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| Israel embassy and Indonesia free-trade deal separate discussions, Morrison says – politics live | Israel embassy and Indonesia free-trade deal separate discussions, Morrison says – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Rex Patrick to Matt Canavan on energy prices. | |
| He asks him about Canavan’s previous spriking of gas prices, and whether he has stopped talking about it because gas prices are now increasing. (this is after the Turnbull government stepped in with its ‘big stick’ to make sure domestic supplies were increased) | |
| Canavan says gas prices have fallen this year, but yes, in recent months they have increased because of outside forces. | |
| He says there have been reductions seen recently in north Asia which are flowing through to Australia and the government’s action means Australia has access to domestic supplies, before they are shipped off. | |
| This is one interpretation. | |
| Labor’s plan to delay and derail the roll out of the My Health Record was blocked today. We thank the crossbench for not delaying this important policy change as Labor tried so desperately to do. | |
| Richard Di Natale is questioning Mathias Cormann over the Coalition’s (lack of) climate change policy. | |
| I could transcribe it but, honestly, there is nothing being learned here. The Greens want to know why there isn’t a plan to legislate emissions reductions, targets and all those other things that go along with a climate change policy. | |
| Cormann says the government is doing great on this issue. | |
| Catryna Bilyk’s supplementary question is on how many jobs has Scott Morrison been let go from. | |
| Scott Ryan reminds the Senate that New Zealand is not part of the federation of Australia. | |
| Not that any of it matters, because Mathias Cormann is just going to repeat the same answer, which translates to awesome Scott Morrison is awesome. | |
| Catryna Balik has the next question – it’s about the auditor general report into the Tourism Australia board, following Scott Morrison’s departure. She says whether the New Zealand auditor general was also denied access to information. She asks how many inquiries were launched at this time. | |
| From Malcolm Farr at News Corp a short time ago: | |
| Labor is trawling through prime minister Scott Morrison’s previous roles as head of tourism in New Zealand and later Tourism Australia which produced the controversial ‘Where The Bloody Hell Are You?” ad that made Lara Bingle a star. | |
| Documents recently unearthed by Labor show that Mr Morrison was the political “hard man” at the centre of a tumultuous period for New Zealand tourism. | |
| A 1999 New Zealand auditor general’s report challenged the future Australian prime minister’s handling of an independent review of the Office of Tourism and Sport (OTSp) where he was managing director. | |
| Mathias Cormann says Labor is getting “desperate” because Scott Morrison is too effective. He says that as ministers, they are subject to inquiries every single day. And he’ll take the question on notice. | |
| This is laughable, given how long people have been on hold for, as well as how many people are reporting being unable to load the page. | |
| The ADHA is claiming there is no outage, even though I have confirmed the outage for myself, and seen the "server was unable to fulfil the request" error page. #auspol #MyHealthRecord pic.twitter.com/EdOEBUNW39 | |
| Penny Wong then asks if Mathias Cormann agrees with Eric Abetz – that Australia should rethink its aid to Indonesia. | |
| Cormann ignores that part of the question. He says Australia is committed to the agreement. | |
| Wong’s last question is can Cormann guarantee that Scott Morrison will leave the Asean summit with a signed agreement. | |
| #thesenatordoesnotanswerthequestion | |
| Penny Wong is up first with a question for Mathias Cormann: what’s the deal with the free trade agreement? | |
| (Obviously the question is a lot more serious, but that’s the spirit of it.) | |
| Cormann says the government is very committed to the free trade agreement with Indonesia. | |
| The guffaws are loud and plenty. | |
| It’s almost Senate question time. | It’s almost Senate question time. |
| My sanity has already scattered in a quaquaversal array today. | My sanity has already scattered in a quaquaversal array today. |
| While I gather it, hit me up with your Senate (and supplementary) bingo predictions. | While I gather it, hit me up with your Senate (and supplementary) bingo predictions. |
| Scott Morrison has put a time period on the embassy discussion – in “the next little while” – which he wouldn’t expand on but basically said soon. | Scott Morrison has put a time period on the embassy discussion – in “the next little while” – which he wouldn’t expand on but basically said soon. |
| There is an internal process that is done within cabinet, and with any matter, not all the processes followed the external review, external consultation, there is consultation done on pretty much every submission that comes to cabinet. | There is an internal process that is done within cabinet, and with any matter, not all the processes followed the external review, external consultation, there is consultation done on pretty much every submission that comes to cabinet. |
| Then someone asked him about sausages and where the fried onion should sit in a Bunnings sausage sizzle. At Asean. | Then someone asked him about sausages and where the fried onion should sit in a Bunnings sausage sizzle. At Asean. |
| I am all for a food debate (and yes, I know why we are talking about it), but *insert all of the sighs* | I am all for a food debate (and yes, I know why we are talking about it), but *insert all of the sighs* |
| Morrison also (gently) takes Eric Abetz to task for his tweet this morning | Morrison also (gently) takes Eric Abetz to task for his tweet this morning |
