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| Parliament dominated by energy with one eye on the high court – politics live | Parliament dominated by energy with one eye on the high court – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 2.07am BST | |
| 02:07 | |
| The government has just passed the amendments to its media reforms, as negotiated with the crossbench in the Senate, in the House of Representatives. | |
| 2.02am BST | |
| 02:02 | |
| Perhaps the god of thunder had some tips on energy policy? | |
| 1.55am BST | |
| 01:55 | |
| Quick look into the parliament: The amendments attached to the media reforms bill by the Senate are being debated in the house (where they will pass) and Malcolm Roberts is talking about the “sharing of ideas” as being “even sexier” as part of his speech on the Competition and Consumer Amendment bill. That may not have been the greatest time to tune in. | |
| 1.34am BST | 1.34am BST |
| 01:34 | 01:34 |
| Back to other issues which don’t seem to make a whole lot of sense lately, but on a ground we are more familiar with: ACCC head Rod Sims is attempting to talk about the draft report on electricity prices, without discussing the politics, to which we can only wish him luck. | Back to other issues which don’t seem to make a whole lot of sense lately, but on a ground we are more familiar with: ACCC head Rod Sims is attempting to talk about the draft report on electricity prices, without discussing the politics, to which we can only wish him luck. |
| Asked about the clean energy target, Sims had this to say: | Asked about the clean energy target, Sims had this to say: |
| Look, our focus is on affordability. We’ve spent a lot of time working out what’s driven prices up. And we’ve done that. And now the focus is going to be on how do we address all those issues to get prices down? As we all know, there’s three objectives in relation to our electricity sector: there’s meeting the Paris targets for emission reductions, and that’s obviously very important. That’s the clean energy target. Secondly, there’s improving reliability. And there’s a range of things happening there. And, thirdly, there’s a focus on affordability. And when you look at our work, you see that the biggest causes of higher electricity prices are higher network prices, higher retail costs and margins. That’s what we’ve got to be looking at. | Look, our focus is on affordability. We’ve spent a lot of time working out what’s driven prices up. And we’ve done that. And now the focus is going to be on how do we address all those issues to get prices down? As we all know, there’s three objectives in relation to our electricity sector: there’s meeting the Paris targets for emission reductions, and that’s obviously very important. That’s the clean energy target. Secondly, there’s improving reliability. And there’s a range of things happening there. And, thirdly, there’s a focus on affordability. And when you look at our work, you see that the biggest causes of higher electricity prices are higher network prices, higher retail costs and margins. That’s what we’ve got to be looking at. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.39am BST | at 1.39am BST |
| 1.30am BST | 1.30am BST |
| 01:30 | 01:30 |
| From the ‘so strange it can only be Australian politics’ file comes this story. | From the ‘so strange it can only be Australian politics’ file comes this story. |
| I’ve tried three times to condense this for you but, well, there are a lot of moving parts to this situation and not a lot of them make sense. Take a bow Australian politics. It’s only taken 1.5hours into the parliamentary sitting to completely flummox me. (You can read the story here. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.) | I’ve tried three times to condense this for you but, well, there are a lot of moving parts to this situation and not a lot of them make sense. Take a bow Australian politics. It’s only taken 1.5hours into the parliamentary sitting to completely flummox me. (You can read the story here. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.) |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.31am BST | at 1.31am BST |
| 1.17am BST | 1.17am BST |
| 01:17 | 01:17 |
| Bill Shorten has also had a bit to say about the energy debate this morning – looks like we are getting a sneak peek of what awaits us during question time! | Bill Shorten has also had a bit to say about the energy debate this morning – looks like we are getting a sneak peek of what awaits us during question time! |
| Will the real leader of the Liberal party please stand up, is basically the theme here: | Will the real leader of the Liberal party please stand up, is basically the theme here: |
