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| Kristina Keneally will run against John Alexander in Bennelong byelection - politics live | Kristina Keneally will run against John Alexander in Bennelong byelection - politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Malcolm Turnbull is speaking in Manila, Philippines, on the final day of his trip through Asia. He’s fresh from meetings with Donald Trump and Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi. | |
| He said his meeting with Trump was one-on-one, without any officials. The discussions were frank, he said. | |
| “We had a very good one-on-one meeting, just the two of us, we decided we would sit down and have a very frank discussion,” Turnbull said. | |
| A clearly emotional Jacqui Lambie is now speaking about her resignation. She received confirmation this morning that her grandfather hadn’t renounced his British citizenship, which she and her father inherited by descent. | |
| Fighting back tears, she says she hasn’t been able to sleep for days, while a question mark remained about her citizenship. | |
| “There’s no question mark any more, it’s in place in an answer in black and white, courtesy of an email sent by a bureaucrat sitting at his desk on a London afternoon,” Lambie said. “Anyone who knows my father would be shocked to think of him other than anything else than an Aussie,” she said. | |
| Lambie says she has worked hard to be a voice for the voiceless. That included championing the rights of veterans and welfare recipients. “Veterans fight hard for this country, they shouldn’t have to fight their government when they get back,” she said. | |
| “Politicians on both sides of the house talk about helping those on welfare without ever having experienced what it’s like to choose between spending your welfare payment on either school uniforms or school lunches,” she said. | |
| “Voters must look at their options and despair.” | |
| Lambie says she does not know what will happen to her next, politically or personally. But she wants to come back to parliament, on either side of the building, and wants her party, the Jacqui Lambie Network, to be represented. | |
| Lambie was overcome with emotion while praising her staff. “Thanks to my staff, who at many times have been my bloody saving grace, I’ll tell you. You’ve proven yourself to be loyal, you’re wonderful, you are hard working, and I would never have gotten this far without you,” she said. “If you need a reference later come and see me because I’m going to give you the best one you’ve ever had.” | |
| She said: “For now, I just want to say thank you, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be in here.” | |
| Sittings have just begun in the Senate. We were expecting to hear from Jacqui Lambie, and Mike Bowers tells me she’s just entered the chamber. | |
| Sam Dastyari has run down from his Sky News interview, and is now on his feet in the chamber. He heaps praise on Lambie. | |
| “Your contribution is a tremendous one. You’re an incredible human being. You may be someone ... that some of us haven’t always agreed with,” Dastyari said. | |
| If there’s anyone who knows what Kristina Keneally is in for, it’s Bob Carr. Both are former Labor premiers in NSW, and both have now run for a federal seat. | If there’s anyone who knows what Kristina Keneally is in for, it’s Bob Carr. Both are former Labor premiers in NSW, and both have now run for a federal seat. |
| Carr heaped praise on Keneally, and praised Labor for convincing her to stand. | Carr heaped praise on Keneally, and praised Labor for convincing her to stand. |
| “I’m surprised but I think it’s a terrific opportunity for the people of Bennelong,” he told Sky News. | “I’m surprised but I think it’s a terrific opportunity for the people of Bennelong,” he told Sky News. |
| “Leave aside Labor’s coup in persuading Kristina to stand as its candidate, I think if I was a voter in Bennelong, I would say this is the woman, this is the mother, to take up the fight for schools, for broadband, for health,” he said. | “Leave aside Labor’s coup in persuading Kristina to stand as its candidate, I think if I was a voter in Bennelong, I would say this is the woman, this is the mother, to take up the fight for schools, for broadband, for health,” he said. |
| Labor’s Sam Dastyari has also described Keneally’s candidacy as a “huge coup” for the Labor party. | Labor’s Sam Dastyari has also described Keneally’s candidacy as a “huge coup” for the Labor party. |
| “I am amazed that it was kept under wraps for as long as it was,” he said. | “I am amazed that it was kept under wraps for as long as it was,” he said. |
