What we learned: Monday 19 August
This is where we’ll wrap up the blog for today – but first, a quick recap:
Labor has struck a deal with the Coalition to pass the CFMEU administration legislation, with workplace relations minister Murray Watt saying the legislation will be the strongest action a government has ever taken against a union or an employer in Australia’s history. He said it would see the union “get back to focusing on the best interests of its members”.
The Greens called the deal struck between Labor and Liberals to pass the government’s “deeply flawed” CFMEU administration legislation “an unprecedented attack on the rule of law”.
The CFMEU said the legislation undermines the “democratic rights of our members to control their own future and impinges on the principles of procedural fairness and natural justice”.
The defence minister Richard Marles announced a defence export deal between America, UK and Australia, saying “it will open the door for more Australian companies to participate in the American defence supply chain”.
The Greens senator, Mehreen Faruqi, asked why the Labor government won’t use the “R-word” – racism – after Peter Dutton called for a visa ban on Palestinians fleeing Gaza.
Teal MP Zali Steggall has hit back against Peter Dutton, branding his comments “outrageous bullying” and describing the demonisation of refugees a “true and tried dog whistle”.
Senior party figure, Jeremy Buxton, told the court in Linda Reynolds’ defamation trial against Brittany Higgins that Reynolds would have been unlikely to win top spots on a Liberal election ticket because of her handling of Higgins’ alleged rape and accusations it was covered up.
The independent MP Helen Haines on Monday questioned the integrity and transparency of Labor’s Future Made in Australia legislation. There is $22.7bn attached to the legislation, but Haines says there are not enough guardrails around the fund to protect its integrity.
Indonesia’s president-elect Prabowo Subianto is in Australia today, for a whirlwind one day visit.
Nationals leader David Littleproud has taken aim at the Albanese government’s response to a Senate inquiry into fire ants, accusing Labor of not taking the threat of the highly invasive species seriously.
Artificial intelligence is threatening human-made music and musicians’ income, the peak music rights’ organisation Apra Amcos says.
Updated
CFMEU hits back at Labor-Coalition deal
The CFMEU has released a statement after the deal Labor struck with the Coalition, saying it undermines the “democratic rights of our members to control their own future and impinges on the principles of procedural fairness and natural justice”.
The union continued:
This decision is a sad indictment on the Government, and all sides of politics, which have succumbed to the anti-CFMEU rhetoric spouted by big business and amplified by conservative media outlets.
The allegations put by the media are very concerning and have been taken seriously by the union, with an independent investigation already launched, a governance review commissioned and individuals either removed from the union or stood down pending the investigation.
These allegations remain exactly that – allegations – completely untested in the legal system.
The media have a right to expose issues, but they are not a court and, until allegations have been tested by the legal system, people and organisations are entitled to a fair process.
The deal cut by Labor and the Coalition is as shameful as it is unnecessary – an act of political expediency at the expense of fundamental tenants [sic] of Australian democracy and our legal system.
It also fails to address the real issues of criminality and corruption that affect all of us in the industry instead targeting the union. In doing so, these laws increase the danger faced by construction workers, leaving them exposed to the criminality and corruption the laws purport to stamp out.
The CFMEU has been steadfastly focussed on getting an outcome that is in the best interests of our members. A forced administration through this legislation, devoid of real consultation with construction workers and isolated from their elected representatives, does not achieve this.
All Australian workers have benefited from our Union’s steadfast and resolute commitment to workers’ safety, economic justice and job security. Despite today’s outcome, we will continue to work for our members best interests.
The CFMEU will emerge from this process stronger than ever.
Updated
Doctor testifies in Linda Reynolds’ defamation trial against Brittany Higgins
Continuing the news in Senator Linda Reynolds’ defamation trial against Brittany Higgins:
The court heard from medical doctor Antonio Di Dio, who was called to parliament after the senator broke down and experienced chest pain in February 2021 in the days after Higgins appeared on Network Ten’s The Project. He said:
I recall that Senator Reynolds was very anxious and very stressed.
I had been asked to see her because of acute anxiety and this was confirmed during my meeting.
Sometimes on the chest is a symptom of the anxiety itself, but sometimes it’s a symptom of the targeted separate issue, such as a cardiovascular problem that is exacerbated by the concurrent anxiety or exists entirely separate to it.
The senator was referred to a cardiologist and later to a psychologist and a psychiatrist. Di Dio said:
I was concerned about the high level of anxiety and the profound effect that that was having Senator Reynolds’ work at the time.
She was obviously was doing important work and was incapable of attending which was causing her emotional distress.
He said he referred the senator to a psychiatrist for a diagnosis and to ensure there weren’t underlying issues causing the symptoms.
The psychologist was tasked with implementing a course of therapy to reduce her anxiety symptoms.
Di Dio said a cardiologist found the senator’s prolonged chest pain was triggered by anterior T-wave abnormalities triggered by heightened emotional stress and likely microvascular disease.
- AAP
Updated
Reynolds’ preselection standing damaged, court hears
Linda Reynolds would be unlikely to win top spots on a Liberal election ticket because of her handling of Brittany Higgins’ alleged rape and accusations it was covered up, a senior party figure has told a defamation trial.
Senator Reynolds is suing Higgins – her former staffer and who is defending the claim - over a series of social media posts containing alleged mistruths she believes damaged her reputation.
The Western Australian Liberal party’s selection committee chair, Jeremy Buxton, told a Perth court if the senator had stood for preselection and not retired she would have probably been relegated to position three or lower on the ticket.
Buxton told the supreme court, in answer to a hypothetical question from the senator’s lawyer, Martin Bennett:
Linda Reynolds has been a well-regarded senator but it is very likely ... there would be a feeling among a considerable number of delegates that [she] had mishandled the situation in her office, that she may have been unethical in her cover-up.
She may well have been judged a little more harshly as a female senator that she did not adequately support a young female staff member, even if not all the allegations would be believed across the mass of the delegates, there would be a very considerable reservation putting her at a disadvantage to other colleagues who didn’t have to answer those sorts of questions.
She would have been struggling ... to get the third position.
Buxton said position three on the ticket was problematic and position four put a candidate in an unwinnable position unless there was a landslide.
He said Justice Michael Lee’s federal court judgment in Bruce Lehrmann’s failed defamation against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson when he debunked allegations of a cover-up by the Morrison government would have been helpful. But Buxton wasn’t sure it would have “covered all doubts, problems and insinuations on the matter”.
Senator Reynolds announced she would not recontest the next election in February 2024.
Lehrmann denies raping Ms Higgins in the then defence minister’s office and his criminal trial was derailed by juror misconduct.
- AAP
Updated
Watt says scheme of administration is being drafted
Watt outlined that once the legislation is passed, he will determine whether its in the public interest to “determine a scheme of administration”, but he said the government is already “well advanced” in drafting a scheme.
He said:
We want to make sure we do this in a way that holds up legally so without prejudging that matter that would be the first decision I need to make whether it is in the public interest to determine a scheme of administration. We are well advanced in the drafting of that scheme. It is not quite complete yet, but now that we have this legislation almost pass, that is where the focus will go. But I hope we can finalise the scheme of administration in the next few days.
Updated
Murray Watt says CFMEU deal is strongest action ever taken against a union or employer
The workplace relations minister, Murray Watt, has just spoken to reporters about striking a deal with the Coalition to pass the CFMEU administration legislation, saying the government has taken the strongest action a government “has ever taken against a union or an employer in Australia’s history”.
He said:
We have agreed to a number of amendments with the Coalition, in many cases clarifying things that the bill was initially intending to do and we have agreed to some minor amendments which preserve the intent of the bill itself.
When this legislation passes, what it will show is that the time before corruption, criminality, violence and bikies in Australia’s construction union and industry is coming to an end.
Today is another big step forward towards making sure we have a clean construction union in Australia and a clean construction industry and I’m very pleased to be able to garner the votes to make that happen.
Watt said the government wanted to pass the legislation last week, saying most of the things the Coalition agreed to today were on the table from the government last Thursday. He said:
It is … their job to explain why we could not get it done last Thursday. Let’s hope no assets have been shifted within the CFMEU and other action taken over the last few days as a result of the Coalition not agreeing to this last week.
Updated
Greens call CFMEU legislation deal ‘an unprecedented attack on the rule of law’
The Greens have called the deal struck between Labor and Liberals to pass the government’s “deeply flawed” CFMEU administration legislation “an unprecedented attack on the rule of law”.
Greens leader Adam Bandt said the party told the government it was prepared to negotiate on the legislation to address “serious concerns” in the bill, but “instead Labor has worked with the anti-union, anti-worker Liberals”.
He added:
The Greens will always oppose sexism, corruption, thuggery and bullying, but Labor and the Liberals have just cut a deal to ram through flawed and draconian laws that threaten fundamental rights.
Civil liberties groups have rightly said this bill is a threat to freedom of association and the rights of all unions and membership based organisations.
The party also pointed out in its statement that Labor accepting the Coalition’s condition of a three-year minimum administration on CFMEU could see the Coalition appoint a new administrator if there is a change in government. The government had originally set three years as the maximum in the bill.
Updated
Talk of Dutton intervention in NSW Liberals ‘premature’
Peter Dutton’s allies have been urged to hold fire after suggestions the federal Liberal leader is considering a takeover of the beleaguered NSW Liberal Party, AAP reports.
The federal opposition leader is reported to be “dead serious” about intervening in the state branch, which after years of political infighting last week failed to enter 140-odd candidates in statewide local elections.
But Dutton’s state counterpart on Monday said stepping in now was too early.
NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman told reporters:
It’s premature at the moment.
I do support investigating very thoroughly ... this campaign capacity.
I completely understand why our colleagues want to ensure that.
The state party has been in crisis since Wednesday when it failed to enter dozens of local candidates, including sitting councillors, due to apparent mismanagement in party headquarters.
Good afternoon, and thank you to Amy Remeikis for guiding us through the day. I’ll now be with you until this evening.
Jordyn Beazley will guide you through the evening, but the Canberra team of Karen Middleton, Paul Karp, Sarah Basford Canales and Daniel Hurst are continuing to work on stories for you. I’ll be back tomorrow morning for the resumption of parliament – thank you to everyone who read and contributed today. Remember – take care of you.
Updated
Greens say Labor immigration powers bill gives space for Dutton attacks on Palestinian refugees
At the end of the ABC interview, Greens senator David Shoebridge was asked about the Greens criticism of the Coalition’s questions over the security checks for Palestinians. Shoebridge said:
Politicians can ask about many procedures if they are interested in a genuine exchange but Peter Dutton has been engaging in a despicable fashion by coming forward and asking for a complete ban on any Palestinians fleeing a genocide, finding any kind of refuge in Australia.
You can’t ignore the context and the questions, and, look, Labor has partly created the space because Labor has a piece of legislation before the parliament now which is designed to create this exact power: [the] power to ban entire countries … [and] give them to an Immigration minister without any parliamentary oversight.
Labor has legislation in the parliament to give that power to the immigration minister and Peter Dutton is stepping into that space.
Updated
Faruqi in the Senate: ‘How will we ever tackle racism if we can’t even use the word racism?’
