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Nationals under pressure over drought response – politics live
Nationals under pressure over drought response – politics live
(32 minutes later)
The joint party room meeting is happening at the moment, where we will be told that everyone is very focussed on the drought, and no one mentioned the Nationals’ latest existential crisis at all.
The big stick legislation will be introduced in the house today.
Australia’s agriculture ministers will meet to discuss animal welfare, after the ABC’s 7.30 report on retired race horses.
Labor is now supporting it, so it is a done deal.
For 18/19 the #AAT received an increase in appeals related to #Centrelink debts of 31 %. Related to parenting payemnts appeals increased 30% and a 36% increase in appeals related to #Newstart#Auspol #Estimates
It’s been a year since the national apology to victims and survivors of institutional child sexual abuse was delivered in the parliament.
Anne Ruston will commemorate the anniversary at an event in parliament today.
The joint party room meeting is happening at the moment, where we will be told that everyone is very focused on the drought, and no one mentioned the Nationals’ latest existential crisis at all.
Australia’s agriculture ministers will meet to discuss animal welfare, after the ABC’s 7.30 report on retired racehorses.
From AAP:
From AAP:
Federal cabinet minister Linda Reynolds has dismissed press freedom concerns saying the national campaign on Monday’s newspaper front pages proved the media was free to express its views.
Federal cabinet minister Linda Reynolds has dismissed press freedom concerns saying the national campaign on Monday’s newspaper front pages proved the media was free to express its views.
Senator Reynolds, appearing at Senates estimates for Communications Minister Paul Fletcher, said the government had the balance of national security and press freedom right.
Senator Reynolds, appearing at Senates estimates for Communications Minister Paul Fletcher, said the government had the balance of national security and press freedom right.
“No freedom is ever truly free,” Senator Reynolds said.
“No freedom is ever truly free,” Senator Reynolds said.
“It is subject to the limitations that we in the parliament at a point of time make.”
“It is subject to the limitations that we in the parliament at a point of time make.”
Australian media outlets have united with a ‘Right to Know’ campaign to warn against growing censorship and attacks on press freedom.
Australian media outlets have united with a “Right to Know” campaign to warn against growing censorship and attacks on press freedom.
The front pages of Monday’s major newspapers replicated heavily-redacted government documents alongside an advertising campaign challenging laws that effectively criminalise journalism and whistleblowing.
The front pages of Monday’s major newspapers replicated heavily redacted government documents alongside an advertising campaign challenging laws that effectively criminalise journalism and whistleblowing.
Senator Reynolds called it a “beautiful display” of press freedoms.
Senator Reynolds called it a “beautiful display” of press freedoms.
“Two parliamentary inquiries, and front pages of the paper, I think demonstrates that we do have freedom of speech,” Senator Reynolds said.
“Two parliamentary inquiries, and front pages of the paper, I think demonstrates that we do have freedom of speech,” Senator Reynolds said.
Senator Reynolds said the Bali bombings and September 11 attacks had “increased the requirement for national security legislation”.
Senator Reynolds said the Bali bombings and September 11 attacks had “increased the requirement for national security legislation”.
But she said it was also about balancing defamation and freedom of information laws.
But she said it was also about balancing defamation and freedom of information laws.
So, to be clear, Bridget McKenzie is not about to be dumped as deputy leader. The numbers aren’t there. This whole blow up though, just shows that all of the issues which have plagued the Nationals since Barnaby Joyce blew up his political career, are still there. They stuck with Michael McCormack after the election, because the Nationals won all its seats, not because the party room magically became united.
So, to be clear, Bridget McKenzie is not about to be dumped as deputy leader. The numbers aren’t there. This whole blow-up though, just shows that all of the issues which have plagued the Nationals since Barnaby Joyce blew up his political career, are still there. They stuck with Michael McCormack after the election because the Nationals won all their seats, not because the party room magically became united.