| Well, first of all, what is the point of asking the chief scientist of Australia to write a full report on climate change and energy, and then not follow the recommendations? It is very clear that Turnbull faces a test in the next 24 hours. It is a test of whether or not he is running the Liberal party and can back in what he believes, which is a clean energy target, or if Tony Abbott is running the Liberal party and they’ll dump a clean energy target. Labor has made it very clear, from even before the final report of the chief scientist, that we will work with the government to do something to lower energy prices in this country. But what we see is the government can’t even work out what they want to do, and long-suffering consumers and business are the people paying the price, with higher energy prices, because this government is at war with itself. | Well, first of all, what is the point of asking the chief scientist of Australia to write a full report on climate change and energy, and then not follow the recommendations? It is very clear that Turnbull faces a test in the next 24 hours. It is a test of whether or not he is running the Liberal party and can back in what he believes, which is a clean energy target, or if Tony Abbott is running the Liberal party and they’ll dump a clean energy target. Labor has made it very clear, from even before the final report of the chief scientist, that we will work with the government to do something to lower energy prices in this country. But what we see is the government can’t even work out what they want to do, and long-suffering consumers and business are the people paying the price, with higher energy prices, because this government is at war with itself. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.22am BST | at 1.22am BST |
| 1.10am BST | 1.10am BST |
| 01:10 | 01:10 |
| We have some pictures rolling in from this morning’s events. Just a reminder, the indomitable Mike Bowers will be back with us tomorrow. | We have some pictures rolling in from this morning’s events. Just a reminder, the indomitable Mike Bowers will be back with us tomorrow. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.11am BST | at 1.11am BST |
| 12.54am BST | 12.54am BST |
| 00:54 | 00:54 |
| Brendan Nottle from the Salvation Army has been greeted by MPs outside parliament after walking from Melbourne to Canberra to raise awareness about homelessness. | Brendan Nottle from the Salvation Army has been greeted by MPs outside parliament after walking from Melbourne to Canberra to raise awareness about homelessness. |
| Wonderful to welcome @brendannottle to Parl House after walking 703km from Melb to Canberra to raise awareness for homelessness pic.twitter.com/ydDtWfZxUq | Wonderful to welcome @brendannottle to Parl House after walking 703km from Melb to Canberra to raise awareness for homelessness pic.twitter.com/ydDtWfZxUq |
| Bill Shorten was one of those who welcomed him: | Bill Shorten was one of those who welcomed him: |
| I understand that what you’ve done today is not only drawn attention to the 100,000-plus people who are homeless, including 17,000 kids, not just all of the challenges, but what you’ve done, Brendan, is you’ve given politics a little bit of self-respect. Because you walking up this hill and those 700km beforehand, you are saying that you trust the political system and the parliamentarians to be fair dinkum on homelessness, to be as fair dinkum as you are, to be as fair dinkum as this group. We will not let you down. Thank you for making me look at this parliament with different eyes today. You are a rockstar, mate. | I understand that what you’ve done today is not only drawn attention to the 100,000-plus people who are homeless, including 17,000 kids, not just all of the challenges, but what you’ve done, Brendan, is you’ve given politics a little bit of self-respect. Because you walking up this hill and those 700km beforehand, you are saying that you trust the political system and the parliamentarians to be fair dinkum on homelessness, to be as fair dinkum as you are, to be as fair dinkum as this group. We will not let you down. Thank you for making me look at this parliament with different eyes today. You are a rockstar, mate. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.04am BST | at 1.04am BST |
| 12.48am BST | 12.48am BST |
| 00:48 | 00:48 |
| But it looks like Labor won’t be joining Richard Di Natale on the picket lines if Adani’s Carmichael coalmine in Queensland goes ahead. | But it looks like Labor won’t be joining Richard Di Natale on the picket lines if Adani’s Carmichael coalmine in Queensland goes ahead. |
| The Greens leader told Sky News on Sunday that if his party could not stop the mine in the parliament, they would do it by standing in front of the bulldozers. You can read more about that here. | The Greens leader told Sky News on Sunday that if his party could not stop the mine in the parliament, they would do it by standing in front of the bulldozers. You can read more about that here. |