Over in the Senate, the federal Greens senator, Mehreen Faruqi, has again called on the federal Labor government to not shy away from using the ‘r’ word – racism.
The NSW senator asked the question earlier today to which Penny Wong responded she was disappointed the Greens were trying to conflate Dutton’s words with Labor’s response.
Wong had told the upper house:
It is, I think, disappointing that things that are said by Mr Dutton, which we do not support, which do not reflect our policy, our values or our approach, are somehow used in that question as a political attack on the Labor government.
Less than an hour after question time had ended, Faruqi returned to the matter.
Faruqi said “overt racism from the Liberals is not the only danger in this country”, adding “the unspoken racism we see from Labor is just as potent”.
She continued:
Right wing media and MPs huff and puff and show hurt and indignance at being called out on their racism. Where is this concern about the actual racism itself? Where is this concern about the damage and harm it inflicts on targets? Well, there is none. There is none. No concern for the targets. Why is there this aversion to call out racism for what it is, and how will we ever tackle racism if we can’t even use the word racism?
Updated
Shoebridge says Greens haven’t received any donations from the CFMEU in a decade
On the issue of donations from the CFMEU, David Shoebridge says:
We haven’t received a dollar from the CFMEU for a decade, the Coalition received $175,000 in the last two years, Labor has received millions of dollars and what we say is we have not received the money, it is not why we are engaged in the debate.
In fact Labor and the Coalition made it about the money when it has never been a concern. It has not been our concern, our concern is about the deep principles about what should the federal parliament do, what powers should you give a politician.
We are engaging on principles and they are engaging in gutter politics about money, it says a lot more about them than us. We haven’t taken [any money from the CFMEU] for a decade and I don’t see in the conceivable future we will take money from them and that is a position we made clear.
Updated
Greens issue warning over power of minister to fire union leaders without due process
What did the Greens want from the CFMEU bill?
David Shoebridge:
We would have liked to have constrained the power of a political minister, just simply to issue a scheme with no parliamentary or court oversight and sack whoever they like, without any due process, without any natural justice.
We think that’s a very dangerous precedent especially when the same power will now roll over for three years and if we have a federal election you could be handing their power to a Coalition minister over a union.
We said we recognise and I want to be clear, we recognise the very substantial issues, misogyny, threats of violence, we know something has to be done, and we said to the government we know something external from the union has to be done and we want to work with you but we are incredibly concerned about this.
Updated
Greens concerned on precedent after CFMEU deal between Labor and Liberals
Greens senator David Shoebridge is speaking to the ABC about the concerns the Greens had with the CFMEU administration bill:
We were always concerned and we remain concerned about precedent, but when you see the Coalition and Labor joining together like this, it was pretty clear they had done the deal before they bought the motion this morning.
But we had that sense from last week, we were trying to reach out and work out a bunch of principles to try and limit the precedent.
The cost of this … it was clear to us from last week [Labor] had focused on the Coalition, they didn’t really want to talk to us, only the Coalition, now they have got Michaelia Cash.
Updated
Here is Tony Burke from question time, talking about the need to be careful with language.
You can hear Zali Steggall, the person who asked the question, saying ‘hear, hear’ in response throughout his answer.
Littleproud accuses Labor of failing to respond to fire ant Senate inquiry
Nationals leader David Littleproud has taken aim at the Albanese government’s response to a Senate inquiry into fire ants, accusing Labor of not taking the threat of the highly invasive species seriously.
As part of its inquiry into Australia’s response to fire ants, a Senate committee heard the body tasked with their elimination was a “shambles”.
The resulting report made ten recommendations, including an alternative independent agency or commission for fire ant eradication program delivery, a rapid review of current funding and greater transparency of the program.
Critically, the first recommendation was that the Australian Government review the current level of funding with the state governments. Labor hasn’t bothered responding, yet alone investigating or acting on this recommendation.
Four whole months have passed and Labor is still ignoring the recommendations, including calls for investigate alternative models for delivery of the eradication program to improve independence, and transparency, improve public engagement and improve the delivery of the eradication program.
In response, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins MP, said the “Albanese Labor government had committed nearly four times the previous commitment made to eradicate red imported fire ants ... by providing $296.4m over 4 years to 2027. “
Updated
Liberals say CFMEU deal ‘only the start’ of controlling the rogue union and construction sector of Australia
Michaelia Cash’s office has its release out ahead of the government celebrating the ground Labor has given on the bill. Cash said:
The government rushed this legislation into the Parliament without adequate consultation and were dragged kicking and screaming to make sensible changes suggested by the Coalition.
But this is only the start of the process of controlling the rogue union and cleaning up the construction sector in Australia.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton moved two bills in the House of Representatives today, one which would restore the Australian Building and Construction Commission and a separate bill which will enhance integrity measures and combat criminality on our nation’s building sites.
We call on the Government to support the Bills.”
Updated
Builders group welcomes CFMEU deal
Master Builders Australia’s CEO, Denita Wawn, has been quick off the mark in welcoming the deal:
The building and construction industry is finally on the road to meaningful cultural change.
The industry has been at a standstill with a great cloud of uncertainty on the current operating environment and the future of the CFMEU.
We thank the government and Coalition for working in a bipartisan way to reach an agreement on a series of amendments while not delaying the Bill’s passage beyond this sitting period.
Updated
Labor strikes deal with Coalition to pass CFMEU administration bill through Senate
The CFMEU announcement might seem a little overwhelming, so here are the basics.
The government wanted to get legislation through the parliament that would allow for an independent administrator to be appointed to the CFMEU after the union took the Fair Work Commission general manager to court to challenge the decision.
It wanted the legislation through last week, but the Greens and Coalition teamed up to block it in the Senate.
This was for different reasons though: the Greens thought the legislation went too far, while the Coalition thought it didn’t go far enough.
Last week, the Coalition listed 20 demands to get the bill through. At that point the government said no to three of the points, but was open to negotiation.
The big sticking point last week was the Coalition’s demand that the administration period be for a minimum of three years. The government had three years as the maximum in the bill.
The Coalition was teaming up with the Greens to send the legislation to an inquiry, which would have delayed its passage even further. It dropped that demand late last week and negotiations with the government continued over the weekend.
That led to the government folding on the Coalition’s key demands of a minimum of three years administration (unless the administrator says otherwise) and regular reporting to the parliament by the administrator. It also agreed that:
The FWC general manager will appear before Senate estimates to answer questions on the administration and ongoing investigations.
The CFMEU will not give any political donations during its time under administration.
The government did not bend on reinstating the ABCC.
Updated
With that announcement, Michaelia Cash announces she has to go to shadow cabinet.
The legislation should pass this week.
Australian Building and Construction Commission not part of Labor deal with Coalition on CFMEU bill
So the CFMEU administration bill will be passed by the Coalition in the senate, which gives the government the numbers to get it done.
Michaelia Cash wants the government to support the private members’ bill Peter Dutton has introduced to the house to reinstate the Australian Building and Construction Commission (the ABCC). But that is not part of the deal on this legislation.
Updated
CFMEU barred from making political donations while under administration
There will also be an end to CFMEU donations while it is under administration.
Michaelia Cash:
I have been provided with a copy of a letter from the administrator to the Minister, Murray Watt, which clearly sets out the administrator’s goals, and one of those very clear goals is to ensure that the CFMEU, in administration is not to incur any form of political campaign expenditure or make party political donations and I am prepared to accept that.
Updated
Labor accepts three-year minimum administration on CFMEU as condition for Coalition support
The government has folded to the Coalition’s demands.
There will be a three year minimum administration time period for the CFMEU. That was one of the big no-no’s from the government last week, so the weekend negotiations have seen a lot of ground given. Michaelia Cash goes on:
We also wanted to secure for the administrator the ability to ban officials forever, as opposed to the merely up to five years that the government had been proposing. We have secured that amendment. We also wanted to put in place a transparency element.
We do not want the government to be able to set and forget and I am pleased that the administrator will be reporting to the parliament in a certain format every six months.
Updated
Michaelia Cash confirms Liberals will support Labor's CFMEU bill after amendments
Michaelia Cash is confirming a deal has been done on the CFMEU bill after what she says is a “series of very significant amendments” to the legislation.
Updated
Michaelia Cash calls snap press conference
Michaelia Cash has called a snap press conference, so CFMEU administration bill news is incoming I would say.
Updated
Question time ends
Dan Tehan is back with another question for Tony Burke:
Is the Minister aware of any concerns from security or intelligence agencies about any of the 1,300 people who have arrived in Australia from the Gaza war zone?
Burke:
If I could understand the question he’s asking, just here in the privacy of Question Time, where no one else is listening: ‘Just between you and me, let’s have a conversation about national security confidential Asio information.’ No.
If you want to be irresponsible, that’s on you.
There are some very loud interjections, but Burke has decided he has concluded his answer, so no one gets a point of order.
After one more dixer, Anthony Albanese declares QT to be finished.
Updated
Greens and Labor spar over Aukus in the Senate
Over in Senate question time, the Greens have challenged the government over revelations that the new Aukus treaty allows the US, the UK or Australia to walk away from the nuclear-powered submarine agreement with one year’s notice.
The Greens’ defence spokesperson, David Shoebridge, highlighted concerns that the US was not making enough submarines for its own stated needs “and won’t for the foreseeable future”. He asked the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, why Australia had signed up to an agreement “that will allow the US to walk away at any moment and take all their stuff with them”.
Wong replied that the Greens were opposed to Aukus whereas the Labor government viewed the pact as central to protecting Australia.
When Shoebridge tried to bring the focus back to “the one-year get-out-of-jail-free clause”, Wong said all of the terms of the agreement would go through the normal parliamentary scrutiny process.
She said no government could guarantee the approach a future government would take, but said the agreement enjoyed bipartisan support in the US.
Shoebridge followed up with a question asking why the Australian government had not insisted on including a “claw-back mechanism” to ensure that Australia could reclaim the billions of dollars in funding it is providing to the US and the UK in the event that the deal fell over. Wong claimed this was a “hypothetical”, even though the question was about the terms of the treaty that the government had approved.
For more on this issue, see this recent story:
Updated
Tony Burke on racism: ‘words can be bullets’
Tony Burke finishes that answer with a pointed observation:
If there is one thing that I hope we have now resolved, I hope we have put away the arguments that we had to deal with for nine long years of being told that we needed to lower our protections against racial hate speech.
… It was the leader of the opposition who wanted those protections lowered and said ‘the Australian people don’t want to have officials out of Canberra jamming some sort of language code down their throat’. That was a response to hate speech.
[Liberal] Senator Paterson said ‘if it was up to me, we’d put an 18C repeal bill up every day of the week until it passes’.
The now shadow minister for defence [Andrew Hastie] said ‘that’s why we have defamation law. We don’t need 18C to sort these issues out’.
And I put to those who are in a similar position to me and to the member for Warringah, neither you nor me, member for Warringah, will experience racism at any point in our lives in Australia, but our neighbours will and our friends will, and words can be bullets.
And what might seem like a great way for some people to get a headline, none of us should underestimate the harm it does, not just to those individuals, but to the fabric of the nation.