But, and it’s an important one - there is no one else the party is uniting over. So all the same tensions which were there before the election, are still there. And with no end in sight to the drought, no real answers MPs can give, beyond the government has a ‘reactive strategy’ and One Nation now taking credit for their work, well, it makes sense that colleagues are once again, publicly “bumping into each other”
But, and it’s an important but – there is no one else the party is uniting around. So all the same tensions which were there before the election are still there. And with no end in sight to the drought, no real answers MPs can give, beyond the government has a “reactive strategy” and One Nation now taking credit for their work, well, it makes sense that colleagues are once again publicly “bumping into each other”.
Darren Chester was doorstopped by journalists outside the Sky studios and said almost exactly the same thing about Bridget McKenzie’s leadership as he said on air:
Darren Chester was doorstopped by journalists outside the Sky studios and said almost exactly the same thing about Bridget McKenzie’s leadership as he said on air:
In terms of Bridget’s role within the party, she’s completely secure. She’s working hard to deliver for any Australian farmers. Any minute, second or hour we spend here talking about ourselves, the Australian people will knock us down.
In terms of Bridget’s role within the party, she’s completely secure. She’s working hard to deliver for any Australian farmers. Any minute, second or hour we spend here talking about ourselves, the Australian people will knock us down …
... There are a lot of people who come to this place with big ideas and big personalities and from time to time they might bump into each other during discussions about policy areas. I say to my colleagues: continue to work with the minister, continue to work with the leadership team on policies that make a difference for regional Australians.
There are a lot of people who come to this place with big ideas and big personalities and from time to time they might bump into each other during discussions about policy areas. I say to my colleagues: continue to work with the minister, continue to work with the leadership team on policies that make a difference for regional Australians.
That’s the problem with talking points. They always sound just a little too rehearsed.
That’s the problem with talking points. They always sound just a little too rehearsed.
Bridget McKenzie is in agriculture estimates right now.
Bridget McKenzie is in agriculture estimates right now.
Senator Murray Watt has opened questioning by asking her how long she expects to remain in the portfolio.
Senator Murray Watt has opened questioning by asking her how long she expects to remain in the portfolio.
“Is the National party crystal clear on who is doing what in this space?” Watt asked.
“Is the National party crystal clear on who is doing what in this space?” Watt asked.
“Yes,” McKenzie replied.
“Yes,” McKenzie replied.
“If that is the case, why are we seeing reports that many National party members want to replace you as deputy leader.”
“If that is the case, why are we seeing reports that many National party members want to replace you as deputy leader.”
The question was ruled out of order.
The question was ruled out of order.
“So minister, how long do you expect to remain as the minister for agriculture.”
“So minister, how long do you expect to remain as the minister for agriculture.”
That question is also ruled out of order.
That question is also ruled out of order.
“Are we going to have another day of government ministers not answering questions that are inconvenient ... are you aware that there is a bit of interest in the public right to know?” Watt follows up. He asks again.
“Are we going to have another day of government ministers not answering questions that are inconvenient ... are you aware that there is a bit of interest in the public right to know?” Watt follows up. He asks again.
“How long do you expect to remain as the minister for agriculture?” he tries again.
“How long do you expect to remain as the minister for agriculture?” he tries again.
“Right, Senator Watt. Please stop,” says the committee chair, Susan McDonald.
“Right, Senator Watt. Please stop,” says the committee chair, Susan McDonald.
Just another day in paradise.
Just another day in paradise.
It is nice to see that One Nation is causing as many issues for the National party as it does for the Liberals.
It is nice to see that One Nation is causing as many issues for the National party as it does for the Liberals.
Darren Chester, who is often the voice of reason in the Nationals party room, spoke to Laura Jayes on Sky News and didn’t deny that the party room meeting yesterday was a little feisty.
Darren Chester, who is often the voice of reason in the Nationals party room, spoke to Laura Jayes on Sky News and didn’t deny that the party room meeting yesterday was a little feisty.
