What we learned today, Monday 4 September
And that’s where we’ll wrap up today. Thanks so much for your company. Here’s a little of what we learned:
Several Coalition MPs have opposed or stopped short of endorsing Peter Dutton’s plan for a second referendum if the October vote on the Indigenous voice is unsuccessful, while Anthony Albanese has accused the opposition leader of not listening to Aboriginal people.
The Liberal MP Zoe McKenzie has acknowledged that the Coalition’s robodebt scheme was “one of the poorest chapters” of public administration in Australian history and caused “avoidable human suffering”.
Qantas has acknowledged “it will take time to repair” its reputation in the eyes of Australians, and that allegations it was selling tickets to thousands of flights it had already cancelled came at a time when its brand had “already been hit hard on several fronts”.
Queensland’s acting premier says the cabinet has expressed its unanimous support for Annastacia Palaszczuk amid concerns from MPs about rushed laws that legalise the detention of children in adult watch houses.
An Australian in need of urgent medical attention has been evacuated from a remote research station in Antarctica and is now sailing hundreds of kilometres back to Hobart.
The Albanese government has introduced its next tranche of workplace reforms aimed at closing loopholes in workplace laws that allow pay and conditions to be undercut.
Labor claims it has won support to revive minimum conditions in the road transport industry and will push to make further changes to pay deal bargaining, the workplace relations minister, Tony Burke, has revealed.
Victoria’s opposition leader, John Pesutto, says he will vote no in the upcoming Indigenous voice referendum.
Reducing capital gains tax discounts and altering how we tax super could help lift more than 800,000 welfare recipients out of poverty, a new report from Australian National University and St Vincent De Paul has argued.
The Minns cabinet is expected to decide as soon as Monday whether it will spend potentially billions of dollars to keep Australia’s biggest coal-fired power station running for an extra two years to reduce the risk of blackouts.
Updated
Peter Dutton’s proposal for second referendum criticised by Liberal MPs
Several Coalition MPs have opposed or stopped short of endorsing Peter Dutton’s plan for a second referendum if the October vote on the Indigenous voice is unsuccessful, while Anthony Albanese has accused the opposition leader of not listening to Aboriginal people.
Liberal backbencher Bridget Archer said she feared the campaign against the voice risked an “erosion of trust and goodwill” in future referendums, as she and colleague Julian Leeser urged Australians to back next month’s vote on the Indigenous advisory body.
Archer told Guardian Australia:
Many no campaigners have also complained about the cost of this referendum as well, yet are advocating that they want to repeat the process.
Dutton has reiterated his preference to run an additional referendum on Indigenous constitutional recognition if the October poll fails. The Liberal leader – who first raised the idea in April when announcing his opposition to the Indigenous voice – has previously indicated he believed Australians would strongly support a vote on symbolic recognition.
Indigenous campaigners who support a voice say symbolic constitutional recognition was dismissed in the lead-up to the Uluru statement from the heart, which called for recognition via a voice to parliament. They have long criticised Dutton’s preference for symbolic recognition.
More on this story here:
Updated
‘The #MeToo of birth’: women speak up about trauma
News via AAP:
A new #MeToo movement is unfolding as Australian women speak up about birth trauma and the right to consent in a medical setting, a leading maternity academic has told an inquiry.
The NSW parliamentary inquiry into the prevalence and effects of birth trauma has attracted 4000 submissions from women, doctors and midwives around the country.
Hannah Dahlen, a midwifery researcher from Western Sydney University, said it was a landmark moment for women at a time when surgical birth intervention rates were rising.
This is the #MeToo movement of birth now finally coming to fruition.
Several studies by the university showed a third of Australian women have experienced birth trauma, which can include fearing for their lives, loss of control and pelvic floor damage.
One woman involved in the university’s research spoke of having her placenta “aggressively” pulled out while an obstetrician told her to be quiet, and another was forced to have a caesarean when there was no emergency.
Updated
Queensland cabinet rallies behind premier Annastacia Palaszczuk amid leadership rumblings
Queensland’s acting premier says the cabinet has expressed its unanimous support for Annastacia Palaszczuk amid concerns from MPs about rushed laws that legalise the detention of children in adult watch houses.
Cabinet met on Monday without the premier, who is on holiday in Italy. The two-week vacation began at the end of a dramatic week in parliament in which her government was pilloried for suspending the Human Rights Act to legalise the practice of detaining children on remand in police custody.
Amid reports about unhappiness within the government, the acting premier, Steven Miles, fronted a crowded Brisbane press pack on Monday to express his confidence in the premier:
We all support her because she is our best chance of winning [next year’s election].
Last week, several Labor MPs told Guardian Australia they had been “clearly misled” and “fed bullshit” by their own government about the urgent need to scrap human rights provisions for children in police watch houses.
More on this story here:
Updated
MP urges government to set date for ending live animal exports
WA Labor MP Josh Wilson is speaking on ABC News about an RSPCA petition he tabled in parliament today calling for the government to set a date to end the live export trade.
Asked if he thinks the government should compensate farmers when the time comes to end the trade, Wilson said it would be a decision for the minister, however said “context is important” to understand the impact of ending the trade:
This is a trade that’s declined by more than 92% already. Some have made some fairly hysterical claims from time to time about how as this trade winds down, which it pretty much substantially has done, that there would be a reduction in the sheep flock in Western Australia.
That hasn’t occurred, it’s pretty stable at about 14 million sheep. There were claims of widespread job losses, it’s declined by 92% already and it hasn’t occurred so this is about managing a transition that has been underway for some time and most importantly it’s about bringing to an and a practice that has resulted in animal welfare abuse, [and] animal welfare failure on a consistent and often on quite a severe basis.
Updated
Father arrested after alleged drowning attempt of child at WA beach
A father has been taken into custody after bystanders intervened to allegedly prevent him drowning his child at a beach in northern Western Australia.
WA police said they were called about 6.15am on Monday about the alleged attempted drowning at the Dampier foreshore.
The police said in a statement members of the community intervened and recovered the child.
More on this story here:
Thank you Amy Remeikis for steering us through today’s news in politics! I’ll now be with you for the rest of today.
Updated
I am going to hand you over to Jordyn Beazley to take you through the evening –but we will be back with politics live very early tomorrow morning to take you through the Tuesday sitting day.
Thank you very much to everyone who joined us today – I am making my way through your questions and will respond to as many as I can.
In the meantime – as always – take care of you Ax
Updated
The new Liberal MP for Fadden, Cameron Caldwell is making his first speech in the chamber. He was elected in the July byelection.
Senator defends minister over Labor’s Qatar airway decision
Labor senator Jenny McAllister was asked why the government isn’t supportive of calls for an inquiry into a review of the Qatar airway decision on Afternoon Briefing. She told the ABC:
I don’t think there is any reason to think that [transport minister] Minister King has done anything other than what she is required to do a capacity of minister.
She has made it clear that her job is to evaluate applications that arise from time to time from countries who want access to our market and had to do that evaluation in regard to the national interest.
She has made it really clear that that was the process she went through on this occasion, not thinking about individual commercial interests but national interest.
That’s entirely the right approach.
I will say this as well that people of course are concerned to see the airline sector and aviation sector return to something like where we were before Covid.
There is no doubt the pandemic had a really significant impact on the aviation sector.
Minister King initiated a white paper, green paper process to look more broadly at the structure of the industry and that seems to be really important policy initiative that will go to some of the broader questions that are being wrapped up in the conversation at the moment.
(A white paper is a report which takes an in-depth look at an issue or situation, and the problems around it, giving context on how that situation arrived there presented to the parliament for discussion. A green paper is a proposal or policy which is released for public consultation – a fancy term for a discussion paper)
Updated
Antarctic expedition member evacuated from Casey station
Dipping out of politics for a moment, because there has been quite a bit of interest in this today:
An Australian in need of urgent medical attention has been evacuated from a remote research station in Antarctica and is now sailing hundreds of kilometres back to Hobart.
Australia’s research vessel, RSV Nuyina, reached a meeting point around 150km from Casey research station on Sunday after breaking through sea ice, which is thicker during the winter season.
According to the Australian Antarctic Division, two helicopters were launched from the ship and flew for nearly an hour to collect the expedition member from the meeting spot.
The ship and crew are expected to arrive back in Hobart next week, although that depends on weather conditions in the Southern Ocean. The division has not provided information about the expedition members’ medical condition due to privacy reasons.
Here’s the statement from the division’s general manager of operations and logistics, Robb Clifton.
Getting this expeditioner back to Tasmania for the specialist medical care required is our priority.
The first phase of the evacuation was performed safely and successfully and the ship is now on the return voyage to Hobart.
The expeditioner will be looked after in the Nuyina’s specially equipped and designed medical facility by our polar medicine doctors and Royal Hobart hospital medical staff.
Updated
Community and Pharmacist Support Group issue ‘urgent requests’
Here are the ‘urgent requests’ the Community and Pharmacist Support Group sent to some MPs in parliament ahead of their rally and protest:
Please see below our urgent requests that we have delivered to the prime minister, the health minister and the Pharmacy Guild, for any and all discussions moving forward regarding the future of our profession.
