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| Ministers grilled on media reforms – politics live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 1.29am BST | |
| 01:29 | |
| Paul Karp | |
| Labor’s caucus has decided to oppose both bills that implement the government’s media deal with One Nation, including the imposition of a “fair and balanced” test on the ABC. | |
| Bill Shorten told caucus the only thing that is fast about Malcolm Turnbull’s national broadband network is “the speed with which he finds someone else is to blame”. | |
| The climate change spokesman, Mark Butler, said the government’s national energy guarantee is “nothing more than a plan to strangle renewable energy, investment and jobs”. He said achieving a mix of 28% renewable energy by 2030 would mean “a two-third cut to rooftop solar installation and no large-scale projects built over the next decade”. | |
| Also worth noting that after the shadow cabinet reshuffle, there are now 31 people in the shadow ministry and Andrew Leigh who had to take a $40,000 pay cut last reshuffle will now get a pay rise. | |
| Updated | |
| at 1.31am BST | |
| 1.29am BST | |
| 01:29 | |
| Australia steps up counter terrorism support in the Philippines | |
| Marise Payne has made quite a few announcements while visiting the Philippines. Here is a bit of her brief conference: | |
| The ADF will provide mobile training teams that will begin providing urban warfare Counter Terrorism training in the Philippines in the coming days. It is very practical training by the ADF which will support the Philippines defence force to be able to counter what are very brutal tactics by terrorists. Through our significant involvement in the last couple of years in the counter Daesh campaign in Iraq and Syria, Australia has acquired skills and knowledge that we are able to share with the Philippines armed forces. As part of our increased cooperation, we have also agreed to work together to enhance intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance in the southern Philippines, to strengthen our...information sharing and enhance our maritime patrols. Together, Australia and the Philippines will cohost a multiagency civil military and...law enforcement seminar on post-conflict rehabilitation of its later this year. This seminar will draw lessons from past operations and international and local civil military police expertise. These measures together will strengthen our ability and the ability of the government in the region, but here specifically in the Philippines, to combat this terrorist threat over the long-term. This inherent strength support will include a number of elements. The Australian Army will provide training to the Philippines army and the Philippines Marine Corps. This training will be conducted on Philippines military bases. It will include a range of skills related to combat on urban environments. It will involve information sharing and experience sharing to ensure that we are best able to use the skills that we have two hand. The Royal Australian Navy will conduct ship visits to the Philippines that involve a range of cooperative activities to support the development of capacity in the Philippines navy. This cooperation will begin with an Australian patrol boat visit in the next month. Our P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft have been operating in support of the fight in Marawi for some months now. The Secretary and I have discussed their activities in the last couple of days. Now that the secretary of National defence has declared the end of combat operations in Marawi, we have been reviewing with the Philippines the need for that continuing engagement is and the reconnaissance support. We will work with the Philippines to address that in the coming days.Australian experts from military and civilian agencies will conduct a seminar in the Philippines, which is focused on the efforts of a whole of government response and approach to reconstruction, recovery, and rehabilitation. We are also going to increase our intelligence cooperation including expert advice on countering Daesh inspired social media. We know the battle against terrorism does not just occur in a physical combat zone, it occurs in the Internet zone, it occurs in the cyber worlds to a degree that it is difficult to appreciate unless you are very focused on that and this is something we have been very conscious of in Iraq and Syria.” | |
| Updated | |
| at 1.30am BST | |
| 1.21am BST | |
| 01:21 | |
| We have the Productivity Commission report and are going through it now. We’ll have an update on it as soon as we finish reading it (it’s 253 pages). | |
| Scott Morrison gave a speech at a Ceda event this morning, where he praised the government’s policies. | |
| Following the speech, he held a press conference where he talked more about the Productivity Commission report, (and, because it’s Morrison, let us all know his latest thoughts on Labor): | |
| The goal is clear. More and better paid jobs, lifting living standards. The report from the Productivity Commission I think provides good direction. The goals are for governments to work through. I commend Peter [Harris] and his team for what they have delivered. It is not just about issues in that report, as I said in my presentation it is also about getting on with the reforms we have on the table. Changes like taxes, tax changes that lead to higher wages, improved investment. Some 6.3 million Australians in 120,000 businesses, as a result of Chris Bowen’s press conference this morning, are living in limbo. 120,000 businesses, 6.3 million Australians at work for businesses that have a turnover between $2m-$50m a year. They don’t want you to sit on the couch and contemplate these things, they want to know what you are going to do, and they want to know if you are going to put up their taxes. You have had plenty of time to work it out, we have this debate at the last election, and the Coalition won the election. Key to that was decreasing taxes to increase better-paid jobs. | |
