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| Drought policies developed in 'vacuum', says farmers' lobby – politics live | Drought policies developed in 'vacuum', says farmers' lobby – politics live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The attorney general, Christian Porter, will introduce amendments to native title today. | |
| From his release: | |
| The native title legislation amendment bill 2019 implements a range of measures recommended by the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) and the Council of Australian Governments (Coag). | |
| It was also informed by extensive consultation with native title claimants who said they wanted more flexibility and efficiency built into the system. The bill will provide claimant groups with: | |
| Improved pathways for dispute resolution following a determination of native title; | |
| Increased transparency and accountability for prescribed bodies corporate (the corporations set up to manage native title); | |
| Greater flexibility for bodies corporate to set their own internal processes. | |
| Importantly, the bill also seeks to end the uncertainty created by a 2017 full federal court judgment that cast doubts over the validity of hundreds of what are known as “section 31” agreements, which are negotiated between claimant groups and industry to facilitate land access. | |
| The McGlade decision found that such agreements were only valid if they were signed by all representatives of a claimant group, rather than by a majority – even if the only reason for not obtaining every signature was because a single representative had died. | |
| The bill will validate all affected agreements and ensure that a majority of representatives can negotiate on behalf of a claimant group in the future. | |
| For some history on this issue, you can head here. | |
| I told you drought was going to be the issue of the day. | |
| Adding to @msmarto news this morning on this morning’s special caucus meeting after a second shadow cabinet meeting last night to thrash out trade, I gather there’s also internal Labor angst about drought funding @AmyRemeikis | |
| I’m listening to Hamish Macdonald interview David Littleproud on RN, and it sounded like Littleproud just took a swipe at some city media types, saying that “while I get a lot of metropolitan commentators are frothing at the mouth at the moment” in regards to the drought and what needs to be done, says we “need to be careful” not to scare the next generation from entering agriculture as a career. | |
| Macdonald pulled him up on the “metropolitan commentators ... frothing at the mouth” comment. | |
| HM: | |
| To be perfectly fair, having spent a fair amount of time in drought-affected regions recently, I mean, that is what you hear when you go there – I mean, I don’t think it is just metropolitan commentators saying this sort of stuff [that more needs to be done], people on farms are quite desperate at the moment; are you sort of diminishing their plight by suggesting that? | |
| DL: | |
| Totally not, Hamish. I don’t have the comfort of tucking myself into a bed in a metropolitan [area] I actually live and breath it every day my friend. I actually see these people and I know them by face and by name. These are resilient people. And they believe in what they do and they know what they are doing is the best in the world. Now we are going through a tough time and we’ve continued to have these conditions over our whole agricultural history, but we’ve faced up to them, and we’ve continued to work through them. So we will get through this, and when people say they want hope, then it is about leadership of hope and saying we will get through this, your government will stand shoulder to shoulder with you in this, and we will get you through, in the here and now ... the community and the future, that is why we are going to prepare to get them through this one and prepare them to get through the next one. | |
| While it is not unusual for National MPs to talk down about metro journalists with the “latte sippers” line alive and well in Michael McCormack’s world, Littleproud’s comment is interesting given its timing. | |
| Conservative Sydney 2GB radio host Alan Jones had quite the combative interview with Scott Morrison on Monday on the issue of the drought, loudly interrupting with “how is that going to feed cows” as Morrison detailed his government’s spending, and then, when talking about the drought on his Sky News show the next night, broke down crying. | |
| I’m not sure if that counts as “frothing at the mouth” but I’m also pretty sure there will be some raised eyebrows when the comment gets back to some of those metropolitan offices. | |
| Meanwhile, Paul Karp had this story late yesterday, after taking a look through the Asio annual report: | Meanwhile, Paul Karp had this story late yesterday, after taking a look through the Asio annual report: |
| The threat from extreme rightwing terrorism in Australia has increased in recent years and will remain an “enduring threat”, according to Australia’s spy agency. | The threat from extreme rightwing terrorism in Australia has increased in recent years and will remain an “enduring threat”, according to Australia’s spy agency. |
| The Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation issued the warning in its latest annual report, adding that “extreme rightwing groups in Australia are more cohesive and organised than they have been in previous years”. | The Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation issued the warning in its latest annual report, adding that “extreme rightwing groups in Australia are more cohesive and organised than they have been in previous years”. |
| The comments amp up the agency’s concern about rightwing extremist terrorism, after Asio boss Duncan Lewis told Senate estimates in April it was an important issue but the Christchurch massacre had not changed the agency’s calculus. | The comments amp up the agency’s concern about rightwing extremist terrorism, after Asio boss Duncan Lewis told Senate estimates in April it was an important issue but the Christchurch massacre had not changed the agency’s calculus. |
| Asio has also reported a strain on its resources, with more calls for advice. | Asio has also reported a strain on its resources, with more calls for advice. |
| Kristina Keneally told the ABC the security agency had sounded an “alarm bell”. | Kristina Keneally told the ABC the security agency had sounded an “alarm bell”. |
| “It’s an incredibly important agency in our national security framework and for them to be reporting in this time when the challenges they face are quite complex, that they are stretched for resources, well that’s an alarm bell,” she said. | “It’s an incredibly important agency in our national security framework and for them to be reporting in this time when the challenges they face are quite complex, that they are stretched for resources, well that’s an alarm bell,” she said. |
