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| Peter Dutton accuses Labor of highlighting 'red herring' on asylum claims – politics live | Peter Dutton accuses Labor of highlighting 'red herring' on asylum claims – politics live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A bit more on GDP impacts: | |
| Public sector spending has made a substantial contribution to economic growth in recent times, contributing 1 per cent to real GDP growth in 2018-19 and an average of 1.1 percentage points per year over the past four years. This compares with an average contribution of 0.8 percentage points over the past 20 years. | |
| Unfortunately, dry weather conditions have generally persisted in drought-affected areas. The drought conditions being experienced across large parts of Australia have weighed on domestic activity, with farm output directly detracting around 0.2 percentage points from real GDP growth in 2018-19, consistent with the PEFO forecast. | |
| As a result, the latest forecasts from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) predicted that the farm sector will continue to experience weakness, with the gross value of farm production expected to fall by nearly 5 per cent in 2019-20. | |
| Stephen Kennedy on domestic economic conditions, continued: | |
| Turning to business investment, in 2018-19 mining investment fell by almost 12 per cent, detracting around 0.4 percentage points from real GDP growth over the year. Most of this fall reflects the completion of a number of large LNG projects that had been holding up activity. | |
| Non-mining business investment was weaker than expected in 2018-19. This is consistent with an easing in business conditions and confidence. | |
| Despite the recent weakness in household consumption and investment, there are reasons to be optimistic about the outlook. | |
| Recent data have shown early signs of recovery in the established housing market. Combined capital city housing prices have risen for the past three months for which we have data. Housing market turnover and auction clearance rates have also picked up. | |
| In addition, the recently legislated personal income tax cuts and declines in interest rates are providing support to disposable household incomes. We expect this to flow through to increased consumption. | |
| Although we have some indicators of consumption available for the September quarter, which have not shown a particularly large improvement, these are only partial. And it is difficult to know what these indicators would have been had the tax cuts not been implemented. | |
| We will continue to assess the data on consumption as it becomes available, but it is worth noting that even if households initially use the tax cuts to pay down debt faster, this will still bring forward the point at which households could increase their spending. | |
| The substantial investment in mining production capacity continues to boost exports and there remains significant demand for our education and tourism services. In addition, the prospect for mining investment is positive. We expect mining investment to grow this year for the first time since the peak of the mining construction boom. | |
| Stephen Kennedy then turned his attention to the domestic conditions: | |
| Here in Australia growth slowed in the second half of 2018 before growing more strongly in the first half of 2019. The June quarter National Accounts showed real GDP grew by 1.4 per cent through the year to the June quarter, and in year-average terms the economy grew by 1.9 per cent in 2018-19. | |
| A number of factors, which are temporary, have contributed to recent weakness in the economy. | |
| Household consumption, the largest component of the economy, grew by 1.4 per cent through the year to the June quarter. A couple of factors are contributing to slower consumption growth. Household income growth has been modest, with strong growth in employment outcomes partly offset by weak wage and non-wage income growth. | |
| In more recent years, the decline in housing prices has also played a role. | |
| This can directly affect spending via reducing confidence and increasing borrowing constraints. | |
| The recent downturn in the housing market has had other, more direct, impacts on the Australian economy. | |
| Dwelling investment has fallen, as expected, by around 9 per cent over the past three quarters and continued weakness in residential building approvals suggests that dwelling investment is likely to continue to fall through 2019-20. | |
| Low rates of housing market turnover have led to significant falls in ownership transfer costs, which is a small component of GDP associated with the transfer of assets. Ownership transfer costs detracted 0.3 percentage points from total economic growth in the year to June 2019. | |
| Here is Stephen Kennedy, the new Treasury boss, talking about those economic global headwinds: | |
| Over the past year global growth has slowed. Several major economies, notably Germany and the United Kingdom, as well as close trading partners in our region such as Korea and Singapore, have recently experienced negative quarters of growth. There has been little growth in global trade volumes this year, and manufacturing activity in a number of economies has weakened noticeably. | |
