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Government will 'not countenance' same-sex marriage discrimination, says Turnbull - politics live Government will 'not countenance' same-sex marriage discrimination, says Turnbull - politics live
(35 minutes later)
Question time has just kicked off in the senate. The leader of the opposition in the senate Penny Wong has begun with a series of attacks on communications minister Mitch Fifield. The strategy is much the same as yesterday. Labor is attempting to flush out what Fifield knew about the citizenship woes of former senate president Stephen Parry, and what he did with such knowledge. The blowtorch is again on employment minister Michaelia Cash about her office’s media tip-off ahead of raids on the Australian Workers Union office. She’s being questioned by Labor’s Murray Watt.
Cash declines to answer the questions, saying the issues have already been canvassed in estimates.
“I will not stand here and be lectured by a senator who goes to CFMEU picket lines and stands in solidarity with thugs, who are screaming at workers... who threaten to rape workers’ children,” Cash said.
The allegations and counter-allegations are raising the decibel levels in the chamber, putting pressure on new senate president, Scott Ryan, to intervene.
It’s not been an easy first two days for Ryan, and Derryn Hinch has now requested him to do more to keep a handle on proceedings.
Resources minister Matthew Canavan is given his second dixer in as many days on the proposed Adani Carmichael mine in Queensland. What will it mean for the people of Queensland?
It means more business and more jobs, because we’re already seeing that impact in Queensland, where I’m proud to have my office in Rockhampton.
We’re already seeing that impact because last month Adani announced that thousands of jobs would be based in Rockhampton and Townsville.
The Coalition won’t chase votes in inner-city areas at the expense of jobs, he says.
Andrew Wilkie has written to opposition leader Bill Shorten, imploring him to act to help the men stranded on Manus Island. Labor has the numbers to “progress a humane solution”, Wilkie said.
Ball in @AustralianLabor's court. | @WilkieMP to @billshortenmp:"You have publicly stated that the situation on Manus is deeply concerning. With the support of the cross-bench you now have the numbers in the House of Representatives to progress a humane situation." #Manus #Auspol pic.twitter.com/VPcVC5qUT4
Attorney-general George Brandis has just denied the parliament’s citizenship woes are either a constitutional or political crisis. Brandis agrees with Greens leader Richard Di Natale that section 44 of the constitution, which bars dual citizens from office, is not appropriate in Australia’s multicultural society.
Section 44 on the reading the high court gave it... is not in my view appropriate for a multicultural democracy in which 51% of people were born overseas or has at least one parent that was born overseas.
Brandis said the government had referred the matter of section 44 to the joint standing committee on electoral matters, to determine what could be done to ameliorate its impact. One option, Brandis said, is to consider constitutional referendum. That was not the government’s policy, but Brandis said it should at least be canvassed. Another option to be canvassed was reforms to Australia’s citizenship laws, with the aim of changing the way foreign citizenship could be renounced.
There is one point about which I differ from you. There is no constitutional crisis, there is no political crisis. There is the unexpected effect of a decision of the high court which has resulted in both houses of the parliament now having had to resign or be referred to the court of disputed returns.
Question time has just kicked off in the Senate. The leader of the opposition in the Senate, Penny Wong, has begun with a series of attacks on the communications minister, Mitch Fifield. The strategy is much the same as yesterday. Labor is attempting to flush out what Fifield knew about the citizenship woes of former Senate president Stephen Parry and what he did with such knowledge.
Wong asks Fifield whether he directed Parry to keep silent about his citizenship concerns until after the high court ruled on the matter.Wong asks Fifield whether he directed Parry to keep silent about his citizenship concerns until after the high court ruled on the matter.
Fifield responds:Fifield responds:
Suggestions that I directed senator Parry are wrong and Mr President I was not aware that senator Parry was a dual citizen until he advised all colleagues of this by way of a memo. Suggestions that I directed Senator Parry are wrong and Mr President I was not aware that Senator Parry was a dual citizen until he advised all colleagues of this by way of a memo.
Wong pressed again, asking whether Fifield directed Parry to withhold his concerns.Wong pressed again, asking whether Fifield directed Parry to withhold his concerns.
Fifield responds:Fifield responds:
I’ve answered you senator, I did not direct senator Parry. I’ve answered you senator, I did not direct Senator Parry.
We talked a little earlier about the potential replacement for Lambie, following her retirement. The next name on her 2016 ticket is Steve Martin, the current mayor of Davenport, a city on Tasmania’s north coast. We talked a little earlier about the potential replacement for Lambie, following her retirement. The next name on her 2016 ticket is Steve Martin, the current mayor of Devonport, a city on Tasmania’s north coast.
Lambie described Martin as a “great bloke” with “fire in the belly”.Lambie described Martin as a “great bloke” with “fire in the belly”.
She was asked what checks had been done to ensure Martin was eligible, given fears he may fall foul of section 44 of the constitution. Martin, through his role as mayor, could be found to hold an office of profit under the Crown. She was asked what checks had been done to ensure Martin was eligible, given fears he might fall foul of section 44 of the constitution. Martin, through his role as mayor, could be found to hold an office of profit under the Crown.
But Lambie said Martin’s eligibility had been thoroughly checked. She said he was eligible and that the restriction did not apply to mayors.But Lambie said Martin’s eligibility had been thoroughly checked. She said he was eligible and that the restriction did not apply to mayors.
