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| Labor asks about 'any agreements with One Nation in last 48 hours' – politics live | Labor asks about 'any agreements with One Nation in last 48 hours' – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Justine Elliott to Malcolm Turnbull: | |
| Is the PM aware the Australian reports today the Nationals have drawn up a set of demands for PM, headlined by the creation of a fund of up to $5 billion that would deliver government money for new base load generators. Has the PM to use taxpayers’ money to fund new or existing coal fired power and is this part of cutting a deal with One Nation to give an $80 billion handout to big business?” | |
| Josh Frydenberg gets the nod: | |
| “Under the National Energy Guarantee power prices will fall. That is why businesses and their representatives, representing over five million workers, were in the parliament this week, to confirm the National Energy Guarentee is in the national interests, Mr Speaker. And it will mean lower household prices by an extra 23%. | |
| He goes on, and somehow we end up at Mark Butler serving as Albo’s campaign manager and Tony Smith calls it “fascinating, but irrelevant” and we go to John McVeigh with a dixer. | |
| Greg Hunt is now not yelling a dixer answer. | |
| Mark Butler to Malcolm Turnbull: | |
| My question is to the PM. Yesterday every government senator,including the finance minister and the Minister for Resources teamed up with One Nation to vote to call on the Government to facilitate the building of new coal-fired power stations and retrofit existing power stations. Can the PM advise how much taxpayers’ money will be allocated to build new coal fire power stations or retrofit existing ones?” | |
| Turnbull: | |
| The Government’s policy is technology agnostic and facilitates investment in all forms of generation. It facilitates investment in all forms of generation. Our focus is on reducing energy prices. That is what our policy is directed at. And we are starting on July 1, with reductions in most states in the national electricity market. And that means from this weekend, a local takeaway shop in Queensland with Origin or Energy Australia could save between $400 and $766 a year. A hairdresser in Queensland could save $243. A winery in South Australia with Origin could save between $370 and $840. | |
| Now these gains can be locked in by the National Energy Guarantee. It provides a technology neutral framework to encourage investment in all forms of generation and energy infrastructure. Investment certainty is what is required. Now I know the honorable member for Port Adelaide, whose seat has been abolished, believes and we sympathise with him there, but I know he believes he knows more about the energy market and energy economics than every player in the market. | |
| He reckons he’s got it all worked out. That’s good because if he’s not returned to parliament he will have a brilliant career. He’ll be able to be the chief executive of one big energy company after another. But for our part, we see government’s job as ensuring that there is the investment certainty that encourages people to invest in generation, invest in transmission, invest in storage so that you get lower energy prices. And we are already delivering on that. | |
| We are turning the corner on energy prices across the national electricity market they are coming down from July 1, and wholesale customers have been receiving the benefit of much lower wholesale prices and lower gas prices for some time. Our plan is working. We are bringing energy prices down. And the problem for the honorable member and his leader, while they’re going around the countryside over the winter, telling people they’re going to put up their taxes, they’ll also be telling them how they’re going to jack up their energy bills as well. | |
| Clare O’Neal to Malcolm Turnbull: | |
| “Yesterday the royal commission heard about ANZ’s treatment of the Handley family whose farm struggled with drought and fires. ANZ reneged on an agreed overdraft and when Elizabeth Handley received adverse biopsy results, ANZ refused to reschedule their mediation. Why is the PM awarding the big banks with a $17 billion handout?” | |
| Turnbull: | |
| “The testimony that was given in the royal commission revealed unconscionable conduct. And the ANZ bank has been rightly held to account. I’m disappointed that the honorable member wants to call that to an argument about company tax. The reality is this that we are determined to ensure that the wrong that has been done will not be repeated and that those in the financial services sector who have done the wrong thing will be held to account. | |
