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Nationals demand more drought funding – politics live Andrew Hastie speaks up for persecuted Uighurs in China – politics live
(32 minutes later)
Angus Taylor’s office has sent through a statement in regards to this story from Anne Davies and Christopher Knaus:
The conspiracy theory being perpetrated by the Lord Mayor is rejected.
I make no apology for suggesting that the Lord Mayor should take real and meaningful action to reduce the City of Sydney’s carbon emissions instead of hollow virtue-signalling through letters.
One way to reduce emissions is through limiting unnecessary air travel and I suggest that the Lord Mayor’s flights to Paris for the Women for Climate conference was an unnecessary indulgence.
Anthony Albanese is happy to talk about the tensions within the coalition partners over the drought strategy. Here he is talking to the Nine network this morning:
This is a national emergency. Quite clearly, the National Party backbench are very unhappy with their own leadership and the leadership of the coalition.
We need a comprehensive plan. It’s one that deals with the crisis which is there right now in terms of not just farmers, but people who rely upon farming and agriculture for their work, the workers in those areas.
And, of course, the towns that are running out of water. We need to cooperate across federal, state and local government.
We need to listen to farming organisations. At the moment, what you’ve got is the national farmers federation that have a plan, the National Party have a plan, Scott Morrison had a leak last night to one of the TV networks about a plan coming out next week. For goodness sake.
Why can’t we all sit down and put the national interest first and come up with a coordinated, comprehensive, bipartisan national drought strategy.
It’s community affairs, economics, education and employment and foreign affairs, defence and trade in estimates land today.
Andrew Hastie continued:Andrew Hastie continued:
These individual and personal stories helped us to understand and humanise the greater tragedy that is unfolding in Xinjiang province, China. I, along with many other Australians, am very troubled by the repressive surveillance state and how the Uighur people are being banned from practicing their religious faith and how they are being oppressively monitored in their homes, in their communities 24/7. I am very troubled by the way that Uighurs culture and identity is being systematically assaulted, deconstructed and scrubbed out by the authorities. I am very troubled about the clear evidence of re-education camps, where one million Uighurs have been forcibly detained and indoctrinated into communists thinking. The ABC, along with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, have managed to identify 28 detention camps using satellite imagery. Most of these detained have never committed a crime. I could go on. It was a heartbreaking episode that we all needed to watch and absorb. I congratulate the ABC for running it and for the work that went into it. These individual and personal stories helped us to understand and humanise the greater tragedy that is unfolding in Xinjiang province, China. I, along with many other Australians, am very troubled by the repressive surveillance state and how the Uighur people are being banned from practising their religious faith and how they are being oppressively monitored in their homes, in their communities 24/7. I am very troubled by the way that Uighurs’ culture and identity is being systematically assaulted, deconstructed and scrubbed out by the authorities. I am very troubled about the clear evidence of re-education camps, where 1 million Uighurs have been forcibly detained and indoctrinated into communists’ thinking. The ABC, along with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, have managed to identify 28 detention camps using satellite imagery. Most of these detained have never committed a crime. I could go on. It was a heartbreaking episode that we all needed to watch and absorb. I congratulate the ABC for running it and for the work that went into it.
Last month, I met with members of the Australian Ugyhur community in my parliamentary office. That delegation was led by Nurmuhammad Majid. It was my great honour to host them and to hear their personal stories. Every single one of them sitting in my office had family and friends interned or trapped in Xinjiang province. They have shown great courage and perseverance despite the tears, heartache and pain. I made a commitment to them that I would raise their plight in this House, tonight I fulfil that commitment. I say to them that we might not see resolution soon, but we will continue to work with you and make sure your loved ones are not forgotten. Last month I met with members of the Australian Uighur community in my parliamentary office. That delegation was led by Nurmuhammad Majid. It was my great honour to host them and to hear their personal stories. Every single one of them sitting in my office had family and friends interned or trapped in Xinjiang province. They have shown great courage and perseverance despite the tears, heartache and pain. I made a commitment to them that I would raise their plight in this House, tonight I fulfil that commitment. I say to them that we might not see resolution soon, but we will continue to work with you and make sure your loved ones are not forgotten.