| Threat from extreme rightwing terrorism in Australia has increased, Asio says | Threat from extreme rightwing terrorism in Australia has increased, Asio says |
| Labor MPs have been called to a special meeting of caucus at 8.30am this morning to decide their position on three new free trade agreements. | Labor MPs have been called to a special meeting of caucus at 8.30am this morning to decide their position on three new free trade agreements. |
| The meeting comes after a working group of shadow ministers and union leaders held meetings on Wednesday afternoon to try to work through concerns over the Indonesian FTA. | The meeting comes after a working group of shadow ministers and union leaders held meetings on Wednesday afternoon to try to work through concerns over the Indonesian FTA. |
| Labor is expected to endorse the enabling legislation, but a number of MPs from both the left and right factions will push for the party to demand concessions on labor market access and skills testing. | Labor is expected to endorse the enabling legislation, but a number of MPs from both the left and right factions will push for the party to demand concessions on labor market access and skills testing. |
| It’s expected to spark a heated debate in caucus, particularly given elements of the agreements are at odds with the party’s national platform. | It’s expected to spark a heated debate in caucus, particularly given elements of the agreements are at odds with the party’s national platform. |
| The ACTU has been spearheading lobbying efforts to get the deals knocked off, raising fears about future market access for temporary visa holders under the Indonesian deal. | The ACTU has been spearheading lobbying efforts to get the deals knocked off, raising fears about future market access for temporary visa holders under the Indonesian deal. |
| Shadow trade minister Madeleine King has been clear that she wants the party to support the agreements, but may be forced to adopt a new negotiating position to appease the concerns of caucus. | Shadow trade minister Madeleine King has been clear that she wants the party to support the agreements, but may be forced to adopt a new negotiating position to appease the concerns of caucus. |
| We will know more later this morning. | We will know more later this morning. |
| Welcome to the last sitting day for this week. | Welcome to the last sitting day for this week. |
| After the parliament rises today, senators will turn their attention to Senate estimates next week, while the House will sit alone. | After the parliament rises today, senators will turn their attention to Senate estimates next week, while the House will sit alone. |
| But the ongoing drought looms large over everything being done in this building at the moment, with the government repeatedly forced to defend their strategy. | But the ongoing drought looms large over everything being done in this building at the moment, with the government repeatedly forced to defend their strategy. |
| Yesterday, on Sky, Labor’s Joel Fitzgibbon called for a drought “war cabinet”. The government says it is working with everyone it can to deliver its policy. | Yesterday, on Sky, Labor’s Joel Fitzgibbon called for a drought “war cabinet”. The government says it is working with everyone it can to deliver its policy. |
| The National Farmers’ Federation released its own drought plan late yesterday, after repeated calls to plan for the future. | The National Farmers’ Federation released its own drought plan late yesterday, after repeated calls to plan for the future. |
| From Sarah Martin: | From Sarah Martin: |
| Under the policy, the NFF framework proposes that industry, community groups and the three tiers of government all work together in developing a drought strategy. | Under the policy, the NFF framework proposes that industry, community groups and the three tiers of government all work together in developing a drought strategy. |
| This would identify specific drought measures that need to be maintained, amended or reviewed; and to propose new drought measures, build on the Coag national drought agreement and incorporate lessons learned from past droughts, create a drought forum and establish a drought committee. | This would identify specific drought measures that need to be maintained, amended or reviewed; and to propose new drought measures, build on the Coag national drought agreement and incorporate lessons learned from past droughts, create a drought forum and establish a drought committee. |
| “While this national drought policy comes too late to help those managing this drought, the NFF is determined to see that we don’t find ourselves, once again, without a plan for drought,” the NFF’s Fiona Simson said. | “While this national drought policy comes too late to help those managing this drought, the NFF is determined to see that we don’t find ourselves, once again, without a plan for drought,” the NFF’s Fiona Simson said. |
| “We continue to consult with the government about further measures to assist farmers during this drought, including recommendations for commonwealth support for local government rate relief. | “We continue to consult with the government about further measures to assist farmers during this drought, including recommendations for commonwealth support for local government rate relief. |
| David Littleproud, speaking to the ABC this morning, says the government “already has” a drought strategy. | David Littleproud, speaking to the ABC this morning, says the government “already has” a drought strategy. |
| “Our response has been one of being responsive to the situation,” he said. | “Our response has been one of being responsive to the situation,” he said. |
| This is not an issue which is going anywhere. And it is only going to get bigger, with no rains in sight. | This is not an issue which is going anywhere. And it is only going to get bigger, with no rains in sight. |
| We’ll bring you that, as well everything else which happens today. | We’ll bring you that, as well everything else which happens today. |
| Mike Bowers is, as always, up and about, cameras in hand, while Katharine Murphy, Sarah Martin and Paul Karp will also be burrowing away on stories. You’ll catch me on the socials, and, when I get a chance, in the comments. And of course, the coffee line. | Mike Bowers is, as always, up and about, cameras in hand, while Katharine Murphy, Sarah Martin and Paul Karp will also be burrowing away on stories. You’ll catch me on the socials, and, when I get a chance, in the comments. And of course, the coffee line. |
| Ready? | Ready? |
| Let’s get into it. | Let’s get into it. |