This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2017/oct/19/labors-support-for-coalition-energy-policy-under-microscope-politics-live
The article has changed 21 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 15 | Version 16 |
|---|---|
| Government and Labor trade blows over energy in question time – politics live | Government and Labor trade blows over energy in question time – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 7.47am BST | |
| 07:47 | |
| High Court update | |
| I’ve checked with a couple of the citizenship MPs before the high court and they assure me their lawyers have not been forewarned of a judgement tomorrow (and they think they would be, given as they are usually told, so they can be in the court to hear it) and the matter is not listed on the high court schedule for Friday. | |
| So, it looks like we can stand down for a little longer. That doesn’t mean that we won’t all get a surprise tomorrow, but that is as much as I can tell you this afternoon. | |
| The lower house does sit next week (the Senate is tied up in estimates) so there is still a chance we’ll get a Stranger in the House moment. | |
| Mike Bowers went to catch what could be the last day for some of the MPs depending on how the high court rules (he didn’t spot Matt Canavan today, and Larissa Waters and Scott Ludlam have already resigned and yes, Barnaby Joyce could be back in a by-election) | |
| 7.43am BST | |
| 07:43 | |
| Bill Shorten has released Labor’s statement on New Zealand Labour’s ascension to office. Spell check error aside (and yes, I know I am not one to talk), the last line appears to be directed a little more domestically: | |
| It’s with great pleasure that I congratulate the prime minister-elect of New Zealand, Jacinda Arden [sic] and her New Zealand Labour team. | |
| Jacinda brought extraordinary energy to the Labour leadership and campaigned passionately for inclusive, progressive policies, founded on universal Labo(u)r values. | |
| In electing their third woman to serve as prime minister, New Zealanders have again provided an inspiration for women and girls around the world. | |
| More than a century after the first Anzacs fought and fell together, Australia and New Zealand’s friendship is stronger than ever. | |
| My team and I look forward to building and strengthening the connection between our two nations – and I trust the government shares this commitment. | |
| Updated | |
| at 7.49am BST | |
| 7.28am BST | |
| 07:28 | |
| You know Christmas is coming when Ian Goodenough starts talking calendars. #nocynicism | |
| Sneak preview of the 2018 Moore Community Calendar featuring flames, fast cars & firearms! pic.twitter.com/jQEOH9knUU | |
| 7.23am BST | |
| 07:23 | |
| Just returning to an issue which was raised by Anthony Albanese in question time today, over whether or not the prime minister was confronted by Barnaby Joyce over the decision to let One Nation make some announcements that Coalition MPs in Queensland were thinking they would make themselves – given their work in making some of the funding happen. | |
| I’ve been told by a source that it did happen, but it wasn’t an “angry” conversation, just that the matter was raised, along with the fact that several MPs had raised concerns over the matter. | |
| So there you go. | |
| Updated | |
| at 7.25am BST | |
| 7.21am BST | |
| 07:21 | |
| Julie Bishop’s office is preparing a statement. | |
| 7.14am BST | 7.14am BST |
| 07:14 | 07:14 |
| Quick refresher on the press conference where Julie Bishop raised, shall we call them, concerns about New Zealand Labour. | Quick refresher on the press conference where Julie Bishop raised, shall we call them, concerns about New Zealand Labour. |
| Journalist: Minister, the New Zealand minister, the relevant minister Dunne, has said today that it’s utter nonsense to suggest that the Labour party’s question played any role and that it was actually media inquiries and not the Labour party’s question. What do you say to that? | |
| Bishop: I don’t accept that. The New Zealand Labour leader has confirmed that a Labour member of parliament was contacted by an unnamed Labor member here in Australia. Bill Shorten must reveal the name of that member. | |
| Journalist: So are you saying that you don’t accept the internal minister’s series of events from New Zealand? | |
| Bishop: Bill Shorten must reveal the role he played in getting one of his members, that he’s refused to name, and I would be calling – I do call – on Bill Shorten to name that person and he needs to reveal his involvement in what is treacherous behaviour. | |
| Journalist: You said that this has put at risk the relationship between Australia and New Zealand. How so? | Journalist: You said that this has put at risk the relationship between Australia and New Zealand. How so? |
| Bishop: New Zealand is facing an election. Should there be a change of government, I would find it very hard to build trust with those involved in allegations designed to undermine the government of Australia. | Bishop: New Zealand is facing an election. Should there be a change of government, I would find it very hard to build trust with those involved in allegations designed to undermine the government of Australia. |
