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Parliament sits for first time since Scott Morrison's election victory – politics live Parliament sits for first time since Scott Morrison's election victory – politics live
(32 minutes later)
When being sworn in, Members can choose to make an oath or an affirmation. Those making an oath can choose their own religious text, ranging from texts owned by the House to family texts.
The Senate will elect its president (spoiler – it will be Scott Ryan) and then the House of Representatives will elect its Speaker (double spoiler – it will be Tony Smith) and then boom – lots of speeches.
The tax bill will be entered into the chamber this afternoon/evening, where Labor will wave it through, before entering the Senate. There, Labor will attempt to amend it. Not that it is looking like that matters – word is the crossbench will give the government the numbers it needs to pass it.
Let the games begin. May the odds be ever in your favour.
The Usher of the Black Rod is walking from the Senate to the House of Representatives at the behest of the chief justice, Susan Kiefel, who is acting as the deputy governor general, to ask the lower chamber to come on over.
Everyone got that?
The Usher of the Black Rod has just given the nod to the Sergeant of Arms, and now the House of Reps will wander over to the Senate.
All of this because a bunch of blokes in England back in the day had a riot when the king tried to arrest a bunch of MPs. Since then, the monarch and their representatives can’t enter the House of Reps.
I mean, there was a civil war after Charles I attempted to arrest MPs for treason, so I suppose there was a reason for the rule. And now it is to give everyone something to do when parliament begins.
Thus concludes your history lesson with Amy.
PM Scott Morrison and Opposition leader Anthony Albanese share a moment after the ecumenical service and Scott and Jenny Morrison after the smoking ceremony on the forecourt of Parliament @AmyRemeikis @murpharoo #PoliticsLive pic.twitter.com/zgF9hrnkqi
The bells are ringing for the first time in months, which means the 46th parliament is about to get under way.
I never realised what a pavlovian response I have to that sound until my eye started twitching at the first shrill note. I am not sure if androids do dream of electric sheep (I mean, are they battery operated or do they plug them in?) but my dreams are certainly haunted by these bells.
About the House doing the work so you don’t have to:
A new Parliament means new Members. We've assembled a Twitter List of every Member of the House in the 46th Parliament with a Twitter account - view and follow it here: https://t.co/xigmglDpCO pic.twitter.com/JGpcEedWIg
Well this seems pretty definite. Stirling Griff on the tax plan:Well this seems pretty definite. Stirling Griff on the tax plan:
I would think, all things considered, I would imagine that the tax cut legislation will pass this week.I would think, all things considered, I would imagine that the tax cut legislation will pass this week.
Centre Alliance has a loose working arrangement with Jacqui Lambie. They will work together on issues where they have common ground, and do their own thing where they split. They have also agreed not to talk about each other’s position.Centre Alliance has a loose working arrangement with Jacqui Lambie. They will work together on issues where they have common ground, and do their own thing where they split. They have also agreed not to talk about each other’s position.
Jacqui is her own person. We’ve had initial discussions with Jacqui in relation to what we’re looking for. But, um, we’ll just have to see where she ends up in the end.Jacqui is her own person. We’ve had initial discussions with Jacqui in relation to what we’re looking for. But, um, we’ll just have to see where she ends up in the end.
But given that the government either needs Lambie or One Nation to pass the tax plan, if Labor doesn’t come on board, and Pauline Hanson is still opposed, well, that from Griff is an indication of where this is all heading.But given that the government either needs Lambie or One Nation to pass the tax plan, if Labor doesn’t come on board, and Pauline Hanson is still opposed, well, that from Griff is an indication of where this is all heading.
A little earlier, Rex Patrick said he had been down to Tasmania to speak to Lambie after her election and had spoken to her at least three times since yesterday. That is going to be quite the interesting voting bloc at times.A little earlier, Rex Patrick said he had been down to Tasmania to speak to Lambie after her election and had spoken to her at least three times since yesterday. That is going to be quite the interesting voting bloc at times.
I’m told that quite a bit of Anthony Albanese’s speech ahead of the smoking ceremony was off the cuff. That he had a prepared speech, and read from some of it, but that he ad-libbed quite a bit, as he had something he really wanted to say.I’m told that quite a bit of Anthony Albanese’s speech ahead of the smoking ceremony was off the cuff. That he had a prepared speech, and read from some of it, but that he ad-libbed quite a bit, as he had something he really wanted to say.
Reconciliation is shaping up as the major sleeping issue of this parliament – and so it should be. It is outrageous that we haven’t done more already.Reconciliation is shaping up as the major sleeping issue of this parliament – and so it should be. It is outrageous that we haven’t done more already.
