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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2015/jun/23/australian-terrorists-reported-killed-as-citizenship-laws-go-to-party-room-politics-live

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Version 3 Version 4
Coalition defends proposed citizenship laws – as it happened Coalition defends proposed citizenship laws – as it happened
(6 days later)
9.01am BST9.01am BST
09:0109:01
Night time politicsNight time politics
That is definitely enough flags for one day.That is definitely enough flags for one day.
This is how we stand on the eve of the nightly news.This is how we stand on the eve of the nightly news.
Thanks to the Bowers man, Mike, Daniel Hurst and Shalailah Medhora for their help. Tomorrow, we have an electoral treat in Nick Xenophon, Jacqui Lambie and David Leyonhjelm at the National Press Club. We have the aforementioned citizenship legislation and given it will be the second last day before the winter sitting break, I am sure we are in for some surprises.Thanks to the Bowers man, Mike, Daniel Hurst and Shalailah Medhora for their help. Tomorrow, we have an electoral treat in Nick Xenophon, Jacqui Lambie and David Leyonhjelm at the National Press Club. We have the aforementioned citizenship legislation and given it will be the second last day before the winter sitting break, I am sure we are in for some surprises.
Goodnight and thanks for your company. I leave you with this tweet.Goodnight and thanks for your company. I leave you with this tweet.
The new ABC format for #qanda #whosaidjehovah? pic.twitter.com/gwDfN78dDOThe new ABC format for #qanda #whosaidjehovah? pic.twitter.com/gwDfN78dDO
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at 9.04am BSTat 9.04am BST
8.10am BST8.10am BST
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Sorry to harp on this but 10 flags and not a whole lot of new stuff, IMO.Sorry to harp on this but 10 flags and not a whole lot of new stuff, IMO.
Having pored over the bones of the national security announceable earlier today, I maintain there was not a whole lot of new detail on the bill. We wait again for it to be introduced tomorrow morning so finally we will know what we will know.Having pored over the bones of the national security announceable earlier today, I maintain there was not a whole lot of new detail on the bill. We wait again for it to be introduced tomorrow morning so finally we will know what we will know.
This is from the prime minister’s statement on the proposed new laws today:This is from the prime minister’s statement on the proposed new laws today:
The legislation will update the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 to ensure dual nationals who serve or fight for terrorist groups, or engage in terrorism-related conduct inspired by terrorist groups, automatically lose their Australian citizenship.The legislation will update the Australian Citizenship Act 2007 to ensure dual nationals who serve or fight for terrorist groups, or engage in terrorism-related conduct inspired by terrorist groups, automatically lose their Australian citizenship.
The Act will also be amended to ensure dual nationals who are convicted of specified terrorism-related offences automatically lose their Australian citizenship.The Act will also be amended to ensure dual nationals who are convicted of specified terrorism-related offences automatically lose their Australian citizenship.
Abbott told us there will be two new circumstances under which citizenship is “forfeited”.Abbott told us there will be two new circumstances under which citizenship is “forfeited”.
Obviously the word conviction is heartening but on the measure of citizenship, “renunciation by conduct” is not clear.Obviously the word conviction is heartening but on the measure of citizenship, “renunciation by conduct” is not clear.
Abbott said there would be a range of terrorist offences that will be specified in the legislation.Abbott said there would be a range of terrorist offences that will be specified in the legislation.
If someone is convicted of one or more of those offences, well, then their citizenship, other than in circumstances where the minister believes that for various reasons it would be in our national interests not to, will be forfeited.If someone is convicted of one or more of those offences, well, then their citizenship, other than in circumstances where the minister believes that for various reasons it would be in our national interests not to, will be forfeited.
Labor asked one question in question time but then issued a statement through Richard Marles:Labor asked one question in question time but then issued a statement through Richard Marles:
Labor has consistently said we support an update of the current Citizenship Act to account for dual citizens fighting with terrorist organisations like Daesh.Labor has consistently said we support an update of the current Citizenship Act to account for dual citizens fighting with terrorist organisations like Daesh.
Citizenship is a privilege, not a right and any dual national seeking to harm the Australian people by joining a terrorist group such as Daesh should no longer be afforded our nation’s citizenship.Citizenship is a privilege, not a right and any dual national seeking to harm the Australian people by joining a terrorist group such as Daesh should no longer be afforded our nation’s citizenship.
Labor will work through the legislation in a bipartisan, constructive way once it is introduced into the Parliament - like Labor has on every other national security measure.Labor will work through the legislation in a bipartisan, constructive way once it is introduced into the Parliament - like Labor has on every other national security measure.
There is nothing more important than keeping the Australian people safe.There is nothing more important than keeping the Australian people safe.
7.30am BST7.30am BST
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Tony Abbott on Q&A: whose side are you on?Tony Abbott on Q&A: whose side are you on?
Cue outrage.Cue outrage.
It’s worth remembering that Tony Abbott is not the only prime minister or ex-PM who has expressed disdain about Q&A.It’s worth remembering that Tony Abbott is not the only prime minister or ex-PM who has expressed disdain about Q&A.
None other than Paul Keating, who happens to favour Tony Jones as an interviewer, likened the program to a Punch and Judy show and suggested guests take a can of mace for an appearance.None other than Paul Keating, who happens to favour Tony Jones as an interviewer, likened the program to a Punch and Judy show and suggested guests take a can of mace for an appearance.
I wouldn’t be caught dead on it. If I was the prime minister I would not let federal ministers go on that program. You just wash the government through mud every time you turn up.I wouldn’t be caught dead on it. If I was the prime minister I would not let federal ministers go on that program. You just wash the government through mud every time you turn up.
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Government enemy number 1: Mark Dreyfus.Government enemy number 1: Mark Dreyfus.
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As it pleases you, Madam Speaker. I am not worthy to be thrown out.As it pleases you, Madam Speaker. I am not worthy to be thrown out.
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We are not laughing at you, we’re laughing with you.We are not laughing at you, we’re laughing with you.
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It’s a question.It’s a question.
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A very emotional Bob Katter speaking on the tragedy in Ravenshoe.A very emotional Bob Katter speaking on the tragedy in Ravenshoe.
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Two new inquiries into electoral mattersTwo new inquiries into electoral matters
The head of the joint standing committee on electoral matters, Tony Smith, has just announced two new inquiries.The head of the joint standing committee on electoral matters, Tony Smith, has just announced two new inquiries.
