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Malcolm Turnbull defends Snowy 2.0 after report savages project – politics live Malcolm Turnbull defends Snowy 2.0 after report savages project – politics live
(31 minutes later)
Peter Dutton has tabled a statement on his decision to exercise his medevac discretion to refuse a transfer (as is required by the legislation)
REFUSAL STATEMENT UNDER SECTION 198J OF THE MIGRATION ACT 1958
On 11 October 2019,1, PETER DUTTON, Minister for Home Affairs made a decision under section 198G(2) of the Migration Act 1958 to refuse to approve the transfer of an accompanying family member from Nauru to Australia.
I made this decision because I reasonably believe the accompanying family member would expose the Australian community to a serious risk of criminal conduct and should not be transferred to Australia.
The Department of Home Affairs (Department) has advised me that the accompanying family member has a history of violent and manipulative behaviour, including allegations of physical assault against his children, been investigated by Nauruan Police Force for criminal activity, engaged in military service in Iran and that the Department has been unable to verify his identity.
Pursuant to section 198G(5), in deciding to refuse to approve the accompanying family member’s transfer, I have had regard to the best interests of the adult transferee who it was recommended he should accompany. I have approved the transfer of a separate family member to accompany the adult transferee from Nauru to Australia. In addition, the adult transferee has other family members in Australia.
Katharine Murphy has written up the latest Essential poll (yes, I know, all caveats about polls) and it has some interesting take outs:
While national politics frets about its trust crisis, the bulk of Australian voters appear reasonably sanguine with both of the major parties five months on from the federal election, with more than 60% of the Guardian Essential sample rating the performance of the Coalition and Labor as excellent, good or fair.
The latest survey of 1,088 respondents shows 63% are positive about the Coalition’s performance post-election and 62% say the same about Labor, although Coalition voters are more positive about the government than Labor voters are about Labor, with 93% of Coalition voters affirming the government and 83% of Labor voters affirming the opposition.
Scott Morrison remains comfortably ahead of Anthony Albanese as preferred prime minister, although the Labor leader has made up ground over the past month. Morrison is preferred as prime minister by 43% of the sample to Albanese’s 28%, which is a three-point improvement for the Labor leader.
Josh Frydenberg is holding a press conference at 10.15am in the Senate courtyard.
You can expect the official government response to the IMF report, there
Meanwhile, a report looking at federal MPs’ attitudes to democractic reform is being released today.
Paul Karp has had a look at the report, here:
And from the statement:
The report is the fifth in a series of reports developed by Democracy 2025 that examine how to strengthen democratic practice and bridge the trust divide in Australia.
The director of Democracy 2025, Professor Mark Evans, will present the report at a special event at Parliament House.
... Democracy 2025 is an initiative of MoAD—in partnership with the Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis at the University of Canberra—that is strengthening democratic practice through research, dialogue and innovation. For more information visit www.democracy2025.gov.au.
The timing of the Courier Mail article comes as the government works to woo Jacqui Lambie, the swing vote, to repeal the medevac legislation, which was passed against its will in the last minority parliament.
A Senate inquiry into the laws will be handed down on Friday. But the Senate won’t vote on the repeal legislation until it sits in again in November.
Kristina Keneally says Peter Dutton’s enacting of the security safeguard shows the legislation is working:
Why did Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton claim people of bad character could be transferred to Australia under medevac when it’s clear they have the powers to deny such transfers?
Under medevac, the minister can refuse a transfer on security or serious character grounds and this decision does not get reviewed and cannot be overturned. In fact, before medevac, the courts were deciding medical transfers on health grounds only, not even taking into consideration security concerns.
Peter Dutton is so desperate to distract from the 95,000 airplane people who have arrived on his watch, he’s boasting about using a power Labor ensured was in place to keep security threats out of the country.
Labor strongly supports medevac. Medevac is working. These laws should not be repealed by the government.”
Why is all of that interesting?
Well, because the government, including Peter Dutton and Scott Morrison, have said they don’t have the power to stop people under medevac.
In June, in an interview with David Speers on Sky News, Dutton said:
DS: You did warn, of course, at the time rapists, paedophiles, murders might come in. You know, I know you were asked about this on Sunday – have you yet established whether any have?
PD: I think there are some people that have come of bad character, David. I don’t think there’s any question about that, and under Labor’s law ...
DS: Amongst this 30 – are there any rapists, murders, paedophiles?
PD: Well, we’ll have a look at the details in due course, and I’d make this point though. The point made by the Labor party – and you heard a bit of the rhetoric in the previous interview – people of bad character can come, are able to come and, in fact, are required to come under Labor’s laws that they passed. That’s the reality. So, if you’ve got a national security check ...
