Electoral Commission that it is an option. |
| Under this model, the Australian Electoral Commission would send out postal ballots and it would be voluntary for Australians to partake in the vote on same-sex marriage. | Under this model, the Australian Electoral Commission would send out postal ballots and it would be voluntary for Australians to partake in the vote on same-sex marriage. |
| MPs told the Daily Telegraph this option did not require legislation change and would get around the decision by Labor and the Greens to kill off the plebiscite. | MPs told the Daily Telegraph this option did not require legislation change and would get around the decision by Labor and the Greens to kill off the plebiscite. |
| The Australian Electoral Commission’s chief legal officer, Paul Pirani, has confirmed to the parliament that a plebiscite could be held without the parliament passing enabling legislation, using a “voluntary postal vote methodology”. | The Australian Electoral Commission’s chief legal officer, Paul Pirani, has confirmed to the parliament that a plebiscite could be held without the parliament passing enabling legislation, using a “voluntary postal vote methodology”. |
| The point would be that the voluntary ballot could be held without the need for legislation through the parliament. | The point would be that the voluntary ballot could be held without the need for legislation through the parliament. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.51am GMT | at 4.51am GMT |
| 4.23am GMT | 4.23am GMT |
| 04:23 | 04:23 |
| Gareth Hutchens | Gareth Hutchens |
| Luci Ellis, a Reserve Bank assistant governor, just spoke at the ACT launch of the Women in Economics Network in Parliament House in Canberra. | Luci Ellis, a Reserve Bank assistant governor, just spoke at the ACT launch of the Women in Economics Network in Parliament House in Canberra. |
| The topic of her speech was “women in the economy and in economics,” and she made some fascinating points about the gender divide in Australia’s workforce. | The topic of her speech was “women in the economy and in economics,” and she made some fascinating points about the gender divide in Australia’s workforce. |
| During the Q&A session, when talking about the reasons why some professions were dominated by men or women, she was asked by a young woman working in Treasury how the RBA was teaching all of its staff – both men and women – that everyone would benefit from a gender-diverse workforce. | During the Q&A session, when talking about the reasons why some professions were dominated by men or women, she was asked by a young woman working in Treasury how the RBA was teaching all of its staff – both men and women – that everyone would benefit from a gender-diverse workforce. |
| Ellis replied by saying people needed to understand that diversity was actually about merit selection, because no one could honestly believe that 90% of the talent in economics was male. | Ellis replied by saying people needed to understand that diversity was actually about merit selection, because no one could honestly believe that 90% of the talent in economics was male. |
| She also wondered if it was a good thing for society that finance was still dominated by men. | She also wondered if it was a good thing for society that finance was still dominated by men. |
| Maybe funds management should be reconstructed as a ‘caring profession’, so we’re caring for peoples’ money. | Maybe funds management should be reconstructed as a ‘caring profession’, so we’re caring for peoples’ money. |
| It drew laughter from the mainly female audience but she persisted. | It drew laughter from the mainly female audience but she persisted. |
| I’m actually serious with that proposal [more laughter], because I think how we socially construct these things is really important. | I’m actually serious with that proposal [more laughter], because I think how we socially construct these things is really important. |
| It’s a great point. | It’s a great point. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.52am GMT | at 4.52am GMT |
| 4.14am GMT | 4.14am GMT |
| 04:14 | 04:14 |
| Labor’s Mark Butler to Turnbull: Will the prime minister reconsider an emissions intensity scheme given an overwhelming number of organisations now support one including BHP, AGL, Energy Australia, the Business Council, the National Farmers’ Federation, Origin Energy, the CSIRO, the chief scientist … how long will the prime minister continue to stand alone in opposing this scheme? | Labor’s Mark Butler to Turnbull: Will the prime minister reconsider an emissions intensity scheme given an overwhelming number of organisations now support one including BHP, AGL, Energy Australia, the Business Council, the National Farmers’ Federation, Origin Energy, the CSIRO, the chief scientist … how long will the prime minister continue to stand alone in opposing this scheme? |
| Turnbull: | Turnbull: |
| He talks about emissions intensity schemes but the fact of the matter is this, that an emissions intensity scheme is designed to shift generations from coal fired power to gas. | He talks about emissions intensity schemes but the fact of the matter is this, that an emissions intensity scheme is designed to shift generations from coal fired power to gas. |
