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| Coalition's ‘big stick’ energy legislation passes House – politics live | Coalition's ‘big stick’ energy legislation passes House – politics live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Traditional @SenatorWong #estimates face photo. @AmyRemeikis @murpharoo @mpbowers pic.twitter.com/oCVpakBauW | |
| The Defence establishment listen carefully in #estimates (the Secretary, Minister & CDF). @AmyRemeikis @murpharoo @mpbowers pic.twitter.com/tPdCFGFKF4 | |
| It’s nice to see politicians talking about actual rats for a change: | |
| Before people get too excited, @mjrowland68 and I were having a laugh about exciting news that scientists have trained rats to drive tiny cars to collect food. Amazing! https://t.co/kzRBv7HVDN pic.twitter.com/X3DICV8Mr1 | |
| Thought he might want my thoughts after the @chaser gifted me a rat (aka Templeton) during the 2016 campaign. Can confirm he couldn’t drive, but made a great pet. pic.twitter.com/4mvbb0gJQd | |
| Darren Chester has just got this through the parliament – with Labor beating the government to the release: | |
| This Australian Veterans’ Recognition (Putting Veterans and their Families First) Bill 2019 has passed Parliament with amendments from Senator Jacqui Lambie supported by Labor that aim to deliver faster processing of veteran compensation claims. | |
| The legislation provides a framework for government, business and the community to recognise the unique nature of military service and support veterans and their families. | |
| It also includes the Australian Defence Veterans’ Covenant, a formal agreement to ensure veterans are fully supported after their service. | |
| The Veterans’ Covenant follows Labor’s earlier proposal for a Military Covenant, which was developed in close consultation with the veteran community. | |
| After a few interruptions from divisions, the prime minister’s literary awards have officially been announced: | |
| Fiction | |
| · The Death of Noah Glass, Gail Jones, Text Publishing | |
| Non-fiction | |
| · Half the Perfect World: Writers, Dreamers and Drifters on Hydra, 1955–1964, Paul Genoni and Tanya Dalziell, Monash University Press | |
| Australian history | |
| · The Bible in Australia: A Cultural History, Meredith Lake, NewSouth Publishing | |
| Poetry | |
| · Sun Music: New and Selected Poems, Judith Beveridge, Giramondo Press | |
| Children’s literature | |
| · His Name Was Walter, Emily Rodda, Angus & Robertson | |
| Young adult literature | |
| · The Things That Will Not Stand, Michael Gerard Bauer, Omnibus Books | |
| From AAP: | From AAP: |
| A senior defence official has rejected accusations of nepotism over an almost $400,000 contract he awarded to a company where his son worked. | A senior defence official has rejected accusations of nepotism over an almost $400,000 contract he awarded to a company where his son worked. |
| Chief information officer Stephen Pearson acknowledged he made a mistake in failing to declare a conflict of interest before awarding the contract earlier this year. | Chief information officer Stephen Pearson acknowledged he made a mistake in failing to declare a conflict of interest before awarding the contract earlier this year. |
| “If I had my time again, yes indeed, I would do that,” Pearson told a Senate committee in Canberra on Wednesday. | “If I had my time again, yes indeed, I would do that,” Pearson told a Senate committee in Canberra on Wednesday. |
| That comes from this story, from the ABC | That comes from this story, from the ABC |
| The issue of the workforce in aged care has been raised in community affairs sSenate estimates, with the government on the defensive. | The issue of the workforce in aged care has been raised in community affairs sSenate estimates, with the government on the defensive. |
| Labor senator Murray Watt has been asking about comments made by the senior counsel assisting the royal commission into aged care, Peter Rozen, who has highlighted the need for action on the workforce. Last week Rozen declared that the commonwealth had been “missing in action” on the issue of its workforce strategy. | Labor senator Murray Watt has been asking about comments made by the senior counsel assisting the royal commission into aged care, Peter Rozen, who has highlighted the need for action on the workforce. Last week Rozen declared that the commonwealth had been “missing in action” on the issue of its workforce strategy. |
| “Funding from its aged care workforce programs has been stripped,” Rozen said. “The commonwealth’s failure to lead in aged care has contributed to the distressing outcomes for care recipients, their families and workers that you continue to hear evidence about.” | “Funding from its aged care workforce programs has been stripped,” Rozen said. “The commonwealth’s failure to lead in aged care has contributed to the distressing outcomes for care recipients, their families and workers that you continue to hear evidence about.” |
| Watt said the evidence provided by Rozen was “black and white”. “When are you going to take responsibility?” | Watt said the evidence provided by Rozen was “black and white”. “When are you going to take responsibility?” |
| Aged care minister Richard Colbeck said he did not accept the remarks from Rozen. | Aged care minister Richard Colbeck said he did not accept the remarks from Rozen. |
| “Funding to the aged care sector has increased every year, it is a simple fact … all you need to do is look at the budget papers.” | “Funding to the aged care sector has increased every year, it is a simple fact … all you need to do is look at the budget papers.” |
| Watt in response accused Colbeck of suggesting Rozen had misled the royal commission, which was a “pretty serious accusation”. | Watt in response accused Colbeck of suggesting Rozen had misled the royal commission, which was a “pretty serious accusation”. |
