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Tim Wilson takes oath while holding Milton Friedman instead of Bible – politics live Tim Wilson takes oath while holding Milton Friedman book instead of Bible – politics live
(32 minutes later)
Agenda speech continued: Having a very quick re-read of all of that, there didn’t seem to be a lot new in that speech - most of it was announced in the budget, with a few of the add ons from the election campaign.
On 18 May 2019, more than 15 million Australians had their say about the future of our country and what they expect for the government andParliament they have elected to serve them for the next three years. We also have the legislation list:
Australians quietly going about their own lives, making decisions and taking responsibility for themselves and their families and working to make their community stronger. 1 - Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Relief So Working Australians Keep More Of Their Money) Bill
These hard-working Australians made a simple and humble demand that they are honest and decent aspirations for the future be respected and supported by those they elected. They voted for a government that understands Australians are focused on raising their families, running their businesses, working hard, volunteering and caring for their family and friends. 2 - Road Vehicle Standards Legislation Amendment Bill
My government was elected on the platform to keep the economy strong and to pursue policies that ensure Australians keep more of the money they work so hard to earn. And to give them more freedom and opportunity to make their own choices about their priorities in life. 3 - Farm Household Support Amendment Bill
My government understand that it is individual and collective efforts of the Australians that make our country stronger. That is why the aspirations, efforts and priorities of these Australians will now drive my government’s agenda. Our economy strong, to keep Australians safe and to keep Australians together. 4 - Criminal Code Amendment (Agricultural Protection) Bill
Agenda speech: 5 - Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment (Sunsetting of Special Powers Relating to Terrorism Offences) Bill
I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land in which we meet and pay my respects to the elders past and present. 6 - Migration Amendment (Repairing Medical Transfers) Bill
Emerging leaders and all Aboriginal Torres Strait Islanders gathered here today. Honourable Senators and members of the Parliament of Australia, once again, we can be very proud of our democracy. 7 - Fair Work Laws Amendment (Proper Use of Worker Benefits) Bill
We are a free people. We are a nation that has achieved great things and earned a special place in the modern world and the region in which we live. We are home to one of the world’s oldest living cultures. 8 - Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Ensuring Integrity) Bill
We are blessed with an environment boasting oceans, forests, soils, water, coast, rivers, deserts and other ancient landscapes beyond compare that we must steward responsibly. 9 - Counter-Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Bill Counter-Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) (Consequential Amendments) Bill
We are now in our 28th year of uninterrupted economic expansion. 10 - Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty Consequential Amendment Bill Passenger Movement Charge Amendment (Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries Treaty) Bill
More Australians are working than ever before and fewer Australians of working age are dependent on welfare than in generations. At the end, a middle aged man stood up in the public gallery and started yelling at the chamber to act on climate change.
Our economic strength has been won by the enterprise, innovation and termination of a hard-working people, especially those running small and family businesses. Our prosperity enables us to deliver one of the world’s most reliable social safety net providing income support, universal healthcare, disability support, aged care and comprehensive education to a growing population regardless of where they live. “Action is hope, look at Greta Thunberg stop Adani,” he yelled, as he was removed by security.
We are deeply connected into our region, economically, strategically and through our deep historical ties. We have liberalised trade agreements with economies that account for more than 70% of our trade. That was happening as the same time the canons were going off to mark the official, official opening of the parliament.
We are the largest provider of development assistance to the island nations of our Pacific family. Our defence force is respected, not just for its capability, but for its compassion. As it has responded to the many threats and events that have impacted our region. Yes, the governor-general reads the sub-heads.
Our security, law enforcement, border protection and emergency relief agencies keep Australians safe in an often unpredictable world in the face of fierce natural disasters. We are one of the world’s oldest democracies. Our freedom has produced a cohesive society that makes us the most successful immigrant and multicultural nation on earth. Conclusion
GG David Hurley has begun the speech in the great tradition of former generals turned monarch surrogates - very, very dryly The opening of a new Parliament marks a new chapter in our country’s history.
The governor general is still being totally extra and sending the Usher of the Black Rod to summon the House of Reps MPs to the Senate chamber. It marks an opportunity for our nation’s elected Members and Senators to come together to tackle important new issues, and to view existing challenges with fresh eyes.
Has anyone told him he can just send a text? DM? It’s across the corridor – they could just yell across the hall. Democracy is a robust undertaking, and disagreement is a fundamental part of that contest of ideas.
Anyways, the MPs are now filing into the Senate to listen to the GG read a speech from the prime minister’s office to learn what the agenda of the term is. As the Prime Minister has often noted, the challenge of modern democracies is not to disagree less, but to disagree better.
#yetanothermeetingwhichcouldbeanemail That is best achieved when Members and Senators focus on the lives, welfare and opportunities of the people of Australia.
Former prime minister Tony Abbott is in the public gallery for the opening of Parliament, sitting with John and Janette Howard and Bronwyn Bishop in the Senate chamber #auspol It is their welfare and their security which is the unifying force of this great institution.
Jim Chalmers has responded to the rate cut: I wish you all well as you proceed in the service of our good and decent country.