But it also didn’t stop him from trotting out the “difficult issues we are working through” lines:
But it also didn’t stop him from trotting out the “difficult issues we are working through” lines:
“There is no shortage of members of parliament with passion and big ideas and sometimes those ideas, those passions, bump into each other and they play out publicly. It’s much ado about nothing.
“There is no shortage of members of parliament with passion and big ideas and sometimes those ideas, those passions, bump into each other and they play out publicly. It’s much ado about nothing.
Chester said the tensions were just colleagues “bumping into each other”:
Chester said the tensions were just colleagues “bumping into each other”:
People come to debate big ideas about the future of our nation and the agricultural portfolio, the one that Bridget McKenzie, our deputy leader holds, is a pretty complex policy area. There are a lot of issues right now, we are going through one of the worst droughts probably in our nation’s history and there are a lot of issues there to resolve. I have to say that overwhelmingly, the conversation which occurs in our party room meeting, the conversation that occurs in our joint party room meeting, is how do we make things better for our regional people, how do we make things better for our farmers, our small business people.
People come to debate big ideas about the future of our nation and the agricultural portfolio, the one that Bridget McKenzie, our deputy leader holds, is a pretty complex policy area. There are a lot of issues right now, we are going through one of the worst droughts probably in our nation’s history and there are a lot of issues there to resolve. I have to say that overwhelmingly, the conversation which occurs in our party room meeting, the conversation that occurs in our joint party room meeting, is how do we make things better for our regional people, how do we make things better for our farmers, our small business people.
Occasionally there will be clashes of personalities, but it’s no big deal.
Occasionally there will be clashes of personalities, but it’s no big deal.
Linda Burney was on RN late yesterday talking about Ken Wyatt’s proposal for a legislative body, not an enshrined voice in the constitution, when it comes to reconciliation.
Linda Burney was on RN late yesterday talking about Ken Wyatt’s proposal for a legislative body, not an enshrined voice in the constitution, when it comes to reconciliation.
Patricia Karvelas: It’s clear Indigenous leaders are angry with what they see as a unilateral proposal from Ken Wyatt and the Morrison government for this legislated body. Are they right to be upset?
Patricia Karvelas: It’s clear Indigenous leaders are angry with what they see as a unilateral proposal from Ken Wyatt and the Morrison government for this legislated body. Are they right to be upset?
Linda Burney:
Linda Burney:
I think they are right to be upset. Certainly, the prime minister, I think, overruled Ken very early in the piece, when it came to legislating a voice to the parliament. But Labor’s position remains as it has been for some time, the same at this point.
I think they are right to be upset. Certainly, the prime minister, I think, overruled Ken very early in the piece, when it came to legislating a voice to the parliament. But Labor’s position remains as it has been for some time, the same at this point.
And that is, we embrace the full content of the Uluru statement, Patricia. And as you know, that’s the national process of truth-telling, the Makarrata Commission, as well as an enshrined voice to the parliament. And that will be informed by the co-design process which I understand the minister is going to be beginning quite soon.
And that is, we embrace the full content of the Uluru statement, Patricia. And as you know, that’s the national process of truth-telling, the Makarrata Commission, as well as an enshrined voice to the parliament. And that will be informed by the co-design process which I understand the minister is going to be beginning quite soon.
PK: Do you think Ken Wyatt is being disrespectful as he’s being accused of?
PK: Do you think Ken Wyatt is being disrespectful as he’s being accused of?
LB:
LB:
I don’t think Ken is being disrespectful. I think has a very difficult challenge in front of him. He is a member of the government. And the prime minister has made it very clear that he will undertake a referendum this term, but on recognition only, not enshrining a voice to the parliament. And the prime minister is very clearly talking about a legislated voice. Now the really serious question in front of First Nations people and the parliament is whether or not that voice is permanent and secure. That’s, Patricia, why the constitution has become such an important part of this discussion, is that people remember what happened to Atsic, that it was dismissed by the government of the day, and they don’t want to see another advisory body dismissed. They want it to be secure. And people from Uluru, which was two years ago now, see that as being a way to securing that voice, is enshrining it in the constitution.
