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| Sports rorts back in the spotlight after PM drawn further into controversy – politics live | Sports rorts back in the spotlight after PM drawn further into controversy – politics live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Sport Australia will front the Senate inquiry as the government maintains it did nothing wrong with its sports grant program. All the day’s events, live | Sport Australia will front the Senate inquiry as the government maintains it did nothing wrong with its sports grant program. All the day’s events, live |
| Sports Australia is up today. | |
| Featured are: | |
| John Wylie, Chair | |
| Robert Dalton, Acting Chief Executive Officer | |
| Luke McCann, Chief Operating Officer | |
| Meanwhile, from a MP who spent the summer watching the impacts of climate change – worsening natural disasters – comes this story. | |
| Mike Kelly spoke to SBS News about his summer. And why he believes the climate change “debate” in the political class is “criminal” | |
| A vigil was held for Hannah Clarke and her children, Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey, last night in parliament house. | |
| Scott Morrison: | |
| Back on Angus Taylor for a moment – the energy minister was also asked on ABC Breakfast if he had confidence none of his current or former staff altered the document which was used in a political attack against Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore: | |
| Q: Just one more question, really briefly if I may, because this is the first time we had the opportunity since the ADF continues for that investigation into that document. Do you have confidence that none of your current or former staff was used to falsifying the document you used against Clover Moore. | |
| Taylor: We had two police forces, the New South Wales police and the AFP considered and closed this matter. | |
| Q: I’m asking you about you? Do you have ... | |
| Taylor: And closed this matter. There’s a political referral from the Labor party. It’s been considered twice over now. They have closed the matter. And I’m focused on making sure we get Australia affordable, reliable energy while we bring down our emissions not just through to 2030, but beyond. That’s my focus. That’s what the Australian people want us as a government to do and me as the relevant minister to do and I’ll keep focusing on that everyday. | |
| In case you haven’t seen it, Chris Knaus has this story: | |
| Anthony Albanese was very quick out of the blocks this morning. He stopped by doors (which MPs only go through when they have something to say to the media). | Anthony Albanese was very quick out of the blocks this morning. He stopped by doors (which MPs only go through when they have something to say to the media). |
| This is not a new conspiracy. | This is not a new conspiracy. |
| Here is Graham Readfearn writing on it in 2014. What is damaging about it though, is that it is increasingly creeping into our political debate, lending it legitimacy. | Here is Graham Readfearn writing on it in 2014. What is damaging about it though, is that it is increasingly creeping into our political debate, lending it legitimacy. |
| In case it has to be said, the BoM has not changed climate records as part of a global conspiracy to convince you that climate change is real. It is not part of a leftie/Illuminati/alien agenda to pull the wool over your eyes. | In case it has to be said, the BoM has not changed climate records as part of a global conspiracy to convince you that climate change is real. It is not part of a leftie/Illuminati/alien agenda to pull the wool over your eyes. |
| Sometimes, the weather stations have to be moved. And when that happens, you make adjustments for changes in the environment. | Sometimes, the weather stations have to be moved. And when that happens, you make adjustments for changes in the environment. |
| Any changes the bureau make, are peer-reviewed. They have to go through a rigorous, independent, academic process. | Any changes the bureau make, are peer-reviewed. They have to go through a rigorous, independent, academic process. |
| As Readfearn reported in 2014: | As Readfearn reported in 2014: |
| I’ll let you know if they start selling tin-foil hats in the parliament gift shop. | I’ll let you know if they start selling tin-foil hats in the parliament gift shop. |
| In the midst of that, George Christensen moved to extend Craig Kelly’s speaking time. He was also denied. | In the midst of that, George Christensen moved to extend Craig Kelly’s speaking time. He was also denied. |
| Kelly joins Liberal senator Gerard Rennick in accusing the Bureau of changing it’s records. He hasn’t received a briefing from the bureau or anything. But he did read someone from the IPA writing about it once, and that’s good enough for him. | Kelly joins Liberal senator Gerard Rennick in accusing the Bureau of changing it’s records. He hasn’t received a briefing from the bureau or anything. But he did read someone from the IPA writing about it once, and that’s good enough for him. |
| And of course, there was Liberal senator Jim Molan’s admission that he doesn’t rely on evidence for his climate change views, which are ‘he could be convinced’ it is happening. | And of course, there was Liberal senator Jim Molan’s admission that he doesn’t rely on evidence for his climate change views, which are ‘he could be convinced’ it is happening. |
| But it is good that the government is completely as one that climate change is happening. Completely. As. One. | But it is good that the government is completely as one that climate change is happening. Completely. As. One. |
