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George Brandis: same-sex protections should not be rolled back – politics live George Brandis: same-sex protections should not be rolled back – politics live
(35 minutes later)
The high court has quickly ruled on Hollie Hughes. She’s eligible and will replace Fiona Nash.
Hollie Hughes duly elected for the state of NSW, replacing Fiona Nash in the senate. The high court has made a unanimous decision #auspol
The communications minister, Mitch Fifield, is the next of Labor’s targets. Much like earlier in the week, the questions focus on his knowledge of former Senate president Stephen Parry’s citizenship woes.
Yesterday, Fifield said he “did not direct Senator Parry” to withhold information about his possible dual citizenship from others.
Labor senator Louise Pratt asks:
If he did not direct Stephen Parry in his conversations about citizenship, what did he do?
Fifield responds:
I didn’t advise, suggest or direct what Senator Pratt is suggesting. What I did was to encourage him to do what he was seeking to do and that was to check his own family history.
Fifield also denies, again, that he spoke about Parry’s possible dual citizenship with Malcolm Turnbull or others.
Greens senator Janet Rice asks George Brandis if same sex couples will be able to marry by Xmas @GuardianAus @knausc pic.twitter.com/a57DY6N3aj
We’re yet to see Dean Smith’s same-sex marriage bill introduced into the Senate. But Smith himself is in the chamber for question time. We are expecting the bill at some point this afternoon.We’re yet to see Dean Smith’s same-sex marriage bill introduced into the Senate. But Smith himself is in the chamber for question time. We are expecting the bill at some point this afternoon.
The employment minister, Michaelia Cash, on her feet this afternoon, parrying Labor attacks over the AWU raid tip-off.The employment minister, Michaelia Cash, on her feet this afternoon, parrying Labor attacks over the AWU raid tip-off.
Rex Patrick, our newest senator, is up on his feet, asking a question of the finance minister, Mathias Cormann, about job creation and government procurement. Patrick is the new Nick Xenophon Team senator and was sworn in this morning as Xenophon’s replacement.Rex Patrick, our newest senator, is up on his feet, asking a question of the finance minister, Mathias Cormann, about job creation and government procurement. Patrick is the new Nick Xenophon Team senator and was sworn in this morning as Xenophon’s replacement.
We’ve now had three dixers on Adani’s Queensland coal mine in three days for the resources minister, Matt Canavan. Canavan talks up the jobs on offer from Adani for Queenslanders.We’ve now had three dixers on Adani’s Queensland coal mine in three days for the resources minister, Matt Canavan. Canavan talks up the jobs on offer from Adani for Queenslanders.
“If they want these jobs, the LNP is not shy in expressing our support,” he said.“If they want these jobs, the LNP is not shy in expressing our support,” he said.
We gathered, senator.We gathered, senator.
The attorney general, George Brandis, says he “welcomes and rejoices” in the outcome of the same-sex marriage survey.The attorney general, George Brandis, says he “welcomes and rejoices” in the outcome of the same-sex marriage survey.
“This, on any view, was an outstanding outcome. And I once again want to congratulate Senator Mathias Cormann, who was responsible for the conduct of the postal survey, on an outstanding response,” Brandis said. “The result ... gladdens me greatly.“This, on any view, was an outstanding outcome. And I once again want to congratulate Senator Mathias Cormann, who was responsible for the conduct of the postal survey, on an outstanding response,” Brandis said. “The result ... gladdens me greatly.
“This is an important day in Australian history, it is an important day in the history of human rights in Australia, it is an important day on which we acknowledge and, finally – finally – strike down this barrier of discrimination on the grounds of sexuality.”“This is an important day in Australian history, it is an important day in the history of human rights in Australia, it is an important day on which we acknowledge and, finally – finally – strike down this barrier of discrimination on the grounds of sexuality.”