I don’t think Ken is being disrespectful. I think has a very difficult challenge in front of him. He is a member of the government. And the prime minister has made it very clear that he will undertake a referendum this term, but on recognition only, not enshrining a voice to the parliament. And the prime minister is very clearly talking about a legislated voice. Now the really serious question in front of First Nations people and the parliament is whether or not that voice is permanent and secure. That’s, Patricia, why the constitution has become such an important part of this discussion, is that people remember what happened to Atsic, that it was dismissed by the government of the day, and they don’t want to see another advisory body dismissed. They want it to be secure. And people from Uluru, which was two years ago now, see that as being a way to securing that voice, is enshrining it in the constitution.
The parliament’s Indigenous MPs are meeting this week to discuss the issue.
The parliament’s Indigenous MPs are meeting this week to discuss the issue.
Damian Drum, a fellow Victorian Nationals MP, stopped by doors this morning to defend Bridget McKenzie:
I think it’s really poor form to leak anything out of the party room. There’s no excuse. There’s never a good time to leak out of the party room. It doesn’t matter how passionate you are about any issue.
Because next week there will be another issue that someone else is just as passionate about. So you always have to take whatever happens in the party room as sacrosanct and you keep it to yourself.
Question: Do you think people are rumbling for her position?
They’d be crazy if they were. This is nothing to do with Bridget McKenzie. This is all about One Nation getting credit for something they haven’t done. The Nationals have done all the work behind the scenes. The Nationals deserve credit for that.
So the National MPs who have responded to messages this morning have all said there won’t be a challenge to Bridget McKenzie – yet.
The main reason is how early it is in the election cycle. A few people mention have also raised how it would look dumping a woman from the role. And then there is the problem of how the Nationals numbers work out.
There are not a lot of Nationals – I think the room works out to about 21. That means you need 11 to make a move, and there aren’t any other contenders to capture those votes. So they are split across the room. It’s the same with Michael McCormack. He doesn’t have overwhelming support as leader but then neither does anyone else.
Estimates continues with communications, attorney generals, finance and agriculture scheduled for today.
Yesterday we also learned how much the government spent on advertising in the election year.
From Paul Karp:
Australians were inundated with $174.1m in taxpayer-funded government advertising in the last financial year, according to new finance department figures.
The total – revealed in the department’s annual report – included $156m for major advertising campaigns, many of which advertised policies central to the Coalition’s re-election pitch, and $18.1m for non-campaign ads, such as those spruiking job vacancies, tenders and public notices.
The $174.1m price tag is a massive increase on the $100.1m spent in 2016-17 and $157m in 2017-18 but is still not a record – that dubious honour goes to the $174.7m in the 2015-16 financial year, another election year.
Speaking of press freedom, that will continue as an issue today.
After the cross-media campaign yesterday, Mark Dreyfus said Labor had shifted on its position, and now believed legislative changes needed to be brought in to give exemptions to public interest journalism.
He told David Speers:
And we say that that’s an appropriate legislative change, and the government ought to be bringing in legislation into the parliament to do that, because clearly this government hasn’t understood the discretions that are there.
It hasn’t understood conventions that have been in place in Australian law and Australian politics for decades because otherwise we wouldn’t have this threat hanging over the three journalists. We wouldn’t have had the referral take place in the way that it has.
Let’s think: we’ve had a law in place since 1914, David, that has potentially allowed for journalists to be charged. We’ve had thousands of leaks since that time, but journalists have not been charged. We haven’t had raids on journalists’ homes.
But Christian Porter, speaking to Sky News late last night, said there would be no blanket exemptions.
I think where this issue starts to become more difficult is at the edge where media organisations have said they want two things. One is exemptions – I’ll use their words – ‘for journalists from all laws that would put them in jail for doing their job’.