Mike Bowers was down in the Senate for Jacqui Lambie’s speech. All sides of the chamber momentarily suspended hostilities to wish her well and express sadness at her sudden departure. Attorney general George Brandis and Labor senator Doug Cameron both spoke glowingly of Lambie. Cameron said no one was ever bored when Lambie was on her feet.Mike Bowers was down in the Senate for Jacqui Lambie’s speech. All sides of the chamber momentarily suspended hostilities to wish her well and express sadness at her sudden departure. Attorney general George Brandis and Labor senator Doug Cameron both spoke glowingly of Lambie. Cameron said no one was ever bored when Lambie was on her feet.
Lambie is speaking to the media outside. She has a message for Justine Keay, Labor’s MP for the Tasmanian seat of Braddon. Keay is also under a citizenship cloud, and Lambie has expressed an interest in running for her seat, should a byelection be held. Lambie says:Lambie is speaking to the media outside. She has a message for Justine Keay, Labor’s MP for the Tasmanian seat of Braddon. Keay is also under a citizenship cloud, and Lambie has expressed an interest in running for her seat, should a byelection be held. Lambie says:
I haven’t slept for nearly four days not knowing what’s going on. If they want to continue to live like that, if they actually have a conscience, then be my guest. But quite frankly, and I’ll tell her right now, the people of Braddon will not appreciate that.I haven’t slept for nearly four days not knowing what’s going on. If they want to continue to live like that, if they actually have a conscience, then be my guest. But quite frankly, and I’ll tell her right now, the people of Braddon will not appreciate that.
Just a bit more on Turnbull’s media conference. He bought into the attack on Kristina Keneally, mounted by Greg Hunt earlier today, which attempts to tie her to Eddie Obeid, the jailed NSW powerbroker.Just a bit more on Turnbull’s media conference. He bought into the attack on Kristina Keneally, mounted by Greg Hunt earlier today, which attempts to tie her to Eddie Obeid, the jailed NSW powerbroker.
She is Bill Shorten’s handpicked candidate, so obviously, Eddie Obeid and Bill Shorten have formed the same view about Kristina Keneally. And I just say again, the voters of Bennelong should back John Alexander, a great local member who has delivered in every respect for his community.She is Bill Shorten’s handpicked candidate, so obviously, Eddie Obeid and Bill Shorten have formed the same view about Kristina Keneally. And I just say again, the voters of Bennelong should back John Alexander, a great local member who has delivered in every respect for his community.
The government “would not countenance” legalising discrimination against same-sex weddings and a bill to do so would have “virtually no prospect” of passing parliament, Malcolm Turnbull has said in an extraordinary rebuke of conservatives demanding the rollback of anti-discrimination laws.The government “would not countenance” legalising discrimination against same-sex weddings and a bill to do so would have “virtually no prospect” of passing parliament, Malcolm Turnbull has said in an extraordinary rebuke of conservatives demanding the rollback of anti-discrimination laws.
As conservative Coalition MPs and senators rallied around the same-sex marriage bill released on Monday by Liberal senator James Paterson, Turnbull warned he intended to stamp his authority on the issue after the release of marriage law survey results tomorrow.As conservative Coalition MPs and senators rallied around the same-sex marriage bill released on Monday by Liberal senator James Paterson, Turnbull warned he intended to stamp his authority on the issue after the release of marriage law survey results tomorrow.
The intervention rejected calls from Tony Abbott to do more to protect religious freedom than the Smith bill does and “entrench the right to dissent from any new orthodoxy”.The intervention rejected calls from Tony Abbott to do more to protect religious freedom than the Smith bill does and “entrench the right to dissent from any new orthodoxy”.
The rival Paterson bill was criticised by lawyers, marriage equality advocates and the attorney general, George Brandis, for allowing discrimination against same-sex weddings by commercial service providers.The rival Paterson bill was criticised by lawyers, marriage equality advocates and the attorney general, George Brandis, for allowing discrimination against same-sex weddings by commercial service providers.
Yesterday, Turnbull described the Smith bill as a good starting point but at a media conference in Manila on Tuesday he went further by warning: “I don’t believe Australians would welcome, and certainly the government would not countenance, making legal discrimination that is illegal, that is unlawful, today.”Yesterday, Turnbull described the Smith bill as a good starting point but at a media conference in Manila on Tuesday he went further by warning: “I don’t believe Australians would welcome, and certainly the government would not countenance, making legal discrimination that is illegal, that is unlawful, today.”
Asked about a bill that would allow businesses to say “no gay weddings serviced here” – in reference to Paterson’s proposal – Turnbull said: “I think it would have virtually no prospect of getting through the parliament.”Asked about a bill that would allow businesses to say “no gay weddings serviced here” – in reference to Paterson’s proposal – Turnbull said: “I think it would have virtually no prospect of getting through the parliament.”
Turnbull is asked about the selection of Kristina Keneally as Labor’s candidate for Bennelong. He said John Alexander was a great candidate for the Liberals, and cautioned voters:Turnbull is asked about the selection of Kristina Keneally as Labor’s candidate for Bennelong. He said John Alexander was a great candidate for the Liberals, and cautioned voters:
“Don’t let Kristina Keneally do to Bennelong what she did to NSW,” he said.“Don’t let Kristina Keneally do to Bennelong what she did to NSW,” he said.
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.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.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.“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.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.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.“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.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.“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.”“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 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.”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.”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.
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.
“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.
“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”.
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.
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
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.
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:
“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.
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:
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.
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:
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.
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:
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”.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Jayes said she had no idea of Keneally’s candidacy until the announcement today. She says Keneally will not be coming into work today.