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Labor lays into Turnbull over 'second-rate' NBN – politics live Labor lays into Turnbull over 'second-rate' NBN – politics live
(35 minutes later)
7.11am BST
07:11
Tony Abbott has decided to weigh in on the Manus situation:
For years, Greens and Labor allies demanded Manus close. Now it's closing, they're still complaining. They just can't be trusted on borders
What they are ‘complaining’ about is whether or not there are any services, like health and security, in place for the remaining refugees (about 600), given the centre is closing in a few days.
7.00am BST
07:00
Penny Wong has now turned her attention to John Lloyd, the Public Service Commissioner, over Nigel Hadgkiss’s resignation.
6.57am BST
06:57
Talking about estimates hearings which are coming up, this has just lobbed from Joel Fitzgibbon:
The Government tabled the Annual Report of the Department of Agriculture & Water Resources after Question Time today despite the fact Barnaby Joyce received it on September 27.
Senate Estimates for the Department begin tomorrow.
The 11th hour tabling of the Annual Report is a shameless attempt by the Turnbull Government to protect Barnaby Joyce and his mismanagement of his portfolio.
The Annual Report is a critical document for Senate Committee scrutiny and the Opposition should have been given more time to study it. The Department no doubt has found it challenging to justify Barnaby Joyce’s various boondoggles, pork barrelling exercises and massively underspent, poorly thought-through programs.
Barnaby Joyce can run but he can’t hide.
*end statement*
6.55am BST
06:55
Penny Wong versus George Brandis is one of the highlights of any estimates hearing. For what it is worth, Brandis appeared to take quite a few questions on notice. Given that, it might be worth notice that he currently has 18 answers overdue for questions relating to his role as attorney-general on notice, with one dating back to October last year. They are supposed to be answered within 30 days.
As minister representing the prime minister, there are another 26 questions unanswered, but to be fair, the prime minister i s the hold up there. (He still has to answer them, despite Brandis representing him in the Senate).
As for estimates questions, Brandis has not returned answers on any of the questions he took on notice at the May budget estimates round for the attorney-general’s department. Lucky for us, there is another hearing featuring the AG tomorrow.
6.43am BST
06:43
Paul Karp
Labor infrastructure spokesman, Anthony Albanese, has said officials in Senate estimates have confirmed that the Coalition government has spent $3.9bn less on infrastructure than promised.
The Senate committee heard that the annual underspend on infrastructure was $829m in 2014-15, $1.2bn in 2015-16 and $1.7bn in 2016-17.
Albanese:
It appears the tactic here is to promise big on budget night, when Australians are watching the treasurer’s budget speech, but then fail to deliver what was promised in the hope nobody will notice.
In September the infrastructure minister, Darren Chester, said the Turnbull government had committed to a record $75bn in infrastructure investment.
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at 6.54am BST
6.42am BST
06:42
I missed this earlier, while watching another committee, but worth noting.
" I don't think torture is a laughing matter"- @NickMcKim and Mike Pezzullo clash over the closure of Manus Island RPC pic.twitter.com/oUAYGwANsj
6.40am BST
06:40
The Labor senator Jenny McAllister has had a bit of fun with Fiona Scott’s appointment to the National Film and Sound Archive.
McAllister says that among Scott’s qualifications is the fact that she “grew up visiting Disney and ABC film sets” with her grandfather and she was “wondering if that’s the kind of experience the cabinet ... was contemplating for making appointments of this kind”.
George Brandis assures McAllister that Scott’s experience was “more extensive than that”.
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The lengths the government and NBN Co have gone to today to get ahead of tonight’s Four Corners report shows just how worried they are about it.The lengths the government and NBN Co have gone to today to get ahead of tonight’s Four Corners report shows just how worried they are about it.
The NBN has been bubbling along as an issue for a while now. With more connections come more complaints and Labor has belatedly grabbed hold of that. The PR blitz, combined with releasing entire transcripts of interviews (which is not a usual step, at least for the year and a bit I’ve been covering federal politics) only seems to have pointed attention at the flaws.The NBN has been bubbling along as an issue for a while now. With more connections come more complaints and Labor has belatedly grabbed hold of that. The PR blitz, combined with releasing entire transcripts of interviews (which is not a usual step, at least for the year and a bit I’ve been covering federal politics) only seems to have pointed attention at the flaws.