• electoral education services provided to schools, students and teachers• the teaching methodology of the national civics and citizenship curriculum; and• evolving technology and new platforms for delivering electoral education.• electoral education services provided to schools, students and teachers• the teaching methodology of the national civics and citizenship curriculum; and• evolving technology and new platforms for delivering electoral education.
The focus of the electoral education inquiry will include:• What is being taught to students when they visit Parliament House and Canberra?• What are the barriers preventing some schools from travelling to Canberra and what can be done about it?• What resources and training are the teachers provided with to deliver effective electoral education?• What are the electoral commissions delivering in terms of electoral education?• How can the delivery of electoral education be improved?The focus of the electoral education inquiry will include:• What is being taught to students when they visit Parliament House and Canberra?• What are the barriers preventing some schools from travelling to Canberra and what can be done about it?• What resources and training are the teachers provided with to deliver effective electoral education?• What are the electoral commissions delivering in terms of electoral education?• How can the delivery of electoral education be improved?
2. Campaigning activities and conduct at polling places:2. Campaigning activities and conduct at polling places:
The committee will inquire into and report on current rules and practices in relation to campaign activities in the vicinity of polling places, with particular reference to:• the distribution of how-to-vote cards;• campaigning by organisations other than political parties at polling places;• allegations in relation to the conduct of, and material disseminated by, campaigners at state and federal elections in the vicinity of polling places intended or likely to mislead or intimidate electors; and• any other related matter.The committee will inquire into and report on current rules and practices in relation to campaign activities in the vicinity of polling places, with particular reference to:• the distribution of how-to-vote cards;• campaigning by organisations other than political parties at polling places;• allegations in relation to the conduct of, and material disseminated by, campaigners at state and federal elections in the vicinity of polling places intended or likely to mislead or intimidate electors; and• any other related matter.
A penny for your thoughts.A penny for your thoughts.
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The deputy prime minister, Warren Truss, is speaking on the Ravenshoe cafe explosion in far north Queensland. He says seven people are still critically ill and the death toll could rise.The deputy prime minister, Warren Truss, is speaking on the Ravenshoe cafe explosion in far north Queensland. He says seven people are still critically ill and the death toll could rise.
This is a very sad even for the town of Ravenshoe.This is a very sad even for the town of Ravenshoe.
Truss is visiting Ravenshoe on Monday to see if there is anything he can do.Truss is visiting Ravenshoe on Monday to see if there is anything he can do.
Bill Shorten is speaking now.Bill Shorten is speaking now.
People will be scarred for life ... everyone understands and is committed to you.People will be scarred for life ... everyone understands and is committed to you.
Shorten proposes the house stands for a minute.Shorten proposes the house stands for a minute.
Liberal MP Warren Entsch, of far north Queensland, also speaks.Liberal MP Warren Entsch, of far north Queensland, also speaks.
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Queensland independent Bob Katter is making a statement on the tragedy in Ravenshoe, where an out-of-control ute hit gas cylinders at a cafe. The resulting explosion injured 20 people, two of whom have died.Queensland independent Bob Katter is making a statement on the tragedy in Ravenshoe, where an out-of-control ute hit gas cylinders at a cafe. The resulting explosion injured 20 people, two of whom have died.
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at 6.50am BSTat 6.50am BST
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Last government question to assistant treasurer Josh Frydenberg: will the assistant treasurer update the house on how the government is providing security to all Australian savings for their retirement, are there any challenges to this approach?Last government question to assistant treasurer Josh Frydenberg: will the assistant treasurer update the house on how the government is providing security to all Australian savings for their retirement, are there any challenges to this approach?
This is about Labor’s policy on tax concessions on superannuation.This is about Labor’s policy on tax concessions on superannuation.
Frydenberg:Frydenberg:
With the intergenerational report showing that the number of Australians over the age of 65 will more than double over the next four decades, we need to encourage people to save for their retirement and we need to protect those savings. That’s why we on this side of the house are committed to no adverse or unexpected changes to super in this term of government.With the intergenerational report showing that the number of Australians over the age of 65 will more than double over the next four decades, we need to encourage people to save for their retirement and we need to protect those savings. That’s why we on this side of the house are committed to no adverse or unexpected changes to super in this term of government.
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6.10am BST6.10am BST
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Sussan Ley, the health minister, is asked about the passage of the national health amendment pharmaceutical benefits bill and she thanks Labor for their support on the legislation. This is the next five-year pharmacy agreement.Sussan Ley, the health minister, is asked about the passage of the national health amendment pharmaceutical benefits bill and she thanks Labor for their support on the legislation. This is the next five-year pharmacy agreement.
Another Labor question to Christopher Pyne on the budget cuts to schools.Another Labor question to Christopher Pyne on the budget cuts to schools.
The leader of the house, Pyne, gives a little advice to the Speaker on his answer just in case she was thinking of pulling him up on relevance.The leader of the house, Pyne, gives a little advice to the Speaker on his answer just in case she was thinking of pulling him up on relevance.
It’s terribly sad for the opposition that they’ve been reduced to this level where they can’t even – they just have to make up questions and assertions rather than deal with the issues. But the question does give me the opportunity to range widely over the subject of school funding and trust which is extremely important because this government went to the election with a promise to match funding dollar for dollar for the new school funding model and we delivered it 100%.It’s terribly sad for the opposition that they’ve been reduced to this level where they can’t even – they just have to make up questions and assertions rather than deal with the issues. But the question does give me the opportunity to range widely over the subject of school funding and trust which is extremely important because this government went to the election with a promise to match funding dollar for dollar for the new school funding model and we delivered it 100%.
Yes. H for chutzpah. Pyne quickly gets to The Killing Season and Bill Shorten’s part in removing Julia Gillard in the second leadership coup.Yes. H for chutzpah. Pyne quickly gets to The Killing Season and Bill Shorten’s part in removing Julia Gillard in the second leadership coup.
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6.04am BST6.04am BST
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Labor to Abbott: The PM’s $30bn school cuts will leave schools around the country an average of $3.2m worse off, including schools in the electorate of Page. Given the PM’s federation green paper proposes to cut all fundings to schools, aren’t these cuts just another part of the PM’s plans to make parents of kids pay a new schools tax?Labor to Abbott: The PM’s $30bn school cuts will leave schools around the country an average of $3.2m worse off, including schools in the electorate of Page. Given the PM’s federation green paper proposes to cut all fundings to schools, aren’t these cuts just another part of the PM’s plans to make parents of kids pay a new schools tax?
The speaker asks for the question to be rephrased on the grounds that it is hypothetical assertion. When the MP does not, Speaker moves to the next government question.The speaker asks for the question to be rephrased on the grounds that it is hypothetical assertion. When the MP does not, Speaker moves to the next government question.