Updated
Burke outlines how multicultural framework will be implemented
Tony Burke continues:
Secondly, some of the funding measures that have been decided on that flow from that, that give particularly some of the emerging communities, a better capacity, is important work as well. And effectively you end up with three sorts of events.
You get some events where people get to celebrate their heritage. Other events where it’s one big celebration and we all celebrate it together and other opportunities to learn from each other and to understand each other’s stories. And you, you need to thread through all of those.
Updated
Zali Stegall asks Labor how they will ensure policies won’t result in prejudice or vilification
Zali Steggall has the next crossbench question and she asks Tony Burke:
The multicultural framework review is a generational reform agenda requiring a whole of government and community approach that will position Australia to realise its full potential as a nation made up of many cultures, faiths and lived experiences. We often rightly call out anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, but too rarely racism and especially racist policy.
The review called on the government and all citizens to actively combat racism, which is still experienced by far too many. How will you ensure policies do not prejudice and lead to vilification of minority groups?
Burke:
The multicultural framework is an important document following a long period of consultation, and I pay tribute to the minister for skills for all the work that he did in making sure that we have that available for Australia.
It starts with a simple view that we are better together.
That’s the simplicity of it, that the fact that we need, quite properly, to have rules around making sure everybody is safe does not disqualify us from also making sure people feel welcome.
One are the messages that the government sends is that simply having the multicultural framework at all is an important thing.
Updated
Tehan asks if any Palestinian visas have been cancelled
Dan Tehan is back and asks Tony Burke:
Has any visa of any of the 3,900 people who are in Australia from the Gaza war zone on tourist visas, been cancelled?
Burke:
What the government does and a lot of attention is being given to when visas are first issued, where the process is the same as it’s always been. But the government continues to collect information … and we never stop collecting information on this caseload or anyone who has visas. If at any point in time we’re presented with information that had grounds for visa cancellation, we would cancel the visa.
Updated
King says Western Sydney airport ‘over 80% complete’ as Dai Le asks for Metro commitment
The independent MP for Fowler, Dai Le asks:
The Northwest Metro was opened today and yet in the fastest-growing areas of Sydney south-west wait for a new airport, people are paying more for tolls to travel, more taxes and are sitting on freeways that are looking more like large car parking lots. When will the government commit to building the much-needed Metro that will service and connect the people of Western Sydney to jobs and growth opportunities?
Catherine King says the government is investing in western Sydney:
It’s a power house not just of the New South Wales economy, but the economy of the entire nation. It’s why in the budget, we committed nearly $2bn for infrastructure specifically in western Sydney. It’s why overall, we’re spending $17.3bn.
We’re building the airport. It’s over 80% complete … we’re also investing in the metro. Closed train stations, not just to connect the airport but also to connect the important economic zones. And we’ve also invested in the road infrastructure to connect the airports to other parts of western Sydney.
Updated
Speaker says no warnings will be issued before he begins ejecting people from the House
Milton Dick issues a general warning after further interjections from the opposition side of the house.
The yelling, the screaming will cease immediately because a general warning is now issued. This is not acceptable. Members on my left, the complete disrespect is untenable. Moving forward, everyone now is on a general warning, you will not be warned and asked to leave.
Updated
Wong says Labor seeks to bring people together as Faruqi targets Hanson and Dutton over alleged racism
Returning with the Senate for a moment and the Greens senator, Mehreen Faruqi, has set her question sights on the One Nation senator Pauline Hanson.
You might remember Faruqi took Hanson to court earlier this year, claiming she had been racially discriminated against and vilified by Hanson under section 18c of the Racial Discrimination Act.
In Senate question time on Monday, after referencing Dutton’s comments on those coming from Gaza last week, Faruqi said:
Mr Peter Dutton is unfortunately not the only one spewing racism in this place. We have Senator Hanson. Almost two years ago, a parliamentary committee recommended mandatory and antiracism training for MPs. First Nations people and people of colour are harmed every day by the hateful filth that comes out of the mouths of Senator Hanson and Mr Peter ...
The Greens senator is interrupted by points of orders from the opposition benches. She withdraws the comments made about Hanson and Dutton but not before adding:
It is a shame that, in this chamber, racism is not called out but cracked down on those who call it out.
Penny Wong responds:
What we seek to do is work across the diversity of our communities which we see and the diversity of our caucus and we seek to bring people together. We don’t seek to divide, inflame, we seek to govern in the interests of all Australians and we seek to bring people together.
Updated
Albanese points out Coalition government issued visitor visas to Palestinians while Hamas was in control
Anthony Albanese continues:
There are two separate points. During that time in office, they issued more than 1,000 visitor visas to Palestinians from the occupied Palestinian territories. During that entire time Hamas controlled the Gaza Strip. They took over in 2006. They were in charge in Gaza, so I cannot be more in line with what the question was.
The hypocrisy, it is just extraordinary. Just extraordinary. (Peter Dutton interjects)
I will take the interjection! Apparently, this leader of the opposition thinks that Hamas became bad on 7 October! Before then they were OK. It was all hunky-dory. Hamas have been the enemy, or just of Israel but of the Palestinian people as well. The hypocrisy is extraordinary.
Updated
Albanese to Dutton: ‘there is something wrong with you’
Anthony Albanese continues:
In the financial year that the conflict began after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the previous government issued 10,000 visitor visas, some of those might have been to before or after the conflict began, but that is the figure for the financial year. I make this point as well.
During their entire time in office, they issued, under the former government, more than 1,000 visitor visas to Palestinians from the occupied Palestinian territories.
Peter Dutton begins interjecting loud enough for Milton Dick to call for him to stop interjecting. Albanese to Dutton:
There is something wrong with you.
Updated
Attack lines over Palestian visa continue
Phil Thompson, the LNP MP for Herbert, is also booted out under 94A for interjecting.
Peter Dutton then asks Anthony Albanese:
Can the prime minister confirm that no other government in Australian history has brought people from a war zone controlled by a listed terrorist organisation on tourist visas without the requisite checks and balances that would normally be conducted on a refugee on the humanitarian visa?
Albanese:
I will make two points in response to this question. The first is the security standard that our security intelligence agencies apply to everyone coming to Australia does not stop when they are on their way here, it is ongoing as the leader of the opposition would know.
… For anyone who comes to our country and undermines our laws, they get dealt with our law enforcement. We trust our security agencies and law enforcement to do their job. I make this point as well, two further ones. In the financial year that the conflict began after Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine, the previous government issued...
Dutton has a point of order on relevance, which annoys Albanese who says he “could not be any more relevant”. There is a back and forth over what the question allowed and then Milton Dick rules that Albanese can resume.
Updated
Richard Marles announces defence export deal between America, UK and Australia
The defence minister Richard Marles has this announcement (which he makes through a dixer):
On Thursday in Washington, President Biden completed the last step on the establishment of a licence-free defence exports … between America, the United Kingdom and Australia.
This is the achievement of a generational dream. It will open the door for more Australian companies to participate in the American defence supply chain. Companies like BM in the member’s own electorate which makes alloy components for US Navy ships and employees 200 people in high tech, high-skilled, well-paid jobs.
This will also make it much easier for technology to flow from America to Australia, which is so critical for Australia’s building of our future submarines which is also important in other areas like the guided weapons and explosive ordinance enterprise.
Lockheed Martin will begin the manufacture of guided land-based rockets in Australia from next year. This is a direct result of the work we have been doing with the US along with a more than $16bn investment over the next decade, and this is such a contrast between what this government is doing and the smoke and mirrors we are so used to from those opposite.
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Tehan questions if Labor sought advice from Asio before making decision on Palestinian visas
Dan Tehan asks Anthony Albanese:
Was security advice sought from Asio before the Government made the unprecedented decision to grant tourist visas to people from the Gaza war zone?
Albanese:
No matter where everything comes from or what these are the whole, a security agencies are involved in the process and we trust their expertise. We take the same advice from the same security agencies as the previous government.
Kevin Hogan (who just asked the last non government question in the house) is booted out under 94A for interjecting.
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Greens question in Senate why Labor won’t call Dutton’s rhetoric racist
Over in Senate question time, the Greens senator, Mehreen Faruqi, has asked why the Labor government won’t use the “r” word - racism.
Faruqi kicks off the questioning with:
Mr Peter Dutton has set a new low in racism with his disgraceful calls for a blanket entry ban on Palestinians fleeing Israel’s genocide in Gaza. With Mr Dutton’s history of bigotry, many of us Muslims and people of colour aren’t surprised...
Faruqi withdraws the comments after protests from the opposition benches, before asking:
Minister, why won’t your government show leadership and call out Mr Dutton’s behaviour for what it is – vile, dangerous, racism? Why won’t you use the “r” word?
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, responds:
It is, I think, disappointing that things that are said by Mr Dutton, which we do not support, which do not reflect our policy, our values or our approach, are somehow used in that question as a political attack on the Labor government ...
I know that when Mr Dutton has an opportunity to bring people together or to divide, he almost always chooses the latter ... We have seen that when he said welcoming Lebanese refugees was a mistake. We have seen that when he spread falsehoods about African migrants. We have seen him also say white South Africans should have fast-tracked visa.
I remember also the words of his political hero, John Howard, when he called for a reduction in Asian immigration because that was bad for social cohesion. Yes, I do understand and so do many of us on this side – I think all of us on this side, but some personally – where these words land and what that means for communities.
The debate continues.
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Albanese says Coalition did not complain about visas for months since Gaza border crossing closure in May
Anthony Albanese finishes that answer with:
Now we’ve rejected more than 7,000 visa applications. There are around about 1,300 people who have come here from the occupied Palestinian territories. I remind the member that the Rafah border crossing is controlled by Israeli and Egyptian authorities.
Let’s be clear about what’s happening here - that border crossing closed in May, in May. Did they safe anything about it in May? In June? In July? The beginning of August? Not a peep.
Not a peep from the member for Page who is so passionate about this issue that he’s had multiple questions about this.
Three months later, three months later, they have a call for a ban on anyone from Gaza coming to Australia, even though there’s been an attempt to redefine what was said during that Sky News interview.
It’s up to those opposite to explain why it is that they were silent about all of this for all of that time. It was just on the day when we welcomed Olympians home that the leader of the opposition chose once again to remind Australians that there’s no moment which is too big for him to show just how small he is.
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Competency and honesty attacks continue from opposition
The Coalition MP for Page, Kevin Hogan asks Anthony Albanese:
Australians are fairly disappointed in the Prime Minister and questioning his competency and honesty. When the director general of Asio was asked on Insiders about those from terrorist controlled Gaza getting visas to enter Australia, he said, “There might be times when they don’t get referred to us in time.” How can Australians have any confidence that this is not occurred for any of the visas granted to those entering Australia from Gaza?
Albanese responds:
I thank the member for his question. But I don’t thank him for undermining the position of the director general of Asio. I don’t thank him for that. No matter where a person comes from, or what visa they hold, our security agencies are involved in the process. We trust their expertise. We take the same advice from the same security agencies, even the same security personnel as the previous government.