| If Indonesia really wants to dictate Aus foreign policy on the middle east, should we rethink the $360 million each year we give them in aid? Instead, how about we calmly finalise this FTA which will lift many Indonesians out of poverty and assist Australian farmers and jobs. | If Indonesia really wants to dictate Aus foreign policy on the middle east, should we rethink the $360 million each year we give them in aid? Instead, how about we calmly finalise this FTA which will lift many Indonesians out of poverty and assist Australian farmers and jobs. |
| Australia has always been there for Indonesia. And that is respected and appreciated by Indonesia. | Australia has always been there for Indonesia. And that is respected and appreciated by Indonesia. |
| And today, we talked about ... because I was following upon how things were in Sulawesi. There was also the recent air disaster. We have always been there to support Indonesia’s development and to be there for them in times of great crisis and distress. | And today, we talked about ... because I was following upon how things were in Sulawesi. There was also the recent air disaster. We have always been there to support Indonesia’s development and to be there for them in times of great crisis and distress. |
| And that’s our way. That’s what we do. Indonesia doing well economically, Indonesia doing well strategically, is good for Australia. | And that’s our way. That’s what we do. Indonesia doing well economically, Indonesia doing well strategically, is good for Australia. |
| And that’s why we do it. | And that’s why we do it. |
| We do it because it’s good for our national interest to support Indonesia’s advancement. | We do it because it’s good for our national interest to support Indonesia’s advancement. |
| And we’ve seen them come ahead in leaps and bounds, I think particularly under President Widodo. So they understand full well our commitment as part of our comprehensive strategic partnership to continue to pursue those objectives. | And we’ve seen them come ahead in leaps and bounds, I think particularly under President Widodo. So they understand full well our commitment as part of our comprehensive strategic partnership to continue to pursue those objectives. |
| Working together, they’ll be stronger, we’ll be stronger. And that’s what is guiding our decisions. | Working together, they’ll be stronger, we’ll be stronger. And that’s what is guiding our decisions. |
| Scott Morrison says he spoke to Joko Widodo about the embassy issue, as well as about the free trade agreement, but that they were two separate discussions within the conversation; | Scott Morrison says he spoke to Joko Widodo about the embassy issue, as well as about the free trade agreement, but that they were two separate discussions within the conversation; |
| Let me make a couple of points. | Let me make a couple of points. |
| The first point is that, as always, it was a friendly and respectful conversation. | The first point is that, as always, it was a friendly and respectful conversation. |
| We have a longstanding relationship with Indonesia and a comprehensive partnership that goes well into the future. | We have a longstanding relationship with Indonesia and a comprehensive partnership that goes well into the future. |
| And that means that from time to time issues arise. You’re able to talk about them openly and honestly and in a friendly way. | And that means that from time to time issues arise. You’re able to talk about them openly and honestly and in a friendly way. |
| The second point would be this. And that is - these issues were not related in terms of … Australia’s position on the foreign policy matter you’ve referred to and issues of our trade. | The second point would be this. And that is - these issues were not related in terms of … Australia’s position on the foreign policy matter you’ve referred to and issues of our trade. |
| These were not raised in connection. We discussed both of those issues. On the issue of the trade agreement, there was an absolute understanding of the great opportunities that this presents for both countries. | These were not raised in connection. We discussed both of those issues. On the issue of the trade agreement, there was an absolute understanding of the great opportunities that this presents for both countries. |
| The final text of that is still being brushed, so that’s not in a position to be signed at this point. And we discussed that we’ll be looking for an opportunity to do that, and that’s a matter still to be determined. | The final text of that is still being brushed, so that’s not in a position to be signed at this point. And we discussed that we’ll be looking for an opportunity to do that, and that’s a matter still to be determined. |
| On the question of the government’s position on the issue that I raised some months ago in relation to Israel, I was able to talk through the government’s process on how we’re seeking to resolve that and to come to a position. | On the question of the government’s position on the issue that I raised some months ago in relation to Israel, I was able to talk through the government’s process on how we’re seeking to resolve that and to come to a position. |
| I’m intending to do that over the next little while and I was able to take and step them through some of the key principles which have always been important to us in addressing this issue. | I’m intending to do that over the next little while and I was able to take and step them through some of the key principles which have always been important to us in addressing this issue. |
| And the first of those is that Australia and I and my government is motivated by wanting to see progress towards a two-state solution. | And the first of those is that Australia and I and my government is motivated by wanting to see progress towards a two-state solution. |