6.01am BST6.01am BST
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Malcolm Turnbull is asked a Dixer on Q&A:Malcolm Turnbull is asked a Dixer on Q&A:
The inclusion of Mr Zaky Mallah in the live audience of Q&A last night was a grave error of judgment. He had served a term of imprisonment for threatening to kill Asio officers. He had been charged with threatening suicide attacks and preparing for terrorist attacks in that context, although had been acquitted. He had travelled to Syria in the pursuit of what he described as jihad. His social media presence is vile, abusive and violent. He is a very, very known quantity. It beggars belief that he was included in a live audience. Whether it is on the basis of what he might say given his clear track record of intemperate and violent language, but also, Madam Speaker, just as worryingly from a physical security point of view. I mean surely we have learned to take threats of this kind, to take people like this extremely seriously. The idea that there was no physical security check on that audience, or that this man was allowed into it, is extraordinary.The inclusion of Mr Zaky Mallah in the live audience of Q&A last night was a grave error of judgment. He had served a term of imprisonment for threatening to kill Asio officers. He had been charged with threatening suicide attacks and preparing for terrorist attacks in that context, although had been acquitted. He had travelled to Syria in the pursuit of what he described as jihad. His social media presence is vile, abusive and violent. He is a very, very known quantity. It beggars belief that he was included in a live audience. Whether it is on the basis of what he might say given his clear track record of intemperate and violent language, but also, Madam Speaker, just as worryingly from a physical security point of view. I mean surely we have learned to take threats of this kind, to take people like this extremely seriously. The idea that there was no physical security check on that audience, or that this man was allowed into it, is extraordinary.
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A Dixer to Scott Morrison: I refer the minister to the report in today’s Daily Telegraph about the previous government’s early years quality fund. What is the action the government is taking to ensure affordable access of child care to Australian families?A Dixer to Scott Morrison: I refer the minister to the report in today’s Daily Telegraph about the previous government’s early years quality fund. What is the action the government is taking to ensure affordable access of child care to Australian families?
Labor’s Nick Champion to Abbott: “Some government somewhere printed a document that refers to health and education cuts and says that they will achieve cumulative savings of over $80bn by 2024-2025. I’ll give the PM a clue, the document’s got a kangaroo and an emu on the front of it. A kangaroo and an emu on the front of it”.Labor’s Nick Champion to Abbott: “Some government somewhere printed a document that refers to health and education cuts and says that they will achieve cumulative savings of over $80bn by 2024-2025. I’ll give the PM a clue, the document’s got a kangaroo and an emu on the front of it. A kangaroo and an emu on the front of it”.
Speaker Bishop ruled it out of order.Speaker Bishop ruled it out of order.
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A witty riposte to the previous Bowers pic.A witty riposte to the previous Bowers pic.
@mpbowers @gabriellechan @GuardianAus I loved her in the Harry Potter movies@mpbowers @gabriellechan @GuardianAus I loved her in the Harry Potter movies
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Don’t make me count to 10 ...Don’t make me count to 10 ...
Madam speaker in her feet #QT @gabriellechan @GuardianAus #politicslive #orderInTheHouse pic.twitter.com/aTM5epeT3mMadam speaker in her feet #QT @gabriellechan @GuardianAus #politicslive #orderInTheHouse pic.twitter.com/aTM5epeT3m
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at 5.54am BSTat 5.54am BST
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A Dixer to Christopher Pyne: Will the minister update the house on the importance of to the Australian economy of the international education sector and how is the government ensuring the success of this vital sector?A Dixer to Christopher Pyne: Will the minister update the house on the importance of to the Australian economy of the international education sector and how is the government ensuring the success of this vital sector?
Labor’s Stephen Jones to Tony Abbott: I refer to the PM’s secret plan to cut every single dollar from public hospitals, forcing the states to hit Australians with a new hospital tax. How much will parents have to pay to have their sick child seen by a doctor in an emergency department?Labor’s Stephen Jones to Tony Abbott: I refer to the PM’s secret plan to cut every single dollar from public hospitals, forcing the states to hit Australians with a new hospital tax. How much will parents have to pay to have their sick child seen by a doctor in an emergency department?
Christopher Pyne suggests to Madam Speaker that while she has been lenient with Labor’s “hypothetical” questions, it’s time to rein them in.Christopher Pyne suggests to Madam Speaker that while she has been lenient with Labor’s “hypothetical” questions, it’s time to rein them in.
Labor’s Tony Burke says a federation white paper is hardly hypothetical.Labor’s Tony Burke says a federation white paper is hardly hypothetical.
Speaker asks Labor to rephrase, which Jones does and Abbott answers along previous lines.Speaker asks Labor to rephrase, which Jones does and Abbott answers along previous lines.
I would of thought members opposite would not be scared of a sensible debate.I would of thought members opposite would not be scared of a sensible debate.
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at 5.55am BSTat 5.55am BST
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Shorten to Abbott: I refer to the PM’s federation green paper that proposes to cut every single dollar from public hospital funding. Isn’t this just another way for the PM to force states to implement his Commission of Audit recommendation to charge a hospital tax for emergency department visits?Shorten to Abbott: I refer to the PM’s federation green paper that proposes to cut every single dollar from public hospital funding. Isn’t this just another way for the PM to force states to implement his Commission of Audit recommendation to charge a hospital tax for emergency department visits?
The simple answer is no ... Labor’s national platform states, and I quote, Labor believes our constitution and federation need to be modernised to resolve the funding and administrative problems that have prevented government effectively dealing with the challenges of today. So ... get with your own program.The simple answer is no ... Labor’s national platform states, and I quote, Labor believes our constitution and federation need to be modernised to resolve the funding and administrative problems that have prevented government effectively dealing with the challenges of today. So ... get with your own program.
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Neither is Labor.Neither is Labor.
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Madam Speaker is not amused.Madam Speaker is not amused.
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Leader of the house doing the biz.
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05:35
(Two former health ministers) Plibersek to Abbott: Given the PM promised no cuts to health but has already cut more than $50bn from public hospitals, leaving what the President of the AMA describes as a huge black hole, how can anyone believe a word this PM says on health funding?
This government appreciates what members opposite plainly don’t, that it’s not just all about money. Yes, money is important but the morale of public hospitals matters. The systems under which public hospitals operate matter. The training of our public hospital professionals matters.
5.31am BST
05:31
Joe Hockey gets a government question on the best budget eva.
