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| Shorten faces test over plan to adopt Coalition's asylum boat turnback policy | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Bill Shorten is pushing to adopt the Abbott government’s policy of turning back asylum seeker boats at the party’s conference this weekend, in effect daring the left to take on his leadership. | Bill Shorten is pushing to adopt the Abbott government’s policy of turning back asylum seeker boats at the party’s conference this weekend, in effect daring the left to take on his leadership. |
| “I think it’s clear that the combination of regional resettlement, with offshore processing, and also the turnback policy, is defeating people smugglers,” the Labor leader told ABC television. | |
| “It’s not easy, though, because it involves the admission, I think, that mistakes were made when Labor was last in government.” | “It’s not easy, though, because it involves the admission, I think, that mistakes were made when Labor was last in government.” |
| Turnbacks remain a red-line issue for many Labor delegates but the opposition immigration spokesman, Richard Marles, acknowledged Labor’s previous policy in the Rudd-Gillard government had caused a “terrible loss of life”. | Turnbacks remain a red-line issue for many Labor delegates but the opposition immigration spokesman, Richard Marles, acknowledged Labor’s previous policy in the Rudd-Gillard government had caused a “terrible loss of life”. |
| “Despite best intentions, a terrible loss of life took place on Labor’s watch,’’ Marles told the Herald Sun. “We did not get it right then but we are very clear now about making sure we don’t repeat those mistakes. | “Despite best intentions, a terrible loss of life took place on Labor’s watch,’’ Marles told the Herald Sun. “We did not get it right then but we are very clear now about making sure we don’t repeat those mistakes. |
| “Offshore processing and regional resettlement together with the Coalition’s policy of turnbacks is what actually stopped the boats. I believe, provided it can be done safely, a future Labor government must have the option to undertake turnbacks.’’ | “Offshore processing and regional resettlement together with the Coalition’s policy of turnbacks is what actually stopped the boats. I believe, provided it can be done safely, a future Labor government must have the option to undertake turnbacks.’’ |
| The leadership’s position – revealed on the eve of factional caucus meetings on Thursday – is likely to cause a bruising fight, both within the faction meetings and on the floor of the conference. | The leadership’s position – revealed on the eve of factional caucus meetings on Thursday – is likely to cause a bruising fight, both within the faction meetings and on the floor of the conference. |
| Related: Bill Shorten set to announce 50% clean energy target at Labor conference | Related: Bill Shorten set to announce 50% clean energy target at Labor conference |
| “I’m not the sort of person who gives up and I hope people will work and understand why we’re saying what we’re saying,” Shorten said, adding that he believed Australia could “probably” increase its refugee quota. | “I’m not the sort of person who gives up and I hope people will work and understand why we’re saying what we’re saying,” Shorten said, adding that he believed Australia could “probably” increase its refugee quota. |
| “Australia should do its fair share and that’s why we’re prepared to consider things which previously we might not,” he said. | “Australia should do its fair share and that’s why we’re prepared to consider things which previously we might not,” he said. |
| The right has been moving assiduously over recent days to marshal trade union support to defeat a push by the left to prohibit boat turnbacks in the party’s asylum platform. At this stage, turnbacks are not mentioned in the draft platform which forms the party’s policy document. | The right has been moving assiduously over recent days to marshal trade union support to defeat a push by the left to prohibit boat turnbacks in the party’s asylum platform. At this stage, turnbacks are not mentioned in the draft platform which forms the party’s policy document. |
| “This journey is all about people smuggling: criminal syndicates, making lots of money, taking advantage of vulnerable people with the result that 1,200 asylum seekers died on our border in less than three years,” Marles said. | “This journey is all about people smuggling: criminal syndicates, making lots of money, taking advantage of vulnerable people with the result that 1,200 asylum seekers died on our border in less than three years,” Marles said. |
| “Were a future Labor government to allow this journey to start again in earnest, and put people smugglers back in business, the consequence would be a huge loss of life on our borders again. Given what we now know, we would be rightly condemned.’’ | “Were a future Labor government to allow this journey to start again in earnest, and put people smugglers back in business, the consequence would be a huge loss of life on our borders again. Given what we now know, we would be rightly condemned.’’ |
| Greens senator Sarah Hanson Young tweeted: “When will Labor learn that capitulating to the Coalition on refugees has never made the issue go away.” She said the Liberal party would “just find the next cruel thing”. | Greens senator Sarah Hanson Young tweeted: “When will Labor learn that capitulating to the Coalition on refugees has never made the issue go away.” She said the Liberal party would “just find the next cruel thing”. |
