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| PM refuses to say if he tried to have Brian Houston invited to White House – politics live | PM refuses to say if he tried to have Brian Houston invited to White House – politics live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| On Peter Dutton’s comments on the Chinese Communist Party, Penny Wong says: | |
| I would like to make a couple of points. We are different society to China under the Chinese Communist Party. And I have made the point for quite a long time and inevitably with our democracy and will have differences of views on a range of issues between us and China. | |
| My question to Peter Dutton is - was a thought through plan? Was it part of the clear strategy or part of a political tactic because ...it’s very difficult to tell where the government’s strategy on China is. | |
| If you accept that we are as we are, an ally and partner of the US and we have an important economic relationship with China you want to make sure, you have assessable strategy in dealing with the China which is much more assertive but we are going to have differences of views on whether relationship is more challenging. | |
| ...Scott Morrison appeared to downplay it so it does look from the outside like another tactically domestically focused press conference. | |
| ...Of course it matters how you handle the relationship as well as what decisions you make. This is not just about substance, that is important. But it’s also about how you handle rhetoric and advocacy. | |
| But my concern is, we don’t appear to have a plan when it comes to dealing with an increasingly challenging relationship with China which is becoming more assertive and more willing to present interests, there will be times when we our interests converge, and we will engage closely, but times where our interests are different. | |
| On Scott Morrison’s visit to the United States, Penny Wong says: | |
| What was interesting … is that [the prime minister] didn’t achieve anything through that trip when it came to the trade war between China and the US. And certainly there are a lot of other distractions that the prime minister chose to engage in, including discussion about China’s status at the WTO bank and he made that announcement in the US, but fundamentally I think it was to distract from the fact that we have a deep interest, both for stability reasons and for economic reasons, in the trade dispute being comfortably resolved. | |
| Penny Wong is the guest on Afternoon Briefing today. | |
| Wong tells Patricia Karvelas she believes Scott Morrison is very short sighted in his strategy on foreign policy: | |
| My point is this, it’s a very challenging time in foreign policy, with a very challenging regional and global environment, and a very challenging time in our relationship with China. | |
| It would be best if those issues were managed with very clear on the national interest and in a bipartisan manner. And what we have is a Prime Minister who does seek partisan advantage, who does it to manoeuvre and play tactical gains. | |
| Paul Karp with a balloon update: | |
| The Greens and DPS/presiding officers have a bit of a disagreement about whether hot air balloons are generally allowed over parliament, so stand by for a thread of pics from Greens showing they are. https://t.co/nZETVSsjzR | |
| Just on Scott Morrison’s answer on negative globalisation, where he cited examples of times the UN has asked Australia to change its policy – I guess it’s positive globalisation when we do it? Because that’s a fairly common part of diplomacy and being part of the international stage. For instance, we have recently expressed our concerns to Turkey over its policy in north-eastern Syria. As we should. | |
| We finish up with a dixer from Greg Hunt on health spending. | We finish up with a dixer from Greg Hunt on health spending. |
| The folders are stacked though, so we are done. | The folders are stacked though, so we are done. |
| Lisa Chesters to Scott Morrison: | Lisa Chesters to Scott Morrison: |
| Why does the prime minister’s talking points say that the government recognises how tough drought is when he is withdrawing Farm Household Allowance from hundreds of drought-stricken farm families? | Why does the prime minister’s talking points say that the government recognises how tough drought is when he is withdrawing Farm Household Allowance from hundreds of drought-stricken farm families? |
| Morrison: | Morrison: |
| I thank the member for her question. She may be interested to know that, in the year 2017, the amount paid out under the Farm Household ... Allowance was $33,735,000. In the numbers we received this morning, the number was $114,00155,000. | I thank the member for her question. She may be interested to know that, in the year 2017, the amount paid out under the Farm Household ... Allowance was $33,735,000. In the numbers we received this morning, the number was $114,00155,000. |