Back to the tax debate, and Jim Chalmers had this to say about Labor’s position:Back to the tax debate, and Jim Chalmers had this to say about Labor’s position:
If the Reserve Bank cuts interest rates today, that will further bolster our strong case that we need to get more money into the hands of more workers sooner to boost this floundering economy. The Reserve Bank can’t do all the heavy lifting on its own. The Reserve Bank has already cut interest rates to extraordinary lows – much lower than they were even during the global financial crisis. It’s time for the government to do their bit. Labor’s prepared to do our bit to get stage one of the tax cuts into the economy and to bring forward stage two. That’s what my amendments will seek to do tonight. The test for Scott Morrison is does he want a tax cut for every Australian worker this term or not? That’s the question for him.If the Reserve Bank cuts interest rates today, that will further bolster our strong case that we need to get more money into the hands of more workers sooner to boost this floundering economy. The Reserve Bank can’t do all the heavy lifting on its own. The Reserve Bank has already cut interest rates to extraordinary lows – much lower than they were even during the global financial crisis. It’s time for the government to do their bit. Labor’s prepared to do our bit to get stage one of the tax cuts into the economy and to bring forward stage two. That’s what my amendments will seek to do tonight. The test for Scott Morrison is does he want a tax cut for every Australian worker this term or not? That’s the question for him.
Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg need to stop obsessing about Labor, stop spending all of their time poring over our transcripts and writing op-eds about the Labor party, and they need to actually do something about this floundering economy. They’ve been pretending that nothing’s wrong for some time now. We’ve got slowing growth, we’ve got stagnant wages. People are worried about their mortgages, people are worried about their standard of living. People are worried that their wages aren’t keeping up with their costs of living. We can’t have a government that keeps pretending that nothing’s wrong. It’s time for them to act. We’ve proposed a responsible way forward, which would pass stage one of the tax cuts, bring forward part of stage two of the tax cuts and take out stage three, which commits $95bn five years down the track when we don’t know what the economy or the budget will look like in 2024-25.Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg need to stop obsessing about Labor, stop spending all of their time poring over our transcripts and writing op-eds about the Labor party, and they need to actually do something about this floundering economy. They’ve been pretending that nothing’s wrong for some time now. We’ve got slowing growth, we’ve got stagnant wages. People are worried about their mortgages, people are worried about their standard of living. People are worried that their wages aren’t keeping up with their costs of living. We can’t have a government that keeps pretending that nothing’s wrong. It’s time for them to act. We’ve proposed a responsible way forward, which would pass stage one of the tax cuts, bring forward part of stage two of the tax cuts and take out stage three, which commits $95bn five years down the track when we don’t know what the economy or the budget will look like in 2024-25.
The smoking ceremony is being held on the forecourt of Parliament House.The smoking ceremony is being held on the forecourt of Parliament House.
Albanese ends with:Albanese ends with:
We know that for parliament to be asked to be welcomed by the traditional owners of the land on which we meet is a modest step. It is more than a decade since the apology.We know that for parliament to be asked to be welcomed by the traditional owners of the land on which we meet is a modest step. It is more than a decade since the apology.
It is time to go further in reconciliation. The parliament should show its respect for the strength and determination of First Nations peoples by working with you to progress the agenda of the Uluru statement from the heart, to establish a voice, recognise First Nations people in our constitution and to close the gap which remains so vast across so many categories.It is time to go further in reconciliation. The parliament should show its respect for the strength and determination of First Nations peoples by working with you to progress the agenda of the Uluru statement from the heart, to establish a voice, recognise First Nations people in our constitution and to close the gap which remains so vast across so many categories.
We have to acknowledge the patience and persistence of First Nations people in their wishes, including the nature of future agreements with them that was made clear in the Uluru statement.We have to acknowledge the patience and persistence of First Nations people in their wishes, including the nature of future agreements with them that was made clear in the Uluru statement.
The parliament should do more than hear an Aboriginal welcome, the parliament should also hear an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice, that would be a significant change for our country.The parliament should do more than hear an Aboriginal welcome, the parliament should also hear an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice, that would be a significant change for our country.
We would all be stronger for it and once done, we would wonder, just like with the apology, just like this welcome to country, why we hadn’t done it before?We would all be stronger for it and once done, we would wonder, just like with the apology, just like this welcome to country, why we hadn’t done it before?
I say to the prime minister, I look forward to working with you in the spirit in which we’ve already had discussions.I say to the prime minister, I look forward to working with you in the spirit in which we’ve already had discussions.