| Updated | |
| at 1.29am BST | |
| 1.09am BST | |
| 01:09 | |
| Shadow cabinet reshuffle announced | |
| Bill Shorten has announced a minor reshuffle in his shadow cabinet, in the wake of Kate Ellis’ announcement earlier this year she will not stand at the next election. | |
| Today I announce minor changes to Labor’s shadow ministerial team following Kate Ellis’ decision to step down and not contest the next election. | |
| Following this morning’s Labor caucus meeting, I have asked deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek to add training to her existing responsibilities as shadow minister for education and shadow minister for women. Working closely with Tanya will be Senator Doug Cameron, who will add Tafe to his current responsibilities as shadow minister for skills and apprenticeships. | |
| Amanda Rishworth will join the shadow cabinet as the shadow minister for early childhood education and development, in addition to her current role as shadow minister for veterans’ affairs. | |
| Matt Thistlethwaite will become the shadow assistant minister for an Australian head of state, in addition to his current role as shadow assistant minister for Treasury. | |
| On behalf of the entire Labor movement, I want to once again record my thanks to Kate for her 13 years of outstanding parliamentary service. I know she will approach the next chapter of her life with the same hard work, honest charm and genuine concern for the lives of her fellow Australians. | |
| In the mean time, we hope Kate, David and their growing family enjoy some well-earned time together at home. | |
| Updated | |
| at 1.31am BST | |
| 1.02am BST | 1.02am BST |
| 01:02 | 01:02 |
| 'What is it you hate about Guardian Australia?' | |
| Paul Karp | Paul Karp |
| Labor senator Deborah O’Neil has been grilling communications minister, Mitchell Fifield about why the government’s media deal with the Nick Xenophon Team excluded Guardian Australia. | Labor senator Deborah O’Neil has been grilling communications minister, Mitchell Fifield about why the government’s media deal with the Nick Xenophon Team excluded Guardian Australia. |
| Nick Xenophon has said that it was a “non-negotiable” element of the package that none of the $60m go to Guardian Australia. | |
| O’Neil asks in several ways: what is it you hate about Guardian Australia? | |
| Fifield: “The government makes no apology for the fact that one of the tests is it can’t be controlled by an entity that is not Australian.” | |
| Fifield said that none of the criteria relate to an organisation’s philosophy. “We don’t have a test for ideology.” | |
| Updated | |
| at 1.32am BST | |
| 1.02am BST | 1.02am BST |
| 01:02 | 01:02 |
| Back in the legal affairs committee hearing and Derryn Hinch has picked up on the ACL van fire, seemingly to allow the police to clarify their comments about why they came to the conclusion it was not politically motivated. ACT police’s Justine Saunders: | Back in the legal affairs committee hearing and Derryn Hinch has picked up on the ACL van fire, seemingly to allow the police to clarify their comments about why they came to the conclusion it was not politically motivated. ACT police’s Justine Saunders: |
| Our understanding is he spent one to two months preparing for this event and during that time, he explored a lot of information through social media, both relating to the course of action he took, options available to him ... He certainly made statements to us that he felt religion had failed, and he had explored on social media a whole range of religious issues. As the commissioner said, the key here is context, so yes he did make a comment in regards to ACL, but it was in direct response to a leading question by a police officer about why he was there. So he certainly said other things in that statement at the hospital immediately after which gave greater context to this and he made it very clear that his intention was ‘to blow himself up’ quote. And that is why he had travelled there. And certainly the evidence we obtained from other medical staff and others he had interacted with is that he went to other locations on the evening with a view to committing suicide and then because of other people around at that time, he didn’t believe it was appropriate to undertake that act there, he drove to where the incident occurred and our understanding was that was in fact spontaneous on the night, that was not preplanned. | |
| Hinch said his opinion was ACL head Lyle Shelton was “desperate to make the ACL martyrs in all of this. I think the ACL was quite keen to be seen as a target”. | |
| Is this why the AFP within hours of it happening, were telling journalists, were telling other people this was a suicide, this had nothing to do with the same-sex marriage debate, it had nothing to do with anything? | |
| AFP commissioner Andrew Colvin said he did not want to comment on what Shelton’s motivations may have been. | |
| I accept that he is concerned for his employees and that is a very legitimate concern that he has. We needed to make a statement to the public in the morning to make sure there was an appropriate level of information so the public could understand the events of the evening. ... We didn’t back brief journalists, we did a press conference to everybody who was available and stated what we believed the facts to be at the time. And as I said before I am still confident that subsequent investigations, subsequent facts that have come out have only reinforced the view that we had on that day.” | |
| In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. Hotlines in other countries can be found here | In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. Hotlines in other countries can be found here |
| Updated | |
| at 1.14am BST | |
| 12.46am BST | 12.46am BST |
| 00:46 | 00:46 |