Equitable and affordable access for all patients to PBS medicines. NOT just some. Lowering the co-payment from $7.30 to $3.65 for concession card holders and $30 down to $15 for general patients.
Pause the 60-day dispensing policy immediately while it is still in its infancy or the dispensary remuneration is doubled for 60-day prescriptions, while it is negotiated as part of the 8th Community Pharmacy Agreement (8thCPA)
Minister of health and aged care, Mark Butler, to stand down immediately – he has mishandled the 60-day dispensing policy and broken the 7th Community Pharmacy agreement and his pre-election commitments to the pharmacy profession.
Same service, same Pay - Any services included in the 8thCPA should be funded equally to any other profession providing them. E.g. vaccinations should be funded equally as they are in general practice.
Opioid treatment payments to be doubled.
All funds that are currently being allocated to aged care facilities for the packing of medications into dose administration aids, are to be funded to pharmacies in the 8thCPA, as part of an aged care DAA program.
Community pharmacists are to have representation on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, to ensure advice that affects distribution of medication in a Pharmacy setting has the required expertise on the panel.
Pharmacists are to be allowed clinical judgment to alter the quantity of 60-day prescriptions for patient safety.
Updated
Uproar as pharmacist support group jeers government over 60-day dispensing
Returning to the fracas from the Community and Pharmacist Support Group during Question Time.
One of the group’s spokespeople, Emil Demyane, told Guardian Australia the “grassroots group” is definitely not affiliated with the Pharmacy Guild.
Demyane added the guild had actually tried to stop the rally today amid its campaigning ceasefire over the 60-day dispensing rules.
The Pharmacy Guild approached us multiple times to try and stop our movement because they said they had started negotiations with the government. But, as we are not the guild, we decided to not take that route and continue the pressure.
While the guild’s campaign might have been suspended for now until the next community agreement in March next year, the community and pharmacist support group said it wasn’t planning to stop.
We had over 2,500 pharmacists in attendance from all around the country, Western Australia, the Northern Territory ... Tasmania and the surrounding states. And I think it was a strong message to the government that we’re not going anywhere.
Updated
Burke introduces fair work bill
Tony Burke has just introduced his bill to the house – but the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been very quick off the mark with its statement urging the parliament to reject it:
The only winners in this are union chiefs. The only loophole this bad legislation is looking to close is that of plummeting union membership,” ACCI chief executive officer Andrew McKellar said.
This is a continuation of a radical industrial relations agenda, and we are again bracing ourselves for further risky changes to our workplace system.
The government has not made a case for these changes. It has not been able to outline how this legislation will enhance productivity, lift wages, or make it easier to generate more jobs.
If you’re in labour hire or want a casual job, prepare for unemployment. If you are a service provider and want to advertise online, prepare for unemployment.”
McKellar did thank Burke for his consultation though.
Updated
Here is how Mike Bowers saw Question Time – there will be no photos of people in the public gallery though, as we aren’t allowed to photograph those areas, unless people are explicitly mentioned on the floor of the parliament (like when the speaker or a MP acknowledges someone sitting in the gallery)
This is some of what Zali Steggall was referring to in her point of order on conduct.
Updated
Overnight, the Project hosts found some similarities between a Wil Anderson joke made on the show in April and a quip Peter Dutton used on Sky News on Sunday:
I think in a sense it’s the appropriate theme song for the yes Campaign, because remember the key line in the lyrics there is; ‘you’re the voice, try and understand it’, and I don’t want to sing it, I don’t want to break into verse with you here Andrew, but I honestly don’t think most Australians understand it and they want to be informed.
(From about 3.54 in this clip)
Wil Anderson joined us earlier in the year to talk about the Voice to Parliament referendum, but he tells us what he thinks about the No campaign. pic.twitter.com/pamfI4yoVb
— The Project (@theprojecttv) September 3, 2023
Updated
After all of that, business resumes in the chamber and Tony Burke is introducing the ‘same job, same pay’ legislation.
He says it is about closing the loopholes.
Those workers have waited long enough. I ask the parliament to close the loopholes that undercut pay and conditions, this year.
Question time ended in the midst of all of that. But the chamber seems a little shaken by what happened in the public gallery.
Tony Burke stands up at the end of QT and says:
It has been reported that some of the parliamentary staff have been subjected to verbal abuse by members of the public galleries
He asks for a review of the footage to see if what has been reported happened and, if so look at if anyone signed them into the speakers’ gallery.
Milton Dick said he will review and report to the house whether action is required.
Updated
Pharmacy Guild distances itself from Canberra protest
A spokesman from the Pharmacy Guild has put out a statement – the short version being ‘this is not us’.
Last week the Guild exchanged letters with the government agreeing to pause our public information campaign on 60-day dispensing after an agreement was reached to bring forward the 8th Community Pharmacy Agreement (8CPA).
An 8CPA between the Guild and the government starting on March 1, 2024, provides opportunities for better healthcare and an agreement that properly funds dispensing so the unintended consequences of 60-day dispensing impacting both patients and pharmacies, are solved.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia is not and has never been involved with the organisation of events in Canberra today.
The Guild remains committed to resolving this matter as soon as possible and encourage the government to do the same.
Updated
Sussan Ley spoke at the rally the Community and Pharmacist Support group held outside parliament this morning, where she said:
At question time, many of you will be there and we look forward to it because last time you were there, you made a really strong impression.
Your presence in the gallery made the government uncomfortable. I saw it from where I sit, it made the prime minister uncomfortable.
So do not take a backwards step. Do not take a backwards step and everybody, thank you, stay strong.
(Sarah Basford Canales was at the rally and caught the comments)
Updated
Manager of opposition business, Paul Fletcher, absolutely launches to his feet:
There was a reflection on the opposition in that point, which was completely baseless and should be withdrawn.
(So Fletcher has taken offence at Zali Steggall’s request for order)
Milton Dick:
I’m just going to ask the house to be silent. The member for Warringah was raising a point about conduct within the house. I warned those in the gallery early in Question Time today that they were not to participate and were not to interject during Question Time.
As a result of their behaviour, they have left the chamber. I want to say this going forward – there will be no interjections from the gallery.
There will be no movement or noise from the gallery, out of respect for this parliament, but also the other Australians that are in the gallery.
So, for the rest of this week – and for the rest of the time that I’m speaker – that will not happen again. Order!
The member has been asked to withdraw a reflection. I’m going to ask her to do that. Order! The manager of opportunity took offence.
Tony Burke then gets up in defence of Steggall’s point, saying she was making a point about conduct in the house and there was nothing for Fletcher to take offence over.
Fletcher says that Steggall was implying that the opposition “had been complicit in what had occurred, that is an offensive remark and she should withdraw it”
Dick asks Steggall to withdraw to assist the house and she does, but adds:
and request members of the opposition cease calling out …
But she is cut off. Mark Butler is allowed to continue his answer, but most people have forgotten he still had time to speak.
Updated
Independent MP Zali Steggall is on her feet:
I’d like to, as a point of order, under standing order 91(e) - disorderly conduct from members of the opposition and members in the gallery. I ask security to take care of these elements. Because when we have had climate protesters, they have been removed.
The Coalition benches begin heckling.
Steggall continues:
I simply say that it is important that we are consistent in this place in how disorderly conduct is treated.
And that the encouragement from the opposition for this conduct shows a great disrespect – great disrespect – for your position and the orderly conduct of this House.
Also, Mr Speaker, in relation to entering the chamber in a clearly and intentional way being dressed in white coats to bring attention to what they are (pharmacists).
Updated
Those people begin leaving the chamber, but quite loudly.
Paul Karp reports jeering, booing, shouting “lies” with people giving the thumbs down and flipping the bird.
The house is in uproar and the whole chamber dissolves into what I assume Burning Man looks like right now.
Updated
Sussan Ley gets booted out of the chamber for once again raising a point of order which was not a point of order (she has been removed for this reason once before).
We got there after Labor MP Kate Thwaites asked Mark Butler:
How has the Albanese Labor government delivered cheaper medicines for Australians while supporting a vibrant community pharmacy sector?
The jeers this time are from the Coalition.
Butler begins his answer going through the policy from the government point of view, which is when Ley stands up with
How can this possibly be relevant when the government is ripping out thousands of dollars from community pharmacy and making patients pay?
Tony Burke is immediately on his feet:
The first – that was clearly an abuse of a point of order. Secondly – the deputy leader had already been warned.
Ley is asked to leave, but not before Dan Tehan chimes in with:
Why was it abuse when the deputy leader was asking a very legitimate question …
Milton Dick has no time for this and tells Tehan to sit down.
And then the public gallery where the people in white coats who were at the community and pharmacist support group protest erupts in jeers and heckles.
