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| Nauru deal close as crossbench lists demands – politics live | Nauru deal close as crossbench lists demands – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Father Chris Riley, the founder of Youth Off the Streets is in Canberra today, lobbying to have funding restored, after he said changes to the funding model for disabled students left his organisation “with 30% less funding for schools and over $600,000 in debt”. | |
| From his statement: | |
| “The government has introduced a new disability classification system that will negatively impact Youth Off The Streets’ education funding by $1.3m a year. On 19 November 2017, Youth Off The Streets received advice from the Department of Education and Training around an estimate of school funding for the coming year: allowing the organisation to plan accordingly. A short 10 months later, the Department informed Youth Off The Streets that, based on the revised funding model, they had been overpaid and they were advised of the requirement to pay back $631,406. | |
| “We work with vulnerable kids that have disengaged from mainstream education. This cut to our funding will devastate the service we offer these young people and it will devastate their future,” he said. | |
| “...The new classification takes a very narrow view of disability. Our kids may be dealing with trauma, substance use issues, domestic and family violence issues, and homelessness. The classification doesn’t factor in their circumstances. They need the specialised care we give in our schools and the government has effectively removed that from them. This change will cost the government a lot more in the long run if these kids are denied an education and are denied their full potential.” | |
| He’s attempting to meet with Dan Tehan and Scott Morrison to discuss the situation– and I would expect Labor and others to pick up his case as well. | |
| The crossbench, which is about to get a lot more powerful when Kerryn Phelps joins its ranks, has been thinking long and hard about what it wants. | |
| There are some broad-ranging ideas and ideologies on that bench. | |
| And some large swathes of common ground. Andrew Wilkie had a chat about this to the ABC: | |
| We are obviously a very broad-ranging group – everyone from Bob Katter on the far right, to probably Adam Bandt on the left, and everyone in-between. | |
| There will be areas of common interest; assuming Kerryn Phelps joins us in some weeks, well then five of the six will have a particular interest in asylum seeker policy and climate change policy. I suspect all six of us, including Bob, would be of the view that we need to set up a federal integrity commission. | |
| As Paul Karp points out, this week is the ultimate for senators to ask for a please explain – and Pauline Hanson is not here. | |
| Another for the Where in the World is Pauline Hanson during Senate Estimates Week files #auspol pic.twitter.com/khMVoC0uy1 | |
| Speaking of spin, the energy wars, the cultural wars, the knifed prime minister – all of that, has just been “a discussion and a debate”. | |
| .@Kieran_Gilbert: You have been ripping each other apart for months.@StevenCiobo: What we have been doing is having a discussion and a debate about what is the right policy to take Australia forward. That is good for political parties. MORE: https://t.co/1Bpeow2IRV #amagenda pic.twitter.com/dN6W7u2poY | |
| The argument from the government, including Steve Ciobo just a few minutes ago, is that the Coalition is fixing Labor’s mess when it comes to offshore detention. | |
| Which might work better if the Coalition had not been in power since 2013. | |
| Tanya Plibersek spoke this morning about where Labor was willing to go on the deal: | |
| Labor believes that the government’s claim that their lifetime ban legislation is necessary to remove people from Nauru and rehouse them in New Zealand is just not true. They don’t need this legislation. It’s extreme overkill. It means if someone who’s tried to come to Australia by boat ends up in a third country, spends their whole life there, they’re professionally successful, they want to come to Australia for a business conference or to visit a relative or for tourism purposes, 30 or 40 or 50 years after they’ve tried to come to Australia the first time, they still won’t be allowed to come. | |
| They haven’t needed that legislation for the United States. They are managing to rehouse people in the United States without this legislation. But look, Labor is prepared to compromise with the government because we get it, we understand that it is beyond time that these people who have been reported by their doctors and other support workers to be in the most desperate circumstances, it’s beyond time that we find a new home for these vulnerable people. | |
| Nick McKim had a chat to the ABC about where the Greens stand on the latest Nauru deal: | |
| We are not going to stand in the way of reasonable arrangements that get children out of detention on Nauru and to the medical treatment and support they so desperately need. If that is in New Zealand and the rest of the arrangement is satisfactory, we wouldn’t be standing in the way, but I make the point again, this is not going to address the situation in real time. | |
| If Prime Minister Morrison won’t bring those children and their families to Australia with the stroke of a pen, we still believe Labor needs to support the legislation that we’ve put forward with other crossbenchers in the House of Representatives, that if Labor supported it would clear the parliament or could clear the parliament within just three weeks and then all of those children and their families would be required by law to be brought here to Australia for medical treatment. | |
| He also makes the point that while New Zealand has offered to take 150 asylum seekers, that still leaves a lot of people in limbo, including the 600 or so men on Manus Island. | |
| “Ultimately … some people might not like to hear this, but it was a pretty poor choice by the parents to try and get to Australia,” Steve Ciobo says, when asked on Sky about the 11 children who have been flown to Australia for mental distress and worse, from being kept on Nauru. | |
