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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2017/may/25/george-brandis-malcolm-turnbull-bill-shorten-labor-coalition-politics-live

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Version 6 Version 7
Peter Dutton says the ABC’s Q&A show is a waste of taxpayers’ money – politics live Peter Dutton says the ABC’s Q&A show is a waste of taxpayers’ money – politics live
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Groundhog Day.
Brilliant pic, Bowers.
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Disability commissioner Alastair McEwin says he has concerns about human rights implications of drug testing welfare recipients #estimates
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Australia stands with Indonesia & condemns the murderous terrorist attack on civilians & police in Jakarta last night.Australia stands with Indonesia & condemns the murderous terrorist attack on civilians & police in Jakarta last night.
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Decentralisation: Step 1. Announce. Step 2. Move. Step 3. Prepare detail.Decentralisation: Step 1. Announce. Step 2. Move. Step 3. Prepare detail.
Tom McIlroy at Fairfax reports that finance minister Mathias Cormann has made an admission overnight at a lack of deets around the government’s decentralisation policy. Tom McIlroy at Fairfax reports that the finance minister, Mathias Cormann, has made an admission overnight at a lack of deets around the government’s decentralisation policy.
The federal government has conceded little policy development has been completed around forced moves of public service departments and agencies to the regions, but promised future plans will be “more structured” than the pesticides authority’s controversial relocation. The federal government has conceded little policy development has been completed around forced moves of public service departments and agencies to the regions, but promised future plans will be ‘more structured’ than the pesticides authority’s controversial relocation.
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann told a Senate budget estimates hearing on Wednesday night the only significant detail about the National party-led plans to move agencies and departments from cities including Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne to rural and regional centres was contained in a speech by deputy leader Fiona Nash last month and a doorstop press conference by deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce a day later. Cormann told a Senate budget estimates hearing on Wednesday night the only significant detail about the National party-led plans to move agencies and departments from cities including Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne to rural and regional centres was contained in a speech by the deputy leader, Fiona Nash, last month and a doorstop press conference by the deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, a day later.
He said relocation of the Australian Pesticides And Veterinary Medicines Authority to Mr Joyce’s own electorate of New England had been an election promise, but detail of a government-wide decentralisation push this year was being prepared. He said relocation of the Australian pesticides and veterinary medicines authority to Joyce’s electorate of New England had been an election promise, but detail of a government-wide decentralisation push this year was being prepared.
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Murray Watt is asking AFP commissioner Andrew Colvin about Malcolm Turnbull’s comments on One Nation and whether the PM has referred it to the AFP.Murray Watt is asking AFP commissioner Andrew Colvin about Malcolm Turnbull’s comments on One Nation and whether the PM has referred it to the AFP.
Turnbull said this a few days ago.Turnbull said this a few days ago.
I will be getting advice from the federal police commissioner and the minister for justice and the attorney [general] as we review the media reports in the course of the next day.I will be getting advice from the federal police commissioner and the minister for justice and the attorney [general] as we review the media reports in the course of the next day.
Yesterday George Brandis said this of the One Nation referral:Yesterday George Brandis said this of the One Nation referral:
What I am requesting is a formal request to me which I have yet to receive.What I am requesting is a formal request to me which I have yet to receive.
Andrew Colvin today says he has not received a referral.Andrew Colvin today says he has not received a referral.
Murray Watt asks if there are any other One Nation investigations going on at the AFP.Murray Watt asks if there are any other One Nation investigations going on at the AFP.
Colvin says he cannot confirm or deny. It is not AFP practice and nothing should be read into that.Colvin says he cannot confirm or deny. It is not AFP practice and nothing should be read into that.
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Labor senator Murray Watt is questioning AFP commissioner Andrew Colvin on his own referral of One Nation’s James Ashby’s recordings in which Ashby suggests selling packages to ON candidates.Labor senator Murray Watt is questioning AFP commissioner Andrew Colvin on his own referral of One Nation’s James Ashby’s recordings in which Ashby suggests selling packages to ON candidates.
Colvin says the referral is being evaluated. He says the government has not referred the matter.Colvin says the referral is being evaluated. He says the government has not referred the matter.
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This happened last night but it is worth recording.This happened last night but it is worth recording.
In which Pauline Hanson complains to the ABC that the party has been targeted by Four Corners, Greens senator Scott Ludlam calls it journalism and mayhem ensues.In which Pauline Hanson complains to the ABC that the party has been targeted by Four Corners, Greens senator Scott Ludlam calls it journalism and mayhem ensues.
Here is @SenatorLudlam with that SLAMMER talk #estimates pic.twitter.com/9BrRT2VLrWHere is @SenatorLudlam with that SLAMMER talk #estimates pic.twitter.com/9BrRT2VLrW
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Bilaterals occurring.Bilaterals occurring.
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ASPI thinktank: In case you've missed it the world is going to hellASPI thinktank: In case you've missed it the world is going to hell
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute is a rather serious thinktank with deep defence experience based in Canberra. They don’t make rash statements lightly but overnight, ASPI has released a report.The Australian Strategic Policy Institute is a rather serious thinktank with deep defence experience based in Canberra. They don’t make rash statements lightly but overnight, ASPI has released a report.
AAP:AAP:
The world is going to hell, yet Australian politicians are in business-as-usual mode – squabbling over defence industry jobs being created in particular electorates – a new report warns.Australian Strategic Policy Institute analyst Mark Thomson says the road ahead is rocky just a year into implementation of the latest defence blueprint.In a review of the federal budget, Thomson questions whether plans and funding are adequate amid a deteriorating global security outlook.“In case you’ve missed it, the world is going to hell,” he said.“Yet we continue as if it’s business as usual, squabbling about whether defence industry jobs will be created in one electorate or another.”The world is going to hell, yet Australian politicians are in business-as-usual mode – squabbling over defence industry jobs being created in particular electorates – a new report warns.Australian Strategic Policy Institute analyst Mark Thomson says the road ahead is rocky just a year into implementation of the latest defence blueprint.In a review of the federal budget, Thomson questions whether plans and funding are adequate amid a deteriorating global security outlook.“In case you’ve missed it, the world is going to hell,” he said.“Yet we continue as if it’s business as usual, squabbling about whether defence industry jobs will be created in one electorate or another.”
You can read the paper here.You can read the paper here.
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Peter Dutton: Q&A a waste of taxpayers' money but punting Abdel-Magied a start
Immigration minister Peter Dutton says the ABC’s Q&A show is a waste of taxpayers’ money.
He took issue with the show, its direction and its effect on his blood pressure.
I think there is a fundamental problem with the ABC, particularly around Q&A, the composition of the audience, the selection of these people on the panel, the direction given it by Tony Jones, so you’re right, you’ve raised my blood pressure and I don’t watch it and honestly it is a waste of taxpayers’ money.
Asked by Ray Hadley about “punting” Yassmin Abdel-Magied, Dutton says:
Good. That’s a start. One down and many to go.
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#Estimates ATO fraud company Plutus won tender with National Blood Authority worth $200,000. Evidence beyond claim of only indirect contact pic.twitter.com/aUNQGk2zG8
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Janiec says #APVMA staff won't be asked "til the time is right", prob end next year, whether they will move to Armidale. #estimates
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#APVMA staffing update... Since 1July: lost 20 regulatory scientists, and recruited 20. So, maintaining overall 20% vacancy rate. #estimates
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Meanwhile over in agriculture estimates, the APVMA descended into snarkiness.
#APVMA #estimates is already pretty narky. Like, 'after-dinner-estimates' narky. The interjections have started early today... pic.twitter.com/KkIHe0BUvd
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One Nation’s Malcolm Roberts wants to know what AFP commissioner Andrew Colvin is paid. He looks shocked, says it might sound strange but he would have to check. It’s on the Remuneration Tribunal website, says Brandis.
It’s not my motivation for being here, says Colvin.
One Nation's Malcolm Roberts up in Senate estimates now. He still hasn't commented on the arrest of his senior adviser yesterday.
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AFP chief Andrew Colvin says there is a lot of material that comes from police investigations that appears in various media outlets and they generally don’t try to track down sources.
Ludlam is slightly incredulous there is only one case.
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Greens senator Scott Ludlam is questioning AFP chief Andrew Colvin about the illegal access to a journalist’s metadata, admitted to by Colvin earlier this month.
Colvin says after an audit, the AFP found there had been no other instances.
Under questioning, officers say the process had been tightened up, the authorising officer needed for an applicant is now more senior.
The AFP has made no applications for information pertaining to a journalist’s source.
Ludlam wants to know how much AFP time is taken up investigating journalists’ sources and “am I the only one who is creeped out by this”.
Colvin says there has only been one instance of police trying to access metadata and that was in the case that has been revealed.
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Shadow attorney Mark Dreyfus has welcomed George Brandis’s admission that there was a failing over the Monis letter.
It’s long overdue Senator George Brandis has finally admitted there was a failing in the handling of correspondence sent to his office by Man Haron Monis. He has done everything he could to cover up his office’s blunders.
I don’t understand why he was not prepared to admit the same last night under questioning from Labor senators.
The 2015 Senate inquiry into this matter was highly critical of the handling of the Monis correspondence and found there was inadequate disclosure of the facts to the Parliament. Senator Brandis has assured that significant process changes have since been made, and Labor will seek to confirm this with Asio at Senate hearings tonight.
After a litany of serious mistakes and gaffes since he got the job, I don’t think anyone has any confidence in the Attorney-General to do his job properly.
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