And the second exemption they want is from all warrants which would allow a law enforcement agency with a warrant that has been given by a judge to access data possessed about a journalist.
Now, simply giving blanket exemptions to all behaviour which a journalist considers is doing their job, for all criminal laws in Australia at a commonwealth level, I think falls outside the edge of reasonableness.
Zali Steggall will officially present the climate emergency e-petition to the parliament today – at 404,538 signatures, it is a new record for online parliamentary petitions.
From Steggall’s office:
The petition stated that the overwhelming majority of climate scientists around the world have concluded that the climate is changing at unprecedented rates due to anthropogenic causes. The result of these changes will be catastrophic for future generations, and so we must act now to minimise both human and environmental destruction. The petition will be presented by Zali Steggall MP to the House of Representatives at 1.30pm Tuesday 22 October.
Isn’t it amazing how a story Mike Pezzullo has spent several estimates hearings now dismissing as false, led to the journalist’s house being raided, kicking off the whole press freedom debate in Australia?
Don’t mention the war
Mike Pezzullo is still very angry about Annika Smethurst’s story.Talking about efforts to prevent future cybersecurity threats, Pezzullo said he was “deeply reluctant to mention the war here”, but was forced to bring up Smethurst’s article which he labelled an “erroneous, false, non-whistleblowing article in News Corp”.He mentioned several times he was reluctant to talk about it.Speaking about the discussions between various government security and intelligence agencies and the private sector, Pezzullo said he hoped, before the equivalent of “a cyber-Pearl Harbor”, that they could close the gap between what the public sector can do and what the private sector – which looks after many critical infrastructure like utility holdings and data storage – can do.“It’s in that context and solely in that context, notwithstanding a completely erroneous and fabricated account of a leaked document that stated on its face that this wasn’t the case.”He said it was a potential gap in legal and technical infrastructure which needed to close.“It’s our hope in the department to bring forward considered, detailed proposals to address that high end of the risk spectrum … which no amount of diligent and purposeful and targeted investment by the private sector can deal with, simply because the tools you need to deal with this attacks are tools that properly should be vested in the state.”He said he had previously discussed the risk to national security by the leaking of the document, and referred the committee to the home affairs submission to other inquiries.He then described the article as “poorly written” and missing facts amid an “obsession to engage in a falsehood of Australians being spied on”.Imagine what he’d have to say if he wasn’t feeling so reluctant to talk about it.
Staff-guest ratios on Christmas Island
We also learned part of the cost of reopening Christmas Island detention centre. There’s been admin expenditure of $26.8m between 16 February 2019 (when it reopened) and 21 August 2019.
Four people are now detained on Christmas Island – that’s the Biloela family – and no one else has been sent there. As at 31 August there were 96 Serco personnel, nine IHMS personnel, plus two ABF officers.
This government has spent $30 million to detain just four people - the Biloela family, who built a life here in Australia. pic.twitter.com/o8Lk8WN6wL
Aussies left on their own in the badlands
Kristina Keneally questioned the department about this article, asking if Australia is looking at repatriating its citizens from Syria’s al-Hawl camp during the ceasefire, or if it has been in contact with the UK.“We’ve had direction for the government that no official … be put in harm’s way in relation to the women and children in al-Hawl,” a home affairs official says.Pezzullo said: “It’s badlands there, and you’d want to be very confident that you had a comprehensive view of all of the risks being manifest by each individual actor and their interactions.“All of the outcomes are unattractive, high-risk and regrettable, and it would have been better for certain adults not to take certain decisions to go to battle.” He said that wasn’t on the children.“The assessment we’ve come to has been reflected in the public utterances of our ministers in recent days.”
Speaking of coffee, the home affairs estimates hearings went until 11pm last night, so I imagine there are quite a few people involved who may outstrip even my caffeine intake today.