5.30am BST
05:30
Abbott uses the E word
Then Labor to Abbott: In light of the PM’s last answer, can the PM please explain to the parliament how can it be sensible or mature to cut every single commonwealth dollar from public hospital funding?
It is a draft discussion paper and it ought to be possible for this country to have a sensible discussion about the best ways of funding and operating public schools and public hospitals....[Australians] expect a mature debate out of which will come sensible proposals for the betterment of our country, proposals, of course, that this government would certainly intend to take to an election.
5.27am BST
05:27
Next is a government question to Michael Keenan, justice minister: Will the Minister inform the house of steps the government is taking to protect Australians from their legal firearms trade?
Keenan uses the question to attack Labor and the record of the last government.
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5.24am BST
05:24
Cathy McGowan asks Scott Morrison, social services minister, what is happening with emergency relief services, which provide assistance to struggling individuals and families. She quotes funding cuts to Loaves and Fishes in Wangaratta and other services.
Morrison says there was a competitive grant round and if there were gaps in services, the department is working through it.
5.19am BST
05:19
Next Labor question on hospitals.
Tony Abbott says the federation white paper is “so scary” it will be published later today.
I am not sure whether he means publicly released as well.
5.16am BST
05:16
Peter Dutton gets a question on citizenship laws but takes the opportunity to drop the boot into the shadow attorney general, Mark Dreyfus.
I’m glad you interjected because we’re going to expose you for the fraud you are, Member for Isaacs ... he made an interesting interjection into the debate because he wanted to bring these terrorists back into Australia. It’s an abrogation of his responsibility. They hid him for ... days.
This refers to Dreyfus’ suggestion that suspected terrorists should be brought back to Australia and dealt with by the courts.
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5.13am BST
05:13
Terrorism: a modern form of treason.
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5.11am BST
05:11
Shorten to Abbott: Last month when asked if the power to strip citizenship from dual nationals will be exercised at a minister’s discretion, the PM said, and I quote, “That is correct.” What made the PM change his mind on his citizenship proposal between then and now?
Tony Abbott:
As I’ve said all along on this matter, the government’s position is to strip citizenship from terrorists who are dual nationals ... I do look forward to the support of the Labor party in making this come about.
Updated
at 5.24am BST
5.09am BST
05:09
Tony Abbott:
Our priority, Madam Speaker, is to stop people becoming terrorists in the first place but if people do fall prey to the arguments of the death cult, if they do leave this country to fight with a terrorist army overseas, our determination is to stop them coming back to this country because the last thing we need in this country is hardened, brutalised terrorists loose on our streets. We do not want terrorists in this country. People who have left our country to fight with terrorist armies overseas have committed the modern form of treason.
5.07am BST
05:07
First government question to Abbott is on national security. No prizes there.
A full flag assault.
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at 5.25am BST
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05:04
And question time.
Shorten to Abbott: Did the PM’s own department circulate a federation green paper that provides an option that would see the Australian government cut every single dollar of funding to public hospitals?
Abbott is speaking to the federation white paper.
As part of this discussion lots of things will be raised, lots of things will be chewed over. Many things will be considered and rejected.
What matters is the final decision, says Abbott.
I think that is a yes.
5.01am BST
05:01
I may have overegged the key events button on the blog out of that press conference but the prime minister continued to ghast my flabber.
His comments on Bret Walker, the former independent security monitor, were right up there. Walker raised ministerial discretion as a power to revoke citizenship but by his own words, he said he never imagined there would be no court process.
He told Lenore Taylor:
I am impatient with and I condemn those who persist in reading pages of my report as if they say the government can exercise ministerial discretion after dispensing with a criminal trial. I said the minister should have discretion over the revocation of citizenship after a criminal trial ... and it reflects very poorly that those quoting me can’t read beyond the few lines they are citing.
I assume they have been given speaking notes to that effect, but my report does not provide a justification for what they intend to do … it is not what I said, nor what I think now, and anyone who claims otherwise is wrong. In fact I am saying the opposite.
Tony Abbott rejected all of that today, suggesting Walker simply changed his mind.
Updated
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04:54
So many questions....
Another question is about the citizenship of children of terrorists.
Q: Could they, too, have their citizenship stripped because of the activities of their parents?
They will be subject to the law. They will be subject to the law. And the law will be enforced with its full rigour by this government to keep our community safe, says Abbott.
4.50am BST
04:50
There is the question of what happens to dual nationals whose other country will not take them back, once they lose Australian citizenship. Indefinite detention maybe?
That’s a bridge that we would cross if and when we come to it. But the point that I make is that under no circumstances will this government resile from reasonable lawful action which keeps that community safe, says Abbott.
4.46am BST
04:46
Tony Abbott asks the ABC: Whose side are you on?
Tony Abbott lays into the ABC over allowing Zaky Mallah on Q&A.
What our national broadcaster has done is give a platform to a convicted criminal and terrorist sympathiser – they have given this individual, this disgraceful individual, a platform and in so doing, I believe the national broadcaster has badly let us down. I think many, many millions of Australians would feel betrayed by our national broadcaster right now, and I think that the ABC does have to have a long, hard look at itself, and to answer a question which I have posed before – whose side are you on?
Updated
at 5.29am BST
4.43am BST
04:43
Bret Walker changed his mind, says Abbott
Do you accept that this is a long way back from the ministerial discretion power that you were talking about initially, and that perhaps the government had misinterpreted Bret Walker’s recommendations?
If I may say so, with respect to distinguished senior counsel, he’s changed his mind. That’s what’s happened. For all sorts of reasons, he’s changed his mind and I don’t want to speculate on what those reasons might be, because it was a very, very clear and unambiguous recommendation in his report back in March, I think, of last year, that there should be the capacity for the minister on national interest grounds to strip terrorists who are dual nationals of their citizenship.
4.39am BST
04:39
All terrorist organisations are evil but some are more evil than others.
Tony Abbott says the minister will be able to pick and choose terrorist organisations. That is, if they are not fighting against us, it may be OK. Here is his form of words.
The legislation will give the minister for border protection the opportunity to specify from amongst that list terrorist organisations, because for the purposes of this legislation, because some of those currently proscribed while they are terrorist organisations and we don’t like them, are not particularly aiming at us.
So this minister will have a chance to make a selection out of this minister’s list of terrorist organisations and if we believe on appropriate advice that the citizenship of a dual national is forfeit by virtue of participation in serious terrorist activity, under the law, well, the relevant notification will go out. The role of the minister is not adjudication, it’s notification.
Updated
at 5.30am BST
4.35am BST
04:35
Stateless? We use the KISS principle.
