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Aged-care package 'falls well short' of what is required, Labor says – question time live
Stuart Robert on robodebt: 'This government does not apologise' – question time live
(32 minutes later)
Morrison responds to Chinese spy plot allegations; $537m aged-care package announced; and Jacqui Lambie ‘not supporting a repeal’ of medevac, Rex Patrick says. All the day’s events, live
Morrison responds to Chinese spy plot allegations; and Jacqui Lambie ‘not supporting a repeal’ of medevac, Rex Patrick says. All the day’s events, live
Tony Burke to Angus Taylor:
When parliament last sat the minister said in relation to his letter to the Sydney Lord Mayor, “The document was drawn directly from the city of Sydney’s website.” Does the minister now accept that he was misleading the parliament?
Taylor:
Burke stands up for a point of order, but Taylor has decided he has finished his answer.
Ladies and gentlemen - your Rhodes scholar.
Vince Connelly, whose main claim to fame so far is that he delivers each dixer like that kid that assumed every drama production lead role belonged to them because they saw Shakespeare in the Park that one time, gets up to inflict the HOW SAFE ARE YOU Peter Dutton special on the chamber.
He gets cheers for standing, which is only going to encourage him.
Oh - and you’re like totes safe.
BUT IMAGINE IF LABOR WAS IN POWER.
Chris Bowen to Greg Hunt:
Exactly a year ago today the minister promised on 21 March, 2019 the flash glucose monitor will be sudsidised on the PBS scheme. It still hasn’t happened. Can the minister explain to Australia’s 120,000 type 1 diabetics why not.
Greg Hunt:
He goes on, but Labor’s main argument here is that the measure was announced without any caveats - and now there are caveats.
The ASRC is also in parliament today:
Labor has asked how big the “small cohort” of people who will have their robodebts re-assessed is, with senator Deb O’Neill noting staff have been told it might be up to 600,000.
The social services minister, Anne Ruston, replies that Services Australia is “in the process of identifying those impacted by this particular measure”.
“There is no value whatsoever in pre-empting that process. And it’s important to note that income averaging does not occur in all debt determinations,” she says.
Ruston claims that those who get debts based solely on income averaging tend to be those who have “chosen not to engage” when Centrelink contacts them.
As we revealed in a feature this weekend, Deanna Amato – one of the plaintiffs challenging the robodebt system – received repeated notices to an old address. So much for choosing not to engage with the system! Senator Jim Molan gets the next dixer, and is greeted with cries of “Heeeee’s back!” from the Labor benches.
Bill Shorten to Stuart Robert:
Given that the government has now suspended robodebt after three years of operation, is it because the Coalition government at the time of creating it either, a) didn’t seek legal advice, or b) had inaccurate legal advice or c) received legal advice but just didn’t think that Australians would notice the government unjustly enriching itself at the expense of the most vulnerable in Australian society?
Robert:
It actually is
George Christensen summons Michael McCormack to the despatch box.
McCormack, looking like the word oatmeal, somehow manages to make the carpet interesting.
Speaking of the Naif (see a few posts down)
Better. Mangoes. I mean ...
Tony Burke to Scott Morrison:
“How can 23 million breaches of the law be a matter for the board if you’re a bank, but legislation before the parliament right now does say that three breaches of paperwork can get you deregistered … if you’re a union. How can there be corporate equivalence if unions will get three chances and banks will get 23 million?”
Christian Porter gets the nod – and has seemingly forgotten how microphones work in the break since the House last sat:
Labor has asked a string of questions to Marise Payne about the estimates that Australians have lost $1.3bn from wage theft since 2009.
Payne runs through the government’s response – including a commitment to criminalise the most serious forms of deliberate or systemic underpayment; and consideration of a low-cost fast-track process in the Fair Work Commission to get compensation.
After every Labor question and mention of “wage theft”, Liberal senator Eric Abetz interjects with “like the ABC!” – in reference to $23m of estimated underpayment of casual staff.