| Australia is officially involve in the Strait of Hormuz. Defence chief Angus Campbell has just told defence estimates that Australia has sent a surveillance plane a part of the coalition defence of oil tankers in the area, from Iranian attacks. The plane is going to hang around until at least mid-November. | Australia is officially involve in the Strait of Hormuz. Defence chief Angus Campbell has just told defence estimates that Australia has sent a surveillance plane a part of the coalition defence of oil tankers in the area, from Iranian attacks. The plane is going to hang around until at least mid-November. |
| Campbell also says that up to 10 Australian personnel will be sent to the campaign headquarters of the US-led Persian Gulf mission, with a frigate to follow in January next year. | Campbell also says that up to 10 Australian personnel will be sent to the campaign headquarters of the US-led Persian Gulf mission, with a frigate to follow in January next year. |
| We are back on the faster rail track. That’s not fast rail, or high speed rail. Actually “faster rail”. | We are back on the faster rail track. That’s not fast rail, or high speed rail. Actually “faster rail”. |
| From the committee: | From the committee: |
| The House of Representatives standing committee on infrastructure, transport and cities has commenced a new inquiry into options for financing faster rail.Committee chair, John Alexander OAM MP, said that “with the recent establishment of the National Faster Rail Agency (NFRA), it is the essential time for the committee to examine financing options to deliver fast rail connections between major capital cities and their regional centres”.The NFRA will work with state and territory governments on opportunities to develop better rail infrastructure, including on the Geelong to Melbourne fast rail. It will also examine five faster rail business cases funded in the 2019-20 budget for: Sydney to Wollongong, Sydney to Parkes, Melbourne to Albury-Wodonga, Melbourne to Traralgon, and Brisbane to the Gold Coast.“Delivering a viable option for people to live in regional cities and still have ready access to big cities will have positive social, economic and population outcomes, but it will be hard to progress without a sustainable financing mechanism. The committee will play its part by examining how to finance these much needed faster rail connections,” said Alexander.The inquiry’s terms of reference are: options for financing faster rail. | The House of Representatives standing committee on infrastructure, transport and cities has commenced a new inquiry into options for financing faster rail.Committee chair, John Alexander OAM MP, said that “with the recent establishment of the National Faster Rail Agency (NFRA), it is the essential time for the committee to examine financing options to deliver fast rail connections between major capital cities and their regional centres”.The NFRA will work with state and territory governments on opportunities to develop better rail infrastructure, including on the Geelong to Melbourne fast rail. It will also examine five faster rail business cases funded in the 2019-20 budget for: Sydney to Wollongong, Sydney to Parkes, Melbourne to Albury-Wodonga, Melbourne to Traralgon, and Brisbane to the Gold Coast.“Delivering a viable option for people to live in regional cities and still have ready access to big cities will have positive social, economic and population outcomes, but it will be hard to progress without a sustainable financing mechanism. The committee will play its part by examining how to finance these much needed faster rail connections,” said Alexander.The inquiry’s terms of reference are: options for financing faster rail. |
| Joel Fitzgibbon is in the House talking about the need for a future drought strategy. | Joel Fitzgibbon is in the House talking about the need for a future drought strategy. |
| “Generals don’t wait for the war to begin to make a battle plan,” he says. | “Generals don’t wait for the war to begin to make a battle plan,” he says. |
| The Nationals are also pushing this. | The Nationals are also pushing this. |
| Labor’s Katy Gallagher has asked Treasury officials about the RBA governor’s call for governments to lift public sector wages caps. | Labor’s Katy Gallagher has asked Treasury officials about the RBA governor’s call for governments to lift public sector wages caps. |
| The finance minister Mathias Cormann is very prickly, noting that public sector wage growth has “been running above the private sector and above inflation too” before Gallagher even gets the question out. | The finance minister Mathias Cormann is very prickly, noting that public sector wage growth has “been running above the private sector and above inflation too” before Gallagher even gets the question out. |
| Treasury officials said that the public sector wage cap is a “matter for governments”, refusing to be drawn. Cormann notes that public sector wage growth is running at 2.6%, ahead of private sector wage growth of 2.3%, Gallagher suggests that states are leading the way while the federal government imposed a 2% pay cap. | Treasury officials said that the public sector wage cap is a “matter for governments”, refusing to be drawn. Cormann notes that public sector wage growth is running at 2.6%, ahead of private sector wage growth of 2.3%, Gallagher suggests that states are leading the way while the federal government imposed a 2% pay cap. |
| Cormann then runs a series of government lines that lifting the cap would mean it would have to increase taxes. He warned wage growth won’t happen “through government fiat” which would “force business to pay more” and result in fewer people being hired and higher unemployment. | Cormann then runs a series of government lines that lifting the cap would mean it would have to increase taxes. He warned wage growth won’t happen “through government fiat” which would “force business to pay more” and result in fewer people being hired and higher unemployment. |