We will work with you, this can be done. We have been welcomed to this country today in such a generous spirit, with such a hopeful heart, and we should respond with courage, kindness and with determination. Forty five times we have opened the parliament in this country without a voice to parliament for the First Nations of this great land.We will work with you, this can be done. We have been welcomed to this country today in such a generous spirit, with such a hopeful heart, and we should respond with courage, kindness and with determination. Forty five times we have opened the parliament in this country without a voice to parliament for the First Nations of this great land.
This 46th parliament should be the last time in which we do that.This 46th parliament should be the last time in which we do that.
Anthony Albanese:Anthony Albanese:
I also think of the first welcome to country here when we gathered in this place in February 2008.I also think of the first welcome to country here when we gathered in this place in February 2008.
I’m very proud to have been leader of the House of Representatives when we instituted that reform. It is a great example whereby people at the time thought “Why haven’t we done this before?”I’m very proud to have been leader of the House of Representatives when we instituted that reform. It is a great example whereby people at the time thought “Why haven’t we done this before?”
And once done, just like the apology, no one could imagine us not doing it. It was indeed a rare moment where the parliament showed humility and respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.And once done, just like the apology, no one could imagine us not doing it. It was indeed a rare moment where the parliament showed humility and respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
What I remember most from that February day was the same strength, the strength of your culture, to survive everything that has been thrown at you, to survive everything that this institution has done to you and the strength of your character to welcome us with the oldest continuing human culture and custom in the world, customs whose antiquity stretches back beyond our comprehension.What I remember most from that February day was the same strength, the strength of your culture, to survive everything that has been thrown at you, to survive everything that this institution has done to you and the strength of your character to welcome us with the oldest continuing human culture and custom in the world, customs whose antiquity stretches back beyond our comprehension.
The generosity of First Nations people to offer that welcome is quite extraordinary. I welcome the fact that we now regard this as an essential component of the beginning of the parliament.The generosity of First Nations people to offer that welcome is quite extraordinary. I welcome the fact that we now regard this as an essential component of the beginning of the parliament.
Anthony Albanese also spoke ahead of the smoking ceremony. He said that when he first spoke to Scott Morrison following his election as Labor leader, the first issue they spoke about was reconciliation:Anthony Albanese also spoke ahead of the smoking ceremony. He said that when he first spoke to Scott Morrison following his election as Labor leader, the first issue they spoke about was reconciliation:
I am so grateful to be welcomed again to Ngunnawal country by the traditional owners here. Linda [Burney] said to me this morning “We’ll be back, we always do come back”.I am so grateful to be welcomed again to Ngunnawal country by the traditional owners here. Linda [Burney] said to me this morning “We’ll be back, we always do come back”.
When I was elected to this place some 23 years ago, there was no welcome to country, simply because the parliament didn’t ask for one. I came down from a lifetime in the inner west of Sydney, the land of the Gadigal clans, to a new era in this Ngunnawal and Ngambri country, without any acknowledgement of the cultural significance of that moment.When I was elected to this place some 23 years ago, there was no welcome to country, simply because the parliament didn’t ask for one. I came down from a lifetime in the inner west of Sydney, the land of the Gadigal clans, to a new era in this Ngunnawal and Ngambri country, without any acknowledgement of the cultural significance of that moment.
What a lost opportunity to learn about this place.What a lost opportunity to learn about this place.
We now begin every shadow ministry meeting with the acknowledgement of country from Linda Burney who informs us about the cultural significance of where we are meeting, wherever it is.We now begin every shadow ministry meeting with the acknowledgement of country from Linda Burney who informs us about the cultural significance of where we are meeting, wherever it is.
Just like, of course, the parliament didn’t ask to be welcomed by your leaders when we first met in this building in 1988, nor when we first met in this city in 1927.Just like, of course, the parliament didn’t ask to be welcomed by your leaders when we first met in this building in 1988, nor when we first met in this city in 1927.
But even when the parliament has tried to ignore First Nations people, they have been here and the prime minister has outlined that extraordinary history with Jimmy Clements and John Noble, proud Wiradjuri men and the actions that they took and the response that they got from their fellow Australians.But even when the parliament has tried to ignore First Nations people, they have been here and the prime minister has outlined that extraordinary history with Jimmy Clements and John Noble, proud Wiradjuri men and the actions that they took and the response that they got from their fellow Australians.