Updated
Adam Bandt raises a point of order on coal and gas, which is not a point of order, so Tanya Plibersek continues:
I think it just sort of tells you everything you want to know – the transition is about getting more renewables into the grid. That’s the change that we need to make as a nation.
That’s the change that we’re committed to.
Because, of course, it reduces pollution, but it also delivers cheaper energy into our homes and businesses - something we know Australian families back.
They’ve decided for themselves by putting millions of solar panels on their roofs. They’ve worked it out.
We know, Mr Speaker, that this transition isn’t a vital one for Australia.
It’s a vital one for the world. I’m proud of the action we’ve taken - in stark contrast to those opposite.
And I do remind the Greens that they were the ones that teamed up with the Liberals to block action on climate change last time we were in government.
Updated
It has been a while but we just had a CPRS mention from a Labor minister in the parliament! It’s the moment that will never, ever die.
Adam Bandt asks Tanya Plibersek:
It’s very early spring, but parts of Queensland are already facing a catastrophic fire warning. The climate crisis is getting worse but, since coming to government, you’ve already made five coal project approvals. Minister, instead of bragging about stopping one or two projects while approving many more, when will you do what needs to be done to fight the climate crisis, and stop expanding coal and gas?
Plibersek (Michael Jordan voice ‘and I took that personally’) ticks off some of the renewables projects the government has approved and then says:
What the Greens don’t like to talk about is the number of renewable energy projects which we have approved.
Of course, to get to 82% renewable energy is an enormous task.
This is probably the biggest industrial change that this country will face in its history, to get to 82% renewable energy.
I have doubled the number of renewable energy projects approved.
11 renewable energy projects and more than 100 renewable energy projects in the future already under assessment. What’s interesting about those opposite is they’re very keen to encourage me to approve renewable energy projects, until there’s a particular solar farm they don’t like or a particular wind farm they don’t like or a particular transmission line they don’t like.
Updated
Victorian Liberal party leader confirms opposition to voice
Victoria’s opposition leader, John Pesutto, says he will vote no in the upcoming Indigenous voice referendum.
Pesutto is one of Australia’s last Liberal leaders to publicly declare his position on the voice. In a statement released on Monday afternoon, Pesutto said he supported recognising First Nations people in the constitution but not enshrining the advisory body in the nation’s founding document:
On the voice itself, I have long adopted a cautious disposition on matters of constitutional amendment. In general, I support constitutional change if it is not possible to fulfil the same purpose under our existing constitutional framework.
Putting aside whether one supports or opposes the voice, I believe the objectives of the voice can be achieved without constitutional change.
Pesutto said he would not campaign on the voice but would work to support it if the referendum was successful.
The Victorian Coalition voted earlier this year to allow its MPs to choose their position on the proposal to enshrine the advisory body on Indigenous affairs in the constitution.
Updated
Anthony Albanese continues:
I had one – one – extensive conversation with someone about Qatar. It was not someone from Qantas. It was not someone from Qantas. And so, in terms of the arrangements that are made, the truth is that, all of the time, these agreements – these agreements, when they’re put in – are often deferred. There is nothing unusual about that.
And, indeed, Qatar – when I was a minister – had their access doubled from seven to 14 flights in February 2009. There’s an aviation green paper process under way to make sure that we get all of the settings right. Just as, when I was the minister, I put in place measures of the green paper and white paper which set Australia up with the most competitive aviation market in the world, bar none.
Updated
The Nationals MP for Page, Kevin Hogan has a question:
Will the prime minister detail discussions he or his office have had with Alan Joyce or with other Qantas executives considering the sweetheart deals regarding Qatar Airways’ additional flights to Australia, meaning Australians pay thousands of dollars more for air freight travel?
Anthony Albanese:
The shadow trade minister doesn’t know that freight is unlimited. Unlimited. Any airline, anywhere, any time. And he asks a question about the impact of freight.
As I was saying before, with regard to this question, this issue of Qatar. I’ll make two points.
One is that the deal that was asked for in February 2018 took until January 2022 to come into place. That was an interesting deal, Mr Speaker. ‘Cause it wasn’t just over flights. What they did on that deal was put in a safeguarding mechanism into the deal.
A special thing which other countries have not had to do to safeguard Australia’s national interest. That was put in the agreement between Australia and Qatar. Unlike any agreement done during the six years in which I was a minister - there was a special agreement put in. And I agree with the actions of the transport minister.
This updated deal was a special arrangement between Australia and Qatar. Because the Australian government at the time was clearly concerned about an abuse of market power – I assume that’s why it was put into the agreement. Something that I don’t think has been out there - I don’t think there was a media release done at the time – but that was done.
That was done because of the special circumstances which are there. So if you want to keep asking questions about this, we’ll go through the whole answers.
Updated
Gallagher sticks to the party line on Qatar decision
The Qantas-Qatar questions are the focus of the opposition’s questions during Senate question time.
Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie asked why the federal government had made “seven different excuses”, demanding to know the “real reason” why Qatar’s bid to offer more flights was shot down.
Finance minister Katy Gallagher stood by the government’s line that it was a decision made by transport minister Catherine King in the national interest.
She said:
Well, the Albanese government supports competition but global aviation is not a free-for-all. There are country-to-country agreements in place as they were under your government as they were and as they should have been under your government. Those country-to-country agreements continue.
For example, Australian carriers would like to have greater access to European markets they currently don’t. Singapore would like greater increase to American markets. They don’t.
It is entirely appropriate that the minister when considering this makes her decision in the national interest, which is what she has done.
Updated
Anthony Albanese:
My government supports competition.
But global aviation is not a free-for-all, which is why Qantas - when they decided to fly from Perth into London - had to get QF9 to go from Melbourne to Perth and into London.
Because they’re restricted to just two slots.
That’s why Qantas can’t fly into – or any Australian airline – into Paris whenever they like. There’s restrictions on flying into Rome. There is no air services agreement with Europe. We have the most competitive aviation market in the world, bar none.
And the former minister shakes his head to agree. We have Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Etihad, Malaysian, Cathay Pacific, British, Asiana, Air China, Beijing Air, China East and China Southern - all flying under international agreements between Australia and Europe via another destination.
But the truth is, when agreements come forward, ministers - ministers have made decisions to defer. And, indeed, the former minister – Minister McCormack – has made comments about the decision that he made in February 2018 to put on hold an application by Qatar Airways that only came into practice in January 2022. Four years. Four years under the former government, they waited. And that’s normal. But they did something else as well …
He runs out of time.
Updated
Peter Dutton is up for the first time (with a question) this QT:
Will the prime minister detail discussions he or his office have had with Qantas CEO Alan Joyce or with other senior Qantas executives considering the sweetheart deal that has blocked Qatar Airways for additional flights in our country?
Anthony Albanese:
The premise of the question is wrong. Because Qatar Airways can add more seats into Australia today. Right now. Right now.
And it comes from a complete failure to understand the way that the international aviation system works, which is agreements between nations - not with airlines. It is between nations, it is what occurs.
So they are certainly welcome to do so, and they can fly as many flights as they like into Adelaide, into Gold Coast, into Avalon, into Hobart … the deputy leader is certainly familiar with flights into the Gold Coast …
There is then a point of order from Peter Dutton which is not a point of order (it is about ‘another slippery answer’ but Dick shuts it down and Dutton continues interjecting after the microphone is turned off)
Tony Burke then has a point of order about the point of order:
One – that point of order was an abuse from beginning to end. Secondly – the practice makes completely clear that, when you leave the Despatch Box, continuing to interject out of your place is highly disorderly.
Dick tells everyone to get on with it.
Updated
Wong accuses Dutton of playing ‘political games’ on voice
Senate leader Penny Wong has attacked comments by opposition leader Peter Dutton, suggesting the Coalition would hold a second referendum if elected and the voice vote fails in October.
Dutton told Sky News yesterday he would support holding another referendum for constitutional recognition, just not the government’s voice proposal, which was proposed by the 2017 Uluru Statement.
Wong said Dutton was simply “playing political games”.
According to Mr Dutton, it’s a bad idea to ask all Australians to vote, turn up and vote in one round of referendum, but it’s a good idea to ask them to turn up and vote in a second referendum? And he supports a voice, apparently, just not this voice.
We know Mr Dutton is playing political games because when he had the chance to do something, he didn’t, and now someone else is trying to do something, he tries to tear it down.
Updated
Mark Butler continues (still with his very calm no-nonsense voice)
I’m simply pointing out that members on this side have been meeting with all interests in this area. With pharmacists. The pharmacist lobby. With individual pharmacists in their electorate. But also with doctors’ groups and patient groups. Look at what they said on Friday about the delivery of this measure. I’ve been asked question after question by those opposite about this measure. Not one of them has ever alluded to the interests of patients. Not one of them has ever alluded to the interests of patients who benefit from this.
I can say confidently that those on this side have met with pharmacists time and time again to understand their view of this measure.
To the second part of the member’s question about the new community pharmacy agreement. I confirmed last week that we had a request from the Pharmacy Guild, the main pharmacy lobbing group, to bring forward negotiations for that agreement, with the aim - if possible - of securing a new funding agreement by 1 March.
