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Liberal MP says Coalition needs to look at a 2050 net zero emissions target – question time live Labor asks PM if Bridget McKenzie's sports grants document was backdated – politics live
(32 minutes later)
Trent Zimmerman says Australia should think beyond 2030 as the world prepares for the Glasgow climate conference. All the day’s events, live Anthony Albanese asks why the briefing is dated 4 April when approval was given on 11 April, the day the election was called. All the day’s events, live
The prime minister is holding a press conference at 3.45pm in the PMO courtyard, the most serious of press conference locations.
The Senate inquiry into the sports grants affair has been extended until 24 June.
For the context:
Question time ends.
It’s time for the matter of public importance – which is on sports grants.
Pat Conroy starts with “this is a corrupt government, this is a corrupt government”, which he is asked to withdraw.
He does. Changing it to “this is a government that oversees corrupt processes”, which someone tries to make him withdraw, but it is allowed.
This is also because Labor is using it as well, moving to shut down members from the government from speaking, in revenge for the government shutting down its members.
Here is the latest motion to be shut down:Here is the latest motion to be shut down:
That the House:1) notes: That the House:
1) notes:
a) Sport Australia has told the Parliament today that it provided a brief to Senator McKenzie on 3 April 2019 recommending 245 sports projects be approved;a) Sport Australia has told the Parliament today that it provided a brief to Senator McKenzie on 3 April 2019 recommending 245 sports projects be approved;
b) Senator McKenzie wrote to the Prime Minister on 10 April, the day before he called the election, attaching a spreadsheet with projects she intended to approve by electorate, including party details;b) Senator McKenzie wrote to the Prime Minister on 10 April, the day before he called the election, attaching a spreadsheet with projects she intended to approve by electorate, including party details;
c) on 11 April, the day the Prime Minister called the election, Senator McKenzie provided a brief to Sport Australia dated 4 April approving 228 projects for funding;c) on 11 April, the day the Prime Minister called the election, Senator McKenzie provided a brief to Sport Australia dated 4 April approving 228 projects for funding;
d) 73 per cent of projects approved by Senator McKenzie were not recommended by Sport Australia;d) 73 per cent of projects approved by Senator McKenzie were not recommended by Sport Australia;
e) Sport Australia received the approved sports rorts list from Senator McKenzie after the election had been called and after caretaker conventions had commenced;e) Sport Australia received the approved sports rorts list from Senator McKenzie after the election had been called and after caretaker conventions had commenced;
f) the Government approved a $50,000 grant to the Sans Souci Football Club in the Prime Minister’s own electorate despite the fact the project had already been built, had already been officially opened and was therefore ineligible for funding; andf) the Government approved a $50,000 grant to the Sans Souci Football Club in the Prime Minister’s own electorate despite the fact the project had already been built, had already been officially opened and was therefore ineligible for funding; and
g) the Prime Minister is the masterchef of cooking the books; andg) the Prime Minister is the masterchef of cooking the books; and
2) declares the Prime Minister has repeatedly misled the Parliament and he should have the integrity to correct the record as required by House practice; and2) declares the Prime Minister has repeatedly misled the Parliament and he should have the integrity to correct the record as required by House practice; and
3) calls on the Prime Minister to provide a full and frank account as to why he has used taxpayer money to advance his own Government’s partisan political interests.3) calls on the Prime Minister to provide a full and frank account as to why he has used taxpayer money to advance his own Government’s partisan political interests.
Labor has returned to the signed brief of sports grants - asking how it could have been signed on 4 April if Bridget McKenzie only sought the prime minister’s feedback on 10 April. Labor has returned to the signed brief of sports grants, asking how it could have been signed on 4 April if Bridget McKenzie only sought the prime minister’s feedback on 10 April.
Mathias Cormann rejected the characterisation of communication with the PMO on 10 April, explaining communication was to “make arrangements with respect to announcements”.Mathias Cormann rejected the characterisation of communication with the PMO on 10 April, explaining communication was to “make arrangements with respect to announcements”.
Asked what steps Scott Morrison took to assure himself the brief was not backdated, Cormann pointed to the Sport Australia evidence the brief was “dated 4 April”.Asked if he can rule out that the brief was backdated, Cormann again pointed to the Sport Australia evidence the brief was “dated 4 April”. Asked what steps Scott Morrison took to assure himself the brief was not backdated, Cormann pointed to the Sport Australia evidence the brief was “dated 4 April”.
The standard of ‘debate’ in the Australian parliament today Asked if he can rule out that the brief was backdated, Cormann again pointed to the Sport Australia evidence the brief was “dated 4 April”.
Anthony Albanese is now moving a motion to suspend standing orders, over the sports grant revelations today. The standard of ‘debate’ in the Australian parliament today:
Anthony Albanese is now moving a motion to suspend standing orders, over the sports grants revelations today.
It will fail.It will fail.
Scott Briggs, a close ally of Scott Morrison, has left the board of a consortium bidding for the highly controversial contract to privatise Australia’s visa processing system.Scott Briggs, a close ally of Scott Morrison, has left the board of a consortium bidding for the highly controversial contract to privatise Australia’s visa processing system.
Briggs, a former deputy NSW Liberal director, was heading up a consortium named Australia Visa Processing, which was one of the frontrunners for the $1bn visa processing contract. Briggs, a former deputy director of the New South Wales Liberal party, was heading up a consortium named Australia Visa Processing, which was one of the frontrunners for the $1bn visa processing contract.
Briggs is also a former colleague of current immigration minister David Coleman. Briggs is also a former colleague of the current immigration minister, David Coleman.