| Journalist: Have journalists who asked questions of the New Zealand government behaved treacherously as well? | Journalist: Have journalists who asked questions of the New Zealand government behaved treacherously as well? |
| Bishop: I’m referring to Bill Shorten using a foreign political party to raise questions in a foreign parliament deliberately designed to undermine confidence in the Australian government. | |
| Journalist: Can I clarify your previous answer? Are you saying that you would not trust a New Zealand Labour government? | Journalist: Can I clarify your previous answer? Are you saying that you would not trust a New Zealand Labour government? |
| Bishop: I would find it very difficult to build trust with members of a political party that had been used by the Australian Labor party to seek to undermine the Australian government. | |
| Journalist: The New Zealand internal affairs minister explicitly said that was nonsense, he said it started with media inquiries. Are you calling into question the official version of events here? | |
| Bishop: I explicitly call into question Bill Shorten’s ethics. The Labour leader said this morning that the Labor party in Australia contacted the Labour party in New Zealand and we know what occurred. Allegations were raised in a New Zealand parliament deliberately designed by the Labor in Australia to undermine confidence in the Australian government. | |
| * I was at that press conference on 16 August and as one of the two reporters (the other being Adam Gartrell, during my previous life at Fairfax) who worked on the Barnaby Joyce citizenship story, to which the media inquiries refer to (along with blogger William Summers, who was working on the story separately). It was extraordinary. | |
| Updated | |
| at 7.20am BST | |
| 7.02am BST | 7.02am BST |
| 07:02 | 07:02 |
| You can read all about Winston Peters’s decision, in real time, over here. | You can read all about Winston Peters’s decision, in real time, over here. |
| That sound you can hear is the rush of the Canberra press gallery making calls to Julie Bishop’s office. | That sound you can hear is the rush of the Canberra press gallery making calls to Julie Bishop’s office. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 7.06am BST | at 7.06am BST |
| 7.00am BST | 7.00am BST |
| 07:00 | 07:00 |
| Jacinda Ardern the new New Zealand prime minister | Jacinda Ardern the new New Zealand prime minister |
| New Zealand First has announced it has decided to form a coalition government with Labour and the Greens. | New Zealand First has announced it has decided to form a coalition government with Labour and the Greens. |
| That makes Jacinda Ardern the new prime minister. She is the leader of the party Julie Bishop said she may not be able to trust after the Barnaby Joyce citizenship kerfuffle. | That makes Jacinda Ardern the new prime minister. She is the leader of the party Julie Bishop said she may not be able to trust after the Barnaby Joyce citizenship kerfuffle. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 7.08am BST | at 7.08am BST |
| 6.56am BST | 6.56am BST |
| 06:56 | 06:56 |
| The latest round of higher education reforms look like going nowhere for the moment, with the Nick Xenophon Team calling for a “comprehensive Gonski-style review of tertiary education” before they will give their support. | The latest round of higher education reforms look like going nowhere for the moment, with the Nick Xenophon Team calling for a “comprehensive Gonski-style review of tertiary education” before they will give their support. |
| “Until there is a comprehensive review into post-secondary education, it would be wrong to support many of the cuts proposed by the government, including the move to reduce university funding, lowering the threshold for Help repayments and increasing the student fee contribution,” Rebekha Sharkie, the NXT spokeswoman for education, said in a statement. | “Until there is a comprehensive review into post-secondary education, it would be wrong to support many of the cuts proposed by the government, including the move to reduce university funding, lowering the threshold for Help repayments and increasing the student fee contribution,” Rebekha Sharkie, the NXT spokeswoman for education, said in a statement. |
| “We have to prepare our future workforce and consider how best to shape the transition from high school to post-secondary education to ensure we build our nation’s capacity and remain adaptable to workforce demands. | “We have to prepare our future workforce and consider how best to shape the transition from high school to post-secondary education to ensure we build our nation’s capacity and remain adaptable to workforce demands. |
| “Currently, we have students who are leaving university with high debts and little opportunity of securing stable employment in their area of study. We have too many highly qualified young people, with PhD degrees, stacking supermarket shelves or making lattes. We need to do better than this.” | “Currently, we have students who are leaving university with high debts and little opportunity of securing stable employment in their area of study. We have too many highly qualified young people, with PhD degrees, stacking supermarket shelves or making lattes. We need to do better than this.” |
