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AFP responds to leaked internal memo on resourcing – politics live | |
(35 minutes later) | |
8.04am BST | |
08:04 | |
“None of these allegations, even if they are true, warrant this conduct,” O’Connor says and ends the press conference. | |
8.04am BST | |
08:04 | |
O’Connor says “this grubby prime minister is willing to use the police like his play thing” and calls the raids, by a civil regulator, over a matter from 10 years ago “remarkable”. | |
8.03am BST | |
08:03 | |
O’Connor: | |
“This is a civil regulator and yet we have crime fighters raiding offices because of the role of civil regulator...the priority of this government is about deploying police for civil matters...against their political opponents.” | |
He says the government treats the federal police as its ‘play thing’. | |
8.01am BST | |
08:01 | |
O’Connor: | |
“I saw the raids happening on television, the first I saw of it, was when it was public...I did not know of these raids until they were happening and i dare say the federal leader did not know. | |
“Of course the media knew, because all the cameras were waiting outside two premises....and indeed the government knew. | |
8.00am BST | |
08:00 | |
O’Connor: “He beggars belief that this is not a political raid, it beggars belief,” he says of the commissions first public act. | |
He says the prime minister needs to explain what he knew of the raids, what his role was and what Michaelia Cash’s role was. | |
“It is clear now that there is never an end to the political abuse of Commonwealth agencies by this government.” | |
7.58am BST | |
07:58 | |
He says the raids validate Labor’s decision not to support the Registered Organisations Commission, because it believed it would be used against the government’s opponents. | |
He said Labor did not support the ROC “because it will be used for political purposes, base political purposes.” | |
He accused the government of using “tax payer dollars to its attack its political opponents” and hits out at this “loser prime minister”. | |
7.55am BST | |
07:55 | |
Labor responds to AWU raids | |
Brendan O’Connor has gone live in a press conference slamming the raids on the AWU offices. | |
He is not mincing his words: | |
“Malcolm Turnbull, when he is under pressure, calls the police ... Malcolm Turnbull clearly has misused the police.” | |
He says it is a “civil matter at best” and calls it “an abuse of ministerial power, an abuse of police resources”. | |
Updated | |
at 8.00am BST | |
7.46am BST | |
07:46 | |
The AWU’s Victorian secretary, Ben Davis, has spoken to media outside the union’s Melbourne office. | |
“This is a shameful abuse of process” - Ben Davis - @AWUnion - Melbourne. @AusFedPolice conducting raids on Sydney and Melb AWU offices. pic.twitter.com/O59U6IYhhv | |
Updated | |
at 7.49am BST | |
7.41am BST | |
07:41 | |
While we’re talking about the AFP and its protection of the prime minister’s Point Piper home, I’ve been reminded of this joke Malcolm Turnbull made on the Today show on 18 October. | |
I’ve got a big power bill but not least because I’ve got a small police station in my garden, as you know. | |
Updated | |
at 7.50am BST | |
7.39am BST | |
07:39 | |
The AFP have just posted a statement in response to the ABC story on the leaked internal memo which dominated question time (and some of the ABC estimates hearing). | |
Tuesday, 24 October 2017, Publish time: 5:31pm | |
The AFP is disappointed an internal working document, which sought to provide confidential operational advice and revealed operational sensitivities, has been made public as this undermines the AFP’s ability to ensure its resources are used efficiently, effectively and appropriately. This is now subject to a Professional Standards investigation. | |
Over the past 12 months, the AFP and its partners have made record drug seizures, dismantled significant and multi-national organised crime syndicates, and disrupted a number of plots with people allegedly planning to carry out terrorist attacks in Australia. | |
The AFP makes decisions daily on operational priorities, resourcing and determining which matters pose the greatest risk to the safety and security to the Australian community, and directing its resources where they are most needed. The AFP has systems in place to manage its resources as flexibly as possible against the highest priorities. | |
The AFP has a broad range of Protection obligations in Sydney (including the AFP’s own people and premises). Protecting Prime Ministers and Australian high office holders has always been part of the AFP’s operational remit. The provisions in place for Prime Minister Turnbull are entirely consistent with both the current enhanced security environment and protection measures in place for previous Prime Ministers. | |
