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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 fronts Senate inquiry as the government maintains it did nothing wrong with its sports grant program. All the day’s events, liveSport Australia fronts Senate inquiry as the government maintains it did nothing wrong with its sports grant program. All the day’s events, live
Labor has also backed the government’s small and medium business fund.
From AAP:
Small and medium businesses will soon be able to access a new $540m investment fund to stimulate growth.
Labor will back the coalition government’s election promise, paving the way for legislation to pass federal parliament.
Eligible Australian businesses will be able to access investments of between $5m and $15m, provided they can demonstrate three years of growth and profitability.
The Australian Business Growth Fund will get $100m from taxpayers with each of the big four banks matching the contribution.
HSBC and Macquarie Group will tip in $20m apiece to give the fund an initial $540m, which is estimated to rise to $1bn as it matures.
Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson criticised spending $100m of public money on a fund run by the big banks.
“Why give them a leg up by essentially giving them control of an enormously influential private equity fund in the area of small and medium enterprise financing,” he told parliament.
Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick raised concerns the fund’s investment instructions were not public.
“It begs the question, why do you ask the Senate to vote on it when we are blind to the mandate,” he said.
A Labor motion to set up a Senate inquiry into Holden’s withdrawal from Australia has passed.
The inquiry will look at:
(a) The impacts of that decision on:
(b) The role of the Franchise Code and the Government’s proposed dealership amendments to the Franchise Code.
(c) Government or other policy settings on manufacturing, research and development, business support and transition, and employee support.
(d) Any related matters.
Brendan O’Connor says it is necessary:
This motion, from Larissa Waters, just failed the Senate – the day after a vigil for Hannah Clarke and her children was held in parliament:
Pauline Hanson called a vote on the motion (Waters puts forward this motion every fortnight, with the updated figure of women who have been killed in domestic and family violence incidents – a lot of the time it is passed on the voices).
Once the vote was called, Hanson, Malcolm Roberts, the government and Jacqui Lambie voted it down.
The Senate notes that:
(a) Since the last sitting of the Senate, two more women have been killed by violence in Australia taking the national toll since the start of 2020 to nine, as reported by Counting Dead Women Australia from Destroy The Joint.
(b) There is no national government reporting program to record the ongoing toll of women killed by violence in real time and ensure that these horrifying statistics receive ongoing public attention.
(c) On average, one woman is murdered every week by her current or former partner.
(d) According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Personal Safety Survey 2016:
And:
(The motion continued, you can find it here).
The baboons live on.The baboons live on.
However his baby making abilities, do not However his baby making abilities, do not.
And the hearing ends.And the hearing ends.
It will resume tomorrow, where the department of health and Kate Palmer, the former chief executive of Sport Australia, will appear.It will resume tomorrow, where the department of health and Kate Palmer, the former chief executive of Sport Australia, will appear.
Sports Australia’s Luke McCann tells Katy Gallagher he met with the minister’s office and the department of health ahead of today’s appearance, where the Anao report was discussed.Sports Australia’s Luke McCann tells Katy Gallagher he met with the minister’s office and the department of health ahead of today’s appearance, where the Anao report was discussed.
He says it was a general discussion.He says it was a general discussion.
Sport Australia witnesses have said in the third and final round of the community sport infrastructure grant program, it recommended 225 projects on 3 April, the minister approved 228, but there were only 61 projects in common.Sport Australia witnesses have said in the third and final round of the community sport infrastructure grant program, it recommended 225 projects on 3 April, the minister approved 228, but there were only 61 projects in common.
This explains why the Australian National Audit Office found a massive discrepancy, with 73% of projects funded by the minister but not recommended by Sport Australia.This explains why the Australian National Audit Office found a massive discrepancy, with 73% of projects funded by the minister but not recommended by Sport Australia.
There’s also more detail on timing. The final list went to the prime minister’s office on 10 April.There’s also more detail on timing. The final list went to the prime minister’s office on 10 April.
On 11 April, Sport Australia received a signed brief from Bridget McKenzie’s office, signed and dated 4th April.On 11 April, Sport Australia received a signed brief from Bridget McKenzie’s office, signed and dated 4th April.
Labor is trying to establish:Labor is trying to establish:
Why there were lots of changes at the last minuteWhy there were lots of changes at the last minute
Whether the minister waited for input from the prime ministerWhether the minister waited for input from the prime minister
Why the minister dated the approval 4 April, if it was only provided to Sport Australia at 8:46am 11 April, 17 minutes after the government entered caretaker mode.Why the minister dated the approval 4 April, if it was only provided to Sport Australia at 8:46am 11 April, 17 minutes after the government entered caretaker mode.
Ian Thorpe has joined the campaign against the religious discrimination bill. Thorpe says his preference is the bill be scrapped, to ensure protections for LGBTI people are maintained.Ian Thorpe has joined the campaign against the religious discrimination bill. Thorpe says his preference is the bill be scrapped, to ensure protections for LGBTI people are maintained.