| Queensland Labor, which is preparing to head to a tough state election, supports the project but doesn’t support government subsidies (outside the royalty holiday it has granted). | Queensland Labor, which is preparing to head to a tough state election, supports the project but doesn’t support government subsidies (outside the royalty holiday it has granted). |
| Mark Butler says the parliament is dealing with the question of government assistance: | Mark Butler says the parliament is dealing with the question of government assistance: |
| Labor is clear that the one matter before the federal parliament is the question of a concessional loan to the Adani project and federal Labor is definitely opposed to any of the subsidies. Beyond that, there are a range of different views about whether this is a project that stacks up economically and environmentally. My position has been made clear on a number of occasions publicly. But the matter before the Australian parliament is whether taxpayers are going to subsidise this operation in the Galilee Basin. | Labor is clear that the one matter before the federal parliament is the question of a concessional loan to the Adani project and federal Labor is definitely opposed to any of the subsidies. Beyond that, there are a range of different views about whether this is a project that stacks up economically and environmentally. My position has been made clear on a number of occasions publicly. But the matter before the Australian parliament is whether taxpayers are going to subsidise this operation in the Galilee Basin. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.04am BST | at 1.04am BST |
| 12.42am BST | 12.42am BST |
| 00:42 | 00:42 |
| Labor’s energy spokesman, Mark Butler, has held a press conference to discuss all things energy. He was criticised by Mathias Cormann this morning for rejecting the government’s energy policy before seeing it – speaking to the ABC’s Insiders on Sunday, Butler said if there was no clean energy target, then Labor was out. This morning, he was a little more open to listening to the government: | Labor’s energy spokesman, Mark Butler, has held a press conference to discuss all things energy. He was criticised by Mathias Cormann this morning for rejecting the government’s energy policy before seeing it – speaking to the ABC’s Insiders on Sunday, Butler said if there was no clean energy target, then Labor was out. This morning, he was a little more open to listening to the government: |
| We want to wait and see what comes out of the cabinet discussion tonight and tomorrow. We still do hold out some hope that Malcolm Turnbull and Josh Frydenberg will see some sense, will support the broad coalition of support that exists for the clean energy target and come up with something sensible tomorrow. If they don’t, we’ll have to consider our position, we’ll talk to business groups, the energy sector and other stakeholders about what the way forward should be. But the test today is for Malcolm Turnbull, not for Labor. We’ve indicated our position. We’ve shifted from our election policy, a substantial shift, to try to develop some bipartisanship around this question. The test now is that there are two paths for Malcolm Turnbull: Tony Abbott’s path or the path urged on him by pretty much everyone else in the community. | We want to wait and see what comes out of the cabinet discussion tonight and tomorrow. We still do hold out some hope that Malcolm Turnbull and Josh Frydenberg will see some sense, will support the broad coalition of support that exists for the clean energy target and come up with something sensible tomorrow. If they don’t, we’ll have to consider our position, we’ll talk to business groups, the energy sector and other stakeholders about what the way forward should be. But the test today is for Malcolm Turnbull, not for Labor. We’ve indicated our position. We’ve shifted from our election policy, a substantial shift, to try to develop some bipartisanship around this question. The test now is that there are two paths for Malcolm Turnbull: Tony Abbott’s path or the path urged on him by pretty much everyone else in the community. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 12.48am BST | at 12.48am BST |
| 12.37am BST | 12.37am BST |
| 00:37 | 00:37 |
| The NSW Nationals leader, John Barilaro, has had a chat to Laura Jayes on Sky after the Nats’ byelections over the weekend which left heartland seats Cootamundra and Murray – once among the safest in the state – reduced to marginals. | The NSW Nationals leader, John Barilaro, has had a chat to Laura Jayes on Sky after the Nats’ byelections over the weekend which left heartland seats Cootamundra and Murray – once among the safest in the state – reduced to marginals. |
| So while his party won, he’s not feeling overly celebratory. He told Jayes he thinks what is happening federally has a lot to do with what happened in NSW over the weekend. | So while his party won, he’s not feeling overly celebratory. He told Jayes he thinks what is happening federally has a lot to do with what happened in NSW over the weekend. |
