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| 'Super Saturday' byelections to be held on 28 July – politics live | 'Super Saturday' byelections to be held on 28 July – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| As Tanya Plibersek flagged in her response a few posts ago, the most likely eventuality is that Labor will move its national conference. | |
| It kind of has no choice - all those delegates will be needed on the ground in the five byelections, four of them that Labor very much wants to and needs, to win. | |
| Paul sent this post through a little earlier, and I missed it the first time (it was only a couple of minutes), but for context: | |
| Penny Wongis in Senate estimates grilling the Australian Electoral Commission about its advice on possible byelection dates. | |
| So far special minister of state Mathias Cormann has been keen to dump Labor in it - he notes that the joint standing committee on electoral matters reported back on 17 May, and he reached out to Bill Shorten on that day seeking feedback on a proposed regulation for a candidate checklist by lunchtime on 18 May. Cormann says Labor did not give a formal reply until 22 May. | |
| Wong is now asking about AEC’s submissions to the committee and its contact with the government after the report came out. | |
| LiveCorp Chairman Terry Enright is being questioned in estimates on the live export of animals on long-haul voyages. Enright explains to the committee that Livecorp is a research and development body that supports the farming industry. It does not advocate, lobby, or export animals, Enright says.“I’d like to put on the record LiveCorp board senior management and staff are all shocked as producers, as government, as everyone was, by the 60 Minutes footage we saw a few weeks ago,” he says.“It represented the reverse of everything we work toward... to improve the welfare and support of animals through the whole supply chain. It also shocked us as we were not aware that something like that could actually happen on the transport side of the business.” | |
| But Senator Malarndirri McCarthy told Enright that LiveCorp had a vested interest in continuing live export. “How can you provide impartial advice about conditions you cannot control but choose to describe as [happening in] exceptional circumstances?,” she asks. | |
| Enright said the first priority in LiveCorp’s strategic plan was the welfare of animals. “We continue to place over 60% of our investment into that area of research,” he said.He said a lot of the recommendations of the McCarthy review needed to be implemented by the live export industry. LiveCorp would assist, but could not action the recommendations, he said. | |
| Tom Rogers: “Those seats are owned by the citizens – they’re not owned by the parties. My advice to the speaker was to give every candidate time to comply with the new requirements.” | |
| Penny Wong: “I agree they’re owned by the citizens, but by allowing them to be vacant the citizens are not represented in the parliament.” | |
| Wong said the 79-day period, much longer than for byelections in Batman, Bennelong and New England, “looks partisan”. Rogers asked if Wong was “saying I am partisan” - but she went no further than “looks partisan”. | |
| Wong has now taken the AEC to the fact that the Bennelong byelection was on the first day of the NSW school holidays. Rogers replies the AEC was ready and willing to hold these byelections during school holidays, if the speaker chose. Wong says the letter was “carefully written” and provides “cover” for the speaker to announce the 28 July date. | |
| Australian Electoral Commissioner Tom Rogers has told Senate estimates he knew the government was working on a regulation to help address eligibility issues before 17 May when the committee report came out. | |
| AEC legal officer Paul Pirani said it got a draft of the regulation from the department of finance in the week before the report, Rogers said the AEC provided some feedback on it. | |
| Penny Wong asks when the first time the 28th of July was suggested as a date.Rogers said it was a “technical issue” that there were only so many available Saturdays. “Every Saturday for the next several months is a possible date,” he said.Wong asks if for the Batman, Bennelong and New England elections the AEC ever suggested a period as long as 79 days. “The Australian people might like to hear why you’ve provided such different advice.” | |
| Rogers said the AEC is being “fingered” for the consequences of the fact that five byelections have fallen due at the same time. | |
| Tony Smith: | |
| This update follows further consultation with the Australian Electoral Commissioner and party leaders. Under the constitution, it is my responsibility alone to issue a writ for a byelection when a vacancy occurs and, generally, it has not been a practice to provide an explanation for the exercise of this responsibility. I have varied from the usual practice because of the quite unusual, quite uniques circumstances surrounding these byelctions. As the House of Representatives practice makes clear, there is no statutory period within which I must issue the writ. | |