Helen Davidson was watching for you. Here are some of the highlights from her:
We learned the Paladin contract’s six-month extension cost $109,239,312 – about $18.2m a month. After several extensions and some huffing and puffing by the Papua New Guinean government, that contract is now ending on 30 November. Quite a bit of cash considering there are only four men left on Manus Island, one of whom has elected to stay with the family he now has. He and 46 others are on a “resettlement pathway” to stay in PNG, estimates heard.A further 47 men are still in Bomana immigration detention centre in Port Moresby after six were released pending their voluntary return home. More here.
Michael Pezzullo hasn’t made any further inquiries on allegations of corruption and bribery connected to Paladin since April when last asked (and he didn’t know about it then).It’s off the back of this report in the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday.After a bit of back and forth, Pezzullo is asked by Senator Louise Pratt if he had any knowledge of the concerns, outside of official reports.Pezzullo: “How would I know about it if it hasn’t been reported?”Pratt: “You might have made your own inquiries, given the importance of these issues. Or perhaps you choose not to look because you don’t want to jeopardise arrangements with the PNG government?”Pezzullo: “I’m not sure I follow.”Pratt: “Well, why wouldn’t you look given the gravity of the allegations in the press?”Pezzullo said the department gave advice to the service provider companies which was essentially to obey Australian law and don’t pay bribes.He repeatedly suggested he didn’t follow the question. Keneally read out sections of the Sydney Morning Herald article and asked a few questions about how much the then first assistant secretary of property and major contracts, David Nockels, knew.Pezzullo took it on notice. He said the article didn’t make it clear if any new information had come to light since April.
Welcome back!
Day two of estimates begins, along with the House sitting, but at the moment, all eyes are on the Nationals party room, where tensions are bubbling away over how the leadership has handled the party’s drought response.
This isn’t new. When Scott Morrison took over the leadership and made the drought a number one priority, setting up a drought forum and elevating it as a national issue, a lot of Nats were looking sideways at their leadership for allowing the Liberals to lead on what should be Nationals domain.
That spurred Michael McCormack to try to be more proactive. Then last week we saw a few more bursts of angst when the Nationals gathered to announce changes to the farm household allowance, only to be usurped by the prime minister, who was making the announcement at the same time, on radio.
And now Pauline Hanson is “striking” over how dairy farmers are being treated (she has been very public about withholding her vote on all but “critical” votes until milk prices are regulated, which doesn’t actually have much legislative impact, but has certainly got her a lot of publicity in a lot of quarters) and that has quite a few Nationals MPs very nervous about what’s being said in their electorates.
Hanson’s stance saw a dairy industry code of conduct, developed under the previous agriculture minister David Littleproud, who was dumped from the role for Bridget McKenzie to be fast-tracked. McKenzie announced last week that the code would be in place in January, well ahead of its slated start date of July 2020, which was established to ensure consultation across the industry.
That’s angered quite a few National MPs, who see the move as capitulation to One Nation, which only gives Hanson more grist for her mill.
The ABC’s Lucy Barbour reported on the Nationals party room meeting late yesterday, where deputy leader McKenzie’s handling of the agriculture portfolio came under scrutiny.
From Barbour’s report:
Backbenchers, who did not want to speak publicly, have told the ABC they were frustrated with her leadership style and have not ruled out a challenge to her position.
One MP said it was a “waste of time” contacting senator McKenzie because she “never gets back to you”, while another said she “couldn’t organise a piss-up in a brewery” …
Another Nationals MP said the question of her leadership might have been brought to a head had she been at the meeting.
“We are facing one of our biggest tests of government in this drought,” he said.
“It has the potential to be a national disaster and needs our top minds in those positions of drought, water and agriculture. And right now, agriculture is the hot seat and we need her to do a better job.”
The election was less than six months ago and here we are.
We’ll have that, as well as everything else which happens across the building. Estimates continues, as does the press freedom fight, and of course, the House of Representatives is still sitting as well.
Mike Bowers is on assignment, but you have Paul Karp, Sarah Martin and Katharine Murphy, plus everyone else in the Guardian brains trust.
I’m on coffee three. Which is great for a Tuesday.
