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Greens MP refers NSW police commissioner to integrity commission – politics live 'Ensuring integrity' union bill defeated in Senate as One Nation votes with Labor – politics live
(32 minutes later)
David Shoebridge says he has referred Mick Fuller over the phone call with Scott Morrison regarding Angus Taylor. All the day’s events, liveDavid Shoebridge says he has referred Mick Fuller over the phone call with Scott Morrison regarding Angus Taylor. All the day’s events, live
Again - what even is today.
So just to be clear - One Nation switched its vote at the final hurdle and the bill was defeated.
The Senate is dividing on the question that the bill as amended be agreed to.
Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts are voting with Labor, the Greens and Jacqui Lambie!
It was tied 34-34 - so the question was negated. Labor and Greens clap.
We see it but we don’t believe it.
Senator Hanson and Senator Roberts just sat with Labor to oppose the Ensuring Integrity Bill.
Final vote:
Ayes – 34
Noes – 34
That means that the Bill has a tied vote has NOT passed.
Moving off Greens amendments to government ones – at first it looked like Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts were split on one set.
But the vote was re-run and Anne Ruston dispatched to explain what was what. Both One Nation senators (and Centre Alliance) voted with the government – a pattern which, if it continues, will see the bill pass.
Then came Jacqui Lambie amendments, which are designed to ensure unions are not deregistered for taking industrial action; and to ask for a review of the bill after 12 months.
Here One Nation were split – with Hanson voting with Labor and the Greens, and Roberts voting with the government.
Still, Lambie lost the vote 35 to 33.
The last of the ensuring integrity amendments are being voted on.
Once this is done, the third reading vote will be held.
Then it goes back to the house to be agreed upon with the amendments.
Then it goes back to the Senate for one last time.
Then once it passes there (which it will, because the crossbench is on board) it just needs royal assent, and then it’s law.
Voting has started on a series of amendments to the Coalition’s bill to facilitate deregistration of unions and disqualification of their officials.
We’ll get a series of votes on amendments then a final vote at the third reading stage to pass the bill.
First up is the Greens amendments, the most controversial of which stipulates the law will not come into effect until after the establishment of a National Integrity Commission.
The first Greens amendment – raising the threshold of demerit points for deregistration – was voted down 36 to 32.
Jacqui Lambie voted with the Greens and Labor in favour; Centre Alliance voted with the government against. I can’t see Pauline Hanson or Malcolm Roberts in the chamber.
Labor has put together what it says is the four times Scott Morrison has misled the house in the past 24 hours: Morrison’s misattribution of a radio talkback host quote to a Victorian police officer (which he wrote to the House and corrected), accusing Labor of gagging debate on veterans when it was about the Naif (although Phil Thompson did mention veteran suicides) claiming Labor voted against the second reading of the Defence Service Homes Amendment Bill (Labor voted for it) and then correcting the record by saying Labor voted against the third reading of that bill (when Labor voted for it).
Angus Taylor has responded to Labor’s rejection of the pair:Angus Taylor has responded to Labor’s rejection of the pair:
Ensuring integrity is about to get back under way in the Senate.Ensuring integrity is about to get back under way in the Senate.
Today, the Greens MP and justice spokesperson David Shoebridge has referred the NSW police commissioner to the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission as a result of his disclosures to the prime minister, Scott Morrison, about an ongoing police investigation into the emissions reduction minister, Angus Taylor. Here is an excerpt of the referral:Today, the Greens MP and justice spokesperson David Shoebridge has referred the NSW police commissioner to the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission as a result of his disclosures to the prime minister, Scott Morrison, about an ongoing police investigation into the emissions reduction minister, Angus Taylor. Here is an excerpt of the referral:
Shoebridge said:Shoebridge said:
Our colleague Naaman Zhou has just spoken to David Shoebridge, who says he has referred Mick Fuller to the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission over the phone call with Scott Morrison regarding the Angus Taylor investigation.Our colleague Naaman Zhou has just spoken to David Shoebridge, who says he has referred Mick Fuller to the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission over the phone call with Scott Morrison regarding the Angus Taylor investigation.
Shoebridge is referring Fuller under section 10 of the LECC Act for serious misconduct.Shoebridge is referring Fuller under section 10 of the LECC Act for serious misconduct.
“Commissioner Fuller either knew, or reasonably ought to have known, that Prime Minister Morrison and Minister Taylor were close political colleagues. Given this, it was highly inappropriate for Commissioner Fuller to be disclosing any details of the police investigation into Mr Taylor to Prime Minister Morrison.”“Commissioner Fuller either knew, or reasonably ought to have known, that Prime Minister Morrison and Minister Taylor were close political colleagues. Given this, it was highly inappropriate for Commissioner Fuller to be disclosing any details of the police investigation into Mr Taylor to Prime Minister Morrison.”
Shoebridge also claimed there was a conflict of interest between Fuller and Morrison because of the “personal relationship” the pair have previously spoken of, and being neighbours (or bin-gate) which they now claim was a joke.Shoebridge also claimed there was a conflict of interest between Fuller and Morrison because of the “personal relationship” the pair have previously spoken of, and being neighbours (or bin-gate) which they now claim was a joke.
