This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2019/feb/11/labor-coalition-election-morrison-shorten-politics-live

The article has changed 22 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Tim Wilson rejects franking credit website allegations as 'complete rubbish' – politics live Tim Wilson rejects franking credit website allegations as 'complete rubbish' – politics live
(35 minutes later)
Dr Paul Bauert on those who need urgent treatment:
We know that 24 of them are in a hospital facility at the moment, with two of them comotose. And the fact that 4500 thousand doctors have spent their weekend signing a letter and sending it in, shows the frustration of the medical profession with the politicking that has been going on with this issue for far too long.
Lives are at stake. The politicking must stop. There is an opportunity with Dr Phelps’s approach to this issue for the politicking to stop and that we get a clear, well organised system where these unwell patients, critically unwell patients, receive the treatment hat they deserve.”
Doctors are back in Canberra. Why?
Because the medivac legislation is in danger of falling to politics.
Dr Paul Bauert, the AMA federal executive, is a paediatrician who has led a lot of the fight on behalf of the medical community.
He answers the question of why a paediatrician is so involved – because some of those on Manus Island were children when he first started treating them, and they’re still there.
GetUp has funded a television advertising campaign, featuring doctors and others, to run this week in a bid to get the politicians who were in support of the bill to hold their ground – which means it is aimed squarely at Labor and Cathy McGowan. The other crossbenchers have already locked in their support.
Scott Morrison:
The spirit of cooperation reaches right back to the first world war, but this program brings a new depth to that partnership through a multi-decade program to build and sustain these submarines in Australia. It is more than a contract. This is a project that will not only keep Australians safe, but it will deliver Australian jobs.
It will build Australian skills. It will … require Australian steel, and it will mean a stronger Royal Australian Navy.
Our government is committed to maximising Australian industry content in the future submarine program. This was a conscious decision of our government. Beyond construction, the program will provide Australia with an independent, sovereign capability to sustain our fleet, including the upskilling of Navy and industry workforces.
We will see long-term strategic cooperation, not only in defence industry, as I know Minister Ciobo will be excited about, but across other sectors, creating even more jobs through more high tech, high-paying jobs.
Hundreds of Australians are already employed on the future submarines program, and thousands more will be through the supply chain during the construction phase.
The prime minister is in Canberra signing the $50bn “strategic partnership” with France to build our new submarines.
On that speech to be made by Scott Morrison, it’s all about national security, both domestically and abroad.
It ends with this:
In conclusion, national security is all about making the right decisions. Because, as a government and as a prime minister, you have to make them every day.
You make these decisions on the basis of your values, instincts, experience and, when required, courage.
Our government has demonstrated we have the mettle to make the right calls on our nation’s security:
Repairing our borders
Investing in our defence forces
Deporting violent criminals
Taking on domestic violence
Disrupting terrorist attacks
Restoring powers and resources to our police, security and intelligence agencies
Repairing our borders
Investing in our defence forces
Deporting violent criminals
Taking on domestic violence
Disrupting terrorist attacks
Restoring powers and resources to our police, security and intelligence agencies
Repairing our borders
Investing in our defence forces
Deporting violent criminals
Taking on domestic violence
Disrupting terrorist attacks
Restoring powers and resources to our police, security and intelligence agencies
We have led, not followed.
We have taken decisions rather than put them off to another day.
We have embraced tough calls rather than seeking to buy weak compromises for cheap political cover or opportunism.
This is our form. It is why we can be trusted.
The plan I have announced today is built on our strong record and sets out plainly what a re-elected Morrison Liberal National government will continue to do to keep Australians safe and secure.
And, for those asking, Scott Morrison will address the National Press Club at 12.30.
Chris Bowen will be speaking at 11.10.
A key part of the medivac bill that is being deliberately muddied is that any asylum seekers or refugee (and, let’s remember, the majority have been independently found to be refugees) being brought here for medical treatment will be wandering around the community.
