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| Labor conference: Peter Dutton says refugee measures 'nothing but subterfuge' – as it happened | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Day two ends with a new refugee policy platform for Labor, where not everyone got everything they wanted. | |
| They call that a victory in Labor caucus circles. Everyone gave a little bit. | |
| Same with Newstart. Although expect the calls to increase the rate to get louder. | |
| And then there was the human rights bill. Three votes separated that. Expect more on that in the future as well. | |
| Tomorrow is the last day of the conference. That’s when the national executive vote will take place, plus a strange little motion about getting Australia to sign up to the anti-nuclear weapon treaty. That’s a little tricky because of being America’s ally, so we’ll see how that goes. | |
| Who knows what else tomorrow will throw up? This is Australian politics in 2018. No one can say anything for sure, beyond Andrew Broad being dressed up as James Bonds in the tabloids. | |
| We’ll be back for the final day early tomorrow morning. Thank you so much for joining us for today – your comments and asides really make the day worth it. | |
| Get some rest, and of course – take care of you. | |
| Shayne Neumann’s speech has been transcribed by his office: | Shayne Neumann’s speech has been transcribed by his office: |
| I want to say from the outset that I believe this is the most progressive, strong, robust and compassionate platform Labor has ever proposed on the issues of migration, refugees and asylum seekers. | I want to say from the outset that I believe this is the most progressive, strong, robust and compassionate platform Labor has ever proposed on the issues of migration, refugees and asylum seekers. |
| Australia must be a leader in addressing the global humanitarian crisis. | Australia must be a leader in addressing the global humanitarian crisis. |
| We are a generous and kind nation – a nation built on migration – with refugees and migrants enriching communities across the country. | We are a generous and kind nation – a nation built on migration – with refugees and migrants enriching communities across the country. |
| This chapter has taken a year to develop with the help of the Immigration Working Group – a sub-committee of the National Policy Forum. | This chapter has taken a year to develop with the help of the Immigration Working Group – a sub-committee of the National Policy Forum. |
| I want to thank my parliamentary colleagues who took on the task of developing this part of the chapter – Andrew Giles, Matt Keogh, Peter Khalil and, of course, Ged Kearney. Put your hands together for them. | I want to thank my parliamentary colleagues who took on the task of developing this part of the chapter – Andrew Giles, Matt Keogh, Peter Khalil and, of course, Ged Kearney. Put your hands together for them. |
| They have all been instrumental in fighting for decency, compassion and fairness in our platform. | They have all been instrumental in fighting for decency, compassion and fairness in our platform. |
| These are Labor values – this is what we believe in and it’s worth fighting for. That’s why we’re all here delegates. | These are Labor values – this is what we believe in and it’s worth fighting for. That’s why we’re all here delegates. |
| There were a number of union and branch representatives in this sub-group as well and I want to thank them for their time, their effort and contributions as well. | |
| I believe Australia can – and should – have strong borders. | I believe Australia can – and should – have strong borders. |
| I believe Australia can – and should – be a leader in addressing the global humanitarian crisis. | I believe Australia can – and should – be a leader in addressing the global humanitarian crisis. |
| It is not an “either-or” – these notions complement each another. | It is not an “either-or” – these notions complement each another. |
| We believe that we should do something about the human tragedy of displaced persons but we will always keep the people smugglers out of business. | We believe that we should do something about the human tragedy of displaced persons but we will always keep the people smugglers out of business. |
| You can believe in strong borders, turnbacks when safe to do so, offshore processing and regional resettlement because it saves lives. | |
| These measures prevent vulnerable people being exploited by unscrupulous criminal elements. It prevents people drowning at sea. | These measures prevent vulnerable people being exploited by unscrupulous criminal elements. It prevents people drowning at sea. |
| These measures mean Australia’s service men and women serving bravely north of Australia can actually be kept out of harm’s way as well. | These measures mean Australia’s service men and women serving bravely north of Australia can actually be kept out of harm’s way as well. |
| The government is a walking, talking billboard encouraging people-smugglers when they lie about Labor’s strong position on border protection. | |
| This is a government that cynically teamed up with the Greens political party and it resulted in 600 people – men, women and children – dying at sea. | |
| That should hang over Scott Morrison’s head the rest of his life. | That should hang over Scott Morrison’s head the rest of his life. |
| And this government should be ashamed of itself. | |
| I want to be clear – we never let people languish in Manus and Nauru. | I want to be clear – we never let people languish in Manus and Nauru. |
| When I was recently in Nauru I came away convinced that Labor needs to do more and to make sure we get these people off as a matter of priority. | When I was recently in Nauru I came away convinced that Labor needs to do more and to make sure we get these people off as a matter of priority. |