| He says he has compassion and empathy for those fleeing persecution but that there are proper processes in place. | |
| All in all he is doing a bang-up job of this interview. | |
| Just from yesterday’s estimates, Helen Davidson filed this little tidbit from the home affairs hearing: | Just from yesterday’s estimates, Helen Davidson filed this little tidbit from the home affairs hearing: |
| The Labor party flagged back in September they’d be using these estimates hearings to find out more about the long-running and kind of mysterious bid to outsource the $1bn visa processing system. | The Labor party flagged back in September they’d be using these estimates hearings to find out more about the long-running and kind of mysterious bid to outsource the $1bn visa processing system. |
| It’s not going very well. | It’s not going very well. |
| The head of home affairs, Michael Pezzullo, firstly, would like you to know it’s not a privatisation. | The head of home affairs, Michael Pezzullo, firstly, would like you to know it’s not a privatisation. |
| The department had a “significant number” of interested parties, “in the double figures”, which responded to the initial request for expressions of interest for an automated visa processing system, but they can’t say how many, and won’t confirm the wide reporting that it’s now down to just two consortiums in the running. | The department had a “significant number” of interested parties, “in the double figures”, which responded to the initial request for expressions of interest for an automated visa processing system, but they can’t say how many, and won’t confirm the wide reporting that it’s now down to just two consortiums in the running. |
| There has been a lot of reporting around the involvement of the businessman Scott Briggs, who is closely connected to the prime minister, Scott Morrison, the former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and the immigration minister, David Coleman. | There has been a lot of reporting around the involvement of the businessman Scott Briggs, who is closely connected to the prime minister, Scott Morrison, the former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and the immigration minister, David Coleman. |
| Morrison and Coleman have both withdrawn from any involvement in the process, which would ordinarily involve the immigration minister and be taken to cabinet. | Morrison and Coleman have both withdrawn from any involvement in the process, which would ordinarily involve the immigration minister and be taken to cabinet. |
| Pezzullo would not be drawn on why Morrison and Coleman have recused themselves from all consideration of the process. “They have actively sought not to be briefed,” he said. | Pezzullo would not be drawn on why Morrison and Coleman have recused themselves from all consideration of the process. “They have actively sought not to be briefed,” he said. |
| Kim Carr takes a second run after his time runs out once, and asks if it was because of the involvement of Briggs, but the home affairs representatives would not be drawn. Nor would they confirm that Briggs had participated in the request for expressions of interest. | Kim Carr takes a second run after his time runs out once, and asks if it was because of the involvement of Briggs, but the home affairs representatives would not be drawn. Nor would they confirm that Briggs had participated in the request for expressions of interest. |
| Linda Reynolds says it would be inconsistent with commonwealth procurement rules to go into detail about involved parties, given that that the bid hasn’t gone to the formal request for tender stage. | Linda Reynolds says it would be inconsistent with commonwealth procurement rules to go into detail about involved parties, given that that the bid hasn’t gone to the formal request for tender stage. |
| Pezzullo again won’t confirm or deny who may or may not be involved in the pre-RFT stage. | Pezzullo again won’t confirm or deny who may or may not be involved in the pre-RFT stage. |
| Carr later asks about the prospect for higher visa fees once the system is outsourced. “Someone’s going to have to pay for the costs of the private sector,” he says. | Carr later asks about the prospect for higher visa fees once the system is outsourced. “Someone’s going to have to pay for the costs of the private sector,” he says. |
| “The fees and charges would be considered by government when the RFT tender evaluation is concluded, and we’d be given authority to proceed with contract negs, and all the limitations, caps, and approval processes would be written into the contract,” Pezzullo says. | “The fees and charges would be considered by government when the RFT tender evaluation is concluded, and we’d be given authority to proceed with contract negs, and all the limitations, caps, and approval processes would be written into the contract,” Pezzullo says. |
| Reynolds notes that the new system would process many more visas, and that would make more money. | Reynolds notes that the new system would process many more visas, and that would make more money. |
| Scott Morrison seems to be running with the “just keep swimming” mantra, and started today with a visit to Chisholm to talk power prices. | Scott Morrison seems to be running with the “just keep swimming” mantra, and started today with a visit to Chisholm to talk power prices. |
| You can learn why from Katharine Murphy’s story: | You can learn why from Katharine Murphy’s story: |
| The Morrison government will attempt to press ahead with its agenda to lower power prices for consumers, formally asking the Australian Energy Regulator to introduce a default market offer for energy prices for households and small businesses. | The Morrison government will attempt to press ahead with its agenda to lower power prices for consumers, formally asking the Australian Energy Regulator to introduce a default market offer for energy prices for households and small businesses. |