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6.10am BST6.10am BST
06:1006:10
Paul KarpPaul Karp
The communications minister, Mitch Fifield, said the government had legislation before parliament to impose a levy on fixed-line broadband, which NBN customers would be exempt from, to make clear the size of the subsidy to the regional network.The communications minister, Mitch Fifield, said the government had legislation before parliament to impose a levy on fixed-line broadband, which NBN customers would be exempt from, to make clear the size of the subsidy to the regional network.
When it comes to the mobile network, that is not something that’s readily substitutable for the NBN, in terms of the costs of data, [people] ... will still need a fixed-line network. We don’t have a proposition to apply that levy to the broader mobile network.When it comes to the mobile network, that is not something that’s readily substitutable for the NBN, in terms of the costs of data, [people] ... will still need a fixed-line network. We don’t have a proposition to apply that levy to the broader mobile network.
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6.05am BST6.05am BST
06:0506:05
The office of Mitch Fifield has taken the somewhat unusual step of releasing the entire transcript of Fifield’s interview with Four Corners, hours ahead of the program’s scheduled release.The office of Mitch Fifield has taken the somewhat unusual step of releasing the entire transcript of Fifield’s interview with Four Corners, hours ahead of the program’s scheduled release.
Here is a bit of what Fifield said during his press conference just before question time:Here is a bit of what Fifield said during his press conference just before question time:
I have said that the model that the straight in Labour party adopted was flawed and had failed. We put an alternative model in place, which will see a completed six to eight years sooner than would have been the case under at predecessors, and between $20bn and $30bn less costI have said that the model that the straight in Labour party adopted was flawed and had failed. We put an alternative model in place, which will see a completed six to eight years sooner than would have been the case under at predecessors, and between $20bn and $30bn less cost
The NBN under our predecessors existed only in theory. The NBN today is a practical reality, available to more than half of the nation. But we do recognise that when you’re talking about a project which is endeavouring to do, in about seven years, what it took over 70 years for the government and PNG to do, there will be a transition. This is a once in 100-year transition, with everybody moving to a new network. There have been some issues and migration.The NBN under our predecessors existed only in theory. The NBN today is a practical reality, available to more than half of the nation. But we do recognise that when you’re talking about a project which is endeavouring to do, in about seven years, what it took over 70 years for the government and PNG to do, there will be a transition. This is a once in 100-year transition, with everybody moving to a new network. There have been some issues and migration.
NBN and retailers have been working hard on those. There has been an important net migration. When it comes to the issue of speeds in the applications that people have, there can be a number of reasons why people don’t have the experience that they would be expecting. One is modems. Sometimes, retailers will send households the wrong modems, or modems that are a poor body. In-house wiring is also an issue for a number of households – poor quality. But this is a issue for retailers. We have done a number of things to address that.NBN and retailers have been working hard on those. There has been an important net migration. When it comes to the issue of speeds in the applications that people have, there can be a number of reasons why people don’t have the experience that they would be expecting. One is modems. Sometimes, retailers will send households the wrong modems, or modems that are a poor body. In-house wiring is also an issue for a number of households – poor quality. But this is a issue for retailers. We have done a number of things to address that.
Firstly, we have charged the ACCC and given the money to bid 12,000 probes into premises, to report on the relative expressed that people are having enters a speeds, and what retailers are providing. The ACCC has also given clear guidance to retailers as to how they should their products.Firstly, we have charged the ACCC and given the money to bid 12,000 probes into premises, to report on the relative expressed that people are having enters a speeds, and what retailers are providing. The ACCC has also given clear guidance to retailers as to how they should their products.
The retailers have not always been doing a good job at that. The ACCC has made it clear to retailers that if they do not lift their game, there, that they will come down on them like a ton of bricks …The retailers have not always been doing a good job at that. The ACCC has made it clear to retailers that if they do not lift their game, there, that they will come down on them like a ton of bricks …
I never want to diminish the express that any individual or business has that is not all it should be. We are working hard to improve the customer experience, and the retailers have an absolute obligation to deliver for customers that which they promised.I never want to diminish the express that any individual or business has that is not all it should be. We are working hard to improve the customer experience, and the retailers have an absolute obligation to deliver for customers that which they promised.