| Earlier, health minister Greg Hunt described Keneally as as “Eddie Obeid’s protege”. | Earlier, health minister Greg Hunt described Keneally as as “Eddie Obeid’s protege”. |
| Dastyari has described the government’s attack on Keneally as “sickening” and “rubbish”, coming from men who don’t believe a strong independent woman can have her own agency. | Dastyari has described the government’s attack on Keneally as “sickening” and “rubbish”, coming from men who don’t believe a strong independent woman can have her own agency. |
| “This is the rubbish, rubbish, that Kristina has risen above, time and time again,” he said. | “This is the rubbish, rubbish, that Kristina has risen above, time and time again,” he said. |
| According to the Australian Senate Twitter account, the South Australian parliament has given the tick to Rex Patrick to replace Nick Xenophon in the federal Senate. | According to the Australian Senate Twitter account, the South Australian parliament has given the tick to Rex Patrick to replace Nick Xenophon in the federal Senate. |
| The South Australian Parliament has chosen Rex Patrick to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of former Senator Xenophon | The South Australian Parliament has chosen Rex Patrick to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of former Senator Xenophon |
| Patrick is Xenophon’s senior adviser and was chosen by the party’s management committee (mainly its federal party room) – the party was able to choose his replacement because the high court found section 44 did not disqualify Xenophon. | Patrick is Xenophon’s senior adviser and was chosen by the party’s management committee (mainly its federal party room) – the party was able to choose his replacement because the high court found section 44 did not disqualify Xenophon. |
| NXT candidate Tim Storer – who would have been elected if a Senate recount were used to fill the vacancy – stepped forward to lay a claim to the seat but this seems to knock that on the head. | NXT candidate Tim Storer – who would have been elected if a Senate recount were used to fill the vacancy – stepped forward to lay a claim to the seat but this seems to knock that on the head. |
| Back to Jacqui Lambie, for a moment. It’s worth remembering that Lambie is a deeply popular politician in Tasmania. Her party, the Jacqui Lambie Network, won 28,146 votes in the 2016 election, achieving a swing of 8.3%. She personally won about 10,000 votes. | Back to Jacqui Lambie, for a moment. It’s worth remembering that Lambie is a deeply popular politician in Tasmania. Her party, the Jacqui Lambie Network, won 28,146 votes in the 2016 election, achieving a swing of 8.3%. She personally won about 10,000 votes. |
| She has championed a number of issues during her time in parliament. But there were two that stood out: | She has championed a number of issues during her time in parliament. But there were two that stood out: |
| “I am a senator of Australia and I have a 21-year old son that has a problem with ice, and yet even with my title I have no control over my son. I can’t involuntarily detox my own son, because I am not talking to my son anymore, I’m talking to a drug. And I can tell you, I’m not the only parent out there. There [are] thousands of us,” she said. | “I am a senator of Australia and I have a 21-year old son that has a problem with ice, and yet even with my title I have no control over my son. I can’t involuntarily detox my own son, because I am not talking to my son anymore, I’m talking to a drug. And I can tell you, I’m not the only parent out there. There [are] thousands of us,” she said. |
| But Lambie is also remembered for her attempts to have the burqa banned in 2014. She insisted it was on security grounds. | But Lambie is also remembered for her attempts to have the burqa banned in 2014. She insisted it was on security grounds. |
| Paul Daley wrote an in-depth piece on Lambie last year. It’s worth a re-visit. Ignore the unfortunate headline quote: ‘I reckon I can do 20 more years’. | Paul Daley wrote an in-depth piece on Lambie last year. It’s worth a re-visit. Ignore the unfortunate headline quote: ‘I reckon I can do 20 more years’. |
| Malcolm Turnbull is wrapping up his tour of Asia. He’s still in the Philippines, and today met with Australian and Filipino troops. The two nations are working to combat the threat posed by Islamic State in the southern Philippines. Fairfax’s Alex Ellinghausen posted this to Twitter a bit earlier: | Malcolm Turnbull is wrapping up his tour of Asia. He’s still in the Philippines, and today met with Australian and Filipino troops. The two nations are working to combat the threat posed by Islamic State in the southern Philippines. Fairfax’s Alex Ellinghausen posted this to Twitter a bit earlier: |
