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Turnbull says cabinet ministers have pledged him 'loyalty and support' – question time live Turnbull questioned over Dutton's eligibility to remain in parliament – question time live
(35 minutes later)
Foreign minister Julie Bishop is on the attack, slamming Labor for voting against the Coalition’s company tax cuts. The government says it will leave Australia with the second highest corporate tax rate in the OECD, behind Portugal. Bishop says: Treasurer Scott Morrison is asked about Dutton’s policy to cut GST on power bills. Morrison earlier today described that idea as an “absolute budget blower”.
This means that there is now a unity ticket, the socialist coalition with the Communist party in Portugal and the Australian Labor Party. So the Australian Labor Party and the Socialist/Communist Coalition of Portugal believe in having the highest corporate tax rates in the world.
Turnbull has just confirmed the government has no advice that Peter Dutton is eligible to sit in parliament.
He says:He says:
I‘m advised by the attorney general that advice has not been sought by the solicitor general It is not the government’s policy and a policy that you know for the GST, that affects the rate or the rebate, requires the agreements of all states and territories. The parliamentary budget office has costed a similar proposal. It is about $7.5 billion over four years. That $7.5 billion would either not then go to the states or the Commonwealth would have to pay that additional money to the States so that answers the member’s question on the issue of tax. Let me also say on the issue of tax that today the Labor Party voted to keep the big banks, which we offered to take out of the Enterprise Tax Plan, they voted to keep them in.
This is all about Dutton’s ownership, through a trust, of a childcare company that was receiving millions in government subsidies. Two of Australia’s leading constitutional experts say there is an arguable case that Dutton is not eligible to sit in parliament. Now it’s trade minister Steve Ciobo’s turn. His shadow, Jason Clare, asks whether he maintains confidence in Malcolm Turnbull. Ciobo replies:
But it’s all rather hypothetical. Only parliament can refer Dutton to the high court at this point. That’s highly unlikely. It has been 916 days since I was sworn in as trade minister and, for the first time, the shadow trade minister has taken some interest in trade. Well, congratulations, 916 days later, you’ve finally found your voice on trade.
The PM has advised the House no advice has been sought on whether Peter Dutton has a s44 issue #qt Labor’s Tony Burke gets up on a point of order, arguing Ciobo is not answering the question. The Speaker rules Ciobo in order, and the trade minister continues:
Catherine King, shadow health minister, asks health minister Greg Hunt whether he still backs Turnbull. Let me make it very clear again because obviously the Labor party can’t keep up. The answer is yes. Let me make it very, very clear, yes, of course there’s confidence. Yes, of course. How much clearer can I make it?
Does the minister retain enough confidence in the prime minister, his government, and its policies to remain minister? To be fair, it’s not just the Labor party struggling to keep up. My brain is frazzled. Someone bring me a coffee. Actually, just bring a bag of coffee beans and a soup spoon.
Hunt responds: Before and after, Peter Dutton takes his softer side out for a trial during #qt @knausc @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/tnwledaKwR
Yes I do. I also believe deeply and strongly in the record of this government and, going straight to one of the differences between what this government does and that opposition would do in government, and what they did last time, we will list every medicine that the [Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee] recommends. Alan Tudge, the multicultural affairs minister, is the latest to be asked whether he maintains confidence in Malcolm Turnbull.
Popcorn in hand, no doubt. He says, “I have given the prime minister an assurance that he has my support.”
The man Malcolm Turnbull rolled to become MP for Wentworth, Peter King, is in Question Time today #qt #auspol Tudge, you’ll remember, was another frontbencher who offered his resignation overnight.
We have a dixer to the treasurer, Scott Morrison. Meanwhile, New Zealand is pleading with us to sort ourselves out.
The shadow attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, then takes up the fight on subsidies for Peter Dutton’s childcare company. He asks if Turnbull sought advice on whether Dutton was in breach of section 44 of the constitution, which rules members ineligible if they hold a financial interest in the commonwealth. "The sooner there is stability in the Australian political system the better" declares New Zealand's visiting Deputy PM @winstonpeters at @PressClubAust pic.twitter.com/cen8THjZ8z
When did the prime minister seek advice from the solicitor general on whether the member is legally qualified to sit in this parliament and will he now release that advice? Lots of interesting dynamics in the lower house right now.