DS: And you’re saying there are people of bad character who have come amongst that 30?
PD: I’m saying there are some – there are some people of bad character who have come to our country.
DS: What sort of bad character?
PD: Well, I’ll go into those details at the appropriate time, David, but what I’m worried about now – particularly out of this court decision, and particularly out of Labor saying that they won’t support us in the parliament to repeal this bad law – I am worried about many more cases coming through, and I think many of those people were believing, as the refugee advocates told them, that Labor would win the election, and that they would be here in significant numbers in big uplifts overnight, and that they’d be living in Australia.
The Courier Mail had this story this morning:
Peter Dutton will use his ­powers for the first time under the medevac legislation to keep out a violent Iranian asylum seeker – accused of running a prostitution ring – after doctors ordered three family members be sent to Australia.
In shock revelations, doctors approved an adult Iranian woman on Nauru to be sent to Australia for treatment and be accompanied by her brother and father, who do not need medical attention.
The article mentions “interventionist” doctors and Dutton having to step in on security grounds.
Which actually just proves that the medevac legislation the government is attempting to repeal has the safeguards in it to allow ministers to step in and stop transfers on national security grounds.
Which is outlined in this explainer from Murph:
Ministerial discretion applies in three areas.
First, the minister can refuse the transfer if he or she disagrees with the clinical assessment.
The second grounds for refusal is if the minister reasonably suspects that the transfer of the person to Australia would be prejudicial to security “within the meaning of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979, including because an adverse security assessment in respect of the person is in force under that Act”.
Sticking with security, the transfer can also be knocked back if Asio advises the minister that transfer of the person to Australia may be prejudicial to security “and that threat cannot be mitigated”.
The third grounds for refusal is if the minister knows that the transferee has a substantial criminal record and the minister reasonably believes the person would expose the Australian community to a serious risk of criminal conduct.
Nine facts about the medical evacuation bill
The bells are sounding off.The bells are sounding off.
Parliament is about to begin.Parliament is about to begin.
Jim Chalmers was out at doors this morning to talk about the IMF downgrade.Jim Chalmers was out at doors this morning to talk about the IMF downgrade.
Our economic problems in Australia are still primarily home-grown. That’s a point that Deloitte Access Economics has made.Our economic problems in Australia are still primarily home-grown. That’s a point that Deloitte Access Economics has made.
It’s a point that the Reserve Bank has made. We’ve had issues in the Australian economy for some time now which preceded the trade tensions between the Americans and the Chinese, for example. When Josh Frydenberg tries to blame international conditions for this downgrade today, remember that the Australian downgrade in these new numbers is four times bigger than the downgrade for the other advanced economies as a whole.It’s a point that the Reserve Bank has made. We’ve had issues in the Australian economy for some time now which preceded the trade tensions between the Americans and the Chinese, for example. When Josh Frydenberg tries to blame international conditions for this downgrade today, remember that the Australian downgrade in these new numbers is four times bigger than the downgrade for the other advanced economies as a whole.
Speaking of the drought, Sarah Martin has looked at what some of the money for drought-stricken councils is being spent on:Speaking of the drought, Sarah Martin has looked at what some of the money for drought-stricken councils is being spent on:
Music festivals, cemetery upgrades, public toilets and a virtual gym are among the hundreds of projects to ­receive federal grants under the government’s signature Drought Communities Program.Music festivals, cemetery upgrades, public toilets and a virtual gym are among the hundreds of projects to ­receive federal grants under the government’s signature Drought Communities Program.
As the government fends off criticism of its national drought response, a Guardian Australia analysis of $100m in grants awarded under the program in 2019 shows that while many shires have used the grant program for water infrastructure projects, much of the funding has been spent on events, the purchase of equipment and maintenance work.As the government fends off criticism of its national drought response, a Guardian Australia analysis of $100m in grants awarded under the program in 2019 shows that while many shires have used the grant program for water infrastructure projects, much of the funding has been spent on events, the purchase of equipment and maintenance work.
