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| Nick Xenophon defends his new role with controversial telco Huawei – politics live | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Former senator says his job is simply to correct untruths and slurs against the Chinese technology giant. All the day’s politics, live | |
| The Greens are voting with the Liberals in the Senate against an urgency motion on the carbon pollution reduction scheme. The motion, brought on by senator Malarndirri McCarthy, asked the Senate to recognise that the Greens and Liberals joined together to vote against the CPRS 10 years ago today. | |
| Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson said the motion was “all about the Labor party” and a “huge distraction”. | |
| Seven News in Melbourne are reporting that Tony Abbott visited cardinal George Pell in prison. The full story has not yet been aired. | Seven News in Melbourne are reporting that Tony Abbott visited cardinal George Pell in prison. The full story has not yet been aired. |
| My colleague Graham Readfearn has just published a story on Australia’s concessions to Unesco that climate change had adversely affected the Great Barrier Reef’s world heritage unique values. He reports: | My colleague Graham Readfearn has just published a story on Australia’s concessions to Unesco that climate change had adversely affected the Great Barrier Reef’s world heritage unique values. He reports: |
| The Greens senator Larissa Waters said the report was an “exercise in spin”. | The Greens senator Larissa Waters said the report was an “exercise in spin”. |
| “An honest reef report would read – the reef is cooked unless we boldly and quickly ramp up rescue efforts,” she said. | “An honest reef report would read – the reef is cooked unless we boldly and quickly ramp up rescue efforts,” she said. |
| “Yet, rather than taking strong action to address climate change, the Australian government in this report is saying it’s everybody else’s problem, after having lobbied for climate change to be removed as a consideration in world heritage in danger listings.” | “Yet, rather than taking strong action to address climate change, the Australian government in this report is saying it’s everybody else’s problem, after having lobbied for climate change to be removed as a consideration in world heritage in danger listings.” |
| Xenophon is asked whether he is comfortable with Huawei’s involvement in the mass surveillance of Uighurs in Xinjiang province in China. A report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute this week found Chinese tech companies “are engaged in deeply unethical behaviour in Xinjiang, where their work directly supports and enables mass human rights abuses”. | Xenophon is asked whether he is comfortable with Huawei’s involvement in the mass surveillance of Uighurs in Xinjiang province in China. A report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute this week found Chinese tech companies “are engaged in deeply unethical behaviour in Xinjiang, where their work directly supports and enables mass human rights abuses”. |
| Xenophon said he was troubled by the Chinese government’s actions, but not of the suppliers of technology. | Xenophon said he was troubled by the Chinese government’s actions, but not of the suppliers of technology. |
| Nick Xenophon is doing the rounds spruiking for his new client, Huawei. He’s been on the ABC and says he won’t need to place himself on the government’s new foreign influence transparency register, despite his new role. | Nick Xenophon is doing the rounds spruiking for his new client, Huawei. He’s been on the ABC and says he won’t need to place himself on the government’s new foreign influence transparency register, despite his new role. |
| Xenophon says his job is to respond to “slurs” and “untruths” against Huawei. | Xenophon says his job is to respond to “slurs” and “untruths” against Huawei. |
| He then questions the advice of security agencies of Australia, which advised the government against involving Huawei in the 5G network on security grounds. He then compares their advice to the advice on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, which was later proven wrong. | He then questions the advice of security agencies of Australia, which advised the government against involving Huawei in the 5G network on security grounds. He then compares their advice to the advice on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, which was later proven wrong. |
| “I’m not conflating them,” he assures viewers. | “I’m not conflating them,” he assures viewers. |
| The Murray-Darling Basin Plan protesters have made their way up to the front doors of Parliament House. They’re certainly making themselves heard. | The Murray-Darling Basin Plan protesters have made their way up to the front doors of Parliament House. They’re certainly making themselves heard. |
