This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/oct/28/old-notion-nationals-dismiss-need-for-acting-prime-minister
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Turnbull: Nationals happy for Julie Bishop to be acting prime minister | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Malcolm Turnbull says Julie Bishop will act as Australia’s prime minister during his imminent trip to Israel, but denies the arrangement will anger the Nationals. | Malcolm Turnbull says Julie Bishop will act as Australia’s prime minister during his imminent trip to Israel, but denies the arrangement will anger the Nationals. |
| Turnbull has also confirmed that the government is carefully examining cabinet decisions made by Barnaby Joyce and Fiona Nash, following their exit on Friday after the high court ruled they were ineligible to sit in parliament. | Turnbull has also confirmed that the government is carefully examining cabinet decisions made by Barnaby Joyce and Fiona Nash, following their exit on Friday after the high court ruled they were ineligible to sit in parliament. |
| But he said such decisions were typically made by the cabinet as a whole. | But he said such decisions were typically made by the cabinet as a whole. |
| Earlier on Saturday, Labor sought to cast doubt on the legitimacy of decisions made by Joyce. It also criticised the uncertainty around who would act as prime minister during Turnbull’s Israel trip, describing it as “extraordinary”. | Earlier on Saturday, Labor sought to cast doubt on the legitimacy of decisions made by Joyce. It also criticised the uncertainty around who would act as prime minister during Turnbull’s Israel trip, describing it as “extraordinary”. |
| The Northern Territory senator Nigel Scullion has been named as the interim Nationals parliamentary leader, while Joyce remains the party’s federal leader. | The Northern Territory senator Nigel Scullion has been named as the interim Nationals parliamentary leader, while Joyce remains the party’s federal leader. |
| Earlier reports suggested either Scullion or Bishop, the foreign minister, would fill the role of acting prime minister. | Earlier reports suggested either Scullion or Bishop, the foreign minister, would fill the role of acting prime minister. |
| Members of the National party are typically selected as acting prime minister. | Members of the National party are typically selected as acting prime minister. |
| Turnbull said the arrangement had caused no animus from Scullion. | Turnbull said the arrangement had caused no animus from Scullion. |
| “On the contrary, Nigel and I discussed this at some length, and he is absolutely in support of this arrangement,” he said. | “On the contrary, Nigel and I discussed this at some length, and he is absolutely in support of this arrangement,” he said. |
| “We’re talking about an interim period between now and second of December when the people of New England will have their say.” | “We’re talking about an interim period between now and second of December when the people of New England will have their say.” |
| Earlier, Joyce expressed confidence that his decisions made in cabinet would stand. | Earlier, Joyce expressed confidence that his decisions made in cabinet would stand. |
| “Reiterating, you become a member of parliament with all that you’re entitled to do on the declaration of polls, once you win your seat, and you remain so until one of three events occur, with all the powers that allows you,” Joyce said. | “Reiterating, you become a member of parliament with all that you’re entitled to do on the declaration of polls, once you win your seat, and you remain so until one of three events occur, with all the powers that allows you,” Joyce said. |
| “Those three events are that you die, resign, or are declared ineligible by the high court.” | “Those three events are that you die, resign, or are declared ineligible by the high court.” |
| Joyce also defended the decision for him to stay in parliament. He said going straight to a byelection would have been tactically advantageous, but may have imposed an unnecessary cost on the public. | Joyce also defended the decision for him to stay in parliament. He said going straight to a byelection would have been tactically advantageous, but may have imposed an unnecessary cost on the public. |
| “To go straight to a byelection would most definitely would have been to my advantage, because that way you don’t give other people the time to prepare. | “To go straight to a byelection would most definitely would have been to my advantage, because that way you don’t give other people the time to prepare. |
| “That would have been the better alternative, if all you think of is politics, going straight to a byelection always works in your favour.” | “That would have been the better alternative, if all you think of is politics, going straight to a byelection always works in your favour.” |