| We can accept the New Zealand offer; we will continue with the American resettlement arrangement. | We can accept the New Zealand offer; we will continue with the American resettlement arrangement. |
| I want to see this situation resolved and only Labor, only Labor, will restore Australia’s now-tarnished reputation which the current, shameless government has caused. | |
| I commend this motion and thank my colleague Ged Kearney for bringing it to us. | I commend this motion and thank my colleague Ged Kearney for bringing it to us. |
| And with that, Labor ends the second day of its conference. | And with that, Labor ends the second day of its conference. |
| So the vote is lost, but only just. | So the vote is lost, but only just. |
| 192 in favour | 192 in favour |
| 195 against | 195 against |
| The vote count is still going on: | The vote count is still going on: |
| First actual count ... should Labor commit to a human rights charter? #labconf18 pic.twitter.com/dTKAhPt4k8 | First actual count ... should Labor commit to a human rights charter? #labconf18 pic.twitter.com/dTKAhPt4k8 |
| The Australian federal police have released this on the Andrew Broad referral: | The Australian federal police have released this on the Andrew Broad referral: |
| The AFP can confirm it received a referral from Andrew Broad MP on 8 November 2018, and assessed the information provided. | The AFP can confirm it received a referral from Andrew Broad MP on 8 November 2018, and assessed the information provided. |
| · No applicable offences under Australian law have been identified. | · No applicable offences under Australian law have been identified. |
| · No further comment will be made at this time. | · No further comment will be made at this time. |
| Did you note the date? Michael McCormack said he found out “a couple of weeks ago”. | Did you note the date? Michael McCormack said he found out “a couple of weeks ago”. |
| Meanwhile, Peter Dutton has responded to Labor’s announcements from this morning. He is not happy: | Meanwhile, Peter Dutton has responded to Labor’s announcements from this morning. He is not happy: |
| Labor’s announcements today on its proposed actions to protect Australia’s borders are nothing but subterfuge. | Labor’s announcements today on its proposed actions to protect Australia’s borders are nothing but subterfuge. |
| Bill Shorten is promising to do this and he’s promising to do that, but what he won’t promise to do is maintain the Coalition’s strong border polices that have stopped the boats. | Bill Shorten is promising to do this and he’s promising to do that, but what he won’t promise to do is maintain the Coalition’s strong border polices that have stopped the boats. |
| In fact what he has committed to is unravelling Operation Sovereign Borders – the Coalition’s successful policy – that stopped the boats after Labor’s last disastrous term in government. | In fact what he has committed to is unravelling Operation Sovereign Borders – the Coalition’s successful policy – that stopped the boats after Labor’s last disastrous term in government. |
| There are three crucial pillars to Operation Sovereign Borders (OSB) – boat turnbacks, regional processing and temporary protection visas (TPVs) – Labor opposes two of them. | There are three crucial pillars to Operation Sovereign Borders (OSB) – boat turnbacks, regional processing and temporary protection visas (TPVs) – Labor opposes two of them. |
| It has previously announced it will remove TPVs. | It has previously announced it will remove TPVs. |
| Today its national conference will confirm the end to offshore processing via its support for legislation that contracts out Australia’s border protection to activist doctors, who via Skype, will decide that illegal arrivals in Manus and Nauru must come to Australia. | Today its national conference will confirm the end to offshore processing via its support for legislation that contracts out Australia’s border protection to activist doctors, who via Skype, will decide that illegal arrivals in Manus and Nauru must come to Australia. |
| Who would believe Bill Shorten’s assertion that Labor will continue to turn back boats. That was Kevin Rudd’s lie in 2007 – just as it is Bill Shorten’s lie in 2018. | Who would believe Bill Shorten’s assertion that Labor will continue to turn back boats. That was Kevin Rudd’s lie in 2007 – just as it is Bill Shorten’s lie in 2018. |
| Who can forget the almost daily arrival of a people-smuggler’s boat – 800 of them under the last Labor government – bringing 50,000 illegal arrivals or the 1,200 dying at sea as their flimsy boats were smashed to pieces. | Who can forget the almost daily arrival of a people-smuggler’s boat – 800 of them under the last Labor government – bringing 50,000 illegal arrivals or the 1,200 dying at sea as their flimsy boats were smashed to pieces. |
| It has taken five years and over $16bn so far to clean up that mess from the Labor years. | It has taken five years and over $16bn so far to clean up that mess from the Labor years. |
| Australians continue to pay for it today. | Australians continue to pay for it today. |
| Labor’s announcements are an implicit recognition that their policy changes will put people smugglers back into business – OSB is a Joint Agency Task Force drawing upon 16 agencies including a network of 38 AFP officers across Asia. Labor says they’ll spend more on the Australian federal police, yet when last in government they cut its budget by $128m. | Labor’s announcements are an implicit recognition that their policy changes will put people smugglers back into business – OSB is a Joint Agency Task Force drawing upon 16 agencies including a network of 38 AFP officers across Asia. Labor says they’ll spend more on the Australian federal police, yet when last in government they cut its budget by $128m. |
| Worse, they slashed $735m and 700 staff from the then Customs – now Border Force. | Worse, they slashed $735m and 700 staff from the then Customs – now Border Force. |
| Labor today talks about increasing Australia’s humanitarian program – yet in the Rudd-Gillard years it got pushed aside as Australia was swamped with illegal arrivals. | Labor today talks about increasing Australia’s humanitarian program – yet in the Rudd-Gillard years it got pushed aside as Australia was swamped with illegal arrivals. |
| The special humanitarian program fell from 4,700 in 2007 to just 500 in 2012-13 while the number of illegal arrivals taking their places rose from 200 to almost 5,000. | The special humanitarian program fell from 4,700 in 2007 to just 500 in 2012-13 while the number of illegal arrivals taking their places rose from 200 to almost 5,000. |
| By stopping the boats the Coalition government restored integrity to our migration programs and increased the refugee intake by more than 35%, making Australia one of the most generous resettlement nations in the world. | By stopping the boats the Coalition government restored integrity to our migration programs and increased the refugee intake by more than 35%, making Australia one of the most generous resettlement nations in the world. |
| That again is at risk if Labor does not commit to all three pillars of OSB. | That again is at risk if Labor does not commit to all three pillars of OSB. |
| Bill Shorten could just state that he is committed to the policies of Operation Sovereign Borders that have stopped the flow of boats and illegal arrivals. | Bill Shorten could just state that he is committed to the policies of Operation Sovereign Borders that have stopped the flow of boats and illegal arrivals. |
| His failure to do so is acknowledgement that Labor does not have the mettle to maintain the tough policies needed to protect our nation’s borders. | His failure to do so is acknowledgement that Labor does not have the mettle to maintain the tough policies needed to protect our nation’s borders. |
| Australians learned the hard way under Kevin Rudd that Labor cannot be trusted to keep the boats stopped. | Australians learned the hard way under Kevin Rudd that Labor cannot be trusted to keep the boats stopped. |
| The right have the numbers, so it should be lost. Unless, some cross the floor. | The right have the numbers, so it should be lost. Unless, some cross the floor. |
| It is the first vote of the conference. | It is the first vote of the conference. |
| There is a show of hands. Wayne Swan calls it for it to be lost. | There is a show of hands. Wayne Swan calls it for it to be lost. |
| He tries to move on but is overruled. | He tries to move on but is overruled. |
| They go to a vote. | They go to a vote. |
| The motion is lost on the voices ... but they want a show of hands. | The motion is lost on the voices ... but they want a show of hands. |
| Delegate Verity Firth is telling the room Labor has waited “long enough” and it is time to “take the next step in our national legacy”. | Delegate Verity Firth is telling the room Labor has waited “long enough” and it is time to “take the next step in our national legacy”. |
| Mark Dreyfus is asking for delegates to reject the amend, and not pre-empt the outcome of the review he has proposed. | Mark Dreyfus is asking for delegates to reject the amend, and not pre-empt the outcome of the review he has proposed. |
| This one should be interesting: | This one should be interesting: |
| Labor will: | Labor will: |
| Consolidate federal anti-discrimination laws into a single act to remove unnecessary regulatory overlap and make the system more user-friendly; | Consolidate federal anti-discrimination laws into a single act to remove unnecessary regulatory overlap and make the system more user-friendly; |
| Review legislation, policies and practices for compliance with the seven core UN Human Rights treaties to which Australia is a party (which are listed in the framework); and | Review legislation, policies and practices for compliance with the seven core UN Human Rights treaties to which Australia is a party (which are listed in the framework); and |
| Review the Human Rights Framework and consider whether it could be enhanced through a introduce a federal statutory charter of human rights or other similar instrument. | Review the Human Rights Framework and consider whether it could be enhanced through a introduce a federal statutory charter of human rights or other similar instrument. |
| It’s always a debate between the left and the right. Watch for it to maybe go to a vote. | It’s always a debate between the left and the right. Watch for it to maybe go to a vote. |
| Emily’s List has moved this motion, which has been passed without a vote | Emily’s List has moved this motion, which has been passed without a vote |
| After existing paragraph 188, add: | After existing paragraph 188, add: |
| Labor recognises that the annual rate of violent death and injury of women is an unacceptable national crisis. Labor will work with OurWatch, ANROWS and Crime Statistics Australia to collect, publish, promote and monitor data on violence against women. It will also work with states and territories to ensure funding to collect data and prevent violence is sustained and enduring. | Labor recognises that the annual rate of violent death and injury of women is an unacceptable national crisis. Labor will work with OurWatch, ANROWS and Crime Statistics Australia to collect, publish, promote and monitor data on violence against women. It will also work with states and territories to ensure funding to collect data and prevent violence is sustained and enduring. |
| (submitted on behalf of Emily’s List Australia) | (submitted on behalf of Emily’s List Australia) |