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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. | |
Updated | |
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”. | |
Updated | |
at 6.53am BST | |
6.26am BST | 6.26am BST |
06:26 | 06:26 |
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. |
Updated | Updated |
at 6.30am BST | at 6.30am BST |
6.10am BST | 6.10am BST |
06:10 | 06:10 |
Paul Karp | Paul 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. |
Updated | Updated |
at 6.16am BST | at 6.16am BST |
6.05am BST | 6.05am BST |
06:05 | 06:05 |
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 cost | 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 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. |
Updated | Updated |
at 6.14am BST | at 6.14am BST |
6.00am BST | 6.00am BST |
06:00 | 06:00 |
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. |
Updated | Updated |
at 6.03am BST | at 6.03am BST |
5.41am BST | 5.41am BST |
05:41 | 05:41 |
Paul Karp | Paul 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; and | 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; 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. |
Updated | Updated |
at 5.55am BST | at 5.55am BST |
5.39am BST | 5.39am BST |
05:39 | 05:39 |
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. |
Updated | Updated |
at 5.53am BST | at 5.53am BST |