Q: Some bilateral agreements with countries to ensure that they are not left stateless, these people that we strip of their dual nationality – will you be trying to seek some other extradition treaties or anything of that nature?
We are not going to overcomplicate this matter. We are going to act very firmly in Australia’s national interests. And it is absolutely in our national interests that wherever we reasonably can, we stop hardened terrorists from coming back to our country where they could be out loose on our streets plotting harm to our citizens.
Updated
at 4.41am BST
4.32am BST
04:32
Peter Dutton has not nominated a period of retrospectivity if the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence and Security goes that way. Abbott estimates that 50% of those who are currently fighting in the Middle East with various terrorist armies are dual nationals.
Updated
at 4.42am BST
4.29am BST
04:29
Section 35 is so effective it has not needed to be used
The legislation will go to the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence and Security for “thorough scrutiny”.
Abbott is asked why section 35 has never been used. That is, maybe it is just not that effective.
Tony Abbott:
If I could just offer a thought here, thanks, look, an old law is a good law. This law has stood for almost 70 years unchallenged and there is now a settled part of the Australian legal system. I would refer any of you who are particularly interested in this to the speech of the then minister Arthur Calwell, when introducing the Citizenship Act back in our parliament I think in 1948. So this is a provision of long standing, and old laws – just because it has not yet been used does not mean that it is in some way redundant ... It has been so effective that it hasn’t had to be used and we will develop it by bringing it into the modern era.
Updated
at 4.43am BST
4.25am BST
04:25
Dual nationals in Oz could lose their citizenship without conviction
REPORTER: Dual nationals here in Australia, could they lose their citizenship without a conviction, as was flagged last week?
There are two broad circumstances under which people will forfeit their citizenship. The first is renunciation by conduct. The second is revocation by conviction. Now, it could happen. Either of these circumstances could apply to people onshore or offshore, but much more typically, it would be renunciation by conduct offshore, and revocation by conviction onshore.
Updated
at 4.43am BST
4.23am BST
04:23
Peter Dutton, immigration minister:
We have provided in the legislation that will be introduced into the parliament tomorrow, a principle of renunciation by conduct. So the person’s conduct, the acts that they are involved in, they deliver a renunciation themselves of their own citizenship and there is for a conviction a similar outcome. It’s also important that we have been able to capture people who are not only fighting for, but serving in a prescribed terrorist organisation, and there is, as a result of that action as well, by their own actions, by their own conduct, a renunciation in effect of their citizenship.
Updated
at 5.31am BST
4.21am BST
04:21
The legislation was considered by the National Security Committee of cabinet and was considered by the party room.
It sounds like it was not taken to the full cabinet.
It will go to parliament first thing on the morrow.
4.20am BST
04:20
Tony Abbott:
We will ask the Joint Standing Committee on intelligence and security to consider whether there should be retrospective operation of the new law should it pass theParliament. As drafted, it is prospective but given that we have a number of dual citizens currently in jail after terrorist convictions, the committee should consider whether it should have retrospective operation at least in those cases.
4.18am BST
04:18
Tony Abbott announces expansion of section 35 "to reflect modern conditions"
Some 160 Australians are known to be supporting Isis with financing and recruitment, Abbott is confident that about 30 Australians have so far been killed in fighting.
The government is creating two new circumstances under which citizenship is “forfeited”.
Updated
at 7.38am BST
4.15am BST
04:15
Tony Abbott is speaking now.
4.14am BST
04:14
More Turnbull, this time on the already initiated review of Q&A, which was described in the coalition party room this morning as a “lefty lynch mob”:
What do you hope will come out of the review? Do you think the show should be axed?
I wouldn’t make that suggestion at all. I think the ABC board has a legal statutory obligation, under section 8 of the Act, to ensure, it’s the board’s responsibility to ensure that its news and current affairs are accurate and impartial.
Updated
at 4.15am BST
4.11am BST
04:11
Here is Malcolm Turnbull speaking about Q&A right now:
The decision to allow Mr Zacky Mallah to participate in the live studio audience on Q&A last night was, as the ABC has acknowledged, a very grave error of judgment. It was a grave error on several fronts: firstly, a person with those opinions being allowed to express them without any hindrance on live television raises very real, very real concerns. Secondly, the ABC obviously has, as every broadcaster does, to do our best to protect the physical security of people who are under our responsibility, and they are - I have grave concerns, too, about the fact that Mr [Mallah] was there without any thorough security checks, participating in that audience. I am not jumping to any conclusions here, but the fact is that we have to take safety and physical security very seriously.
4.07am BST
04:07
And here is the statement from deputy PM Warren Truss, who has grabbed Labor’s olive branch on fuel excise and run with it. It provides for the regional road funding requested by Labor.
The government has today successfully reached agreement to re-introduce the indexation of fuel excise to inflation.
This is a significant structural reform.
The fuel excise will increase twice a year, in February and August, in line with movements of the Consumer Price Index.
The policy is currently implemented by a 12 month tariff proposal. The passage of this legislation will make the policy permanent.
For a typical household consuming 50 litres of fuel per week, the current impact is estimated at 40 cents per week.
While the impact on individual households is modest, this measure will provide a predictable and growing source of revenue, which will help the Government boost its investment in job creating and productivity enhancing road infrastructure.
The measure is expected to raise $3.6 billion over five years to the end of 2018-19, and $23 billion over the next decade. All excise increases will be dedicated to road infrastructure.
Implementing this important structural fiscal reform will contribute significantly to our efforts to build a stronger, more prosperous economy.
The Government will provide an additional $1.105 billion in funding for the Roads to Recovery Programme over the next two years.
This means local governments across Australia will receive an extra $300 million in 2015-16, on top of the already doubled $700 million they are receiving this year. In 2016-17, local governments will receive an extra $805 million in addition to the $350 million they were already scheduled to receive.
In 2017-18, the Roads to Recovery Programme will revert to its base funding of $350 million.
4.04am BST
04:04
Justice minister Michael Keenan is piling onto the ABC with Malcolm Turnbull for allowing Zaky Mallah into the audience.
I’m glad that the ABC has acknowledged that error, but they do need to have a serious internal review of their processes in light of what I think was a very serious error in judgment.
Stacks on the mill.
4.01am BST
04:01
It’s a 10 flag day people. Buckle up.
3.59am BST
03:59
Govt MP suggested boycott of #qanda & Abbott flagged some action after break. "We all know Q&A is a lefty lynch mob," PM said @gabriellechan
3.57am BST
03:57
Lunchtime politics
Brevity people, as Tony Abbott is unveiling the citizenship legislation at 1pm.
