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Version 9 Version 10
Questions over lost 1,000-page security manual – politics live Labor lays into Turnbull over 'second-rate' NBN – question time live
(35 minutes later)
4.17am BST
04:17
The government still really wants to talk energy. It sends out Scott Morrison, via a dixer to link the National Energy Guarantee to jobs growth.
I’ll just pull out the highlight for you:
Certainty is required for business investment and that’s what the national energy guarantee is providing, the national energy guarantee provides certainty for businesses to invest in greater energy supply to ensure more affordable and reliable energy for Australian businesses so they can continue to invest in their businesses and create even more Australian jobs, Mr Speaker. The national energy guarantee means more and better paid jobs and Labor remain opposed.
4.15am BST
04:15
Back to Labor’s questions and Michelle Rowland picks up the NBN case: Today his hand-picked CEO said about the NBN that it is too early to tell whether it’s a success for a failure. In the fifth year of the Prime Minister’s mismanagement of his second rate copper NBN where no-one else is to blame, is this the best the government can do? Why isn’t the government doing anything to fix the problems that are plaguing the NBN on his watch.”
“Why don’t you clean up our mess better,” one Coalition MP yells across the chamber.
Paul Fletcher picks up the answer and starts talking about other lands in an attempt to be funny, to which Anthony Albanese interrupts to state: “none of us are from the land of nitwits”.
I guess that depends on your position in the chamber.
Fletcher picks up from Turnbull’s attack
We are rolling out the NBN as fast as it can be rolled out and just a couple of months later, just a couple of months later, they exited office with their leave 50,000 premises able to connect, barely 50,000 premises able to connect. We now have well over 6 million premises able to connect and over 2 million that actually are connected. When the Shadow Minister says says and presumes to contrast this government’s record of delivery of the NBN with Labor’s shambolic and hopeless record, I said to her, we didn’t want to start from where we did but we have been getting on with the job, over 6 million premises now able to connect.
4.09am BST
04:09
Sarah Henderson gets the first dixer and gives the prime minister permission to talk more about “affordable and reliable energy”. (Side note: where did “responsible” go?)
Oh wait, I spoke too soon. Malcolm Turnbull has remembered responsibility is meant to be part of the non-three-word-three-word-slogan.
What we have now is a recommendation from the energy security board that will deliver affordable and reliable energy and will enable us to meet our emissions reduction fund obligations, affordability, reliability, responsibility. This is not a political proposal, it’s come from the experts in the business, experts appointed by Coag, chaired by an independent chairman with the energy market operator, the rules make, the regulator all on that board. This is what they’ve recommended – rules maker.
What did the leader of the opposition say in response to that? He called it science fiction. Then he called it nonsense. No respect whatsoever for people whose intellect and experience makes them the best qualified in the industry. It’s no wonder, Mr Speaker, that one group after another is endorsing our national energy guarantee. The head of Bloomberg energy finance solves problems in an incredibly elegant way, that’s what they said. Mr Speaker, we’ve seen from ACCI, AIG, the Minerals Council, the BCA, BlueScope, BHP Billiton, Ryder – across-the-board support for the guarantee and Labor should back it and back the experts.
Updated
at 4.19am BST
4.06am BST
04:06
Who had the NBN as the first question?
Bill Shorten jumps straight into it:
My question is to the prime minister, the prime minister’s second-rate copper NBN is creating a digital divide across Australia. With the one side of some streets getting first-rate fibre, while the other side gets second rate copper. How is this fair? Will the prime minister admit his second-rate copper NBN is creating a digital divide across this nation?
Malcolm Turnbull continues his defence of the NBN rollout, which is a matter very close to his heart, given he oversaw it while communications minister. He’s settled on his attack against Labor though, having given it a test run earlier today, and shouting to be heard over Labor’s heckling, he unleashes it:
The Labor party said when they announced they were going to establish a government company to build a national broadband network that it would be the most fantastic commercial opportunity. Kevin Rudd said that mums and dads would be lining up to invest, but, but he said he was stern, he said even though it was going to be the best investment ever, the government would hold 51%. He was going to hold back all of that wall of investment enthusiasm delivered at 49%.