| As a matter of principle, Speakers have generally sought to issue writs as soon as electorally practical, to ensure that electors are not without a representative here in the house, for longer than necessary. | |
| However, the timing of the calling of each byelection has varied considerably because of circumstance and this case, has been a unique set of circumstances. | |
| While there has been much commentary around the five byelections occurring on the one day, the Australian Electoral Commission actually has to consider whether this is feasible and desirable. The advice I have received from the electoral commissioner is that, although this is the largest number of byelections to be conducted at the one time since federation, and the holding of them across four states adds complexity, the AEC believes conducting the byelections on the same day is the preferred option. I intend to follow this preferred option. | |
| As noted in my statement on Monday, the electoral commissioner advised me the government was considering urgent changes, through regulation to the nomination process, to ensure that all candidates are aware of their obligations under section 44 of the constitution. The implementation of these changes prior to the byelections was supported by the electoral commissioner and by the joint standing committee on electoral matters, in a uniamous recommendation. | |
| The latest advice I have from the electoral commissioner is the regulations have been signed by the special minister of state and will be submitted to the governor general soon for his consideration, expected to be 29 May. | |
| Regardless of the date for submission to the federal executive council, the AEC has advised me it has commenced preparations to implement the regulations and will require approximately two weeks to do so. | |
| The implementation will need to be complete prior to the issuing of the writs, prior to the writs being issued ... [there are a lot of interjections]. | |
| ... Because nominations open as soon as writs are issued. At which time candidates can start nominating. This is in part to accommodate the requirements of the electoral commission, but more importantly so all candidates in the forthcoming byelection, all candidates, have sufficient time to comply with the new requirements. | |
| Turning now to the date of the byelections, the electoral commissioner has advised me that there is a complication of the school holiday period affecting all four states subject to byelections extending across a three-week period from 30 June to 21 July. | |
| Although, as the commissioner advises, it is possible to hold byelections in the school holiday period, it does create additional difficulties for voters and risk disenfranchisement and low turnout. | |
| Let me say, this is particularly, particularly the case in byelections. For whilst in a general election there are significant voting opportunities outside the electorate in which the voter resides, in byelections there are not. | |
| If there is to be single date for all byelections, and the school holidays are to be avoided, this pushes the next possible date to 28 July. | |
| The house explodes into yelling | |
| Although the electoral commission ... [more interjections]... although the electoral commission would not usually provide advice about a preferred date, I can advise members on this occasion the electoral commissioner has advised that 28 July is the optimal date. As the commissioner notes in his advice to me, this achieves three things. | |
| It provides sufficient time for the AEC to implement the changes [the house once again dissolves into absolute chaos], it allows sufficient time for the AEC to implement the changes, enables prospective candidates to comply with the new requirements and ensures voters are not disenfranchised. | |
| I consider it is prudent in the current circumstances that I follow this advice and allow time for the changes related to section 44 to be implemented and avoid the byelections taking place in the school holidays. | |
| I therefore propose to accept the commissioner’s recommendation for the optimal date for July 28. I will consult with the AEC about the date to issue the writ and the relevant date for the byelection and will advise the house when the dates have been settled. | |
| One very important consideration for me has been that this will not impact on the elected members’ ability to take up their seat in the house at the earliest opportunity because of the break in the sittings from 28 June until 13 August. The earliest date now that any elected members could take their seats, regardless of the date of the byelections, is the 13th of August. | |