They won’t be. They’ll remain in detention. They’ll be in detention in Australia, being treated in detention.
The government has also attempted to lie and say Bob Brown and Richard Di Natale could be the two doctors signing off on any medical evacuations. Also not true, because Di Natale isn’t even registered.
Christopher Pyne and David Coleman spent their Sunday interviews saying the bill would result in almost all of the 1,000 or so people in our care on Manus Island and Nauru would come to Australia under the changes. But they refused to say whether that meant all those people were sick enough to need treatment.
Because you can’t have it both ways. If it is true that nearly all the asylum seekers and refugees will come to Australia for medical treatment under these changes, it means they are all sick enough to warrant doctors, and an independent health panel (if an evacuation is challenged by the minister) deciding they need to be treated in Australia. Which means they are not receiving the treatment they need on Manus Island or Nauru. If they aren’t sick, ill, or suffering from extreme mental health distress, then they won’t be evacuated for Australia.
You can’t have it both ways.
OSB has worked as an overall model. The offshore component is an integral part, but has been poorly executed.The current cohorts on Manus & Nauru can be dealt with easily without risking border security, so do it, re-set the clock & maintain the model. Not difficult at all.
And just on that, Chris Bowen will be up shortly, to talk banking royal commission and extra sitting weeks.And just on that, Chris Bowen will be up shortly, to talk banking royal commission and extra sitting weeks.
Labor is still pushing for an extra sitting fortnight in March and the government is still very, very against it.Labor is still pushing for an extra sitting fortnight in March and the government is still very, very against it.
This, as is everything in this minority parliament, is a numbers game.This, as is everything in this minority parliament, is a numbers game.
Bob Katter is the key vote. Every other crossbencher is on board, so if Katter votes yes, then we are coming back in March. If it comes to that – the government is working very hard to say it doesn’t need to come back, and that it will not rush legislation for the banking royal commission. On Sunday, Christopher Pyne told Insiders there were over 40 pieces of legislation which would be needed to address the 76 recommendations and admitted that that was not going to happen before the May election.Bob Katter is the key vote. Every other crossbencher is on board, so if Katter votes yes, then we are coming back in March. If it comes to that – the government is working very hard to say it doesn’t need to come back, and that it will not rush legislation for the banking royal commission. On Sunday, Christopher Pyne told Insiders there were over 40 pieces of legislation which would be needed to address the 76 recommendations and admitted that that was not going to happen before the May election.
The AWU raids case is in the federal court today.The AWU raids case is in the federal court today.
Michaelia Cash, despite attempts to fight it, has been subpoenaed to give evidence.Michaelia Cash, despite attempts to fight it, has been subpoenaed to give evidence.
The AWU is attempting to have the raids, and anything they found, declared unlawful.The AWU is attempting to have the raids, and anything they found, declared unlawful.
And opening the “I don’t know what you are talking about, that was never a thing (while shuffling away the thing)” box, this is also something that happened:And opening the “I don’t know what you are talking about, that was never a thing (while shuffling away the thing)” box, this is also something that happened:
The government has backed away from two explicit commitments to establish a register to help stamp out multi-national tax avoidance – by claiming there was never a commitment in the first place.The government has backed away from two explicit commitments to establish a register to help stamp out multi-national tax avoidance – by claiming there was never a commitment in the first place.
Announced by Kelly O’Dwyer in the lead-up to the 2016 federal election, the register was to bring Australia in line with G20 commitments on transparency, by publicly listing the identities of who ultimately owned shell companies and benefitted from them, including for tax purposes.Announced by Kelly O’Dwyer in the lead-up to the 2016 federal election, the register was to bring Australia in line with G20 commitments on transparency, by publicly listing the identities of who ultimately owned shell companies and benefitted from them, including for tax purposes.