(continued in next post)
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King says Middle Arm about trying to put Northern Territory on economic footing in response to Greens claim on fracking
The Greens member for Brisbane, Stephen Bates, asks:
The Senate inquiry into Darwin’s Middle Arm project heard from the Northern Territory’s chief minister that a petrol chemical factory could be established and the gas company has told the ASX they have exclusive rights to build a gas export terminal at Middle Arm out of the Beetaloo basin.
In light of this will your government now withdraw its $1.5bn fossil fuel subsidy for the Middle Arm project or is fracking the NT part of the Albanese government’s “Future Made in Australia”?
Catherine King says:
I also note the Senate inquiry is yet to report on the Middle Arm inquiry. Thank you for pre-empting that. Can I say that Darwin in particular in the Northern Territory is one of the few capital cities that does not have a significant industrial precinct. It does not have.
What the Northern Territory government is seeking to do is to secure its economic future. Northern Territory is heavily reliant, I think almost 80% of its funding for schools, for hospitals, for roads because it cannot generate income in its own right.
So Middle Arm is about trying to provide that opportunity and we have an industrial precincts and huge ones in Melbourne, my home state, every single capital city has those. Middle Arm is about trying to take the advantage of the energy future that’s needed for this country and bring that advantage into the Northern Territory and provide the people of the Northern Territory with jobs, new jobs, and an economic revenue stream that allows them to fund hospitals, schools and First Nations peoples.
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Speaker says temperature ‘far too high’ as visa debate continues
Peter Dutton interjects during that answer and Anthony Albanese says:
The leader of the opposition reminds the parliament they did bring in 12,000 people and we didn’t play politics with it.
Paul Karp hears the interjection:
Dutton: We brought in 12,000 people from Syria, remember? We just did it with proper checks.”
Dutton then responded to Albanese:
That’s because nobody came in on a tourist visa. Tourist visa! You don’t even know the basics.”
Milton Dick:
We are going to take the temperature down in the House today. It is far too high.
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Albanese refers to Asio director’s statement on risks of division
Anthony Albanese continues that answer:
The worst thing about this is that the member for Wannon should know better.
He should know and does know, of course, that Israel close[d] the Rafah border crossing in May.
He knows also that the Asio director has said very clearly, spoken about the responsibility that politicians have with their language. He knows that.
He also knows the diligent way our security agencies do the job .... And he should also know that the risk of serious division that the Asio director general has warned about.
Anthony Albanese then turns to an interview with a refugee from Gaza who spoke to Sky News, describing her as a “real human being with real family here”.
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Liberals continue to attack PM as ‘incompetent and dishonest’ over Palestinian visas
Dan Tehan is next with the non-government questions and I think we can all see a theme emerging here:
On Sky yesterday the minister for industry [Ed Husic] said the government was issuing visitor visas from terrorist controlled Gaza because it was faster and less rigourous.
Refugee visas take longer and given what is happening right now and the dangers presented, the view was to try and get people out as quickly as you can. Isn’t this why Australians are disappointed in the prime minister and are now saying he is incompetent and dishonest?
(There has not been an election in Gaza since 2006. Hamas was elected with 44% of the vote at the time).
Tony Burke asks about the language in the question and Milton Dick says he will follow practice and rule character descriptions out of order. Anthony Albanese seems to have been following the news with interest though, as it pertains to Tehan’s seat:
I thank the member for Wannon for his question. Of course Alex Dyson knows all about the member for Wannon and will be interested to see what happens at the next election when people make a judgment about his character … I would be doorknocking if I was the member for Wannon.
(Alex Dyson – a former Triple J radio DJ and author – has announced he will be running for the third time as an independent against Dan Tehan as part of the ‘voices’ movement.)
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Anthony Albanese began listing off the times he believes the former Coalition government (and Peter Dutton in particular) were lax with national security advice, but he runs out of time.
Graham Perrett is warned for interjecting.
Question time begins
Peter Dutton is quick off the mark with his point from last week that the prime minister misquoted the director-general of Asio (Albanese did not read the entire quote from Mike Burgess in an answer last week) and it seems “tricky” is back:
The prime minister was also tricky in saying the screening process his government uses are the same as the Coalition use. That turns out to be completely untrue. Isn’t this why Australia are disappointed in the prime minister and now saying he is incompetent and dishonest?
Albanese:
I have the utmost respect for Mr Burgess. That is why I reappointed him …
(Duttron is cautioned for interjecting)
Albanese:
... for five years following his appointment by the previous government. We have the same security agencies in place with indeed the same personnel. I will continue to take his advice and continue to trust our security agencies to do their job and I table the interview by Mr Burgess on Insiders.
Earlier today we had a motion moved by the leader of the opposition that asked for the information to be given in this chamber about which visa applicants are the subject of a security assessment by Asio and what the criteria for a ratio is to carry out security assessments. Asio …
(there are more interjections)
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Labor MP Cassandra Fernando warns Coalition position risks returning to days of White Australia policy
The Labor MP for Holt, Cassandra Fernando has spoken about the dangers of trying to bring race back into the migration system:
The Whitlam government advanced this progress in the 1970s by dismantling the last remains of the White Australia Policy.
Since then, our government and society have worked to build a multicultural Australia where everyone is respected, regardless of where they were born.
Yet some in this chamber see intent on reversing this progress seeking to drag us back to the days of the White Australia policy.
To the opposition. I say this as someone who moved from a war zone, it offends me when you argue that people fleeing conflict should not be allowed into this country, when you dog whistle and undermine our multicultural compact, it offends me. Labor will always stand with all Australians. No matter where you are born.
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Speeding through the House’s 90-second statements
The House is working through the members’ 90-second statements.
The Senate also does this, but they get two minutes.
There is also 45 minutes set aside in the federation chamber from 4pm on a Monday to get through the House of Representatives members who can’t get a speaking slot in the House.
Just a little statement trivia for you.
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Question time looms …
It is now the downhill slide to QT. I think we all know where this one is going to go, given the conversation over the last couple of days.
Grab what you need now to get through it.
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It has been pointed out to me that there are eight mentions of the word ‘sook’ in the current parliament, according to the hansard.
It was this moment on 14 August which really kickstarted the sook era:
Anthony Albanese: He shouldn’t get up early—it makes him grumpier than unusual!
Milton Dick: Order! The prime minister has the call. He’s going to refer to the question.
Barnaby Joyce: You’re a sook!
Albanese: Can I ask that that be withdrawn?
Dick: To assist the House, I’m going to invite the member for New England to withdraw.
Joyce: I withdraw.
Dick: I thank the member for New England.
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The latest in having a sook
The term ‘sook’ is having a real moment in the Australian parliament at the moment.
Here is the latest use of it:
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Western NSW gold mine ‘unviable’ due to federal protection order
AAP reports the owner of an open-cut gold mine in western NSW has said the project has been “rendered unviable by a federal protection order”;
ASX-listed Regis Resources said a decision by the environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, to protect Indigenous heritage at the McPhillamys Gold Project in central-west NSW would stop the mine going ahead.
The NSW Independent Planning Commission in March approved Regis’s application to mine gold in the area, despite opposition from some in the local Aboriginal community.
Regis’ chief executive, Jim Beyer, said the company was “extremely surprised and disappointed” that, after nearly four years of assessment, Ms Plibersek had decided to effectively block the development.
“(This) declaration shatters any confidence that development proponents Australia-wide (both private and public) can have in project approval timelines and outcomes,” he said in a statement.
The minister’s Indigenous-heritage protection declaration covers part of the Belubula River, which falls within the footprint for a proposed storage facility for cast-off material.
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Jacinta Allan: ‘We should not be so hard in our hearts and in our minds simply in the pursuit of politics’
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has been asked about Peter Dutton’s call to ban all migrants from the Gaza strip.
Last week, the federal opposition claimed that no one from the Gaza war zone should be allowed to enter Australia “at the moment” due to an unspecified “national security risk”.
At a press conference on Monday, Allan said Victoria had a long history of welcoming refugees from conflict zones:
We should not be so hard in our hearts and in our minds simply in the pursuit of politics.
That cheapens all of us, as a community and that is why Victoria will continue to firmly be the place where we welcome refugees from places of global conflict and provide them with the love and care and support that clearly Peter Dutton finds so hard to offer.
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Burke criticises Dutton call for public disclosure in fiery speech
Tony Burke:
In what universe does any security agency on the planet publicly disclose all its criteria?
In what universe do they do that? And yet the leader of the opposition is calling for that to happen now.
I must say, I haven’t seen his Home Affairs Spokesperson call for something … as off the wall as what’s been moved in the House right now, I haven’t heard his shadow defence spokesperson call for something like that, that we would suddenly take issues that are subject to [confidentiality].
We do share confidential briefings with the opposition. We do make sure that that’s happened, as they did when we’re were in opposition, but to share it with the world, to share it on the floor of the House of Representatives is one of the most irresponsible things, and he knows it.
The chamber divided and the government won the vote to adjourn the debate until tomorrow, so that closes that off (for now – question time is another thing entirely).
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Burke says Dutton’s motive for security proposal is not in national interest
That brought Tony Burke to the substantive issue of his speech – “what is the motive” in laying out what the national security checks are for people applying for visas, as asked for in the opposition’s motion.
Tanya Plibersek addressed that point earlier today, given that it had been raised in commentary, by saying that the government wouldn’t outlay all the processes as that would help people who wanted to get around them.
Burke put it a little more plainly in the debate in the House:
What would be the motive for someone saying we should lower our national security principles and let visa applicants know if we’re doing a security assessment on them?
What would be the motive for that?
Because I can’t think of a single motive that’s in the national interests of Australia …
I can think of a motive that might be in the political day-to-day media cycle interests of the leader of the opposition.
But if he’s willing to sacrifice the national security interests of Australia to try to get a grab up in social media now, then that’s his motive. It’s not the government’s motive. That’s his motive. It’s not my motive.
You won’t find me saying that if we’re conducting a national security assessment on someone, we ought to do it publicly, that we ought to phone a friend and let them know that we’re doing it!
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Tony Burke reiterates Dutton’s history of targeting migrant groups
Here is a bit more from that speech from Tony Burke, who seems to have relished the opportunity to get some of this into the hansard record.
And you only have to look at the time delay – like it wasn’t much more than the six second delay on radio – between Mike Burgess, as the director general of Asio, telling people to cool the temperature before this guy runs along with a bucket of kerosene, saying, ‘where can I throw it on the fire?’
And he’s got form. He’s got form on trying to divide the Australian community. Look at who he said he won’t fight for. Look at who he said we should all be suspicious of.
At the moment, we’ve got a debate where he wanted to go after Palestinians. But before that, it was Africans, it was Lebanese, it was Muslims.
Granted –he hasn’t tried to declare war on every migrant community. He did stand up for white South African farmers. We remember that.
Paul Fletcher stood up at that point with a point of order that Burke was “attributing a whole range of improper motives to the leader of the opposition” in a breach of standing orders. Burke was asked to uphold the standing orders.
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Debate in house to be adjourned
Tony Burke moves the debate be adjourned – the House divides. The government has the numbers, so the debate will be adjourned.
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Burke says Liberals throwing tantrum on national security
Tony Burke continues:
We’ve got used to the fact that they’ll throw a tantrum, and if they can’t be in charge of housing policy, they’ll try to stop houses from being built.