That commitment was contingent upon a decision by the guild to stand down their campaign against this measure - to stand down their campaign against this measure. A reasonable person in this building might question whether that commitment is being delivered upon.
But that is a commitment that we have made. And we intend - if it’s reciprocated by the other side over negotiations, to deliver the commitment over coming months.
Updated
Sussan Ley is up now (she was at the protest) and she asks:
Today, hundreds of pharmacists have come to Parliament House to try to meet with government members. Many of them are in the gallery now. Why have so many government MPs refused to meet with their local pharmacist? Can the minister confirm that the government has brought forward the next community pharmacy agreement by 16 months to now commence on 1 March 2024? And will this government finally listen to the voices of community pharmacy?
It took two goes to get that out because of the noise in the chamber from both sides of the benches.
Mark Butler has his best ‘not surprised but disappointed’ voice as he answers:
Members of the Labor caucus have been meeting with pharmacists for the last several months. I’ve been engaging with my caucus and with members of the crossbench, the crossbench parties, about the feedback that they’ve been receiving from pharmacists now for several months. I can also say they’ve been meeting with doctors and with doctors’ groups.
And most importantly – I say this as a reminder to those opposite – patients, and patient groups. The measures that we delivered on Friday, the prime minister’s already alluded to – it delivers cheaper medicines for almost four million Australian patients. Four million Australian patients.
Those with ongoing health conditions like heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and so many others besides. This is delivering on advice that those opposite received five years ago. Five years ago.
Ley interrupts with a point of order on relevance. As she stands up, someone says ‘this can not be on relevance’ given Butler has been talking about meetings. Ley wants him to confirm the agreement has been brought forward, which is not a point of order on relevance.
Updated
PM jeered in parliament over 60-day dispensing
Anthony Albanese is taking a Dixer where he mentioned the 60-day dispensing and as he said that the government was consulting with community pharmacists, there was fake laughter and jeers from the public gallery where the pharmacists are sitting.
The Coalition points to the gallery, while Milton Dick calls for order and gives the public gallery a warning:
I remind all visitors today there are established forms of behaviour. You are here to observe, and not participate. I ask all members in the galleries to retrain from interjecting, conversing and signalling.
Updated
Coalition continues attack on government’s over Qantas
Senate question time has also begun and first up is Senate opposition leader Simon Birmingham.
Birmingham called on the federal government to review its decision not to grant additional flights to Qatar, something the opposition has described as being a “protection racket” for Qantas.
Senate government leader Penny Wong responded with the standard line the government has been pushing - it wasn’t in the “national interest”.
Birmingham asks why other airlines, such as Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines, were granted increased flight capacity to help lower prices.
Wong said there were no restrictions on Qatar undertaking more flights to secondary airports, like Adelaide, the Gold Coast and Canberra, that don’t have bilateral air service agreement restrictions like Sydney and Melbourne airports do.
Wong said:
They gave billions of taxpayer dollars to Qantas for nothing in return. They stood by as Virgin collapsed into administration and got snatched up by foreign private equity. They oversaw mass outsourcing of jobs ...
Frankly, we’re not going to take lectures from [the opposition] when it comes to the aviation sector. We know the history of the Coalition when it comes to aviation.
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The public galleries in the chamber are full of pharmacists again – looks like about 150 or so according to Murph and Paul Karp who are in the chamber.
That is after the community and pharmacist support group protest outside the parliament this morning.
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Andrew Hastie is back:
Can the minister confirm whether anyone outside of his family, personal or departmental staff have travelled with him on his Defence VIP special-purpose aircraft flights?
Richard Marles:
I can confirm that... there are those who have [travelled with me including] - ministers from other governments, representatives of other governments, representatives of the media.
But let me again be clear - that there are legitimate reasons why those who are not on our staff or in the department would be aboard a special-purpose aircraft.
But the guidelines that are in place, I completely comply with. But so do every other person in the government who engages, who uses the special-purpose aircraft. And I absolutely stand by the way in which all persons on this side have complied with those guidelines.
Again, let me be clear.
The special-purpose aircraft is a critical function which those opposite well know which facilitates government travel. And the degree to which the Leader of the Opposition has been desperate to get back on those special-purpose aircraft ever since he lost government says everything about what he misses most about being in government.
Anthony Albanese takes a Dixer on the voice so he can say this:
They [the opposition] say that, if Australians vote no on October 14, they’ll be subject to another referendum during the next term if they’re successful in winning the next election.
They’re already planning the sequel while doing everything they can to sabotage the original.
Their second referendum - no, won’t be on what Indigenous people have asked for – just recognition. Not a voice.
But then, on the voice, they say they’re going to legislate for a voice as well.
So let’s get this right.
Beneath all of this fear campaign, both sides are saying that they support recognition. Both sides are saying they will legislate for the voice. The difference is, though, they don’t want it enshrined in the constitution as Indigenous people have asked for.
They know better, Mr Speaker. The leader of the opposition says he’ll acknowledge that Indigenous people are here, and that our history goes back and that it should be acknowledged. But he won’t talk with them or listen to them.
That is what this is about. It shows that it’s all about politics. Not about the substance.
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Richard Marles continues that answer:
It begs the question, Mr Speaker, as to what the leader of the opposition has to hide.
But we have something of an inkling in relation to that by virtue of his behaviour since he’s been the leader of the opposition – because, as the now minister for defence, my office has logged numerous requests from the leader of the opposition about him going on special-purpose aircraft - including in the last six weeks, two times at least in writing, to go to a game of the Matildas.
Peter Dutton has a point of order on relevance (Hastie has already had one, using it as an opportunity to try and repeat the golf club line). Dutton does the same thing – so they really want the 6pm news to use that line – but the speaker rules Marles in in order.
Marles continues:
It is, Mr Speaker, just a little revealing of what hurts them the most about the fact that they are now in opposition.
Because, as sincere public servants, we might think that they regret the fact that they don’t have the opportunity to serve the Australian people.
But we know, in their darkened rooms, the only conversation they’re having is about how they get back on the planes.
Because if the requests from the leader of the opposition to my office is any indication, it has been their singular focus.
Mr Speaker, the special-purpose aircraft are an important capability which facilitates government travel. We use it appropriately. Those opposite know it. Their attempt to politicise it is pathetic – but, worse, it reeks of hypocrisy.
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Question time begins
Andrew Hastie is the first one up from the opposition to ask a question today and its to defence minister (and deputy prime minister) Richard Marles:
He asks ‘whether or not the minister has taken golf clubs, a putter, a driver etc’ on any of his special purpose aircraft flights (the Raf flights ministers can take.)
Given the news stories on this, Marles is ready:
Let me be very clear - every place I have been, every thing I have done, has been in pursuit of my duties as the deputy prime minister and the minister for defence on behalf of this country, and I stand absolutely by every flight I have ever taken on the special-purpose aircraft or, for that matter, any flight that I have taken commercially.
The question goes to the use of the special-purpose aircraft. This has been kicked along because of a spreadsheet which has been produced by the leader of the opposition’s office which has been riddled with errors.
The fact that this is in the public domain is because this government released information about the use of the special-purpose aircraft during the period of time that the minister – the now leader of the opposition – was the then minister for defence. Absolutely no information was released about the use of the special-purpose aircraft during the time that he was the minister for defence.
Not one piece of information at all.
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OK, we are nearly in question time – so here is your warning to go get something to help get you through it.
Switching on in the chamber and it is 90-second statement time, which is the parliamentary version of airing of the grievances/frustrated thespian time.
Katter issues plan in support of Australian farmers
Bob Katter wants to see more of a focus on food security, as well as better prices for producers and people paying for their produce.
His six point plan includes:
(1) Food and manufacturing labelling that highlights hidden imports and prevents fraud.
(2) Fresh produce labelling system that indicates the farm-gate price and the supermarket mark up.
(3) Divestiture legislation that reduces the market power of the corporations that operate the major supermarkets with the objective of levelling the playing field providing a competitive marketplace for consumers and suppliers.
(4) National Office of Better Agricultural Regulation with powers to reduce red tape and consider the actual cost of implementing both marketplace regulations.
(5) Investment in infrastructure and critical supplies/ support industries to reduce production and transportation costs (i.e. gas prices for fertiliser, chemicals, fuel, worker access).
(6) Reforming the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (Palm) scheme to ensure farmers have direct access to the program.
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Waters to introduce bill limiting political donations
Queensland Greens senator Larissa Waters plans on introducing a private member’s bill which would ban companies from making political donations for 12 months before and after applying for a contract or tender:
Waters said in a statement:
This obscene merry-go-round of public money for political donors is an ongoing blight on our political system, and it needs to come to an end.
Money shouldn’t be able to buy government contracts, development approvals, political access or political influence. This is not a controversial idea.
Yet it’s clear that’s what years of donations has been getting for organisations like PwC and the rest of the big four. It’s legalised bribery.
