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'Jobs for mates,' Labor says, as Peter Costello reappointed to Future Fund – politics live 'Jobs for mates,' Labor says, as Peter Costello reappointed to Future Fund – politics live
(35 minutes later)
Scott Morrison says he’ll be hosting a BBQ in PNG “very much a family event”.
That’s because, in case you missed it, Morrison would like us to view our Pacific neighbours as “family”.
The prime minister is about to speak to Bloomberg.
The theme you might be picking up on are these networks all broadcast into Asia (as does parts of Sky News through the Australia Network)
The Senate chamber as the apology speeches begin.
A lot of senators have been dropping in and out as the speeches occur, and some are tied up in committees and meetings.
But yes, we all take your point about the visuals of this.
Scott Morrison is now speaking to CNBC. I told you he was busy.
He leaves for Singapore for Asean tomorrow.
Then it’s PNG.
Then Argentina.
Summit season is a slog
Several mosques in and around my patch - not my experience at all. In any event, it seems a strange message to broadcast to our imans via the nation - but I don't have the benefit of security briefings to inform my public utterances.
Mike Bowers is in the chamber for the Senate apology to the victims of institutional childhood sexual abuse.Mike Bowers is in the chamber for the Senate apology to the victims of institutional childhood sexual abuse.
So far, those who are down to speak on the motion are: Mathias Cormann, Penny Wong, Kristina Keneally, Pauline Hanson, Jenny McAllister, Stirling Griff, Helen Polley, Richard Di Natale, Sue Lines, Rex Patrick, Louise Pratt, Sarah Hanson-Young and Kimberly Kitching.So far, those who are down to speak on the motion are: Mathias Cormann, Penny Wong, Kristina Keneally, Pauline Hanson, Jenny McAllister, Stirling Griff, Helen Polley, Richard Di Natale, Sue Lines, Rex Patrick, Louise Pratt, Sarah Hanson-Young and Kimberly Kitching.
Mathias Cormann apologises on behalf of the government to the victims and survivors of institutional child sexual abuse in the senate chamber this afternoon @AmyRemeikis @murpharoo #politicslive https://t.co/ysOdubMDCW pic.twitter.com/zmzlgknoOcMathias Cormann apologises on behalf of the government to the victims and survivors of institutional child sexual abuse in the senate chamber this afternoon @AmyRemeikis @murpharoo #politicslive https://t.co/ysOdubMDCW pic.twitter.com/zmzlgknoOc
Bill Shorten has committed Labor to reversing the cuts to Foodbank’s Key Staples program, if the government won’t.Bill Shorten has committed Labor to reversing the cuts to Foodbank’s Key Staples program, if the government won’t.
Shorten is holding a media conference at Foodbank’s Melbourne warehouse.Shorten is holding a media conference at Foodbank’s Melbourne warehouse.
Oh gawd. I just realised we have Senate question time coming up with its never-ending supplementary questions.Oh gawd. I just realised we have Senate question time coming up with its never-ending supplementary questions.
Prepare as necessary, friends.Prepare as necessary, friends.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has reappointed his mentor and former treasurer Peter Costello as chairman of the Future Fund for another five years.Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has reappointed his mentor and former treasurer Peter Costello as chairman of the Future Fund for another five years.
He has also appointed former Treasury secretary John Fraser to the board for five years from 12 November 2018 until 2023, and reappointed Perth businessman John Poynton to the board for another five years from 4 February 2019 until 2024.He has also appointed former Treasury secretary John Fraser to the board for five years from 12 November 2018 until 2023, and reappointed Perth businessman John Poynton to the board for another five years from 4 February 2019 until 2024.
The move has angered Labor.The move has angered Labor.
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen says the government’s made the decision just months away from the election and without any consultation with the opposition.Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen says the government’s made the decision just months away from the election and without any consultation with the opposition.
“By reappointing Peter Costello as chair of the Future Fund, the Liberals have shown yet again they’re more focused on their jobs for mates than on jobs and wages for Australians,” Bowen said.“By reappointing Peter Costello as chair of the Future Fund, the Liberals have shown yet again they’re more focused on their jobs for mates than on jobs and wages for Australians,” Bowen said.
