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| Scott Morrison says he won't 'horse-trade' with Labor on asylum seekers – politics live | Scott Morrison says he won't 'horse-trade' with Labor on asylum seekers – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| And finally from the party room: | |
| Issues that weren’t discussed: | |
| No one discussed changes to the Sex Discrimination Act (to prevent gay students from being expelled from schools). Christian Porter, the attorney general, told his colleagues that he was still in discussions with his counterpart Mark Dreyfus. | |
| No one raised Nauru for discussion | |
| No one raised the issue that voters in Wentworth were concerned about the Liberal party’s climate change policies (or lack thereof) | |
| No one raised coal fired power stations | |
| No one raised the Morrison’s idea to move Australia’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem | |
| No one raised the idea of having a large policy to unveil in the last weeks of the election campaign | |
| More from the party room meeting: | |
| Michael McCormack, the deputy prime minister, then spoke. He said no one should get spooked by the loss in Wentworth. | |
| “What they think in Double Bay is not what they think in Dubbo,” he said. | |
| He spoke about the importance of this Friday’s drought summit. | |
| Josh Frydenberg, the deputy leader of the Liberal Party, reminded his colleagues that the Wills by-election in 1992 saw a 23% swing about the sitting Labor government but Labor still went on to win the 1993 federal election. | |
| [The Wills by-election was triggered by the resignation of Bob Hawke, who had been rolled as prime minister by Paul Keating. An independent candidate (Phil Cleary) won that by-election, too]. | |
| Morrison then reminded his colleagues that once you’re sworn in as the government, you’re the government. Labor has been trying to create a sense of chaos but it’s nonsense. | |
| A number of backbenchers then stood up to gee their colleagues up. | |
| One “very experienced” backbencher said no election is unwinnable or unlosable, and the next election, in his assessment, was “line-ball.” | |
| He said only two things could change that: if there was a major change in the economic indicators or if there was disunity in the government. | |
| A regional backbencher highlighted issue of energy and concerns about foreign workers. | |
| He also spoke about casual and permanent employees, and for the need to campaign vigorously on the retiree tax. | |
| Michaelia Cash, the minister for jobs, talked about the union rally in Melbourne today. | |
| She warned it was a small insight into what people could expect under a Shorten government. | |
| She said union official John Setka had today likened the Liberal-National government to the Hitler government. | |
| She said Steka had scores of convictions and Labor wanted to “turn the lawbreakers into the lawmakers.” | |
| A backbencher then warned the room that both Brendan O’Connor, the shadow minister for employment, and Sally McManus, the ACTU secretary, wanted industry-wide bargaining, which is something not seen in Australia since the early 1980s. | |
| The minister for energy gave a preview of the energy announcement that was later made in the prime minister’s courtyard. | |
| Scott Morrison addressed the joint party room this morning. | |
| The prime minster spent a large part of time talking about the Coalition’s chances of winning the federal election despite its drubbing in Wentworth on the weekend. | |
| He said the Coalition was still the government, and the government sets the agenda. It was important to show unity and purpose. | |
| He said over the last two months the Coalition had effectively been in minority government anyway and it had managed well and would continue to do so. | |
| The Wentworth result was not unexpected, he said. A week ago that polls had the Coalition 41-59 to Labor, and over the last week that difference narrowed substantially, with help from many people including John Howard, he said. | |
| He then stressed that the government’s policy direction was the right one. | |
| “We’re not shifting to the left or to the right, this is not hokey pokey politics,” he said. | |
| “We’ll continue to be a strong centre-right government and strong centre-right parties focusing on the needs of mainstream Australians, focusing on things that matter.”He said all Coalition MPs needed to keep emphasising the differences between the Coalition and Labor, because under a Labor government Australians will pay higher taxes, higher electricity prices, higher health insurance premiums, and they’ll earn less. | |
| “Under the Liberal-National government you’ll have a stronger economy, better pay, and a budget under control.” | |
| He spoke about yesterday’s national apology to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, saying it was a very emotional day. He said he’d never sat in a room full of so much hurt. | |
| Former PM Kevin Rudd at his book launch in Parliament House, Canberra this afternoon. @AmyRemeikis @GuardianAus @murpharoo #PoliticsLive pic.twitter.com/uR8CKWPX7X | |
| Our politicians have largely ignored the Jamal Khashoggi case, at least publicly. | |
| But Richard Di Natale is calling for Australia to follow Germany and suspend arms trade with Saudi Arabia, following the journalist’s death: | |
| The disappearance and apparent murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi has shocked the international community into rethinking its relationship with Saudi Arabia,” Di Natale said. | |