Updated
at 3.59am BST
3.51am BST
03:51
Shorten sniffs the right breeze. Election anyone?
Abbott urges Coalition MPs to sell agenda during winter break. "We're not far from an election year." @gabriellechan
3.48am BST
03:48
Prepare for an election, says Shorten
Bill Shorten has told his MPs to buckle up for an election over the winter break.
I reckon there’s a real possibility we won’t be coming back until after an election. If there is an early election, it will be an election fought on Labor’s turf: jobs and vital infrastructure, universal Medicare and quality hospitals, schools, skills and universities. And if they want to make it an election about workers and a fair go in the workplace, I say ‘bring it on’.
Updated
at 3.48am BST
3.40am BST
03:40
Malcolm Turnbull agrees Q&A inclusion of Zaky Mallah an "error of judgement"
Turnbull has spoken to ABC managing director Mark Scott, presenter Tony Jones and chair Jim Spigelman. He says Q&A is undergoing a review and the episode will form part of the review
Turnbull says he would encourages the ABC to consult with the Australian Federal Police regarding security issues, given Mallah was convicted of threats to Asio officers.
Turnbull was interviewed on Sky News.
3.14am BST
03:14
Julia Gillard vents
Lenore Taylor has a corker of an interview with Julia Gillard. There are too many juicy bits to mention. Just read the thing. Here is the top:
Julia Gillard has delivered a biting critique of the modern media for shallow, policy-light reporting, bias, inaccuracy and succumbing to “bullying”, accusing the Daily Telegraph of “integrated bias” and the ABC of “pulling its punches” for fear of more attacks by the Abbott government.
In a new chapter of her autobiography, My Story, and an exclusive interview with Guardian Australia, the former Labor prime minister contends that the media and Australia’s preoccupation with leadership destabilisation contribute to politicians’ difficulties in arguing for increasingly necessary policy changes.
The leader who in 2010 vowed to start showing Australian voters “the real Julia”describes what she calls a “vicious cycle” of media preoccupation with gaffes or peripheral stumbles, leading to ever more tightly staged public appearances and even deeper voter disillusion.
Updated
at 3.15am BST
3.12am BST
03:12
Shalailah Medhora has been trawling the party room briefings.
In the Labor caucus, the majority of the discussion centred around the fuel excise and the insistence on using the Roads To Recovery program to deliver any savings back to local councils. The two councils that will benefit most, Labor MPs heard, were Newcastle and Blacktown.
The other interesting thing in caucus was a discussion around the China Australia Free Trade Agreement. Sections of Labor have been concerned over the temporary migration settings, which allow temporary workers in on projects larger than $150m in value.
When an unnamed MP asked if Labor could block the trade deal in parliament, Shorten slapped it down.
We must remain a free trade party.
2.35am BST
02:35
The three amigos.
2.31am BST
02:31
On citizenship legislation, Bill Shorten questioned why it has taken so long to bring the bill forward though it supports the “the extension of that definition to people who take up arms against Australia working for a terrorist organisation”. He says the government has offered a briefing on Wednesday.
We have seen the solicitor-general’s opinion contradict what the government wanted to do. We have seen the independent national security monitor verballed by the PM. Labor is hoping that we have already had a win and moderated what might have been a truly unenforceable law. It is a no national security interest for the government to put up a law for political purposes which couldn’t actually be enforced.
He says he won’t “shed any tears” if the deaths of Sharrouf and Elomar are confirmed.
2.25am BST
02:25
Daniel Hurst asks Shorten, Is this motivated by wanting to gazump the Greens after the pension deal last week - how much of this was motivated by that?
The Greens deal last week, what did they actually get? They got the extension of a submissions deadline for six weeks. That is not a deal. That is a con job by Tony Abbott.
2.22am BST
02:22
Bill Shorten is asked about crocodile hunting being allowed in the Northern Terroritory.
He is lost for words.
I honestly don’t know.
2.21am BST
02:21
Bill Shorten is trying set a different Tone (pardon the pun) than the Tony Abbott model of opposition leader.
Labor is changing the political game here. We are changing the rules of the game on Tony Abbott. We put Australians ahead of the political games. We don’t want petrol companies to get this money. We want to see jobs in local communities and our outer suburbs and regions. Labor are preparing to be competitive in the next election. What you get with Labor is pragmatic consideration of the ideas based on all the facts as situations change.
Chris Bowen makes the point that Labor has supported a number of measures, including the changes to the dependent spouse offset.
Where there is something that is fair, we will back it.
2.15am BST
02:15
Bowers is singing the Long and Winding Road.
The long and winding road #BillShorten #Presser #FuelExcise @gabriellechan @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/GCHdj42TuQ
2.14am BST
02:14
Journalist to Shorten: You said it was a rotten idea. You said you would never support it. Something has changed very profoundly or you over egged that. What has changed?
Shorten:
In a beauty parade, between giving money to oil companies and putting money back into Australian roads, generating jobs and confidence, it is clear which way Labor has to go. We are making a difficult decision. What Australians want at the moment is they want less of Liberal versus Labor on every issue and the politics and negativity. We are demonstrating, with my shadow treasurer and infrastructure minister and myself, is Labor is willing to show leadership.
2.12am BST
02:12
Anthony Albanese says Labor has chosen to channel $1.1bn into Roads to Recovery because it benefits all local councils. Where the Greens wants the petrol excise savings into public transport, Albanese says Labor wanted to benefit the whole country rather than one or two regions from a public transport project.
The difficulty with the proposal of channelling this money into public transport, for example, is that it is difficult to see how you could benefit the whole ofAustralia by funding just one or two projects.
2.09am BST
02:09
Chris Bowen again on the difficult nature of the decision:
The long term health of the budget which is important. That is what the Australian people want. Politicians focusing not on today or next week but on the next 10 years which is the approach Labor has taken. Labor is more than prepared to make difficult decisions. This was a difficult decision for us, for our ERC, our shadow cabinet and caucus. We don’t like to see petrol taxes going up at all but difficult decisions are necessary and Labor is prepared, where we can, to make a positive contribution to do so and that is the offer today to the government and it is up to the government now to respond.
2.07am BST
02:07
Chris Bowen:
If the government is prepared to provide the equivalent of two years, the first two years of the revenue from the indexation of petrol excise to local government to fund important infrastructure across the country, we will support that measure.
2.06am BST
02:06
Labor backflips on petrol excise
Bill Shorten on supporting the government’s petrol excise increase:
This is a good idea because it goes some way to addressing the $15bn local government infrastructure debt by providing a billion dollars plus on roads in the next two years. What we want to do is see confidence being built.