The challenges for law enforcement have evolved significantly over the past decade. This calls for the use of innovative operational practices and techniques, including offshore disruption when the AFP feels that this is the most appropriate way to manage a criminal investigation. Technological advances and increasingly complex criminal methodologies require the use of more specialist capabilities. | |
In this year’s Budget, the Government invested an additional $321.4 million to bolster the AFP’s capability, and ensure the agency is best-placed to combat its future challenges. | |
*end statement* | |
Updated | |
at 7.43am BST | |
7.38am BST | |
07:38 | |
And some more: | |
Statement from @SenatorAbetz on AFP raids #auspol pic.twitter.com/hsTL635SVL | |
7.31am BST | |
07:31 | |
Labor’s employment spokesman, Brendan O’Connor, has released a statement of his own on the AWU offices’ raids. | |
On the same day Parliament was told that Turnbull’s cuts to the AFP have meant serious crimes like drug smuggling could not be properly investigated, we see these extraordinary raids. Turnbull and his Government openly directed the Commission to start this witch hunt. | |
He is entirely responsible for this turn of events – it’s an alarming misuse of ministerial power. | |
The Liberals have already wasted millions of taxpayers’ dollars on their witch hunt into unions. | |
They will stop at nothing to attack workers and their representatives. | |
This is the NBN raids during the election campaign all over again. | |
Australians will see this for the desperate tactic that it is. | |
*end statement* | |
Updated | |
at 7.34am BST | |
7.29am BST | 7.29am BST |
07:29 | 07:29 |
Statement from AWU National Secretary re AFP raids pic.twitter.com/v59uPUiljS | Statement from AWU National Secretary re AFP raids pic.twitter.com/v59uPUiljS |
7.23am BST | 7.23am BST |
07:23 | 07:23 |
Sky News has been showing images of the AFP raid on the AWU offices. Looks like it is going to go on for a while. | Sky News has been showing images of the AFP raid on the AWU offices. Looks like it is going to go on for a while. |
We believe Bill Shorten’s lawyer just walked into the AWU offices currently being raided by AFP | We believe Bill Shorten’s lawyer just walked into the AWU offices currently being raided by AFP |
(Just an update on this–Sky are not the only media outlet there, but they are showing live pictures. The raid has been going on for a while and as far as I can see the ABC broke it. Then media outlets headed to the AWU Sydney and Melbourne offices) | |
Updated | |
at 7.35am BST | |
7.18am BST | 7.18am BST |
07:18 | 07:18 |
Over in the legal affairs estimates hearing and George Brandis and Penny Wong have been discussing the appointments of former Coalition MPs to things like the administrative appeals tribunal. | Over in the legal affairs estimates hearing and George Brandis and Penny Wong have been discussing the appointments of former Coalition MPs to things like the administrative appeals tribunal. |
It has been jokingly referred to by some wags as the “no Liberal left behind” policy. | It has been jokingly referred to by some wags as the “no Liberal left behind” policy. |
Wong pointed out that six of the 23 full-time members of the AAT have strong links back to the Liberal party, or 26%. | Wong pointed out that six of the 23 full-time members of the AAT have strong links back to the Liberal party, or 26%. |
Brandis says that he does not “consider service in parliament as a disqualification”. | Brandis says that he does not “consider service in parliament as a disqualification”. |
A rough transcript of some of the afternoon’s hearing follows: | A rough transcript of some of the afternoon’s hearing follows: |
Wong: It is the case that the 76 appointments you made on the eve of the election last year, none were made through committee process? | Wong: It is the case that the 76 appointments you made on the eve of the election last year, none were made through committee process? |
Brandis: Most of those appointments were reappointments. | Brandis: Most of those appointments were reappointments. |
[Secretary of AG department] Chris Moraitis: I cannot recall any committee process being used in those appointments, or recently. | [Secretary of AG department] Chris Moraitis: I cannot recall any committee process being used in those appointments, or recently. |
Wong: How many of all the appointments you made were advertised, or recommended by selection committee? | Wong: How many of all the appointments you made were advertised, or recommended by selection committee? |
Brandis: [Takes on notice] | Brandis: [Takes on notice] |
Wong: Do you recall a selection committee being established at all by this government in any appointments? | Wong: Do you recall a selection committee being established at all by this government in any appointments? |