Turnbull takes it on notice. Angus Taylor, the minister for law enforcement, is asked whether he retains confidence in Malcolm Turnbull. Taylor is thought to have voted for Dutton and offered his resignation to Turnbull.
Labor’s Tony Burke tries to wedge the prime minister. He asks about Fairfax Media reports that Peter Dutton’s childcare company took $5.6m in public subsidies. But he says:
Given the member for Dickson confirmed he excused himself from discussions on childcare from the Howard government and Peta Credlin has said he excused himself from Abbott government discussions on childcare, did he excuse himself from Turnbull government discussions on childcare? The answer is yes, I do. The first priority of this government and this prime minister is to keep all Australians safe and secure. I strongly support that priority. I strongly support that priority.
Turnbull takes the question on notice. Bill Shorten asks whether Turnbull has seen Dutton’s legal advice. Shorten also asks why the government has not sought the advice of the solicitor-general.
Bill Shorten is up with the first question. He’s trying to keep the attack on company tax cuts going, despite the events in the Senate this morning. Turnbull says:
Isn’t it the case that, no matter what this panicked government does, or whoever leads it, the Australian people know that handouts are in the DNA of this government? Given that the prime minister is pretending to dump his signature policy to hang on to his job, when are they going to dump you? I have not seen the advice that the member of Dickson, but he’s confirmed to me that he’s got legal advice, but I’ve not seen it.
It’s clear Labor wants to keep this line of attack open. As far as the Solicitor-General is concerned, the matter has only arisen in very recent times, we’re not in possession of all of the facts in relation to the childcare centre and the member for Dickson’s trust.
Turnbull responds: Bill Shorten asks Malcolm Turnbull to refer Dutton to the high court. Nothing partisan in that, he promises, drawing a grin from Turnbull. Shorten asks:
For his question about DNA, clearly he must share some of that DNA as well because, only a few years ago, he said cutting the company income tax rate increases domestic productivity and domestic investment. In December, the prime minister said, ‘We can’t in good conscience fail to refer anyone, whether on our side or Labor or the crossbench to the high court, if it is clear there are substantial grounds for believing they are ineligible to sit in the parliament.’ I say this without any partisanship at all and I would say the same thing about one of our members.” Will the prime minister be true to his word and refer the member for Dickson to the high court?
A little bit of trivia for you. Today marks the 30th anniversary of the first sitting in new parliament house. And what a way to celebrate! A messy, unedifying scrap for power that has embarrassed us across the world. Our forebears would be proud! Turnbull says that Dutton has his own legal advice that he is eligible to sit in parliament.
We’re about to head into question time. Expect Labor to go for the jugular. The member for Dickson has advised me he has legal advice he is not in breach of section 44 and I have no reason, therefore, to believe that he is.
Until then, Mike Bowers captured some glorious shots from that press conference for our mutual enjoyment. The optics were important for Turnbull. Addressing the nation with Scott Morrison and Mathias Cormann by his side sent a strong message to his internal foes. Foreign minister Julie Bishop is on the attack, slamming Labor for voting against the Coalition’s company tax cuts. The government says it will leave Australia with the second highest corporate tax rate in the OECD, behind Portugal. Bishop says:
An interesting development. The former Australian Border Force commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg has personal knowledge of the involvement of Peter Dutton’s office in the unusual ministerial intervention in a foreign au pair’s visa case, a source has told Guardian Australia. This means that there is now a unity ticket, the socialist coalition with the Communist party in Portugal and the Australian Labor Party. So the Australian Labor party and the socialist/communist coalition of Portugal believe in having the highest corporate tax rates in the world.
You can read the full story here.
Malcolm Turnbull walks away from his podium, only to remember something and come back. He tells the press pack that cabinet ministers have pledged him loyalty.
Look, what I’m endeavouring to do is to obviously ensure that the party is stable, to maintain the stability of the government of Australia. That’s critically important. And so the Cabinet ministers, apart from Peter Dutton, of course, who came to me and told me that they had voted for Mr Dutton in the leadership ballot, have given me unequivocal assurances of continuing loyalty and support