Labor has repeatedly warned that it would be entirely inappropriate for the Morrison government to make a decision on the position before the election without consulting the opposition.Labor has repeatedly warned that it would be entirely inappropriate for the Morrison government to make a decision on the position before the election without consulting the opposition.
“When wages are stagnating and debt has doubled on their watch, it’s disappointing but not surprising that the Liberals’ biggest priority five minutes before the election is to lock another Liberal into a high-paying position,” Bowen said.“When wages are stagnating and debt has doubled on their watch, it’s disappointing but not surprising that the Liberals’ biggest priority five minutes before the election is to lock another Liberal into a high-paying position,” Bowen said.
But the government is trumpeting Costello’s record as a member and chair of the Future Fund board, saying his reappointment is deserved.But the government is trumpeting Costello’s record as a member and chair of the Future Fund board, saying his reappointment is deserved.
It says Costello was first appointed as a member of the Future Fund Board of Guardians in 2009 and as chair in February 2014, and over that period, the value of Future Fund investments has grown from $67.6bn to $148.8bn – or around 120%.It says Costello was first appointed as a member of the Future Fund Board of Guardians in 2009 and as chair in February 2014, and over that period, the value of Future Fund investments has grown from $67.6bn to $148.8bn – or around 120%.
“Prior to his appointment, Mr Costello served Australia with distinction as our longest-serving federal treasurer from 1996 to 2007,” Frydenberg said.“Prior to his appointment, Mr Costello served Australia with distinction as our longest-serving federal treasurer from 1996 to 2007,” Frydenberg said.
“As treasurer, he delivered 10 budget surpluses and oversaw the establishment of the Future Fund in 2006.”“As treasurer, he delivered 10 budget surpluses and oversaw the establishment of the Future Fund in 2006.”
It comes after John Fraser, the former treasury sec was appointed to the board of AMP as a non-executive director, less than two weeks after resigning from the Treasury in August.It comes after John Fraser, the former treasury sec was appointed to the board of AMP as a non-executive director, less than two weeks after resigning from the Treasury in August.
Just after midday, Mathias Cormann and Penny Wong will lead the Senate in apologising to survivors and victims of institutional childhood sexual abuse following the national apology last month.Just after midday, Mathias Cormann and Penny Wong will lead the Senate in apologising to survivors and victims of institutional childhood sexual abuse following the national apology last month.
Here’s how that conversation on the Indonesian free trade agreement went down between Scott Morrison and David Speers:Here’s how that conversation on the Indonesian free trade agreement went down between Scott Morrison and David Speers:
Will you be signing the free trade agreement?Will you be signing the free trade agreement?
Morrison: There is no plans for that and I am not troubled by that. Look, it’s a good deal for both countries.Morrison: There is no plans for that and I am not troubled by that. Look, it’s a good deal for both countries.
Speers: Where is it up to? When will you sign?Speers: Where is it up to? When will you sign?
Morrison: When we get around to doing that.Morrison: When we get around to doing that.
Speers: Timing?Speers: Timing?
Morrison: There is no rush on this, David. There is actually no rush, at all.Morrison: There is no rush on this, David. There is actually no rush, at all.
Speers: Has the Jerusalem/ Israeli embassy issue affected negotiations at all?Speers: Has the Jerusalem/ Israeli embassy issue affected negotiations at all?
Morrison: Negotiations have been completed on the actual agreement. And it will still have to go through ratification in the Indonesian parliament.Morrison: Negotiations have been completed on the actual agreement. And it will still have to go through ratification in the Indonesian parliament.
Speers: So what is the sticking point?Speers: So what is the sticking point?
Morrison: Australia is always going to look at these issues on their merits. We don’t conflate other areas of non-related policy when it comes to these agreements.Morrison: Australia is always going to look at these issues on their merits. We don’t conflate other areas of non-related policy when it comes to these agreements.
Speers: Is that what Indonesia is doing?Speers: Is that what Indonesia is doing?
Morrison: Well, I am not making that observation – I am just saying that Australia does not conflate issues. And we are prepared to move forward and when the Indonesian government, who I know is very supportive of the arrangement, particularly their economic ministers, have relayed that back to us directly.Morrison: Well, I am not making that observation – I am just saying that Australia does not conflate issues. And we are prepared to move forward and when the Indonesian government, who I know is very supportive of the arrangement, particularly their economic ministers, have relayed that back to us directly.