Updated
at 3.43am BST
2.03am BST
02:03
Bill Shorten coming up.
As a ready reckoner, Labor had resisted supporting the government move to restore petrol excise increases, stopped by John Howard.
Shorten was asked on May 29 if he would back the excise increase, given Richard Di Natale had left the way open to support it.
Remember Tony Abbott before the last election was everywhere man in high-vis and he was saying he wouldn’t increase taxes. Now he wants to increase petrol taxes. We all know petrol prices are going up. But the other promise he made was he said he would never work with the Greens, he would never do a deal with the Greens. So he’s got the daily double today, hasn’t he? Up go the taxes of all motorists and a deal with the Greens.
1.48am BST
01:48
Parliament sits at midday due to party room meetings.
Here is the agenda for today:
Bill Shorten, Chris Bowen and Anthony Albanese are standing up at 11am to talk about the petrol excise olive branch.
Updated
at 1.52am BST
1.37am BST
01:37
Is it that time already?
Updated
at 1.53am BST
1.34am BST
01:34
To clarify on the petrol excise policy shift, this is an offer by Labor, which the government has yet to accept. But it is an easier option than the Greens, who demanded funding for public transport.
Updated
at 1.54am BST
1.22am BST
01:22
Daniel Hurst
Daniel Hurst has been working the phones and has confirmed shadow cabinet last night signed off on a deal that will see $1.1bn returned to road building through the Roads to Recovery program over two years. He was told by a Labor source:
The ball’s in the government’s court now. This will be a shot in the arm for jobs and infrastructure. It was a difficult decision but the prospect of billions of dollars being returned to oil companies was unacceptable. We would prefer this money be spent on roads in regional and outer suburban areas rather than handed back to big oil companies.
Updated
at 1.37am BST
1.13am BST
01:13
Everyone wants a deal
Phil Coorey at the Financial Review is reporting that Labor has decided to back a deal on petrol excise. Apparently Labor was feeling left out by the Greens pension deal.
Labor has moved to gazump the Greens and has offered to cut a deal with the government to reintroduce the twice-yearly increase of petrol excise.
Its only condition is that $1.1bn be dedicated to fixing and building regional roads in the next two years.
In an about-face that will deliver the budget $23bn in revenue over the next decade and $3bn over four-year-forward estimates period, the shadow cabinet agreed Monday night to support the reintroduction of the twice-yearly indexation of excise to inflation. It will be put to the caucus on Tuesday morning.
Updated
at 1.32am BST
1.09am BST
01:09
Shalailah Medhora
Luke Simpkins, one of the Coalition backbenchers who signed a letter to the prime minister urging more be done to curb the threat of terrorism, has admitted that the government has abandoned plans to automatically strip dual nationals of their citizenship if they’re still in Australia.
If they’re onshore, then putting them through the court system would be the way to go. Following a conviction, if that occurs, then action should be taken.
Simpkins said he would continue pursuing the possibility of revoking nationality for sole citizens who are eligible for citizenship in another country, but said the government “needs to sort out” the question of dual nationals first.
We need to sort this one out first. And then myself and I’m sure other backbenchers will be pursuing the options for revoking [sole citizenship].
12.46am BST
00:46
Public servants in Canberra are about to walk off the job for a half day strike today. The Community and Public Sector Union estimates 6500 workers will join the strike and meet at the Canberra Convention Centre at 10.3oam. They are striking over the pay and conditions contained in the next pay deal.
Affected departments include:
Members have been given permission to take protected industrial action by the Fair Work Commission.
Updated
at 12.55am BST
12.36am BST
00:36
I will step away from the national security debate for a minute to focus on Christopher Pyne, who is speaking to the Ceda (Committee for Economic Development Australia) conference.
He is outlining the ABCs of education policy, that the states are responsible for schools and the commonwealth must not be tempted to take more power from the states on education.
Federal education ministers should just say no. As Nancy Reagan would say.
The commonwealth, with limited on-the-ground capacities, must not be tempted to overreach itself to try to micromanage schools or take over functions that properly belong to the states and territories. It is a temptation federal ministers must resist. We saw with the previous government what happened when the commonwealth sought to move from setting national agendas to seeking to run schools. There was an increasing array of agreements, proposals and inter-governmental processes. Funding increases but so too did the administrative and compliance burden on states and territories and schools. The final manifestation of this was the Australian education Act that was rushed through the parliament in 2013. It was too intrusive, put too much power in the hands of the federal government and had absurd reporting requirements like asking all schools to develop a schools management plan to be sent to Canberra central. It was a mess. We ended up with a more complex funding system, unrealistic expectations of future spending and all discussion fixated on spending levels rather than what the evidence clearly indicated would actually improve education outcomes. It led to a backlash from states, territories and the non-government sector and our education performance, the students, continued to decline.
Gonski is gonski. Remember the Tony Abbott and Pyne said there was no light between Labor and the Coalition on education policy prior to the 2013 election but we subsequently learned there was no Gonski funding for the out years (years 5 and 6) that were off budget. Labor had promised the money but as it was off budget, we could not see their details.
Of course, one of the most enthusiastic proponents of the federal Gonski reforms is the NSW Coalition education minister Adrian Piccoli.
Updated
at 12.57am BST
12.11am BST
00:11
Following on from the previous exchange, the ABC has released a statement, describing the attendance of Zaky Mallah as an “error of judgment”.
In attempting to explore important issues about the rights of citizens and the role of the government in fighting terrorism, the Q&A program made an error in judgement in allowing Zaky Mallah to join the audience and ask a question.
Mr Mallah has been interviewed by the Australian media on a number of occasions. The environment of a live television broadcast, however, meant it would not be possible for editorial review of the comments he might make prior to broadcast, particularly if he engaged in debate beyond his prepared question.
Tony Jones correctly and immediately ruled a statement made by Mr Mallah as out of order.
Q&A will continue to raise issues that are provocative and controversial. There is always risk in undertaking live television. That is the nature of the Q&A program since it first aired in 2008.
As has been the case in the past on Q&A, circumstances will happen that are not anticipated. The critical question is whether risks could have been managed and the right editorial judgments made in advance.
The circumstances of Mr Mallah’s appearance will be reviewed by the ABC.
Richard Finlayson, Director ABC Television
Updated
at 12.58am BST
12.07am BST
00:07
Anyone who saw Q&A would have seen the exchange between Zaky Mallah and parliamentary secretary Steve Ciobo. By his own description, Mallah was:
... charged with planning a terrorist attack in Sydney in 2003 and was acquitted by the supreme court jury in 2005 of those charges however as a plea bargain happened, I pleaded guilty to threatening to kill Asio officials.