In April 2016, O’Dwyer, then assistant treasurer, said “we agree there needs to be a registry of beneficial ownership in our country”, as the government was attempting to hose down local voter outrage over multinational tax avoidance.In April 2016, O’Dwyer, then assistant treasurer, said “we agree there needs to be a registry of beneficial ownership in our country”, as the government was attempting to hose down local voter outrage over multinational tax avoidance.
Since then, progress on the register has stalled.Since then, progress on the register has stalled.
You can read more on that, hereYou can read more on that, here
I hope all of you are taking some of 105-year-old Doris’s attitude into your Monday:
Never get in the way of breakfast, Minister #auspol pic.twitter.com/mAmXCdJWhr
Paul Fletcher was just asked about Pyne’s comments – he says you just do the best you can with the situation you are in.
Opening up the “oh wow, they really did that” box, Christopher Pyne had a chat to David Wroe from the Sydney Morning Herald, where he decided to give his opinion on the leadership spill (you know, that thing that happened last year, and we are never to speak of again, because it is soooooo 2018):
“I felt that the constant social media, shouty segment of the press, that keeps everybody on edge in this building all the time – and might actually not reflect at all the way the public think – had won, and that sensible people had bowed to that irrational pressure,” he said.
“And I thought that this is the Australian polity of the future. This is what we’ve now got. And it’s different to what I think is good for the country.”
Michael Kroger thought Tim Wilson was “outstanding” on Sky just now.
So still not great at reading a room, despite stepping down from the Victorian Liberals’ executive top spot, then.
Everything is totally fine and normal.
.@TimWilsonMP: The allegations are complete rubbish. We have a website where we encourage people to send a submission through – if people wanted to sign that, then we honoured that. The basis of Labor’s argument is just fiction. MORE: https://t.co/NG6GqKKcpI #amagenda pic.twitter.com/mrkqNQv3eV
Oh and the use of the coat of arms on a ‘private’ website? Also fine and normal
.@Kieran_Gilbert: It seems a bit confusing that you have your coat of arms on a private website. @TimWilsonMP: It is for a parliamentary purpose to campaign against a piece of policy. MORE: https://t.co/NG6GqKKcpI #amagenda pic.twitter.com/Lpu9zOQYL9
(side note, Tim Wilson delivers talking points like he just downloaded a toastmasters power speech class directly into his brain)
Tim Wilson is speaking to Sky.
On the criticisms over how he has used his committee chair position for political gain.
His first response: “Bring it on”.
That should play well.
The government has also announced a policy to aid those escaping domestic and family violence. From the prime minister’s release:
Hundreds more women and children escaping domestic and family violence will have a safe place to sleep with a $78m investment by the Morrison government.
This investment includes a $60m grants program for eligible organisations to provide new or expanded emergency accommodation facilities for those escaping domestic and family violence.
This program will build up to 450 safe places and assist up to 6,500 people per year. The grant program will be structured to encourage contributions from other levels of government, and from private and philanthropic sources.
A further $18m will be invested in the Keeping Women Safe in their Homes program, which has assisted over 5,200 women since 2015-16, providing security upgrades and safety planning so women and children can remain in their own homes, if it is safe to do so.
Prime minister Scott Morrison said this investment was a key commitment to the Fourth Action Plan 2019-2022, the final plan under the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children 2010-2022.”
It’s also Newspoll day – and things are still not looking up for the government.
Yes, Scott Morrison is still preferred prime minister, but that measure is sort of bupkis as a political pointer. Prime ministers tend to be more popular than opposition leaders, because a) they have better name recognition and b) the job of an opposition leader is to, well oppose the government. That tends to see them come across as negative in the 15-second TV grabs.
The latest Newspoll has Labor leading the government 53 to 47 on the two-party-preferred measure. That’s not great, if you are the Coalition.
Coalition remains headed for defeat in latest Newspoll despite Morrison bump
What does that mean? Mostly, that Scott Morrison is going to be even more Scott Morrison. The most Scott Morrison ever.
He’s starting with his National Press Club address.