| As a result, the IMF and the OECD have recently revised down their outlook for global growth over the next couple of years. Forecasts for global growth in 2019 are for the slowest rate of growth since the Global Financial Crisis. That said the forecasts for global growth in 2020 is for a pick up to the region of 3.0 to 3.4 per cent which is still reasonable. | |
| At play have been a number of factors, chief among them the ongoing, and still evolving, trade tensions between the United States and China. There is no doubt that trade tensions are having real effects on the global economy, which you see in trade data from the US and China. The IMF estimates that trade tensions could reduce world GDP by about 0.8 per cent by 2020. | |
| But trade tensions are not the only story. There are a number of other factors, including Brexit, financial stability concerns in some economies, the ongoing turmoil in Hong Kong, and geopolitical and economic difficulties in a number of emerging market economies. | |
| Combined, these factors are leading to an increased level of uncertainty around the outlook for the global economy. | |
| The APH website is back (and thank you to the DPS staffer who messaged me to say you were on it). | |
| You’ll find all the estimates hearing details, here. | |
| Karen Andrews has been in Washington, working on signing contracts to help develop the Australian space industry. | |
| From her release: | |
| The agreements with the German Aerospace Centre, Italian Space Agency, New Zealand Space Agency and Maxar Technologies were signed alongside Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews at the 70th International Astronautical Congress in Washington DC. | |
| Minister Andrews said that international partnerships were key to growing Australia’s space industry. | |
| “Australia is never going to be the biggest player, but by engaging our businesses and researchers with other space agencies and industry players around the world, we can carve out our place globally and reap the economic rewards. | |
| “A perfect example is our recent agreement with NASA. We are investing $150 million into Australian businesses so they can be part of the supply chain in the Moon to Mars mission. | |
| “These new agreements with the Italian, German and New Zealand space agencies build on that investment as we work to triple the size of the sector in Australia to $12 billion and create 20,000 new jobs by 2030.” | |
| The Memorandum of Understanding with the Italian Space Agency will see us explore cooperative projects in areas including space policy, law and regulation, space weather, space education and health care. | |
| The letter of intent with Germany’s Space Agency, the German Aerospace Centre, will see us look at cooperative projects such as biomedical research under space conditions, and quantum technologies. | |
| The arrangement with the New Zealand Space Agency is designed to encourage a trans-Tasman space innovation ecosystem. The agreement will facilitate collaboration in areas which could include launch and orbital/suborbital missions, expanding ground segment networks and remote asset management. | |
| The Australian Space Agency also signed a Statement of Strategic Intent and Cooperation with U.S. based company, Maxar Technologies which is a core research contributor to the SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre. | |
| And as for the hospitalisation argument (with estimates showing just 10% of the 132 people brought to Australia for treatment under medevac were hospitalised) it probably won’t shock anyone who has needed a medical assessment, or treatment, to learn it doesn’t always require hospitalisation. | And as for the hospitalisation argument (with estimates showing just 10% of the 132 people brought to Australia for treatment under medevac were hospitalised) it probably won’t shock anyone who has needed a medical assessment, or treatment, to learn it doesn’t always require hospitalisation. |
| Particularly when it comes to mental health. | Particularly when it comes to mental health. |
| We are back to the “can’t stop people entering Australia under medevac” line (which is not true – the minister has 72 hours to stop someone from entering on national security and character grounds and Peter Dutton has used this power). | |
| Tanya Plibersek had this to say to the ABC about it this morning: | Tanya Plibersek had this to say to the ABC about it this morning: |
| As the minister he has the ability to prevent people coming here on character grounds. So I don’t know why he has ignored his obligation as a minister to evaluate whether people have, you know, whether they have got good character. | |
| He can stop them coming here if he wants to. And it’s, of course, the case that when people are here receiving medical treatment, if they’re not actually receiving the medical treatment at that moment, they are in immigration detention. | He can stop them coming here if he wants to. And it’s, of course, the case that when people are here receiving medical treatment, if they’re not actually receiving the medical treatment at that moment, they are in immigration detention. |