| He then tables his correspondence from the electoral commissioner. | |
| Yup. Labor is extremely pissed. | |
| Tanya Plibersek issued this statement a few seconds ago: | |
| This is a disgraceful delay and a sneaky tactic from Malcolm Turnbull. He is just trying to buy time so he can dump his toxic $80bn tax handout to big business before the byelections. | |
| This deliberate delay is an insult to these communities who will be unrepresented for nearly three months. It shows Malcolm Turnbull doesn’t care about them. | |
| It would appear this has been deliberately designed to disadvantage the Labor party, given our national conference is scheduled for that weekend. | |
| This will obviously have implications for our National Conference. Our activists will want to be out in the community campaigning for Labor, not sitting in a conference centre. | |
| When Barnaby Joyce was forced to resign, a byelection was called the same day for the soonest possible date. When John Alexander resigned, a byelection was called within days. Communities have been waiting weeks now to know when they will have the chance to choose their representatives. | |
| Malcolm Turnbull owes the Australian people a serious explanation for this unacceptably long wait. | |
| The AEC is due to appear in the finance estimates hearing – and Penny Wong has just walked back in. | |
| It is pretty safe to say that Labor is PISSED at this decision. | It is pretty safe to say that Labor is PISSED at this decision. |
| Tony Burke: | Tony Burke: |
| The AEC would normally not recommend a date, as you have said, but on this occasion they have recommended a date and they have used the fact they want this new recommendation as the reason. | The AEC would normally not recommend a date, as you have said, but on this occasion they have recommended a date and they have used the fact they want this new recommendation as the reason. |
| Now, they appeared before the relevant inquiry months ago ... the regulations and discussions with the opposition happened more than a week ago, and we have a situation now where that 79-day delay, which is not applied anywhere else, is on the basis of the Australian Electoral Commission, which, if the prime minister went down to Yarralumla and called an election today, they would be able to conduct it with 160 seats in 33 days’ time. For 150 seats! Instead they say it has to be delayed all this period and it just happens to be on the day of the Labor party national conference ... what a coincidence on the part of the Australian Electoral Commission that is. | |
| This is pretty extraordinary. It means we now have a defacto election campaign for another two months. | This is pretty extraordinary. It means we now have a defacto election campaign for another two months. |
| It’s also the same date as the Labor national conference. | It’s also the same date as the Labor national conference. |
| FUN TIMES | FUN TIMES |
| Perth, Fremantle, Longman, Braddon and Mayo are heading to the polls in late July because of the school holidays. | Perth, Fremantle, Longman, Braddon and Mayo are heading to the polls in late July because of the school holidays. |
| He says the Electoral Commissioner had nominated the date as the “optimal date” as it allows the AEC to allow prospective candidates to comply with the new requirements and ensure voters are not disenfranchised | He says the Electoral Commissioner had nominated the date as the “optimal date” as it allows the AEC to allow prospective candidates to comply with the new requirements and ensure voters are not disenfranchised |
| Tony Smith takes a moment after question time to talk about the five upcoming byelections | |
| Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull: | Bill Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull: |
| I miss the lead up, but the main question is: “Is the prime minister seriously abolishing the serious financial crime task force right in the middle of the Royal Commission into the banks?” | I miss the lead up, but the main question is: “Is the prime minister seriously abolishing the serious financial crime task force right in the middle of the Royal Commission into the banks?” |
| Kelly O’Dwyer takes this one: | Kelly O’Dwyer takes this one: |
| “I’d like to point out that it is simply not correct what he has stated. The government is aware that the funding of the taskforce runs to the 30 June 2019 which is more than one year into the future. Responsible governments address funding programs in the context of budget preparations and anticipate that we would look at the funding in the next budget preparation. And can I point out, when it comes to the serious financial crimes task force, when it comes to the serious financial crimes task force, it didn’t exist under the Labor government. It was established under the Coalition government. It was established and funded under our government. Let me tell you, it has achieved some very, very good outcomes. It was established to investigate and track down serious financial crime and prosecute those people who break the law and as of February 2018, since the establishment of this task force, we have seen 740 audits and reviews, it has raised tax liabilities of more than $500m and collected more than $200m in cash and has resulted in four people who have received custodial sentences. There are currently 29 criminal, civil and intelligence operations in progress under the serious financial crimes task force that we have established and I know that those opposite like to fabricate and they like to doctor the facts but they cannot doctor this. It is funded, it will continue to be funded in the normal course of budget arrangements.” | |
| We get another dixer about how important it is that Australia day stays on January 26 and then we are done. | We get another dixer about how important it is that Australia day stays on January 26 and then we are done. |
| Everything is going really, really well for One Nation. | Everything is going really, really well for One Nation. |
| Just in: One Nation Senator and Pauline Hanson loyalist Brian Burston has been dumped as the party's whip. Peter Georgiou was appointed as the whip today. @politicsabc #auspol | Just in: One Nation Senator and Pauline Hanson loyalist Brian Burston has been dumped as the party's whip. Peter Georgiou was appointed as the whip today. @politicsabc #auspol |
| It might be worth pointing out that Brian Burston is known as a Pauline Hanson loyalist. He says that it was his idea that she take back the One Nation name and stood behind her, even while she was in the wilderness. | It might be worth pointing out that Brian Burston is known as a Pauline Hanson loyalist. He says that it was his idea that she take back the One Nation name and stood behind her, even while she was in the wilderness. |
| Cathy O’Toole to Malcolm Turnbull: | Cathy O’Toole to Malcolm Turnbull: |
| “Can the prime minister confirm that last night every member of the government including the member for Capricornia voted against Labor’s tax plan that would have given 60,000 people in Capricornia a tax cut of up to $928 a year, almost double the tax cut they will get from the government. Why didn’t this prime minister vote for lower taxes for 10 million Australians instead of giving an $80bn tax cut to big business?” | “Can the prime minister confirm that last night every member of the government including the member for Capricornia voted against Labor’s tax plan that would have given 60,000 people in Capricornia a tax cut of up to $928 a year, almost double the tax cut they will get from the government. Why didn’t this prime minister vote for lower taxes for 10 million Australians instead of giving an $80bn tax cut to big business?” |
| (Someone please help me. I am stuck in a QT time loop and I can’t get out.) | (Someone please help me. I am stuck in a QT time loop and I can’t get out.) |
| Turnbull: | Turnbull: |
| I’m sure the honourable member has advised all the businesses in her electorate, if she is part of a Labour government, will be putting up taxes on them in Townsville. There are plenty of businesses which need that incentive. She is going to come after their income as well? Oh, she has, it will be very interesting, very interesting. I’m sure the [Townsville] Bulletin will be investigating to see how many people she has door knocked and said ‘hello, I am here with Bill Shorten. We are here to raid your savings. Come and have a cup of tea. We have been waiting to this joyful moment.’ | I’m sure the honourable member has advised all the businesses in her electorate, if she is part of a Labour government, will be putting up taxes on them in Townsville. There are plenty of businesses which need that incentive. She is going to come after their income as well? Oh, she has, it will be very interesting, very interesting. I’m sure the [Townsville] Bulletin will be investigating to see how many people she has door knocked and said ‘hello, I am here with Bill Shorten. We are here to raid your savings. Come and have a cup of tea. We have been waiting to this joyful moment.’ |
| “Mr Speaker, the Labor Party, the member for McMahon said they will have policies in that space, this approach to politics that their savings, their businesses, their jobs are threatened by the honourable member and their colleagues in the Labor party.” | “Mr Speaker, the Labor Party, the member for McMahon said they will have policies in that space, this approach to politics that their savings, their businesses, their jobs are threatened by the honourable member and their colleagues in the Labor party.” |
| Liberal senator James Paterson is asking finance minister Mathias Cormann about what will happen to Katy Gallagher and the MPs who resigned when the high court rejected their understanding of the “reasonable steps” defence to being dual citizens. | Liberal senator James Paterson is asking finance minister Mathias Cormann about what will happen to Katy Gallagher and the MPs who resigned when the high court rejected their understanding of the “reasonable steps” defence to being dual citizens. |
| Paterson said there is a “qualitative difference” between those Labor MPs – who refused for months to resign after the Canavan decision in October – and the Coalition MPs who did not know they were ineligible (well, not until they discovered that citizenship by descent was a thing that exists). | Paterson said there is a “qualitative difference” between those Labor MPs – who refused for months to resign after the Canavan decision in October – and the Coalition MPs who did not know they were ineligible (well, not until they discovered that citizenship by descent was a thing that exists). |
| Cormann responds that the issue of debt waivers will be treated in “an entirely consistent manner” – which suggests Labor MPs will get debt waivers. | Cormann responds that the issue of debt waivers will be treated in “an entirely consistent manner” – which suggests Labor MPs will get debt waivers. |
| Don Farrell starts interjecting because he objects to what he sees as a partisan attack from Paterson, but Cormann says he should “take some comfort” from that answer. | Don Farrell starts interjecting because he objects to what he sees as a partisan attack from Paterson, but Cormann says he should “take some comfort” from that answer. |
| Ged Kearney to Malcolm Turnbull: (Fun fact - this is her first question in the house) | Ged Kearney to Malcolm Turnbull: (Fun fact - this is her first question in the house) |
| “Can the prime minister confirm last night every member of this government, including the member for Corangamite, voted against Labor’s personal income tax plan that would give 66,000 people in Corangamite a tax cut of up to $928 a year, almost double the tax cut given from the government, why didn’t the prime minister vote for lower taxes for 10 million Australians instead of giving an $80bn handout to big business?” | “Can the prime minister confirm last night every member of this government, including the member for Corangamite, voted against Labor’s personal income tax plan that would give 66,000 people in Corangamite a tax cut of up to $928 a year, almost double the tax cut given from the government, why didn’t the prime minister vote for lower taxes for 10 million Australians instead of giving an $80bn handout to big business?” |
| (That’s Sarah Henderson, by the way) | (That’s Sarah Henderson, by the way) |
| Turnbull: | Turnbull: |
| “... The honourable member referred to the member for Corangamite and her constituents. In Corangamite, Mr Speaker, there are thousands of businesses getting on and getting ahead because of the incentive the government has given them and the member for Corangamite knows very well that the future of her community depends on a stronger economy and a government that backs that enterprise, and she knows that, that is what is driving the record jobs growth in Australia. But the member for Batman, on the other hand, I don’t think when she was recently campaigning went around and told some of the retirees in her seat how much of their savings they were going to raid. | “... The honourable member referred to the member for Corangamite and her constituents. In Corangamite, Mr Speaker, there are thousands of businesses getting on and getting ahead because of the incentive the government has given them and the member for Corangamite knows very well that the future of her community depends on a stronger economy and a government that backs that enterprise, and she knows that, that is what is driving the record jobs growth in Australia. But the member for Batman, on the other hand, I don’t think when she was recently campaigning went around and told some of the retirees in her seat how much of their savings they were going to raid. |
| “... Oh yes they will! All of those hard-working people in Batman who have worked hard and saved and invested, the Labor party is going to cut their income by 20%, 30%, a massive cut out of the income of Australians that are too old to go and get another job or start a business, going after the most vulnerable, and, for the same reason, they denied the ineligibility of their dual citizen members, for the same reason they doctored the transcript of the member for Barton because they thought they could get away with it. | “... Oh yes they will! All of those hard-working people in Batman who have worked hard and saved and invested, the Labor party is going to cut their income by 20%, 30%, a massive cut out of the income of Australians that are too old to go and get another job or start a business, going after the most vulnerable, and, for the same reason, they denied the ineligibility of their dual citizen members, for the same reason they doctored the transcript of the member for Barton because they thought they could get away with it. |
| “The leader of the opposition will try anything on, any duplicity, because he thinks he can get away with it and the Australian people are too smart for him and they are too smart for Labor.” | “The leader of the opposition will try anything on, any duplicity, because he thinks he can get away with it and the Australian people are too smart for him and they are too smart for Labor.” |
| Tony Smith asks if the PM made an unparliamentary remark, as the interjections rise, and then we move on. (If he did say something, I didn’t hear it.) | Tony Smith asks if the PM made an unparliamentary remark, as the interjections rise, and then we move on. (If he did say something, I didn’t hear it.) |
| BREAKING: Christopher Pyne still hates unions. #deathtodixers | BREAKING: Christopher Pyne still hates unions. #deathtodixers |
| Chris Bowen to Malcolm Turnbull: | Chris Bowen to Malcolm Turnbull: |
| “They claim they support lower taxes but why did they all vote against Labor’s plan for lower income taxes to 10 million Australians, a tax cut of up to $928 a year last night. That’s what they did. How can the Australian people believe anything this prime minister says when last night, he voted against bigger tax cuts.” | “They claim they support lower taxes but why did they all vote against Labor’s plan for lower income taxes to 10 million Australians, a tax cut of up to $928 a year last night. That’s what they did. How can the Australian people believe anything this prime minister says when last night, he voted against bigger tax cuts.” |
| Turnbull: | Turnbull: |
| “Mr Speaker, Mr Speaker, the only tax reform that was voted for last night was the government’s reform for personal income tax. | “Mr Speaker, Mr Speaker, the only tax reform that was voted for last night was the government’s reform for personal income tax. |
| “The Labor Party voted for it. The reality is that the Labor party is threatening Australians with over $200bn of new taxes and most shamefully of all, $5bn a year raised by raiding the savings of older Australians, raised by raiding the savings of grandparents, self-funded retirees, going after their tax refunds from franking credits, to which they are entitled. | “The Labor Party voted for it. The reality is that the Labor party is threatening Australians with over $200bn of new taxes and most shamefully of all, $5bn a year raised by raiding the savings of older Australians, raised by raiding the savings of grandparents, self-funded retirees, going after their tax refunds from franking credits, to which they are entitled. |
| “Both in law and injustice and what they’re doing is yet again discriminating against hard-working Australians who have saved for their retirement and want to have the dignity of some independence in retirement. | “Both in law and injustice and what they’re doing is yet again discriminating against hard-working Australians who have saved for their retirement and want to have the dignity of some independence in retirement. |
| “As much as they hate the enterprise of hard-working Australian businesses encouraged by our tax cuts, and are already in operation, and seeing record jobs growth across Australia. Labor is the party of higher taxes, less investment and fewer jobs.” | “As much as they hate the enterprise of hard-working Australian businesses encouraged by our tax cuts, and are already in operation, and seeing record jobs growth across Australia. Labor is the party of higher taxes, less investment and fewer jobs.” |
| Peter Dutton has some fun with the Linda Burney transcript issue. Burney continues reading her papers and then Chris Bowen wants to know whether Malcolm Turnbull remembered walking back into the chamber to vote against Labor’s amendments on the income tax bill. | Peter Dutton has some fun with the Linda Burney transcript issue. Burney continues reading her papers and then Chris Bowen wants to know whether Malcolm Turnbull remembered walking back into the chamber to vote against Labor’s amendments on the income tax bill. |
| He punts it to Scott Morrison, and Tony Burke objects: | He punts it to Scott Morrison, and Tony Burke objects: |
| Unless the treasurer has the authority to say he was equally unaware, only the prime minister can answer that question. But the standing orders say the PM can get anyone he wants to answer the question and we are all gifted another few minutes of the best of Scott Morrison. | Unless the treasurer has the authority to say he was equally unaware, only the prime minister can answer that question. But the standing orders say the PM can get anyone he wants to answer the question and we are all gifted another few minutes of the best of Scott Morrison. |