| The Prime Minister with Aussie and Filipino troops in Manila pic.twitter.com/SoQZWYIE6j | The Prime Minister with Aussie and Filipino troops in Manila pic.twitter.com/SoQZWYIE6j |
| Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte has attracted significant criticism from human rights groups and the United Nations, including over the war on drugs. The drugs crackdown has involved extrajudicial and indiscriminate killings. | Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte has attracted significant criticism from human rights groups and the United Nations, including over the war on drugs. The drugs crackdown has involved extrajudicial and indiscriminate killings. |
| Turnbull said the pair talked about the war on drugs on Monday. | Turnbull said the pair talked about the war on drugs on Monday. |
| Well, it’s quickly become clear how the Liberals plan to tackle Kristina Keneally in Bennelong. Health minister Greg Hunt spoke to the media at a little earlier, and said this of Keneally: | Well, it’s quickly become clear how the Liberals plan to tackle Kristina Keneally in Bennelong. Health minister Greg Hunt spoke to the media at a little earlier, and said this of Keneally: |
| This is Eddie Obeid’s protege. Eddie Obeid was Kristina Keneally’s patron. You’ve got a comparison here. One – Kristina Keneally fought for Eddie Obeid. The other – John Alexander fought for Australia on the international courts. So the people of New South Wales should not be played for mugs. | This is Eddie Obeid’s protege. Eddie Obeid was Kristina Keneally’s patron. You’ve got a comparison here. One – Kristina Keneally fought for Eddie Obeid. The other – John Alexander fought for Australia on the international courts. So the people of New South Wales should not be played for mugs. |
| Liberal senator David Fawcett has told Guardian Australia he believes that James Paterson’s bill “reflects more fully” the recommendations of the Senate committee inquiry into same-sex marriage that he chaired, endorsing it over Dean Smith’s bill. | Liberal senator David Fawcett has told Guardian Australia he believes that James Paterson’s bill “reflects more fully” the recommendations of the Senate committee inquiry into same-sex marriage that he chaired, endorsing it over Dean Smith’s bill. |
| Malcolm Turnbull has called Smith’s bill a good starting for a parliamentary debate about marriage, but conservatives are not ruling out raising the marriage issue in the party room. | Malcolm Turnbull has called Smith’s bill a good starting for a parliamentary debate about marriage, but conservatives are not ruling out raising the marriage issue in the party room. |
| Fawcett said Paterson’s bill would fulfil United Nations Human Rights Committee recommendations both on the rights of LGBTI people and to protect religious freedom. | Fawcett said Paterson’s bill would fulfil United Nations Human Rights Committee recommendations both on the rights of LGBTI people and to protect religious freedom. |
| Fawcett: | Fawcett: |
| Australia has never legislated to protect religious freedom comprehensively ... the James Paterson bill is more comprehensive, and it is my preferred starting point. | Australia has never legislated to protect religious freedom comprehensively ... the James Paterson bill is more comprehensive, and it is my preferred starting point. |
| Fawcett said he wanted “sensible grown-up conversations” about the legislative process ahead, and he would encourage all parties to discuss which bill to use “not necessarily in the debating chamber of the Senate”. | Fawcett said he wanted “sensible grown-up conversations” about the legislative process ahead, and he would encourage all parties to discuss which bill to use “not necessarily in the debating chamber of the Senate”. |
| Sydney 2GB radio host Ray Hadley has responded to the news that Kristina Keneally will challenge John Alexander in the Bennelong by-election. | Sydney 2GB radio host Ray Hadley has responded to the news that Kristina Keneally will challenge John Alexander in the Bennelong by-election. |
| “And she is contesting Bennelong,” he said, without mentioning her name. | “And she is contesting Bennelong,” he said, without mentioning her name. |
| He then played a recording of the time when Keneally, after she seized power of the NSW government in a late-night coup, toppling then-NSW Labor premier Nathan Rees, told the NSW parliament that she gained the position on her own. | He then played a recording of the time when Keneally, after she seized power of the NSW government in a late-night coup, toppling then-NSW Labor premier Nathan Rees, told the NSW parliament that she gained the position on her own. |