| “What we are seeing is a government that has lost its way,” he said, naming the citizenship hearings and leadership tensions as distractions. | “What we are seeing is a government that has lost its way,” he said, naming the citizenship hearings and leadership tensions as distractions. |
| The Liberals’ Craig Laundy, who has seen his biggest mentions in the press lately in relation to his brother Stu, who is a contestant on The Bachelorette (sentences I never thought I would be writing #8765) said he believed there was “frustration with politics across the board”. | The Liberals’ Craig Laundy, who has seen his biggest mentions in the press lately in relation to his brother Stu, who is a contestant on The Bachelorette (sentences I never thought I would be writing #8765) said he believed there was “frustration with politics across the board”. |
| I think the default position when that happens is the government of the day, irrespective of ilk, gets marked down. However it is also a frustration that issues that aren’t of great relevance are hijacking all the oxygen, and for us it is a great grind to keep talking about the important day-to-day issues – and let’s face it, power prices and cost of living and power prices for businesses [are] absolutely some of those.” | I think the default position when that happens is the government of the day, irrespective of ilk, gets marked down. However it is also a frustration that issues that aren’t of great relevance are hijacking all the oxygen, and for us it is a great grind to keep talking about the important day-to-day issues – and let’s face it, power prices and cost of living and power prices for businesses [are] absolutely some of those.” |
| As for the NSW byelections, Laundy says he believes some local issues played into the results, naming council amalgamations as one of those factors. | As for the NSW byelections, Laundy says he believes some local issues played into the results, naming council amalgamations as one of those factors. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 1.06am BST | at 1.06am BST |
| 12.22am BST | 12.22am BST |
| 00:22 | 00:22 |
| Labor’s foreign affairs spokesperson, Penny Wong, is talking at the same international relations conference as Julie Bishop. | Labor’s foreign affairs spokesperson, Penny Wong, is talking at the same international relations conference as Julie Bishop. |
| In a transcript of her speech, Wong lays out a number of ways Australia can work better with China: | In a transcript of her speech, Wong lays out a number of ways Australia can work better with China: |
| I’ve identified six main principles that I think will help us to engage better with China. There is no overarching simple answer to how we engage with China; we constantly need to steer through the intersecting dimensions of issues and opportunities. | I’ve identified six main principles that I think will help us to engage better with China. There is no overarching simple answer to how we engage with China; we constantly need to steer through the intersecting dimensions of issues and opportunities. |
| First: we must have a clear idea of what our national interests are, and recognise where they may and may not align with those of China. | First: we must have a clear idea of what our national interests are, and recognise where they may and may not align with those of China. |
| Second: we need to accept that we live in a disrupted world – we deal with the world as it is in order to better shape it as we want it to be. | Second: we need to accept that we live in a disrupted world – we deal with the world as it is in order to better shape it as we want it to be. |
| Third: we engage with China as it is, not as others might perceive it or as China might represent itself. | Third: we engage with China as it is, not as others might perceive it or as China might represent itself. |
| Fourth: we accord to our relationship with China the priority it merits. | Fourth: we accord to our relationship with China the priority it merits. |
| Fifth: we pursue a more integrated and coordinated approach to the various strands of the relationship. | Fifth: we pursue a more integrated and coordinated approach to the various strands of the relationship. |
| And sixth: we work with China in a regional framework, recognising that this is the region in which we both live, and the importance of the rules-based order that has underpinned stability and prosperity to the benefit of both our nations, and the region.” | And sixth: we work with China in a regional framework, recognising that this is the region in which we both live, and the importance of the rules-based order that has underpinned stability and prosperity to the benefit of both our nations, and the region.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 12.28am BST | at 12.28am BST |
| 12.00am BST | 12.00am BST |
| 00:00 | 00:00 |
| The parliament will welcome a special guest today. | The parliament will welcome a special guest today. |