We’ve got used to the fact that on policy after policy issue, they’ll vote with the Greens because they can’t be in charge, they’ll their bat and ball on the air and go away.
But I never thought they’d play that game on national security.
I never thought they’d play that game on our Asio systems.
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Tony Burke: Dutton is ‘irresponsible and a sook’
Home affairs minister Tony Burke has responded to Peter Dutton’s motion (you can read the whole motion here) with a quite fiery speech:
The leader of the opposition has moved this motion today because the man is irresponsible and a sook and the country doesn’t like either ... People have never put up with someone who’s a sook.
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Dutton attempts motion attacking PM over Palestinian refugees
Independent MP Kylea Tink has attended a protest outside the parliament, with 140 people standing on the lawns to represent the 140 people still held in Australia’s offshore detention centres.
Tink has reintroduced a bill which would make indefinite detention illegal. Zoe Daniel seconded the bill.
At the same time, Peter Dutton has moved to suspend standing orders in the House of Representatives calling on the prime minister to explain:
(a) which visa applicants are the subject of a security assessment by ASIO;
(b) what are the criteria for ASIO to carry out a security assessment in relation to visa applicants from the Gaza war zone;
(c) how many of the almost 3,000 visas already issued by the Government were granted without an ASIO security assessment; and
(d) whether the House can have any confidence that under this Government’s processes, there is a proper and thorough security assessment of all visa applicants from the Gaza war zone to determine whether the applicant would present a security threat to the Australian community
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Government business begins in the Senate
Back in the Senate, the Coalition voted with Labor to shut down Larissa Waters’ motion to debate Labor’s donations from the CFMEU (which came after the Coalition moved a motion criticising the Greens response to the CFMEU allegations, which the government supported).
So with that little back and forth completed, the Senate moves on to the government business of the day – about three hours after the chamber first sat.
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Indonesian leader visiting Australia
Indonesia’s president-elect Prabowo Subianto will arrive in Australia today, for a whirlwind one day visit.
Prabowo secured a parliamentary majority last week following his successful presidential campaign in February.
He will meet with Anthony Albanese and Richard Marles to discuss “Australia’s continued commitment to working in partnership with Indonesia on shared economic, security and net zero transition priorities”.
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Greens return fire over Senate motion critical of CFMEU links
In response to that last motion, Greens senator Larissa Waters has moved a motion to suspend standing orders to have Murray Watt explain to the chamber “whether Labor will return any of the millions in donations it has received from the CFMEU”.
The government does not support this motion.
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Coalition and Labor team up to attack Greens over CFMEU response
To square off that circle on the Senate motion Simon Birmingham moved a little bit ago – criticising the Greens over its response to the CFMEU allegations – Labor voted with the Coalition to support the motion.
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Google executive interrupted by AI assistant while giving evidence before Senate
Last week, a Senate inquiry heard from tech executes about the use of AI in their products. You can learn more about the committee here.
While giving evidence, Lucinda Longcroft, Google’s Australian government affairs and public policy director was interrupted by Google’s AI assistant, but denied it was helping her answer the committee’s questions.
You can see that moment from Friday here:
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Simon Birmingham accuses Greens of ‘conspicuous silence’ on CFMEU
In the Senate, Liberal senator Simon Birmingham is attempting to suspend standing orders to debate:
The conspicuous silence from The Australian Greens in relation to the Government’s legislative response to the CFMEU’s scandal of corruption, lawlessness and thuggery;
(b) notes that the Leader of The Australian Greens, along with Greens MPs and senators, have not ruled out receiving any donations from the CFMEU while it is under administration;
(c) agrees that no amount of money is worth supporting corruption, bullying, sexism and thuggery;
and (d) calls on the Leader of The Australian Greens to clarify the full extent of the party’s relationship with the CFMEU and confirm that the party will not accept any donations from the CFMEU while it is under administration.
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What does the right to disconnect mean?
From next Monday, the changes to the Fair Work Act to give workers the right to disconnect come into effect.
What does that mean for you?
Well, it depends on your award, but in general the Community and Public Sector union (CPSU) national secretary Melissa Donnelly said in an op-ed (first published by the Canberra Times) that it is the right to reclaim “knock off time”.
If an employer is contacting you outside your working hours, there must be a good reason for it.
The Fair Work Act provides a good outline to help determine if contact is reasonable or not. These include:
The reason for the contact – is it an emergency or highly time sensitive?
The method of contact and the level of disruption it causes (for example, an email is less disruptive than an SMS or phone call).
Whether the employee is paid to be available or is paid for additional hours worked.
The nature of the role and the level of responsibility held by the employee.
The employee’s personal circumstances (including family or caring responsibilities).
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A NSW liberties organisation expressed “serious concern” about the government’s CFMEU administration legislation, saying it has been “rushed” and sets a dangerous precedent for all membership-based organisations.
The NSW Council for Civil Liberties (NSWCCL) said while any allegation of criminality is serious and should be addressed, the “far-reaching” powers could set a dangerous precedent for the rights of individuals to natural justice and procedural fairness.
It added the far-reaching powers could set a dangerous precedent for the trade union movement and member-based organisations as it could see democratic control removed externally on the basis of “untested allegations”.
The council said in a statement:
The NSWCCL has long held that everyone has the right to natural justice and procedural fairness, regardless of the allegations they face. If this legislation is passed... it threatens this fundamental right. The right to freedom of association and the nature of membership-based organisations across Australia must be protected.
Ex-Liberal MP could be summoned to Australia to give evidence in defamation trial
A former Victorian Liberal MP residing in the UK could be summoned to Australia to give evidence in a defamation trial brought against the state opposition leader.
Ousted Liberal MP Moira Deeming is suing John Pesutto over a series of media releases, press conferences and radio interviews he gave last year after a Let Women Speak rally during his push to expel her from the parliamentary party. The rally was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis and Deeming claims Pesutto characterised her a Nazi sympathiser or supporter.
At a hearing in the federal court today, Pesutto’s lawyer, Matthew Collins KC, argued requiring Dr Matthew Bach to travel to Melbourne to appear in person would be disruptive for his work and family life.
Bach was a member of the Liberal leadership team that met with Deeming after she participated in the rally.
Deeming’s lawyer, Sue Chrysanthou SC, argued giving evidence from the “comfort” of one’s home was different to the “seriousness of giving evidence” in a courtroom.
Chrysanthou said the cross-examiner was also put at a disadvantage when the witness was appearing via video link.
Federal court justice David O’Callaghan reserved his decision.
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Minns praises ‘vision’ of Gladys Berejiklian on Sydney Metro
NSW premier Chris Minns is speaking at a press conference for the opening of the Sydney Metro, where he again gave credit to the former Liberal government for the creation of the key city infrastructure:
It would be disingenuous of the government that’s been in power for 18 months to take credit for this new piece of public transport infrastructure.
We want to point out that the previous government in particular the previous Premier Gladys Berejiklian deserves a lot of credit. On a day like today I want to pay tribute to her for the fact she pushed through with this project, she had the vision to get it done. It’s a great addition to the city. I congratulate everybody who is responsible for a sparkling piece of public transport infrastructure that will change Sydney for the better.
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Hollie Hughes calls on Steggall to apologise to Peter Dutton
NSW Liberal senator Hollie Hughes (who has lost her spot on the NSW Senate ticket for the next election) used that same Sky interview to weigh in on Zali Steggall’s comments about Peter Dutton.
I think she should absolutely apologise, but it’s so typical of those of the left when they have nothing left in their argument, they go for personal smears.
We see it time and time again, whether it’s in the chamber or outside of the chamber.
The ideological driven left so intellectually bereft, all they have to go on is personal smears, time and time again. We know that the teals are nothing but Greens in a Gucci jacket and it’s just appalling that they are basically behaving like useful idiots for those who must support us.
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Matt Thistlethwaite says any visa issues in his electorate will be referred to Tony Burke
This morning, the assistant immigration minister, Matt Thistlethwaite confirmed what Tony Burke said in parliament last week – there are arrangements in place to ensure there is no conflicts between constituents making representations to Burke over visas matters and his job as immigration minister.
Thistlethwaite told Sky News:
To avoid a conflict of interest, any matters relating to visa issues in my electorate will be referred to Tony Burke and any from his electorate will be referred to me. To date, I haven’t received any referrals.
There’s been cases of visas from Ukraine and from Gaza that are being processed in the normal way. They’re going through the normal security cheques that Asio undertake and they’re generally processed by the department.
And Tony Burke’s given those figures to the parliament about how many visa applications there’s been from Gaza and how many have been approved and how many have been rejected. But so far, I haven’t had any referred to me from his electorate.
In parliament last week, Burke said about 7,000 or 70% of all the visas applied for by Palestinians in Gaza, had been rejected.
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Helen Haines questions 'transparency' of Labor's $23bn green investment fund
The government is moving its Future Made in Australia legislation through the house.
A few criticisms have emerged – including from independent MP Helen Haines who is concerned over the integrity of the fund.
There is $22.7bn attached to the legislation in this budget, but Haines says there is not enough guardrails around the fund to protect its integrity.
There is a giant question mark where integrity and transparency measures should be in this legislation,” Haines said.
We are talking about tens of billions of taxpayer money and I want to make sure the public knows where this money is going.
Haines will be moving amendments on the legislation in the house, asking for more transparency over what it can be spent on.
Without an oversight and transparency framework, there is a risk that money will be awarded to industries or companies without merit, because of lobbying efforts, because it will win votes in certain electorates, or for other reasons that generally lack integrity in government decision-making.
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Australia urged to find a better way to track poverty
The Anti-Poverty Network have been calling for a review on how the government measures poverty for some time.
This week, the Brotherhood of St Laurence is hosting international poverty measurement expert Professor Sabina Alkire “to gain a clearer insight into how Australia can better measure and track poverty rates”.
Almost five decades after the commission on poverty in Australia called for a national poverty measure to be established, Australia still doesn’t have a nationally agreed definition or measure on poverty, or a consensus on how to reduce it, or track the progress of whether or not there has been progress in that direction.
It is estimated that more than 3.5 million Australians are living in poverty – that’s one in seven.
BSL is hoping that Alkire will be able to shine a light on what Australia could be doing to make a material difference in policy addressing poverty.
Her advice will also inform an ongoing joint initiative between BSL and the University of Melbourne, ‘Defining and Measuring Poverty’, which draws together experts and partners from economics, social policy, public health, education, gender, disability, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs to assess current poverty frameworks and measures and identify a way forward for Australia. This builds on considerable work on poverty measurement from partners across the sector.
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Chris Minns gives credit to former NSW premiers as Sydney Metro opens
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, has announced the Sydney Metro opening on social media, making it official-official (does anything truly happen unless its posted on social media?) but he has also performed the rare political act of giving credit to predecessors:
Credit where credit’s due, none of this would have been possible without the vision Mike Baird, Gladys Berejiklian, and Dominic Perrottet had for Sydney. This achievement belongs just as much to you.
Credit where credit's due, none of this would have been possible without the vision Mike Baird, Gladys Berejiklian, and Dominic Perrottet had for Sydney.
— Chris Minns (@ChrisMinnsMP) August 18, 2024
This achievement belongs just as much to you.