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In round #4,578 between Penny Wong and George Brandis, Wong has asked Brandis about Michaelia Cash’s knowledge of Nigel Hadgkiss.In round #4,578 between Penny Wong and George Brandis, Wong has asked Brandis about Michaelia Cash’s knowledge of Nigel Hadgkiss.
Wong: She is aware in October 2016 of the conduct, which was subsequently found to be unlawful.Wong: She is aware in October 2016 of the conduct, which was subsequently found to be unlawful.
Brandis: I think you’ll find she was made aware of allegations.Brandis: I think you’ll find she was made aware of allegations.
Wong: The conduct which was subsequently found to be unlawful, I want to know at which stage the prime minister or is office became aware of that conduct.Wong: The conduct which was subsequently found to be unlawful, I want to know at which stage the prime minister or is office became aware of that conduct.
Brandis: If at all.Brandis: If at all.
Wong: I would also like to know, did the department attend, or does the department have any record of Senator Cash advising the prime minister of Mr Hadgkiss’s conduct?Wong: I would also like to know, did the department attend, or does the department have any record of Senator Cash advising the prime minister of Mr Hadgkiss’s conduct?
Brandis: Senator, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet wouldn’t ordinarily keep a record of a meeting or a conversation between the prime minister and a minister.Brandis: Senator, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet wouldn’t ordinarily keep a record of a meeting or a conversation between the prime minister and a minister.
(James Paterson attempts to go to a break)(James Paterson attempts to go to a break)
Wong: Well, hang on. He has’t answered the question, I will ask it again. Is the department aware of any advice ...Wong: Well, hang on. He has’t answered the question, I will ask it again. Is the department aware of any advice ...
Brandis: We’ll take the question on notice, but I simply make the point, that ordinarily, if a minister has a conversation with the prime minister, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet would not ordinarily have visibility or awareness of that conversation. It may, but not ordinarily.Brandis: We’ll take the question on notice, but I simply make the point, that ordinarily, if a minister has a conversation with the prime minister, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet would not ordinarily have visibility or awareness of that conversation. It may, but not ordinarily.
And the committee takes a break.And the committee takes a break.
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5.41am BST5.41am BST
05:4105:41
Paul KarpPaul Karp
A little earlier ...A little earlier ...
In estimates, Penny Wong has been grilling prime minister and cabinet officials about the former small business minister Bruce Billson’s failure to declare that he was paid a salary by the Franchise Council of Australia while still an MP.In estimates, Penny Wong has been grilling prime minister and cabinet officials about the former small business minister Bruce Billson’s failure to declare that he was paid a salary by the Franchise Council of Australia while still an MP.
The deputy secretary, David Gruen, sets out the timeline that Billson ceased being a minister in September 2015, his appointment as executive chairman of the Franchise Council was announced on 23 March 2016 and he left parliament on 9 May.The deputy secretary, David Gruen, sets out the timeline that Billson ceased being a minister in September 2015, his appointment as executive chairman of the Franchise Council was announced on 23 March 2016 and he left parliament on 9 May.
He then reads a briefing note on the outcome of an investigation by the secretary, Martin Parkinson, which concluded:He then reads a briefing note on the outcome of an investigation by the secretary, Martin Parkinson, which concluded:
Billson didn’t breach post ministerial employment provisions because his advocacy on joint employer liability for franchisors and franchisees “fell within the portfolio responsibilities of minister for employment”, not his responsibilities as small business minister; andBillson didn’t breach post ministerial employment provisions because his advocacy on joint employer liability for franchisors and franchisees “fell within the portfolio responsibilities of minister for employment”, not his responsibilities as small business minister; and
Billson didn’t breach lobbying rules because he was not engaged in lobbying activities on matters which he dealt with in the last 18 months as small business minister and didn’t fall within definition of lobbyist in code of conduct, because he was not lobbying for a third-party client. Bilson does not need to be and isn’t registered as a lobbyist on the lobbyist register.Billson didn’t breach lobbying rules because he was not engaged in lobbying activities on matters which he dealt with in the last 18 months as small business minister and didn’t fall within definition of lobbyist in code of conduct, because he was not lobbying for a third-party client. Bilson does not need to be and isn’t registered as a lobbyist on the lobbyist register.
Wong asks a broader question – is it appropriate to receive remuneration from another employer while still an MP?Wong asks a broader question – is it appropriate to receive remuneration from another employer while still an MP?