The big four donated $1.2m in FY21-22. In the financial year that followed, those same companies were awarded government contracts valued at over half a billion dollars.
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It is almost question time.
Time flies when you’re having an existential crisis.
Let’s see what today has to offer up.
Qantas concedes reputational damage from ACCC allegations
Qantas has acknowledged “it will take time to repair” its reputation in the eyes of Australians, and that allegations it was selling tickets to thousands of flights it had already cancelled came at a time when its brand had “already been hit hard on several fronts”.
Qantas is facing hundreds of millions in penalties over Australian Competition and Consumer Commission legal action alleging false, misleading or deceptive conduct in advertising and selling tickets to more than 8,000 flights scheduled between May and July 2022, and its CEO Alan Joyce’s multi-million dollar pay packet has been criticised in recent days.
On Monday, Qantas released a lengthy statement saying that it “continues to review the allegations made by the ACCC and will have more to say once we’ve had that opportunity”.
Understandably, these allegations have caused significant concern among our customers, our people and the general community. We want to address those allegations as best we can without cutting across the legal process we are now involved in, which follows an ACCC investigation with which we fully co-operated.
Qantas said the period of time the ACCC investigated in mid-2022 was one of well-publicised upheaval and uncertainty across the aviation industry, as Qantas struggled to restart post-Covid. “We openly acknowledge that our service standards fell well short and we sincerely apologise.”
Qantas said:
The ACCC’s allegations come at a time when Qantas’ reputation has already been hit hard on several fronts. We want the community to know that we hear and understand their disappointment. We know that the only way to fix it is by delivering consistently. We know it will take time to repair. And we are absolutely determined to do that.
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Greens to pressure government over Qatar decision
The Greens have held a press conference at which MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown confirmed they will seek to compel documents relating to the Qatar flight-slot decision to be produced to the Senate.
Watson-Brown questioned whether ministerial intervention was designed to “protect Qantas profits” and reminded that Qantas is “not the national carrier” because it was privatised.
Greens leader, Adam Bandt, said that the controversy had confirmed that government is “too close to big corporations” - but declined to express a view about whether transport minister, Catherine King’s, decision was actually wrong.
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Littleproud keeps fires burning over dispensing changes
The Coalition was going to try and move its disallowance motion to stop the 60-day dispensing changes again this sitting (there was an attempt to pass one in the last sitting, but the whole thing basically became an episode of ‘thank God you’re here’ with no one actually knowing what was occurring – but words were said) but decided against it, saying it would hold fire until it saw how the negotiations between the government and the Pharmacy Guild went over the next community pharmacy agreement.
But that doesn’t mean the Coalition won’t be keeping the fires burning. David Littleproud was doing what he could to keep the Community and Pharmacy support group protesters riled up outside the parliament this morning:
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Report warns of ‘severe birth defects’ and ‘cultural and spiritual harms’ of NT projects
Early last month, doctors descended on the parliament to try and convince the Albanese government to scrap its funding for the Beetaloo Basin and Middle Arm processing facilities, raising concerns over the health impacts the projects will have on local communities.
The government hasn’t budged. As AAP reports, the group of doctors has now released a University of Sydney report into the risks of fossil fuel projects to health and wellbeing and, well, the findings are very uncomfortable:
Areas of ‘extreme concern’ include the risks to biodiversity, water and food security from oil and gas operations, including contamination risks from the many chemicals that are used.
The ‘extensive disruption’ of life near oil and gas fields and its sprawling infrastructure has a physical, social and spiritual toll on locals, according to the report.
Reported health risks include increased severity of asthma in children and higher hospitalisation and death rates from heart attacks, heart failure, respiratory diseases and some cancers.
Multiple studies have detected higher risk of low birth weight, pre-term delivery and spontaneous abortion, severe birth defects and risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the report found.
Higher injury and fatality rates from more trucks on the roads, higher rates of depression and anxiety and higher prevalences of sexually transmitted infections have been linked to the impacts of oil and gas operations on home and community life.
The report also highlights the ‘cultural and spiritual harms’ reported by Aboriginal Australians in the alleged poor adherence to the right informed consent for operations on their traditional lands.
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Acoss urges government to raise jobseeker and youth allowance further
Welfare advocacy group Acoss has released a report detailing the impacts of low income support payments amid the cost of living crisis.
Surveying 270 people living on jobseeker, youth allowance and parenting payment across July and August, the report found almost three-quarters were eating less or skipping meals.
The rate of jobseeker will increase to $54 day from 20 September with youth allowance rising to $44 a day.
Acoss deputy chief executive Edwina MacDonald said the rate must be lifted to at least $76 a day to lift people out of poverty and to improve their wellbeing.
At a press conference in Parliament House on Monday morning, Sam Thomas, a youth allowance recipient, said his situation had worsened in the last two years.
My grocery shop has actually increased by two-and-a-half to three-times the amount that it was about two years ago. It’s frankly extreme. I’m spending half of my money on housing, so much money that I have to actively consider homelessness in order to survive. When housing is your biggest expense. It becomes the easiest thing to cut away.
I don’t see a way out. I don’t see how or when my life is going to improve.
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ANZ and Indeed find job ads up 1.9% in August
Reports this morning that almost a quarter of businesses surveyed in New South Wales were planning to shed jobs (with 15% looking to add workers) seemed a little on the gloomy side.
Figures for job ads from ANZ and Indeed revealed a more positive perspective. Companies lifted their ads 1.9% in August, and with an upward revision for July, the two-month rise was 2.6%.
Indeed, the economy was “showing surprising resilience”, with Queensland and NSW leading the way.
Gloom about job losses might be overdone if the latest @ANZ_research with Indeed is any guide: pic.twitter.com/sreQZVCHx9
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) September 4, 2023
Sure, the level of ads remains about 8% below the September 2022, but that was well above pre-Covid times. There also remain about 180 job openings per unemployed person, a ratio that would have looked good any time since just prior to the global financial crisis is 2008.
Slightly oddly, ads for retailing were also “rising at a seasonally strong pace”, ANZ/Indeed said.
It’s odd because other figures out today, from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, show household spending in July was 0.7% down on a year earlier. (Consumer prices rose 4.9%, as a comparison.)
The year-on-year drop was the first since February 2021, the ABS said, with higher interest rates partly to blame.
Spending on discretionary goods and services was down for the fourth straight month,” Robert Ewing, head of ABS’s business stats, said. Non-discretionary was up 1.7%, or the slowest pace since early 2021.
The Reserve Bank, source of much household angst over the past 15 months or so, probably won’t be adding to it tomorrow when its board holds its monthly meeting. Nobody seems to expect governor Philip Lowe to go out with a bang at his final meeting in charge.
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Just like we do for elections, here at the Guardian we are keeping an eye on the advertising which is going out during this referendum – so we need your help:
If you see something, send it in (instructions in the link above).
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RSPCA calls for date to be set to end live export trade
The RPCA, which will have a petition tabled in parliament later today by WA Labor MP Josh Wilson, calling for a date to be set to end the live export trade, has said the e-petition is one of the largest in history.
The RSPCA CEO, Richard Mussell, said the petition, which was signed by 43,000 Australians, builds on independent polling commissioned by the organisation earlier this year which showed seven in 10 people in Western Australia - where the live sheep export trade is concentrated - support a phase-out of the trade.
Mussell said the RSPCA commends the government for its commitment to phase out the trade, but an end date needs to be legislated in this term of parliament.
The next step is to legislate the end date in this parliamentary term to improve sheep welfare, provide certainty for the farmers, and deliver on community expectations.
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Greens to hold press conference in just under a hour
The Greens will speak on the government’s IR bill, “transparency” (that will be on the outstanding answers due to the 2,000 or so questions on notice Sarah reported on) and Qatar airways.
There is a growing push in the Senate to hold an inquiry into the decision to deny Qatar domestic flying routes and the airline industry as a whole, given the prices of flying in Australia.
Stay tuned.
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University of Wollongong reports 180 disclosures of sexual harm in 2022, compared with just 22 in 2021
The University of Wollongong (UOW) has published its annual report on sexual harm, which found a large increase in incidents since the university implemented an awareness campaign encouraging reporting.
There were 180 disclosures in 2022, compared with just 22 in 2021. Of those, the vast majority (122) occurred more than a year ago, and a minority (37) occurred on campus.
UOW implemented the campaign after the release of the 2021 National Student Safety Survey into sexual harm, which found many students weren’t aware of avenues of reporting and support available.
It found one in six (16.1%) of students had been sexually harassed since starting university, and one in 20 (4.5%) had experienced sexual assault.
Vice-chancellor professor Patricia Davidson said UOW recognised the need for further action to make students feel safe, as highlighted in the Australian Universities Accord Interim Report.
Our approach is to address the issue on all fronts: prevention, support, response and education. We understand there is always more to be done and we will continue to work diligently in making UOW a place where everyone feels safe, valued, and respected.”