Mike Bowers was at the ecumenical service held this morning to mark the opening of the new parliament. This year, it was held at St Christopher’s Cathedral. As they were leaving, Anthony Albanese quipped that as a Catholic, he held the home ground advantage.Mike Bowers was at the ecumenical service held this morning to mark the opening of the new parliament. This year, it was held at St Christopher’s Cathedral. As they were leaving, Anthony Albanese quipped that as a Catholic, he held the home ground advantage.
Scott Morrison:
Being at peace with our past, being at one with our past and while we reflect on how far we have to go, consider how far we have come.
This year, my government appointed Ken Wyatt as the first ever Aboriginal person to hold the position of minister for Indigenous Australians and as a member of cabinet and I welcome him here and this morning.
I am also pleased, as I know that the leader of the opposition is, that he will be joined in the parliament by the member of Barton, Linda Burney and senators Patrick Dodson, Malarndirri McCarthy and Jacqui Lambie, but together, between Linda and Ken, I think Anthony and I are both very optimistic about the partnership that can be forged. Indigenous important voices that I am confident will be joined by many, many more in the years to come.
It was a different story at the official opening of what we now call the Old Parliament House back in 1927.
Not a single First Australian was invited to celebrate. However, that didn’t stop two men, Jimmy Clements, better known as King Billy, and John Noble. They left their home near Gundagai and began the long walk to Canberra.
They trudged over the mountains until they arrived in our nation’s capital. The 80-year-old King Billy stood firm in front of the new parliament and protested his sovereign rights to the federal territory.
The police ordered him to move on. They feared his shabby clothes and the dogs at his bare feet would offend the sensibilities of the Duke and Duchess of York who were in attendance. An incredible thing happened.
The crowd, Australians, took King Billy’s side. They called on him to stand his ground and he did. A clergyman declared he had a better right than any man present to be there and that was true.
King Billy won that fight and the next day he was among those citizens officially presented to the duke and duchess. His long walk to Canberra paid off. Almost eight decades later, footballing great Michael Long would also begin a long walk to Canberra and would famously meet with the then prime minister John Howard to discuss the issues facing indigenous communities.
As Michael’s wife, Lesley, put it so well, when one person starts walking, someone will walk next to them and they’ll say “I’ll believe in that too. I’ll walk with you.”
Here we are, walking together, all Australians, Indigenous or not, walking together, side-by-side towards reconciliation, towards equal opportunities, towards closing that gap once and for all, walking in the same way a determined steely-eyed 80-year-old Wiradjuri man walked to Canberra almost a century ago. We have a long way to go, we know, but we will walk that journey together.
Scott Morrison is speaking ahead of the smoking ceremony at the front of parliament, which will mark the official opening of the parliament.
We gather in respect, acknowledging the Ngunnawal elders, the ancient ceremony of fire and smoke that will commence shortly has become part of the tradition of this building and thankfully so.
It was just over a decade ago that the first ever smoking ceremony was accompanied the opening of parliament and I thank the Speaker and the president of the Senate for their continuing support of this as it shall always be in this place.
We couldn’t imagine this day without this ceremony. Nor should we. It is appropriate that the entrance of our parliament just beyond the great verandah is the beautiful mosaic on the forecourt ... Jagamara’s possum and red kangaroos, rock wallabies and more. The ancestors all gathering for an important ceremony, stirring in its subtly. As the artist said himself, the 90,000 hand guillotined granite pieces present and represent a place where all people come and meet together, just like we do in our ceremonies to discuss and work things out together.
That captured the work, the job of this place, to work things out together. In my maiden speech to parliament I said a strong country is at peace with its past. This is a work in progress.
Back over on Sky News and Angus Taylor was very Angus Taylor about what the government was planning to do in regards to nuclear power.
There is a big chunk of the party room (mostly Queensland) who want a Senate inquiry into nuclear power. Taylor continued to hedge, saying he was focused on the “short and medium term”.
“If we are going to solve this energy problem in the next couple of years, it is going to be much more immediate initiatives that are going to need to be in place ... like the reliability obligation. Future energy sources, and broadening those, will have a much longer term time line before they can have any impact.
“So I am very focused on the short-term solutions, it is what Australians want.
“... What has to be established here [nuclear] is the economic business case. There are lots of ways of doing that, there are many ways for many people to make that economic case ... what I am saying is, there are many ways to establish the economic case. The fundamental issue though we face now is making sure we get more energy supply into the system, making sure the competitive regime is right, that the energy companies are doing the right thing by their customers – that is what is going to make the difference.
“... As I said, I am focused on getting those short- to medium-term problems solved.”