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There is a bit of chatter in the corridors of power about the ABC news theme making its comeback.
The trumpet sounds are instantly recognisable to anyone conscious in Australia before 2005, when it was removed. It’s back, but in true Brat 2024 fashion, has had a bit of a remix.
The iconic ABC TV News Theme heralded the bulletin for almost two decades. Now it's making a comeback!!! https://t.co/uQJB3ppck8
— Monte Bovill (@MonteBovill) August 17, 2024
Greens call for above-average wage increases for women-dominated industries
Last week, Jim Chalmers and Katy Gallagher announced the gender pay gap was at its lowest point on record. In May 2022, when the Albanese government took office, the pay gap was 14.1%. Last week it was recorded at 11.5%.
Greens senator Larissa Waters is marking something of her own – the “50 extra days women need to work, on average, to earn the equivalent salary to men”. (Today is 50 days since the end of the last financial year.)
Women’s work is still undervalued, whether it’s paid or unpaid. Professions that are female-dominated are on average paid less than male-dominated professions – despite being crucial to the functioning of society.
The easiest way to close the gender pay gap is to pay women more.
The Greens want above-average wage increases over the next decade for women-dominated industries.
Katy Gallagher, in an op-ed, said the government was working on the issue:
We know that at the moment, the gender pay gap is a problem costing our country $51.8 billion every year. If women’s workforce participation matched men’s, we could boost out GDP to $353 billion by 2050.
The drivers of the gender pay gap are complex. It’s not as simple as just making sure that women and men performing the same roles receive the same pay – we’ve already got laws in place for that. It’s about changing attitudes that mean that women’s work is often undervalued, that women are disproportionately concentrated in lower-paid industries, and that women disproportionately shoulder the burden of unpaid care work for kids and elderly family members.
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‘Dutton focuses on dividing Australians rather than delivering for them,’ says Patrick Gorman
It is obviously a slow morning for Labor MP Patrick Gorman, whose team has limited themselves to just three lines of subjects in the transcript of the assistant minister to the prime minister’s transcript this morning.
Subjects: Where is Peter Dutton’s cost-of-living plan? Peter Dutton will always choose to divide rather than to deliver; the Albanese government is focused on delivery; our government’s plans for a strong resources sector for the future.
For the record, here is how Gorman opened his doorstop:
Australians have been wondering, ‘where is Peter Dutton and the Liberal Party’s cost of living plan?’ They tell us they’ve been working on it for months.
And what we learned today in the Daily Telegraph is that Peter Dutton hasn’t been working on a plan for cost of living. He’s been working on a plan to take over the New South Wales branch of the Liberal party. Now, a party who says they care about cost of living but don’t even care enough to get their paperwork in on time. That tells you everything about the absolute mess over which Mr Dutton presides.
But this isn’t new. When you think about how Mr Dutton conducted himself in government; he took the knife to Medicare, now we read he’s got the knives out for his own party. Now what we know is that time and time again, Mr Dutton focuses on dividing Australians rather than delivering for them. He makes that choice every single time.
(There were no questions.)
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Murray Watt confident Coalition will pass CFMEU bill
The workplace minister, Murray Watt, also seems very confident that the Coalition will agree to pass the CFMEU administration legislation this week. The two parties were at loggerheads over a few points, including that the Coalition wants the union to be under an independent administrator for a minimum of three years.
But Watt told ABC radio Brisbane that he thinks an agreement is in sight:
To be clear, we haven’t reached agreement with the Coalition yet, but I’m certainly very hopeful after the weekend that we will. It’s on them now to come to the party. But assuming we do pass these laws, basically what they do is allow me, as the minister for industrial relations, to determine whether it’s in the public interest to appoint an external administrator to run the CFMEU across the country. Really, the intention is to clean up this union.
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Barnaby Joyce says ‘rush’ of refugees could pose security threat
Barnaby Joyce was also part of that segment (it is a regular part of the Monday breakfast show).
Joyce is asked:
Barnaby, we’ve got more than 10,000 children killed in Gaza since the war began. I know the gates are shut now, but shouldn’t we be trying to get them out of danger instead of sort of putting these particular rules in place here?
Joyce:
Well no one’s denying, not for one second, that it is abominable what is happening in the Hamas‑Israel war; it is dire. No one is arguing that point at all. What we are saying is that our first and foremost issue is to make sure that we don’t have a rush in such a form as we put Australians at risk.
If we had one terrorist attack in Australia that was linked to this, it would break all goodwill, it would be catastrophic. And that’s what people are worried about.
The head of Asio, Mike Burgess, has said his agency was involved where necessary in carrying out security checks.
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Refugees like my parents understand ‘the gift of safety’, Plibersek says
The host went to interrupt and Plibersek continued:
There would be a lot of people like me whose parents came here as refugees after the second world war who would understand that the gift of safety, a place that you can safely raise your family, is incredible, and people like me feel grateful every single day that their parents were able to leave Europe after the second world war, after so much destruction and violence, and live safely and peacefully, which is what most refugees who come to Australia want to do.
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No surprise Gazans trying to escape ‘absolute hellhole’, Plibersek says
Can Tanya Plibersek understand that people might have national security concerns over the visas granted to Palestinian visas, given that tourist visas were issued, instead of refugee visas, as it was the faster visa pathway?
That was the question Plibersek was asked on the Seven network this morning. Plibersek responded with:
Well, no, I can’t, because the same systems are in place now as when Peter Dutton was the minister, the same personnel are there, the same head of Asio giving us the same advice as when Peter Dutton was the minister.
It’s worth pointing out that fewer than 3,000 visas have been issued, more than 7,000 have been rejected. So it’s certainly not easy to come to Australia, and in any case, all of the borders are shut now, so if you’re in Gaza, you’re stuck in Gaza.
When you look at that footage every day of the bombings, the 40,000 people who’ve lost their lives, 16,000 children who’ve been killed during this conflict, it’s no surprise that ordinary people, not supporters of Hamas, ordinary people are trying to get out of what is obviously an absolute hellhole.
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Nacc asks public servants asked to fill in integrity survey
The National Anti-Corruption Commission has asked all public servants to fill in an integrity survey.
The survey is “approximately 30 questions that focus on their knowledge, experiences and perceptions of integrity and corruption issues in their agencies”.
The Nacc deputy commissioner, Nicole Rose, said in a statement that the survey aimed to harness the “direct personal observations of their agency and knowledge of the Commonwealth public sector that can provide valuable insights into integrity and corruption”.
The survey will “provide essential data for tracking trends in perceptions of corruption and agency corruption risks, and inform anti-corruption strategies.”.
But don’t use it to make a report about suspected corrupted conduct. The place to do that, is here.
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Anthony Albanese said it wasn’t a delaying tactic, but the government “making sure that we get these reforms right”.
There is such a thing as the internet. There is offshore gambling as well, which is therefore difficult to regulate, and has implications across a range of areas as well, obviously, if you just move it offshore.
There are a range of issues that we’re dealing with, we’re consulting appropriately.
And one of the things that my government does is to make sure we don’t just take a position, try to ram it through. We consult with stakeholders. That’s a good thing. That’s how you get reform, right. That’s how you avoid unintended consequences, and that’s what we’re doing.
Albanese promises ‘further reforms’ to gambling ads
In an earlier interview with ABC radio’s Sabra Lane, Anthony Albanese was asked about the gambling ad reforms and Labor’s response, including the push from its own backbench to do more and said:
We’re a political party that has members who are very passionate about ideas. I’ve got no problem with that at all. What we’re doing as a government, though, is making sure that we get it right, and we will get it right, we will make a difference. The status quo is completely unacceptable, and there will be further reforms.
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Zoe Daniel continues push to ban gambling ads
Independent Goldstein MP, Zoe Daniel, is continuing the push to have the government ban gambling ads.
Daniel introduced a private members bill seeking to do that 15 months ago. It has not moved through the house, and Daniel says it is time for the delays to stop. She said:
If the Albanese government believes another week of kicking the can down the road is going to save them from having to make the tough decision on banning gambling ads, they’re wrong. Australians have made it clear what they want. A total ban, and they want it now.
My private members bill is designed to protect Australians from the endless and incessant stream of gambling ads that are impacting on them, their families and loved ones. The community in Goldstein is crying out for an end to gambling ad avalanche. If the government is serious about dealing with this issue once and for all, it should support this legislation.”
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Kylea Tink reintroduces bill to outlaw indefinite detention
North Sydney independent MP Kylea Tink is reintroducing a private members bill which would make indefinite detention illegal.
Tink’s bill would would “make it illegal for the Australian Government to detain someone seeking asylum for more than 90-days or to hold a child in detention”.
Tink said there was an “alarming” increase in the number of people being held in indefinite circumstances in “expensive and secretive offshore facilities”.
Australia’s immigration regime is uniquely cruel. There is no crime in our country that comes with a sentence of indefinite mandatory internment, yet we treat vulnerable people fleeing for their lives with less respect than we do heinous criminals. It’s past time that we had a government that is prepared to act in a manner consistent with our national values and aspirations.”
The response to the high court ruling which declared indefinite detention to be unconstitutional has once again made detention of refugees a politically troubled area. The response to the high court ruling and the resulting political firestorm was considered one of the reasons Andrew Giles and Clare O’Neil were moved from the immigration and home affairs portfolios in the recent cabinet reshuffle.
It is up to the government of the day, which controls the numbers in the house, to decide when to bring bills up for debate. This bill from Tink is unlikely to receive government support and most likely won’t be listed for debate for some time.
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Humanitarian groups mark World Humanitarian Day
Today is World Humanitarian Day, as designated by the UN.
You can learn more about it, here.
Humanitarian and community groups have placed signs for the more than 450 humanitarian workers who have died while trying to help people in need, since 2023, out the front of the Australian parliament.
A group statement from the Australian Council for International Development, Australian Global Health Alliance, UNICEF Australia, PEN Sydney, the Jewish Council of Australia & Amnesty International said:
Today, we come together to honour the frontline workers who have lost their lives in humanitarian crises, representing their colleagues within our own society here in Australia.
Separately, more than 60 prominent Australians have signed an open letter from Safer World for All campaign warning the safeguards designed to protect humanitarian workers are breaking down.
It calls on the federal government to uphold its obligations under the Geneva Conventions and hold countries accountable for breaches of international humanitarian law.
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AI a threat to musicians’ livelihoods, report warns
Artificial intelligence is threatening human-made music and musicians’ income, the peak music rights’ organisation Apra Amcos says.
Kate Miller-Heidke, Jimmy Barnes, Peter Garrett, Missy Higgins and Tina Arena are among the 4,200 people who have contributed to a report released today that warns of the “potentially devastating impact” AI could have on the Australian and New Zealand industry. Almost a quarter of musicians’ revenues will be at risk by 2028, the report found, and more than eight in 10 musicians are worried they’ll no longer be able to make a living.
Apra Amcos chief, Dean Ormston, said it was “the equivalent of a fast-tracked industrial revolution”. He said:
We now know from this survey that artists are innovators and are embracing this incredible new technology, however government must put regulation and policy in place now to ensure that everyone is given the adequate credit, consent and fair remuneration for any works being used in AI platforms.