| And the Government has been demonstrating its determination to do that, as you’ve seen from one case after another. I’d refer for one good example, one very substantial one, the $700 million fine that the Commonwealth Bank has recently paid following AUSTRAC’s work. So we are determined to ensure that those wrongs will not be repeated and that those who have done the wrong thing will be held to account. | |
| What’s that sound? | |
| It’s Peter Dutton time! | |
| People smuggling is bad | |
| Labor is bad | |
| Unions are bad | |
| Emma Husar to Malcolm Turnbull: | |
| Will the PM tell 67-year-old Jacqueline from my electorate why she’s been forced to wait five months for her pension application to be processed? Why is this PM doing everything he can to support an $80 billion tax handout, while making older Australians like Jacqueline wait so long?” | |
| Turnbull: | |
| I thank the member for her question. If Jacqueline has been waiting that long to get an application processed, then I’d ask her to give me the details of her constituent and we’ll make sure that her application is processed in due time.” | |
| We get very serious Christopher Pyne for today’s dixer, which is one of the most boring Christopher Pynes. | |
| Tanya Plibersek to Malcolm Turnbull: | |
| Retail hospitality, fast food and pharmacy workers will have their penalty rates cut again this Sunday. Why does this PM support cutting the penalty rates of over 11,000 working Australians in Longman by up to $77 a week, while he’s giving an $80bn handout to big business and the top end of town? Is the PM telling these hard-working Australians who are having their penalty rates cut again this Sunday to get a better job?” | |
| Turnbull: | |
| “We know that the honourable member is baffled by geography. And mystified by aspiration. And she’s also way off target with her class war. This is a deputy leader of the opposition who describes businesses with turnovers of above $2m as being at the very high end. We absolutely won’t support tax cuts at the very high end, she said, when asked about the captain’s call policy which he has studiously avoided any association with. | |
| “What she has done in her claim to be concerned about the biggest companies in Australia is threatening the viability of millions of small companies and hundreds of thousands of family-owned businesses, of the type we have been discussing here today: Stubbs Construction, aussieBum, businesses with up to 200 employees. This is where 4.8 million Australians work. | |
| “They work in the businesses whose viability is threatened by the Labor party. And they can go on with their class war as long as they like. But these businesses, these family-owned businesses and their employees, know that Labor is coming after them. And it will be very interesting to see, as they go to their business lunches and go around visiting businesses, every business knows that Labor is a threat, it’s a threat to the business, it’s a threat to the employees, and it’s a threat to every one of those 4.8 million jobs ... | |
| “The business sector that employs 90% ofAustralians. Labor is declaring war on the businesses that employ 90% of Australians. They have abandoned the workers. They are a threat to the economy. They’re a threat to growth. They’re a threat to jobs. And they’re a threat to wages.” | |
| Tony Burke to Malcolm Turnbull: | |
| Yesterday the PM visited Universal Trusses and spoke about the company in question time. Given the company is owned by the president of the Canberra Liberal party, is the PM ... also planning to visit similarly independent businesses like MB Turnbull, Turnbull and Partners Holdings?” | |
| Turnbull: | |
| “I thank the honourable member for his question. Mr Speaker, it says a lot about the character of the Labor party that they are attacking a family business, a longstanding Canberra business, and they’re attacking it because one of their directors is a member of the Liberal party. | |
| “Maybe they all are. Maybe they all are. What’s wrong with that? It’s not an offence to be part of a political party. You know what? Here’s the thing, we believe in free enterprise, we believe in business, we believe in family business, and we believe in jobs. And Universal Trusses is a great example of a hard-working Australian business that is going to be hit by the Labor party with higher taxes were they to get into government. | |
| “They will be in exactly the same position as so many Australian businesses recently visited by the leader of the opposition – Mill Tech, a steel manufacturer. Their revenue is such that they will be getting the benefit of the tax relief this coming financial year. Or Victoria Wool Processes, or the Northern Oil Refinery, or Jayco Industries, that the treasurer was talking about in Fremantle. | |