| Scott Morrison, the current social services minister and former immigration minister, tweeted that Labor was “all talk on turnbacks”. | |
| “The Coalition’s record on border protection and turnbacks is proven. The people smugglers know it … The Coalition’s successful border protection policies ended Labor’s deadly madness and restored integrity to our refugee programme.” | |
| When will Labor learn that capitulating to the Coalition on refugees has never made the issue go away. Libs just find the next cruel thing | When will Labor learn that capitulating to the Coalition on refugees has never made the issue go away. Libs just find the next cruel thing |
| The Coalition's record on border protection and turn backs is proven. The people smugglers know it. Labor is all talk on turn backs. | The Coalition's record on border protection and turn backs is proven. The people smugglers know it. Labor is all talk on turn backs. |
| Paul Power, spokesman for the Refugee Council of Australia, told ABC Mr Shorten was asking the party to abandon “its principles of fairness, compassion and respect for international law”. | |
| Sources on the Labor right are expressing cautious optimism that the numbers will be there to see off the left on turnbacks, but several party insiders said it was still too close to call as factional numbers were closer than at any time in the past 20 years. | Sources on the Labor right are expressing cautious optimism that the numbers will be there to see off the left on turnbacks, but several party insiders said it was still too close to call as factional numbers were closer than at any time in the past 20 years. |
| Furthermore, unlike in past years, delegates are not sure the factional leaders will be able to bind their members to vote along factional lines, given calls for greater democratisation. | Furthermore, unlike in past years, delegates are not sure the factional leaders will be able to bind their members to vote along factional lines, given calls for greater democratisation. |
| One of the key debates pushed by the left will be about removing a measure of factional power to allow ordinary party members to have a say in preselecting Senate candidates and delegates for federal conferences. | One of the key debates pushed by the left will be about removing a measure of factional power to allow ordinary party members to have a say in preselecting Senate candidates and delegates for federal conferences. |
| On Tuesday night, the right abandoned a controversial push to secure three votes from the Young Labor delegation. The right has now agreed that the left can take one of the three youth wing positions. After the resolution of that dispute the left takes 196 votes into the conference, with the right on 197. | On Tuesday night, the right abandoned a controversial push to secure three votes from the Young Labor delegation. The right has now agreed that the left can take one of the three youth wing positions. After the resolution of that dispute the left takes 196 votes into the conference, with the right on 197. |
| Related: Labor elders back reforms aimed at diluting union and factional power | Related: Labor elders back reforms aimed at diluting union and factional power |
| There are four non-aligned delegates. The debate on changing party rules requires a statutory majority of 199 votes. The left push is for 50% grassroots ballots – mirroring the proportion now in place to select Labor’s federal leader. | There are four non-aligned delegates. The debate on changing party rules requires a statutory majority of 199 votes. The left push is for 50% grassroots ballots – mirroring the proportion now in place to select Labor’s federal leader. |
| The right does not support democratisation at a threshold of 50%. Given the Labor leader Bill Shorten nominally supports party democratisation but in highly non-specific ways, Shorten’s right faction may counter the left push with a lower threshold on conference eve. | The right does not support democratisation at a threshold of 50%. Given the Labor leader Bill Shorten nominally supports party democratisation but in highly non-specific ways, Shorten’s right faction may counter the left push with a lower threshold on conference eve. |
| Earlier on Wednesday, Labor’s president Mark Butler acknowledged the previous Labor government’s difficulties on asylum seeker policy, but said he did not want to pre-empt the debate on turnbacks. | Earlier on Wednesday, Labor’s president Mark Butler acknowledged the previous Labor government’s difficulties on asylum seeker policy, but said he did not want to pre-empt the debate on turnbacks. |
| “I think there have been concerns expressed going back to our time in government about ensuring safety at sea in all of these operations, including the possibility of turnbacks, safety at sea not only for asylum seekers but also importantly for Australian personnel. The impact of these sort of policies and operations on our relationship with Indonesia has been something we’ve talked about consistently for some years, so this is a serious debate.” | “I think there have been concerns expressed going back to our time in government about ensuring safety at sea in all of these operations, including the possibility of turnbacks, safety at sea not only for asylum seekers but also importantly for Australian personnel. The impact of these sort of policies and operations on our relationship with Indonesia has been something we’ve talked about consistently for some years, so this is a serious debate.” |