Finally, the Four Corners program identified a range of Australian businesses that were sourcing cotton from Xinjiang province, potentially using Uighur forced labour. Cotton On and Target Australia were two of them. Subsequent to the program, both businesses conducted internal reviews of their supply chains and have ceased sourcing cotton from Xinjiang province. I want to note the actions of Cotton On and Target Australia in this House and applaud them for taking the action that they have taken. Australia is a country that lives by the values of freedom and fairness, and so it is right that we acknowledge when our businesses do the right thing. I think the House. Finally, the Four Corners program identified a range of Australian businesses that were sourcing cotton from Xinjiang province, potentially using Uighur forced labour. Cotton On and Target Australia were two of them. Subsequent to the program, both businesses conducted internal reviews of their supply chains and have ceased sourcing cotton from Xinjiang province. I want to note the actions of Cotton On and Target Australia in this House and applaud them for taking the action that they have taken. Australia is a country that lives by the values of freedom and fairness, and so it is right that we acknowledge when our businesses do the right thing. I thank the House.
Looks like Andrew Hastie made an interesting speech in the house late last night: Looks like Andrew Hastie made an interesting speech in the House late last night:
Tonight I rise to speak on behalf of those who are vulnerable, persecuted and separated from their loved ones. Tonight I speak for Uighur Australians, who have family and friends facing systematic persecution and internment in Xinjiang province, in the People’s Republic of China. But first I want to say a few words about the role of Australian investigative journalism and its importance for a free, democratic society.Tonight I rise to speak on behalf of those who are vulnerable, persecuted and separated from their loved ones. Tonight I speak for Uighur Australians, who have family and friends facing systematic persecution and internment in Xinjiang province, in the People’s Republic of China. But first I want to say a few words about the role of Australian investigative journalism and its importance for a free, democratic society.
As this House is aware, the Parliamentary Joint Committee for Intelligence and Security is conducting an inquiry into the freedom of the press. As the chair, it would be improper for me to make remarks about committee deliberations or what conclusions we might reach in our report, but I do want to say that we all agree that public interest and investigative journalism is vital to a thriving, liberal democracy—particularly when it comes to national security or human rights issues. As this House is aware, the parliamentary joint committee for intelligence and security is conducting an inquiry into the freedom of the press. As the chair, it would be improper for me to make remarks about committee deliberations or what conclusions we might reach in our report, but I do want to say that we all agree that public interest and investigative journalism is vital to a thriving, liberal democracy – particularly when it comes to national security or human rights issues.
A superb example of good investigative journalism is the July Four Corners program of ‘Tell the World’ by ABC reporter Sophie McNeil. The program detailed the plight and suffering of more than one million Muslim minorities who have been rounded up, detained and and forcibly indoctrinated by the Chinese communist regime. Australian citizens or permanent residents have been targeted and jailed. Others are trapped under state surveillance, their passports seized. I was deeply moved by those who courageously showed the story on the program. I was moved by those who have been separated from their loved ones. I think of Sadam Abudusalamu, who is separated from his wife and child—a child he has never met in person. A superb example of good investigative journalism is the July Four Corners program of Tell the World by ABC reporter Sophie McNeil. The program detailed the plight and suffering of more than 1 million Muslim minorities who have been rounded up, detained and and forcibly indoctrinated by the Chinese communist regime. Australian citizens or permanent residents have been targeted and jailed. Others are trapped under state surveillance, their passports seized. I was deeply moved by those who courageously showed the story on the program. I was moved by those who have been separated from their loved ones. I think of Sadam Abudusalamu, who is separated from his wife and child – a child he has never met in person.
Welcome to the final sitting day for October - and the last day we’ll see the house MPs here for a month. Welcome to the final sitting day for October – and the last day we’ll see the House MPs here for a month.