| “The reality is there are hundreds of thousands of businesses across Australia that under Labor’s new captain’s call assault on family business will have their viability threatened by Labor wanting to put up their tax. It’s an extraordinary time to imagine here in the most competitive global environment you could imagine, at a time when we want businesses to have a go, to invest, to employ, to be like aussieBum and to export and take on the whole world with their product, to be ambitious, to invest and grow. | |
| “We want them to do all those things. What is the message the Labor party has for them? We’re going to increase your tax. That is Labor’s message. Higher taxes, less investment, lower productivity, fewer jobs and lower wages. That is what the leader of the opposition will be traipsing around the countryside delivering, going from one business luncheon to another, walking in, walking in to applause no doubt from all those people, delighted, delighted he so hopes to be enjoying what the deputy leader describes as the privilege of paying higher and higher tax. | |
| “Well, we know that Australians want to keep more of the money they earn. Australian businesses want to invest the money that they make in their business and that’s what they’re doing and that’s why we have record jobs growth and the greatest threat to that jobs growth is sitting opposite me today.” | |
| Kelly O’Dwyer just tried to slip in a “disposa-Bill” into her answer. | Kelly O’Dwyer just tried to slip in a “disposa-Bill” into her answer. |
| Is there something about holding an economics portfolio which compels you to make bad puns? | Is there something about holding an economics portfolio which compels you to make bad puns? |
| Chris Bowen to Malcolm Turnbull: | Chris Bowen to Malcolm Turnbull: |
| Will the government reveal the details of its secret deal with One Nation before the 28 July byelections or after them? | |
| Turnbull: | Turnbull: |
| “Talking about personal discussions and conversations, I just noted in the shadow minister for small business’s interview with Alan Jones today. He was, he was slipping and sliding, failing to defend his leader’s captain’s call: “I’m not going to go into personal conversations that the leadership group or Bill has with us or I have with him.” | |
| “So there it is. He says he always takes a very consultative approach. But there will be nothing more consultative than the event in Devonport on 4 July. | |
| “It is when the leader of the opposition is having a business luncheon. And he’s going to reveal Labor’s plan for Braddon. And it’s advertised nicely. The leader of the opposition, and there’s two young men there in hard hats and high vis, and I’m just sort of wondering who they work for? Do you think they might be working for Penguin Composites?” | |
| That sort of answer just reminds me of how I answered essay questions for exams I was not prepared for. “Oh, you have asked me about elephants? Elephants are grey. Funny thing about grey, there can be up to 50 shades of grey ... ” | |
| Tony Burke asks for relevance and Chris Bowen adds his own point of order: | Tony Burke asks for relevance and Chris Bowen adds his own point of order: |
| “Can I ask the PM to table the transcript of myself and Alan Jones and any of himself on Alan Jones?” | “Can I ask the PM to table the transcript of myself and Alan Jones and any of himself on Alan Jones?” |
| Lols all around, and the prime minister stays seated. | Lols all around, and the prime minister stays seated. |
| And on those shadow cabinet updates, Bill Shorten’s office has issued this statement: | And on those shadow cabinet updates, Bill Shorten’s office has issued this statement: |
| Today I announce minor changes to Labor’s shadow ministerial team. | Today I announce minor changes to Labor’s shadow ministerial team. |
| It’s my pleasure to welcome Madeleine King to my shadow ministry as the shadow minister for consumer affairs, shadow minister assisting for resources, and shadow minister assisting for small business. | |
| Reflecting Labor’s strong commitment to ending the scourge of family violence, I am proud to elevate this portfolio to a shadow ministerial position, with Linda Burney becoming the shadow minister for preventing family violence. | |
| After her terrific work leading Labor’s policy agenda on family violence prevention, I have asked Terri Butler to take on a new role as the shadow assistant minister for young Australians and youth affairs. | |
