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Crossbench support means Senate inquiry into Pyne and Bishop jobs likely – politics live Crossbench support means Senate inquiry into Pyne and Bishop jobs likely – politics live
(32 minutes later)
Before QT, Scott Morrison stands to recognise the 50th anniversary of the moon landing.
That’s why AB Culvahouse is in the House.
Scott Morrison has entered the chamber and is greeting Arthur B Culvahouse, the US ambassador, who is a guest of the House today.
Suggestions on the new pub test are coming in strong
@AmyRemeikis the Facebook test? The ratio test? the Kmart Mums Of Melbourne test? pic.twitter.com/zLK8Hd9yWp
It is time for Who’s That MP ... and it’s Ken O’Dowd.
Just in case you missed it – because I did – James Ashby is back in the parliament.
Ashby had his pass taken from him after an altercation with Brian Burston last year. He’s now had it reinstated.
I am off to the chamber for question time. Hit me up with your bingo predictions.
Meanwhile, I really do think we need to update the pub test to something more in line where actual opinions are given. Like, the group chat test.
Every single pub test in Australia has been failed today. Every. Single. One.
Ain’t politics grand.
Much of Queensland has been in drought for close to a decade but it only really hit the national agenda when it was creeping in on the regions around Sydney.
Strange that.
Just spoke to a drought affected farmer from Victoria who said he'd rather be in NSW, because " that's where the money is". He was talking about funding for drought support.
The speeches taking note of the review conclude. The vote on an inquiry will be held after question time.
Malcolm Roberts just linked Julie Bishop to Hillary [Clinton] “and the images that go with that”.Malcolm Roberts just linked Julie Bishop to Hillary [Clinton] “and the images that go with that”.
You just know that ‘lock her up’ was chanting in his head. You just know that “lock her up” was chanting in his head.
He also says the jobs Christopher Pyne and Bishop have taken are an “insult” to the Australian people.He also says the jobs Christopher Pyne and Bishop have taken are an “insult” to the Australian people.
I can think of a couple of other insults to the Australian people, but moving on I can think of a couple of other insults to the Australian people, but moving on ...
The Australian National Audit Office has issued a report into the defence department’s handling of travel expenses concluding its processes are “not fully effective” and it has “overstated” progress on initiatives to improve administration. The Australian National Audit Office has issued a report into the defence department’s handling of travel expenses and concluded its processes are “not fully effective” and it has “overstated” progress on initiatives to improve administration.
From the report:From the report:
“Defence’s administrative arrangements to support the payment of travel allowances to APS employees exhibit shortcomings, which reduce their appropriateness. These include: inconsistency in guidance; a failure to consistently reflect policy requirements in guidance and supporting tools (such as travel calculators); and the division of policy and administrative responsibility across three Defence Groups. The 2015 Review of Red Tape in Defence made similar findings and recommended that Defence produce a ‘single, brief policy guidance document in plain English’ on official travel and the use of the Defence Travel Card. Defence reported internally that it had addressed this recommendation, when it had not ... “Defence’s administrative arrangements to support the payment of travel allowances to APS employees exhibit shortcomings, which reduce their appropriateness. These include: inconsistency in guidance; a failure to consistently reflect policy requirements in guidance and supporting tools (such as travel calculators); and the division of policy and administrative responsibility across three defence groups. The 2015 review of red tape in defence made similar findings and recommended that defence produce a ‘single, brief policy guidance document in plain English’ on official travel and the use of the defence travel card. Defence reported internally that it had addressed this recommendation, when it had not ...
Defence’s arrangements for providing assurance over the payment of travel allowances to APS employees are not fully effective. Defence has identified shortcomings in the design of detective controls for credit cards and ANAO testing of a sample of travel allowance transactions indicates that preventative controls are not fully effective. This performance audit identified a number of instances where Defence reports to senior committees overstated the progress of activities intended to improve assurance across the administration of travel and credit cards. These instances included: incorrect advice about residual risk; and advice that recommendations from reviews and audits had been addressed, when they had not. “Defence’s arrangements for providing assurance over the payment of travel allowances to APS employees are not fully effective. Defence has identified shortcomings in the design of detective controls for credit cards and ANAO testing of a sample of travel allowance transactions indicates that preventative controls are not fully effective. This performance audit identified a number of instances where defence reports to senior committees overstated the progress of activities intended to improve assurance across the administration of travel and credit cards. These instances included: incorrect advice about residual risk; and advice that recommendations from reviews and audits had been addressed, when they had not.
