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| MPs return to Canberra as Batman byelection looms – politics live | MPs return to Canberra as Batman byelection looms – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Tony Abbott has started 2018 as he means to go on - calling on the Turnbull government to “sharpen up the policy difference” with Labor by building a new coal power station and “ending the emissions obsession”. | |
| In an interview on 2GB Radio in which he noted the government had lost 26 Newspolls in a row, Abbott also called for a reduction in immigration which he suggested would improve housing affordability. It’s the same conservative manifesto the former prime minister has been spruiking since mid last year.Abbott said that flying the Aboriginal flag on the Harbour Bridge “sends all the wrong signals ... it sends a signal that we are effectively two nations”.Ahead of the New South Wales branch considering party reforms, Abbott said there “is not unity in our party when it comes to empowering the members”. The Liberal moderate faction - which Abbott repeatedly referred to as “left wing” - had put up a Bennelong motion which he described as “a little bit of democracy in five years’ time”.“It allows the left faction to say ‘yes we have reformed’ while preserving their own position.”In another swipe at the Turnbullites, Abbott said that “serendipity” now sees Jim Molan enter the Senate due to the citizenship crisis after the “left wing faction tried to keep him out”. | |
| John Alexander is back in the parliament. He will take his oath first thing. | |
| This will not be the only reminder we have of the citizenship drama today. The government is pushing VERY hard to have Susan Lamb resign or referred and Alexander’s return gives it the numbers it needs to force a referral. That would be a huge departure from protocol and tradition. It would also signal quite a brutal determination to use its numbers to force other parties into actions, which would be quite the statement. | |
| Labor is hoping to ride it out, at least until the high court decides what reasonable steps to renouncing citizenship is. | |
| For those needing a refresher, Lamb renounced her citizenship, but didn’t have all the documents, so it wasn’t processed in time by her nomination to the parliament. Labor senator Katy Gallagher also didn’t have her documents in order by the time of the nomination for the 2016 election, so she referred herself to the high court, where reasonable steps will be the foundation of the ruling. | |
| My colleague Paul Karp has handily put together this explainer. I would bookmark it if I was you. We are going to be back here many, many times. | |
| The more things change, the more they stay the same. | |
| The bells are ringing, which means the parliament is almost back. | |
| It is largely ceremonial today. But you’ll find the Reps schedule here and the Senate schedule here | |
| Adani is back on the national agenda. Labor, after this story, have switched up their language on the company’s Queensland mining project. | Adani is back on the national agenda. Labor, after this story, have switched up their language on the company’s Queensland mining project. |
| Protesters were outside parliament this morning. And with the Greens a very real and present threat (to Labor) in the Batman byelection, well, it’s only going to get more relevant. | |
| The chairman of Adani, Gautam Adani, had a few things to say to Indian business news website Livemint on the opposition to his company’s project: | |
| “In recent years our project has faced intense resistance abetted by some international NGOs and competitors who have turned to vicious personal attacks and used the press to their advantage,” he told the website. | |
| “The fact is that renewable energy technologies are not currently ready to provide uninterrupted base load power.“The fact is that it is our responsibility to get electricity to the Indian child who needs to light that single bulb to educate himself.” | |
| Before we start with the day’s events, I’d like to take a moment for something personal. | Before we start with the day’s events, I’d like to take a moment for something personal. |
| Michael Gordon, a friend and mentor to many in the gallery, died at the weekend, and the grief is still coming in waves. | Michael Gordon, a friend and mentor to many in the gallery, died at the weekend, and the grief is still coming in waves. |
| Micky was the best of us. Courageous, fair to a fault, fearless in speaking truth to power, incredibly humble and always seeking to use his platform for good. | Micky was the best of us. Courageous, fair to a fault, fearless in speaking truth to power, incredibly humble and always seeking to use his platform for good. |
| He left the Age last year, where he spent 37 of his 44 years in journalism, and wrote about what he’d learnt during his career. You’ll find his piece, Looking for something good and trying to do better, here. It’s pinned up at my desk at home. Along with the words he shared with me when I first started in the gallery – “Be good, be kind.” | He left the Age last year, where he spent 37 of his 44 years in journalism, and wrote about what he’d learnt during his career. You’ll find his piece, Looking for something good and trying to do better, here. It’s pinned up at my desk at home. Along with the words he shared with me when I first started in the gallery – “Be good, be kind.” |
