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Victoria records no coronavirus cases and NSW one as federal parliament returns – question time live Daniel Andrews is speaking after Victoria records no coronavirus cases and NSW one
(32 minutes later)
Melbourne lockdown extended as authorities monitor outbreak in city’s north, while Treasury chief faces questions at Senate estimates. Follow all the latest updatesMelbourne lockdown extended as authorities monitor outbreak in city’s north, while Treasury chief faces questions at Senate estimates. Follow all the latest updates
David Littleproud just proved it was possible to talk about policy important to regional and rural electorates and represent the National party without sounding like a wet sponge. Melbourne, take a bow - you did it. From tomorrow - all retail opens. Hospitality reopens. Beauty reopens. You can leave your house.
And without a forced homily, or attacking the opposition. Daniel Andrews:
I don’t know what it feels like in the room - but Daniel Andrews is either losing his voice, or he is a glass case of emotion. He sounds very emotional as he speaks today:
He has good news:
Question time ends.
Just in time.
Question time resumes.
But attention is turning to Victoria.
There are a lot of MPs checking their phones
Chris Bowen and Bill Shorten have used the division downtime to release this statement:
For those interested, Daniel Hurst was working yesterday and saw the Tony Burke interview on Sky.
It included this interesting tidbit:
Tony Burke gets in to try again: “The culture comes from the top, they treat taxpayer money like it is their own” – and Christian Porter once again gags debate.
The count is going the government way.
Meanwhile, Daniel Andrews should be speaking very soon.
Leave is denied, so the Labor leader tries again (and gets out the line designed just for the TV coverage):
Debate is gagged and the House divides. (Labor will lose.)
Anthony Albanese interrupts the question to move to suspend standing orders, to discuss this motion (there is almost half the alphabet here, so stay with me):
That the House - notes the Morrison government is weighed down by scandal and integrity issues, including
(a) the corrupt sports rorts scheme with colour-coded spreadsheets,
(b) airport reports in which the government paid $30 million for a piece of land worth $3 million,
(c) stacking the Administrative Appeals Tribunal with Liberal mates,
(d) paying a Liberal party mate and former Crosby Textor pollster more than $1 million for taxpayer-funded research, recommending Peter Crone for a contract,
(g) Australia Post spending $20,000 on Cartier watches,
(h) reports the assistant treasurer used taxpayer-funded staff to branch-stack,
and
(i) the minister for energy being involved in too many scandals to count.
(2) therefore condemns the prime minister for treating taxpayers’ money as though it is his own.
David Littleproud just proved it was possible to talk about policy important to regional and rural electorates and represent the National party without sounding like a wet sponge. And without a forced homily, or attacking the opposition.
No one is after personality here. Just competence. It is possible.No one is after personality here. Just competence. It is possible.
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
Why is the Prime Minister “appalledand shocked” at the behaviour of a government employee who spent $20,000 of taxpayers’ money on Cartier watches, when the Prime Minister himself and ministers sitting behind him have repeatedly shown they draw no distinction between taxpayers’ interests and their own political and private interests when spending tens of millions of taxpayer dollars?
Morrison:Morrison:
There is a bunch of Richmond talk.There is a bunch of Richmond talk.
Moving on.Moving on.
Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:Anthony Albanese to Scott Morrison:
My question is to the prime minister: is the reason why the Morrison government hasn’t introduced legislation for a national integrity commission because of the corrupt sports rorts scheme, the Leppington Triangle land scandal, stacking the AAT with Liberal mates, the Liberal mate paid more than $1 million for market research, wasting $20,000 on Cartier watches, and the minister for energy’s involvement in countless scandals – too many to mention?My question is to the prime minister: is the reason why the Morrison government hasn’t introduced legislation for a national integrity commission because of the corrupt sports rorts scheme, the Leppington Triangle land scandal, stacking the AAT with Liberal mates, the Liberal mate paid more than $1 million for market research, wasting $20,000 on Cartier watches, and the minister for energy’s involvement in countless scandals – too many to mention?
Morrison:Morrison:
*This from someone who has posted about buying an inflatable shark for Christmas.*This from someone who has posted about buying an inflatable shark for Christmas.
Labor’s Louise Pratt is probing what sort of assumptions the attorney general’s department has made about how many insolvent companies are going to need taxpayers to pick up their unpaid wages bill.Labor’s Louise Pratt is probing what sort of assumptions the attorney general’s department has made about how many insolvent companies are going to need taxpayers to pick up their unpaid wages bill.
The estimate is that there will be claims for 34,000 employees this financial year, requiring taxpayers to fork out $468m. But these estimates were done in April and are already out of date, because stimulus measures have saved many businesses from insolvency.The estimate is that there will be claims for 34,000 employees this financial year, requiring taxpayers to fork out $468m. But these estimates were done in April and are already out of date, because stimulus measures have saved many businesses from insolvency.
By this stage in the financial year, the department expected 9,000 claims but has received only 1,400.By this stage in the financial year, the department expected 9,000 claims but has received only 1,400.
Last year, $162m was paid out for unpaid wages at a rate of 1,031 claims a month. That is down to 469 claims a month this year.Last year, $162m was paid out for unpaid wages at a rate of 1,031 claims a month. That is down to 469 claims a month this year.
Labor’s Murray Watt says there is a “tidal wave coming” but the government is “delaying the inevitable” with changes that make it “virtually impossible” for companies to go insolvent.Labor’s Murray Watt says there is a “tidal wave coming” but the government is “delaying the inevitable” with changes that make it “virtually impossible” for companies to go insolvent.
One also shudders to think what happens when jobkeeper runs out.One also shudders to think what happens when jobkeeper runs out.