The talks go from 2 December to 13 December – so Angus Taylor could still attend the tail end, if he so wished.The talks go from 2 December to 13 December – so Angus Taylor could still attend the tail end, if he so wished.
Labor received a request earlier this week to pair Angus Taylor for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week, so he could attend United Nation-led climate talks in Paris and Madrid.Labor received a request earlier this week to pair Angus Taylor for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week, so he could attend United Nation-led climate talks in Paris and Madrid.
Labor wrote back today to say no – the reason being it doesn’t think it is appropriate that a minister under police investigation should be granted leave, when there are still questions to be answered.Labor wrote back today to say no – the reason being it doesn’t think it is appropriate that a minister under police investigation should be granted leave, when there are still questions to be answered.
Marise Payne who is going to the same talks, has been granted a pair (as is precedent).Marise Payne who is going to the same talks, has been granted a pair (as is precedent).
The government now needs to decide whether Taylor misses the talks or loses a number.The government now needs to decide whether Taylor misses the talks or loses a number.
The matter of public importance begins – it is on robodebt and is being led by Bill Shorten – and Tim Wilson starts non-stop heckling about the number of Labor MPs who have left the chamber (there are still more Labor MPs in the chamber than Coalition MPs though).
“Will you shut up,” someone from Labor yells.
Andrew Giles appeals to the deputy speaker, pointing at Wilson, but Wilson seems to get bored of his own steam and wanders off.
Anthony Albanese associates the opposition with the comments of Darren Chester about the need to do more on veteran suicide.
Tony Pasin is muttering loudly about the “disrespect” Labor showed earlier.
Scott Morrison adds his words and thoughts to the question.
He calls an end to question time, but moves to correct the record first and says that Labor voted against the “third reading” of the defence force homes legislation.
He walks out of the chamber as Labor goes nuts, calling Morrison a liar.
They can’t bring Morrison back in, because question time is over, so Albanese makes a personal explanation.
It is pretty extraordinary – the votes are a matter of public record.
Labor loses its bid, and the house returns to its seats.
We have at least one more dixer. The folders are stacked and the phone has been placed on top, so hopefully Scott Morrison just has one more question in mind.
The dixer is from Phil Thompson on veteran suicides. The Labor benches are s i l e n t as Darren Chester speaks.
In the most shocking news this week, Tony Pasin has avoided the front bench in this division.
Luke Howarth is there though.
Karen Andrews and Clint Eastwood’s imaginary Obama sit next to Angus Taylor.
We get to the final division, where they swap sides.
Or as Tony Pasin thinks of it “frontbench time”.
The screen which shows what the procedure is on the floor of the house just said:
“That the member be no longer hard” following Mark Butler’s contribution, which caused a lot of mirth on the floor of the chamber.
Marise Payne, representing the attorney general, has just made a statement about the mysterious imprisonment of Witness J.
Payne said that court orders prevent publication of information about the case and the orders were made with the consent of the parties.
“In any legal proceedings the commonwealth attorney general or other parties can seek orders to protect sensitive information. It is always at the discretion of the court whether to make such orders.”
Nick McKim took note of the answer:
“In the 21st century there is a person who has been secretly charged, secretly sentenced and secretly imprisoned in Australia ...
“When asked to provide further information, the attorney general’s representative has refused or been unable to provide further information.
This is a shocking example of secrecy and abuse of state power, and our descent into a police state.
“Open justice is critical to the rule of law, which in turn is critical to our democracy.”
McKim concludes by suggesting Australia is now an “authoritarian state” and calling for a bill of rights.
Mood
The motion
I seek leave to move the following motion —
That the House notes that this week:
detectives from the NSW Police Force’s State Crime Command Financial Crimes Squad launched Strike Force Garrad to investigate whether the Minister for Emissions Reduction committed a crime;
the prime minister refused to stand down the minister while the subject of a criminal investigation notwithstanding the Ministerial Standards;
the prime minister called the NSW Police Commissioner and discussed the nature, substance and instigation of the criminal investigation;
former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, former NSW ICAC Commissioner David Ipp QC, and former NSW ICAC Counsel Assisting Geoffrey Watson SC have criticised the prime minister’s call;
the prime minister misled the House while defending the deliberate misleading of the House by the minister and refused to apologise and correct the record;
the prime minister failed to answer questions about his conduct, or the conduct of the Minister, and prevented Parliament debating this scandal 20 times; and
therefore, the House calls on the prime minister to:acknowledge the Minister for Emissions Reduction deliberately misled the House;
acknowledge the prime minister’s decision to call the NSW police commissioner was inappropriate;
correct the record in person and apologise for misleading the House on Wednesday;
correct the record in person and apologise for misleading the House today by claiming the opposition voted against the second reading of the Defence Service Homes Amendment Bill 2019 when it supported it;
undertake to fully cooperate with the NSW Police Force criminal investigation; and
stand down the minister for emissions reduction.