On tax cuts, it looks as though a deal with the crossbench is very, very close. Centre Alliance seems quite hopeful it will get its gas reserve for the domestic market, which will get it across the line. Then it is down to Jacqui Lambie, who hasn’t said much publicly but is tipped to vote in favour.
But even if she doesn’t, Labor is leaning towards passing the whole package if the government won’t split it, despite its reservations about stage three.
Which just begs the question – what on earth is the government going to talk about if the tax package passes?
Outside the church service, Scott Morrison stopped and had a quick chat as well:
[Yesterday] at the war memorial and this morning’s reflections, I think, are very important ways for our parliament to begin. And certainly on this occasion. People coming together from across the political divide and, of course, this week, with the swearing-in of a new governor general, I think it is a timely reminder of all the things that make our democracy, our country so great.
There is a tremendous stability, I think, in these things that anchor our country, whether it’s our constitution, as we remembered yesterday with the governor general, the great sacrifice and service of those men and women who sacrificed everything for us.
Today, reflecting on the deeply held faith values of our nation. And later this morning, the welcome to country. I think that all brings it together, and for the ceremonies that follow. And this is the right way to start a parliament. And I look forward to continuing in that vein. This morning, there are many prayers that I must say. My prayers this morning are for Alek Sigley and his family. This is a troubling situation and we will continue to use every effort we have to locate him and hopefully bring him home safely.
There is no update on the Sigley situation as yet.
You can follow along with parliament here.
Today’s the day – the 46th Parliament of Australia will be officially opened this morning. Here’s today’s Daily Program, outlining what to expect and when. Don’t forget you can stream today’s ceremonies at https://t.co/8DB1X3AQDV pic.twitter.com/hNw1JXnypM
Anthony Albanese stopped and had a chat to journalists outside the church service this morning. Asked if the tax debate was damaging for Labor, he had this to say:
We’ve got till 2022. I’ll give you the big tip. I’ve said we will hasten slowly. I’ve said we won’t be terribly concerned about the 24-hour media cycle … we’re prepared and support the House and the Senate remaining here in Canberra on Thursday, continuing to sit until these issues are all dealt with. Because we want every Australian worker to get a tax cut in this term. That’s what we’re arguing for.
Because we are back in 2016, religious freedom is back on the agenda, despite the Philip Ruddock review finding that there isn’t that big a problem in Australia when it comes to religious freedom.
But here we are.
Scott Morrison will be looking at it, and he is hoping for bipartisan support from Labor to try to limit how out of control the debate could grow. Mathias Cormann, speaking to ABC TV this morning, is all about it:
Well, I do believe it’s a pressing issue to protect Australia’s right to religious freedom. And, I mean, that is obviously something that we’ve said that we would pursue. The prime minister and others have made it very clear that this is something that we will pursue through legislation by the end of this year. And at the right time the attorney general will obviously explain all of the ins and outs of what we’re proposing to do.
Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese attended a Last Post ceremony as the sun set yesterday. The war memorial holds a daily ceremony, but it is traditional for the leaders to attend the service just before parliament resumes.
Well, after the pomp and ceremony of yesterday, the parliament is gearing up for more pomp and ceremony today, with the 46th parliament to be officially sworn in.
First up is the traditional church service, attended by the leaders, where everyone reflects on peace and goodwill before returning to the parliament and slamming each other again.
Sometimes they don’t even make it to the parliament – just the steps of the church.
Back in the parliament it is all tax, tax, tax.
Josh Frydenberg has promised the low- and middle-income tax rebate will be in people’s bank accounts next week.
“People will get it next week,” he told Laura Jayes on Sky News this morning. “Once they put in their tax returns, and they can put in their tax returns next week, then they will get it just days after.”
Now of course, that depends on the parliament passing it. Labor is still hoping it can amend the bill in the Senate, but will pass it the House. If it can’t amend the bill, well, it hasn’t really made up its mind yet about what it will do. Stage one and two are fine, according to the opposition – or at least mostly fine – but stage three is a sticking point. The government is holding firm and refusing to split the package. So we’ll stay on this merry-go-round a little bit longer.
In other news, the treasurer is holding his breath while waiting to see if the RBA cuts the cash rate for the second month in a row. There isn’t much further for the reserve bank to go, but it is a sign of a weakening economy that there is even the expectation it could.
Frydenberg is holding on to Australia’s triple A credit rating for comfort but the global economy has to be making for some sleepless nights.
We’ll cover that, and everything else that happens today. There is no question time until Thursday, but Mike Bowers is out and about and freezing in Manuka to bring you shots of the MPs pretending to like each other, and the Guardian’s brains trust is at your service.
Ready? Let’s get into it.