Labor’s Tony Sheldon is querying why migrant workers don’t get access to the fair entitlement guarantee (the unpaid wages safety net), as recommended by the migrant workers’ taskforce.Labor’s Tony Sheldon is querying why migrant workers don’t get access to the fair entitlement guarantee (the unpaid wages safety net), as recommended by the migrant workers’ taskforce.
They’re considering it, apparently.They’re considering it, apparently.
Some mirth from defence estimates:Some mirth from defence estimates:
During an exchange about the cost and timing of the future frigate program, an official refers in passing to the step “design productionisation”, prompting Penny Wong to remark with a smile:During an exchange about the cost and timing of the future frigate program, an official refers in passing to the step “design productionisation”, prompting Penny Wong to remark with a smile:
“No I didn’t make that up,” the official replies.“No I didn’t make that up,” the official replies.
(Wikipedia describes productionisation as “the process of turning a prototype of a design into a version that can be more easily mass-produced”.)(Wikipedia describes productionisation as “the process of turning a prototype of a design into a version that can be more easily mass-produced”.)
Peter Dutton thanks a member of his own government for his interest in what the government is doing.Peter Dutton thanks a member of his own government for his interest in what the government is doing.
The bar is pretty low, ladies and gentlemen.The bar is pretty low, ladies and gentlemen.
Richard Marles to Scott Morrison:
My question is to the Prime Minister: Evidence at Senate Estimates today confirms that long-term Liberal mate and former Crosby Textor pollster Jim Reid received more than $1million in government contracts at the behest of the Prime Minister’s department. So why does the PrimeMinister treat taxpayers’ money as his own?
Morrison:
Mark Dreyfus to Scott Morrison:
Dreyfus runs out of time to list the 70. The government side starts yelling that he didn’t ask a question and Tony Smith originally agrees but then reviews the question and says there was a question of sorts at the beginning.
Christian Porter:
Tony Burke:
Leave is not granted
Helen Haines, the independent member for Indi, has expressed hope that several government members will support bringing on her bill for an Australian federal integrity commission. Haines - who presented her bill to the lower house this morning, as flagged in our preview story - said she had worked with MPs from across the political spectrum to refine her bill, including putting in place safeguards to protect the rights of innocent people.
She hopes Coalition insiders will push internally for the government to allocate debate in the chamber for the bill
Asked how many Coalition members had expressed support to her, Haines said about half a dozen MPs had come to her to talk to her about the issue, but it was up to them to reveal themselves.
Haines’ proposed body, called the Australian federal integrity commission, would allow public hearings when in the public interest and allow any member of the public to make referrals.
Haines was joined at the press conference in parliament’s Mural Hall by independent MPs Zali Steggall and Andrew Wilkie, Centre Alliance’s Rebekha Sharkie and the leader of the Greens in the Senate, Larissa Waters.
Steggall said the public was “getting very cynical about why, after this long, there is no accountability” and she noted the budget included record amounts of spending:
Waters noted the Senate had already passed a bill to set up the Greens’ version of an integrity commission, but said her party did not mind whose name was on the bill. She backed calls for the government to bring on debate in the House about either of the two bills.
The government says it understands that Hekmatullah, the former Afghan soldier convicted of murdering three Australian soldiers in 2012, remains incarcerated in Qatar.
In defence estimates, the defence minister, Linda Reynolds, has been asked about Australia’s diplomatic outreach to the US and Afghan governments over the continued detention of Hekmatullah.
The family of the three Australian soldiers – Corporal Stjepan Milosevic, Private Robert Poate and Sapper James Martin – have previously described as a “crushing blow” reports that Hekmatullah could be one of the prisoners released as part of an historic peace agreement between the US and Taliban.
Reynolds said Australia’s position was that Hekmatullah had committed “heinous” crimes and should never be released.
She said her latest advice was that on 10 September Hekmatullah was transferred, with five other detainees, from Afghanistan to Qatar and that he remained incarcerated.
Reynolds said she had made “many representations” in writing and over the phone, as had Scott Morrison and Marise Payne. But she said any clarity about whether Australian had secured assurances would have to be provided by Payne, as it was a diplomatic matter.
The main points of reference you’ll be interested in are below:
Specifically the investigation will determine:
The facts around an incident involving the provision of wristwatches to Australia Post staff in late 2018;
The role of the then Australia Post chair and board, and the managing director and chief executive officer in the incident;
Whether there are other instances in Australia Post inconsistent with appropriate behaviour for a GBE [government business enterprise] that require further investigation;
Whether this incident or other instances (including the actions of those involved) are consistent with:
The extent to which Australia Post’s governance arrangements and management culture, in particular in relation to gifts, rewards and expenses, including personal expenses of executives:
A report is to be provided to government within four weeks of the investigation commencement.
Paul Fletcher is once again talking about how quickly the government moved over the Cartier watch bonus issue (if only it moved as quickly as other issues – but you know).
The terms of reference for that inquiry are out.
Daniel Andrews will hold his press conference at 3.15.
Milton Dick, with his very serious face on, wants Paul Fletcher to tell him why an Australia Post outlet had a LNP corflute in the window.
He comes prepared with photos of the corflute in the window.
Fletcher says he is unaware of it, but that if they tell him which Australia Post, he will investigate (his office will investigate) and he will return with an answer.
Ahead of question time, the member for Herbert, Phil Thompson, did some campaigning for the LNP in a 90-second statement.
He brought up the tired argument that crime is out of control in Townsville and only the LNP would deal with it (so far, its suggestion has been a curfew. In areas which would disproportionately impact Indigenous kids. Yup.)
Anyways, if this doesn’t help convince you ...
... there is also the raw data.
Andrew Leigh was kicked out of the chamber for heckling Josh Frydenberg during his first answer on what he knew about the Asic drama, and when.