| The announcement by the German government overnight that it will not approve further arms exports to Saudi Arabia is a welcome development. The Australian government should follow Germany’s lead and suspend our arms trade with the Saudis. | |
| It is clear that any country with an ounce of sense and humanity has seen through the Saudis’ ludicrous and offensive explanation for Khashoggi’s death, and is demanding the truth. | |
| Saudi Arabia is consistently ranked as one of the worst human rights abusers in the world. The war it is waging on Yemen has brought Yemenis to the brink of the world’s worst famine in over 100 years. Thirteen million people are being deliberately starved as a weapon of war. | |
| Yet, in the last two years, the Australian government has granted 18 licences for the export of defence equipment to Saudi Arabia. Australia should not be selling weapons to this murderous regime. | |
| Our economic future cannot and should not be dependent on arming regimes like Saudi Arabia and the UAE. | |
| This government’s priorities are completely out of whack. We should be increasing our international development assistance and exporting sustainable technologies, not weapons of death. | |
| If you have been paying attention, you may have noticed that Scott Morrison likes to speak in dot points. | |
| His speeches, even as treasurer, usually start off with a scene-setting sentence or five, before moving into ‘this is what we are going to do’ in dot points. | |
| His brain seems to be one which likes things compartmentalised. He gets thrown if topics bounce around and prefers to deal with one group of questions on one topic, before moving to the next. | |
| Well, now the PMO press releases are going the same way. | |
| Case in point – this one, on the energy policy, which includes actual dot points. | |
| The AER has been tasked with introducing default prices by 30 April 2019 with savings being passed through to families and small businesses by 1 July 2019. | |
| Other measures announced today by the Morrison Government that will bring prices down and increase reliability are: | |
| · Stopping price gouging by the big energy companies. This includes banning sneaky late payment penalties and making energy retailers pass on savings in wholesale prices to customers. It will increase regulator’s power to crack down on dodgy, anti-competitive practices – through fines, penalties, enforceable undertakings, structural separation and divestiture. We have already seen prices come down in Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales on 1 July 2018, and we have directed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to monitor electricity prices until 2025 to ensure prices are fairer for consumers. | |
| · Backing investment in new power generators to improve competition. Underwriting new electricity generation will attract investment in the electricity market, increasing supply and reducing wholesale electricity prices. The Government will consult on the Underwriting New Generation Investments program, with submissions open until 9 November 2018. Based on feedback from the consultation, the Government will release initial program guidelines and invite proponents to nominate projects through an expression of interest process open from December 2018 to January 2019. | |
| · Supporting reliable power by requiring energy companies to sign contracts guaranteeing enough energy to meet demand. We will work with state and territory governments through the COAG Energy Council to ensure these contracts are signed. | |
| Australia’s doctors have spoken up, as have the lawyers. | Australia’s doctors have spoken up, as have the lawyers. |
| And now the Wiggles have gone political, in the name of getting children and their families off Nauru. | |
| the yellow Wiggle AND the blue Wiggle have joined the #kidsoffnauru campaign“We sing and dance with millions of children all over the world who have those opportunities - but there are more than 100 children trapped in detention on Nauru who don’t have this freedom" pic.twitter.com/gGnx4J8Fxb | the yellow Wiggle AND the blue Wiggle have joined the #kidsoffnauru campaign“We sing and dance with millions of children all over the world who have those opportunities - but there are more than 100 children trapped in detention on Nauru who don’t have this freedom" pic.twitter.com/gGnx4J8Fxb |
| Looks like a few more Labor MPs have dropped by to watch Kevin Rudd launch his book. | Looks like a few more Labor MPs have dropped by to watch Kevin Rudd launch his book. |
| My spies tell me Chris Bowen has popped by, while Ed Husic and Andrew Giles have been spotted up the back. | My spies tell me Chris Bowen has popped by, while Ed Husic and Andrew Giles have been spotted up the back. |
| At his book launch Kevin Rudd is talking about the importance of having the “alternative narrative” in the public: | |
| Rudd says all pollies have the "delusion" of being able to write the objective autobiography but they are "the definition of subjectivity". Says he wrote for importance of historical record. #auspol @AmyRemeikis | Rudd says all pollies have the "delusion" of being able to write the objective autobiography but they are "the definition of subjectivity". Says he wrote for importance of historical record. #auspol @AmyRemeikis |
| Rudd thanks the "extraordinary team" behind the govt GFC response - Ken Henry and the Australian treasury. No mention of Swanny. #auspol | Rudd thanks the "extraordinary team" behind the govt GFC response - Ken Henry and the Australian treasury. No mention of Swanny. #auspol |
| A dispatch from New Zealand: | A dispatch from New Zealand: |