Greens senator Janet Rice asks whether the process from here will ensure that LGBTIQ people in Australia are free from discrimination. She’s referring to the bill proposed by James Paterson, who wants greater protections for businesses to discriminate against same-sex weddings.Greens senator Janet Rice asks whether the process from here will ensure that LGBTIQ people in Australia are free from discrimination. She’s referring to the bill proposed by James Paterson, who wants greater protections for businesses to discriminate against same-sex weddings.
Brandis responds:Brandis responds:
Senator Rice, I don’t believe they should be rolled back, I think you and I have the same view on this matter.Senator Rice, I don’t believe they should be rolled back, I think you and I have the same view on this matter.
The attack is again pressed on Michaelia Cash, this time over her office’s tip-off to media ahead of the Australian Workers’ Union raid. Labor are asking her whether she understands the concept of ministerial responsibility.The attack is again pressed on Michaelia Cash, this time over her office’s tip-off to media ahead of the Australian Workers’ Union raid. Labor are asking her whether she understands the concept of ministerial responsibility.
“I took responsibility in relation to it when it was brought to my attention that the information I had given was not correct. I corrected the record and my staff member resigned,” Cash said.“I took responsibility in relation to it when it was brought to my attention that the information I had given was not correct. I corrected the record and my staff member resigned,” Cash said.
Australian Workers Union makes $100,000 donation to activist group GetUp as it launches in 2005. Bill Shorten was the secretary of the AWU and a founding board member of GetUp.Australian Workers Union makes $100,000 donation to activist group GetUp as it launches in 2005. Bill Shorten was the secretary of the AWU and a founding board member of GetUp.
Turnbull government sets up Registered Organisations Commission – a new union watchdog to monitor and investigate unions and employer associations. Turnbull government sets up Registered Organisations Commission – a new union watchdog to monitor and investigate unions and employer associations. 
After details of AWU's 2005 donation are reported in the Weekend Australian, Cash refers matter to the ROC for investigation.After details of AWU's 2005 donation are reported in the Weekend Australian, Cash refers matter to the ROC for investigation.
ROC begins formally investigating AWU's national and Victorian branches. ROC begins formally investigating AWU's national and Victorian branches. 
Separate to AWU, ROC and $100,000 donation, Australian Electoral Commission announces it will investigate GetUp for its conduct in the 2016 election. AEC says GetUp could potentially be an 'associated entity' of Labor and the Greens because its activism substantially benefited both parties in the federal election.Separate to AWU, ROC and $100,000 donation, Australian Electoral Commission announces it will investigate GetUp for its conduct in the 2016 election. AEC says GetUp could potentially be an 'associated entity' of Labor and the Greens because its activism substantially benefited both parties in the federal election.
ROC asks Australian federal police to raid offices of AWU, after anonymous caller tells them union officials may be destroying documents. Some media outlets are tipped off, appearing at AWU's offices before police arrive for late afternoon raid. ROC asks Australian federal police to raid offices of AWU, after anonymous caller tells them union officials may be destroying documents. Some media outlets are tipped off, appearing at AWU's offices before police arrive for late afternoon raid. 
11am – On five occasions, Cash denies that anyone in her office knew about the raid, or tipped off journalists, as she is grilled at a Senate estimates committee. 11am – On five occasions, Cash denies that anyone in her office knew about the raid, or tipped off journalists, as she is grilled at a Senate estimates committee. 
6pm – An explosive Buzzfeed article is published. Two journalists say they were tipped off by someone in Cash's office, an hour before the raid. The Senate committee heads to a dinner break. 6pm – An explosive Buzzfeed article is published. Two journalists say they were tipped off by someone in Cash's office, an hour before the raid. The Senate committee heads to a dinner break. 
7.30pm – Cash returns and reveals her senior media adviser, David De Garis, did in fact tip off the media. 7.30pm – Cash returns and reveals her senior media adviser, David De Garis, did in fact tip off the media. 