A key feature of this audit has been that Defence’s senior committees have been provided with advice that overstates the progress of activities intended to improve the administration of travel allowances and credit cards. Inaccurate performance reporting reduces accountability and senior leaders’ ability to assess risks and consider the need for remediation strategies.” “A key feature of this audit has been that defence’s senior committees have been provided with advice that overstates the progress of activities intended to improve the administration of travel allowances and credit cards. Inaccurate performance reporting reduces accountability and senior leaders’ ability to assess risks and consider the need for remediation strategies.”
Looks like One Nation is also on board for an inquiry.Looks like One Nation is also on board for an inquiry.
It also looks like Malcolm Roberts has taken public speaking lessons straight from Toastmasters 101. There are many hand movements. That is how you know he is serious.It also looks like Malcolm Roberts has taken public speaking lessons straight from Toastmasters 101. There are many hand movements. That is how you know he is serious.
Everything that is happening in the Senate at the moment is just the formal response to the tabling of Martin Parkinson’s report into Christopher Pyne’s and Julie Bishop’s new jobs.Everything that is happening in the Senate at the moment is just the formal response to the tabling of Martin Parkinson’s report into Christopher Pyne’s and Julie Bishop’s new jobs.
The actual vote on whether or not there should be an inquiry won’t happen until later this afternoon, about 4pm.The actual vote on whether or not there should be an inquiry won’t happen until later this afternoon, about 4pm.
The Greens have held a press conference calling on the government to lift Newstart by $75 a week and criticising Labor for proposing only a review.The Greens have held a press conference calling on the government to lift Newstart by $75 a week and criticising Labor for proposing only a review.
Richard Di Natale compared the trajectory of the issue to the banking royal commission debate when the Greens were the first mover then “eventually ... got the Labor party across the line, we got the crossbenchers across the line and then we started to see National party MPs speak out”.Richard Di Natale compared the trajectory of the issue to the banking royal commission debate when the Greens were the first mover then “eventually ... got the Labor party across the line, we got the crossbenchers across the line and then we started to see National party MPs speak out”.
The Greens leader said:The Greens leader said:
“We’re seeing that right now Barnaby Joyce has raised his voice saying he thinks it needs to go up. We’re seeing backbench members within the Labor party saying it needs to go up. I feel we’re at a point that we’re going to start to see the pressure building on the government, so that an increase in Newstart becomes inevitable.”“We’re seeing that right now Barnaby Joyce has raised his voice saying he thinks it needs to go up. We’re seeing backbench members within the Labor party saying it needs to go up. I feel we’re at a point that we’re going to start to see the pressure building on the government, so that an increase in Newstart becomes inevitable.”
The Greens’ social services spokeswoman, Rachel Siewert, accused the government of “untruths” that Newstart is a transition payment, citing the fact that 44% of people receive the unemployment payment for longer than two years, and 15% longer than five years.The Greens’ social services spokeswoman, Rachel Siewert, accused the government of “untruths” that Newstart is a transition payment, citing the fact that 44% of people receive the unemployment payment for longer than two years, and 15% longer than five years.
Despite Liberal Dean Smith joining the ranks of those calling for an increase, Siewert criticised him for failing to vote for the Greens’ bill. She also chipped Labor for suggesting the Greens were wasting time in the Senate.Despite Liberal Dean Smith joining the ranks of those calling for an increase, Siewert criticised him for failing to vote for the Greens’ bill. She also chipped Labor for suggesting the Greens were wasting time in the Senate.
Larissa Waters says the Greens will support the inquiry into former ministers moving into jobs related to their portfolios – but they want actual solutions.Larissa Waters says the Greens will support the inquiry into former ministers moving into jobs related to their portfolios – but they want actual solutions.
She’s also asking what happened to Christian Porter’s federal Icac, which she says has not been spoken of since February.She’s also asking what happened to Christian Porter’s federal Icac, which she says has not been spoken of since February.
That would be the behind-the-scenes Icac, where you would find out there was an investigation only if there was a guilty verdict in the court afterwards.That would be the behind-the-scenes Icac, where you would find out there was an investigation only if there was a guilty verdict in the court afterwards.
.@Senator_Patrick has foreshadowed calling @ScottMorrisonMP Martin Parkinson @cpyne @HonJulieBishop and EY before a @AuSenate inquiry if his motion gets up this afternoon #auspol
Kristina Keneally finished her speech to the Senate by saying Scott Morrison faced an integrity test, with his response to Christopher Pyne’s and Julie Bishop’s new jobs.
Rex Patrick is up now and is basically saying the outcome of the review is “ridiculous” given the information both former ministers have, and how that can be used in their new roles.
He says the parliament needs to have more of a look at how their knowledge will be used.
Which means – there will be an inquiry.
It’s only a year late, but the government will table the ombudsman’s report into the Telecommunications (interception and access) Act 1979 – you know, the bill that allows the government to keep all of your metadata – later this afternoon.