| So both respects I think the minister is seeking to frighten people giving them the idea that there are dangerous people walking around in the community when he, as the minister, has the power to prevent that happening. | |
| The APH site is down, for maintenance I think, which seems like perfect timing because it is not as if with estimates on we are all attempting to use it to find out what is going on. | |
| Over in estimates, we have these hearings on today: | Over in estimates, we have these hearings on today: |
| Community affairs – health and aged care | |
| Economics – Treasury and associated agencies | |
| Education and employment – employment, small business and industrial relations | |
| Foreign affairs, defence and trade – defence and veterans’ affairs | |
| That last paragraph there appears to give you a clue of where Labor will be heading on this in the future – that the Department of Home Affairs itself has been politicised. | |
| Kristina Keneally continued: | Kristina Keneally continued: |
| What Peter Dutton won’t admit, is too often these people are trafficked to and in Australia, they are exploited as they work for next to nothing. This is unacceptable. | What Peter Dutton won’t admit, is too often these people are trafficked to and in Australia, they are exploited as they work for next to nothing. This is unacceptable. |
| Ultimately, this leads to Australian wages being drive down, making it harder for Australians to get jobs whilst allowing vulnerable people to continue to be exploited in slave-like conditions. | Ultimately, this leads to Australian wages being drive down, making it harder for Australians to get jobs whilst allowing vulnerable people to continue to be exploited in slave-like conditions. |
| Don’t take my word for it. Government MPs, Australia’s leading border security and industry experts who have spent considerable time examining this complex issue, and even the United Nations have also expressed their deep concerns. | Don’t take my word for it. Government MPs, Australia’s leading border security and industry experts who have spent considerable time examining this complex issue, and even the United Nations have also expressed their deep concerns. |
| “Organised crime and illegitimate labour hire companies are using this loophole to bring out illegal workers who are often vulnerable and open to exploitation. This represents an orchestrated scam that enables these criminal elements to exploit foreign workers in Australia until their claims are finalised,” – Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs, Liberal MP Jason Wood. | “Organised crime and illegitimate labour hire companies are using this loophole to bring out illegal workers who are often vulnerable and open to exploitation. This represents an orchestrated scam that enables these criminal elements to exploit foreign workers in Australia until their claims are finalised,” – Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs, Liberal MP Jason Wood. |
| “What I want to be clear on also is that, in terms of national security threats, is organized crime are indeed facilitating unlawful migration on a fee-for-service basis, using methodologies from fake identity documents, to gaming Australia’s visa system. Australia’s border security arrangements are being exploited, and individuals who have not been appropriately identified are at times entering the country.” – John Coyne, Director of Border Security, Australian Strategic Policy Institute. | “What I want to be clear on also is that, in terms of national security threats, is organized crime are indeed facilitating unlawful migration on a fee-for-service basis, using methodologies from fake identity documents, to gaming Australia’s visa system. Australia’s border security arrangements are being exploited, and individuals who have not been appropriately identified are at times entering the country.” – John Coyne, Director of Border Security, Australian Strategic Policy Institute. |
| “We’re talking about people who are potentially asylum seekers or getting through the system in other ways… we’re seeing so much exploitation coming out of our (horticulture) industry. It just undermines our clean, green, safe, ethical (horticulture) industry that we are, and that we aim to be.” – Emma Germano, Horticulture President, Victorian Farmers Federation. | “We’re talking about people who are potentially asylum seekers or getting through the system in other ways… we’re seeing so much exploitation coming out of our (horticulture) industry. It just undermines our clean, green, safe, ethical (horticulture) industry that we are, and that we aim to be.” – Emma Germano, Horticulture President, Victorian Farmers Federation. |
| “The smuggling of migrants by air is sustained by a large black market of false identity documents that generates millions of dollars in profits for criminal organizations.” – United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime. | “The smuggling of migrants by air is sustained by a large black market of false identity documents that generates millions of dollars in profits for criminal organizations.” – United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime. |