| In the communications estimates hearing, the media reforms are under the spotlight. Sarah Hanson-Young is pressing quite hard about the journalism cadetship program at the moment. We’ll have more on that for you soon. | In the communications estimates hearing, the media reforms are under the spotlight. Sarah Hanson-Young is pressing quite hard about the journalism cadetship program at the moment. We’ll have more on that for you soon. |
| A few moments before, Sam Dastyari was pressing Mitch Fifield on what he believed his role was when it came to the public broadcasters and competition. | A few moments before, Sam Dastyari was pressing Mitch Fifield on what he believed his role was when it came to the public broadcasters and competition. |
| Dastyari: “Is there a role for the minister in reducing competition faced by commercial broadcasters ... be it from the ABC, SBS or Facebook or Google? You said before minister at the start, you wanted to see thriving commercial broadcasters, and I don’t think anyone doesn’t want to see commercial broadcasting, but to what extent is there a role for government to create, or to protect them.” | Dastyari: “Is there a role for the minister in reducing competition faced by commercial broadcasters ... be it from the ABC, SBS or Facebook or Google? You said before minister at the start, you wanted to see thriving commercial broadcasters, and I don’t think anyone doesn’t want to see commercial broadcasting, but to what extent is there a role for government to create, or to protect them.” |
| Fifield: “I think there is a role for government to help create an environment that is conducive to having a healthy and viable commercial media sector, alongside having a healthy public media sector.” | Fifield: “I think there is a role for government to help create an environment that is conducive to having a healthy and viable commercial media sector, alongside having a healthy public media sector.” |
| Dastyari moves on to SBS, and the role of the broadcaster when it comes to advertising. | Dastyari moves on to SBS, and the role of the broadcaster when it comes to advertising. |
| Dastyari: “Do you see SBS in a different boat in this competitive neutrality enquiry than the ABC in that they do have an advertising component, so they are clearly going to be competing for commercial audiences. Is that correct?” | Dastyari: “Do you see SBS in a different boat in this competitive neutrality enquiry than the ABC in that they do have an advertising component, so they are clearly going to be competing for commercial audiences. Is that correct?” |
| Fifield: “You are right, SBS is an organisation unlike the ABC that can take advertising, and that could well see SBS making different programming decisions and other decisions compared to the ABC.” | Fifield: “You are right, SBS is an organisation unlike the ABC that can take advertising, and that could well see SBS making different programming decisions and other decisions compared to the ABC.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 12.51am BST | at 12.51am BST |
| 12.38am BST | 12.38am BST |
| 00:38 | 00:38 |
| Some deeply uncomfortable scenes in the legal and constitutional affairs estimates hearing. Eric Abetz and Ian Macdonald made a point of questioning the Australian federal police over their arson investigation involving a mentally ill man who attempted suicide by driving into the Australian Christian Lobby office late last year. | Some deeply uncomfortable scenes in the legal and constitutional affairs estimates hearing. Eric Abetz and Ian Macdonald made a point of questioning the Australian federal police over their arson investigation involving a mentally ill man who attempted suicide by driving into the Australian Christian Lobby office late last year. |
| Jaden Duong, 36, who struggled with mental illness for much of his life, died by suicide in September. He was awaiting trial on arson charges for the December incident. | Jaden Duong, 36, who struggled with mental illness for much of his life, died by suicide in September. He was awaiting trial on arson charges for the December incident. |
| Head of the ACL, Lyle Shelton, has refused to concede the incident was not politically motivated, despite the AFP repeatedly stating Duong was motivated by a desire to end his own life. | Head of the ACL, Lyle Shelton, has refused to concede the incident was not politically motivated, despite the AFP repeatedly stating Duong was motivated by a desire to end his own life. |
| On Tuesday morning, Macdonald and Abetz took up the ACL’s case during estimates with the AFP’s Andrew Colvin and the ACT police’s Justine Saunders. | On Tuesday morning, Macdonald and Abetz took up the ACL’s case during estimates with the AFP’s Andrew Colvin and the ACT police’s Justine Saunders. |
| Saunders said Duong looked at other locations, but decided against them because were too crowded. He decided on the ACL carpark, she said, because it was empty. | Saunders said Duong looked at other locations, but decided against them because were too crowded. He decided on the ACL carpark, she said, because it was empty. |
| Macdonald and Abetz do not look convinced and Penny Wong and Louise Pratt attempted to stop some of the questioning, which went into methodology on the grounds it was damaging and breached guidelines on how to talk about suicide. It’s for those reasons we won’t go into the transcript here. Colvin eventually puts a stop to it when he says he is uncomfortable discussing something which is before the coroner. | Macdonald and Abetz do not look convinced and Penny Wong and Louise Pratt attempted to stop some of the questioning, which went into methodology on the grounds it was damaging and breached guidelines on how to talk about suicide. It’s for those reasons we won’t go into the transcript here. Colvin eventually puts a stop to it when he says he is uncomfortable discussing something which is before the coroner. |