My colleague Josh Taylor has been reading some of the federation chamber speeches from last night, and found this one from Ed Husic criticising the government for not doing enough to combat rightwing extremism:My colleague Josh Taylor has been reading some of the federation chamber speeches from last night, and found this one from Ed Husic criticising the government for not doing enough to combat rightwing extremism:
The point is this: I don’t care if it’s Islamist-inspired or supremacist-inspired, if it represents a threat to the Australian people it should be taken seriously. And I’m telling you now, based on the briefings I’ve received, we are not taking this seriously. We reckon that we’re only following a few people on this issue here in this country. I have the greatest respect for what our security agencies and intelligence agencies are doing. But we also know in this day and age, with the rise of the lone wolf, we can’t track these people easily. We need to take this seriously. We need to deal with it now.The point is this: I don’t care if it’s Islamist-inspired or supremacist-inspired, if it represents a threat to the Australian people it should be taken seriously. And I’m telling you now, based on the briefings I’ve received, we are not taking this seriously. We reckon that we’re only following a few people on this issue here in this country. I have the greatest respect for what our security agencies and intelligence agencies are doing. But we also know in this day and age, with the rise of the lone wolf, we can’t track these people easily. We need to take this seriously. We need to deal with it now.
You’ll find the rest of that on page 104 on that linkYou’ll find the rest of that on page 104 on that link
Tanya Plibersek has spotted the Marshall Islands announcement:
I’m sure these students are hardworking and clever, but what our Pacific Island neighbours need most from Scott Morrison is serious action to combat climate change, not a student exchange program.
The students will also be working on developing strategies and programs to help communities deal with the coming impacts to their environment. Which is great. What would also be great is having Australia, as a leader in the region, actually develop a proper emissions-reduction policy of its own.
The department of health team won the Big Issue street soccer competition against the politician’s team, 6-nil, in the final this morning.
The press gallery side came fourth.
Mike Bowers also tells me that Brendan O’Connor also struggled with the rules.
David Speers was farewelled by his Sky News colleagues overnight. Speersy has been an institution of the press gallery for the past two decades. He is moving to Melbourne to take over the Insiders reins, which he’ll pick up officially early next year.
While there were lots of lovely moments, the loveliest was probably when Speers paid tribute to his colleagues, particularly his long-term camera operator, Geoff Crane.
The relationship between journalists and photographers and camera operators is more like a marriage. You spend more time with them in these sorts of jobs than your own partner most of the year. You see each other at your best and worse. You don’t have to think because they do it for you. You turn around, and they are already there, capturing what your words can’t. Journalists most definitely get the better side of the deal – we could not do our jobs without the visual artists who help hold us up. But they would be just fine without us. I couldn’t do this blog without Mike Bowers (please don’t tell him that, it’ll upset our entire dynamic) and for many journalists, broadcast ones in particular, the cameramen and women we work with are absolute heroes. So it was lovely to see that relationship celebrated by two of the best last night.
The drought response continues to be a bone of contention.
Joel Fitzgibbon has put out this statement:
In response to my question in Parliament yesterday, the Prime Minister said:
“The Future Drought Fund is not to provide direct financial assistance payments to farmers. It’s there to provide direct support for water resilience projects to plan for the future.”
His admission exposes his claim that he’s spending $7 billion assisting drought-affected farming families. He is spending nothing like that and he should come clean.
Expect more on that today, as well.
Marise Payne has welcomed the release of Jock Palfreeman from a Bulgarian detention centre, but remains “concerned, however, that Mr Palfreeman continues to be denied the right to return to Australia, having being granted parole in September”.
Palfreeman, who was given permission to return to Australia by a court, has had his passport confiscated. Payne has officially called on the Bulgarian government to afford Palfreeman “due process, consistent with Bulgarian law”.
You might remember this tweet from the minister in assistance to the president of Marshall Islands, David Paul, in response to Michael McCormack’s comments about criticism from our Pacific neighbours over Australia’s response to climate change.
As deputy leader of one country to another let me say this: the Pacific’s survival - and the Australian fruit industry - requires leadership on the greatest threat to our region and to the world. Unfortunately, $500m does not go very far when you are at risk of losing everything. https://t.co/55Vvft5gou
Well, it turns out the government is now sending students to the Marshall Islands to study – wait for it – “the impact of climate change on local communities”.
I kid you not.
Marise Payne and Dan Tehan announced the New Colombo Plan’s 2020 Mobility Program yesterday where “11,196 undergraduates from 40 Australian universities to complete short-term study and work-based experiences in 36 locations across the Indo-Pacific”.
From their release on the cross-cultural education program:
We have increased awards for Australian undergraduates to engage with Pacific nations by 15 per cent over the previous round. Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea are the most popular Pacific destinations, with the Republic of the Marshall Islands to host New Colombo Plan Mobility Program students for the first time in 2020. Over the next three years, 75 undergraduates will study the impact of climate change on local communities in the Marshall Islands and develop projects to support sustainability and resilience.
Cool beans.