Speers: It sounds like you are ready to sign this deal.Speers: It sounds like you are ready to sign this deal.
Morrison: I believe he [Widodo] is very supportive of the agreement, but look, the timing of any ultimate signing is up to them.Morrison: I believe he [Widodo] is very supportive of the agreement, but look, the timing of any ultimate signing is up to them.
Speers: What will you say to him about the embassy issue.Speers: What will you say to him about the embassy issue.
Morrison: Well, I will update him on where we’re at.Morrison: Well, I will update him on where we’re at.
Speers: Where are you at?Speers: Where are you at?
Morrison: Well, I’ll update him that we are still working through the issue and we have a process in place to deal with that internally, and we will continue to work on that respectfully and restate our government’s 100 per cent commitment to the two-state solution.Morrison: Well, I’ll update him that we are still working through the issue and we have a process in place to deal with that internally, and we will continue to work on that respectfully and restate our government’s 100 per cent commitment to the two-state solution.
Back briefly to Tony Abbott’s interview with 2GB’s Ray Hadley this morning.
Hadley wondered if Bill Shorten would take a tougher approach on domestic terrorism, if he becomes prime minister, in the aftermath of Melbourne’s Bourke St attack.
He said Victoria’s Labor premier, Daniel Andrews, was now saying we should kick people out of Australia if they have extremist views, so if he’s from the left of the Labor party and he’s saying things like that, what will Bill Shorten, who’s from the right, do?
Abbott replied this way:
The point I keep making Ray is that there is a clear difference between the Coalition and the Labor party when it comes to national security and economics,” Abbott said.
Taxes will always be lower under the Coalition, spending will always be more efficient under the Coalition, national security will always be in better hands under the Coalition, and of course power prices will always be lower under the Coalition, and that’s one of the reasons why, notwithstanding these polls, I’m still very optimistic that we can win.
I think that our team is together now in a way that maybe it wasn’t a few months back, I think Scott Morrison speaks clearly, I think our policies are moving in the right way, and yeah, when it comes to national security you can trust the Coalition but I’m not sure that you can trust anyone else.
So Abbott got some talking points in there but he didn’t answer the question he was asked.
And a point of fact: Abbott was wrong to say “taxes will always be lower under the Coalition”.
Look at the chart below from our colleague Greg Jericho. It shows the commonwealth government’s tax-to-GDP ratio under previous Coalition (blue) and Labor (red) governments.
The tax-to-GDP ratio has been higher, on average, under Coalition governments stretching back to Paul Keating’s final term in the early 1990s.
Now, the problem with that graph is it does not provide any information about the economic cycle – so it can leave people wondering why tax as a percentage of GDP has been higher under the Coalition for the past two decades.
To understand it properly you need some knowledge of the past 25 years of Australia’s political and economic history to know why the Coalition has been higher-taxing (tip: it has something to do with the global economic cycle).
Abbott stripped taxation of its historical context to turn it into a slogan, making a factually incorrect statement in the process. Truth being collateral damage.
But he’s repeated that lie so many times it’s a Sisyphean task fact-checking it each time. Onwards and upwards, then downhill again.
What about the statement: “Spending will always be more efficient under the Coalition”? What does that even mean?
Do you start by considering the government’s half a billion dollar grant to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, which was handed over without public scrutiny? Do you look at Scott Morrison’s recent pledge of more than $200m for Queensland water projects to shore up Bob Katter’s support in the lower house in the wake of the government losing its one-seat majority at the Wentworth byelection?
You would certainly find a long list of examples of Labor governments spending inefficiently, but you’d find the same with Coalition governments.
“Always” is a strong word. Abbott would have been safer saying “often more efficient”, but he’d still have to provide some evidence.
Now, on the Australian’s story about the states having to submit their migration requirements – including their infrastructure resources:
The govt is looking at forcing the states to submit their annual requirements for migrants..@ScottMorrisonMP: The states are in the best position to make a judgement about what the carrying capacity is in their states and territories. MORE: https://t.co/WfDO7vdNID #SkyLiveNow pic.twitter.com/UmjiUCrpo8
“It’s a big mountain and I am still climbing it,” says Scott Morrison on the polls.
I now have Climb Ev’ry Mountain stuck in my head, so thank you for that.
