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Thousands of doctors appeal to Jacqui Lambie ‘to save medevac’ – politics live Thousands of doctors appeal to Jacqui Lambie ‘to save medevac’ – politics live
(32 minutes later)
More than 5,000 doctors urge senator to ‘show humanity’ as Labor continues to pursue Angus Taylor. All the day’s events, liveMore than 5,000 doctors urge senator to ‘show humanity’ as Labor continues to pursue Angus Taylor. All the day’s events, live
I don’t know why this happened, but I am glad it did
Literally no one has cared about Josh Frydenberg’s big announcement today about coming to terms with the business growth investment fund - you even had to make it to page 8 or so to find it in the Fin - but Jim Chalmers cares, so there’s that. (I mean, there is a bit going on.)
It’s hard being the most popular person in parliament, but someone has to do it.
One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts is up in the debate on the ensuring integrity bill. His speech is heavy on concerns with the unamended bill but it sounds like One Nation is prepared to pass the amended bill.The earlier version “raised concerns for many Australians”, including about procedural fairness, court discretion and the presumption of innocence, he said.
“One Nation won’t stand for union-bashing – we could not support a bill for deregistration for misdemeanour offences like failing to submit paperwork on time.”
But Roberts noted that when One Nation proposed “positive improvements”, they were accepted.
Roberts then went on a long tear about the CFMMEU having an alleged financial conflict for having an interest in an insurer that rejected workers’ comp claims, and the conditions of casual coal miners. He also hates enterprise agreements that trade off penalty rates and accused (unnamed) unions of colluding with employers and big business.
What any of this has to do with a bill relating to disqualification and deregistration of officials is not clear to me.
“The outcome of this bill - if it is to pass - it must hold rogue employer and employee organisations to account,” he said. Australians want honest unions to be “free to thrive”.
Roberts invoked Bob Hawke’s comments about the deregistration of the Building Labourers Federation in the 1980s.
Roberts said One Nation would continue to stand up for workers and for “integrity”. So - big hints that PHON is on board, but the senator sits down after 20 minutes without saying how they’re voting.
Matt Canavan says Angus Taylor is doing “a fantastic job”.
Well, case closed.
Malcolm Roberts is talking a lot about workplace exploitation of employees, but not a lot about the ensuring integrity bill.
It’s so far about casual workers being hired at mines. Or something.
We’re just waiting for his confirmation that One Nation will be voting for the bill, meaning that this will all be done and dusted.
Just as a reminder, this is what Scott Morrison said the phone call was about:Just as a reminder, this is what Scott Morrison said the phone call was about:
From the Australian report of the Mick Fuller conversation:From the Australian report of the Mick Fuller conversation:
“In terms of the investigation, I can’t comment any further,” Mr Fuller said.“In terms of the investigation, I can’t comment any further,” Mr Fuller said.
“However I can say that NSW police received the [opposition] complaint and I have acted appropriately and transparently.“However I can say that NSW police received the [opposition] complaint and I have acted appropriately and transparently.
“You can’t have a police commissioner making decisions to [conduct] an open and transparent investigation then suggest there’s something inappropriate in relation to receiving a phone call. It’s hypocrisy to say that.“You can’t have a police commissioner making decisions to [conduct] an open and transparent investigation then suggest there’s something inappropriate in relation to receiving a phone call. It’s hypocrisy to say that.
“It was an extremely short conversation in that he just wanted confirmation we were conducting an investigation.”“It was an extremely short conversation in that he just wanted confirmation we were conducting an investigation.”
He does not say in there, what Scott Morrison said to him.He does not say in there, what Scott Morrison said to him.
And I guess anyone from the public can ring up the police commissioner and get a personal response, given Fuller’s attitude that it is hypocritical to suggest there is something inappropriate about him taking a phone call.And I guess anyone from the public can ring up the police commissioner and get a personal response, given Fuller’s attitude that it is hypocritical to suggest there is something inappropriate about him taking a phone call.
Cool beans.Cool beans.
Just a quick note: I have had a look through the comments and see there is a bit of frustration about comments being deleted.Just a quick note: I have had a look through the comments and see there is a bit of frustration about comments being deleted.
Just as a refresher, you might want to have a quick read of this.Just as a refresher, you might want to have a quick read of this.
You know we love a lively conversation. But we also love having roofs over our head.You know we love a lively conversation. But we also love having roofs over our head.
You may have seen some of the recent rulings about comments yourselves. Keep it smart, keep it on topic, and keep it out of the courts. Our moderators work bloody hard and they don’t deserve scorn for doing their jobs, which protects both us and you.You may have seen some of the recent rulings about comments yourselves. Keep it smart, keep it on topic, and keep it out of the courts. Our moderators work bloody hard and they don’t deserve scorn for doing their jobs, which protects both us and you.