| Chris Bowen will add small business to his portfolios. Unlike the Liberals, Labor believes small business is a portfolio that deserves cabinet-level representation. Along with Madeleine, Julie Owens will continue to assist Chris as shadow assistant minister for small business. | |
| Clare O’Neil will join Labor’s economic team as shadow minister for financial services, in addition to her existing duties. | |
| Jacinta Collins will take on manager of opposition business in the Senate. | |
| Glenn Sterle will become the shadow assistant minister for road safety. | |
| Oh great, Michael McCormack is back, this time with a dixer. | Oh great, Michael McCormack is back, this time with a dixer. |
| Meanwhile, those sitting on the hook of the government benches – Craig Laundy, Darren Chester, Angus Taylor and Ken Wyatt – are all wearing grey suits and just got in trouble for holding up signs, which apparently had something to do with Paul Fletcher. | |
| Cathy McGowan, who, like all on the crossbench, actually ask questions their electorates would want answers to – unlike dixer questions, which are written by ministers for backbenchers and just prosecute the government’s press release lines for the day – asks Michael McCormack: | |
| My question is on the $235m north-east Vic rail line project. And in February the then minister said the scope of works would be released for community consultation in about the middle of the year and it’s now the middle of the year. My community’s asking when will the scope of works be released for community consultation? Who is responsible for developing and implementing the community strategy? And will you please provide us the leadership we need to deliver on this multimillion-dollar commitment? | |
| McCormack: | McCormack: |
| “The coming months.” | |
| (That is the exceptionally short version) | |
| Chris Bowen to Malcolm Turnbull: | Chris Bowen to Malcolm Turnbull: |
| “Has the government reached any agreements with One Nation in the last 48 hours?” | |
| Turnbull: | Turnbull: |
| I thank the honourable member for his question and understand his curiosity, but we never discuss negotiations with the crossbench. We don’t. And we have found that the most important thing to do when negotiating with other members of parliament is to treat them with respect and that’s what we do.” | |
| Australia hasn’t had a youth minister since 2013, when Tony Abbott scrapped it from the ministry. | |
| Very excited to take on new responsibility for young Australians and youth affairs today.The Turnbull government needs to stop waging its war on young people and start thinking long-term. #qt #auspol | Very excited to take on new responsibility for young Australians and youth affairs today.The Turnbull government needs to stop waging its war on young people and start thinking long-term. #qt #auspol |
| Pleased my former family violence portfolio has been elevated to be a shadow ministry. Absolutely delighted that @LindaBurneyMP will be the shadow minister responsible. She will be a great champion for victims and survivors.#endVAW #qt #auspol | Pleased my former family violence portfolio has been elevated to be a shadow ministry. Absolutely delighted that @LindaBurneyMP will be the shadow minister responsible. She will be a great champion for victims and survivors.#endVAW #qt #auspol |
| Chris Bowen to Malcolm Turnbull: | Chris Bowen to Malcolm Turnbull: |
| “Has the government reached any agreements with One Nation in the last 48 hours?” | “Has the government reached any agreements with One Nation in the last 48 hours?” |
| Turnbull: | Turnbull: |
| I thank the honourable member and I congratulate him on his recent appointment as the shadow minister for small business. | |
| Of course, there are many ways to create a small business. Most people start off with no business at all and build it up. Others, and I think the shadow minister would fall into this category, would start with a large business and turn it into a small one. That’s exactly what he will do to Australia’s economy. It’s exactly what he will do with Australia’s economy and Australia’s businesses.” | |
| Tony Burke asks for the relevance, but the prime minister has decided he is done with that question. | Tony Burke asks for the relevance, but the prime minister has decided he is done with that question. |
| Shorter version: #theprimeministerdidnotanswerthequestion | |
| We move on to Scott Morrison’s first lesson in how to coordinate your loud noises with pointy fingers. #deathtodixers | We move on to Scott Morrison’s first lesson in how to coordinate your loud noises with pointy fingers. #deathtodixers |
| Let’s head to the Senate while Malcolm Turnbull makes his way through this first dixer: | Let’s head to the Senate while Malcolm Turnbull makes his way through this first dixer: |