| The Prime Minister will welcome His Excellency Mr Michael D Higgins,President of Ireland, to Parliament House at 10am #auspol | The Prime Minister will welcome His Excellency Mr Michael D Higgins,President of Ireland, to Parliament House at 10am #auspol |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 12.06am BST | at 12.06am BST |
| 11.56pm BST | 11.56pm BST |
| 23:56 | 23:56 |
| The bells are ringing! Which means parliament is about to officially get under way. | The bells are ringing! Which means parliament is about to officially get under way. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 12.06am BST | at 12.06am BST |
| 11.55pm BST | 11.55pm BST |
| 23:55 | 23:55 |
| Labor’s climate change spokesman, Pat Conroy, has been doorstopped on his way into parliament today. | Labor’s climate change spokesman, Pat Conroy, has been doorstopped on his way into parliament today. |
| There are plenty of ways in and out of parliament without walking past the media. So if MPs choose the doors where the cameras are hanging out, it’s because they have something to say. Today Conroy had quite a bit to say about energy, the ACCC report and Tony Abbott: | There are plenty of ways in and out of parliament without walking past the media. So if MPs choose the doors where the cameras are hanging out, it’s because they have something to say. Today Conroy had quite a bit to say about energy, the ACCC report and Tony Abbott: |
| We’ve got a doubling of wholesale energy prices because of two things: skyrocketing gas prices, and all this government is doing is talking about it and not taking concrete action; and secondly the investment strike. | We’ve got a doubling of wholesale energy prices because of two things: skyrocketing gas prices, and all this government is doing is talking about it and not taking concrete action; and secondly the investment strike. |
| We’ve had seven coal-fired power stations come out of the system in the last four years with no replacement dispatchable capacity because people don’t know what the rules of racing are. | We’ve had seven coal-fired power stations come out of the system in the last four years with no replacement dispatchable capacity because people don’t know what the rules of racing are. |
| The Finkel review said if you can provide some certainty around a bipartisan energy mechanism that would get investment flowing and that would lower power prices, and the energy minister agreed with him as recently as two months ago. | The Finkel review said if you can provide some certainty around a bipartisan energy mechanism that would get investment flowing and that would lower power prices, and the energy minister agreed with him as recently as two months ago. |
| Nothing has changed. This government will use the ACCC report as cover to back away because they are craven and cowardly, and they are more worried about what Tony Abbott can do in their party room. | Nothing has changed. This government will use the ACCC report as cover to back away because they are craven and cowardly, and they are more worried about what Tony Abbott can do in their party room. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 12.11am BST | at 12.11am BST |
| 11.49pm BST | 11.49pm BST |
| 23:49 | 23:49 |
| Here’s a little bit more from that speech Julie Bishop was giving to the AIIA: | Here’s a little bit more from that speech Julie Bishop was giving to the AIIA: |
| Australia is seeking to serve on the UN human rights council, the first time we will have served on this body. The vote takes place at 2.00am our time, so I will be able to tell you tomorrow how we went. We put in a very strong campaign and received a lot of written pledges for offer to serve on the human rights council campaign and we have most certainly put forward a very strong case to bring a very principled and pragmatic approach, just as we did when we served on the security council and we had five themes in relation to gender empowerment and freedom of speech and strengthening democratic institutions and human rights institutions and Indigenous rights and the like. | Australia is seeking to serve on the UN human rights council, the first time we will have served on this body. The vote takes place at 2.00am our time, so I will be able to tell you tomorrow how we went. We put in a very strong campaign and received a lot of written pledges for offer to serve on the human rights council campaign and we have most certainly put forward a very strong case to bring a very principled and pragmatic approach, just as we did when we served on the security council and we had five themes in relation to gender empowerment and freedom of speech and strengthening democratic institutions and human rights institutions and Indigenous rights and the like. |
| We’ll update you on the outcome of that vote tomorrow morning. | We’ll update you on the outcome of that vote tomorrow morning. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 12.00am BST | at 12.00am BST |