| Even the United States State Department had said Australia needs to increase its focus on labour trafficking and “strengthen efforts to proactively identify trafficking victims among vulnerable groups, such as undocumented migrants and agricultural workers.” | |
| The Department of Home Affairs are the only people who have said Medevac should be repealed and now they’re the only people who are saying Peter Dutton hasn’t lost control of our borders. | |
| Kristina Keneally has responded to Peter Dutton this morning through a press release: | Kristina Keneally has responded to Peter Dutton this morning through a press release: |
| If Australia’s current and real border security crisis wasn’t so serious, this morning’s report in The Australian where the Government gives itself a clean bill of health would almost be amusing. | If Australia’s current and real border security crisis wasn’t so serious, this morning’s report in The Australian where the Government gives itself a clean bill of health would almost be amusing. |
| The issue of airplane people claiming asylum and being exploited here in Australia is real. | The issue of airplane people claiming asylum and being exploited here in Australia is real. |
| As confirmed by ABC Fact Check last week, 100,000 people have arrived into Australia by airplane to deliberately attempt to “game” Peter Dutton’s go-slow asylum claim system so they can work in Australia and send their wages back home. | As confirmed by ABC Fact Check last week, 100,000 people have arrived into Australia by airplane to deliberately attempt to “game” Peter Dutton’s go-slow asylum claim system so they can work in Australia and send their wages back home. |
| 90 per cent of these individuals are found not to be genuine refugees but can stay in Australia for upwards of four or even five years, working in exploited conditions. | 90 per cent of these individuals are found not to be genuine refugees but can stay in Australia for upwards of four or even five years, working in exploited conditions. |
| Peter Dutton admitted for the first time that this loophole has emerged on his watch in a train wreck interview with David Speers last night. | Peter Dutton admitted for the first time that this loophole has emerged on his watch in a train wreck interview with David Speers last night. |
| “There are some people who will come from Malaysia … they will embroil themselves in the legal process, so they will go to the AAT not with any prospect of a successful outcome, but they will get another two or three years.” – Peter Dutton, Sky News, 22 October 2019. | |
| From AAP: | From AAP: |
| More than 8.8 million temporary visas were granted in 2018-19. | More than 8.8 million temporary visas were granted in 2018-19. |
| Only 69 cases were identified by police as potential victims of trafficking, and only a handful of these people claimed protection. | Only 69 cases were identified by police as potential victims of trafficking, and only a handful of these people claimed protection. |
| The figures conflict with Kristina Keneally’s claims that people smugglers have changed their business model from boats to planes. She has argued that criminal syndicates and shonky labour hire companies are flying people into the country to work in exploitative conditions. | |
| The Department of Home Affairs has said there is no evidence to suggest large volumes of people are getting caught up in such schemes. | The Department of Home Affairs has said there is no evidence to suggest large volumes of people are getting caught up in such schemes. |
| But Senator Keneally is unbowed. | But Senator Keneally is unbowed. |
| More than 95,000 people have arrived by plane over the past five years and claimed asylum on arrival. Almost 90 per cent of these people were found not to be genuine refugees. | |
| But people regularly stay in Australia for several years while they appeal the visa decision. | But people regularly stay in Australia for several years while they appeal the visa decision. |
| “What Peter Dutton won’t admit, is too often these people are trafficked to and in Australia, they are exploited as they work for next to nothing,” Senator Keneally said. | “What Peter Dutton won’t admit, is too often these people are trafficked to and in Australia, they are exploited as they work for next to nothing,” Senator Keneally said. |
| “Ultimately, this leads to Australian wages being drive down, making it harder for Australians to get jobs whilst allowing vulnerable people to continue to be exploited in slave-like conditions.” | |
| Also from estimates late yesterday: | |
| The information and privacy commissioner, Angelene Falk, has just made yet another plea for more resources before Senate estimates. | The information and privacy commissioner, Angelene Falk, has just made yet another plea for more resources before Senate estimates. |