The Australian has just spoken to Mick Fuller about the phone call he received from Scott Morrison:The Australian has just spoken to Mick Fuller about the phone call he received from Scott Morrison:
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you a question time previewLadies and gentlemen, I present to you a question time preview
There were more than 6,500 same-sex marriages in 2018 – 5.5% of all marriages, according to the latest ABS.There were more than 6,500 same-sex marriages in 2018 – 5.5% of all marriages, according to the latest ABS.
Welcome back to the blogging world, ABC – even if it is just temporary.Welcome back to the blogging world, ABC – even if it is just temporary.
Meanwhile at the ABC, a power outage at Ultimo headquarters has not only crashed the news homepage, but sent readers into a timewarp.Meanwhile at the ABC, a power outage at Ultimo headquarters has not only crashed the news homepage, but sent readers into a timewarp.
Due to some technical shenanigans, readers this morning were greeted with a front page full of stories from 2011. Julia Gillard was PM, the mining and carbon taxes were the big-ticket issues, and the Aussie dollar was near parity with the US.Due to some technical shenanigans, readers this morning were greeted with a front page full of stories from 2011. Julia Gillard was PM, the mining and carbon taxes were the big-ticket issues, and the Aussie dollar was near parity with the US.
As of 11am the glitches are still continuing.As of 11am the glitches are still continuing.
The ABC news homepage has now been turned into ... one giant liveblog – providing stiff competition for our own.The ABC news homepage has now been turned into ... one giant liveblog – providing stiff competition for our own.
It’s certainly a novel way for Aunty to get the stories out, but technical issues mean that they can’t seem to use hyperlinks. So you have to scroll manually to find the story you want.It’s certainly a novel way for Aunty to get the stories out, but technical issues mean that they can’t seem to use hyperlinks. So you have to scroll manually to find the story you want.
It’s unclear how long the outage will last, but we think our crown is safe for now.It’s unclear how long the outage will last, but we think our crown is safe for now.
Labor’s Andrew Leigh has taken exception to suggestions by Liberal Tim Wilson that calling Westpac back to face the house economics committee could prejudice legal action against it by Austrac over the bank’s money-laundering and child exploitation scandal.Labor’s Andrew Leigh has taken exception to suggestions by Liberal Tim Wilson that calling Westpac back to face the house economics committee could prejudice legal action against it by Austrac over the bank’s money-laundering and child exploitation scandal.
Wilson is chair of the committee and Leigh is deputy.Wilson is chair of the committee and Leigh is deputy.
“The lame excuse that an economics committee hearing would interfere with legal proceedings is simply false,” Leigh told the Guardian.“The lame excuse that an economics committee hearing would interfere with legal proceedings is simply false,” Leigh told the Guardian.
“Westpac faces a judge-only trial in the federal court, and it is entirely appropriate that the economics committee also inquiring into the surrounding institutional issues. “Under this spurious argument, Australian couldn’t have held a royal commission into the banking sector until every court case against a bank was concluded.”“Westpac faces a judge-only trial in the federal court, and it is entirely appropriate that the economics committee also inquiring into the surrounding institutional issues. “Under this spurious argument, Australian couldn’t have held a royal commission into the banking sector until every court case against a bank was concluded.”
Given Westpac’s stated intent that it wants to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and former chief executive Brian Hartzer’s statements that the bank accepts almost all of Austrac’s allegations, it is highly unlikely the case will ever go to trial anyway.Given Westpac’s stated intent that it wants to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and former chief executive Brian Hartzer’s statements that the bank accepts almost all of Austrac’s allegations, it is highly unlikely the case will ever go to trial anyway.
The Parliamentary Budget Office has released its national fiscal outlook, which examines the national position by combining budget figures from commonwealth, state and territory governments.The Parliamentary Budget Office has released its national fiscal outlook, which examines the national position by combining budget figures from commonwealth, state and territory governments.
It finds that the nation’s budgets are in surplus by $20bn for 2018-19, and will rise to $45.2bn or 2% of GDP by the end of 2019-20.It finds that the nation’s budgets are in surplus by $20bn for 2018-19, and will rise to $45.2bn or 2% of GDP by the end of 2019-20.
The PBO said:The PBO said:
While commonwealth debt is projected to decline as the budget returns to surplus, state and territory net debt will increase to its highest level for two decades. National net debt will change composition from being 10% state-held in 2018-19 to 30% in 2022-23.While commonwealth debt is projected to decline as the budget returns to surplus, state and territory net debt will increase to its highest level for two decades. National net debt will change composition from being 10% state-held in 2018-19 to 30% in 2022-23.
The PBO warns that “risk remains”:The PBO warns that “risk remains”:
The difference between Labor’s call for Angus Taylor to stand aside while the police investigation was carried out, and the red shirts police investigation which involved 21 Victorian Labor MPs, including six ministers (none of which stood aside) is all about the allegation of misleading parliament, Anthony Albanese told Sky News this morning:The difference between Labor’s call for Angus Taylor to stand aside while the police investigation was carried out, and the red shirts police investigation which involved 21 Victorian Labor MPs, including six ministers (none of which stood aside) is all about the allegation of misleading parliament, Anthony Albanese told Sky News this morning: