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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2019/feb/12/morrison-shorten-coalition-labor-medical-evacuation-bill-kerryn-phelps-politics-live
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| Greens will not support Labor amendments to medical evacuation bill – politics live | Greens will not support Labor amendments to medical evacuation bill – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Emma Husar has just tweeted this | |
| Just swallow your rage. Even if it makes you choke. | |
| This is a MAJOR problem for the numbers, even if Labor and the crossbench come to an agreement. From Rosie Lewis and Michael Roddan at the Australian: | |
| Rogue Labor MP Emma Husar has not turned up to parliament, potentially causing a major upset for Bill Shorten who could have an historic win over the government on the medivac bill and cause chaos for Scott Morrison by adding an extra two sitting weeks to the calendar. | |
| Labor sources have confirmed the party was trying to locate Ms Husar, who has been estranged from her colleagues since she says she was forced not to contest her Sydney electorate of Lindsay and was “slut shamed” in the midst of a controversy over her management and treatment of former staffers. | |
| The whole story is here | |
| The bells have rung. | |
| The mad house is officially open for business. | |
| Oh – the government is still not chipping in any money for the cross river rail, Queensland’s number one infrastructure project (for like, ever) because the state Labor government got fed up with the lack of commitment and said it would fully fund it itself. | |
| So Alan Tudge said now that it’s fully funded, the government will spend the money it would have used to fund it, but didn’t actually commit to it, elsewhere in Queensland. | |
| Some days, I literally can’t even with this place. | |
| “Team Queensland”, which is absolutely a thing (for reasons which escape me because even a cursory look over the marketing would suggest that is a terrible idea) has gathered behind Alan Tudge to welcome the southeast Queensland city deal. | |
| (Peter Dutton is the “captain” of Team Queensland. These are actually things which are said by people with power in this place.) | |
| From the release: | |
| The Morrison government has committed to working with the Queensland government and local councils in south-east Queensland to develop a City Deal for the region. | |
| Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the federal government was already delivering billions of dollars of funding for congestion-busting roads and rail projects and this new deal would help unlock further investment. | |
| ‘I want people to get home sooner and have dinner as a family. I want tradies to spend less time on the road and more time at the worksite,’ the prime minister said. | |
| ‘We want to ensure Queensland remains a major tourism destination and one of the world’s premier locations to live, work and raise a family.’ | |
| It will be the second City Deal for Queensland following the policy being first established in Townsville. | |
| It comes in addition to the Morrison government piloting a Regional Deal for the Bundaberg Hervey Bay region. | |
| The commitment to an SEQ City Deal is supported by Queensland LNP MPs and senators who have campaigned for funding to support the diverse sectors within the region including tourism, manufacturing and education. | |
| The Morrison government has been working with the SEQ Council of Mayors, in particular Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, on the recently released People Mass Movement study which explores the impact of population growth on the region’s ability to cope with future transport demand. | |
| Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population Alan Tudge said the Liberal and Nationals government was committed to the people of south-east Queensland and to making the region even more liveable than it already is. | |
| ‘South-east Queensland is already home to over two thirds of the state’s population and is expected to accommodate 5.3 million people within 25 years’ time,’ Minister Tudge said. | |
| ‘We need to cater for this rising population and the SEQ City Deal will be a huge step forward in making sure the people of south-east Queensland get the most out of living in this beautiful region. | |
| Speaking after his Sky News interview, Richard Di Natale said Labor needed to come back to the negotiating table, now that the party had moved the goal posts: | |
| The Labor party need to decide if they’re going to work with the Greens, the crossbench, the refugee advocates, indeed many decent people right across the country who want to see sick people get the care when they need it,” he said. | |
| Right now, the concern that we have – and this is based on considered legal opinion – is the amendments put forward by the Labor party may make the situation worse than doing nothing. | |
| We are currently seeing some people – albeit it far too slowly – being evacuated from Manus and Nauru for medical treatment. | |
| The amendments – particularly the amendment that proposes an open time frame in terms of when evacuations should occur – could actually make it harder than is currently the case. | |
| So what we need to see is we need to see the Labor party ... We need to see Bill Shorten stop playing politics. | |
| He supported this legislation in December. He supported this legislation, and now over the space of two months, a bit of pressure from the Morrison government and from some of the rightwing media and he’s going to water. | |