| At his presser Mathias Cormann asked voters to send a message on company tax cuts to Labor in Longman and Braddon, in Senate #qt he has added "and Mayo". Oh yes, that one. #auspol | At his presser Mathias Cormann asked voters to send a message on company tax cuts to Labor in Longman and Braddon, in Senate #qt he has added "and Mayo". Oh yes, that one. #auspol |
| It is the last question time for six weeks! | It is the last question time for six weeks! |
| Before we start, Bill Shorten announces the changes to his frontbench: | Before we start, Bill Shorten announces the changes to his frontbench: |
| “I present a revised list of the shadow ministry. The member for Brand will join the shadow ministry as shadow minister for consumer affairs. The member for Barton will add shadow minister for preventing family violence to her existing role. The member for Griffith will take on a new role. The member for McMahon [Chris Bowen] will add shadow minister for small business to his existing responsibilities as shadow treasurer. | “I present a revised list of the shadow ministry. The member for Brand will join the shadow ministry as shadow minister for consumer affairs. The member for Barton will add shadow minister for preventing family violence to her existing role. The member for Griffith will take on a new role. The member for McMahon [Chris Bowen] will add shadow minister for small business to his existing responsibilities as shadow treasurer. |
| The member for Hotham will join Labor’s economic team as shadow minister for financial services in addition to her existing role. | The member for Hotham will join Labor’s economic team as shadow minister for financial services in addition to her existing role. |
| Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull: | Shorten to Malcolm Turnbull: |
| Why did the PM abandon his vote on his centrepiece $80bn handout to big business today? Is this just another failure of this PM? Or has the PM struck a secret deal with the One Nation party to delay the vote giving $80bn to big business until after the upcoming byelections?” | Why did the PM abandon his vote on his centrepiece $80bn handout to big business today? Is this just another failure of this PM? Or has the PM struck a secret deal with the One Nation party to delay the vote giving $80bn to big business until after the upcoming byelections?” |
| Turnbull: | Turnbull: |
| I thank the honourable member for his question. Speaking about secrets, Mr Speaker, the honourable member kept his slashing assault on small business a secret from his shadow cabinet from his caucus, from his mystified colleagues, including the deputy leader. Kept a secret from them until he dropped that bombshell and announced he was going to put at risk five million jobs – 4.8m, to be precise, Australians work for businesses with a turnover of under $50m. | |
| And those jobs are put at risk by this leader of the opposition, in this captain’s call, this relentless assault on small and family business. | |
| The parliament will be breaking for six weeks or so and everyone will be out campaigning hard no doubt. It will be very interesting for the leader of the opposition. Where will he go? | |
| He will be visiting small business perhaps. A high vis opportunity. Oh, yes, he could be going to Stubbs Constructions. He could be seeing Penguin Composites. And doing that with the candidate in Braddon, the candidate in Braddon announced on her Facebook page how they were backing Penguin Composites. | |
| That company was denouncing the savage assault on their business by the Labor party. Where is he going to go? He can’t go to any family business, any small and medium business. No more high vis. He could have a cup of tea with some seniors and talk about the 28% of their income he’s taking away. He can talk to some workers in the construction sector and talk about his assault on the property industry. Or he could talk to some of the members of what he describes as the top end of town, people on average weekly earnings – $80,000, $90,000 – and explain how he is going to deny them, if he gets into government, the opportunity of a lower tax rate. | |
| Right around the country Australians will know that the leader of the opposition and the Labor party stand for higher taxes. They stand for higher taxes on business, large and small. They stand for higher taxes on families. Higher taxes on property and investment and on retirees. That means the Labor party stands for less economic growth, fewer jobs and lower wages. | |
| I look forward to the leader of the opposition’s tip-toeing through all the landmines he’s created around Australia. |