| Also up for debate is a motion on emission reduction targets, ahead of the United Nations climate talks in Paris later this year. | Also up for debate is a motion on emission reduction targets, ahead of the United Nations climate talks in Paris later this year. |
| The Abbott government has delayed announcing its final decision on the post-2020 targets Australia it will take to Paris, though environment minister Greg Hunt has said it would be more ambitious than the current commitment, which is 5% on 2000 levels by 2020. | The Abbott government has delayed announcing its final decision on the post-2020 targets Australia it will take to Paris, though environment minister Greg Hunt has said it would be more ambitious than the current commitment, which is 5% on 2000 levels by 2020. |
| The Labor Environment Action Network (Lean) is taking a motion for Labor to adopt the targets set by the Climate Change Authority (CCA), which said Australia needed to cut carbon emissions by 30% by 2025 and sign up to further cuts of 40-60% by 2030 to catch up with other countries. | The Labor Environment Action Network (Lean) is taking a motion for Labor to adopt the targets set by the Climate Change Authority (CCA), which said Australia needed to cut carbon emissions by 30% by 2025 and sign up to further cuts of 40-60% by 2030 to catch up with other countries. |
| Related: Right faction pushes to use Young Labor for votes majority at national conference | Related: Right faction pushes to use Young Labor for votes majority at national conference |
| Lean is also pushing for more ambitious renewable targets, and on Wednesday Shorten announced the conference would debate a policy under which half of Australia’s large-scale energy production would be from renewable sources by 2030. | Lean is also pushing for more ambitious renewable targets, and on Wednesday Shorten announced the conference would debate a policy under which half of Australia’s large-scale energy production would be from renewable sources by 2030. |
| While Shorten is sure to win support for the new 50% renewable targets motion, Labor insiders said the motion supporting CCA emissions targets was less likely to succeed, given the government is yet to reveal its target. | While Shorten is sure to win support for the new 50% renewable targets motion, Labor insiders said the motion supporting CCA emissions targets was less likely to succeed, given the government is yet to reveal its target. |
| The China free trade agreement (Chafta), recently signed by trade minister Andrew Robb, is also bound to create heated debate. The Chafta requires that Australia will not “impose or maintain any limitations on the total number of visas to be granted” to China or “require labour market testing, economic testing or other procedures of similar effect as a condition for temporary entry”. | The China free trade agreement (Chafta), recently signed by trade minister Andrew Robb, is also bound to create heated debate. The Chafta requires that Australia will not “impose or maintain any limitations on the total number of visas to be granted” to China or “require labour market testing, economic testing or other procedures of similar effect as a condition for temporary entry”. |
| The labour provisions, which overturn current labour market testing for overseas workers, have been fiercely opposed by the union movement and Shorten has promised to “do what we can in parliament”. | The labour provisions, which overturn current labour market testing for overseas workers, have been fiercely opposed by the union movement and Shorten has promised to “do what we can in parliament”. |
| The Chafta has been signed, but legislation is required to enable some elements of it. Other controversial elements such as the Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) do not require legislation. | The Chafta has been signed, but legislation is required to enable some elements of it. Other controversial elements such as the Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) do not require legislation. |
| “In the parliament, Labor will fight to retain labour market testing, so employers need to show they cannot find suitable local workers before they turn to temporary migration for projects greater than $150m,” Shorten said. | “In the parliament, Labor will fight to retain labour market testing, so employers need to show they cannot find suitable local workers before they turn to temporary migration for projects greater than $150m,” Shorten said. |
| “And we will fight to maintain the integrity of Australia’s occupational skills and safety regulations. We will do all we can in the parliament before the enabling legislation is passed.” | “And we will fight to maintain the integrity of Australia’s occupational skills and safety regulations. We will do all we can in the parliament before the enabling legislation is passed.” |
| Shorten will address the Labor conference on Friday morning and the conference runs for the weekend. | Shorten will address the Labor conference on Friday morning and the conference runs for the weekend. |