If the use of AI is unregulated and unlicensed it will be economically devastating. Creators pour their hearts and souls into their work, yet they’re facing a reality of seeing their creations exploited by AI platforms.
We urge the Australian and New Zealand governments to implement EU-style transparency guidelines on tech companies now to disclose the content that has been copied and used without permission to build AI platforms, with sanctions for non-disclosure. Without this, our industry is facing a very bleak future.
Updated
Birmingham outlines three sticking points over CFMEU legislation
Simon Birmingham is asked about the Coalition’s demands over the CFMEU legislation the government wants to get through the parliament. Birmingham says it could pass today if the government met three key points:
There remain three sticking points in the negotiations over the CFMEU. One is about having a minimum time that the union is put into administration.
We don’t trust the Labor government not to rush this process, so we want a minimum time.
The second is in relation to transparency, and having the administrator appear before Senate estimates, so that there is some transparency and accountability into this process.
And the third is in relation to political donations, and ensuring that the CFMEU cannot be donating to the Labor party or the Greens whilst they’re in administration and whilst their corrupt activities are cleaned up.
If Labor can come to the party and agree to those three very basic conditions, then this legislation can pass today.
Labor has already said no to making three years a set minimum, so looks like negotiations continue.
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Birmingham defends colleagues who take defamation action
What does Simon Birmingham think about the number of Coalition frontbenchers who have taken legal action for defamation in recent years, given they have parliamentary privilege and can set the record straight through parliamentary processes, which records it on the Hansard?
Birmingham says:
Well, everybody can use any platform they want to try to set the record straight if they feel they’ve been unfairly maligned. But it also it is also a right of every Australian, whatever their political colour and whether they sit in a parliament or not, to expect that the laws of the land apply to them, and that includes the right to claim defamation if you feel you have been defamed.
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On his understanding that Peter Dutton may be considering legal action against Zali Steggall for her comments, Simon Birmingham says:
I think throwing around slurs like racist allegations is quite contrary to the Labor party and what they promised last election and and is an instance of playing the man and not the ball.
And I expect we’ll probably, sadly, see a lot more of that in the run-up to the federal election, where it seems as if the entire Labor modus operandi is one of seeking to tear down Peter Dutton rather than to focus on the issues, be that fixing cost of living and addressing those challenges, or this debate about how we ensure proper standards to keep Australians safe and secure in the future.
Updated
Would Simon Birmingham use the same term that Peter Dutton did in his op-ed (see below for the quote). Birmingham says:
I use my words, my language, and I’m accountable for those.
Birmmingham pushes back at ‘slurs of racism’
Birmingham is then asked:
“Peter Dutton, in an op-ed in the News Limited papers has written ‘instead of debating the facts, Labor, the teals and the Greens accuse the Coalition of being racist and heartless. When they do, they prove they are not only Hamas’ useful idiots, they also expose their complete disregard for our national security’. Does accusing fellow MPs of being useful idiots for a terrorist organisation fit into Mike Burgess’s criteria for maintaining social cohesion?”
Birmingham replies:
I don’t think throwing around slurs of racism fits into that category. What I would note is that since October 7, tragically, there are many things that Hamas would be happy about in terms of how public debate in countries like Australia and elsewhere around the world has unfolded.
Asked again “What about the term useful idiots for Hamas being used by an opposition leader against fellow MPs?” Birmingham says:
As I was outlining, tragically, I think Hamas would be happy about the way some debates have unfolded, the way in which the government and others around the world have shifted the goalposts in relation to a two-state solution, and the approach to that that seems to no longer put ensuring peace, security and recognition of Israel’s right to exist at the forefront as part of that negotiation and offers the opportunity for an early or premature approach to recognition. These types of changes have given Hamas the type of wins that they would be happy to see.
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I stick to the facts, Birmingham says
Simon Birmingham was asked on ABC radio about the Asio boss Mike Burgess’s warning for politicians (and others, including the media) to watch their words.
Birmingham says:
I’m always conscious when it comes to debates about the words that people use and the approach that the best person you’re able to judge is yourself.
I try to make sure in my approaches that I stick to the facts, the evidence and the policy issues, and that’s certainly what I’ve tried to do in this interview this morning.
And I encourage everybody else to do so, to ensure that the approach and the debate that we have is one about how Australia ensures our social harmony in the long run, is kept together, and that means not having people who sympathise or support terrorist organisations like Hamas coming into our country. It is very critical to ensure long-term social cohesion and long-term safety without the risk of terrorism.
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Birmingham defends Dutton
Simon Birmingham is asked “if [Asio boss] Mike Burgess thought those security checks needed to be ramped up, like Peter Dutton is suggesting, they would be done, wouldn’t they?” He says:
Well, there are complexities operating in all of these circumstances, and he has not been given by the government the type of tools that existed.
For example, in Afghanistan that Zali Steggall referenced, or in Syria previously, where individuals were repatriated to a third country, where then full and thorough checking could occur of identities through interview processes and the like that I outlined before.
And that full and thorough checking process wasn’t rushed like it has to be when you are dealing with whether or not you can issue a visa immediately to somebody in the conflict zone.
So there are processes or protocols put in place previously that offer a far better and more secure pathway for Australia than the one that the Albanese government has.
It was after that question that Birmingham was asked the “what problem is Peter Dutton trying to solve” given the Rafah border is closed and no one is coming to Australia, as we reported on a little earlier this morning.
Updated
Dutton’s opponents accused of playing the man instead of the ball
The Coalition’s Simon Birmingham was asked to respond to Anthony Albanese and later, Zali Steggall’s comments that his party leader, Peter Dutton was stoking the politics of fear and division. Birmingham told ABC radio he “completely reject[s] that”:
What we’re seeing from the prime minister and some of the teals like Zali Steggall, who all promised some sort of kind of gentler politics, is that they are really quite happy to play the man rather than the ball.
That they are happy to go on personal attacks against Peter Dutton rather than focus on the policy debate here, which is about how Australia, with the finite number of places we offer for people to come and resettle in, Australia, handles security screening and checks in ways that ensures we do not have terrorist sympathisers or supporters among amongst those who come into our country.
We are firmly of the view that the strongest possible screening and checks should be applied and deeply concerned that the track record set by the Albanese government is one that doesn’t involve the strongest possible screening or checks, because the average processing time for those who came out of Gaza was 24 hours.
Some were processed in as little as one hour, and not all went through full and thorough identity checking, biometric checking, or other scrutiny that would enable identification as to whether they may have sympathies for the actions of Hamas, a listed terrorist organisation.
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‘That is incredibly incorrect’
Zali Steggall is asked:
How do you feel about him using that term, and I’m going to quote it directly, he said in the op ed, he said, “Instead of debating the facts, Labor, the teals and the Greens accuse the Coalition of being racist and heartless. When they do that, they prove they are not only Hamas’ useful idiots, they also expose their complete disregard for our national security.” What do you say to that?
Steggall:
That is incredibly incorrect. And speaking for myself, as an independent I take national security incredibly seriously. I think it is vitally important that we have strong processes.
But I also have confidence in Mike Burgess and Asio and our professionals and our systems and departments, and I worked with the Coalition in 2021 when we had the fall of Kabul and the process of evacuating and getting people out of a war zone is complex.
It is difficult and it is dangerous, and it often happens in a fairly chaotic way. It certainly did when I worked with them in 2021 but at no time did anyone turn around and suggest that created a security fear. And I think it’s disingenuous of the Coalition to really try and divide now on the basis they are just simply seeking to stoke political advantage and by stoking fear and division.
Updated
Steggall accuses Dutton of bullying and intimidation
Zali Steggall, who was a lawyer before winning the seat of Warringah as an independent MP, is asked about the reports Peter Dutton is considering legal action over her comments. Steggall says:
I would view that as, again, true and tried part of the playbook of Mr Dutton of bullying and intimidating people from calling out his policy and behaviour. And I stand by this policy proposal is inherently racist, and it’s designed to foster fear and hatred of a minority group. The latest opinion piece by Mr Dutton bringing in Nazi Germany, this is all designed to foster fear. I can’t tell you how many emails, you know, I receive emails from people saying, “This is not racist, but …”
Again, you have to look at the underlying position you’re supporting and challenge that.
Peter Dutton was asked about Steggall’s comments last Friday and said:
I’m not a racist, and I’m not going to be standing here as a punching bag for people like Zali Steggall,” Dutton told Nine’s Today Show on Friday.
I actually think, ironically, that them calling out people unnecessarily and unrealistically and unjustly as racists, they’re actually fuelling tensions.”
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Citing national security a dog whistle when you're trying to demonise refugees, Steggall says
The interviewer says Peter Dutton would respond that he was talking about the need for greater security checks on people leaving a war zone; “a war zone where the ruling body in that war zone is proscribed, terrorist organisation”.
Zali Steggall responds:
With respect, we’re talking people that are fleeing a war zone. There is no evidence that Mr Dutton has put up that suggests that, for example, we have [given visas to people with a security risk] and let’s keep in mind and this using of national security is a true and tried dog whistle that comes out when you’re trying to demonise refugees – it’s always national security is always brought out.
But what we what this started with was me trying to tell the very human story of a beautiful family that came to Australia. They’re looking for peace and for an opportunity to raise their children in an environment that is safe.
You know, the father I had met, he wanted to start a nippers program in Gaza to ensure beach and water safety for the children, so no one is suggesting a loosening or a reduction of national security measures.
And this is just the typical and tried and tested way you demonise a minority by making others feel or inferring that there is going to be a relaxation.
And so I think you have to call out this tactic of trying to use national security and fear mongering of minority groups and so to then turn around and say it can’t be called out is playing right into that playbook of bullying.
Peter Dutton said he was not a racist when asked about Steggall’s comments last Friday.
Updated
‘It is the appropriate term to be used’
Asked if she thinks she “overstepped the mark” with her comment, Zali Steggall says:
I’d be really curious to know is, what other term do you think is the term that describes a policy that is that that seeks to predominantly prejudice and discriminate in a systemic way against a class of people?
Because, again, we have this notion that the term itself is inflammatory.
It’s only because, when it’s supplied, people resent or resist that description, but if the facts support and meet the definition, then it is the appropriate term to be used.
Peter Dutton denied he was racist in an interview last Friday when he was asked about Steggall’s comments:
“I’m not a racist, and I’m not going to be standing here as a punching bag for people like Zali Steggall,” Dutton told Nine’s Today Show on Friday. “I actually think, ironically, that them calling out people unnecessarily and unrealistically and unjustly as racists, they’re actually fuelling tensions.”
Updated
Key event
‘He was accusing me of supporting terrorists’
Returning to Zali Steggall and her interview this morning; the independent MP was asked to clarify if her “stop being racist” comment last week in the House of Representatives was directed at Peter Dutton.
She told ABC radio:
At the time, he was accusing me of supporting terrorists, and I had others accusing me of supporting rapists, and it’s just outrageous bullying.
And, you know, I look, I think it’s just outrageous the position and the behaviour in the house, but also in this public debate where we need leadership in Australia that actually bring us together as one of the most multicultural, multi-faith countries in the world.