The Guardian recently revealed that the Liberals had mistakenly disclosed a $165,000 donation from a separate company set up by Briggs, Southern Strategy.The Guardian recently revealed that the Liberals had mistakenly disclosed a $165,000 donation from a separate company set up by Briggs, Southern Strategy.
The donation was initially declared but then scrubbed from the party’s donation records after questions from the Guardian.The donation was initially declared but then scrubbed from the party’s donation records after questions from the Guardian.
Labor’s Adam Giles has seized on Briggs’ departure, saying it shows the “complete chaos” of the government’s plan to privatise the visa system. Labor’s Andrew Giles has seized on Briggs’ departure, saying it shows the “complete chaos” of the government’s plan to privatise the visa system.
“We also know fundamentally that this is just a bad idea,” Giles told reporters this morning.“We also know fundamentally that this is just a bad idea,” Giles told reporters this morning.
“Australians don’t want our visa system sold off to the highest bidder. Even Peta Credlin has acknowledged that this is a threat – not only to our national security – but our border security.” “Australians don’t want our visa system sold off to the highest bidder. Even Peta Credlin has acknowledged that this is a threat – not only to our national security, but our border security.”
Corporate documents confirm Briggs is no longer a director of Australian Visa Processing.Corporate documents confirm Briggs is no longer a director of Australian Visa Processing.
The Australian Financial Review reported that he has taken a job with DPG Advisory Solutions, a lobbying firm headed by David Gazard.The Australian Financial Review reported that he has taken a job with DPG Advisory Solutions, a lobbying firm headed by David Gazard.
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
My question is again addressed to the Prime Minister: Why did the Government approve a $50,000 grant to the San Souci Football Club, in his own electorate, despite the fact the project had already been built, had already been officially opened, and was ineligible for funding?
Isn’t the Prime Minister the MasterChef of cooking the books when it comes to the corrupt sports rorts scheme? And there’s the project opening... (he shows a prop and is shut down)
Morrison:
“Rort, rort, rort,” yells Ed Husic, loud enough to be heard across the building.
The problem is – the projects were no ineligible when they were put forward by Sports Australia. But the minister’s office took so long to make any decisions, by the time the grants were awarded, almost half the projects were ineligible.
Labor has asked about Damian Drum roping the deputy prime minister Michael McCormack in to help keep the DP Jones aged care centre in Murchison, as first reported by Guardian Australia.
Aged care minister Richard Colbeck confirmed that Drum arranged for McCormack to visit on 31 October and explains that a grant was given because the circumstances were “quite unique” and it needed a “tailored solution”. The centre had connections to other community services including a doctor, community house and pharmacist, he said.
Colbeck explained the government wanted a new provider to take the centre over and that “additional resourceswere providedto extend the period of administration so negotiations with prospective providers could be undertaken”.
No real answer was given on the question of whether McCormack lobbied the prime minister. Indirectly Colbeck rejected the idea the move was to shore up Drum’s vote in the Nationals party room, by again repeating it was done to keep the centre open.
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
My question is again to the Prime Minister, who has claimed, in this Parliament, that the approval of the corrupt sports rorts scheme was made on 4 April: How is that consistent with the FACT that the Audit Office has found that Senator McKenzie wrote to the Prime Minister, advising him of projects she intended to approve on 10 April, prior to her providing the documentation on 11 April? If you weren’t in charge, why was the minister asking for your permission?
Morrison:
The member is unaware, I think, of the way this program operated.
(very loud interjections)
...Mr Speaker, as I have advised the House on numerous occasions, the decision-maker in this process was the Minister for Sport, not the Prime Minister.
There was no authorisation provided by me as Prime Minister on the projects. Those authorisations were provided on 4 April, according to the approval of the brief by Senator McKenzie, on that date, as advised by Sport Australia.
Peter Dutton has also picked up on the word of the day “plan” saying it at least 13 times in three minutes (and seven seconds – he was given extra time after being interrupted)
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
Morrison:
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
Morrison:
Mr Speaker, I don’t accept the leader of the opposition’s mischaracterisation of this at all. The leader ... I hope the leader of the opposition was more truthful when he appeared as a witness at the criminal conspiracy trial, Mr Speaker ...
Tony Burke interrupts with a relevance point, but Morrison is allowed to continue:
Morrison:
While we enter the 10th circle of hell, which is another “alternative plan” dixer, it might be worth popping back to the 90-second statements made ahead of question time, where the LNP MP Ross Vasta decided today, of all days, was the perfect time to talk about a sports club grant (which was awarded under the community development grant program):
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
Morrison:
(There are interjections.)
Morrison:
Siri, show me what fudging looks like.
And the idea of a wellbeing budget has been floated previously – by Josh Frydenberg’s own side of politics.
Here is Tim Fischer, the former Nationals leader and deputy prime minister, writing in the Australian in 2006:
Government MPs are now wetting themselves laughing over yoga positions.
Tim Wilson almost breaks his desk he slaps it so hard.
Josh Frydenberg:
He comes with an illustration, but is told to put it away.
I know I have harped on about this, but it is really, really disappointing the treasurer is continuing with this attack. It’s been every day this week now, and it’s low. Because we know governments should be looking at the wellbeing of their people. It’s one of their main jobs. And there are plenty of examples of western nations, similar to our own, which have put out a statement, with the budget, listing how it applies to improving the welfare of the people.
Laughing about yoga poses, elements of eastern cultures and religions, and the idea of looking after the most vulnerable people in our society is not only juvenile, it shows contempt for large sections of the community the government claims to represent.