Two rate cuts in two months are a damning indictment of the Liberals’ economic mismanagement. And with those words it is my duty and my very great pleasure to declare the 46th Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia open.
Interest rates are now a third of what they were during the depths of the global financial crisis. Online Crime And Safety
The Reserve Bank can’t do all of the heavy lifting. The way we live our lives is constantly changing. Social media and online platforms are a bigger part of our lives than ever.
It’s time for the government to do its bit and support Labor’s amendments, which would see every Australian worker receive a tax cut in this term of parliament. They also bring with them new challenges and new dangers.
The key point from the RBA governor’s statement today was: “Consumption growth has been subdued, weighed down by a protracted period of low income growth and declining housing prices.” My Government will crack down on social media providers, online predators and trolls, to better protect children and the broader community.
After six years in office, the Liberals have no one to blame but themselves for feeble growth, stagnant wages and weak consumption. These measures will build on the world-leading protections Australia already has in place.
The Liberals’ claim that they’re good at managing the economy isn’t backed up by facts. The rules that apply in the real world must also apply to our life online.
This is the only government which has ever presided over an economic growth rate and a cash rate which both have a one in front of them at the same time. A new Online Safety Act will be developed to ensure our regulation keeps pace with technological change.
This third-term government has no plan and no idea how to fix the mess it’s made of the economy or boost the feeble growth on its watch. Penalties for online harassment will be increased and new aggravated offences introduced for the worst categories of online crimes.
If the Liberals were doing such a good job managing the economy, the Reserve Bank wouldn’t have had to cut the cash rate for two months in a row. New offences will be introduced for providing electronic services to facilitate dealing with child abuse material and for grooming activity; and my Government will re-introduce legislation to impose mandatory minimum sentences for child sex offences.
Tim Wilson, being Tim Wilson My Government will also invest $156 million in protecting all Australians from cyber-attacks that harm individuals, businesses and our national security.
There is always a bit of interest when parliament opens whether the MPs swear on Bibles or take an affirmation. Victorian Liberal Tim Wilson has taken the whole process into new territory by taking his affirmation today while holding a copy of Milton Friedman’s Capitalism and Freedom. The Cyber Resilience and Workforce Package will ensure we create the cyber workforce we need for the future; counter the capability of foreign cyber criminals; and expand assistance to the community to fight against malicious online criminals.
Always best to start as you mean to continue. Ending Violence Against Women
The RBA also doesn’t want to see unemployment rise any higher. That’s a bit difficult, with some analysts predicting it could hit 6%. This is just one of the problems facing the government at the moment – the economy is not, to put it lightly, looking fantastic – mostly because of outside factors, but that is what makes it so difficult. Combating violence against women and children remains an important priority, as part of my Government’s plan to keep Australians safe.
The RBA has cut the cash rate by 0.25%, making it a new record low. The Commonwealth will make a $328 million investment into prevention and frontline services as part of the Fourth Action Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children.
That’s the second month in a row it has cut rates – it is now sitting at 1%. Tackling the scourge of domestic violence is a community responsibility and my Government will continue to work with the states, territories and non-government sector to deliver lasting change to prevent and reduce family, domestic and sexual violence.
The RBA wants to see some wage growth. It’s not great news for the economy. Older Australians
Scott Morrison addressed the joint party room and told his government that it was the “year of surplus”. My Government will continue to prioritise better support for the people who made this country what it is today — older Australians.
He wants the government known for its “humility”, which is also what he said on 7.30 last night. It will establish a new Aged Care Workforce Research Centre to find new ways to deliver care for older Australians and appropriate training for aged care providers, as well as ensuring the aged care workforce grows to meet increasing demand.
And he wants the focus to be on those outside the building, not inside the building. My Government also recognises that not all older Australians need care, but many find themselves spending long days alone and simply need a friend.
Long live the quiet Australians. With that in mind, it will invest $10 million in a program to keep senior Australians connected to their communities and to one another.
Josh Frydenberg told a really bad joke, saying someone had sent him a text saying great to see the focus on tax cuts “now you need to focus your Albo-es”. Loneliness is a terrible thing, never more so than toward the end of a full and well-lived life.
Get it? My Government is committed to doing more to ensure that the people to whom this nation owes the greatest debt have the chance to live fulfilled and more connected lives.
The bells are ringing once again. Through the Royal Commission into Aged Care as well as the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability, Australians will have a clearer idea about the quality of services and care that needs to be provided to some of our most vulnerable citizens.
The afternoon session is about to begin. Indigenous Australians
And we should have news from the RBA on that rate cut in the next 10 minutes. My Government will continue to prioritise the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Got a passport? Cool, cool, cool For the first time in Australian history, an Aboriginal Member of this Parliament will have responsibility for policy affecting Indigenous peoples.
All your faces belong to us https://t.co/ON4oNxooDu Congratulations to the Member for Hasluck and on behalf of all Australians I wish you every good fortune in your endeavours. I also congratulate the Member for Barton on her appointment as the Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians and wish her the best as well.
