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Drought policies developed in 'vacuum', farmers' lobby says – politics live Drought approaching 'wartime-like situation', Labor says – politics live
(32 minutes later)
Joel Fitzgibbon says the government’s response to the farm household allowance was “not good enough” describing it as “modest”, and “inadequate”. Is there anyone in this building not having a tantrum right now?
And if so, feel free to swing by the Guardian office for a chocolate.
Because this whole place is one giant sulk right now, on all sides.
Like I said, totally and absolutely, fine
1 senior Nat is furious that the PM dropped payment announcement on 2SM same time Nats held their Presser. “They’re shitting on us. Is PM going to go on TV when Dutton is? We look dopey standing around like swinging dicks at Class B presser because Class A is up at same time.”
Everything is fine
Please see my statement below. pic.twitter.com/xMUpnuVp08
Labor senator Murray Watt has revealed the opposition has done a deal with the government to pass the emergency response fund bill, which abolishes the education investment fund and redirects it to”future emergency response and natural disaster recovery”.
The bill is currently being debated in the Senate - where the Greens attempted to stop its progress with amendments saving the education investment fund, and Jacqui Lambie has an amendment that limits the amount that can be taken to three quarters of the education investment fund.
Watt has moved opposition amendments that reflect the deal - to increase the quantum of the emergency response fund and lift the amount it can pay out each year from $150m to $200m, with the extra $50m to be spent on “disaster preparedness and mitigation infrastructure”.
The government leader in the Senate, Mathias Cormann, thanked the opposition for their “constructive engagement” on the bill, indicating the government will support the opposition amendments.
Cormann explains that an extra $50m will be given “to establish a $100m TAFE revitalisation grants program in partnership with the states”, with 50/50 funding from the states.
It seems the same $50m is being characterised as about disaster mitigation infrastructure and upgrading TAFEs! But - in any event - a deal has been done so we expect the bill to pass this morning.
It’s safe to say not all members of Labor’s movement are happy with the party’s decision to support the Indonesian free trade agreement.
Today ALP MPs agreed to support the Indonesia Free Trade Agreement - in breach of the ALP national platform.These deals are bad for Aussie jobs and let multinationals sue Australia if our laws hurt their profits.When is Albo going to stick up for Australian Workers? #auspol pic.twitter.com/bniqISjxvb
Joel Fitzgibbon also notes that while the FHA changes are being put into the parliament today, the Senate doesn’t sit again until November.
He says the lump sum payments are not enough and the government’s response has not been enough.
It is putting its budget surplus in front of the livelihoods of Australian farmers.
Joel Fitzgibbon continues:
Labor will use ... every mechanism available to it to try to prevent the government from taking people of the modest Farm Household Allowance and obviously they could be constitutional restrictions on what we can do in the parliament because it is effectively a money bill, proposition to spend more money, but I will make this point about that, while we may be barred from making amendments which have fiscal implications, restoring the payment for these families until this drought breaks, and we all pray outcomes in the not too distant future, is a modest amount of money, a very modest amount of money, in proportion to the total Commonwealth budget.
And if the Prime Minister wants to maintain this fiction, so loose with the truth is he, that he is spending $7 billion on drought, then people everywhere will be asking well, why Prime Minister do you find it necessary to cut, cut these farming families’s of this modest payment.
Joel Fitzgibbon:
The time for in action and talking is behind us. It is time now to act in a meaningful way and I make the appeal to the Prime Minister again. Establish a bipartisan rural Cabinet, drought Cabinet, drought advisory committee, whatever he wants to call it, because the opposition understands the seriousness of the situation the country now faces.
This really is approaching a wartime -like situation. And we stand ready to work with him to make the decisions that will be necessary to ensure another farming families can stay on the land, that rural communities can survive, and we can secure our food sources in this country without becoming too dependent on the importation of our food and fibre.
Joel Fitzgibbon says the government’s response to the farm household allowance was “not good enough”, describing it as “modest” and “inadequate”.
Dipping into state politics for a moment, because of the review Anthony Albanese has ordered into NSW Labor:Dipping into state politics for a moment, because of the review Anthony Albanese has ordered into NSW Labor:
Earlier today, Kaila Murnain tendered her resignation as General Secretary of the NSW Labor Party.Earlier today, Kaila Murnain tendered her resignation as General Secretary of the NSW Labor Party.
The terms of the separation agreement are confidential, but consist of Ms Murnain’s basic legal entitlements.The terms of the separation agreement are confidential, but consist of Ms Murnain’s basic legal entitlements.
The full terms of the settlement will be reported to the next meeting of the Administrative Committee.The full terms of the settlement will be reported to the next meeting of the Administrative Committee.
The Party is actively considering seeking the recovery of all of its costs related to the Inquiry, including the sum payable to Ms Murnain, under its insurance policies and from its previous lawyers.The Party is actively considering seeking the recovery of all of its costs related to the Inquiry, including the sum payable to Ms Murnain, under its insurance policies and from its previous lawyers.
A new branch secretary will not be elected until the review into the branch currently being conducted by Professor Michael Lavarch has provided its recommendations on the role of the General Secretary.A new branch secretary will not be elected until the review into the branch currently being conducted by Professor Michael Lavarch has provided its recommendations on the role of the General Secretary.