When will you sign the free trade agreement with Indonesia?
“When we get around to it,” says Scott Morrison to David Speers.
He says he is not worried about it, that it is a “good deal” for both countries, and the issue of the “discussion” we are having about potentially moving our Israeli embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is not a problem.
“The timing of any ultimate signing is up to them,” Morrison says.
And what will he tell Joko Widodo?
“I’ll update him with where we’re at,” he says.
And where are we at?
Having the discussion.
Speaking to David Speers from Sky News (he has been very busy this morning), Scott Morrison again says the Islamic community needs to do more to help authorities identify potential risks.
.@ScottMorrisonMP says he doesn’t consider Friday’s Bourke Street attack a national security failure. ‘We have had 14 thwarted attacks and seven attacks of this nature. As I’ve always said you can’t guarantee in all cases’.MORE: https://t.co/i5Tekh5HX2 #SkyLiveNow pic.twitter.com/kL3KOncF86
.@ScottMorrisonMP: We need to ensure we do even more to counter extremist radical Islam. MORE: https://t.co/i5Tekh5HX2 #SkyLiveNow pic.twitter.com/AJDNXyVhf3
Doug Cameron, also speaking ahead of the Senate sitting this morning, was a little more blunt about the Foodbank funding decision.
I just think they are stupid. I just don’t think they have got it really together. Why would you cut from Foodbank? Why would you cut from an organisation that is out there helping people stay alive, helping people get food every day of the week?
And again, Peter Dutton mentions citizenship at his media conference this morning;
Well, as has been reported, as we have made comment before, the government is working at the moment to – on the migration program.
We have also done some work around citizenship as well. I want to make sure people who become Australian citizens abide by our laws, adhere to our values and are going to be positive contributors to Australian society.
We’re a generous nation but we’re not going to take people in who would seek to do us harm and if you’re an Australian citizen, you have greater and more significant rights under the law and the constitution than you do if you’re a visa holder.
This is the problem with people that are born here, radicalised here – if they’re Australian citizens it’s much harder to deal with that person than somebody on a visa whose visa you could cancel and that person could be deported.
So I will make announcements in due course about any changes to the way in which the program is comprised, but as you know, last year through a number of means we were able to reduce the number of net migration and obviously the prime minister and other ministers – we’re working on that policy right now.
This story in the West Australian by Nick Butterly is insane. There is no other word for it.
The WA Liberal party is asking children to sign extraordinary ‘talent release’ forms that seek to ban people from criticising or satirising the party in public, or in private, for five years.
The forms, which it is understood were handed out by a federal Liberal MP’s staff to several children before a recent community event, also effectively seek to ban signatories from associating with other political parties.
Forms obtained by the Weekend West warn the ‘talent’ that on signing the papers they agree they shall not for five years ‘in public or in private, disparage the Liberal party of Australia, satirise the talent’s association with the Liberal party’ or otherwise make ‘any statement which might reasonably be expected to ‘adversely affect the image’ of the Liberals.
And those exact words?
The talent agrees ... that the talent shall not from five years from the date of this agreement appear or feature in any other advertising or promotional material relating to Australian political party or association other than the Liberal party,” the form says. The form is authorised by WA Liberal state director Sam Calabrese.
Jenny McAlister had a few things to say about the government’s cut to Foodbank’s Key Staples program (and yes, the total amount of money the government is spending on these programs has not been cut but it is now being spread across three charities, instead of two, meaning Foodbank has seen its funding cut).
Now I note that the government is out this morning arguing that it’s fine because they have provided a grant to another organisation. Well, it tells you how little they understand about their own programs, because what Foodbank tell us is that the money they have received from government, this core funding for the staples – pasta, rice, flour, pasta sauce – this is the bedrock of their program and it helps them leverage an $8 million program more broadly through working with farmers and wholesalers.
The government doesn’t understand its own programs. This is an inevitable consequence of having four ministers for social services in just five years, and I’d encourage Mr Fletcher to go out to the warehouse at Glendenning, as I have done, and take a look at Foodbank’s operation. They are doing amazing work – working with charities and volunteer organisations all across the country to deliver food to hungry people, and I cannot believe that this government would make the cut that they have.
Oh, and the bells rang for the Senate sitting. So there’s that.