| So many of us have a Micky story. Know the power of a Micky hug. I was one of the many privileged enough to work alongside him. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones, whom he held above everything. | So many of us have a Micky story. Know the power of a Micky hug. I was one of the many privileged enough to work alongside him. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones, whom he held above everything. |
| We don’t have the words. I doubt we ever will. So I ask you: Be good, be kind. | We don’t have the words. I doubt we ever will. So I ask you: Be good, be kind. |
| A statement on Michael Gordon from all of us at the Press Gallery committee. Words just aren’t enough, but here are some: pic.twitter.com/oPYy5mpape | A statement on Michael Gordon from all of us at the Press Gallery committee. Words just aren’t enough, but here are some: pic.twitter.com/oPYy5mpape |
| Your federal leaders are back, and so are we. | Your federal leaders are back, and so are we. |
| I hope everyone has managed to have some kind of rest because our federal MPs have sprung into the first sitting week chomping at the bit. | I hope everyone has managed to have some kind of rest because our federal MPs have sprung into the first sitting week chomping at the bit. |
| The latest Newspoll has Malcolm Turnbull facing his 26th loss in a row but the Coalition has slightly improved its primary vote and Bill Shorten is still chasing Turnbull as preferred PM. Labor still leads the Coalition in the two-party-preferred measure – 52 to 48. | The latest Newspoll has Malcolm Turnbull facing his 26th loss in a row but the Coalition has slightly improved its primary vote and Bill Shorten is still chasing Turnbull as preferred PM. Labor still leads the Coalition in the two-party-preferred measure – 52 to 48. |
| But Shorten is starting the year with a byelection looming in Batman, which Labor only just won from the Greens in 2016. David Feeney has resigned and Ged Kearney is running. That doesn’t seem to be the end of the citizenship drama though, with Christopher Pyne still calling for Susan Lamb to be referred to the high court. Labor has returned fire with calls for Jason Falinski to front the bench. And so on and so on. | But Shorten is starting the year with a byelection looming in Batman, which Labor only just won from the Greens in 2016. David Feeney has resigned and Ged Kearney is running. That doesn’t seem to be the end of the citizenship drama though, with Christopher Pyne still calling for Susan Lamb to be referred to the high court. Labor has returned fire with calls for Jason Falinski to front the bench. And so on and so on. |
| On the policy side of things (I know), Scott Morrison is pushing his tax cut agenda HARD, while Labor is zeroing in on inequality and wage growth. The two things aren’t exactly simpatico, so that should make for some interesting debates. | On the policy side of things (I know), Scott Morrison is pushing his tax cut agenda HARD, while Labor is zeroing in on inequality and wage growth. The two things aren’t exactly simpatico, so that should make for some interesting debates. |
| And Lucy Gichuhi will sit on the government benches for the first time after defecting from the crossbench. Which doesn’t really do a lot for the government’s numbers, because Gichuhi voted with the government anyway, and let’s not forget Cory Bernardi was elected as a Liberal before jumping ship to his own party. | And Lucy Gichuhi will sit on the government benches for the first time after defecting from the crossbench. Which doesn’t really do a lot for the government’s numbers, because Gichuhi voted with the government anyway, and let’s not forget Cory Bernardi was elected as a Liberal before jumping ship to his own party. |
| Fraser Anning will formally leave One Nation today as well – keep an eye on where he could eventually end up. (I know Bernardi will be.) | Fraser Anning will formally leave One Nation today as well – keep an eye on where he could eventually end up. (I know Bernardi will be.) |
| I would also recommend you read this from my colleague Anne Davies – the Murray-Darling basin plan will be one of the sleeper issues this year. Don’t underestimate its impact in the regions. | I would also recommend you read this from my colleague Anne Davies – the Murray-Darling basin plan will be one of the sleeper issues this year. Don’t underestimate its impact in the regions. |
| Parliament resumes at lunchtime. The leaders are at the traditional church services while their lieutenants take potshots at each other. I hope you’ve had your coffee. I’ve had about three and it still doesn’t seem enough. | Parliament resumes at lunchtime. The leaders are at the traditional church services while their lieutenants take potshots at each other. I hope you’ve had your coffee. I’ve had about three and it still doesn’t seem enough. |
| Mike Bowers has been out and about for hours so follow along with him at @mpbowers and @mikepbowers while you’ll find me at @amyremeikis and @ifyouseeamy. And of course, the comment section is open for your enjoyment. I’ll be making visits when I can, but if it’s urgent, hit me up on Twitter. | Mike Bowers has been out and about for hours so follow along with him at @mpbowers and @mikepbowers while you’ll find me at @amyremeikis and @ifyouseeamy. And of course, the comment section is open for your enjoyment. I’ll be making visits when I can, but if it’s urgent, hit me up on Twitter. |
| Let the games begin! | Let the games begin! |