| “I am nobody’s puppet. I am nobody’s protege. I am nobody’s girl,” Keneally told parliament. | “I am nobody’s puppet. I am nobody’s protege. I am nobody’s girl,” Keneally told parliament. |
| Hadley then said: “That’s when she was elevated to the premiership, and the suggestion was from the [Liberal] opposition at the time that Eddie [Obeid], Uncle Eddie, had paved the way [for her].” | Hadley then said: “That’s when she was elevated to the premiership, and the suggestion was from the [Liberal] opposition at the time that Eddie [Obeid], Uncle Eddie, had paved the way [for her].” |
| Then he cut to a traffic report. | Then he cut to a traffic report. |
| Ten minutes later, he returned to the issue. He said Keneally had to say those things about not being anyone’s puppet because Nathan Rees had warned, before he was toppled, that his replacement would a protege of Obeid and Joe Tripodi. | Ten minutes later, he returned to the issue. He said Keneally had to say those things about not being anyone’s puppet because Nathan Rees had warned, before he was toppled, that his replacement would a protege of Obeid and Joe Tripodi. |
| “You cannot reinvent history,” Hadley said. | “You cannot reinvent history,” Hadley said. |
| He then played a recording of the warning from Nathan Rees. | He then played a recording of the warning from Nathan Rees. |
| “Should I not be premier by the end of this day, let there be no doubt in the community’s mind, no doubt, that any challenger will be a puppet of Eddie Obeid and Joe Tripodi,” Rees said at the time. | “Should I not be premier by the end of this day, let there be no doubt in the community’s mind, no doubt, that any challenger will be a puppet of Eddie Obeid and Joe Tripodi,” Rees said at the time. |
| Hadley then said: “The electorate need to be reminded of Kristina Keneally circa back then. 2010. It’s a long time ago.” | Hadley then said: “The electorate need to be reminded of Kristina Keneally circa back then. 2010. It’s a long time ago.” |
| Keneally’s candidacy dramatically raises the stakes in Bennelong, which goes to the polls on December 16. The seat, in Sydney’s north-west, is considered a safe Liberal seat. | Keneally’s candidacy dramatically raises the stakes in Bennelong, which goes to the polls on December 16. The seat, in Sydney’s north-west, is considered a safe Liberal seat. |
| The Liberals held it with a margin of almost 10% last election. But Labor have previously signalled they will campaign vigorously, and have so far they’ve sought to woo ethnically diverse voters in the multicultural electorate. They’re seeking to capitalise on anger over the government’s stalled citizenship requirements, which impose onerous English requirements, and preference deals between the Liberals and One Nation in Queensland. | The Liberals held it with a margin of almost 10% last election. But Labor have previously signalled they will campaign vigorously, and have so far they’ve sought to woo ethnically diverse voters in the multicultural electorate. They’re seeking to capitalise on anger over the government’s stalled citizenship requirements, which impose onerous English requirements, and preference deals between the Liberals and One Nation in Queensland. |
| The incumbent, John Alexander, is also racing against the clock to find out whether he is a dual British citizen, and then have it renounced. | The incumbent, John Alexander, is also racing against the clock to find out whether he is a dual British citizen, and then have it renounced. |
| Labor have only won the seat once in its history, courtesy of former journalist Maxine McKew in 2007, who defeated Howard with a 5.5% swing. | Labor have only won the seat once in its history, courtesy of former journalist Maxine McKew in 2007, who defeated Howard with a 5.5% swing. |
| Election analyst Ben Raue explained the state of play in Bennelong in this piece on Monday. | Election analyst Ben Raue explained the state of play in Bennelong in this piece on Monday. |
| That news seems to have shocked even her colleagues on Sky News. | That news seems to have shocked even her colleagues on Sky News. |
| Sky News’ Laura Jayes hosts a show with Kristina Keneally at 1pm each day. | Sky News’ Laura Jayes hosts a show with Kristina Keneally at 1pm each day. |
| Jayes said she had no idea of Keneally’s candidacy until the announcement today. She says Keneally will not be coming into work today. | Jayes said she had no idea of Keneally’s candidacy until the announcement today. She says Keneally will not be coming into work today. |