Speaking at a public hearing last week, CEO of the Group of Eight (Go8) universities Vicki Thomson said there was no doubt universities could do better but to suggest “somehow that we don’t care or we’re not trying is frankly insulting”.
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There was a lot going on over the weekend, but if you get the chance, I recommend having a listen to senator Pat Dodson talk with Katharine Murphy on the Australian Politics podcast:
Pre-approved ‘pattern book’ housing development designs could be used in Sydney in push to build more homes
Certain designs for housing developments would be pre-approved for use in Sydney under a “pattern book” approach to planning being championed by an alliance of business, unions and universities as one measure to build 300,000 new homes.
United under the “Housing Now!” banner, the group is arguing that Sydney needs 30 suburbs to be effectively transformed into Surry Hills, by adding high-density homes and medium-rise apartment buildings, in order for the government to meet its housing targets.
The group’s chair, David Borger, the executive director of Business Western Sydney and a former housing minister, said business and unions had “dropped our swords” and united to call for the radical planning overhaul.
We want this issue solved. And we’re going to work together to fix it.
Bring back the missing middle for terraces, townhouses and small apartment buildings that people love in many of our older suburbs. They need to come back. We need to go back to the future and bring back the missing middle housing with a pattern book.
We want to build design trust with our community to create housing that people can be proud of and appreciate.
Other items on the “Housing Now!” wishlist include building more housing near train stations, reducing approval times for new developments and having the state government provide incentives for councils to “over deliver” on their housing targets.
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Liberal Zoe McKenzie says robodebt ‘one of the poorest chapters’ in Australian public policy history
The Liberal MP Zoe McKenzie has acknowledged that the Coalition’s robodebt scheme was “one of the poorest chapters” of public administration in Australian history, and caused “avoidable human suffering”.
McKenzie joins Bridget Archer and Keith Wolahan as Liberal MPs who have spoken up about the program. She told the House of Representatives:
We need to learn lesson that sharp edges of algorithmic and artificial intelligent computation needs a human overlay.
She also said:
It is now apparent that the expanded compliance system which was rolled out from mid-2016, now known as robodebt, is one of the poorest chapters in Australia’s public policy history and one that sits at the feet of the Coalition in its time in government. The thousand odd pages of the full report of the royal commission … paints a picture of avoidable human suffering.
A bureaucratic process’s attempt to reconcile the fast-paced nature of digital transformation together with real life. The scheme had tangible consequences on people and especially on vulnerable people. It’s important that we all, on both sides of this place, take the lessons from these errors and ensure that we do not revisit them.
The party which I’m privileged to represent in this place is built on personal responsibility and has a high record for integrity in government. In reading the findings of the royal commission, I find it out of sync with the Coalition government I have known and served in the Howard and Abbott eras. I equally find it, vastly out of sync with the Australian public service that i had known and worked with over the last three decades.
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Rally against 60-day dispensing changes outside parliament
There is a rally outside parliament this morning in protest against the 60-day dispensing changes, which the Pharmacy Guild has been fighting from the moment they were announced (although this protest seems like it is not led by the Guild).
The first tranche came into effect on 1 September, but the fight continues, despite the government bringing forward the negotiations for the next community pharmacy agreement by a year.
Pharmacists are paid by the government to dispense medications. Now that chronic patients will have access to two months for the price of one, the dispensing fees on about 300 or so medications (by the time all the eligible medications are phased in) those dispensing fees will be halved. For some pharmacists it could mean up to $150,000 a year less. The government has said it will reinvest that money back into community pharmacy, but won’t be changing the policy, which will save patients money (up to $180 a year, but also less time at the doctors, transport etc)
Sarah Basford Canales has spotted Sussan Ley, David Littleproud and Mark Coulter coming down to the protest outside the parliament, which looks like it is being run by the “Community and pharmacy support group”.
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Tom Elliott to take over as 3AW Mornings host when Neil Mitchell leaves
Who will be interviewing federal politicians on Melbourne radio 3AW after Neil Mitchell moves on?
As AAP reports:
Tom Elliott will become 3AW Mornings host when radio stalwart Neil Mitchell steps down from the role.
The 71-year-old is leaving the top rating program to host a weekly podcast, present regular radio slots and provide commentary in 2024.
Elliott has hosted the station’s Drive program for the past decade and will move into the earlier slot from mid-January.
Former Seven News presenter Jacqueline Felgate will host Drive and Tony Moclaire will become the permanent Afternoons presenter.
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Lambie warns IR bill ‘won’t be going through this year’ as crossbench haven’t seen draft
Influential crossbench senator Jacqui Lambie has complained that despite a draft of the closing loopholes bill “floating around” for weeks, it has not been given to the Senate crossbench.
Lambie says she and Senator David Pocock have been “running around, talking to people for and against this” bill, but she can’t comment on it because she hasn’t seen it. She said:
Obviously there’s no hurry to get this through … If we haven’t had the time, certainly from the Jacqui Lambie Network[’s perspective], it won’t be going through this year. We still haven’t got it today.
The workplace relations minister, Tony Burke, has said there will be four weeks of debate on the bill in the lower house, although the Senate can start an inquiry in the meantime. Given the Senate is sitting in the first week of December, there’s three full months to consider the bill.
Lambie again raised the issue of crossbench staff being reduced, accusing Labor of hoping the Senate will “rubber stamp” government bills if deprived of staff to scrutinise them. “I’m not going to tick off things and rubber stamp them,” she said.
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First Nations people should have power over child protection decisions in Victoria, truth-telling inquiry says
Adeshola Ore has looked at what the Victorian truth-telling commission has had to say:
First Nations Victorians should be given the power to make decisions over the potential removal of Indigenous children from their families as part of a shake-up of the child protection system recommended by the Yoorrook truth-telling commission.
The Australia-first inquiry on Monday published its second interim report, which looked at injustices faced by Indigenous Victorians in the child protection and criminal justice systems.
It said it has heard evidence of the “established process” to identify unborn children who may be moved into the child protection system – which it added is often a “pipeline” to the justice system.
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In 2018, while the Coalition was in power, Liberal MPs Sussan Ley and Sarah Henderson co-sponsored a private member’s bill to phase out live exports.
“I want to see this live sheep trade permanently cease and I will use as much as I can the forums of the parliament … to help legitimise this,” Ley said at the time.
So let’s see how the Liberal party, of which Ley is deputy leader, handles this from Josh Wilson.
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Labor MP Josh Wilson to table petition calling for end to live exports
WA Labor MP Josh Wilson said he will be tabling a petition in parliament today, calling for the end to the live export trade:
Today, I will table and speak to an RSPCA petition that has been signed by 43,000 Australians that calls on the Albanese government to set a date within this term of parliament for the end of the live sheep export trade.
It’s a logical next step from the carefully managed transition that Minister Murray Watt has been administering as part of the commitment that Labor made in 2022 and in 2019 to bring this outdated, unnecessary, and cruel trade to an end.
It is understandable that people around Australia want some certainty with respect to the end of the trade. They have watched over decades this trade produce an endless sequence of animal welfare failures, including some awful atrocities, not least the Awassi Express.
At the same time, we have seen our agricultural system make a welcome transition. We have seen a big surge in the export of chilled and frozen meat. In fact, that export trade is now worth 50 times what the live sheep export trade is worth.
Unfortunately, we have still seen animal welfare failures continue to occur and as recently as last week the ABC showed footage which indicated that thousands of Australian animals were being subject to cruel and agonising back yard slaughter as a result of this trade.
There is just no doubt that it’s time for the trade to come to an end. The Albanese government is taking responsibility for managing that transition and the next logistical step is to provide certainty in the form of a date. And that’s what the petition calls for.
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[continued from previous post]
The report’s authors estimate the measures they propose could reduce poverty for some 834,000 people.
In a statement, Gaetani said:
The Treasurer has asked for a debate on tax reform. Our reforms reduce inequality and will significantly reshape the lives of vulnerable Australians by lifting them out of poverty and reducing financial stress.
The first obvious step is to drop the stage 3 tax cuts legislated by the previous government in a different economic environment. There is no doubt these cuts discriminate against those who need it most.
Seeing people sleeping rough is a harsh reminder that more must be done to help those in need. This help can only come from those sections of society that can afford it. We look to the Government to make structural changes to increase equality.
Report into ending poverty finds reducing tax discounts could pay for increases to jobseeker
Reducing capital gains tax discounts and altering how we tax super could help lift more than 800,000 welfare recipients out of poverty, a new report from Australian National University and St Vincent De Paul has argued.
Liberal MP Bridget Archer and Labor’s Alicia Payne, who co-chair the Parliamentary Friends of Ending Poverty group, launched the report in Canberra this morning, along with St Vincent de Paul Society national president Mark Gaetani and ANU associate professor Ben Phillips, who was the lead author of the report.
The report lists three tiers of potential increases to welfare payments, which would be paid for by alterations to different kinds of tax.
The report’s authors argue that their proposals are not an “overhaul” but more a series of “tweaks” – however, they do include things like scrapping the stage-three tax cuts, which might be a technical “tweak” but may play differently politically.