| Despite the New Zealand foreign minister, Winston Peters, saying that Australia’s conditions would make the Nauru refugees “second-class citizens” in New Zealand, refugee experts in New Zealand agree that the Ardern government is likely to keep its offer on the table as the humanitarian situation escalates. | Despite the New Zealand foreign minister, Winston Peters, saying that Australia’s conditions would make the Nauru refugees “second-class citizens” in New Zealand, refugee experts in New Zealand agree that the Ardern government is likely to keep its offer on the table as the humanitarian situation escalates. |
| Australia is likely to have offered New Zealand a significant cash inducement to aid in the refugees care and resettlement, and while New Zealand may push for more flexible conditions – such as a five-year ban rather than a lifetime – the country is heavily reliant on Australia for border protection and has built a reputation as a humanitarian country since taking in 150 refugees from the Tampa in 2001. | |
| Refugee agencies in New Zealand say they have had no communication from the government regarding the imminent arrival of refugees from Nauru, suggesting any deal agreed upon between Australia and New Zealand will not proceed quickly. | Refugee agencies in New Zealand say they have had no communication from the government regarding the imminent arrival of refugees from Nauru, suggesting any deal agreed upon between Australia and New Zealand will not proceed quickly. |
| It’s all happening: | It’s all happening: |
| Rudd book launch - Barnaby Joyce, Julie Bishop and Albo on attendance. Claire Moore has warmed up and revealed that Rudd does a killer Alexander Downer impression apparently! @AmyRemeikis #auspol pic.twitter.com/s02p2BP8IB | Rudd book launch - Barnaby Joyce, Julie Bishop and Albo on attendance. Claire Moore has warmed up and revealed that Rudd does a killer Alexander Downer impression apparently! @AmyRemeikis #auspol pic.twitter.com/s02p2BP8IB |
| Penny Wong has responded to Marise Payne’s update on how Australia is handling the Myanmar situation: | Penny Wong has responded to Marise Payne’s update on how Australia is handling the Myanmar situation: |
| Labor welcomes the government’s decision to impose targeted financial sanctions and travel bans against five Myanmar military officers responsible for human rights violations committed by units under their command in Rakhine state. | Labor welcomes the government’s decision to impose targeted financial sanctions and travel bans against five Myanmar military officers responsible for human rights violations committed by units under their command in Rakhine state. |
| Labor last month endorsed the foreign minister’s decision to flag targeted sanctions following the release of the full report of the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar which found the Myanmar military was directly responsible for “gross human rights violations and serious violations of international humanitarian law”. | Labor last month endorsed the foreign minister’s decision to flag targeted sanctions following the release of the full report of the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar which found the Myanmar military was directly responsible for “gross human rights violations and serious violations of international humanitarian law”. |
| That report concluded there was sufficient evidence to warrant an investigation and prosecutions for genocide perpetrated against the Rohingya. | That report concluded there was sufficient evidence to warrant an investigation and prosecutions for genocide perpetrated against the Rohingya. |
| Australia’s actions today again make clear the bipartisan position of the government and opposition that the Myanmar government can no longer ignore its responsibilities and must act to rein in the Tatmadaw and hold to account those responsible for these horrific crimes. | Australia’s actions today again make clear the bipartisan position of the government and opposition that the Myanmar government can no longer ignore its responsibilities and must act to rein in the Tatmadaw and hold to account those responsible for these horrific crimes. |
| Australia’s humanitarian contribution to those affected by this crisis has strong bipartisan support. | Australia’s humanitarian contribution to those affected by this crisis has strong bipartisan support. |
| We encourage the government to continue to work with Myanmar and our partners in the region towards a durable solution to the crisis.” | We encourage the government to continue to work with Myanmar and our partners in the region towards a durable solution to the crisis.” |
| Yesterday Craig Laundy was the only Coalition MP at the launch of David Speers’ book, On Mutiny, which looked at what happened during the spill. | Yesterday Craig Laundy was the only Coalition MP at the launch of David Speers’ book, On Mutiny, which looked at what happened during the spill. |
| So far, Julie Bishop and Barnaby Joyce have showed up to Kevin Rudd’s. | So far, Julie Bishop and Barnaby Joyce have showed up to Kevin Rudd’s. |
| Claire Moore, the outgoing Queensland Labor senator, is helping to launch Rudd’s book. Albo is there, but he launched Speers. | Claire Moore, the outgoing Queensland Labor senator, is helping to launch Rudd’s book. Albo is there, but he launched Speers. |
| I guess everyone else in Labor was just a bit busy today? | I guess everyone else in Labor was just a bit busy today? |