| Falk is responsible for regulating freedom of information and privacy matters, and warned that her office is struggling to meet a vast increase in workload. Falk says the number of requests for her office to review government decisions on FOI have jumped by 80% in the past four years, a fairly staggering increase. | Falk is responsible for regulating freedom of information and privacy matters, and warned that her office is struggling to meet a vast increase in workload. Falk says the number of requests for her office to review government decisions on FOI have jumped by 80% in the past four years, a fairly staggering increase. |
| The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner has attempted to meet the added workload by streamlining processes. That proved successful to some degree. But Falk said it still wasn’t enough. | |
| “The substantial and sustained increase in [information commissioner] review applications in recent years has widened the gap between incoming work and finalisations and has resulted in increased delays and backlogs,” she said. “In order to meet the timeliness of the FOI act and provide faster outcomes for the community, additional resources are required.” | “The substantial and sustained increase in [information commissioner] review applications in recent years has widened the gap between incoming work and finalisations and has resulted in increased delays and backlogs,” she said. “In order to meet the timeliness of the FOI act and provide faster outcomes for the community, additional resources are required.” |
| Falk has also offered some data on FOI trends. The total number of FOIs lodged with government grew by 13% in 2018-19. About half were granted in full, 35% were partially granted, and 13% were refused in the same year. | Falk has also offered some data on FOI trends. The total number of FOIs lodged with government grew by 13% in 2018-19. About half were granted in full, 35% were partially granted, and 13% were refused in the same year. |
| The number of FOIs being processed within the initial 30-day timeframe has slipped slightly from 85% in 2017-18 to 83% last financial year, though it’s still well above 2016-17. | The number of FOIs being processed within the initial 30-day timeframe has slipped slightly from 85% in 2017-18 to 83% last financial year, though it’s still well above 2016-17. |
| The Labor senator Kim Carr asked Falk whether the commission believed Australia had a problem with the “right to know”, and whether it was good enough that only 52% of FOI requests were agreed to in full. | |
| Falk danced around the question, prompting a frustrated Carr to ask: | Falk danced around the question, prompting a frustrated Carr to ask: |
| So, what’s the point of your office? | |
| He later questioned Falk about the home affairs department, which failed to meet the 30-day required timeframe in 25% of FOI requests it received. | |
| Carr described it as a “startling statistic” and wondered whether there was a “culture of secrecy, or a culture of lawlessness” in the government’s compliance with FOI. | |
| Meanwhile, in estimates overnight, the Australian Electoral Commission appeared to admit it signed off on a Chinese-language Chisholm election sign (the subject of a court challenge) without actually knowing what it said. | |
| Don Farrell: Did the AEC engage a translator on the day to determine what the signs actually said? | Don Farrell: Did the AEC engage a translator on the day to determine what the signs actually said? |
| AEC chief legal officer Paul Pirani: | AEC chief legal officer Paul Pirani: |
| The answer to that is no. We saw in one of the tweets that we received had a translation of what the message was in the signs and we accepted that as prima facie value. We did check it later on in the day because we have one of our staff members speaks Chinese and she confirmed that the translation that was contained in the tweet was reasonably accurate. | |
| The medevac fight is getting louder and louder. | The medevac fight is getting louder and louder. |
| As Paul Karp reported yesterday: | As Paul Karp reported yesterday: |
| Dutton repeatedly described the medevac provisions as “a con”, citing the fact that just 13 of the people who have come to Australia have required hospitalisation – about 10% of the 132 who have come under medevac. | Dutton repeatedly described the medevac provisions as “a con”, citing the fact that just 13 of the people who have come to Australia have required hospitalisation – about 10% of the 132 who have come under medevac. |
| Dutton could not say how many of the 982 refugees and asylum seekers brought to Australia under pre-existing provisions had required hospitalisation. | Dutton could not say how many of the 982 refugees and asylum seekers brought to Australia under pre-existing provisions had required hospitalisation. |
| He claimed Australia had brought people for medical attention before medevac, despite the Australian Human Rights Commission submission that 60% of those in 2018-19 were brought only due to actual or threatened litigation. | He claimed Australia had brought people for medical attention before medevac, despite the Australian Human Rights Commission submission that 60% of those in 2018-19 were brought only due to actual or threatened litigation. |