What a train wreck it was. Tens of billions of dollars wasted by the Labor party, leaving us with the biggest corporate train wreck ever undertaken by a federal government. Now, what we’ve done is we’ve get on – on with the job and we’re playing the hand of cards we were dealt with by Labor and we are building it – got on with the job. We are building it for $30m less than under Labor and six to eight years’ less time.
Updated
at 4.17am BST
4.00am BST
04:00
I’ve headed into the chamber for question time.
Get those QT bingo cards ready!
Updated
at 4.00am BST
3.44am BST3.44am BST
03:4403:44
Back to estimates for a moment and George Brandis is back and defending Julie Bishop’s event attendance.Back to estimates for a moment and George Brandis is back and defending Julie Bishop’s event attendance.
As part of that, he has had a lot of trouble pronouncing ‘Thor’ and jokes about how his pronunciation of names has got him in trouble lately. He’s referring to when he had trouble saying Richard Di Natale’s name, which was corrected after Brandis was referred to as Senator Brand-arse by the Greens in the Senate. As part of that, he has had a lot of trouble pronouncing “Thor” and jokes about how his pronunciation of names has got him in trouble lately. He’s referring to when he had trouble saying Richard Di Natale’s name, which was corrected after Brandis was referred to as Senator Brand-arse by the Greens in the Senate.
Updated
at 3.58am BST
3.33am BST3.33am BST
03:3303:33
And just a few minutes after Michelle Rowland finishes speaking, communications minister Mitch Fifield announces how he will be holding a press conference in the next 10 minutes.And just a few minutes after Michelle Rowland finishes speaking, communications minister Mitch Fifield announces how he will be holding a press conference in the next 10 minutes.
3.23am BST3.23am BST
03:2303:23
Would Labor’s NBN have cost $30bn more?Would Labor’s NBN have cost $30bn more?
Michelle Rowland:Michelle Rowland:
This is absolute rubbish coming from a government that said they would deliver the NBN by 2016 $42.95bn. It’s now blown out to $50bn, and 2016 came and went. We know that this government has failed to deliver on every single measure, whether it be increased speed, rolling it out faster and greater reliability – all those factors have failed. So we don’t accept for one minute that this government’s botched copper – based NBN is actually going to deliver dividends for the economy, and is actually what we need in the 21st-century.This is absolute rubbish coming from a government that said they would deliver the NBN by 2016 $42.95bn. It’s now blown out to $50bn, and 2016 came and went. We know that this government has failed to deliver on every single measure, whether it be increased speed, rolling it out faster and greater reliability – all those factors have failed. So we don’t accept for one minute that this government’s botched copper – based NBN is actually going to deliver dividends for the economy, and is actually what we need in the 21st-century.
UpdatedUpdated
at 3.43am BSTat 3.43am BST
3.19am BST3.19am BST
03:1903:19
Labor’s communications spokesperson Michelle Rowland said there is a “frenzied state of panic” going on in Malcolm Turnbull’s office, as the NBN roll out goes on.Labor’s communications spokesperson Michelle Rowland said there is a “frenzied state of panic” going on in Malcolm Turnbull’s office, as the NBN roll out goes on.
“We are very concerned about these reports about putting increasing taxes and new taxes on wireless broadband,” she says.“We are very concerned about these reports about putting increasing taxes and new taxes on wireless broadband,” she says.
She dodges questions over the figures the government have put out about some of the individual costs (one case was close to $100,000) of connections under Labor’s plan. But she does say Australia was a “broadband backwater” when Labor first looked at the NBN.She dodges questions over the figures the government have put out about some of the individual costs (one case was close to $100,000) of connections under Labor’s plan. But she does say Australia was a “broadband backwater” when Labor first looked at the NBN.
I hope you have the NBN on your QT bingo card.I hope you have the NBN on your QT bingo card.
3.09am BST3.09am BST
03:0903:09
Brendan O’Connor has released a statement ahead of QT:Brendan O’Connor has released a statement ahead of QT:
Labor is seriously concerned that the Turnbull Government is incapable of addressing consistently flat wages growth – and in fact they’re making things worse by cutting the penalty rates of Australia’s lowest paid workers. Labor is seriously concerned that the Turnbull government is incapable of addressing consistently flat wages growth – and in fact they’re making things worse by cutting the penalty rates of Australia’s lowest paid workers.