| Fascinating turn out for launch of Kevin Rudd’s book at APH. Big hug and kiss from Julia Bishop. Barnaby Joyce is also here sitting with JBish and Albo. pic.twitter.com/2iaVsLGdHu | Fascinating turn out for launch of Kevin Rudd’s book at APH. Big hug and kiss from Julia Bishop. Barnaby Joyce is also here sitting with JBish and Albo. pic.twitter.com/2iaVsLGdHu |
| Bill Shorten gave his caucus a pep talk this morning, after the Liberals’ walloping in the Wentworth byelection on Saturday. | Bill Shorten gave his caucus a pep talk this morning, after the Liberals’ walloping in the Wentworth byelection on Saturday. |
| He said Scott Morrison was like an annoying salesman who had a new slogan every day, and who would say anything to close a deal, but even Labor didn’t predict how desperate he’d become with the Jerusalem announcement. | He said Scott Morrison was like an annoying salesman who had a new slogan every day, and who would say anything to close a deal, but even Labor didn’t predict how desperate he’d become with the Jerusalem announcement. |
| He then claimed Morrison’s speech on the night of the byelection was worse than Malcolm Turnbull’s speech on the night of the 2016 election. | He then claimed Morrison’s speech on the night of the byelection was worse than Malcolm Turnbull’s speech on the night of the 2016 election. |
| “Morrison achieved something incredible on the weekend: he made Turnbull’s election night tantrum look gracious.” | “Morrison achieved something incredible on the weekend: he made Turnbull’s election night tantrum look gracious.” |
| A slight overreach? | A slight overreach? |
| It was confirmed that Labor’s caucus committee that deals with international affairs met separately this morning to deal with the issues surrounding Nauru, and the committee was then fully briefed by shadow immigration minister Shayne Neumann. | It was confirmed that Labor’s caucus committee that deals with international affairs met separately this morning to deal with the issues surrounding Nauru, and the committee was then fully briefed by shadow immigration minister Shayne Neumann. |
| Nobody in caucus objected to the course of action taken by the committee, and it apparently wasn’t discussed further. | Nobody in caucus objected to the course of action taken by the committee, and it apparently wasn’t discussed further. |
| Tony Burke also told his caucus colleagues that they should not expect to be granted leave from parliament over the next few months, while it’s a hung parliament. | Tony Burke also told his caucus colleagues that they should not expect to be granted leave from parliament over the next few months, while it’s a hung parliament. |
| He said obviously they can get leave for family emergencies and bereavement, but not for things they think are important in their electorate. | He said obviously they can get leave for family emergencies and bereavement, but not for things they think are important in their electorate. |
| Every vote will count on the floor before the election. | Every vote will count on the floor before the election. |
| Scott Morrison: | Scott Morrison: |
| Labor have always been for weaker border protection policies. And you don’t get children off Nauru by putting more children on Nauru through weaker border protection policies. I’m interested in getting children off Nauru. | Labor have always been for weaker border protection policies. And you don’t get children off Nauru by putting more children on Nauru through weaker border protection policies. I’m interested in getting children off Nauru. |
| Over 200 children are already come off Nauru. More children have already come off in recent times under the quiet, effective management of these issues that the government is pursuing. | Over 200 children are already come off Nauru. More children have already come off in recent times under the quiet, effective management of these issues that the government is pursuing. |
| We’re not here to grandstand on this. We’re just here to get the job done. And Labor have always sought to weaken. | We’re not here to grandstand on this. We’re just here to get the job done. And Labor have always sought to weaken. |
| This legislation has been around since 2016 and what they’re showing is what they always do. | This legislation has been around since 2016 and what they’re showing is what they always do. |
| They think this is something to trade over. You don’t get to negotiate with people smugglers based on horsetrading in the Australian Senate. | They think this is something to trade over. You don’t get to negotiate with people smugglers based on horsetrading in the Australian Senate. |
| This is why Labor stuffed it up so much last time they were in. They thought that’s how you manage this. That’s just not how it works. | This is why Labor stuffed it up so much last time they were in. They thought that’s how you manage this. That’s just not how it works. |
| You’ve got to have clear policies that protect our borders and you then have to manage the legacy of Labor’s failure, as we have been doing. | You’ve got to have clear policies that protect our borders and you then have to manage the legacy of Labor’s failure, as we have been doing. |
| Closing the detention centres – thousands upon thousands upon thousands of children removed from detention under our government and we’re going to continue doing that job. | Closing the detention centres – thousands upon thousands upon thousands of children removed from detention under our government and we’re going to continue doing that job. |
| So no one understands this issue I would say more acutely than I do with my experience of this over a long period of time. | So no one understands this issue I would say more acutely than I do with my experience of this over a long period of time. |