| Craig Kelly continues. Now, with a bigger audience: | Craig Kelly continues. Now, with a bigger audience: |
| Kelly: | Kelly: |
| (Tony Burke moves to adjourn the debate, but cannot): | (Tony Burke moves to adjourn the debate, but cannot): |
| Reading through the hansard from yesterday, and it seems Craig Kelly has dived wholeheartedly into the exciting range of tin foil hats, | Reading through the hansard from yesterday, and it seems Craig Kelly has dived wholeheartedly into the exciting range of tin foil hats, |
| Here he is talking on an appropriation bill: | Here he is talking on an appropriation bill: |
| Sports rorts is back in the spotlight, with the Senate inquiry into the government program up first thing this morning. | Sports rorts is back in the spotlight, with the Senate inquiry into the government program up first thing this morning. |
| Sports Australia will appear at the committee today. This comes after the auditor general answered some questions on notice on the issue revealing 136 emails were exchanged between Bridget McKenzie’s office (as the then minister) and Scott Morrison’s office about the program, including one the day before the election was called. | Sports Australia will appear at the committee today. This comes after the auditor general answered some questions on notice on the issue revealing 136 emails were exchanged between Bridget McKenzie’s office (as the then minister) and Scott Morrison’s office about the program, including one the day before the election was called. |
| Morrison has maintained that his involvement was limited to representations, and the auditor general said it didn’t believe the prime minister was any more or less successful in those representations than anyone else. | Morrison has maintained that his involvement was limited to representations, and the auditor general said it didn’t believe the prime minister was any more or less successful in those representations than anyone else. |
| But as Paul Karp reported yesterday, it’s not going to slow down: | But as Paul Karp reported yesterday, it’s not going to slow down: |
| Meanwhile, the government is also facing questions about how $10m, which was part of a program meant to help put pools and changing facilities in regional areas, ended up in a North Sydney pool complex. | Meanwhile, the government is also facing questions about how $10m, which was part of a program meant to help put pools and changing facilities in regional areas, ended up in a North Sydney pool complex. |
| It led to this exchange between Angus Taylor and an ABC Breakfast host over whether or not North Sydney was “regional”. | It led to this exchange between Angus Taylor and an ABC Breakfast host over whether or not North Sydney was “regional”. |
| Q: How would you describe North Sydney then? | Q: How would you describe North Sydney then? |
| Taylor: Well, North Sydney is like every other part of Australia – lots of kids ... | Taylor: Well, North Sydney is like every other part of Australia – lots of kids ... |
| Q: Is it regional? Is it rural? | Q: Is it regional? Is it rural? |
| Taylor: And adults who want to play sport and they need investment. | Taylor: And adults who want to play sport and they need investment. |
| Q: Is it regional or rural, Mr Taylor? | Q: Is it regional or rural, Mr Taylor? |
| Taylor: It’s clear - North Sydney is in Sydney. There’s no doubt about that. But my point is a broader one which is the one type of infrastructure investment that is very clearly in need of more investment and support from government that I see again and again and again is sporting infrastructure. It’s hugely important. | Taylor: It’s clear - North Sydney is in Sydney. There’s no doubt about that. But my point is a broader one which is the one type of infrastructure investment that is very clearly in need of more investment and support from government that I see again and again and again is sporting infrastructure. It’s hugely important. |
| Meanwhile, Jacqui Lambie has reiterated she will not negotiate with the government over its ensuring integrity bill, until it releases the Gaetjen’s report into sports rorts. Morrison will not do that. And so you have a situation where most non-government senators are doing all they can to disrupt government business in the Senate, in a bid to force the government into releasing the report. We don’t know what Morrison’s former chief of staff turned departmental head looked at, how many versions of the colour-coded spreadsheets he examined, or who he talked to. We don’t know what it says – only what the prime minister says it says. That will most likely come up in the hearings as well. | Meanwhile, Jacqui Lambie has reiterated she will not negotiate with the government over its ensuring integrity bill, until it releases the Gaetjen’s report into sports rorts. Morrison will not do that. And so you have a situation where most non-government senators are doing all they can to disrupt government business in the Senate, in a bid to force the government into releasing the report. We don’t know what Morrison’s former chief of staff turned departmental head looked at, how many versions of the colour-coded spreadsheets he examined, or who he talked to. We don’t know what it says – only what the prime minister says it says. That will most likely come up in the hearings as well. |
| We’ll have all of that and more as the day unfolds. | We’ll have all of that and more as the day unfolds. |
| Ready? | Ready? |
| Let’s get into it. | Let’s get into it. |