| You can read more on how this came to be here and here | You can read more on how this came to be here and here |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 7.00am BST | at 7.00am BST |
| 6.33am BST | 6.33am BST |
| 06:33 | 06:33 |
| The wooing of the states over energy doesn’t seem like it is going overly well. Katharine Murphy has had a chat to the South Australian premier, Jay Weatherill: | The wooing of the states over energy doesn’t seem like it is going overly well. Katharine Murphy has had a chat to the South Australian premier, Jay Weatherill: |
| The South Australian premier says Labor states will not accept a national energy policy that cuts renewable energy targets, removes incentives for low-emissions technologies and promotes coal. | The South Australian premier says Labor states will not accept a national energy policy that cuts renewable energy targets, removes incentives for low-emissions technologies and promotes coal. |
| In an interview with Guardian Australia, Jay Weatherill said the Labor states had no interest in “solving Malcolm Turnbull’s political problems” – and said the expectation of the premiers was that Bill Shorten would hold firm in opposing the national energy guarantee outlined by the prime minister on Tuesday. | In an interview with Guardian Australia, Jay Weatherill said the Labor states had no interest in “solving Malcolm Turnbull’s political problems” – and said the expectation of the premiers was that Bill Shorten would hold firm in opposing the national energy guarantee outlined by the prime minister on Tuesday. |
| Weatherill said he had spoken with all the Labor premiers over the past few days and with his federal Labor colleagues. The Labor opposition in Canberra is maintaining an open mind on the new energy policy. | Weatherill said he had spoken with all the Labor premiers over the past few days and with his federal Labor colleagues. The Labor opposition in Canberra is maintaining an open mind on the new energy policy. |
| Read more on that here | Read more on that here |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.43am BST | at 6.43am BST |
| 6.10am BST | 6.10am BST |
| 06:10 | 06:10 |
| Labor’s employment spokesman, Brendan O’Connor, has responded to the latest employment figures: | Labor’s employment spokesman, Brendan O’Connor, has responded to the latest employment figures: |
| I welcome the very slight decline in the unemployment rate, and I welcome any job that’s been created last month. I do note that just over 19,000 jobs have been created last month. Two-thirds of those jobs, or just over two-thirds of those jobs, are part-time. So still there is an issue about whether in fact we have sufficient full-time work for people. | I welcome the very slight decline in the unemployment rate, and I welcome any job that’s been created last month. I do note that just over 19,000 jobs have been created last month. Two-thirds of those jobs, or just over two-thirds of those jobs, are part-time. So still there is an issue about whether in fact we have sufficient full-time work for people. |
| We note that the very, very high underemployment number in this country needs to be attended to. There’s more than 1.1 million Australians looking for more work and cannot find it. That’s of concern to us. | We note that the very, very high underemployment number in this country needs to be attended to. There’s more than 1.1 million Australians looking for more work and cannot find it. That’s of concern to us. |
| I also note that even though there was a slight decrease in the unemployment rate, there was also a slight fall in the participation rate, which in part might explain the slight decline in the unemployment rate. | I also note that even though there was a slight decrease in the unemployment rate, there was also a slight fall in the participation rate, which in part might explain the slight decline in the unemployment rate. |
| So there’s a lot more to do in relation to the challenges of unemployment. We have over 1 million Australians looking for more work. We have more than 700,000 people with no work at all – 1.8 million Australians looking for some work or looking for more work and not being able to find it. | So there’s a lot more to do in relation to the challenges of unemployment. We have over 1 million Australians looking for more work. We have more than 700,000 people with no work at all – 1.8 million Australians looking for some work or looking for more work and not being able to find it. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.41am BST | at 6.41am BST |
| 6.09am BST | 6.09am BST |
| 06:09 | 06:09 |
