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Conservative same-sex marriage amendments defeated – politics live
Conservative same-sex marriage amendments defeated – politics live
(35 minutes later)
Education minister Simon Birmingham is using a dixer on school funding to launch an attack on Kristina Keneally, Labor’s candidate for Bennelong. He’s saying she was responsible for funding cuts to schools in New South Wales in 2010.
Mike Bowers was down in the chamber for the vote on the same-sex marriage bill amendments earlier this afternoon.
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells is using another dixer to attack Kristina Keneally. I sense a theme emerging.
During her attack, Fierravanti-Wells described Keneally as Bill Shorten’s “girl”.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young jumps to her feet to ask Fierravanti-Wells to reflect on the wording.
I’d just ask the minister reflect on the wording ‘his girl’. I’m not sure it’s appropriate.
Fierravanti-Wells responds:
Considering they were the words that Bill Shorten used the other day, I’m only quoting him.
Labor’s Chris Ketter asks attorney-general George Brandis whether he can rule out a royal commission or commission of inquiry into the banks.
Brandis initially ducks the question. He says there have been 17 inquiries since the global financial crisis.
The government has been very, very active in implementing the recommendations of those inquiries.
These royal commissions go for years, they report at the end and aggrieved customers would have years to wait until they got any relief. years to wait until they got any compensation or recompense.
Then he follows the line of Malcolm Turnbull earlier today. He says the policy is not to have a royal commission. He says nothing of a commission of inquiry.
New Greens senator, Jordon Steele-John, has asked why Australia is falling so far behind other nations in improving employment of people with a disability. Steele-John, a noted disability advocate, entered the Senate earlier this month.
Communications minister Mitch Fifield takes his question on behalf of the government. He speaks of the importance of the national disability insurance scheme, and the government’s investments in the disability employment services (DES) program.
Fifield:
I well recall from my period as minister for disabilities, that if you were an Australian with a disability, you were twice as likely to be unemployed than other Australians.
I don’t think that there’s anyone in this chamber that would be or could be satisfied by the rates of employment in relation to Australians who have disability.
The education minister, Simon Birmingham, is using a dixer on school funding to launch an attack on Kristina Keneally, Labor’s candidate for Bennelong. He’s saying she was responsible for funding cuts to schools in New South Wales in 2010.
"They all begged to be on her Sky show, now they get up and attack her," quips @samdastyari after Birmo goes after Kristina Keneally in #senateqt
"They all begged to be on her Sky show, now they get up and attack her," quips @samdastyari after Birmo goes after Kristina Keneally in #senateqt
Labor immediately launches an attack on communications minister Mitch Fifield over the national broadband network (NBN).
Labor immediately launches an attack on the communications minister, Mitch Fifield, over the national broadband network (NBN).
They’re slamming him for delays to some NBN broadband customers - those who use existing pay television cables via the hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) network. Technical issues mean the NBN will be delayed by up to another nine months for such customers.
They are slamming him for delays to some NBN broadband customers – those who use existing pay television cables via the hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) network. Technical issues mean the NBN will be delayed by up to another nine months for such customers.
Fifield defends HFC:
Fifield defends HFC:
HFC is and will remain an important technology for the NBN as the CEO of NBN has identified, there are some issues that are being addressed that are readily fixable to do with interference, in terms of spectrum.
HFC is and will remain an important technology for the NBN as the CEO of NBN has identified, there are some issues that are being addressed that are readily fixable to do with interference, in terms of spectrum.
These are all very fixable, HFC is a good product.
These are all very fixable, HFC is a good product.
Question time is about to start in the Senate. The Senate president, Scott Ryan, is ruling on a fiery question from Greens senator Nick McKim on Monday. McKim asked the government whether it toasted its offshore detention policy as the men on Manus Island were being beaten with metal poles.
Question time is about to start in the Senate. The Senate president, Scott Ryan, is ruling on a fiery question from Greens senator Nick McKim on Monday. McKim asked the government whether it toasted its offshore detention policy as the men on Manus Island were being beaten with metal poles.
Ryan rules the question was not out of order.
Ryan rules the question was not out of order.
But he tells McKim that he’ll need to be prepared to accept similarly provocative questions and statements about his own actions from the government without complaint. The government spent a fair chunk of question time yesterday attacking McKim for going to Manus and allegedly encouraging men to disobey authorities and remain in the camp.
But he tells McKim that he’ll need to be prepared to accept similarly provocative questions and statements about his own actions from the government without complaint. The government spent a fair chunk of question time yesterday attacking McKim for going to Manus and allegedly encouraging men to disobey authorities and remain in the camp.
The first amendments to the same-sex marriage bill have been soundly defeated, 41 against to 24 in favour. It’s a strong win for the moderates who want Dean Smith’s bill to pass unchanged.