| In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. Hotlines in other countries can be found here | In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. Hotlines in other countries can be found here |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 12.45am BST | at 12.45am BST |
| 12.03am BST | 12.03am BST |
| 00:03 | 00:03 |
| We are still waiting on word from the high court. There is no mention of the judgment on the court schedule for today. | We are still waiting on word from the high court. There is no mention of the judgment on the court schedule for today. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 12.08am BST | at 12.08am BST |
| 11.59pm BST | 11.59pm BST |
| 23:59 | 23:59 |
| Labor’s shadow treasury spokesperson, Chris Bowen, said he is yet to see the Productivity Commission report Scott Morrison has been talking about this morning, but he said from what he saw, he welcomed its findings. | Labor’s shadow treasury spokesperson, Chris Bowen, said he is yet to see the Productivity Commission report Scott Morrison has been talking about this morning, but he said from what he saw, he welcomed its findings. |
| If the reporting is correct, and there is no reason to doubt it, it is humiliating for Scott Morrison. All he has got is a corporate tax cut. He wants to reduce the taxes on Australia’s businesses by $65bn and increase [the burden on] workers by $44bn over the next decade with the Medicare levy rise. On workers who earn as little as $21,000. If he talks about inclusive growth today, if he talks about putting people first, let him explain this: why is he standing by and watching penalty rates be cut? Why is he watching wages growth at record lows and then cutting wages through the penalty rate cut? Why is it acting [against Australians who earn as] little as $21,000 per year, while giving a $65bn tax cut to big business? That is not inclusive growth. That is the opposite of inclusive growth. | If the reporting is correct, and there is no reason to doubt it, it is humiliating for Scott Morrison. All he has got is a corporate tax cut. He wants to reduce the taxes on Australia’s businesses by $65bn and increase [the burden on] workers by $44bn over the next decade with the Medicare levy rise. On workers who earn as little as $21,000. If he talks about inclusive growth today, if he talks about putting people first, let him explain this: why is he standing by and watching penalty rates be cut? Why is he watching wages growth at record lows and then cutting wages through the penalty rate cut? Why is it acting [against Australians who earn as] little as $21,000 per year, while giving a $65bn tax cut to big business? That is not inclusive growth. That is the opposite of inclusive growth. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 12.12am BST | at 12.12am BST |
| 11.55pm BST | 11.55pm BST |
| 23:55 | 23:55 |
| Caucus and party room meetings are scheduled for today – we’ll bring you an update on what went on as soon as they get out. | Caucus and party room meetings are scheduled for today – we’ll bring you an update on what went on as soon as they get out. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 11.57pm BST | at 11.57pm BST |
| 11.35pm BST | 11.35pm BST |
| 23:35 | 23:35 |
| The department of energy fronted the environment committee in estimates overnight. | The department of energy fronted the environment committee in estimates overnight. |
| It looks like quite a few questions about the national energy guarantee were taken on notice. Penny Wong had a go confirming the price savings the government has been touting ($110/$115 as an average some time between 2020 and 2030) but those were taken on notice as well. | It looks like quite a few questions about the national energy guarantee were taken on notice. Penny Wong had a go confirming the price savings the government has been touting ($110/$115 as an average some time between 2020 and 2030) but those were taken on notice as well. |
| But the department did say that it did not have any modelling on the Neg. Which has given Mark Butler a fun morning, talking about what he is now calling the “national energy gimmick”. | But the department did say that it did not have any modelling on the Neg. Which has given Mark Butler a fun morning, talking about what he is now calling the “national energy gimmick”. |
| Here he was in his press conference this morning, talking about estimates last night. | Here he was in his press conference this morning, talking about estimates last night. |
| There is no paperwork about how this and analysis or modelling sections of the department with responsibility for carbon emissions and energy provision said they had no analysis about whether this policy was workable and how it would operate. We’ve also had confirmed from a range of agencies over the last day, statutory responsibilities, but the first they knew about the prime minister’s announcement was on TV. The Climate Change Authority has parliamentary statutory responsibility for policy in this area for climate change and energy and they were not consulted. And Arena, the renewable energy agency, again, wasn’t consulted at all about this policy. We’ve also had evidence confirmed from the Department of Energy about what everyone understands from this policy, that Malcolm Turnbull seeks to hide from his own Coalition party room and that if this policy goes through, it will inevitably set a price on carbon. It will inevitably lead to the market pricing the emissions reduction obligations that are set out in this policy which is a price on carbon. | There is no paperwork about how this and analysis or modelling sections of the department with responsibility for carbon emissions and energy provision said they had no analysis about whether this policy was workable and how it would operate. We’ve also had confirmed from a range of agencies over the last day, statutory responsibilities, but the first they knew about the prime minister’s announcement was on TV. The Climate Change Authority has parliamentary statutory responsibility for policy in this area for climate change and energy and they were not consulted. And Arena, the renewable energy agency, again, wasn’t consulted at all about this policy. We’ve also had evidence confirmed from the Department of Energy about what everyone understands from this policy, that Malcolm Turnbull seeks to hide from his own Coalition party room and that if this policy goes through, it will inevitably set a price on carbon. It will inevitably lead to the market pricing the emissions reduction obligations that are set out in this policy which is a price on carbon. |