The attorney general, George Brandis, replies:The attorney general, George Brandis, replies:
It is very appropriate for backbench members to receive remuneration from third-party sources not inconsistent with their responsibilities as members of parliament ... It is both consistent and commonplace.It is very appropriate for backbench members to receive remuneration from third-party sources not inconsistent with their responsibilities as members of parliament ... It is both consistent and commonplace.
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05:3905:39
George Brandis is still in the hot seat in the finance and administration committee and Penny Wong is asking about Nigel Hadgkiss.George Brandis is still in the hot seat in the finance and administration committee and Penny Wong is asking about Nigel Hadgkiss.
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5.28am BST
05:28
Michaelia Cash’s office has released another statement on the outcome of a court case involving a union and its delegate. Here is is in full:
Today the militant CFMEU incurred yet another penalty in the Federal Court for breaking Australia’s industrial laws at a Victorian building site.
The CFMEU and its delegate, Andrew Harisiou were penalised $90,000 and $8,000 respectively for breaches of laws relating to coercion, at the Pacific Werribee Shopping Centre site in 2015.
The court found that the CFMEU prevented workers from working on the construction site unless they joined the CFMEU and immediately paid the required membership fees.
In handing down his decision, Justice Tracey made the following remarks;
Having regard to the history of offending by the CFMEU to which I have referred, it may be doubted that any penalty falling within the available range for contraventions of the kind presently under consideration would be “sufficiently high to deter repetition”. Any penalty will be paid and treated as a necessary cost of enforcing the CFMEU’s demand that all workers on certain classes of construction sites be union members.
Justice Tracey is the second judge in two weeks to express concern that penalties that can be imposed by the courts are too small to act as a deterrent in light of the CFMEU’s ongoing policy of deliberate law-breaking.
Last week, Justice Vasta of the Federal Court remarked that;
There has been no remorse from the CFMEU. There has been no evidence of the CFMEU training any of its officers as to the provisions of the FW Act to ensure that such abominable behaviour is not undertaken by any of its representatives ever again.
As I have noted, the approach of the CFMEU has been that the imposition of pecuniary penalties are nothing more than an occupational hazard.
This Court has been asked to ensure that the industrial relations regime as created by Parliament is observed and complied with. The Parliament has given the Court only one weapon to ensure such compliance, and that is the ability to impose pecuniary penalties.
In the main, this weapon has been of great value. If a Court has dealt with an employer who has contravened the FW Act in an appropriate manner, the use of the pecuniary penalty has deterred that employer from breaching the FW Act again. Very rarely has the FWO, or a union, had to bring a recalcitrant employer back to the Court for breaching the FW Act a second time.
But this cannot be said of the CFMEU. The deterrent aspect of the pecuniary penalty system is not having the desired effect. The CFMEU has not changed its attitude in any meaningful way. The Court can only impose the maximum penalty in an attempt to fulfil its duty and deter the CFMEU from acting in the nefarious way in which it does.
If I could have imposed a greater penalty for these contraventions, I most certainly would have done so.
The Court can do no more with the tools available to it to ensure compliance with the industrial relations regime. If the community at large are not satisfied with the actions of the Court to ensure compliance with the FW Act, then the next step is a matter for the Parliament.
While the CFMEU continues to pay out significant penalties on a regular basis, it also continues to funnel millions of dollars to the Australian Labor Party.
Labor Shadow Employment spokesman Brendan O’Connor recently confirmed that penalties for such behaviour would be “lower” under a Shorten-led Labor Government. What he failed to say was that the penalties under Labor would in fact be zero, as Labor’s policy is to abolish the ABCC and have nothing in its place to enforce the law.
Whilst judge after judge condemns the CFMEU for its deliberate flouting of the law, and complain that penalties are not sufficient, Bill Shorten’s policy is to give the green light to the CFMEU with no penalties whatsoever. Nothing more starkly illustrates Mr Shorten’s unfitness for government than his approach to the CFMEU.
It is now clearer than ever that Bill Shorten and the Labor Party have been utterly compromised by the millions of dollars the ALP continue to receive from the CFMEU. Exactly what will it take for Bill Shorten to financial and political ties with this corrupt organisation.
*end statement*
Updated
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05:25
The chamber has moved on to debating the Medicare levy amendment – that’s in relation to funding the NDIS.