| We wouldn’t dare suggest that Coalition MPs might be trying to leave the building a little early, after all the warnings they have received to stay until the bitter end (you may remember the lost vote “incident” in this government’s early days) but the chief government whip, Nola Marino, must have had some reason for sending this out to members: | We wouldn’t dare suggest that Coalition MPs might be trying to leave the building a little early, after all the warnings they have received to stay until the bitter end (you may remember the lost vote “incident” in this government’s early days) but the chief government whip, Nola Marino, must have had some reason for sending this out to members: |
| A reminder to Members NOT to leave the building until advised by the whip’s office. There is a possible chance of a division after the MPI. Ensure you have your pagers with you. Thank you | A reminder to Members NOT to leave the building until advised by the whip’s office. There is a possible chance of a division after the MPI. Ensure you have your pagers with you. Thank you |
| Regards | Regards |
| Nola | Nola |
| For any Coalition MPs who are yet to check their email, you are welcome. | For any Coalition MPs who are yet to check their email, you are welcome. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.38am BST | at 6.38am BST |
| 6.04am BST | 6.04am BST |
| 06:04 | 06:04 |
| Also from Mike’s travels today, the leaders meeting Know your Bones advocates Kerri-Anne Kennerley and Cathy Freeman. Presented with zero cynicism because you have all made your points known on that very clear. (insert smiley/wink face here) | Also from Mike’s travels today, the leaders meeting Know your Bones advocates Kerri-Anne Kennerley and Cathy Freeman. Presented with zero cynicism because you have all made your points known on that very clear. (insert smiley/wink face here) |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.08am BST | at 6.08am BST |
| 5.56am BST | 5.56am BST |
| 05:56 | 05:56 |
| Tony Abbott has popped his head up, commenting on this story: | Tony Abbott has popped his head up, commenting on this story: |
| Re AFR story. This isn't over. There are five million Australians yet to vote and the NO campaign is appealing to every one of them! | Re AFR story. This isn't over. There are five million Australians yet to vote and the NO campaign is appealing to every one of them! |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.59am BST | at 5.59am BST |
| 5.43am BST | 5.43am BST |
| 05:43 | 05:43 |
| AAP have an update on the Singapore FTA: | AAP have an update on the Singapore FTA: |
| Australian universities, lawyers and financial firms will be among the biggest winners from an updated free-trade agreement with Singapore. | Australian universities, lawyers and financial firms will be among the biggest winners from an updated free-trade agreement with Singapore. |
| Enabling legislation has cleared parliament. | Enabling legislation has cleared parliament. |
| Under the changes, Australian lawyers and financial service providers will enjoy improved access to the Singapore market. | Under the changes, Australian lawyers and financial service providers will enjoy improved access to the Singapore market. |
| Singapore will also recognise extra law, medicine and allied health qualifications from Australian universities. | Singapore will also recognise extra law, medicine and allied health qualifications from Australian universities. |
| There will be new opportunities for Australian businesses to bid for high-value government procurement contracts in Singapore, including road transport, construction and engineering. | There will be new opportunities for Australian businesses to bid for high-value government procurement contracts in Singapore, including road transport, construction and engineering. |
| There will also be changes to visa lengths of stay for Australian expats in Singapore. | There will also be changes to visa lengths of stay for Australian expats in Singapore. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.54am BST | at 5.54am BST |
| 5.41am BST | 5.41am BST |
| 05:41 | 05:41 |
| Computer has been rebooted, so hopefully that has fixed some of those bugs that were delaying me. Again, apologies. | Computer has been rebooted, so hopefully that has fixed some of those bugs that were delaying me. Again, apologies. |
| Let me bring you some of the great Mike Bower’s work to make up for it. | Let me bring you some of the great Mike Bower’s work to make up for it. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.47am BST | at 5.47am BST |
| 5.22am BST | 5.22am BST |
| 05:22 | 05:22 |
| Meanwhile in the House... | Meanwhile in the House... |
| PM Malcolm Turnbull and Foreign Minister JBish in #qt @AmyRemeikis @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/ACzeE2xIvl | PM Malcolm Turnbull and Foreign Minister JBish in #qt @AmyRemeikis @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/ACzeE2xIvl |
| 5.21am BST | 5.21am BST |
| 05:21 | 05:21 |
| Is this one of the last times we’ll see this dynamic duo in the chamber? | Is this one of the last times we’ll see this dynamic duo in the chamber? |
| One Nation during #qt today in the senate @GuardianAus @AmyRemeikis #politicslive pic.twitter.com/58EzEOaeGR | One Nation during #qt today in the senate @GuardianAus @AmyRemeikis #politicslive pic.twitter.com/58EzEOaeGR |