The first amendments to the same-sex marriage bill have been soundly defeated, 41 against to 24 in favour. It’s a strong win for the moderates who want Dean Smith’s bill to pass unchanged.
The Senate considered two amendments. One protected civil celebrants for conscientiously objecting to same-sex marriage, without a religious reason necessary. The second amendment created separate sections for man-woman marriage and two-person marriage.
The Senate considered two amendments. One protected civil celebrants for conscientiously objecting to same-sex marriage, without a religious reason necessary. The second amendment created separate sections for man-woman marriage and two-person marriage.
There are more amendments on civil celebrants to come at a later stage.
There are more amendments on civil celebrants to come at a later stage.
On these amendments: 24 ayes and 41 noes, so Labor/Greens/NXT/Hinch/Coalition moderate grouping holding and has first big win #auspol #marriageequality
On these amendments: 24 ayes and 41 noes, so Labor/Greens/NXT/Hinch/Coalition moderate grouping holding and has first big win #auspol #marriageequality
Senators Reynolds, Hume, Scullion, Birmingham, Payne, NXT, ALP and Greens all opposing the hostile amendments. It will be clearly defeated.
Senators Reynolds, Hume, Scullion, Birmingham, Payne, NXT, ALP and Greens all opposing the hostile amendments. It will be clearly defeated.
So Coalition senators voting with Labor and Greens on civil celebrants and separate marriage definitions include Smith, Reynolds Birmo Hume Payne Scullion #auspol #marriageequality
So Coalition senators voting with Labor and Greens on civil celebrants and separate marriage definitions include Smith, Reynolds Birmo Hume Payne Scullion #auspol #marriageequality
O'Sullivan now wants to split them and vote on them separately. It's clear Labor/Greens/NXT/those Coalition moderates have the numbers #auspol #marriageequality
O'Sullivan now wants to split them and vote on them separately. It's clear Labor/Greens/NXT/those Coalition moderates have the numbers #auspol #marriageequality
Labor’s Penny Wong has warned against amendments for conscientious objection. Those amendments would protect those who conscientiously object to participating in same-sex marriage.
This is a very big concept to introduce, to suggest that we should actually have different treatment of Australians, not on the basis of an identified religious belief ... but we should somehow in this debate about marriage equality introduce a new notion of conscientious objection as a basis for not applying the law universally. That is a very unorthodox step and I agree it is an illiberal step.
The moderate Liberal senator Dean Smith is in the Senate arguing against the amendments. He says his bill has been in the public sphere for months.
It is responsible, it is sensible, it has the support of the community.
Smith then slams the amendments proposed by Liberal senators James Paterson and David Fawcett.
Beware the Paterson bill was unorthodox, it was illiberal. The Paterson-Fawcett amendments are born of that same ilk. Illiberal, unorthodox.
We’re right into the debate on same-sex marriage bill amendments here.
The Senate is discussing an amendment that would give civil celebrants protections for refusing to marry same-sex couples.
The Greens senator Janet Rice is asking what that would mean, in practice, for her and her partner, who is a trans woman.
[Would they be able] to blatantly and quite discriminatingly be able to say, ‘No, we’re not able to marry you’?
Rice, as with many on the yes side, has urged against introducing one form of discrimination to replace another.
The resources minister, Matt Canavan, a no voter, said the argument works the other way, too. He said without the protections people who held traditional views about same-sex marriage would be discriminated against.
It would be “incredibly discriminatory” to people who want to pursue a career as a civil celebrant but don’t agree with same-sex marriage, he said.
I think it’s unfortunate therefore that in trying to remove one form of discrimination we would be establishing another form.
He said there has been a lack of engagement and consideration for those who do not agree with same-sex marriage.
A bit earlier, one of the more vocal Liberal no campaigners, Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, accused Labor of abandoning its base in western Sydney by refusing to support amendments to the bill. You’ll remember western Sydney voted strongly against same-sex marriage, including in many Labor seats.
I have to say to those opposite you have well and truly forgotten your heartland. You have well and truly forgotten particularly all those people in western Sydney.
What is so wrong to afford them now the opportunity of having an equal say?
QLD Nationals senator Barry O'Sullivan as the senate begins to move amendments to the bill to amend the marriage act @knausc @GuardianAus @murpharoo @Paul_Karp #auspol #politicslive https://t.co/NdPIu52fyz pic.twitter.com/fHY2rhwuuW
We’ve just heard from another Nationals MP on the banking inquiry. The party is divided over the plan. Two Nationals – senator Barry O’Sullivan and lower house MP Llew O’Brien – are supporting a banking inquiry. The Nationals leader, Barnaby Joyce, has left open the door to the party supporting the inquiry.
Others are not so keen.
The transport minister, Darren Chester, is the latest to express his displeasure. He’s told Sky News that the inquiry would be an $150m “lawyers’ picnic”.
That $150m could be building better, safer roads in regional communities. It could be saving lives in my community.