You can find more on that here
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05:23
Some question time visual action, from the wonderful Mike Bowers:
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Steven Michelson, a longtime Bill Shorten staffer, has resigned, the Australian reports.
One of Bill Shorten’s most trusted aides has abruptly resigned amid an escalating ‘blackface’ scandal https://t.co/UyE4EBjogY
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05:17
Barnaby Joyce gets a question on a Rockhampton flood levy from Jason Clare (Queensland election, what Queensland election?) and why the Coalition won’t commit to funding it.
It’s a complicated issue and Joyce, once he has got his blue-collar worker lines out, says there is some division in the community over whether it is wanted. He then continues his attack.
Question time moves to Dan Tehan who talks about the upcoming 100-year anniversary of the Battle for Beersheba and Malcolm Turnbull says that’s a good time to end question time, on reflection of the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
Which means we made it through another question time – how did you go with those topic bingo cards?
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5.10am BST
05:10
Malcolm Turnbull is asked again why One Nation got to announce $15m of government grants.
If it also usual for the government grants announced by non-government members and senators, in this case with oversized cheques with the focus on One Nation senators, in Coalition agreement with One Nation, will the prime minister table a copy of that agreement right now? If there is a Coalition agreement with One Nation?
Turnbull:
I refer the honourable member to my question, my earlier answer that he obviously noted. All government grants are approved by the appropriate ministers in the normal way.
That announcement got Pauline Hanson a nice front page in the Queensland town of Ipswich, which may go some way to explain why even the Coalition MPs were annoyed.
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05:06
Peter Dutton is protecting us all from gangs.
Moving on …
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05:06
Greg Hunt then takes another question on energy policy and once again uses the line keeping the lights on in hospitals and I tune out. So does most of the chamber, by the looks of it.
On to Bill Shorten:
“My question as to the prime minister. Can he confirmed that under his government power prices have never been higher, pensioners will lose their energy supplement, weekend workers lose their penalty rates, low- and middle-income families face a tax hike and the only benefit that anyone can look forward to is a lousy 50 cents a week in three years time?”
Malcolm Turnbull says he has dealt with these issues before.
“But there is one set of statistics that I can confirm. That is in the last 12 months, 371,500 jobs were created in Australia. Of which, 315,900 were full-time. And, Mr Speaker, Mr Speaker, that does compare with another 12 month period. The last 12 months when the leader of the opposition was employment minister. During that time, Mr Speaker, there was 129,000 jobs created of which only 32,900 were full-time. Mr Speaker, nearly three times as many jobs created in the last 12 months as in the last 12 months when he had responsibility for employment.”
The last year of the Labor government, Australia was still recovering from the delayed affects of the global financial crisis. This may need to become a regular reminder, given this is the second time in two weeks the Coalition has used this line.
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05:03
Back to the opposition questions and Tanya Plibersek moves the agenda to tax:
Thanks to this legislation being debated today, someone earning $60,000 is guaranteed a tax hike of $300 a year. Yet the prime minister cannot even guarantee they will save a lousy 50 cents a week on their energy bills in three years’ time. One is the only guarantee that this prime minister can make is that thanks to him, working Australians will always have less?
Turnbull, whose voice seems on the brink of disappearing all together, seems to think this question is about energy policy and South Australia. Or something:
Australians know that Labor governments can be guaranteed to deliver higher energy prices and less reliable energy. The Labor party, the Labor party’s track record, Mr Speaker, whether it comes to border protection, the NBN or energy, reveals astounding incompetence. The Labor party has demonstrated both at the federal level and at the state level, particularly in South Australia, that they cannot be trusted with energy policy, but they are are incompetent, the combination of incompetency and actually results in less reliable energy. The lights do not stay on, the air-conditioners do not stay on, the hospitals do not have their plants running.
The Labor party’s failing to look afterAustralia’s energy security. It is one of their great failures in government and it goes hand in hand with all of those examples of Labor incompetence, whether it is failing to protect our borders, failing to defend the integrity of our nation’s orders, whether it is there incompetence with the NBN, wasting billions of dollars in sheer mismanagement or whether it is putting our energy security at risk. The Labor party cannot manage. They are incompetent and it has been proved by them again and again.
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04:59
Kelly O’Dwyer take a dixer on the Neg and economic growth and, well, she does her best to look as though she believes what she is saying.
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