| Labor’s Jenny McAllister asked incredulously if the government was arguing for lower wages, which prompted Cormann to start attacking Labor’s election policies and noting the result that the Coalition had “biggest swings in lower-income areas” because they had rejected the tax and spend policies. | Labor’s Jenny McAllister asked incredulously if the government was arguing for lower wages, which prompted Cormann to start attacking Labor’s election policies and noting the result that the Coalition had “biggest swings in lower-income areas” because they had rejected the tax and spend policies. |
| Gallagher objects that Cormann is using estimates to run “political lines against other parties’ agendas”, but he responds that “comparing and contrasting” is relevant. | Gallagher objects that Cormann is using estimates to run “political lines against other parties’ agendas”, but he responds that “comparing and contrasting” is relevant. |
| Big stick, with Labor amendments, which the government has agreed to, is about to be read a third time. | Big stick, with Labor amendments, which the government has agreed to, is about to be read a third time. |
| And then boom – it is off to the Senate. (Where it will sit, just vibing, until the Senate comes back in November.) | And then boom – it is off to the Senate. (Where it will sit, just vibing, until the Senate comes back in November.) |
| There are 150,000 fewer apprentices today than when the Coalition took office. The Dept of Employment and Skills puts this down to those changes in employer incentives that came in in 2012/13. #estimates | There are 150,000 fewer apprentices today than when the Coalition took office. The Dept of Employment and Skills puts this down to those changes in employer incentives that came in in 2012/13. #estimates |
| The division interrupted the awarding of the prime minister’s literary awards, so we have a slight delay in giving you the winners. | The division interrupted the awarding of the prime minister’s literary awards, so we have a slight delay in giving you the winners. |
| Another division, means the prime minister will have to take off again. | Another division, means the prime minister will have to take off again. |
| The chamber is dividing on the Bandt amendments - they will fail. | The chamber is dividing on the Bandt amendments - they will fail. |
| But big stick is almost through the house. | But big stick is almost through the house. |
| Labor won’t be supporting the amendments Adam Bandt has put forward, Mark Butler says, because the new legislation the government has put forward doesn’t carry the same forced divesture order the first incarnation of the legislation had. | Labor won’t be supporting the amendments Adam Bandt has put forward, Mark Butler says, because the new legislation the government has put forward doesn’t carry the same forced divesture order the first incarnation of the legislation had. |
| A federal court now has carriage of any divesture orders, not the minister. | A federal court now has carriage of any divesture orders, not the minister. |
| What does your #RightToKnow mean in a welfare context? It’s the right to understand how government policies impact the most vulnerable in our society. Today, at Senate estimates, the Department of Employment explained why it’s “truncated” the data it provides in its official welfare compliance reports.Why, for example, had it not provided figures showing how homeless and people with disabilities on Newstart were faring under the system? | What does your #RightToKnow mean in a welfare context? It’s the right to understand how government policies impact the most vulnerable in our society. Today, at Senate estimates, the Department of Employment explained why it’s “truncated” the data it provides in its official welfare compliance reports.Why, for example, had it not provided figures showing how homeless and people with disabilities on Newstart were faring under the system? |
| Excluded from the official report, the department has also denied a freedom of information request for the figures. Today, officials said the figures were complicated to understand and providing them took up resources. | Excluded from the official report, the department has also denied a freedom of information request for the figures. Today, officials said the figures were complicated to understand and providing them took up resources. |
| Remarkably, an official also said: “The number of times that people were actually accessing this data was very, very small ... I think we had 100 hits in total on our website.” | Remarkably, an official also said: “The number of times that people were actually accessing this data was very, very small ... I think we had 100 hits in total on our website.” |
| That may be true. But social policy experts and media rely on this data to tell stories like this one, which shows huge proportions of homeless Australians face welfare suspensions. | That may be true. But social policy experts and media rely on this data to tell stories like this one, which shows huge proportions of homeless Australians face welfare suspensions. |
| The data will finally be tabled in Senate estimates today. | The data will finally be tabled in Senate estimates today. |
| Adam Bandt is attempting to amend the big stick legislation which would stop the government from using the new powers (if passed) to stop AGL from closing down the Liddell power station, as scheduled. | Adam Bandt is attempting to amend the big stick legislation which would stop the government from using the new powers (if passed) to stop AGL from closing down the Liddell power station, as scheduled. |
| He also wants to be able to stop the government from potentially underwriting or funding the extension of a coal-fired power station, including Vales Point. | He also wants to be able to stop the government from potentially underwriting or funding the extension of a coal-fired power station, including Vales Point. |
| Malcolm Roberts seems very upset the RBA doesn’t appear at estimates. | Malcolm Roberts seems very upset the RBA doesn’t appear at estimates. |