| Earlier, the Nationals MP Darren Chester described the need for an acting prime minister as an “old notion”, saying Turnbull would be readily contactable while abroad. | Earlier, the Nationals MP Darren Chester described the need for an acting prime minister as an “old notion”, saying Turnbull would be readily contactable while abroad. |
| Turnbull was expected to fly out to Israel on Friday, but delayed his trip after the high court decision. | Turnbull was expected to fly out to Israel on Friday, but delayed his trip after the high court decision. |
| “It is sort of an old notion that we have an acting prime minister on the ground in case something goes wrong; the prime minister will be contactable even when he is overseas,” Chester told the ABC on Saturday. | “It is sort of an old notion that we have an acting prime minister on the ground in case something goes wrong; the prime minister will be contactable even when he is overseas,” Chester told the ABC on Saturday. |
| “It is really a question for the prime minister and the interim parliamentary leader Nigel Scullion to work through,” he had said. | “It is really a question for the prime minister and the interim parliamentary leader Nigel Scullion to work through,” he had said. |
| The acting opposition leader, Tanya Plibsersek, jumped on the uncertainty on Saturday. | The acting opposition leader, Tanya Plibsersek, jumped on the uncertainty on Saturday. |
| “What an extraordinary situation that the prime minister cannot decide who should be the acting prime minister while he is away. This is chaos,” she said. | “What an extraordinary situation that the prime minister cannot decide who should be the acting prime minister while he is away. This is chaos,” she said. |
| “This kind of uncertainty should not exist in a country like Australia.” | “This kind of uncertainty should not exist in a country like Australia.” |
| The high court’s decision has effectively left the federal government without its working majority in the house of representatives. | The high court’s decision has effectively left the federal government without its working majority in the house of representatives. |
| But the government has been given assurances from the independent MP Cathy McGowan, that she would side withit on votes of confidence and supply. | But the government has been given assurances from the independent MP Cathy McGowan, that she would side withit on votes of confidence and supply. |
| The man who started the citizenship scandal, West Australian lawyer John Cameron, said he expected more heads to roll. | The man who started the citizenship scandal, West Australian lawyer John Cameron, said he expected more heads to roll. |
| Cameron said he was surprised at the speed with which the scandal snowballed, after he discreetly told the Greens senator Scott Ludlam he planned to reveal that his dual Australian-New Zealand citizenship made him ineligible to sit in parliament. | Cameron said he was surprised at the speed with which the scandal snowballed, after he discreetly told the Greens senator Scott Ludlam he planned to reveal that his dual Australian-New Zealand citizenship made him ineligible to sit in parliament. |
| “There will be others,” Cameron told AAP on Friday. “This opens up a huge can of worms.” | “There will be others,” Cameron told AAP on Friday. “This opens up a huge can of worms.” |
| Labor is expected to test the numbers during the year’s remaining sitting period, particularly over its push for a banking royal commission and campaign against penalty rate cuts. | Labor is expected to test the numbers during the year’s remaining sitting period, particularly over its push for a banking royal commission and campaign against penalty rate cuts. |
| Plibsersek said it was no secret Labor was pushing hard for a banking royal commission and a reversal on penalty rate cuts. | Plibsersek said it was no secret Labor was pushing hard for a banking royal commission and a reversal on penalty rate cuts. |
| Much of the attention now turns to New England, where Joyce is already rallying support for a December byelection. His main opponent, independent Tony Windsor, has ruled out running. | Much of the attention now turns to New England, where Joyce is already rallying support for a December byelection. His main opponent, independent Tony Windsor, has ruled out running. |
| Plibersek said Labor was still deciding who it would run in the seat. The opposition is unlikely to have any real chance of taking New England, traditionally considered a safe Nationals seat. | Plibersek said Labor was still deciding who it would run in the seat. The opposition is unlikely to have any real chance of taking New England, traditionally considered a safe Nationals seat. |
| The last candidate Labor ran in New England, David Ewings, attracted just 7% of the first preference vote in 2016. | The last candidate Labor ran in New England, David Ewings, attracted just 7% of the first preference vote in 2016. |
| The Nationals have won the seat in eight of the 12 elections since 1983. | The Nationals have won the seat in eight of the 12 elections since 1983. |