Scott Morrison ramps up border protection rhetoric with attack on Labor
The politics around the medivac bill has gone a little bananas in the last couple of days.
First Scott Morrison called it “stupid”, then a security briefing prepared for Home Affairs was leaked, and somewhere in the middle of that, Bill Shorten’s language changed, with “middle ground” starting to make an appearance.
Where Labor lands on this should be decided today.
Scott Morrison and the Coalition though are only ramping up the political attacks – and speaking to Radio National this morning, Anthony Albanese was asked if Labor would “hold fast on this”.
What we’ve got to do here is take a bit of a step back from the government’s rather hysterical rhetoric and think about what this bill is about and why Kerryn Phelps has brought it forward. This is about whether people who we have responsibility for, who we’re to look after, if they’re sick and need medical care, whether they should get access to that? Our view is yes.
I think that the Australian people understand that and their answer to that is yes as well. And what the government has done on this legislation, frankly, is not tell the truth. Because the legislation, yes, says that two doctors may make a recommendation, but that’s subject to ministerial approval.
The minister can then refer it to a panel which includes people who the minister himself, Mr Dutton, has appointed to that point. And they will make a final determination, except for, of course, the minister also has discretion on national security grounds.
Yesterday, Shayne Neumann gave comment on the bill, saying this in a statement:
Labor has always had two clear objectives – making sure sick people can get medical care, and making sure the minister has final discretion over medical transfers.
Labor has great respect for our national security agencies and we’ve always worked cooperatively with them. While the Liberals leak national security information, we listen to it.
The Liberals have sunk to a new low by threatening to let the boats start again. They are walking, talking billboards for the people smugglers and they should be ashamed of themselves.
Labor will never let the people smugglers back into business.
So is there a compromise?
Albanese:
We have said that and we’re prepared to compromise across the parliament. This should not be a partisan issue. But this is a government that doesn’t look for outcomes but looks for arguments. That’s one of the reasons why it is in the state that it is. It doesn’t look for solutions. It has responsibility and it knows full well that almost 1,000 people have already been transferred to Australia. And the provisions in which they need medical assistance so what this is attempting to do ...
There’s an argument that the ministerial discretion is there because it’s the minister who appoints the panel that will make the determination and the minister still has, under this legislation that’s proposed, discretion over national security grounds. So if we need to tweak the legislation, then by all means, we should be able to do that in order to get an outcome. But I think that what Dr Phelps, in discussions that I had with her last year was very clear about, was that she was about outcomes. So if we need to tweak the legislation, by all means, let’s have those discussions.”
Happy New (Parliament) Year!
I hope everyone has had a lovely break and is ready to get back into what is going to be an excruciatingly punishing year in Australian politics. Elections tend to do that.
There is no parliament today – that starts back tomorrow – but with Scott Morrison due to give his National Press Club address, Newspoll, asylum seeker decisions and just general, well, politics, we thought we’d get in early and run a blog for the day.
Bill Shorten is due to meet with Mike Pezzullo, the secretary of the home affairs department, the chief of defence and the chief of Operation Sovereign Borders (yes, there is such a title) to get the security lowdown on the asylum seeker and refugee medical evacuation bill. We have heard the government wanted to put some staffers in there, which ruffled some feathers on the Labor side, because it is not as though things have been particularly airtight around these matters lately.
After that, the Labor caucus will meet. That usually happens on a Tuesday, but a special meeting will be held today, as the party comes to its final decision on the amended legislation.
All of this though, is moot if Cathy McGowan has changed her mind about supporting the bill.
We’ll bring you all of those developments and more as the day goes on.
Mike Bowers is on deck, as is Katharine Murphy, Paul Karp and the rest of the Guardian Australia brains trust. You can find us on Twitter, or, when we have time, in the comments.
I am on coffee number three. There is not enough coffee in the world for this year. I can already feel it.
Ready? Let’s get into it.