| He also had a little bit to say about today’s the Australian’s front page story (which is an analysis of modelling). | He also had a little bit to say about today’s the Australian’s front page story (which is an analysis of modelling). |
| Can I also respond to the tired old beat-up on the front page of the Australian. The Australian presents this story as somehow new. If the reporter had done his research he would have discovered that News Ltd tried to kick this story along back in February to another one of its newspapers in Queensland. The problem with the story is that it reflects modelling of a policy that no one has ever supported. There have been lots of different electricity policies over the last year and Malcolm Turnbull is up to his third in one year. The policy on the front page of the Australian as far as I am aware does not reflect a policy that anyone has been advocating in this energy debate. The big difference between Labor’s policies and the government’s for that matter in the modelling on the front page of the Australian is the modelling assumes that the policy would be internationally linked and would start with a carbon price of $69 per tonne of carbon in 2020 ... Malcolm Turnbull is proposing a similar price but I can tell you the Labor party isn’t. If the Australian was interested in modelling about the emissions-intensity scheme idea the government was advocating until December, the energy markets commission, the CSI our row and others have model that scheme, the sort of scheme that Labor and the government was advocating in 2016 and shown that an emissions-intensity scheme which operates in a closed market, not internationally linked, without that sort of carbon price that the Australian is talking about, that would lead to power prices being up to $15bn lower over the course of the next decade. | Can I also respond to the tired old beat-up on the front page of the Australian. The Australian presents this story as somehow new. If the reporter had done his research he would have discovered that News Ltd tried to kick this story along back in February to another one of its newspapers in Queensland. The problem with the story is that it reflects modelling of a policy that no one has ever supported. There have been lots of different electricity policies over the last year and Malcolm Turnbull is up to his third in one year. The policy on the front page of the Australian as far as I am aware does not reflect a policy that anyone has been advocating in this energy debate. The big difference between Labor’s policies and the government’s for that matter in the modelling on the front page of the Australian is the modelling assumes that the policy would be internationally linked and would start with a carbon price of $69 per tonne of carbon in 2020 ... Malcolm Turnbull is proposing a similar price but I can tell you the Labor party isn’t. If the Australian was interested in modelling about the emissions-intensity scheme idea the government was advocating until December, the energy markets commission, the CSI our row and others have model that scheme, the sort of scheme that Labor and the government was advocating in 2016 and shown that an emissions-intensity scheme which operates in a closed market, not internationally linked, without that sort of carbon price that the Australian is talking about, that would lead to power prices being up to $15bn lower over the course of the next decade. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 11.55pm BST | at 11.55pm BST |
| 11.07pm BST | 11.07pm BST |
| 23:07 | 23:07 |
| The rumours George Brandis will be moving on to an overseas post sometime towards the end of the year, (when Malcolm Turnbull is expected to reshuffle his cabinet, with Christian Porter moving to AG and Mathias Cormann as Senate leader the strongest of the reshuffle rumours) will not go away. New Zealand is one of the more recent suggestions. For the record, Brandis has repeatedly denied he is going anywhere. | The rumours George Brandis will be moving on to an overseas post sometime towards the end of the year, (when Malcolm Turnbull is expected to reshuffle his cabinet, with Christian Porter moving to AG and Mathias Cormann as Senate leader the strongest of the reshuffle rumours) will not go away. New Zealand is one of the more recent suggestions. For the record, Brandis has repeatedly denied he is going anywhere. |
| But why is this relevant? Well, because he is fronting estimates this morning. And it may be one of the last opportunities we have to witness one of the best sideshows parliament has to offer Penny Wong v George Brandis. If you get a chance, I recommend you tune in. I’ll try to keep you as updated as I can. | But why is this relevant? Well, because he is fronting estimates this morning. And it may be one of the last opportunities we have to witness one of the best sideshows parliament has to offer Penny Wong v George Brandis. If you get a chance, I recommend you tune in. I’ll try to keep you as updated as I can. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 11.12pm BST | at 11.12pm BST |
| 10.57pm BST | 10.57pm BST |
| 22:57 | 22:57 |