| All of the assumptions that have been built in over the years assumed abundant gas at an affordable price. Again, thanks to the decision of Labor governments locking up our gas resources, we are in a position where gas is not available in the quantities it should be and it is certainly not affordable. | All of the assumptions that have been built in over the years assumed abundant gas at an affordable price. Again, thanks to the decision of Labor governments locking up our gas resources, we are in a position where gas is not available in the quantities it should be and it is certainly not affordable. |
| Which seems to suggest that Australia cannot have an emissions trading scheme because there is not enough gas available. | Which seems to suggest that Australia cannot have an emissions trading scheme because there is not enough gas available. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.17am GMT | at 4.17am GMT |
| 4.04am GMT | 4.04am GMT |
| 04:04 | 04:04 |
| Shorten to Turnbull: An eminent person, who is often quoted by the prime minister, has described allowing Australians to access super to purchase housing as a thoroughly bad idea. Will the prime minister now rule it out? | Shorten to Turnbull: An eminent person, who is often quoted by the prime minister, has described allowing Australians to access super to purchase housing as a thoroughly bad idea. Will the prime minister now rule it out? |
| Turnbull goes straight to the 1993 Keating policy. | Turnbull goes straight to the 1993 Keating policy. |
| The eminent prime minister does, however, have the contradiction of having advocated the very policy he denounced so graphically on the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald. It is remarkable that the 1993 election platform has been so quickly forgotten by so many people, not least the distinguished, eminent person. | The eminent prime minister does, however, have the contradiction of having advocated the very policy he denounced so graphically on the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald. It is remarkable that the 1993 election platform has been so quickly forgotten by so many people, not least the distinguished, eminent person. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.07am GMT | at 4.07am GMT |
| 4.01am GMT | 4.01am GMT |
| 04:01 | 04:01 |
| Greens senator Janet Rice with her knitting during #QT @gabriellechan @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/wNKWi0mL8e | Greens senator Janet Rice with her knitting during #QT @gabriellechan @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/wNKWi0mL8e |
| 4.00am GMT | 4.00am GMT |
| 04:00 | 04:00 |
| Scott Morrison is asked by Chris Bowen about any plans to access superannuation for housing purposes. | Scott Morrison is asked by Chris Bowen about any plans to access superannuation for housing purposes. |
| Morrison says the government has no such proposal but points to Keating’s policy taken to the 1993 election. The only one had formally proposed such a policy is Labor, says Morrison. | Morrison says the government has no such proposal but points to Keating’s policy taken to the 1993 election. The only one had formally proposed such a policy is Labor, says Morrison. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.07am GMT | at 4.07am GMT |
| 3.57am GMT | 3.57am GMT |
| 03:57 | 03:57 |
| Paul Karp | Paul Karp |
| Labor senator Murray Watt has asked George Brandis whether anything has changed since he told the Senate last year that changes to section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act were off the table. | Labor senator Murray Watt has asked George Brandis whether anything has changed since he told the Senate last year that changes to section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act were off the table. |
| Brandis notes that since then there has been a public discussion about the RDA, including the Australian Human Rights Commission president, Gillian Triggs, suggesting a revised complaints handling procedure and the Australian Law Reform Commission suggesting “substantive” changes. | Brandis notes that since then there has been a public discussion about the RDA, including the Australian Human Rights Commission president, Gillian Triggs, suggesting a revised complaints handling procedure and the Australian Law Reform Commission suggesting “substantive” changes. |
| We’ve seen vigorous debate on these issues, and the government is mindful of that debate. I have no further information to provide. | We’ve seen vigorous debate on these issues, and the government is mindful of that debate. I have no further information to provide. |
| The Labor leader in the Senate, Penny Wong, leapt on the fact he did not repeat the “off the table” formulation: | The Labor leader in the Senate, Penny Wong, leapt on the fact he did not repeat the “off the table” formulation: |
| Brandis refuses to affirm his commitment, given to Senate in August last year, that 18C changes were 'off the table' #senateqt | Brandis refuses to affirm his commitment, given to Senate in August last year, that 18C changes were 'off the table' #senateqt |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.07am GMT | at 4.07am GMT |