| Medevac brings people to Australia for medical care and also medical assessments that couldn’t be performed in PNG/Nauru. So did the previous system.Home Affairs themselves explained this at estimates.Medevac =/= hospitalisation https://t.co/hqpI9QxWPP | Medevac brings people to Australia for medical care and also medical assessments that couldn’t be performed in PNG/Nauru. So did the previous system.Home Affairs themselves explained this at estimates.Medevac =/= hospitalisation https://t.co/hqpI9QxWPP |
| Welcome to hump day! | Welcome to hump day! |
| Estimates continue, as does the house sitting, but once again it seems to be all about what is happening in the corridors. | Estimates continue, as does the house sitting, but once again it seems to be all about what is happening in the corridors. |
| Peter Dutton has decided to take ramp up his political attacks on Kristina Keneally. | Peter Dutton has decided to take ramp up his political attacks on Kristina Keneally. |
| From AAP: | From AAP: |
| Peter Dutton has pounced on new figures around asylum seekers arriving by plane, arguing they expose Labor claims of a “crisis” as a sham. | Peter Dutton has pounced on new figures around asylum seekers arriving by plane, arguing they expose Labor claims of a “crisis” as a sham. |
| The home affairs minister took aim at his opposite number, Labor’s Kristina Keneally, after the figures showed only 10 suspected victims of human trafficking and slavery claimed protection in the last year. | The home affairs minister took aim at his opposite number, Labor’s Kristina Keneally, after the figures showed only 10 suspected victims of human trafficking and slavery claimed protection in the last year. |
| “I think Kristina Keneally’s red herring on this has been blown completely out of the water,” Mr Dutton told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday. | “I think Kristina Keneally’s red herring on this has been blown completely out of the water,” Mr Dutton told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday. |
| While part of Dutton’s line is about trying to paint Keneally as a divisive figure within Labor (you may have seen a few of those stories popping up), it’s mostly about medevac. | While part of Dutton’s line is about trying to paint Keneally as a divisive figure within Labor (you may have seen a few of those stories popping up), it’s mostly about medevac. |
| Dutton has been tasked with trying to court Jacqui Lambie’s vote on the government’s legislation to repeal the medical evacuation legislation which was passed against its will last year. | Dutton has been tasked with trying to court Jacqui Lambie’s vote on the government’s legislation to repeal the medical evacuation legislation which was passed against its will last year. |
| So expect to see a lot more of that. | So expect to see a lot more of that. |
| Also expect to see a lot more on the drought today. The National Farmers’ Federation have released a drought strategy – as Sarah Martin reports: | Also expect to see a lot more on the drought today. The National Farmers’ Federation have released a drought strategy – as Sarah Martin reports: |
| Farmers have sent a list of key demands for immediate drought response to government, including a call for the commonwealth to pay council rates for affected businesses and to offer exit packages for those wanting to leave the land. | Farmers have sent a list of key demands for immediate drought response to government, including a call for the commonwealth to pay council rates for affected businesses and to offer exit packages for those wanting to leave the land. |
| Releasing its national drought policy on Wednesday, the National Farmers’ Federation will outline its priorities for a new national framework, while also listing a set of demands for farmers affected by the current drought. | Releasing its national drought policy on Wednesday, the National Farmers’ Federation will outline its priorities for a new national framework, while also listing a set of demands for farmers affected by the current drought. |
| The call comes amid simmering tensions between the Nationals and the Liberal party about the government’s drought response, with calls from regional MPs for the government to do more, and frustrations about One Nation stealing the limelight in regional areas. | The call comes amid simmering tensions between the Nationals and the Liberal party about the government’s drought response, with calls from regional MPs for the government to do more, and frustrations about One Nation stealing the limelight in regional areas. |
| So expect to hear more on that as well. | So expect to hear more on that as well. |
| Mike Bowers is still on assignment, but you have the rest of the Canberra team, as well as those in the Guardian brains trust to help you through the day. You’ll find me on social, as well as the comments (occasionally) and hunting for another coffee. | Mike Bowers is still on assignment, but you have the rest of the Canberra team, as well as those in the Guardian brains trust to help you through the day. You’ll find me on social, as well as the comments (occasionally) and hunting for another coffee. |
| Ready? | Ready? |
| Let’s get into it. | Let’s get into it. |