The proposed “low” impact option would increase jobseeker by $176 a fortnight, and the parenting payment by $167. It would be funded by reducing the current discount on capital gains tax from 50% to 37.5%.
The “modest” option would increase jobseeker and other payments to a rate equivalent to 90% of the age pension – about $1,002 a fortnight for a single jobseeker. That would be paid for by the aforementioned capital gains discount, increasing the tax-free threshold from $18,200 to $24,000 a year, scrapping the stage 3 tax cuts, and some adjustments to tax on super.
The “high” option increases jobseeker by $338 a fortnight with similar increases on other payments, including a 25% increase on commonwealth rent assistance, paid for with all the previous measures and a slight deepening on the super tax changes.
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Albanese heading to Asean and G20 summits this week
Anthony Albanese won’t be in parliament for most of this week – he is about to head to Indonesia for the Asean summit and the Philippines and India for the G20.
But before that, it is domestic business – and it’s a little back to basics this morning – Albanese and the skills minister, Brendan O’Connor, will be meeting with Tafe students who are studying under the fee-free Tafe policy.
And yes, that does mean you will have acting prime minister Richard Marles for most of the sitting week.
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Parliament sitting about to begin
The parliament sitting is about to get under way – let the fun and games begin.
Speaking of fun and games – in case you haven’t read it yet, Sarah Basford Canales has a story on just how many questions on notice the Albanese government is yet to answer:
The Albanese government has been accused of “blatant hypocrisy” by its political opponents as more than 2,000 requests for answers remain unanswered in the Senate.
Both the opposition and the Greens are calling on the government to lift its game on transparency and live up to the integrity mandate it promised voters at the last federal election.
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Liberal MP Russell Broadbent reverses support for voice after discussions with elders in his seat
Victorian Liberal MP Russell Broadbent has reversed his support for an Indigenous voice to parliament.
Speaking to ABC Gippsland radio earlier this morning, where he previously broke party ranks to support the voice, Broadbent said he changed his mind after speaking to local elders within his seat of Monash:
They contacted me straight after the interview with you and we had a long discussion … their position was [that] it will not deliver practical outcomes.[I said] publicly on your program, we must listen to our Indigenous people [on the] Murray Darling Basin, forest management, fire depression, all those things, and also on the voice. And my people are saying clearly no – not just one stream of my elders, but another stream as well are saying no.
Broadbent was asked about opposition leader Peter Dutton’s proposal for another referendum on constitutional recognition if the voice vote fails and the Coalition wins the next election.
Broadbent said he would have to speak with his community again before taking a stance:
That’s a long way off. That means you’ve got to be in government. That’s after the next election. You’d have to listen once again to your Indigenous people as to what they’re saying about that.
I can’t say on your program, on the one hand we listen to Indigenous people on some issues, but not this issue.
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Rex accuses Qantas of ‘bully’ behaviour with smaller airlines
Rex Airlines has accused Qantas of acting like a “bully” with smaller aviation players, with the predominantly regional carrier’s deputy chairman questioning the pay packet of rival and outgoing CEO Alan Joyce as Qantas finds itself battling multiple crises.
John Sharp, speaking to ABC Radio National, accused Qantas of acting like a “bully” in exercising its market dominance – it operates about 65% of domestic aviation together with budget carrier Jetstar – over other smaller airlines such as Rex.
Rex’s relationship with a company like Qantas is a bit like an ant dancing with an elephant. You’ve only got to make one misstep and you’re squashed.
Sharp said that after Rex decided in 2021 to expand into flying jets between capital city routes to directly compete with Qantas and Virgin, Qantas began “dumping capacity in an anti-competitive way” on smaller regional routes where Rex was previously the only operator:
Immediately when they moved into Broken Hill, we lost money on it and continue to do so. And of course, Qantas lost money too, but it’s a ripple in the pond for them whereas it’s a big wave for us.
He added the issue had also occurred on services out of Mount Gambier, Kangaroo Island and Merimbula.
They’ve moved into a number of routes in order to try and punish us for going into the domestic airline business to try and undermine our finances so that we’re weak and therefore can’t compete.
Sharp said Rex had complained to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission about alleging anti-competitive behaviour, but that the watchdog had not decided to pursue the matter.
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Rex chairman backs calls for Labor to reverse decision barring additional Qatar Airways flights
The deputy chairman of Rex Airlines backed calls for the Albanese government to reverse its refusal of Qatar Airways’ request to almost double its capacity into Australia amid questions about the influence Qantas’ lobbying had in the decision.
John Sharp, a former federal transport minister under the Howard government, pointed out that international air fares out of Australia remained about 50% above pre-pandemic levels.
Sharp said:
I think it’s appropriate if they were to reverse the decision on Qatar flights, noting they had repatriated more Australians stranded overseas during the Covid pandemic than Qantas did. They’ve proven themselves to be a good citizen.
We’ve got a shortage of seats (for international services) at the present time, and Qatar’s additional flights would help alleviate that problem and we’d also see as a result of it airfares coming down because more competition, more seats, results in lower prices.”
Queensland’s deputy premier, Steven Miles, on Monday also said he would welcome additional Qatar flights to the state.
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Dutton dodges question on constitutional recognition referendum
Over on the Nine network, after saying he would like to live out his final days with Karl Stefanovic in Noosa (I have no idea the context here, but it was to do with the segment before) Peter Dutton was asked why the Coalition didn’t hold an constitutional recognition referendum in the decade or so it held power.
Dutton doesn’t answer that. He says:
For some people it’s all about the power, and that’ll be about the Voice for them. But if you want to try and provide practical support for people on the ground, you don’t want another Canberra based voice1. It’s just another layer of bureaucracy in Canberra, and that’s the difficulty2.
When you go out and speak to, particularly women, elders, in Indigenous communities, Alice Springs, etc., they want schooling for their kids, they want housing, they want jobs and activity that’s going to try and address the youth crime issue. So, that’s the voice that they’re speaking now3. The trouble is it’s not being heard.
I think the prime minister has just got a tin ear to the Australian public at the moment. In every poll they’re saying; ‘we don’t want the voice in the constitution’, ‘you’re not explaining it to us’, and I don’t think the PM’s going to change course between now and October 14. I just don’t think he’s going to give the detail. It’s a deliberate strategy, it’s deceptive and tricky, and I think the Australian public realise that they’re not going to vote for something that they don’t get the detail on until after the vote takes place4.
1. The voice consults with people in communities and gives that advice to the parliament. Just because the parliament is based in Canberra, doesn’t make it a ‘Canberra based voice’.
2. Dutton supports legislating a voice. So how is that different to what he is criticising here?
3. That is what the voice aims to do – to give voice to those communities and elders about issues they feel are not being heard.
4. There is detail on what the voice would look like – which is how the Coalition has been able to criticise the detail. The parliament decides what the voice looks like, which means Dutton would have a huge amount of input.
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Plibersek and Joyce ‘debate’ descends into talking over one another
The rest of that “debate” is just Barnaby Joyce proclaiming very loudly that the sky will fall in and Tanya Plibersek attempting to use facts. It then descends into the two just talking over each other.
Here is an example:
Plibersek: This is just a typical scare campaign.
Joyce: It’s not a scare campaign.
Plibersek: It’s the same scare campaign –
Joyce: Put the scare campaign out by tabling the –
Plibersek: It is a scare campaign.
Joyce: Just table it.
The host very confidently tells us that we have “heard from both sides” though so you know, job done I guess.
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Joyce makes unsubstantiated claims voice would be based on ‘certain DNA’ and ‘skin colours’
Tanya Plibersek continues her role as the Albanese government’s Sisyphus, with her weekly “debate” of Barnaby Joyce on the Seven network.
Joyce kicked things off by talking about Justice Stephen Gageler’s appointment to the high court, after he was asked about Peter Dutton’s latest thought bubble of holding a referendum for constitutional recognition of Indigenous people, if the referendum he doesn’t support, which includes constitutional recognition, fails.
Bear with the factchecks here – there are a lot:
We’ve always supported recognition of Indigenous Australians, Aboriginal Australians, and this referendum is two parts.
It’s recognition of Indigenous Australians, which I personally think would sail through.
And then this other thing stapled to it, the voice, which we haven’t seen the legislation, it’s a racial based clause1 where certain people get access to it, of certain DNA and certain skin colours2 and others don’t3. Stephen Gageler, they’ve appointed Stephen Gageler and Professor Greg Craven comes out the other day and said “lucky they’ve supported Stephen Gageler because now you won’t get rogue interpretations of the voice4. Which means of course if they hadn’t appointed Stephen Gageler they would have5. You know, that’s so confusing, the voice6.
1. It is not
2. This is not only highly offensive, it is untrue – the parliament already gets advice on all sorts of legislation based on the impact it would have on certain communities – including regional communities, which Joyce represents
3. Again, not true – parliamentary committees examine and provide advice, based on consultation with communities, on all sorts of legislation. The voice is not different in that regard – the parliament will decide whether or not it takes the advice. The only difference is that it would be enshrined in the constitution, so that government’s could not decide to scrap it. That doesn’t mean future parliaments couldn’t change the shape of the voice –it just couldn’t be removed as a concept.