| As we come to the end of this horrible marriage equality survey process, Q&A took a look at the debate. Magda Szubanski was the only LGBTI representative on a panel examining LGBTI rights. After sitting through a program (and not only holding her own, demolishing the no arguments and eloquently pointing out the hypocrisies contained within them) hearing people making judgement about herself, her loved ones and the LGBTI community, Szubanski returned with this: | As we come to the end of this horrible marriage equality survey process, Q&A took a look at the debate. Magda Szubanski was the only LGBTI representative on a panel examining LGBTI rights. After sitting through a program (and not only holding her own, demolishing the no arguments and eloquently pointing out the hypocrisies contained within them) hearing people making judgement about herself, her loved ones and the LGBTI community, Szubanski returned with this: |
| I’m not a religious authority. I’m less of an atheist than people would think. 74.9% of people in Australia get married outside the church. I accept that the church will never marry me. That grieves me in ways you will never know. I’m the one in my family when I buried my parents I organised every detail of the masses, I wrote the orders of service, I put the pall over my mother’s coffin. Now I accept the Catholic church will never marry me but you won’t even let me marry outside the church. Why is it your right to determine – fair enough, in your domain, you do what you like. We live in a live and let live society. I don’t want to tell anyone else what to do. Why should you have the right to tell me or any other person, straight or gay, what they do in the civil domain? That’s not your domain.” | I’m not a religious authority. I’m less of an atheist than people would think. 74.9% of people in Australia get married outside the church. I accept that the church will never marry me. That grieves me in ways you will never know. I’m the one in my family when I buried my parents I organised every detail of the masses, I wrote the orders of service, I put the pall over my mother’s coffin. Now I accept the Catholic church will never marry me but you won’t even let me marry outside the church. Why is it your right to determine – fair enough, in your domain, you do what you like. We live in a live and let live society. I don’t want to tell anyone else what to do. Why should you have the right to tell me or any other person, straight or gay, what they do in the civil domain? That’s not your domain.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 11.06pm BST | at 11.06pm BST |
| 10.44pm BST | 10.44pm BST |
| 22:44 | 22:44 |
| Mitch Fifield was on Today explaining why the NBN back and forth was not a blame game, because it was Labor’s fault. | Mitch Fifield was on Today explaining why the NBN back and forth was not a blame game, because it was Labor’s fault. |
| “It’s not a matter of playing the blame game, what we inherited from Labor was essentially a failed project. | “It’s not a matter of playing the blame game, what we inherited from Labor was essentially a failed project. |
| “...It was a failed project. They’d spend about six and a half billion dollars over four years and connected a grand total of 51,000 people. We’ve turned it around. We’ve got it on track. NBN is now available to more than half the nation. It’ll be 75 per cent by the middle of next year. And it will be all done and dusted by 2020. And the good news is, that’s a good six to eight years sooner than would have been the case under our predecessors. | “...It was a failed project. They’d spend about six and a half billion dollars over four years and connected a grand total of 51,000 people. We’ve turned it around. We’ve got it on track. NBN is now available to more than half the nation. It’ll be 75 per cent by the middle of next year. And it will be all done and dusted by 2020. And the good news is, that’s a good six to eight years sooner than would have been the case under our predecessors. |
| “But our job is not to look in the rear view mirror. Our job is to focus on getting this thing rolled out. Which we’re doing. Getting it completed by 2020. Which we’ll achieve. And, as I say, that’s six to eight years sooner than would have been the case under our predecessors. And the good news is because of the approach we’re taking, Australians will have internet bills of $500 a year less than would have been the case under Labor’s approach.” | “But our job is not to look in the rear view mirror. Our job is to focus on getting this thing rolled out. Which we’re doing. Getting it completed by 2020. Which we’ll achieve. And, as I say, that’s six to eight years sooner than would have been the case under our predecessors. And the good news is because of the approach we’re taking, Australians will have internet bills of $500 a year less than would have been the case under Labor’s approach.” |
| 10.35pm BST | 10.35pm BST |
| 22:35 | 22:35 |
| Kevin Rudd returned to the Sunrise couch this morning. Other than giving brief descriptions of former colleagues and rivals (Mark Latham: slightly mad, Julia Gillard: doing well, Joe Hockey: good bloke) he also spoke about how he thought he handled the pressure of politics: | Kevin Rudd returned to the Sunrise couch this morning. Other than giving brief descriptions of former colleagues and rivals (Mark Latham: slightly mad, Julia Gillard: doing well, Joe Hockey: good bloke) he also spoke about how he thought he handled the pressure of politics: |
| It honestly depends on the day. The thing I would say to bear in mind is that within six months of taking over we have the avalanche of the GFC, the global financial crisis. To put it in these terms we did two jobs at once. We got elected six months also before with a mandate for change in 40 or 50 different areas, chugging our way through that, I took my word to the Australian people seriously and then the tidal wave GFC comes. It was like you had that job, 12 hours a day, then the rest of it. The honest answer is many of us did not sleep much. Tough time.” | It honestly depends on the day. The thing I would say to bear in mind is that within six months of taking over we have the avalanche of the GFC, the global financial crisis. To put it in these terms we did two jobs at once. We got elected six months also before with a mandate for change in 40 or 50 different areas, chugging our way through that, I took my word to the Australian people seriously and then the tidal wave GFC comes. It was like you had that job, 12 hours a day, then the rest of it. The honest answer is many of us did not sleep much. Tough time.” |