Kristina Keneally has just appeared in Bennelong alongside the opposition leader, Bill Shorten. Early voting began in the byelection today.
Keneally’s opponent, the Liberal MP John Alexander, and the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, appeared in Bennelong earlier today.
They promised $100m to build a major transport hub in the electorate, designed to relieve congestion.
Keneally and Shorten matched the promise.
“Does anyone even think he would have visited Bennelong except for Kristina’s determined campaign and Labor’s commitment?” Shorten said. “Kristina Keneally is already paying dividends for the voters of Bennelong and she hasn’t even been elected.”
Labor has continued to put pressure on the government over Medicare, delays to the NBN and internal divisions over the banking inquiry.
Keneally said Alexander is preferencing a One Nation party member ahead of Labor candidates.
Alexander earlier today said he was unaware of any such preference arrangement.
The Greens’ party room met earlier this morning.
They have considering throwing a wildcard into the quickly changing saga of the banking commission of inquiry.
They are increasingly of the view that the Liberal National senator Barry O’Sullivan is not serious about pursuing a proper parliamentary inquiry into the banks.
At this stage, they say they are unlikely to support his private member’s bill in the Senate. They say the Senate has already passed a bill to establish a commission of inquiry (co-sponsored by the Greens, Labor, the Nick Xenophon Team, and others) and they are thinking of introducing that bill to the House of Representatives next week.
They say if the LNP backbencher George Christensen, and his colleague Llew O’Brien, are serious about crossing the floor to support a banking inquiry then they will have the opportunity to do so with the Greens bill.
They acknowledge there’s a chance that such a tactic could upset the momentum for an inquiry. So watch this space.
On Milo Yiannopoulos:
Apart from the banks, they’re still angry about Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm inviting the alt-right poster boy Milo Yiannopoulos to Parliament House next month.
The Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said one thing people need to realise is that the publicist for Leyonhjelm’s book is the same publicist for Yiannopoulos’s book.
But the Greens leader, Richard Di Natale, is going to write to the presiding officers in Parliament House to ask them why they have granted access to Yiannopoulos in the first place and to ask them to rescind the offer.
On Don Burke:
The Greens say they are so disturbed by the allegations about Don Burke, and revelations that Channel Nine executives were aware of his behaviour for years, that they have started investigating what types of penalties could be put in place for media executives – and boards – that don’t act on allegations of sexual harassment and assault.
They say television broadcasters and radio stations are allowed to access the public airwaves, with regulations and restrictions governing that access.
“Stay tuned for that,” Sarah Hanson-Young said.
Right, folks. Some progress with the same-sex marriage bill. We’re now into debating the amendments in the Senate.
So #marriageequality bill passed second reading stage with no contrary voices. No vote necessary. Into committee stage. #auspol
The attorney general, George Brandis, has really claimed the mantle of removing discriminatory laws for the Liberal party and conservatives.
He starts in 1972 when Murray Hill moved a bill to decriminalise gay sex in South Australia and takes us through Here Comes the Groom, an article published in 1989 that he says shows gay marriage originated from the conservative side of politics.
Brandis says that same-sex marriage will finally give gay people full equality and access to marriage but its significance is far greater:
“After centuries of prejudice, discrimination rejection and ridicule, it is an expiation of past wrongs and a final act of acceptance and embrace.”
The message it sends to young people is potent:
“You are a normal person and like every other normal person you have a need to love ... Who you love is for you to decide and others to respect.”
Brandis credits Malcolm Turnbull for being the first prime minister to have advocated and prosecuted this cause and says it will be a signature achievement and “imperishable legacy” of his prime ministership.
The attorney general, George Brandis, is currently making a powerful speech on same-sex marriage in the Senate.
It’s the standout of the various contributions today.
My colleague Paul Karp is in the chamber and will bring you a more comprehensive report on his words. But here’s a flavour:
This decision by the Australian people – enabled by their government and enacted by their parliament – will come to be seen as one of those occasional shining moments which stand out in our nation’s history. About which people will still speak with admiration in decades, indeed centuries to come. One of those breakthroughs which have, as the wheel of history turns, defined us as a people.
Success has many fathers. And although this achievement was brought to fulfilment by a Liberal government and a Liberal prime minister, it would be churlish not to acknowledge so many in the Labor party in also promoting this cause. I can well imagine their frustration during the six years of the Rudd and Gillard governments, when the cause was delayed, because it is the same frustration I have felt at times with leaders on my own side of politics.
But in the end, through long years and many false steps on both sides of politics, through many stops and starts, we have come, at last, to this end.
As Martin Luther King famously said, the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice.
George Brandis talks to yes vote advocates Alex Greenwich and Tom Snow during debate on the bill to change the marriage act in the #Senate @knausc @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive https://t.co/NdPIu52fyz pic.twitter.com/1M8uLXEq92