Ciobo fired back:
My understanding of your case was that you were acquitted because at that point in time the laws weren’t retrospective. But I am happy to look you straight in the eye and say that I’d be pleased to be part of a government that would say that you were out of the country.
Mallah:
Rubbish.
Ciobo:
I’m telling you, I would sleep very soundly at night with that point of view.
Mallah has continued the fight this morning, appearing to enjoy his 15 minutes of fame.
The majority of the #qanda audience tonight was pro Libs and pathetic. I would pay to see that Minister dumped on #ISIS territory in Iraq!
The greatest thing about Australia is that it HAD something called 'the rule of law. Today, the trash Abbott government knows NO law #qanda
Good to know I'm making headlines this morning. They don't call me 'Mr pot stirrer' for no reason! Ha! Good morning Australia. 💅
Updated
at 1.00am BST
11.48pm BST
23:48
Twitter corro The Matt Hatter is out of the blocks early, already flagging the flag count for any citizenship announcement.
@gabriellechan A good & hearty hale fellow well met to you. Today's tip - put your $ on 8 flags in the courtyard. pic.twitter.com/zGTO5iSJKq
11.43pm BST
23:43
Very nice Mr Bowers.
Updated
at 1.01am BST
11.34pm BST
23:34
And Julie Bishop also addressed the citizenship legislation. She thinks the work has now been done to address the concerns. Of course, the concerns raised were not so much in the party room as the cabinet. In fact Dan Tehan presented a petition of backbenchers to support Tony Abbott going even further to strip citizenship from Australians who merely had an option of dual citizenship. That option was a bit of a red rag to a bull in the cabinet room and was shunted off to the discussion paper.
It’s all good now though, says Bishop. She is happy with the legislation.
The draft legislation is yet to be presented to the party room but I’m confident that the government has addressed the concerns that were raised in the last couple of - weeks. We’ve considered a number of options and I believe we’ve come up with an appropriate draft piece of legislation.
11.26pm BST
23:26
In the past month, reports surfaced that Khaled Sharrouf’s family was trying to get back to Australia. His wife Tara Nettleton and their five children have requested a return to Australia.
Last month Tony Abbott did not countenance their return. At the same time, the immigration minister, Peter Dutton, said they would face “serious consequences” when they returned. (Though whether they can now return is in question.)
The issue for Nettleton is that she has travelled to a proscribed area under the foreign fighters laws, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years.
Here is an exchange between AM presenter Michael Brissenden and Peter Dutton on 27 May.
And if they’re in proscribed areas and they don’t have a reason for being there, if they’ve been involved in supporting terrorists or involved in activities directly themselves, they will face the full force of the law when they return to Australia.
BRISSENDEN: OK, and the children?
Well the children, as I say, it depends on the circumstance, the ages of the children. If they’re infants, for example, then they would be in state care, as we’ve seen with some people who have decided to abandon their children and go off and fight in the name of Isil. So those arrangements would operate as they would with any family where parents have abandoned their children or not acting in the best interests of their children.
This morning Julie Bishop was not entering the debate. One thing at a time please.
These are details we’ll consider once the reports have been verified one way or another. The circumstances of the families will be considered once the reports have been verified.
I won’t go into the details of the family’s circumstances. We are aware of the family. We are aware of the fact that Mr Sharrouf, for example, used his son to hold up the severed head of a Syrian fighter, so it’s alleged, for the purposes of seeking to attract others to this brutal cause.
Updated
at 1.03am BST
11.15pm BST
23:15
Sharrouf and Elomar were relatively high-profile fighters in the Isis world. The photos of Sharrouf’s son holding the head of a soldier were published worldwide. Julie Bishop was asked about their pull.
We’ve had feedback from our intelligence agencies that they were being used as part of a recruitment campaign. Daesh has been using quite sophisticated online media techniques to recruit people and my message to young people in particular in Australia is that it is a crime to support or take up arms or fight with Daesh or other terrorist organisations and that you are putting your life in mortal danger if you travel to Iraq and Syria and you’re also adding to the misery and the suffering of the people of Iraq and Syria if you support Daesh and similar terrorist organisations.
Updated
at 1.03am BST
11.10pm BST
23:10
Julie Bishop has been asked if the deaths of Sharrouf and Elomar will deter people from taking up arms with Isis or encourage others to join the cause.
These two men are not martyrs. They are criminal thugs who have been carrying out brutal terrorist attacks, putting people’s lives in danger. They boast of the brutality and violence they have been meting out to people, they boast of having sexual slaves. They are carry out terrorist activities and that’s why they’ve been listed as terrorists.
11.06pm BST
23:06
Julie Bishop has confirmed that Sharrouf and Elomar had their passports cancelled already by the Australian government on the grounds they posed a risk to Australia.
Both men had been listed as terrorists under the UN Security Council resolution dealing with foreign terrorist fighters. But she says their deaths have been difficult to confirm because Australia has very little presence in Iraq on the ground.
It is very difficult for us because we have an embassy in Baghdad but we don’t have one in Damascus but of course, given the security situation in Iraq it’s difficult for our authorities to gain the kind of information that would be required to verify these reports that these men have been killed.
10.59pm BST
22:59
Good morning blogans,
On a crisp clear morning in Canberra, the magpies are chortling as the commonwealth cars stream into the building under the flag.
And there will be a lot of flag waving today as the Coalition party room considers legislation that we can only assume was taken to the cabinet room last night. That legislation aims to strip dual nationals of their Australian citizenship if they are involved in terrorist activities. The test for involvement is the key here - whether by courts or ministerial discretion or both - and we will have to await the details.
You will remember the original proposal, by ministerial discretion alone, was rejected by members of cabinet in a spectacular leak that could have been transcribed by my former shorthand teacher, such was its accuracy.
Feeding into the party room political play is the news, released overnight, that Isis recruits Khaled Sharrouf and Mohammed Elomar were killed in the past week following fighting in Mosul. Foreign minister Julie Bishop confirmed there have been drone strikes in the past week but she cannot yet confirm the deaths of Elomar and Sharrouf. The latter was the individual that had pictures of his child holding the severed head of a Syrian fighter.
So that news provides the backdrop for the debate that will ensue in the party room today. We shall have the news to you as soon as possible. Join us for all of this and more. Keep the conversation going below and on Twitter @gabriellechan and @mpbowers.
Updated
at 11.01pm BST