It’s the report for 2016-17. We are in 2018-19.
But why on earth should we need to know how often security agencies are accessing our data?
Over in the Senate, Kristina Keneally says the results of the Martin Parkinson review into Christopher Pyne’s and Julie Bishop’s new jobs is “absurd”.
She says she will not be surprised if Scott Morrison tries to dismiss it as something “in the Canberra bubble” but says this involves hundreds of millions of dollars in government contracts.
Oh, and Manus Island is still Labor’s fault. Scott Morrison:
We’re dealing with the problem of people who found themselves on Manus Island because of the failed border protection policies of the previous government. That’s who is on Manus Island. That’s who is there. So we’re still dealing with the legacy of the policy failures of the previous government.”
Six. Years. Later.
Scott Morrison ends the press conference by saying that he and James Marape will be watching the Cronulla Sharks at the end of the week.
“I believe in miracles,” he says (to which my brain answers ‘do ya, do ya, do ya’ . EVERY TIME).
“So hoping for one on Thursday when we go up against the Cowboys.”
Acoss have also put together a fact sheet on Newstart. You can find it here
The Australian Council of Social Service has very much welcomed Dean Smith’s call to raise the Newstart rate. From its statement:
Australian Council of Social Service’s acting chief executive, Jacqui Phillips, said:
“Community members and journalists are rightly asking members of the government whether they could live on $40 a day.
“The government cannot continue to avoid the question by spreading misconceptions.
“People on Newstart are actively looking for paid work – they apply for 20 jobs a month – but the reality is there is only one job available for every eight people looking for a job or more hours.
“While some in the government claim most people on Newstart receive other payments, they neglect to explain that this is due to the energy supplement, which is less than $1 a day.
“Less than half of people on Newstart receive rent assistance, which is about $10 a day, if you spend at least $150 a week on housing. Less than 20% of people on Newstart receive a family tax benefit, which goes to helping cover the cost of raising children.
“When we look at who is on Newstart, we see that half of recipients are over the age of 45; more than 100,000 are single parents; and one in four have an illness or disability but cannot get the disability support pension.
“Older people, people with disability and single parents face challenges and discrimination in finding paid work and this is part of the reason why the average time spent on Newstart is three years.
“The reality for people on Newstart is that they are living in deep financial crisis that severely restricts their chance of finding paid work. It is very hard to put your best foot forward in a job interview when you’re eating one meal a day, wearing worn-through clothing, and are worrying about how to pay rent.”
On Manus Island:
Scott Morrison:
“The detention centre on Manus Island is closed, has been closed for some time. There is no detention centre on Manus Island. I think it’s important that Australians are no longer told that somehow there is a detention centre that’s operating on Manus Island.
“That is a process we’ve been working through for some time. The accommodation facility which now accommodates about 300 people on Manus Island currently, and that is down from 1,353, at the peak when Labor were in power.
“So the detention centre ... is closed and we’re working closely with the PNG government ... [over] the service arrangements for those who continue to be resident on Manus Island, and that includes a tender process for someone who had a lot of attention on it here, which we mutually agreed would be put in place and the existing contract extended until the tender process was there until a new service stepped up. Prime minister?”
James Marape:
“Yes, as confirmed by prime minister Morrison, there is no more detention. People are living freely in Manus, and also some have moved to Port Moresby for medical, and moving around freely.
“And I’ve expressed clearly to minister Dutton that we need to establish a schedule and timetable towards full closure of the entire asylum processes. As PNG has always stood in to assist Australia in times of need, as it has done for us also, we will ensure that we have a mutually workable timetable and closer program that is healthy for all of us, but more importantly, healthy for those people who have been part of us in Manus and PNG. Some are classified as refugees.
“Those classified as final refugee, the international convention of refugees will apply. Those who aren’t classified as refugees, we’ll see where they’re given encouragement to move back to their home of origin or where they’d like to move.
“Those are works in process that both governments have agreed to. And for us, to find some closure in the Manus area. But let me agree with prime minister Morrison, there is no more detention. We’re in the process of resettling the entire people out from PNG, within PNG, and common decency will apply to the people who are with us in Port Moresby and Manus now.”
James Marape:
We come to Australia as friend and family, as prime minister Scott Morrison has indicated.
[The] meeting this morning was to consolidate on some of the issues that we need to build on as leader to leader, that will set the pace for our ministers to have their dialogue, and we will consolidate going into the future.
The future for PNG is not a future of economy and security. PNG must be economically secure.
Once PNG is economically secure, we secure borders and we in turn become very, very healthy and fruitful.
I believe the Pacific island region is one of the best places if not the best place globally speaking.
We need to keep the peace and serenity and the environment just as we have, something that is a global asset.”