Which will hopefully give the Nationals some more time to get themselves together, as they gear up to take back the issue of drought from both the Liberals, and minor parties like One Nation - with Barnaby Joyce leading the charge. Which will hopefully give the Nationals some more time to get themselves together, as they gear up to take back the issue of drought from both the Liberals, and minor parties like One Nation – with Barnaby Joyce leading the charge.
The Nationals backbench have put together its own drought plan, which Sarah Martin has laid out here:The Nationals backbench have put together its own drought plan, which Sarah Martin has laid out here:
Under the plan being spearheaded by Joyce, drought-affected councils would receive $10m each, co-funded with state governments.Under the plan being spearheaded by Joyce, drought-affected councils would receive $10m each, co-funded with state governments.
There are 123 councils that have been deemed eligible for funding under the Coalition’s existing drought communities program, suggesting the total cost for the proposal would be at least $1.2bn.There are 123 councils that have been deemed eligible for funding under the Coalition’s existing drought communities program, suggesting the total cost for the proposal would be at least $1.2bn.
The Nationals policy document says that the drought is a “seminal issue” for the economies of the regions and for “the politics in our representation to these regions”.The Nationals policy document says that the drought is a “seminal issue” for the economies of the regions and for “the politics in our representation to these regions”.
Joyce has been on the ABC this morning backing that in - he says it is time for the Nationals to push back. Joyce has been on the ABC this morning backing that in – he says it is time for the Nationals to push back.
“The cabinet will come out with a drought policy, I presume next week, and if we drive our agenda which influences their outcome, that is a good outcome,” Joyce told Sabra Lane.“The cabinet will come out with a drought policy, I presume next week, and if we drive our agenda which influences their outcome, that is a good outcome,” Joyce told Sabra Lane.
“Obviously, if the cabinet outcome is completely lacking, we’ll continue to drive our agenda harder. “Obviously, if the cabinet outcome is completely lacking, we’ll continue to drive our agenda harder … We get this, and we have been playing a proper game, and we’ve been playing as the dutiful Coalition partner, we’ve been making sure we’ve been part of the team, but there is a sense out there that we are not doing enough and that is not correct, we are driving these agendas as hard as we can.”
“...We get this, and we have been playing a proper game, and we’ve been playing as the dutiful Coalition partner, we’ve been making sure we’ve been part of the team, but there is a sense out there that we are not doing enough and that is not correct, we are driving these agendas as hard as we can.” It is no coincidence that Joyce is driving this fightback. As we’ve reported, there have been tensions with the Nationals leadership for sometime, since even before the election. That’s dialling up again, with One Nation starting to make inroads, at least publicly, by taking ownership of traditional National party domains.
It is no coincidence that Joyce is driving this fight back. As we’ve reported, there have been tensions with the Nationals leadership for sometime, since even before the election. That’s whirring up again, with One Nation starting to make inroads, at least publicly, with taking ownership of traditional National party domains. We’ll have that ongoing tussle, as well as this story from Anne Davies and Christopher Knaus:
We’ll have that on-going tussle, as well as this story from Anne Davies and Christopher Knaus:
Angus Taylor baselessly accused Sydney’s lord mayor of driving up carbon emissions by spending $15m on travel, a claim that was later backed up with a doctored council document provided to the Daily Telegraph, which reported the figure.Angus Taylor baselessly accused Sydney’s lord mayor of driving up carbon emissions by spending $15m on travel, a claim that was later backed up with a doctored council document provided to the Daily Telegraph, which reported the figure.
If you have missed it, you’ll find it here It is unclear who altered the document. There is no suggestion that Taylor himself was responsible. If you have missed the story, you’ll find it here.
I am going to hunt down my third coffee (it’s a fiver day, peeps, I can feel it) but I hope you’re ready.I am going to hunt down my third coffee (it’s a fiver day, peeps, I can feel it) but I hope you’re ready.
Let’s get into itLet’s get into it