| .@RichardDiNatale on border bill battle: We want people who are sick to get access to medical care quickly. Any amendment put forward by Labor that slows down the process – we will not support.MORE: https://t.co/kHdn5KPn1p #newsday pic.twitter.com/gE1DY25Nyf | |
| All this and the bells marking the beginning of the first 2019 sitting haven’t even rung yet. | |
| This is shaping up to be a margarita day. | |
| Ben Davies, from memory, left Michaelia Cash’s office in January last year, with “family” given as the official reason. | Ben Davies, from memory, left Michaelia Cash’s office in January last year, with “family” given as the official reason. |
| Michaelia Cash’s former chief of staff Ben Davies told her then media adviser, David De Garis, that federal police were set to raid the Australian Workers Union’s offices, the federal court has heard. | Michaelia Cash’s former chief of staff Ben Davies told her then media adviser, David De Garis, that federal police were set to raid the Australian Workers Union’s offices, the federal court has heard. |
| De Garis was ordered on Tuesday to give evidence about his decision to tip off the media about the dramatic raids in October 2017, after Justice Mordecai Bromberg rejected his request to refuse to answer to avoid self-incrimination. | De Garis was ordered on Tuesday to give evidence about his decision to tip off the media about the dramatic raids in October 2017, after Justice Mordecai Bromberg rejected his request to refuse to answer to avoid self-incrimination. |
| Asked who had told him, De Garis told the court: “Chief of staff Ben Davies.” Davies is Cash’s former chief of staff and is also scheduled to give evidence this week. | Asked who had told him, De Garis told the court: “Chief of staff Ben Davies.” Davies is Cash’s former chief of staff and is also scheduled to give evidence this week. |
| De Garis said Davies had asked him to come to his office and had told him in person that the raids would take place later that afternoon. | De Garis said Davies had asked him to come to his office and had told him in person that the raids would take place later that afternoon. |
| He said could not remember any details beyond that. | He said could not remember any details beyond that. |
| The AWU’s lawyer, Herman Borenstein QC, questioned De Garis’ evidence, saying he was “loth to do this” before asking Bromberg whether he could ask leading questions. | The AWU’s lawyer, Herman Borenstein QC, questioned De Garis’ evidence, saying he was “loth to do this” before asking Bromberg whether he could ask leading questions. |
| “You have not been loth to do this but I’m happy to,” De Garis replied, before he was asked to leave the courtroom briefly. | “You have not been loth to do this but I’m happy to,” De Garis replied, before he was asked to leave the courtroom briefly. |
| “There is a real question about whether he’s trying to answer the questions truly and frankly … or hiding behind a mantra of not being able to recall,” Borenstein said. | |
| But Bromberg said he was “not satisfied the witness is not making a genuine attempt”. | |
| De Garis is continuing to give evidence. | De Garis is continuing to give evidence. |
| The Greens, making fetch happen at the Adani protest this morning, as seen by Mike Bowers. | The Greens, making fetch happen at the Adani protest this morning, as seen by Mike Bowers. |
| “Unless you’ve actually got a specified figure, you don’t improve the situation, you potentially make it worse,” Richard Di Natale says of the lack of a time figure on the timing of the ministerial approval or rejection. | “Unless you’ve actually got a specified figure, you don’t improve the situation, you potentially make it worse,” Richard Di Natale says of the lack of a time figure on the timing of the ministerial approval or rejection. |
| Basically, the Greens want an absolute watertight timeframe put on how long the minister can take to approve or reject a transfer request. The legislation at the moment says 24 hours. The government argued that was not enough time. Labor proposed amending it to something along the lines of as soon as is practical. The Greens say that will just allow the government to delay dealing with transfers as long as they want. | Basically, the Greens want an absolute watertight timeframe put on how long the minister can take to approve or reject a transfer request. The legislation at the moment says 24 hours. The government argued that was not enough time. Labor proposed amending it to something along the lines of as soon as is practical. The Greens say that will just allow the government to delay dealing with transfers as long as they want. |
| “If you need urgent medical care, you don’t need to go to court, you need a doctor. And urgently,” Di Natale said. | “If you need urgent medical care, you don’t need to go to court, you need a doctor. And urgently,” Di Natale said. |
| The Greens leader said the party is “open to a conversation” but they believe the three amendments just “make it harder” for people to get medical treatment. | The Greens leader said the party is “open to a conversation” but they believe the three amendments just “make it harder” for people to get medical treatment. |
| Richard Di Natale says the Greens won’t support any amendment which means it takes longer for asylum seekers and refugees to get medical treatment. | Richard Di Natale says the Greens won’t support any amendment which means it takes longer for asylum seekers and refugees to get medical treatment. |
| “The amendments that have been put forward by the Labor party, at the moment, potentially make the situation worse than doing nothing,” he tells Sky News, saying that is what he has been told from the refugee sector and those who have followed these cases through the courts. | “The amendments that have been put forward by the Labor party, at the moment, potentially make the situation worse than doing nothing,” he tells Sky News, saying that is what he has been told from the refugee sector and those who have followed these cases through the courts. |