| Whatever perspective you have on the issue, there is widespread frustration at what is occurring and the frustration about getting progress in this area. And we all want to see progress. | Whatever perspective you have on the issue, there is widespread frustration at what is occurring and the frustration about getting progress in this area. And we all want to see progress. |
| We want to see progress and so ... Sorry, I haven’t finished – We all want to see progress on this. | We want to see progress and so ... Sorry, I haven’t finished – We all want to see progress on this. |
| So that is what motivates us. Our support for a two-state solution is unquestioned and we’re committed to that. And Australia has a long history of respecting Security Council resolutions, and I restated that that remains our position. So I think that I was able to give some greater clarity on the role that we’re playing there and the time frame for that. | So that is what motivates us. Our support for a two-state solution is unquestioned and we’re committed to that. And Australia has a long history of respecting Security Council resolutions, and I restated that that remains our position. So I think that I was able to give some greater clarity on the role that we’re playing there and the time frame for that. |
| And I know that that was well received. | And I know that that was well received. |
| No doubt Scott Morrison will be asked about this; | No doubt Scott Morrison will be asked about this; |
| PM Morrison and President Widodo meeting went almost twice as long as planned (nearly 40mins). Israel/Palestine was discussed + timing of signing of free trade deal. #ASEAN | PM Morrison and President Widodo meeting went almost twice as long as planned (nearly 40mins). Israel/Palestine was discussed + timing of signing of free trade deal. #ASEAN |
| We’ve just jumped from Joseph Stiglitz to Scott Morrison, who is holding his first Asean press conference. | We’ve just jumped from Joseph Stiglitz to Scott Morrison, who is holding his first Asean press conference. |
| Taking questions now, Joseph Stiglitz says governments should act unilaterally on climate change. | Taking questions now, Joseph Stiglitz says governments should act unilaterally on climate change. |
| Yes, they should. And, this is a very live topic in the United States because the US withdrew, or announced it’s withdrawing, from the Paris agreement. | Yes, they should. And, this is a very live topic in the United States because the US withdrew, or announced it’s withdrawing, from the Paris agreement. |
| And the response from the business community was actually very heartening on this issue. The response of the business communities overwhelmingly was – we’re going ahead. | And the response from the business community was actually very heartening on this issue. The response of the business communities overwhelmingly was – we’re going ahead. |
| Not the coal industry. But the overwhelming part of the business sector said – we’re going ahead. | Not the coal industry. But the overwhelming part of the business sector said – we’re going ahead. |
| Especially the multinationals. | Especially the multinationals. |
| They know that they want to be a part of the global economy. They are ... they will be under pressure in Europe, and they can’t have two ways of producing, so they are going ahead. | They know that they want to be a part of the global economy. They are ... they will be under pressure in Europe, and they can’t have two ways of producing, so they are going ahead. |
| There are a couple of other initiatives that is are going on both at the level of the judiciary and the level of civil society. One of them is - Mark Carney, the head of the central bank, the Bank of England, and head of the financial stability board, has said that the financial sector has to take into account carbon rescue. | There are a couple of other initiatives that is are going on both at the level of the judiciary and the level of civil society. One of them is - Mark Carney, the head of the central bank, the Bank of England, and head of the financial stability board, has said that the financial sector has to take into account carbon rescue. |
| If a company has large holdings of coal, it should be obvious that there’s a very high probability that there will be a high price of carbon globally, the price of coal will go down and you are at risk of going bankrupt. | If a company has large holdings of coal, it should be obvious that there’s a very high probability that there will be a high price of carbon globally, the price of coal will go down and you are at risk of going bankrupt. |
| So the requirement is being put that you have to report your carbon risk. And that’s become a very big initiative throughout the world, about reporting carbon risk. And a bank, as it lends, has to think about the carbon risk of those to whom it’s lending. | So the requirement is being put that you have to report your carbon risk. And that’s become a very big initiative throughout the world, about reporting carbon risk. And a bank, as it lends, has to think about the carbon risk of those to whom it’s lending. |
| A related idea is the producer of responsibilities. Pension funds. It used to be the view that pension funds would just look at the short-term returns. But pension funds are long-term investors, and there will be a carbon price before – whether it is five years or 10 years or 15 years, there will be a carbon price. So the view is that it is a violation of your fiduciary responsibility not to look at the carbon risk in your portfolio. | A related idea is the producer of responsibilities. Pension funds. It used to be the view that pension funds would just look at the short-term returns. But pension funds are long-term investors, and there will be a carbon price before – whether it is five years or 10 years or 15 years, there will be a carbon price. So the view is that it is a violation of your fiduciary responsibility not to look at the carbon risk in your portfolio. |