Craig Kelly is back on Sky, continuing his tradition of appearing on live TV like he’s yelling at you over a pub bar. My Government has also bolstered its commitment to First Australians by creating a new agency — the National Indigenous Australians Agency — to oversee all policy and programs related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The Senate comes back at 2.25pm. There are a few more formalities, then the governor general will deliver the agenda speech. The Senate will suspend at 5pm and we’ll be off for the day. This new agency is part of the Prime Minister’s portfolio, ensuring that its important work is overseen at the most senior levels of Government.
Tomorrow, most of the sitting is dedicated to condolence motions for Bob Hawke. The agency is tasked to deliver on the revised Closing the Gap targets that drive improved outcomes for Indigenous Australians.
The government is currently holding its party room meeting, so we’ll bring you the update from that after 2pm. Priority will be placed on practical efforts to ensure Indigenous children are healthy and in school; that they can live safely in their communities; that we confront the terrible curse of youth suicide in remote communities; that we improve employment outcomes; and ensure that Indigenous Australians can expect the same from life in Australia as any other citizen.
A bit more from Mike Bowers this morning My Government will also continue to work to find consensus on a way forward for constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians and develop ground-up governance models for enhanced, inclusive and local decision-making on issues impacting the lives of Indigenous Australians.
Rural And Regional Australians
For many Australians, living in a rural and regional area is not only a way of life, it informs the very core of their identity.
Regional and rural Australians provide much of the food we eat and the fibres we wear; they work in the industries that produce export income to help our economy thrive.
Like all Australians, those in the bush are resilient, self-reliant and aspirational — but they’re also hit harder than most by unexpected events.
Earlier this year, nature flung its worst at North Queenslanders, and they are demonstrating their resilience and strong character as they rebuild and recover.
The Government’s focus is on assisting local communities to continue that recovery.
Though we would all like it to be otherwise, drought conditions are not expected to ease in the short- term. One of the first orders of business of this 46th Parliament will be to legislate the $3.9 billion Future Drought Fund.
That funding must be a priority to help better manage drought, protect our valuable rural industries and the people who make them possible.
My Government will also introduce a new suite of measures to support farmers, their families and rural communities to continue to battle drought, floods and natural disasters.
Concessional loans will be available for re-stocking and replanting to help farmers bounce back when the rain returns.
And the farm asset threshold will be permanently raised to $5 million to allow more people to access the farm household allowance.
My Government wants to encourage new farmers. That’s why it is establishing a new concessional loan product to help farmers to buy their first farm.
My Government will also prioritise legislation to criminalise the invasion of rural properties and the incitement of violence that too often leads to such behaviour.
It is also committed to eliminating mobile phone black spots across one million square kilometres of this country.
It will also do more to support university and vocational education students to stay in their local communities by providing five additional regional study hubs.
And to improve the health of people living outside our cities, 13 new regional cancer centres will be opened, and 3,000 more doctors and the same number of nurses will be supported into regional general practice in the decade ahead.
New medical treatments and medicines will also be delivered through clinical trials in regional, rural and remote areas.
My Government’s promise is to govern for all Australians and that promise includes those of us living in our most rural and remote communities.
Environment
Caring for our environment and conserving it for the future is an integral part of meeting our intergenerational obligation to future Australians.
My Government will improve soil health, protect threatened species and restore wetlands by investing $1 billion for Phase 2 of the National Landcare Program.
It is also investing $1.2 billion in the future health of the Great Barrier Reef. These efforts include improving water quality, combating crown of thorns starfish and undertaking vital research.
My Government is determined to reduce waste and increase recycling. We will work closely with industry on achieving needed change.
This includes supporting a phase-out of microbeads from personal care and cosmetic products, and working with the packaging industry to ensure 100 per cent of Australian packaging is recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2025.
My Government will also move to take up a global advocacy position with other nations in our region, like Indonesia, on the health of our oceans.
Our continent touches both the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Our geography, values, responsibilities and interests demand that we lift our advocacy efforts in this important area.
We will use our existing and expanded domestic actions as the basis for our advocacy, to lead by example on this important global environmental agenda.
Climate Change
My Government understands that Australia must and will continue to take urgent and effective action to address climate change.
We will undertake this action as part of a coordinated global effort.
We will continue to set and meet responsible and achievable carbon emissions reduction targets and encourage other nations to do likewise.
Australia is on track to meet our emissions targets under the Kyoto protocol, and will exceed our target by 367 million tonnes.
Australia will meet our 2030 targets under the Government’s Climate Solutions Plan.
Energy
My Government’s policies will address energy affordability, improve energy reliability and ensure Australia meets its emissions reduction goal.
Policies to introduce a default market offer for electricity and ban unconscionable late payment fees commenced yesterday.
The default market offer will benefit up to 800,000 Australian families and businesses, providing them with more affordable electricity prices.
As well, five million eligible social security recipients will benefit from Energy Assistance Payments of $75 for singles and $125 for couples — assisting them with their next power bill and cost of living expenses.
My Government is focused on building the Snowy 2.0 scheme and we are supporting the Battery of the Nation Project and Marinus Link, delivering record investments in new renewable energy for Australians.