| Speaking of Angus Taylor, which seems to be an interminable exercise at the moment, there’s a slight question about his first speech to parliament. He referenced his memory of “a young Naomi Wolf” as a student at Oxford wanting to remove a Christmas tree from the common room “because some people might be offended”. Taylor described his outrage at this form of “political correctness”. | Speaking of Angus Taylor, which seems to be an interminable exercise at the moment, there’s a slight question about his first speech to parliament. He referenced his memory of “a young Naomi Wolf” as a student at Oxford wanting to remove a Christmas tree from the common room “because some people might be offended”. Taylor described his outrage at this form of “political correctness”. |
| Wolf, a US author and journalist, has questioned some of Taylor’s factual assertions on Twitter. | Wolf, a US author and journalist, has questioned some of Taylor’s factual assertions on Twitter. |
| We’re looking into it, rest assured. | We’re looking into it, rest assured. |
| The Liberal MP Tim Wilson has some tough words for the former senator Nick Xenophon and his decision to act as Huawei’s strategic counsel. | The Liberal MP Tim Wilson has some tough words for the former senator Nick Xenophon and his decision to act as Huawei’s strategic counsel. |
| “I think history will judge him harshly for it,” he said. | “I think history will judge him harshly for it,” he said. |
| “I just think he’s made a choice and he’s chosen who he is going to work for ... he has chosen to represent a telecommunications company that has been denied access to Australia’s telecommunications network for a reason.” | “I just think he’s made a choice and he’s chosen who he is going to work for ... he has chosen to represent a telecommunications company that has been denied access to Australia’s telecommunications network for a reason.” |
| Labor’s Mark Butler is speaking on what he says is Angus Taylor’s failure to declare interests in a company named GFA F1 Pty Ltd. Taylor has a partnership interest in the company through a separate venture, Farm Partnerships Australia, which he has declared appropriately. | Labor’s Mark Butler is speaking on what he says is Angus Taylor’s failure to declare interests in a company named GFA F1 Pty Ltd. Taylor has a partnership interest in the company through a separate venture, Farm Partnerships Australia, which he has declared appropriately. |
| Labor says he should have also declared the interest in GFA F1 Pty Ltd on his pecuniary interests register. Butler says the scandals by themselves don’t warrant Taylor’s sacking. | Labor says he should have also declared the interest in GFA F1 Pty Ltd on his pecuniary interests register. Butler says the scandals by themselves don’t warrant Taylor’s sacking. |
| Taylor says he has declared all interests appropriately. His colleague Tim Wilson has just described the criticism as a “joke”. | Taylor says he has declared all interests appropriately. His colleague Tim Wilson has just described the criticism as a “joke”. |
| We’ve just got some vision from the debate on the medevac repeal bill a little earlier. Kristina Keneally spoke out against the “inhumane” attempts to deny proper medical care to asylum seekers. | We’ve just got some vision from the debate on the medevac repeal bill a little earlier. Kristina Keneally spoke out against the “inhumane” attempts to deny proper medical care to asylum seekers. |
| Mike Bowers captured all the colour from Labor’s assault on Angus Taylor during question time this afternoon. | Mike Bowers captured all the colour from Labor’s assault on Angus Taylor during question time this afternoon. |
| I’ve just come back from the CanthePlan protest out the front of Parliament House. | I’ve just come back from the CanthePlan protest out the front of Parliament House. |
| The organiser Carly Marriott told Guardian Australia that “environmental water is not an out-and-out good thing” but rather is a piece of “branding” used to persuade the public. | The organiser Carly Marriott told Guardian Australia that “environmental water is not an out-and-out good thing” but rather is a piece of “branding” used to persuade the public. |
| She said: | She said: |
| The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP for the NSW seat of Murray, Helen Dalton, explained that Australia is an “ephemeral environment” and high water levels in the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers “is actually causing a lot of environmental damage”. | The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP for the NSW seat of Murray, Helen Dalton, explained that Australia is an “ephemeral environment” and high water levels in the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers “is actually causing a lot of environmental damage”. |
| Dalton said: | Dalton said: |
| Marriott said: | Marriott said: |
| Pauline Hanson said One Nation have been “working extremely hard” to fix the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, complaining that parliament had knocked back her call to debate setting up the Bradfield Scheme. | Pauline Hanson said One Nation have been “working extremely hard” to fix the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, complaining that parliament had knocked back her call to debate setting up the Bradfield Scheme. |