Turnbull and his Liberals have NOTHING to say about these terrible record lows and have NO agenda to address them.Turnbull and his Liberals have NOTHING to say about these terrible record lows and have NO agenda to address them.
According to the latest data, wages growth for enterprise agreements approved in the June quarter fell to 2.6 per, from 2.7 per cent in March – a 26 year low. According to the latest data, wages growth for enterprise agreements approved in the June quarter fell to 2.6%, from 2.% in March – a 26-year low.
In addition to low wages growth, there were only 845 approved enterprise agreements in the June quarter, the lowest since 1995.In addition to low wages growth, there were only 845 approved enterprise agreements in the June quarter, the lowest since 1995.
Expect a little more on that during question time.Expect a little more on that during question time.
Updated
at 3.47am BST
3.07am BST3.07am BST
03:0703:07
Looks like there has been an interesting development in the Nigel Hadgkiss ABCC caseLooks like there has been an interesting development in the Nigel Hadgkiss ABCC case
#breaking Ex-ABCC boss Nigel Hadgkiss "at no time" discussed the case that led to his resignation w/ ABCC top lawyer https://t.co/GO0IRbl4w9#breaking Ex-ABCC boss Nigel Hadgkiss "at no time" discussed the case that led to his resignation w/ ABCC top lawyer https://t.co/GO0IRbl4w9
3.01am BST3.01am BST
03:0103:01
We are about an hour out from question time. So far we have learnt a lost 1,000-page security manual is not a security risk and the NBN is Labor’s fault.We are about an hour out from question time. So far we have learnt a lost 1,000-page security manual is not a security risk and the NBN is Labor’s fault.
The Manus Island centre is due to be closed on 31 October, but there do not seem to be a lot of answers about what will happen to the 600 or so people still there. And energy policy is still being debated.The Manus Island centre is due to be closed on 31 October, but there do not seem to be a lot of answers about what will happen to the 600 or so people still there. And energy policy is still being debated.
Fun times.Fun times.
UpdatedUpdated
at 3.03am BSTat 3.03am BST
2.50am BST2.50am BST
02:5002:50
Over in the chamber:Over in the chamber:
HoR now debating Treasury Laws Amendment (Improving Accountability and Member Outcomes in Superannuation Measures No. 2) Bill 2017 #auspolHoR now debating Treasury Laws Amendment (Improving Accountability and Member Outcomes in Superannuation Measures No. 2) Bill 2017 #auspol
2.45am BST2.45am BST
02:4502:45
Paul KarpPaul Karp
Dean Smith notes a Bishop media release from 2015 stating the Australian government invested $47.2m to attract Thor: Ragnarok and a new Ridley Scott film to Australia.Dean Smith notes a Bishop media release from 2015 stating the Australian government invested $47.2m to attract Thor: Ragnarok and a new Ridley Scott film to Australia.
Attorney general George Brandis has defended Bishop:Attorney general George Brandis has defended Bishop:
“[Bishop] may have attended [the premiere] in the role she assumed as foreign minister in advocating Australia’s interests including promotion ... of Australian cinema and the film industry.“[Bishop] may have attended [the premiere] in the role she assumed as foreign minister in advocating Australia’s interests including promotion ... of Australian cinema and the film industry.
“As a former arts minister, responsible for Australian film industry, I had discussions with Bishop and encouraged her, particularly in the US, to promote and advocate for the work of the Australian film industry. I know that the advocacy was greatly appreciated by the industry and very effective. [Her attendance at the premiere] may well be related to that.”“As a former arts minister, responsible for Australian film industry, I had discussions with Bishop and encouraged her, particularly in the US, to promote and advocate for the work of the Australian film industry. I know that the advocacy was greatly appreciated by the industry and very effective. [Her attendance at the premiere] may well be related to that.”
UpdatedUpdated
at 2.55am BSTat 2.55am BST
2.41am BST2.41am BST
02:4102:41
Kimberly Kitching is asking about ministerial standards and whether Julie Bishop met them with some of the events she went to, mentioning the recent trip she took to the Thor premiere.Kimberly Kitching is asking about ministerial standards and whether Julie Bishop met them with some of the events she went to, mentioning the recent trip she took to the Thor premiere.
George Brandis defends the foreign affairs minister:George Brandis defends the foreign affairs minister:
“You may be reassured Senator Kitching, that Ms Bishop as one of the most experienced and most respected ministers in the Australian government is well aware of the standards and is always observant of them.”“You may be reassured Senator Kitching, that Ms Bishop as one of the most experienced and most respected ministers in the Australian government is well aware of the standards and is always observant of them.”
UpdatedUpdated
at 2.54am BSTat 2.54am BST
2.32am BST2.32am BST
02:3202:32
Gareth HutchensGareth Hutchens
The Parliamentary budget office has warned it will run out of funding completely in 2020-21 if new federal funding can’t be secured.The Parliamentary budget office has warned it will run out of funding completely in 2020-21 if new federal funding can’t be secured.
Jenny Wilkinson, the parliamentary budget officer, has told senators that the PBO has already started drawing down on its special appropriation to continue paying its 40-odd staff, and it has roughly three years left before the money runs out.Jenny Wilkinson, the parliamentary budget officer, has told senators that the PBO has already started drawing down on its special appropriation to continue paying its 40-odd staff, and it has roughly three years left before the money runs out.
The PBO was established in July 2012 to provide independent and non-partisan analysis of the budget cycle, fiscal policy and the financial implications of policy proposals from major parties.The PBO was established in July 2012 to provide independent and non-partisan analysis of the budget cycle, fiscal policy and the financial implications of policy proposals from major parties.
Its work has become well-respected, and it works hard to protect its non-partisan name.Its work has become well-respected, and it works hard to protect its non-partisan name.
In August, it was forced to reject reports that it produced new modelling of Labor’s tax policies, showing Labor’s policies would increase the tax burden on households by more than $100bn.In August, it was forced to reject reports that it produced new modelling of Labor’s tax policies, showing Labor’s policies would increase the tax burden on households by more than $100bn.
News Corp papers the Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun and the Courier-Mail published the much-hyped story, and Treasurer Scott Morrison promoted it heavily.News Corp papers the Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun and the Courier-Mail published the much-hyped story, and Treasurer Scott Morrison promoted it heavily.
Morrison’s office had dropped the story to the newspapers the afternoon before, and told their journalists the new figures came from “independent modelling by the PBO and Treasury.”Morrison’s office had dropped the story to the newspapers the afternoon before, and told their journalists the new figures came from “independent modelling by the PBO and Treasury.”
Wilkinson said on Monday that the PBO had had some discussions about its ongoing funding with the joint committee of public accounts and audit about the need for more funding, but it had not had direct discussions with the government yet.Wilkinson said on Monday that the PBO had had some discussions about its ongoing funding with the joint committee of public accounts and audit about the need for more funding, but it had not had direct discussions with the government yet.
“I would expect that over the next year or two we should be having those discussions so that everyone is well aware of the sort of level of resourcing that we would need to supplement the PBO with, just in order to maintain the same level of resourcing that we have had over these first five years.”“I would expect that over the next year or two we should be having those discussions so that everyone is well aware of the sort of level of resourcing that we would need to supplement the PBO with, just in order to maintain the same level of resourcing that we have had over these first five years.”
UpdatedUpdated
at 2.35am BSTat 2.35am BST
2.32am BST2.32am BST
02:3202:32
Over in the Finance and Public Administration committee again, and George Brandis is in the hot seat, and Julie Bishop’s travel is on the agenda.Over in the Finance and Public Administration committee again, and George Brandis is in the hot seat, and Julie Bishop’s travel is on the agenda.
2.28am BST2.28am BST
02:2802:28
Looks like parliamentary staffers and members (including your correspondent) are about to get help reaching their 10,000 steps a day– the parliamentary carpark lifts (not the public one) will be out of action between December and May. So I guess we can expect them to be out until November then.Looks like parliamentary staffers and members (including your correspondent) are about to get help reaching their 10,000 steps a day– the parliamentary carpark lifts (not the public one) will be out of action between December and May. So I guess we can expect them to be out until November then.
On to slightly more important matters, Penny Wong is questioning officials from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet about the leaking of the COAG agenda on terrorism offences to the media. George Brandis pointed the finger at the states, who had the agenda.On to slightly more important matters, Penny Wong is questioning officials from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet about the leaking of the COAG agenda on terrorism offences to the media. George Brandis pointed the finger at the states, who had the agenda.