| And as for reports he was hard to work with, the former PM had this to say: | And as for reports he was hard to work with, the former PM had this to say: |
| What I would say to that is, who do you work most closely with? Your own staff. When I came back as prime minister, my own staff came back with me, people who worked for me for years. When people knife you in the back, which is what happened, they will invent their own narratives and say he was a nasty person to me, he didn’t smile at me in the lift one morning. Well, grow up.” | What I would say to that is, who do you work most closely with? Your own staff. When I came back as prime minister, my own staff came back with me, people who worked for me for years. When people knife you in the back, which is what happened, they will invent their own narratives and say he was a nasty person to me, he didn’t smile at me in the lift one morning. Well, grow up.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 10.37pm BST | at 10.37pm BST |
| 10.24pm BST | 10.24pm BST |
| 22:24 | 22:24 |
| Scott Morrison has also been out selling his new plan to boost the nation’s productivity. | Scott Morrison has also been out selling his new plan to boost the nation’s productivity. |
| Katharine Murphy had this report: | Katharine Murphy had this report: |
| The treasurer, Scott Morrison, will flag ongoing reforms in health, education and energy to boost national productivity in response to an inquiry by the Productivity Commission to be released on Tuesday. | The treasurer, Scott Morrison, will flag ongoing reforms in health, education and energy to boost national productivity in response to an inquiry by the Productivity Commission to be released on Tuesday. |
| Morrison will use a speech to the Committee for Economic Development Australia to outline the main findings of the new work on productivity – which includes recommendations to adopt patient-centred healthcare, transform teaching capacity in the education system to help workers manage the profound transitions in the labour market, and the creation of more functional cities, which could boost gross domestic product by $29bn. | Morrison will use a speech to the Committee for Economic Development Australia to outline the main findings of the new work on productivity – which includes recommendations to adopt patient-centred healthcare, transform teaching capacity in the education system to help workers manage the profound transitions in the labour market, and the creation of more functional cities, which could boost gross domestic product by $29bn. |
| The report is the first instalment in a series of five-yearly reviews by the Productivity Commission examining contemporary methods to boost productivity – advice that will sit alongside the intergenerational report produced by the treasury every five years. | The report is the first instalment in a series of five-yearly reviews by the Productivity Commission examining contemporary methods to boost productivity – advice that will sit alongside the intergenerational report produced by the treasury every five years. |
| Speaking to ABC radio this morning, Morrison said the reason he initiated the report was “I wanted … a sister publication to the intergenerational report”. | Speaking to ABC radio this morning, Morrison said the reason he initiated the report was “I wanted … a sister publication to the intergenerational report”. |
| And that looks at the big pressures on the budget over, you know, the next 50 years, and the things that drive living standards, boost more and better-paid jobs, really falls to productivity and I believed it was time that we had a close look at the things that would drive that. Now, as I said in my previous answer, the traditional areas where we’ve seen productivity growth lift in the past, they remain relevant and they – tax cuts remain vital to boosting wages because we know that the more capital there is invested per worker, then we know the better wages that are paid. I mean that’s the clear analysis from Treasury and the data that is available to us. It’s all of the above. Look,the Coalition has always been supporting health and education. It has always been part of our budgets and what we’ve always said is it’s not just about how much money you spend. The commission has said it’s how you spend it. | And that looks at the big pressures on the budget over, you know, the next 50 years, and the things that drive living standards, boost more and better-paid jobs, really falls to productivity and I believed it was time that we had a close look at the things that would drive that. Now, as I said in my previous answer, the traditional areas where we’ve seen productivity growth lift in the past, they remain relevant and they – tax cuts remain vital to boosting wages because we know that the more capital there is invested per worker, then we know the better wages that are paid. I mean that’s the clear analysis from Treasury and the data that is available to us. It’s all of the above. Look,the Coalition has always been supporting health and education. It has always been part of our budgets and what we’ve always said is it’s not just about how much money you spend. The commission has said it’s how you spend it. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 10.35pm BST | at 10.35pm BST |
| 10.01pm BST | 10.01pm BST |
| 22:01 | 22:01 |