| It will use a looming meeting with state and territory energy ministers – the first gathering of the Coag energy council since the national energy guarantee was scuttled by the Coalition’s civil war – to try to seek the cooperation of state and territory governments to implement reforms focused on providing hip-pocket relief. | It will use a looming meeting with state and territory energy ministers – the first gathering of the Coag energy council since the national energy guarantee was scuttled by the Coalition’s civil war – to try to seek the cooperation of state and territory governments to implement reforms focused on providing hip-pocket relief. |
| As part of a suite of policy responses, the new energy minister, Angus Taylor, has also been signalling since taking the portfolio that he wants to encourage new investment extending the life of existing coal and gas plants, and upgrading ageing facilities, with an objective of boosting supply. | As part of a suite of policy responses, the new energy minister, Angus Taylor, has also been signalling since taking the portfolio that he wants to encourage new investment extending the life of existing coal and gas plants, and upgrading ageing facilities, with an objective of boosting supply. |
| Mike Bowers was there to capture the totally-normal-and-not-awkward-at-all-the-PM-has-just-popped-over-for-a-morning-cuppa visit. And he also noticed the lapel pin of Australian truthiness and kangaroos is back. | Mike Bowers was there to capture the totally-normal-and-not-awkward-at-all-the-PM-has-just-popped-over-for-a-morning-cuppa visit. And he also noticed the lapel pin of Australian truthiness and kangaroos is back. |
| After years of pushing it to side, the major political parties look close to striking a deal to finally, finally end the indefinite detention for asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island. | After years of pushing it to side, the major political parties look close to striking a deal to finally, finally end the indefinite detention for asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island. |
| For both parties, it’s a case of no longer being able to put it off. | For both parties, it’s a case of no longer being able to put it off. |
| Labor wants it cleared away before the next election, because the left faction of the party is agitating for a fix, and soon. The government can’t afford to have any more distractions. The crossbenchers, particularly Cathy McGowan and Rebehka Sharkie, who may end up giving Scott Morrison the support he needs to get through the next few months, want it dealt with, and soon. | Labor wants it cleared away before the next election, because the left faction of the party is agitating for a fix, and soon. The government can’t afford to have any more distractions. The crossbenchers, particularly Cathy McGowan and Rebehka Sharkie, who may end up giving Scott Morrison the support he needs to get through the next few months, want it dealt with, and soon. |
| And so, well after the public shifted its views on the matter, the parliament is catching up. | And so, well after the public shifted its views on the matter, the parliament is catching up. |
| The last sticking point is the never, ever, ever step foot in Australia deal the government wants to strike. The compromise is looking like a ban on residency, rather than visits, but we’ll see. | The last sticking point is the never, ever, ever step foot in Australia deal the government wants to strike. The compromise is looking like a ban on residency, rather than visits, but we’ll see. |
| At least something is happening. | At least something is happening. |
| Wentworth will also be on the agenda, after it was put to the side yesterday, out of respect for the survivors of institutional childhood sexual abuse who were in parliament for the national apology. Dave Sharma will need a miracle at this stage to get the numbers, and the government has all but officially accepted it is now a minority one. | Wentworth will also be on the agenda, after it was put to the side yesterday, out of respect for the survivors of institutional childhood sexual abuse who were in parliament for the national apology. Dave Sharma will need a miracle at this stage to get the numbers, and the government has all but officially accepted it is now a minority one. |
| But it is yet to accept the reasons for it. So far, “it is all Malcolm Turnbull’s fault” and “Wentworth isn’t Australia” aren’t really cutting it. Probably because dumping Turnbull as leader was meant to fix everything and now those who wielded the knife seem shocked there is blood all over the rug and it’s proving a little difficult to scrub out. So to speak. | But it is yet to accept the reasons for it. So far, “it is all Malcolm Turnbull’s fault” and “Wentworth isn’t Australia” aren’t really cutting it. Probably because dumping Turnbull as leader was meant to fix everything and now those who wielded the knife seem shocked there is blood all over the rug and it’s proving a little difficult to scrub out. So to speak. |
| Estimates is also on, with the ABC hearing coming up after question time. Won’t that be fun? | Estimates is also on, with the ABC hearing coming up after question time. Won’t that be fun? |
| Mike Bowers has been out and about early, as Morrison took his “minister for lowering electricity prices, just don’t ask him about the plan for lowering emissions” out for a spin as he attempts to right the ship with some good old-fashioned marketing. | Mike Bowers has been out and about early, as Morrison took his “minister for lowering electricity prices, just don’t ask him about the plan for lowering emissions” out for a spin as he attempts to right the ship with some good old-fashioned marketing. |
| Because it has worked so well before. | Because it has worked so well before. |
| The Guardian’s brain trust is also on deck – they’ll be bringing you all the bits and pieces I can’t get to, so keep an eye out for their posts. | The Guardian’s brain trust is also on deck – they’ll be bringing you all the bits and pieces I can’t get to, so keep an eye out for their posts. |
| You can catch me in the comments and on Twitter at @amyremeikis. | You can catch me in the comments and on Twitter at @amyremeikis. |
| I am on coffee number three. And it’s only Tuesday. | I am on coffee number three. And it’s only Tuesday. |
| Ready? | Ready? |
| Let’s get into it. | Let’s get into it. |