| I’m committed to ensuring we can deal with this challenge in terms of the situation with the children and I’m open to every sensible proposal that would also see more children go onto Nauru. | I’m committed to ensuring we can deal with this challenge in terms of the situation with the children and I’m open to every sensible proposal that would also see more children go onto Nauru. |
| Don’t forget it’s not just our policy. It’s the Labor party’s policy that if a boat turned up and there were children on that boat, that would be horrific enough, because they may have even died along the way, but secondly, those children would go to Nauru under the Labor party policy. | Don’t forget it’s not just our policy. It’s the Labor party’s policy that if a boat turned up and there were children on that boat, that would be horrific enough, because they may have even died along the way, but secondly, those children would go to Nauru under the Labor party policy. |
| So you don’t get children off Nauru by putting more on through horsetrading and this type of business we’re seeing.” | So you don’t get children off Nauru by putting more on through horsetrading and this type of business we’re seeing.” |
| So that would indicate that Scott Morrison will not accept Labor’s compromise. | So that would indicate that Scott Morrison will not accept Labor’s compromise. |
| Which, if no one budges, means we are no closer to getting the rest of the children, and their families, off Nauru. | Which, if no one budges, means we are no closer to getting the rest of the children, and their families, off Nauru. |
| Scott Morrison has responded to Labor’s offer to support the “one-off” lifetime ban for children and their families accepted by New Zealand, but not the blanket ban. | Scott Morrison has responded to Labor’s offer to support the “one-off” lifetime ban for children and their families accepted by New Zealand, but not the blanket ban. |
| Morrison says the government won’t horse-trade on the issue: | Morrison says the government won’t horse-trade on the issue: |
| The bill we put into the parliament was the right answer. And as I said, you don’t horse-trade on border protection. You don’t do it. Because you run the risk of creating a perverse incentive. | The bill we put into the parliament was the right answer. And as I said, you don’t horse-trade on border protection. You don’t do it. Because you run the risk of creating a perverse incentive. |
| Let’s think this through. The perverse incentive that if you put a child on to a boat, well, you’re more likely at the other end to get the particular outcome you’re looking for. | Let’s think this through. The perverse incentive that if you put a child on to a boat, well, you’re more likely at the other end to get the particular outcome you’re looking for. |
| I understand the grief. I understand the great level of community passion and anxiety on this. I do. | I understand the grief. I understand the great level of community passion and anxiety on this. I do. |
| But I also understand that I must take decisions that don’t put more children at risk, which is the great folly of how the Labor party have always engaged on this issue. | But I also understand that I must take decisions that don’t put more children at risk, which is the great folly of how the Labor party have always engaged on this issue. |
| That’s not how this works. I will consider and take serious advice from people within Operation Sovereign Borders about the potential impact of all of those things. | That’s not how this works. I will consider and take serious advice from people within Operation Sovereign Borders about the potential impact of all of those things. |
| When it comes to the New Zealand legislation, we’ve had that in place for some time. It has never been my preferred outcome. Never been my preferred outcome. | When it comes to the New Zealand legislation, we’ve had that in place for some time. It has never been my preferred outcome. Never been my preferred outcome. |
| We’ve been dealing with our partners in the United States with great effect and one of the other problems with this issue being pursued in this way by the opposition is it can work to actually say to people on Nauru at the moment, ‘Oh, I won’t take the US offer because the Labor party might be offering me a better offer.’ And so they’re still on there. | We’ve been dealing with our partners in the United States with great effect and one of the other problems with this issue being pursued in this way by the opposition is it can work to actually say to people on Nauru at the moment, ‘Oh, I won’t take the US offer because the Labor party might be offering me a better offer.’ And so they’re still on there. |
| And so I would caution people to think carefully about the ramifications of this. I’ll be listening carefully to those who are responsible for protecting our borders and stopping kids getting on boats. I’m not sure – to the best of my knowledge – the Labor party did not seek advice from those agencies in the position they’ve put to us. | And so I would caution people to think carefully about the ramifications of this. I’ll be listening carefully to those who are responsible for protecting our borders and stopping kids getting on boats. I’m not sure – to the best of my knowledge – the Labor party did not seek advice from those agencies in the position they’ve put to us. |
| I’m not here to horse-trade on children. I’m here to help them. | I’m not here to horse-trade on children. I’m here to help them. |