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Coronavirus Australia live update: treasurer delivers 'sobering' economic update – latest news Coronavirus Australia live update: treasurer delivers 'sobering' economic update – latest news
(32 minutes later)
Josh Frydenberg says in statement in lieu of the federal budget: ‘There is no money tree. What we borrow today we must repay in the future.’ Follow the latest news liveJosh Frydenberg says in statement in lieu of the federal budget: ‘There is no money tree. What we borrow today we must repay in the future.’ Follow the latest news live
Simon Birmingham is holding a quick press conference on the situation with China delisting Australian abattoirs . Daniel Hurst is there
Josh Frydenberg and the never-ending coughing fit, as seen by Mike Bowers.
The Coalition joint party room met for a little under two hours, Daniel Hurst tells me. He also reports:
After the speeches, discussions touched on the eligibility for jobkeeper. Some Coalition members had examples of how jobkeeper had been successful but some highlighted businesses that weren’t eligible.
Another raised compliance issues.The treasurer responded that the government had been clear with principles like not paying for local government employees
Michael McCormack is back in the House, with a very Michael McCormack way of using hand sanitiser – sanitising one hand because the other is on the phone.
Jim Chalmers is giving Labor’s response.
He notes the Coalition already had the mugs, and ads printed (you may remember the very arty “back in black” ads that were rolled out during the election campaign, along with the Liberal party “Back in Black” coffee mugs, which were mysteriously “sold out” just as the government realised that no, the economy would not be back in black and was about to be plunged very seriously into the red.
He then says Josh Frydenberg squibbed the opportunity to lay out the government’s economic recovery plan, referencing the instantly infamous coughing fit:
Josh Frydenberg moves on to the cost of closing down the economy again, if there is a second wave of Covid infections.
Josh Frydenberg on the economic cost of continuing the great lockdown:
This part of the speech is a recap of the jobkeeper wage subsidy, as well as the loans and other economic responses the government has rolled out during the pandemic.This part of the speech is a recap of the jobkeeper wage subsidy, as well as the loans and other economic responses the government has rolled out during the pandemic.
Josh Frydenberg has now drunk the parliamentary chamber out of water as he attempts to get his speech back on track.Josh Frydenberg has now drunk the parliamentary chamber out of water as he attempts to get his speech back on track.
Josh Frydenberg breaks his speech for a three-minute coughing fit that has Theresa May suddenly clenching in sympathy – without knowing why.Josh Frydenberg breaks his speech for a three-minute coughing fit that has Theresa May suddenly clenching in sympathy – without knowing why.
The cough is ongoing. There have been tears. There is no voice.The cough is ongoing. There have been tears. There is no voice.
“Too long a speech,” he chokes out.“Too long a speech,” he chokes out.
He then takes his hands which he has been coughing into back on to the despatch box.He then takes his hands which he has been coughing into back on to the despatch box.
That sound you hear is the parliamentary cleaners whirring up the disinfectant blaster.That sound you hear is the parliamentary cleaners whirring up the disinfectant blaster.
Josh Frydenberg throws back to the “back in balance” (that sound you hear is the last of the “Back in black” Liberal party budget mugs being smashed for a mosaic of what could have been.Josh Frydenberg throws back to the “back in balance” (that sound you hear is the last of the “Back in black” Liberal party budget mugs being smashed for a mosaic of what could have been.
And then we get to the money tree line:And then we get to the money tree line:
Josh Frydenberg:Josh Frydenberg:
The treasurer continues:
Josh Frydenberg has laid out the state of the June quarter:
Oh look, we might actually find out what is happening with our democracy.
It’s supposed to be budget day, but it’s not, so instead we are listening to Josh Frydenberg deliver an economic update in the chamber.
We are all just waiting for the “team Australia” reference.
Labor is making a very big point of the NRL coming back before parliament did, with Tony Burke pointing out that it is working out how to abide by the 1.5m rule in tackles so how can the parliament not work out how to come back.
I mean, anyone who has seen Ashley Taylor’s defensive plays would know that attempting tackles from 1.5m away is not the issue some think it is (I said attempt, not carry through, obviously).
Questions are being put in the negative, so no one has to move sides for the divisions.
The motion to suspend standing orders is under way.
Labor supports it, but Tony Burke is using the opportunity to talk about the need to reinstate parliament sittings as usual.
Still no date for the Eden-Monaro byelection.
The bells have rung and the parliament is once again sitting (just in a very socially distant way).
Prayers are being said, and then it will be into the Josh Frydenberg statement.
For those who have asked, Scott Morrison’s children are back at school, for on-site learning.