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| Attorney general asks solicitor general to look at Dutton and childcare centres, reports say – politics live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Mike Bowers was in the chamber for what proved a fascinating question time. | |
| Two key themes in question time. Firstly, Labor seems keen to take the fight to the Coalition on Peter Dutton’s eligibility, as we’ve just discussed. That’s a vexed issue for Turnbull. The cloud over Dutton does not help the challenger’s leadership aspirations. But Turnbull also cannot afford to lose Dutton, given his slender one-seat majority. | |
| We also saw a raft of frontbenchers stand up and pledge their loyalty to Turnbull, in full public view. The list of those newly loyal ministers is: | |
| Greg Hunt, the health minister | |
| Angus Taylor, law enforcement minister | |
| Alan Tudge, the citizenship and multicultural affairs minister | |
| Scott Morrison, the treasurer | |
| Steve Ciobo, the trade minister | |
| Fairfax and Sky News are reporting that the constitutional question hovering over Peter Dutton will be referred to the solicitor general. So, that means the solicitor general, who gives legal advice to government, will provide an opinion on whether Dutton is eligible for parliament, given his ownership of a childcare centre that received millions in government subsidies. | |
| You’ll remember the constitution bars Dutton from holding a financial interest in government. Dutton says he has his own legal advice. It has not been released publicly and Malcolm Turnbull said he hadn’t seen it. | |
| Sky News understands Dutton’s potential constitutional problem will be referred to Solicitor General for advice. | |
| BREAKING - Attorney-General Christian Porter has asked the Solicitor-General to look at the issue of Mr Dutton, his wife's childcare centres and the constitution. | |
| Treasurer Scott Morrison is again expressing his confidence in the prime minister Malcolm Turnbull. You’ll remember there were patchy reports through earlier today that he was either doing the numbers for Dutton or himself. | |
| Does he still have confidence in Turnbull? | |
| Absolutely, Mr Speaker, the prime minister has always enjoyed my support, Mr Speaker, and I’ll tell you why. Together as a team, the prime minister and I have ensured that we have turned the corner on debt, we are bringing the budget back into balance, we have together been stewarding economic policies that have seen the single greatest increase in employment on economic record in this country for jobs. | |
| The proof is in the pic, guys. Look at that mateship. | |
| In Senate question time the finance minister, Mathias Cormann, has clarified which resignations Malcolm Turnbull accepted. | |
| He notes that Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells tendered her resignation rather than offering it so there was no need to accept it – she’s gone. Others offered their resignation and are therefore subject to consideration of the prime minister. | |
| Cormann said: | |
| The PM has only accepted the resignation of former minister Dutton and all other matters will be announced by the prime minister in due course. | |
| 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”. | 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”. |
| He says: | He says: |
| 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. | |
| Now it’s trade minister Steve Ciobo’s turn. His shadow, Jason Clare, asks whether he maintains confidence in Malcolm Turnbull. Ciobo replies: | Now it’s trade minister Steve Ciobo’s turn. His shadow, Jason Clare, asks whether he maintains confidence in Malcolm Turnbull. Ciobo replies: |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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: | 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: |
| 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? | 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? |
| 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. | 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. |
| Before and after, Peter Dutton takes his softer side out for a trial during #qt @knausc @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/tnwledaKwR | Before and after, Peter Dutton takes his softer side out for a trial during #qt @knausc @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/tnwledaKwR |
| Alan Tudge, the multicultural affairs minister, is the latest to be asked whether he maintains confidence in Malcolm Turnbull. | Alan Tudge, the multicultural affairs minister, is the latest to be asked whether he maintains confidence in Malcolm Turnbull. |
| He says, “I have given the prime minister an assurance that he has my support.” | He says, “I have given the prime minister an assurance that he has my support.” |
| Tudge, you’ll remember, was another frontbencher who offered his resignation overnight. | Tudge, you’ll remember, was another frontbencher who offered his resignation overnight. |
| Meanwhile, New Zealand is pleading with us to sort ourselves out. | Meanwhile, New Zealand is pleading with us to sort ourselves out. |
| "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 | "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 |
| Lots of interesting dynamics in the lower house right now. | Lots of interesting dynamics in the lower house right now. |
| 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. | 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. |
| But he says: | But he says: |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 asks whether Turnbull has seen Dutton’s legal advice. Shorten also asks why the government has not sought the advice of the solicitor-general. |
| Turnbull says: | Turnbull says: |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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: | 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: |
| 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? | 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? |
| Turnbull says that Dutton has his own legal advice that he is eligible to sit in parliament. | Turnbull says that Dutton has his own legal advice that he is eligible to sit in parliament. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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: | 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: |
| 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. | 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. |