You can read more of Malcolm Turnbull’s response to the Snowy 2.0 criticism on his Twitter feed.
You can argue the toss over whether or not he is right – again, he was invested in this project, and so he is not exactly impartial on this. But it would have been nice to see more of this Turnbull – defending what he believes in and calling out vested interests – as prime minister.
It was probably the project Malcolm Turnbull was most excited about when he was prime minister. Properly authentically excited.
So it is no surprise that Turnbull would come to the defence of Snowy 2.0 in the face of reports of cost blowouts and questions about its use.
Turnbull went on a bit of a tweet storm overnight. Here’s a taste.
Snowy Hydro 2.0 is the key to making renewables reliable. It is opposed by vested interests in the energy sector who know it will reduce volatility and deliver zero emissions and more affordable electricity.
The decision to proceed with Snowy 2.0 has been based on extensive economic and engineering analysis including the feasibility study published in December 2017. The contracted costs, as Paul Broad has said, are consistent with that study.
The claim that the scheme is in the wrong place is ludicrous. Snowy Hydro sits between the two biggest centres of demand in NSW and Victoria. Of course transmission will have to be upgraded, as it will be right around the country as we move from high emission....
So if the Government does not build Snowy 2.0 it would not get built. In summary - the opponents of Snowy 2.0 are, wittingly or not, doing the work of vested interests in the energy sector who profit from the existing volatility and high prices.
You don’t have to have the government talking points to know the lines on the IMF report have most definitely been released.
This was Paul Fletcher on ABC this morning:
Let’s be clear. We have a sound economy, AAA credit rating, we have been growing, 29th year in a row, of growth, growing faster than every G7 country except the US and we have a clear plan to maintain our economic position.
We have got the lowest rate of welfare dependency. Getting the budget back to in balance this year and then getting it back to surplus is the plan.
We won’t be spooked by international conditions. We’ll stick to our plan.
Question: I’ll ask the question again, it’s not great though, a figure of 1.7% from the body like the IMF?
PF:
Let us be clear, our economy is growing, it’s been growing for 29 years.
Question: But not fast enough?
PF:
[Last year] A range of countries, Singapore, Germany and the UK were in negative growth. We are in positive growth, we have been growing for 29 years. We have a clear plan to maintain the economic position, including $100bn of infrastructure, personal tax cuts and reducing welfare dependency. We want to maintain that.
Let’s be clear – nothing says “this is a practised line” like putting “let’s be clear”, “the reality is” or “the fact of the matter is” at the beginning of said practised line.
Well, Jim Chalmers woke up with an extra spring in his step today, with the news Australia’s economic growth rate has been downgraded by the IMF, from 2.1% to 1.7%.
Those economic headwinds Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg have been referring to are on their way. The IMF, like the RBA, want governments to stimulate their economies. Slashing interest rates is not enough. With a decade of low growth forecast across the globe, monetary bodies want to see spending.
In a statement sent out very early this morning, Chalmers said:
The IMF has called on countries, including Australia, to provide fiscal stimulus and invest in infrastructure to support their economy and improve productivity.
According to the IMF, “Monetary policy cannot be the only game in town and should be coupled with fiscal support where fiscal space is available.”
The IMF’s updated forecasts make a mockery of Josh Frydenberg’s claims that the Morrison Government has the right policy settings.
Collapsing confidence and weak growth are the inevitable consequence of a Liberal-National Government which has a political strategy but not an economic policy.
We saw signs most obviously last week, that the government is attempting to respond, without being explicit about it. Frydenberg’s meeting with the nation’s treasurers was all about bringing forward lower-tier infrastructure projects, which was essentially a stimulus program, without mentioning the word stimulus. That’s because the government is locked on to delivering its budget operating surplus next year. Which means, for the short term at least, it is steering clear of “stimulus” – because you shouldn’t have to stimulate a surplus economy.
But the warnings are getting louder. So we are on watch and wait here.
Mike Bowers is out and about – he was up early covering the press gallery versus politicians soccer match this morning, which was raising money for the Big Issue (a very good program, and I encourage you, if you can manage it, support your local Big Issue seller). I’ll bring you some of that, and all the other magic he captures throughout the day.
You’ll also have Katharine Murphy, Sarah Martin, Paul Karp and the rest of the Guardian Australia brains trust bringing you what happens in this building and beyond.
I haven’t had a second coffee, but I have had a ginger nut biscuit for breakfast (unfortunately not a Queensland one, which is obviously the best of all the ginger nuts) so I am as peppy as I can be under the circumstances.
Ready?
Let’s get into it.