You know, we’re stronger by standing together. But as you know, as too often happens, what we see is a sort of, I guess, a demonising of refugees, of people seeking safe passage, safe haven from war zones, on the basis of, I think, political opportunity.
Peter Dutton said he was not racist when asked about Steggall’s comments last Friday.
Updated
A flashback to what Dutton said
These were the comments from Peter Dutton last week when he was asked, in that “quiet moment” in the Qantas hangar, while everyone was focused on the return of the Olympic team for his thoughts on the security checks for Palestinians coming in from Gaza (which has not happened since May):
Well, I just think every Australian would be shocked to think the government’s bringing in people from a war zone, and that Asio is not conducting checks and searches on these people. We have a database, particularly out of the US, which allows for biometric checks and to bring people out on paper documentation when you don’t have a regime there to check the births, deaths and marriages registers as you would normally have, coming out of another country – it is, I think, something the prime minister needs to answer because we’re living in a heightened security threat environment, and the prime minister needs to be upfront with the Australian public.
Q: Shouldn’t everyone be screened by Asio?
Dutton:
Well, if people are coming in from that war zone and we’re uncertain about identity or their allegiances – Hamas is a listed terrorist organisation, they’ve just committed an atrocity against the Jewish people, the biggest attack on people of Jewish faith since the Holocaust – and that the government wouldn’t be conducting checks? I don’t think people should be coming in from that war zone at all at the moment. It’s not prudent to do so, and I think it puts our national security at risk.
This morning Anthony Albanese was asked what he believed Dutton’s motivation was in making the comments. The prime minister said:
It’s always about politics. With Peter Dutton, everything’s about politics, and everything is about division.
What I’m concerned about is actually delivering on the on the issues, including the ones we’ve discussed this morning, that really matter to Australians.
Peter Dutton knows full well that the same security agencies, indeed, the same personnel, in many cases, are looking after national security issues. If he doesn’t have confidence in them, he should say so.
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‘There’s no moment too big for him to show how small he is’
Anthony Albanese was asked about Peter Dutton’s comments this morning as well. He answered with a continuation of the theme he started last week:
I think Peter Dutton is deeply divisive and well, that creates a risk to the nation. I was astounded that last week when we welcomed home our Olympians, a moment of national unity, Peter Dutton, once again, showed that there’s no moment too big for him to show how small he is.
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Birmingham explains Dutton’s remarks
The Coalition’s Simon Birmingham is speaking to ABC radio RN Breakfast right now and he is asked about the prime minister’s comments about no one coming to Australia from Gaza at the moment.
Birmingham is asked that, given that fact, “What problem is [Peter Dutton] trying to solve?”
Birmingham:
Because he answered a question from a fellow journalist, so this wasn’t brought up by Peter Dutton, as is being put.
Yes, the borders in Gaza are closed at present.
He was asked questions about the way in which the government has handled this to date, and he outlined our view in relation to the need to put security at the forefront of consideration in response to these matters.
He responded to that as it was put to him, and of course, our expectations were the government to find pathways to be repatriating people or to be helping people in terms of leaving Gaza the type of standards that should be applied in the future were that to become possible.
This was the question Peter Dutton was asked last week, while standing in the Qantas hangar, waiting to greet the Australian Olympic team who had just returned from Paris (the previous questions were all about the Olympics).
Just while I’ve got you, Pete, before you go, and while it’s quiet, I do want to ask you about the security checks on Palestinians coming in from Gaza. Your thoughts on that this morning?
Updated
‘No one is coming out of Gaza’
Anthony Albanese was asked about Peter Dutton’s comments last week in his earlier interview with ABC radio and said:
No one is coming out of Gaza, because in order to leave Gaza, of course, Israel, due to the nature of the situation there, was having to approve people going through the Rafah crossing in order to depart earlier on.
So they know that that’s the situation, and that’s the context of Peter Dutton then saying he wants just to pause for the moment. He wants to stop people coming in when he knows that no one is leaving Gaza, at the moment.
Updated
Zali Steggall says Coalition visa policy is ‘designed to foster fear’ of refugees
Zali Steggall is asked if she regrets the comment and tells ABC radio:
Look, obviously, it’s always better to keep you cool, it is very difficult when things are being thrown at you.
But no, I don’t, because I think this needs to be called out.
For too long, we see policies that are inherently racist, and they’re designed to foster fear and hatred of a minority group, and the fear of the consequences of calling out means that the policy itself doesn’t get examined and called out, and that’s just bullying and intimidation.
So no, I think it’s really important for the sake of our social cohesion for Australia as a nation to call this out.
Updated
Steggall v Dutton
On ABC radio RN Breakfast, independent MP Zali Steggall is speaking about Peter Dutton’s response to her speech in parliament last week. Steggall was speaking on a motion the Coalition brought to the house last week, questioning the security checks around the visas for Palestinians who had left Gaza for Australia, before Israel closed off the Rafah border in May.
Dutton kicked off a firestorm last week when he said Australia should not be accepting Palestinians from Gaza at all. No one, other than in the rare case of medical evacuation, has been able to leave Gaza since Israel seized the Rafah border crossing three months ago. Of the 2,900 visas Australia issued, only about 1,300 people made it to Australia before the border closed.
During the motion debate, Steggall told Dutton to “stop being racist” after a barrage of interjections from the Coalition benches during her speech.
Dutton is reportedly looking into legal action over the comments. He said he was not a racist in an interview on the Nine network last week.
Updated
Liberals claim credit for Sydney Metro extension
A blog watcher has informed us the politics around the Sydney Metro continues, with Liberal volunteers handing our pamphlets at Sydney’s Central station taking credit for the Chatswood to Sydenham line opening this morning.
For those not in Sydney, here is a primer on why Australia’s biggest city is so excited about a train:
NSW opposition leader Mark Speakman’s face is on pamphlet, telling commuters that this project is the sort of the thing the Liberals do while in government.
The former Coalition government did start the project but lost government before it was completed. Which will happen to Labor in Queensland, when the cross-river rail project is finally opened – Labor’s project, which will most likely (if polls are correct) be opened under the Coalition.
Meanwhile, in the only public transport news I care about this morning, the Seaworld Monorail – the first monorail in Australia – is to close after four decades. RIP to a real one.
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‘Looking at further reforms’ on gambling ads, PM says
The prime minister started his morning with an interview on ABC radio AM, in which he was asked about a variety of issues in front of the government, including the gambling ad legislation.
The government is offering caps. It is being pushed to go for a total ban on gambling ads.
Dr Mike Freelander, a Labor backbencher, has been vocal about wanting the government to follow through with the Peta Murphy inquiry recommendations.
Asked if he was facing revolt from his backbench, Anthony Albanese said:
I have every respect for Mike Freelander. He’s good fellow but it’s not the first time he’s gone public with various comments.
Albanese repeated the line that “we have done more in our first two years on gambling than any previous government ever”:
Now we’re looking at further reforms, and we’re consulting appropriately, including with caucus members. Indeed, I met with Mr Freelander last week.
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Increase in number of people being held on Nauru ‘deeply concerning’
In June Guardian Australia revealed that a spate of boat arrivals led to the number of people in offshore detention in Nauru rising to more than 100, only a year after the centre there was emptied.
Kylea Tink said:
The dramatic increase in the number of people being held on Nauru is deeply concerning with the centre now housing six times more people than it did six months ago. Meanwhile, the billions spent on maintaining offshore detention is not only wasteful, but fundamentally at odds with our national values. It’s time for the government to put an end to offshore detention.
The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre’s head of systemic change, Jana Favero, said:
We welcome the introduction of this bill and urge all parliamentarians to support it. Crossbench MPs are giving the Albanese government an opportunity to legislate time limits on detention … that are consistent with the ALP’s own party platform and statements made in opposition.
The devastating mental and physical health impacts of detention are well documented … Mandatory detention must be abolished, and time limits on detention is the first critical step towards this.
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Kylea Tink to introduce bill that would limit immigration detention
The independent MP for North Sydney, Kylea Tink, will introduce a private member’s bill that would make it illegal for the Australian government to detain someone in immigration detention for more than 90 days or to hold a child in detention.
The 90-day time limit could be extended by the minister for a further 28 days – but only under “exceptional circumstances”. Extensions would have to be “necessary, reasonable and proportionate”, and would be subject to review by the administrative review tribunal.
In opposition Labor considered adopting a 90-day time limit on detention, although the policy was rejected by Anthony Albanese even before he became Labor leader after the 2019 election. Labor’s platform states that it believes “detention that is indefinite or otherwise arbitrary is not acceptable” but the party has not definitively committed to end the practice.
Tink said:
Australia’s immigration regime is uniquely cruel. While we expect our government to protect our borders, we should never accept that this requires placing people seeking our protection into an environment where their basic human rights are completely obliterated.
There is no crime in our country that comes with a sentence of indefinite mandatory internment – and yet we treat vulnerable people fleeing for their lives with less respect than we do heinous criminals.
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Iron ore price slump could cost federal budget $3bn over four years
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has released analysis from Treasury that lower than expected iron ore prices could cost the federal budget $3bn over four years.
Iron ore prices have fallen 38% since the beginning of 2024, including 7.5% in the last week alone, with prices reaching their lowest level since November 2022 on 15 August 2024.
At close of trade on Thursday, the iron ore price was US$81.80 a tonne, below the US$83/tonne that the Treasury had assumed it would currently be.
The Treasury assumed that the iron ore price would decline from its level around the time of budget to reach its long-run anchor price of US$60/tonne by the end of the March quarter 2025. The $3bn estimate is based on if this price is reached instead by the end of the September quarter 2024.
Chalmers said:
Softness in the Chinese economy and the recent fall in iron ore prices are another reminder that we are not immune from volatility and uncertainty in the global economy. This is exactly why we take such a cautious and conservative approach to Treasury’s forecasts for resource prices and revenue.
We’re following these developments very closely because of their potential impact on our economy and our budget. We’ve delivered the first back-to-back surpluses in almost two decades at the same time as we’re easing [the] cost of living for Australians.
We’ve always put a premium on responsible economic management, and that’s especially important amidst all this global uncertainty.
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Good morning
Welcome to the second week of the sitting. It is a bit of a dreary morning in Canberra this morning, which suits the mood, given some of the news around.
Paul Karp has analysis from treasurer Jim Chalmers, showing that lower than expected iron ore prices could cost the federal budget $3bn over four years.
Higher than expected royalties had helped the budget position over the last couple of years but this is the flip side to that strike of fortune. The government is getting ahead of Coalition attacks by releasing the information itself.
Meanwhile Labor is still trying to reach an agreement over the CFMEU legislation. Last week the Greens and the Coalition blocked the bill twice, although Anthony Albanese seems strangely confident those barriers have been removed.
He told the ABC’s Sabra Lane this morning:
It’s extraordinary that the Liberals and Greens twice last week blocked this legislation but I’m confident that we will be able to get it through.
There is also the ongoing fight over the proposed gambling reforms.
All in all, it is back to the grind for the government and we are only just back from the break.
We will bring you all the news – you have Karen Middleton, Paul Karp and Sarah Basford Canales in Canberra, and Amy Remeikis on the blog.
Ready? Coffee number two is on the stove, so let’s get into it.
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