| As we said, it’s the prime minister’s birthday (63rd we believed). I predict there will be some FM radio interviews on the horizon. It’s one way to guarantee a softer landing. | As we said, it’s the prime minister’s birthday (63rd we believed). I predict there will be some FM radio interviews on the horizon. It’s one way to guarantee a softer landing. |
| He started the day with a walk. | He started the day with a walk. |
| 9.55pm BST | 9.55pm BST |
| 21:55 | 21:55 |
| Good morning | Good morning |
| It’s day two of estimates and the House of Representatives’ second sitting week. | It’s day two of estimates and the House of Representatives’ second sitting week. |
| It’s also the prime minister’s birthday. And what a day it is shaping up to be. Mike Bowers was up and about early and snapped the birthday boy on his morning walk. But that may be the only bit of peace he’ll get all day. | It’s also the prime minister’s birthday. And what a day it is shaping up to be. Mike Bowers was up and about early and snapped the birthday boy on his morning walk. But that may be the only bit of peace he’ll get all day. |
| The NBN blame game continues after the Four Corners report last night. Yesterday Turnbull pointed the finger at Labor for the “train wreck”. Kevin Rudd, spruiking his new book, pointed it right back at Turnbull for the decision to “change horses midway” and switch fibre-to-the-premise to fibre-to-the-node. Scott Morrrison has been sent out to sell the government’s side on that this morning and it is going as well as you could expect. | The NBN blame game continues after the Four Corners report last night. Yesterday Turnbull pointed the finger at Labor for the “train wreck”. Kevin Rudd, spruiking his new book, pointed it right back at Turnbull for the decision to “change horses midway” and switch fibre-to-the-premise to fibre-to-the-node. Scott Morrrison has been sent out to sell the government’s side on that this morning and it is going as well as you could expect. |
| Josh Frydenberg has also been out and about early talking energy, as the government desperately tries to take back the agenda. It’s still after bipartisan support, while at the same time attacking the opposition over its policy. Yesterday, it tried to talk energy by making almost every dixer about it during question time, while Labor had moved on to the NBN. Will it have any better luck today? | Josh Frydenberg has also been out and about early talking energy, as the government desperately tries to take back the agenda. It’s still after bipartisan support, while at the same time attacking the opposition over its policy. Yesterday, it tried to talk energy by making almost every dixer about it during question time, while Labor had moved on to the NBN. Will it have any better luck today? |
| Estimates continues and the attorney general, George Brandis, is back in the hot seat, this time representing his own department (yesterday he stood in for the prime minister). The Senate committees sat until late last night, so there are going to be a few cranky members on both sides of the table, which should make for fun viewing. | Estimates continues and the attorney general, George Brandis, is back in the hot seat, this time representing his own department (yesterday he stood in for the prime minister). The Senate committees sat until late last night, so there are going to be a few cranky members on both sides of the table, which should make for fun viewing. |
| The Guardian Essential poll is out. Katharine Murphy reports: | The Guardian Essential poll is out. Katharine Murphy reports: |
| More than half of people who have returned their ballot in the same-sex marriage postal survey say they have voted in favour of marriage equality, according to the latest Guardian Essential poll. | More than half of people who have returned their ballot in the same-sex marriage postal survey say they have voted in favour of marriage equality, according to the latest Guardian Essential poll. |
| The new survey of 1,859 voters records 60% saying they have voted yes, which is down 4% from the last time the question was asked three weeks ago, and 34% saying they have voted no, which is up 4% in the same timeframe. | The new survey of 1,859 voters records 60% saying they have voted yes, which is down 4% from the last time the question was asked three weeks ago, and 34% saying they have voted no, which is up 4% in the same timeframe. |
| Before new postal survey participation estimates from the Australian Bureau of Statistics expected on Tuesday, 75% of the Guardian Essential sample reports that they have already voted in the ballot, and 8% say they will definitely vote. | Before new postal survey participation estimates from the Australian Bureau of Statistics expected on Tuesday, 75% of the Guardian Essential sample reports that they have already voted in the ballot, and 8% say they will definitely vote. |
| So stay tuned for all of the fun and games. Let me know how your question time bingo card is shaping up as we head into the afternoon. The Guardian Australia brains trust are on board, as always and Mike Bowers will be creating his magic throughout the day. | So stay tuned for all of the fun and games. Let me know how your question time bingo card is shaping up as we head into the afternoon. The Guardian Australia brains trust are on board, as always and Mike Bowers will be creating his magic throughout the day. |
| You can reach the man with the lens at @mpbowers and @mikepbowers and you’ll find me stalking the comments, or more frequently at @amyremeikis. | You can reach the man with the lens at @mpbowers and @mikepbowers and you’ll find me stalking the comments, or more frequently at @amyremeikis. |
| Grab that morning coffee, or whatever it is that helps you through the day (no judgment) and let’s begin! | Grab that morning coffee, or whatever it is that helps you through the day (no judgment) and let’s begin! |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 10.34pm BST | at 10.34pm BST |