She explains she was unaware of De Garis's actions until he told her over dinner. As for how De Garis knew about the raid in advance, Cash says De Garis was told by 'a media source".She explains she was unaware of De Garis's actions until he told her over dinner. As for how De Garis knew about the raid in advance, Cash says De Garis was told by 'a media source".
De Garis resigns.   De Garis resigns.   
The questioning continues. Cash fronts the Senate committee again as Labor and the Greens call for her resignation, saying she mislead the parliament five times the previous day. Government colleagues stand by her. 'Michaelia Cash simply did not know,' says social services minister Christian Porter.The questioning continues. Cash fronts the Senate committee again as Labor and the Greens call for her resignation, saying she mislead the parliament five times the previous day. Government colleagues stand by her. 'Michaelia Cash simply did not know,' says social services minister Christian Porter.
Labor is asking the women’s minister, Michaelia Cash, whether she will speak to the One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, about the posts by her Queensland state candidate, Mark Thornton, whose adult shop business posted jokes on social media about domestic violence.Labor is asking the women’s minister, Michaelia Cash, whether she will speak to the One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, about the posts by her Queensland state candidate, Mark Thornton, whose adult shop business posted jokes on social media about domestic violence.
Cash says she hasn’t spoken to Hanson, but would hope it’s clear to everyone in the chamber that domestic violence is unacceptable.Cash says she hasn’t spoken to Hanson, but would hope it’s clear to everyone in the chamber that domestic violence is unacceptable.
“In no way is domestic violence ever a joking matter, it is never a matter to be laughed at,” Cash said.“In no way is domestic violence ever a joking matter, it is never a matter to be laughed at,” Cash said.
She’s asked whether she will condemn her Queensland LNP colleagues for striking a preference deal with One Nation.She’s asked whether she will condemn her Queensland LNP colleagues for striking a preference deal with One Nation.
“There is no preference deal between the LNP and One Nation in Queensland, and quite frankly any suggestion of that fact, yet again, is just Labor muddying the water,” she said.“There is no preference deal between the LNP and One Nation in Queensland, and quite frankly any suggestion of that fact, yet again, is just Labor muddying the water,” she said.
7 News reporter @BenBMurph questions @OneNationAus candidate Mark Thornton about a sex shop he owns. @PaulineHansonOz #7News pic.twitter.com/8vOGFw2pG67 News reporter @BenBMurph questions @OneNationAus candidate Mark Thornton about a sex shop he owns. @PaulineHansonOz #7News pic.twitter.com/8vOGFw2pG6
Just an update on what we know of the voting intentions of politicians.
George Christensen said he would abstain from voting on the Dean Smith bill, but would vote for the James Paterson bill.
Matt Canavan looks like he’ll abstain from the Smith bill, too. Andrew Hastie is also likely to abstain, despite his electorate voting for marriage equality.
Labor MPs who will vote for same-sex marriage, despite their electorates voting against:
Jason Clare
Linda Burney
Tony Burke
Michelle Rowland
Ed Husic
The electorates of Chris Bowen, Julie Owens and Chris Hayes also voted against same-sex marriage.
You might have missed this amid all the same-sex marriage news, but my colleague Gareth Hutchens had a piece on Paul Keating’s speech to the Ceda annual dinner last night. Keating slammed Australia’s big business lobby groups for being obsessed with tax cuts and lacking the imagination to prevent the economy slipping backwards. He said the plan for company tax rate cuts failed to understand that economic growth must be inclusive.
“We can see in America today what the loss of these balances means, watching the extremes of income and wealth rip at the fabric of American society,” Keating said.
You can read the full piece here:
Let’s get into the nuts and bolts of what will happen in parliament now. The Dean Smith bill will be introduced to the Senate this afternoon. There will be some initial debate, and Christopher Pyne says a second reading debate will happen tomorrow. Then the bill will be sent to the House of Representatives, which doesn’t sit until later this month.
Amendments can be proposed and debated in both houses.