The federation chamber was shut down for “disorderly behaviour” – which was Labor moving to shut down government MPs from speaking.The federation chamber was shut down for “disorderly behaviour” – which was Labor moving to shut down government MPs from speaking.
At least according to the deputy speaker, Trent Zimmerman:At least according to the deputy speaker, Trent Zimmerman:
Ed Husic, who may now be able to call himself a regional MP, given that North Sydney has received a grant from a regional fund (with the justification from the mayor being, well, the pool is used by regional people) managed to bring some Husic humour to the situation in the chamber this morning:Ed Husic, who may now be able to call himself a regional MP, given that North Sydney has received a grant from a regional fund (with the justification from the mayor being, well, the pool is used by regional people) managed to bring some Husic humour to the situation in the chamber this morning:
Leftwing warrior Peter Dutton (leftwing is all things, according to the home affairs minister, who once said annoying “dirty lefties” was “too easy”, has bolstered his leftwing credentials by backing a change to the national anthem.Leftwing warrior Peter Dutton (leftwing is all things, according to the home affairs minister, who once said annoying “dirty lefties” was “too easy”, has bolstered his leftwing credentials by backing a change to the national anthem.
Cathy Freeman has backed changing “we are young and free” to “we are one and free”, given that Australia’s Indigenous people represent one of the oldest cultures in the world.Cathy Freeman has backed changing “we are young and free” to “we are one and free”, given that Australia’s Indigenous people represent one of the oldest cultures in the world.
Dutts is into it. WITHIN REASON.Dutts is into it. WITHIN REASON.
But then reverts back to full Dutts.But then reverts back to full Dutts.
Yup. THAT’S the outrage.Yup. THAT’S the outrage.
Sarah Hanson-Young won the Greens hunger games and retains environment as one of her portfolio areas. (There was some scuttlebutt she may have lost it following the leadership change.)
So the redacted portfolio change is ... dental health.
So the SA senator will now have responsibility for environment, water, and dental health.
The more you know.
Turns out there have been a few instances of “covering your arse” entered into the hansard over the years. Which makes sense. This is Australia after all.
09 Jun 1999 – Stephen Conroy
Mr Spier —We do not, senator. I think that is playing with semantics. We cannot say in all cases or in no cases —
Senator Conroy — You are covering your arse I know. I am now asking you to tell us in which cases you consider the introduction of a GST will see an increase of 10%. And if you are saying there are not any, then why do you qualify it in the letter?
29 Apr 2011- TURNER, Ms Robin Leslie, Member, Apology Alliance Australia
Chair: Of your son?
Ms Turner : Of my son. I think in today’s world that is called covering your arse.
Mike Bowers has attempted to show you the shut down Federation Chamber, but we can’t, because – p a r l i a m e n t.
This was the official response to the request:
That doesn’t include when the government has cancelled proceedings, apparently.
Some interesting evidence just now about how the program evolved over time:
In the first round, Sport Australia provided Bridget McKenzie with the raw scores of 1,924 projects it had assessed, and a list of projects that already reflected projects the minister was “supportive of”. That is, it did not provide an independent list of its own recommendations.
Luke McCann: “The minister was advising us which grant applications she was supportive of.”
But by round three, Sport Australia provided “a list of our recommendations”.
McCann: “In our view, as we worked through the iterative process, we needed to be better at providing our advice, to be consistent with better practice.”
So, in the first round Sport Australia was accommodating the minister’s wishes, and by the last round, it wanted it ON RECORD what their independent view was.
Sport Australia witnesses reject the suggestion they had worked out the program was a “rort” and wanted their view on record.
A petition to evacuate the remaining 200 or so Australians still trapped in Wuhan has collected more than 600 signatures in less than a day.
Earlier, Guardian Australia broke the story of the 18-month toddler, Chloe Luo, who is still trapped in the locked-down Hubei province, as well as 78-year old Garry Ridder and many more.
This is despite the evacuation flights supposedly prioritising “the isolated and vulnerable”, according to Scott Morrison.
So far more than 500 Australians have already been evacuated out of Wuhan, across two Australian government flights, and 170 have been evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.
But the government says there are no plans for a third evacuation flight out of Wuhan.
“These people should be treated the same as those Australians from Hubei and 170 from [the] Japan cruise who have already safely returned home,” the petition says.
The Greens are making a portfolio reshuffle announcement at 11.30.
This is how they announced it.
WHO: - Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP- Australian Greens Spokesperson for █████████ Sarah Hanson-Young
The federation chamber has been adjourned for the rest of the day (it’s the chamber where overflow speeches from debates go) after it was shut down by Labor motions seven times yesterday.
I know this seems a little inside baseball, but a parliamentary chamber has been closed down over a debate about parliamentary debate.
Labor is moving to close down a member speaking in the House of Representatives.
It’s Gladys Liu this time.
That brings a division, which means all the MPs have to file into the House.