Not quite sure what the takeaway here is ... if even the good folks at the ABC get it wrong, industrial law must be really difficult?
Josh Frydenberg takes the next lickspittle question on how Labor is to blame for the economy.
Labor was last in government six years ago, the next election isn’t for at least two and a half years – but you do you.
Adam Bandt has the crossbench question and it sends the whole house into meltdown:
Michael McCormack: “You’re a disgrace, when are you going to apologise ...”
Ed Husic: “That’s not very woke of you, Mike.”
McCormack doesn’t look like he gets it. Which is a timeless McCormack statement.
Scott Morrison:
Ged Kearney to Scott Morrison:
Ged Kearney to Scott Morrison:
The government benches go NUTS. (“One for the blooper reel,” one yells.
The government benches go NUTS. (“One for the blooper reel,” one yells.)
Morrison:
Morrison:
The next time some union thug break’s someone’s arm... at the emergency clinic will say it’s just a paperwork because it’s a paperwork breach, Mr Speaker.
For goodness sake, Mr Speaker. The banks will be pursued by the full force of the law. They’ll be pursued by investigative agencies such as AUSTRAC, who have been given the resources and powers to get on with the job and they will have the availability of the Banking Executive Accountability Regime to punt those who are responsible under the law - to be brought into this place which can see bank executives sent to prison for up to 15 years.
Now, those opposite, the Labor Party, are looking for any excuse to walk away from what they know is the right thing to do, to ensure that militant unionism has no place in this country.
Master builders have made it pretty clear - 30 per cent increase in costs because of militant unionism in this country.
It just doesn’t break people’s arms, Mr Speaker, it breaks their businesses as well and breaks the jobs that are so important. We’re investing $100 billion in infrastructure investments in this country.
We’re expending more in rural communities on our Federal road programs and our stimulus programs through local councils.
And we don’t want to see that money jeopardised and wasted
That is apparently championed by those opposite because they will not do the right thing. They will not apply the same penalties to those in the corporate sector, Mr Speaker, to the union sector. They won’t do it, Mr Speaker, because all of them are here. ..they are beholden to this union movement and they are here to do their bidding not the bidding of the Australian people.
While Scott Morrison takes the next dixer (honestly, just stab me and get it over with) Andrew Hastie and Tim Wilson are having quite the serious conversation on the backbenches.
It’s like a furrowed brow-off
Julie Collins to Scott Morrison:
When 16,000 older Australians died in one year waiting to re’ve the home care package for which they’d already been approved, why did the Prime Minister announce only 10,000 new home care places today and why did the Prime Minister today put back only half of the $1.2 billion his own budget papers confirm he cut from aged care?
Morrison:
Under our government we’ve been increasing funding for aged care by $1 billion a year Mr Speaker.
I invite members of the opposition to engage with the government in response to the royal commission into aged care which includes a response to those young Australians who find themselves in aged care facilities to join with the government in progressing with the reforms that are necessary to address the matters raised in the royal commission.
This has been the practice of the Liberal and National Parties.
I remember when the previous government was in office and we worked with the aged care minister at the time to take through some very difficult reforms and I’d invite the Opposition to engage with the government as we continue to address the issues in the royal commission that are necessary.
Mr Speaker, the royal commission has made it clear that the issues that we are addressing deal with a generation, a generation, of issues within the aged care system. That go back over many governments, and I note the very sharp response from the Australian public... which has been exhibited by some not all from the Opposition.
When we came to government there were 60,000 in home places. There are 150,000 today, Mr Speaker, and since the 18/19 budget we have put 44,000 additional places into the - in home care aged care system.
Now on top of that as the minister was just explaining it isn’t just a system of throwing more places into the system.
The system has to be able to absorb them with the training and the support to ensure that those places are delivered in a way that is safe and supportive of those Australians who need them.
And I hear the jeer from those opposite, Mr Speaker.