Moraitis: No. | Moraitis: No. |
Wong: How many of the appointments that the government has made to the AAT since protocol put in place have been recommended for appointment without any process whatsoever? | Wong: How many of the appointments that the government has made to the AAT since protocol put in place have been recommended for appointment without any process whatsoever? |
Brandis: There’s always been a process … | Brandis: There’s always been a process … |
Wong: What is it? | Wong: What is it? |
Brandis: [Neither] Justice Kerr nor [David] Thomas [president of the AAT] have ever raised a complaint with me that they were dissatisfied about how complaints were being handled. | Brandis: [Neither] Justice Kerr nor [David] Thomas [president of the AAT] have ever raised a complaint with me that they were dissatisfied about how complaints were being handled. |
Wong: You announced appointments at end of September. Did the president supply you with a list of positions that needed to be filled? If so when? | Wong: You announced appointments at end of September. Did the president supply you with a list of positions that needed to be filled? If so when? |
Brandis: I have had a very full process with the president about appointments. | Brandis: I have had a very full process with the president about appointments. |
Wong: How many were reappointments recommended? How many were publicly advertised ... | Wong: How many were reappointments recommended? How many were publicly advertised ... |
Brandis: [Takes on notice] | Brandis: [Takes on notice] |
Wong: Did you advertise any of them? You don’t remember? | Wong: Did you advertise any of them? You don’t remember? |
Brandis: I want to check. [Takes further questions about full-time v part-time appointments on notice] | Brandis: I want to check. [Takes further questions about full-time v part-time appointments on notice] |
Wong: You’re responsible for about 95% of appointments to the AAT? | Wong: You’re responsible for about 95% of appointments to the AAT? |
Brandis: Sounds about right. | Brandis: Sounds about right. |
Updated | Updated |
at 7.24am BST | at 7.24am BST |
6.56am BST | 6.56am BST |
06:56 | 06:56 |
I am going to take an educated guess that the AFP raid has something to do with the allegations in this story, published by the Australian yesterday | I am going to take an educated guess that the AFP raid has something to do with the allegations in this story, published by the Australian yesterday |
Brad Norington reported: | Brad Norington reported: |
Bill Shorten faces investigation over a large sum of union funds he donated to his own election campaign in 2007 – possibly without proper approval – when he led the Australian Workers Union and first ran for parliament. | Bill Shorten faces investigation over a large sum of union funds he donated to his own election campaign in 2007 – possibly without proper approval – when he led the Australian Workers Union and first ran for parliament. |
The Registered Organisations Commission is understood to be inquiring into a $25,000 union payment that Mr Shorten arranged to help his campaign as Labor’s candidate in the federal Victorian seat of Maribyrnong. | The Registered Organisations Commission is understood to be inquiring into a $25,000 union payment that Mr Shorten arranged to help his campaign as Labor’s candidate in the federal Victorian seat of Maribyrnong. |
Also under scrutiny are two other AWU donations to Labor candidates in federal seats that were handled by Mr Shorten when he was in charge of the union — $25,000 for Petrie in Queensland and $20,000 for Stirling in Western Australia. | Also under scrutiny are two other AWU donations to Labor candidates in federal seats that were handled by Mr Shorten when he was in charge of the union — $25,000 for Petrie in Queensland and $20,000 for Stirling in Western Australia. |
The commission’s investigation of these AWU donations during the 2008 financial year is in addition to another it started on Friday into Mr Shorten’s union handout to GetUp! in 2006 when he sat on the activist group’s board as well as leading the AWU. | The commission’s investigation of these AWU donations during the 2008 financial year is in addition to another it started on Friday into Mr Shorten’s union handout to GetUp! in 2006 when he sat on the activist group’s board as well as leading the AWU. |
Updated | Updated |
at 7.06am BST | at 7.06am BST |
6.46am BST | 6.46am BST |
06:46 | 06:46 |
The AFP is currently raiding The Australian Workers’ Union offices in Melbourne and Sydney, via @StephieBorys @abcnews | The AFP is currently raiding The Australian Workers’ Union offices in Melbourne and Sydney, via @StephieBorys @abcnews |