Smith’s bill is continuing to split the Coalition down factional lines.
Former Australian prime minister John Howard has had his say on the protection of parental rights, religious freedoms and freedom of speech. He’s added his voice to the conservative warnings against the Smith bill, which has cross-party support.
“These are not small matters. It is a pity that the government, as I asked, had not spelled out before the vote how these matters were going to be covered in any enabling legislation,” Howard said.
“I don’t regard the Dean Smith bill as being sufficient. I think the two things that really matter are freedom of religion and parental rights. Issues about cake makers or florists – I don’t want the debate to get hung up on that.”
But Pyne, the leader of the house, said the Smith bill provided sufficient protections for religious freedom. Pyne said the Smith bill was “the starting point”. Amendments could be proposed by whoever so wished, he said.
He said the poll result was a vindication of the government’s strategy.
“It’s a very clear result. It’s also vindication of the government’s policy to ask the Australian people to have a say. Almost 80% [of] people voted – it’s an outstanding contribution to a voluntary plebiscite,” he said.
“There’s now been a yes vote, the people have spoken. It’s now the job of the parliament to faithfully implement marriage equality by the end of the year and that’s exactly what we intend to do.”
Let’s see how long that smile lasts. It’s going to be a tough time for Turnbull from here on.
Home & Happy, the PM at a presser after the #SSM result and an overnight flight from Manila @knausc @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/IolcwM6BKi
The attention is now well and truly on which bill the parliament will use to take the nation forward on same-sex marriage legalisation. The Qantas chief executive, Alan Joyce, a prominent yes campaigner, said most Australians voted yes with the Dean Smith bill in mind.
He’s rubbished the bill put forward by James Paterson. How could a baker refuse to bake a cake for him and his partner if they turned up at the baker’s together, but not if he turned up by himself, he asks.
“There’s something perverse about that that’s just not right,” he just told Sky.
Joyce said he had voted yes with the Smith bill in mind.
“I agree with [attorney general] George Brandis on this – that you can’t remove one form of discrimination, which was in the marriage act, and start putting in other forms of discrimination again,” he said.
“I do believe that the protections in the Dean Smith bill, which are the protections for the religious organisations that are there, are adequate.”
Some breaking news from South Australia. The Labor government of Jay Weatherill has announced it’s dumping its bank tax. The bank tax was met with significant opposition when it was proposed. The Australian Bankers’ Association had vowed to take the state government to the high court.
“For all intents and purposes, the bank tax is dead,” Weatherill said.
The timing of the announcement is interesting, to say the least.
Well, an interesting turn in Bennelong. Keneally has turned up during campaigning by Liberal John Alexander and foreign minister Julie Bishop. I’m sure she was welcomed with open arms. The same-sex poll was interesting in Bennelong. It had the electorate fairly evenly split for and against same-sex marriage. The no camp just had it, with about 51% of the votes.
Meanwhile, @KKeneally has crashed John Alexander's event with Julie Bishop. Pic by @nampix #auspol #bennelong pic.twitter.com/EAhVx1RqKk
So the Newspoll had it at 63%, ends up being 61.6% which is basically within the margin of error. What a waste of $100m.
Kevin Andrews has been on Sky, talking about the bakers again. Andrews, a conservative, wants greater protections for people to discriminate against same-sex weddings.
Indeed, he wants Islamic bakers to be able to deny cakes to people of the Jewish faith and vice-versa. But only for weddings, so it’s OK.
“If that individual wants to be able do that, I don’t have a problem,” he said.
“But nor do I have a problem the other way around. Don’t have a problem if there was a gay baker who said, ‘I don’t want to bake a cake for a heterosexual wedding, or I don’t want to bake a cake for a Christian, or an Islamic celebration, whatever it might be’.”
Our intrepid photographer, Mike Bowers, was among a gathering of politicians watching the results earlier today in parliament. He’s captured, in stunning form, the elation of Labor’s Penny Wong.