And I would caution them again. I invite them to work with the government to ensure that all Australians get... the aged care that they need. That’s why we called the royal commission.
We’re prepared to address the issues that come out of the royal commission into aged care and I would invite the Opposition to down to join with us in a bipartisan way to ensure that we can deliver the support that they need and deserve and not play partisan politics.
Darren Chester has wandered over to the crossbench for a conversation with Rebekha Sharkie
Labor has asked what sort of institution is facing claims it committed 23m breaches of anti-money laundering provisions: a union or a bank.
Marise Payne replies that “it’s Westpac” – setting up Labor supplementaries asking why Scott Morrison has said the consequence of the alleged breaches is “a matter for the board” when unions face deregistration for three paperwork breaches under the Coalition’s Ensuring Integrity bill.
Payne replies that Morrison also said he was “absolutely appalled” by the alleged breaches, and it will be up to the courts to determine the result of civil penalty proceedings brought by Austrac.
“You’d expect it will be dealt with through the courts. As will the [penalties created by the] Ensuring Integrity bill.”
I’m not sure the answer really met the thrust of the Labor attack that there is a double standard at work here.
We move onto the first dixer, which was a recount of the aged care annoucement.
We also get this announcement:
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
My question is addressed to the Prime Minister. Last week it was reported that an organisation had broken money laundering laws 23 million times. Was it a union...[or another organisation]
Morrison:
Thank you Mr Speaker. It was a bank. And that’s why, Mr Speaker, that’s why when I was treasurer I introduced what is known as the Banking Executive Accountability Regime, Mr Speaker.
That’s what I introduced, Mr Speaker.
I note... Asic are examining these matters but Mr Speaker when it comes to these matters under the BEAR the legislation I had introduced into this House which those opposite actually tried to oppose and prevent being passed in this place, they eventually voted for it, but they showed some hesitation.
...Under that, the civil penalty is a maximum of $210 million for large banks, $52.5 million for medium sized banks and $10.5 million for smaller banks. Individuals can be disqualification and their remuneration may be reduced.
They may also fall foul of over laws and the government increased civil penalties up to $1.05 million to up to $945,000 also with criminal penalties carrying 15 years imprisonment for individuals and to a greater of $9.5 million or three times the benefit gained or 10 per cent of the annual turnover for the companies.
I note the ensuring integrity bill, the penalty maybe up to $21,000 or two years imprisonment. I won’t cop it from those opposite coming in here and say - make these accusations.
I think banks should take account of their manifest failures and I think union thugs should also.
The government benches yell out their ‘hear, hears’ to which someone from Labor yells “executive thugs”
And at 2.33pm, we get to the questions.
Anthony Albanese finishes his indulgence motion on the bushfires, with this:
Labor has started its Senate question time attack on the aged care package – with Penny Wong asking why the government had unveiled just 10,000 home care packages when 16,000 people died waiting for a package in the last year and the shortfall is 120,000.
Aged care minister Richard Colbeck said while the government had taken action to address growing demand for home care packages it had concerns that a significant growth could create a circumstance like the home insulation program pink batts which was rolled out so quickly it “brought in shonky players”.
In response to supplementary questions, he acknowledged the government had asked people to be “patient”, which sets the Labor members off.
Murray Watt heckles “knock him off Johnno” – a reference to his theory that Jonathon Duniam, another Tasmanian Liberal, can (and should) replace Colbeck in the ministry.
The first dixer is also to Colbeck – just rehashing details of the $537m package announced on Monday.
Madeleine King’s phone just went off, causing the panicked OMG WHERE IS THE MUTE BUTTON search.
Practically every MP in this chamber then checked their phone to make sure it was on silent. Turns out this isn’t the centre of the universe and most people don’t understand 2pm is QT.
As someone whose phone has been on silent since 2008, I do not understand people with ringtones. Also - just text me. Who has time for a phone call? And don’t get me started on people who leave voicemail messages.