| She said: | She said: |
| Ahead of the rally, the National Farmers’ Federation put out a statement acknowledging farmers’ concerns, but warning that “no plan” is no solution. The NFF president, Fiona Simson, said: | Ahead of the rally, the National Farmers’ Federation put out a statement acknowledging farmers’ concerns, but warning that “no plan” is no solution. The NFF president, Fiona Simson, said: |
| Marriott said the push to scrap or rewrite the basin plan will not be derailed or stopped by a press release. | Marriott said the push to scrap or rewrite the basin plan will not be derailed or stopped by a press release. |
| And that’s a wrap on question time. It ends with a ceasefire of sorts. Scott Morrison wishes his dad happy birthday during what he says is a difficult time. Labor echoes the sentiments. | And that’s a wrap on question time. It ends with a ceasefire of sorts. Scott Morrison wishes his dad happy birthday during what he says is a difficult time. Labor echoes the sentiments. |
| Anthony Albanese: | Anthony Albanese: |
| So just to recap quickly: | So just to recap quickly: |
| Labor began with an attack on the Coalition’s economic management, citing slowing economic growth and sluggish wage growth. It then seized on Malcolm Turnbull’s criticism of the Coalition’s climate policy to criticise the government’s ongoing climate action. | Labor began with an attack on the Coalition’s economic management, citing slowing economic growth and sluggish wage growth. It then seized on Malcolm Turnbull’s criticism of the Coalition’s climate policy to criticise the government’s ongoing climate action. |
| Labor then shifted into full-frontal assault mode on Angus Taylor, who remains under pressure on several fronts. The issue continuing to cause him most difficulty is his reliance on a falsified document to attack the Sydney lord mayor, Clover Moore, for her travel-related emissions. That has prompted a NSW police investigation. | Labor then shifted into full-frontal assault mode on Angus Taylor, who remains under pressure on several fronts. The issue continuing to cause him most difficulty is his reliance on a falsified document to attack the Sydney lord mayor, Clover Moore, for her travel-related emissions. That has prompted a NSW police investigation. |
| The attorney-general, Christian Porter, confirmed he was in the room with Scott Morrison when the prime minister made a call to the NSW police commissioner, Mick Fuller, about the investigation. Porter said Fuller knew he was on the call. | The attorney-general, Christian Porter, confirmed he was in the room with Scott Morrison when the prime minister made a call to the NSW police commissioner, Mick Fuller, about the investigation. Porter said Fuller knew he was on the call. |
| Porter said he did not seek advice on the appropriateness of the call. He said he didn’t believe it was necessary because it was so short and basic. | Porter said he did not seek advice on the appropriateness of the call. He said he didn’t believe it was necessary because it was so short and basic. |
| The attorney-general said it was a completely appropriate call to make and attacked Labor for vexatious referrals to police. | The attorney-general said it was a completely appropriate call to make and attacked Labor for vexatious referrals to police. |
| Labor also asked why Taylor had not properly declared interests in a company named GFA F1 Pty Ltd. Taylor said all his financial interests were properly disclosed. | Labor also asked why Taylor had not properly declared interests in a company named GFA F1 Pty Ltd. Taylor said all his financial interests were properly disclosed. |
| In the Senate, we had some fairly unedifying displays from protesters opposed to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. They heckled and attacked Bridget McKenzie with abuse, including one who described her as “fucking useless”. Some individuals were escorted out. | In the Senate, we had some fairly unedifying displays from protesters opposed to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. They heckled and attacked Bridget McKenzie with abuse, including one who described her as “fucking useless”. Some individuals were escorted out. |
| Scott Morrison says Labor is engaged in “grubby smears and political games” in the attack on Angus Taylor because it can’t face the fact it was rejected by the voting public. | Scott Morrison says Labor is engaged in “grubby smears and political games” in the attack on Angus Taylor because it can’t face the fact it was rejected by the voting public. |
| Anthony Albanese begins to rattle off the various controversies involving Angus Taylor. It takes so long that he can’t finish his question. | Anthony Albanese begins to rattle off the various controversies involving Angus Taylor. It takes so long that he can’t finish his question. |
| Scott Morrison jumps to his feet: | Scott Morrison jumps to his feet: |