| Tony Burke had a chat to ABC Adelaide radio this morning. The transcript reports this exchange: | Tony Burke had a chat to ABC Adelaide radio this morning. The transcript reports this exchange: |
| BEVAN: Now your opposite number is Christopher Pyne from South Australia. He’s the manager of government business. We learned yesterday that he saw Malcolm Turnbull as his “Aslan”. Do you see Bill Shorten as your “Aslan”? | BEVAN: Now your opposite number is Christopher Pyne from South Australia. He’s the manager of government business. We learned yesterday that he saw Malcolm Turnbull as his “Aslan”. Do you see Bill Shorten as your “Aslan”? |
| CLARKE: And for those playing along at home Aslan of course is? | CLARKE: And for those playing along at home Aslan of course is? |
| BEVAN: The lion, from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Do you dreamy-eyed look across at Bill Shorten saying, you’re my Aslan? | BEVAN: The lion, from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Do you dreamy-eyed look across at Bill Shorten saying, you’re my Aslan? |
| BURKE: I’ve got to say it does fall short of that. I loved those CS Lewis books as a kid. I read them all. Every single one of them. But of course Aslan is there is a bit of a “Christ figure” and I don’t think any member of parliament quite fits that bill. | BURKE: I’ve got to say it does fall short of that. I loved those CS Lewis books as a kid. I read them all. Every single one of them. But of course Aslan is there is a bit of a “Christ figure” and I don’t think any member of parliament quite fits that bill. |
| CLARKE: So is Bill Shorten your luck dragon maybe? | CLARKE: So is Bill Shorten your luck dragon maybe? |
| BURKE: Bill’s the leader of the party and I really, really hope that we get a Shorten Labor government soon. | BURKE: Bill’s the leader of the party and I really, really hope that we get a Shorten Labor government soon. |
| You can find that reference in David Wroe’s story, here | You can find that reference in David Wroe’s story, here |
| And I guess that makes Pyne ... Edmund? | And I guess that makes Pyne ... Edmund? |
| The PMO has released the transcript of Scott Morrison’s doorstop this morning: | The PMO has released the transcript of Scott Morrison’s doorstop this morning: |
| JOURNALIST: Prime minister, if you lose the medevac bill today, why should you not drive to Government House and call an election? | JOURNALIST: Prime minister, if you lose the medevac bill today, why should you not drive to Government House and call an election? |
| PRIME MINISTER: It’s not a matter [inaudible], that’s why. I mean, the independents have said that themselves. So I think they’ve answered their own question. That matter will be determined I assume later in the parliament today. I have made it pretty clear that the bill is acceptable in no form. We will not be giving any comfort or any licence for the parliament to support this in any way, shape or form. | PRIME MINISTER: It’s not a matter [inaudible], that’s why. I mean, the independents have said that themselves. So I think they’ve answered their own question. That matter will be determined I assume later in the parliament today. I have made it pretty clear that the bill is acceptable in no form. We will not be giving any comfort or any licence for the parliament to support this in any way, shape or form. |
| JOURNALIST: Will you allow it to come on for a debate today though? | JOURNALIST: Will you allow it to come on for a debate today though? |
| PRIME MINISTER: It does come on for a debate today, that’s the process. | PRIME MINISTER: It does come on for a debate today, that’s the process. |
| JOURNALIST: So you will consider absolutely no Labor amendments to this bill whatsoever? | JOURNALIST: So you will consider absolutely no Labor amendments to this bill whatsoever? |
| PRIME MINISTER: This bill is acceptable in absolutely no form. It only weakens our borders, it does not strengthen them. I will not give a leave pass to this parliament to weaken our borders. Thanks very much. | PRIME MINISTER: This bill is acceptable in absolutely no form. It only weakens our borders, it does not strengthen them. I will not give a leave pass to this parliament to weaken our borders. Thanks very much. |
| You may remember from Luke’s report yesterday, that David de Garis declined to answer how he found out about the AWU raid. Looks like shiz is about to get reeeal interesting in the federal court. | You may remember from Luke’s report yesterday, that David de Garis declined to answer how he found out about the AWU raid. Looks like shiz is about to get reeeal interesting in the federal court. |
| Justice Bromberg has ruled Michaelia Cash's former media adviser David De Garis will have to give evidence about who tipped him off that federal police were set to raid the AWU's offices. #auspol | Justice Bromberg has ruled Michaelia Cash's former media adviser David De Garis will have to give evidence about who tipped him off that federal police were set to raid the AWU's offices. #auspol |
| From this morning | From this morning |
| For any National party voters, that guy in the red tie is the leader of the party and the deputy prime minister. | For any National party voters, that guy in the red tie is the leader of the party and the deputy prime minister. |
| Labor of course, is not having a caucus meeting this morning, having spent two hours dealing with those issues last night. | Labor of course, is not having a caucus meeting this morning, having spent two hours dealing with those issues last night. |