Joel Fitzgibbon will hold a press conference at 10.45 today, to give Labor’s response to the government’s latest drought announcement. Joel Fitzgibbon will hold a press conference at 10.45 today to give Labor’s response to the government’s latest drought announcement.
Speaking of Ed Husic, you might remember that yesterday’s blog included a speech he made to the federation chamber about the rise of rightwing extremism – which is exactly what Asio warned about in its public annual report, released late yesterday.Speaking of Ed Husic, you might remember that yesterday’s blog included a speech he made to the federation chamber about the rise of rightwing extremism – which is exactly what Asio warned about in its public annual report, released late yesterday.
Ed Husic, talking to Sky, says there is “very little modelling” done on the trade agreements but Labor will “support them, because it is the right thing to do”.Ed Husic, talking to Sky, says there is “very little modelling” done on the trade agreements but Labor will “support them, because it is the right thing to do”.
He says Labor wants to keep a close eye on “what they do to jobs” but that the agreements open up markets in way they haven’t been previously.He says Labor wants to keep a close eye on “what they do to jobs” but that the agreements open up markets in way they haven’t been previously.
Today’s announcement also might help explain why Josh Frydenberg yesterday called the drought the “biggest call on the budget”. Obviously, as the treasurer, he knew this was coming.
From a money point of view, it’s still not – but it is certainly the reason he has had to rework quite a few figures lately.
Bridget McKenzie gets to put the release out on it:
Today the Australian Government introduced improvements to the Farm Household Allowance (FHA) that will help more farmers through periods of hardship. This is our next step in responding to the Independent Review of FHA which will see more than 30,000 farmers able to access this immediate support.
Minister for Agriculture, Senator Bridget McKenzie said the changes extended farming families’ access the FHA from three years in their lifetime to four years out of every 10, recognising that farmers experience hardships, including droughts, more than once in their lives.
“...A one-off drought relief payment of up to $13,000 for a farming family, and up to $7,500 for an individual is designed to help people determine whether they will be sustainable, should look at succession options or, in some instances choose to sell.
“For the first time, we’ll link farm enterprises with their directly-related businesses and consider income and losses together – not just income – a big change in how Government support payments are provided to families.
“Our Government had already made changes to make the FHA quicker and easier to access by reducing paperwork by a third and by temporarily increasing farm assets threshold to $5 million from 1 July 2019.
“It is all part of the radical simplification of the FHA application process and key policy settings that the Prime Minister announced on 27 September.”
These improvements include:
a simplified assets test
a significant redesign of the application process and form, including allowing farming couples to apply using the same form
a strengthened case management approach to better support farmers in hardship through periods of financial difficulty.
...The FHA has been supporting Australian farmers since July 2014. It has paid more than $365 million to around 12,700 recipients in that time.
David Littleproud, who had some interesting things to say about “metropolitan commentators” who were “frothing at the mouth” this morning *cough*, is now introducing those FHA changes in the chamber.
Scott Morrison has announced changes to the farm household allowance – on the John Laws Sydney radio 2SM (who is not Alan Jones, you might note) show.
At the end of the four years (the current time allowed for the payment, which essentially is welfare for farmers, and is paid at the same rate as Newstart) farmers will receive a lump sum payment of $7,500 for singles, and $13,000 for couples.
Peter Dutton is speaking to the media and he says he feels there may be “some complacency” around security, because “thank God”, Australia has not been the scene of a major terrorist attack within its borders.
He’s addressing Duncan Lewis’s parting call – to publicly request more money for Asio, noting that the resources were strained in the *public* report, as well as warning of a growing rightwing terrorism threat.
Dutton blamed Labor for cutting Asio’s budget (Labor has not been in power since 2013) and said the government had been putting that money back.
The prime minister is talking to John Laws on 2SM, but none of us can listen in, because the 2SM site is down.
AAP on the NDIS announcement:
The next boss of the agency responsible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme is a former senior NSW bureaucrat.
Martin Hoffman, who has been both a commonwealth deputy secretary and secretary of the NSW Department of Finance, Services and Innovation, will take up the job from November 4.
He has also held roles in the private sector, including as chief executive of Ninemsn.
NDIS Minister Stuart Robert said Mr Hoffman has the “dedication, vision and expertise” to lead delivery of the transformational scheme.
“He will build on the ground-breaking work already underway and will make a real difference in delivering on the government’s commitment to realising the full benefits of the scheme for participants,” the minister said.
Labor had this week put pressure on the coalition to appoint a new leader for the National Disability Insurance Agency, with its previous chief executive Robert De Luca resigning in April.
“It is literally leaderless,” opposition NDIS spokesman Bill Shorten told the lower house on Monday night.
The organisation’s deputy chief executive Vicki Rundle had been acting in the top job since Mr De Luca’s resignation.
Mr Hoffman has been appointed for a three-year term.
Labor has voted to support the Indonesian free trade agreement, at the end of its shadow caucus meeting.
Jim Chalmers was asked about Josh Frydenberg’s interview on his way into parliament his morning:
The weakness in the Australian economy isn’t primarily because of weakness in the global economy, it’s primarily because the Morrison government doesn’t have a plan. Too many Australians are looking for work or for more work because the economy is floundering on the Liberals’ watch. Business knows, and the community knows, that we won’t get the economic growth we need to create good jobs while the government continues to sit on its hands.
The call to parliament has sounded.
Huzzah.