| Since since the drought summit of last year, as I referred to in an earlier answer today, we have made some very significant changes to the Farm Household Allowance. And we didn’t make those changes unilaterally. The minister for drought, then minister for agriculture, commissioned a review of the Farm Household Allowance and went out and spoke directly to all those affected in the sector through that independent review process. | Since since the drought summit of last year, as I referred to in an earlier answer today, we have made some very significant changes to the Farm Household Allowance. And we didn’t make those changes unilaterally. The minister for drought, then minister for agriculture, commissioned a review of the Farm Household Allowance and went out and spoke directly to all those affected in the sector through that independent review process. |
| That independent review process recommended that we go from three years to four years - and for that four years to be four in every 10. Four in every 10. I remind the member that, when the Labor party was in power, it was three years only - for life, Mr Speaker. Three years for life. The member for Hunter. | That independent review process recommended that we go from three years to four years - and for that four years to be four in every 10. Four in every 10. I remind the member that, when the Labor party was in power, it was three years only - for life, Mr Speaker. Three years for life. The member for Hunter. |
| We increased that to four years in 10, and we are now, in this year most recently completed, we have put $114.2 million to support those families and to ease up on the compliance requirements and the assessment requirements that has enabled more of those families – some 6,000 now – which, when Labor was in, numbered only around 300 or thereabouts, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, I hear before that the drought had just started. | We increased that to four years in 10, and we are now, in this year most recently completed, we have put $114.2 million to support those families and to ease up on the compliance requirements and the assessment requirements that has enabled more of those families – some 6,000 now – which, when Labor was in, numbered only around 300 or thereabouts, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, I hear before that the drought had just started. |
| ... We learnt in Queensland today, in the minister for drought’s electorate, it’s been going for eight years. It’s been going for eight years, Mr Speaker. | ... We learnt in Queensland today, in the minister for drought’s electorate, it’s been going for eight years. It’s been going for eight years, Mr Speaker. |
| So in all of that period of time, what we have done – and what we have most recently done through the National Drought Summit – has been to increase access to that payment. And we will continue to consult closely with the community when it comes to making any further changes if they are considered necessary. | So in all of that period of time, what we have done – and what we have most recently done through the National Drought Summit – has been to increase access to that payment. And we will continue to consult closely with the community when it comes to making any further changes if they are considered necessary. |
| But we’re acting in accordance with the advice, Mr Speaker, and the head of the farmers in Queensland has been very, very clear about the need to maintain those arrangements as they’ve been set. | But we’re acting in accordance with the advice, Mr Speaker, and the head of the farmers in Queensland has been very, very clear about the need to maintain those arrangements as they’ve been set. |
| So we’re going to listen to the farmers and listen to the rural communities, and that’s why, in just the last few weeks, since we sat in this place, we’ve put – together with the New South Wales government – over $1 billion into new dams and upgraded dams. | So we’re going to listen to the farmers and listen to the rural communities, and that’s why, in just the last few weeks, since we sat in this place, we’ve put – together with the New South Wales government – over $1 billion into new dams and upgraded dams. |
| We’ve put, Mr Speaker, over $60 million into additional farm household assistance just since we have come back to this parliament. On top of that, we’ve put an additional $14 million into drought-affected local government areas to ensure that we can keep those local economies moving. Mr Speaker, we will continue to respond to the drought as and when and each and every day as we need to, and that will go on into the future with our full support. | We’ve put, Mr Speaker, over $60 million into additional farm household assistance just since we have come back to this parliament. On top of that, we’ve put an additional $14 million into drought-affected local government areas to ensure that we can keep those local economies moving. Mr Speaker, we will continue to respond to the drought as and when and each and every day as we need to, and that will go on into the future with our full support. |
| We get a bipartisan note, with both David Littleproud and Anthony Albanese mourning the couple who died in the NSW bushfires, and praising the firefighters who have worked to keep the fires as contained as possible. | We get a bipartisan note, with both David Littleproud and Anthony Albanese mourning the couple who died in the NSW bushfires, and praising the firefighters who have worked to keep the fires as contained as possible. |
| Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison: | Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison: |
| Today, the prime minister has refused to give a straight answer to questions about record household debt, about record-low wage growth, and about whether he tried to invite Brian Houston to the White House. Why won’t the prime minister just give straight answers, whether it’s here or in media interviews? | Today, the prime minister has refused to give a straight answer to questions about record household debt, about record-low wage growth, and about whether he tried to invite Brian Houston to the White House. Why won’t the prime minister just give straight answers, whether it’s here or in media interviews? |
| Morrison: | Morrison: |
| Mr Speaker, once again, the leader of the opposition comes to the dispatch box and he casts a whole range of aspersions across the table, Mr Speaker, without being able to back them up. The problem is, the leader of the opposition doesn’t like the answers to the questions, Mr Speaker. He doesn’t like the fact that, when it comes to our economy, we continue to be one of the strongest-growing developed countries in the world, that we’re continually providing jobs for Australians, and that 1.4 million Australians have been able to find work, that our AAA credit rating has been maintained, that taxes have been reduced, Mr Speaker, under our government, and that we continue to provide support to the farmers and rural and regional communities of this country, including protecting those very farmers from those who would seek, Mr Speaker, to go and invade their farms and create even further anxiety and insult at a time when they are under greatest pressure. | Mr Speaker, once again, the leader of the opposition comes to the dispatch box and he casts a whole range of aspersions across the table, Mr Speaker, without being able to back them up. The problem is, the leader of the opposition doesn’t like the answers to the questions, Mr Speaker. He doesn’t like the fact that, when it comes to our economy, we continue to be one of the strongest-growing developed countries in the world, that we’re continually providing jobs for Australians, and that 1.4 million Australians have been able to find work, that our AAA credit rating has been maintained, that taxes have been reduced, Mr Speaker, under our government, and that we continue to provide support to the farmers and rural and regional communities of this country, including protecting those very farmers from those who would seek, Mr Speaker, to go and invade their farms and create even further anxiety and insult at a time when they are under greatest pressure. |
| Morrison moves into a bunch of government talking points, concluding before there can be a Tony Burke point of order. | Morrison moves into a bunch of government talking points, concluding before there can be a Tony Burke point of order. |
| Labor has also been focusing on Scott Morrison’s Lowy speech in Senate question time, asking whether he was referring to the UN when he warned of an “unaccountable internationalist bureaucracy”.Foreign minister Marise Payne took the opportunity to read extensive quotes from before the offending phrase in the speech, more generic sections about threats in the strategic environment. Labor raised multiple points of order on relevance, but president Scott Ryan agreed with the minister that the content of the speech was all relevant. | Labor has also been focusing on Scott Morrison’s Lowy speech in Senate question time, asking whether he was referring to the UN when he warned of an “unaccountable internationalist bureaucracy”.Foreign minister Marise Payne took the opportunity to read extensive quotes from before the offending phrase in the speech, more generic sections about threats in the strategic environment. Labor raised multiple points of order on relevance, but president Scott Ryan agreed with the minister that the content of the speech was all relevant. |
| Labor’s Penny Wong suggested the prime minister had “humiliated” Payne and Julie Bishop “would’ve stood up and fought” against the talking points. | Labor’s Penny Wong suggested the prime minister had “humiliated” Payne and Julie Bishop “would’ve stood up and fought” against the talking points. |
| Payne responded that Labor was selectively quoting the speech. She said that the world suffered from “peak commentary” – presumably international institutions lecturing Australia – and the PM was “trying to navigate a path through that in the national interest. | Payne responded that Labor was selectively quoting the speech. She said that the world suffered from “peak commentary” – presumably international institutions lecturing Australia – and the PM was “trying to navigate a path through that in the national interest. |
| Asked about the related warning of “negative globalism”, Payne said Morrison was seeking “an approach to globalism that facilitates/aligns rather than directs and centralises” which she said was “not provocative, [but] considered”. | Asked about the related warning of “negative globalism”, Payne said Morrison was seeking “an approach to globalism that facilitates/aligns rather than directs and centralises” which she said was “not provocative, [but] considered”. |