4. Craven did not say that. He wrote an opinion piece for the Australian which said that Gageler was a good and obvious choice to be elevated to the high court bench, that he was a sensible choice not interested in extending the constitution’s implied rights. And that his appointment “must come as an enormous disappointment to the no case” because of its claim the high court would “run amok in its interpretation of the constitutional words around the text”.
5. That is a pretty big leap –there is nothing to say that the high court would have ever have acted in the way that the no case has claimed.
6. It really isn’t. In fact, Coalition MPs have described it when speaking about their local voice model. Liberal senator Kerrynne Liddle described the voice this morning when speaking to ABC radio RN Breakfast. Dutton has said that he supports legislating a voice, but doesn’t support having it in the constitution. So the voice model is clear enough that Dutton supports legislating it, but apparently becomes confusing for the referendum.
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Same job, same pay laws will be ‘life-changing’ for some workers, says Burke
The hard sell for the latest IR bill is under way – from Tony Burke’s release:
There will always be a place for labour hire – when it comes to surge work, short-term arrangements and specialist staff. This legislation does nothing to change that.
These changes will affect a small number of workers. But for the workers this affects – closing this loophole will be life-changing.
Under the legislation:
Employees, unions and hosts can apply to the Fair Work Commission for an order that labour hire employees be paid at least the wages in a host’s enterprise agreement.
Exemptions apply where the host is a small business employer, and a default 3-month exemption period will also apply, to avoid impacting labour hire arrangements for surge work and temporary replacements.
The Commission must not make an order if it is not fair and reasonable in the circumstances, including where an arrangement relates to the provision of specialist or expert services.
Businesses will be prohibited from taking action to avoid their obligations or prevent a Commission order being made.
Applications can be made to the Fair Work Commission once the legislation has passed, however businesses will have around a year to prepare for new payment obligations that will not take effect until November 2024.
And then there are the reminders of the mandate:
The government announced this policy when we were in Opposition two-and-a-half years ago and we took it to the Australian people last year.
Our reform will not stop employers from rewarding their employees for their skills, qualifications and hard work.
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Rationing meals, forgoing medication: Acoss cost of living report highlights struggle of relying on welfare
The Australian Council of Social Service is launching its cost of living report today.
The annual survey asks people who live on payments like jobseeker how they are managing the cost of living. Given it remains below the poverty line and life is only getting more expensive, you can imagine how difficult life has become – from what was already an exceptionally low baseline.
From the report:
The most recent survey results show continuing high levels of deprivation that will not be substantially alleviated by the 20 September increase. People reported regularly rationing meals, going without heating and cooling, forgoing essential medication and medical care, and experiencing social isolation. Previous surveys have indicated that people needed much greater increases than $20 per week, even before cost-of-living pressures started to bite. This was again confirmed by people responding to this survey:
“Relying on income support is a depressing experience. It makes you depressed, anxious and gives panic attacks. It adversely affects your overall physical health and confidence. You feel less of a person, you feel like you don’t belong, like are an outcast.” – Paull, SA
“Every bit helps, but my expenses are spiralling upwards far more than $20 a week. My rates alone have gone up $47 a week. Petrol is ridiculous. We can’t use less electricity and gas.” – Melissa*, VIC
“I feel depressed. Interest rate increases hurt people who are not causing inflation. The $20 a week increase is appreciated but out of touch with our reality.” – Tessa, VIC
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Victorian traditional owner organisation comes out in support of Indigenous voice
Elders at the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung cultural heritage corporation have taken a formal position to support the Indigenous voice to parliament.
The decision follows months of careful consideration and community consultation, a statement from the corporation said, including two meetings between Elders and minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney.
Deputy chair Uncle Andrew Gardiner said the decision was not taken lightly, acknowledging the many views across the Wurundjeri community:
We support a YES vote, and we want constitutional change that recognises us as first peoples.Ultimately the Elders at Wurundjeri want a say in the matters that impact our community, those decisions made by the government that effect Country, our Culture, and our families.
We want to be part of a representative group that goes to Canberra and says that this is what our needs are, and we want to push for those needs.
The corporation called on those living on Wurundjeri Country, across the greater Melbourne area, to vote yes in the referendum:
Give us your vote, give us a voice and a say in how our lives are governed. It’s time we’re recognised. It’s time for constitutional change.
The Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung cultural heritage corporation was established in 1985 and is the oldest and longest-running traditional owner organisation in Victoria, representing traditional owners of Melbourne and the Greater Melbourne region.
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Queensland deputy premier says state’s government would welcome additional Qatar Airways flights
One of the issues Labor state governments like Queensland’s are having is that now that Labor is in power federally, it is a little hard to push back. In politics, they call it “product differential”, which basically means that when things are getting a little too unpopular with allies, you show where you are different.
For Queensland Labor, which faces an uphill battle to win a fourth term next October, the pushback has started with planes. In particular the ones Qatar airways are not allowed to run domestically.
The deputy premier, Steven Miles, broke ranks this morning, saying if Queensland were making the decision, then Qatar would be allowed those domestic routes tied up by Qantas (and Virgin).
Miles:
Clearly, this decision rests with the Australian government. It’s their decision to make.
But we do share the sentiment of Flight Centre. We’d want to see as many flights into Queensland as we possibly can.
Qantas is pretty unpopular in the public at the moment, as are airline prices in general. Anyone who has looked at flights not paid for by the taxpayer has done a double take (getting to Queensland and back from Canberra almost requires a bank loan) so don’t be surprised if you see more state premiers begin to veer from the federal government message on this issue.
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NSW may decide fate of Eraring power station as early as today
The Minns Labor government in New South Wales may decide as soon as today whether to extend the life of Australia’s largest power station, Origin Energy’s 2,880-megawatt Eraring plant, near Newcastle.
Former energy minister and treasurer Matt Kean has penned an oped in the Nine papers today revealing that the conditions offered by Origin would have left a $3bn budget hole – and that was just for extending two of the four units for two years.
Kean told Guardian Australia the estimate came from modelling prior to the March election, and involved NSW picking up all the cost of more expensive black coal and selling power back to Origin at a low price.
Origin wanted us to take the full risk of the inputs and sell back at a fixed cost.
They’d take no risk.
His successor as energy minister, Penny Sharpe, said she had not seen that figure and was “concerned that any figure has been bandied about”.
Dealing with the retirement of coal-fired power plants has been made much harder by the previous government’s decision to sell-off all the state’s electricity assets.
A lot has changed in the energy market both globally and locally since Matt Kean was the minister. The electricity infrastructure roadmap this government inherited was delayed and over-budget.
The NSW government does not want Eraring to be open one day longer than it needs to be.
As we have previously said, we are looking at all options and alternatives.
The government delayed the release of its response to a “Check Up” survey of the sector that was intended to go public before the end of August.
Assuming cabinet meets and decides on that survey today, we may find out soon whether the government is prepared to spend billions of dollars to give the state more insurance against “lights going out” or doing something more lasting with that money.
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Liddle pressed on detail of Liberal party’s alternative to Indigenous voice
So what is the detail of the Liberal party’s model? Asked again, Kerrynne Liddle says:
I‘m saying I would look very much forward to helping to shape bringing in my expertise, which is considerable in terms of outside of parliament, including living, including living in, spending a great deal of time, not just flying in and flying out and driving in and driving in remote communities and in home lands. So I would bring my expertise to this.
(Which Liddle would get to do, if the referendum she opposes is successful, because the parliament designs what the voice looks like.)
Pressed again for detail, Liddle says:
I could tell you a fundamental principle that I would support would be making sure that people are engaged, the right people are engaged on the issues that matter to them, and not hearing from the loudest voices, not hearing from the most resourced, not hearing from the voices that had the best marketing tools or the significant resources behind them.
That’s what I would be doing. I’ll be talking to the people like I do as a member of parliament. That’s my job. That’s Minister Burney’s job. That’s the prime minister’s job.
There are so many advocates, ambassadors, working groups, there’s even a Close the Gap working group, who actually are resourced to provide that expert advice to government, if that’s not working properly. Let’s look strategically at what’s happening.
Which is the voice. Liddle just described the voice.
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‘Labor and Greens don’t want to listen to those voices’: Liddle says Indigenous services Senate inquiry was knocked back
Kerrynne Liddle says she hasn’t “lived my life in parliament nor out in academia”.
What I’ve lived is actually delivering programs in the private sector, where if you don’t deliver the outcomes, you don’t have a job, and we need the very, very best people delivering services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, but unfortunately, sometimes we don’t have it.
Jacinta Price and I put up a proposition along with Lidia Thorpe to actually look at – just a simple Senate inquiry, to look at some of the issues from the perspective of the people that actually received the services from those services.
And it’s been knocked back by Labor and the Greens. Now, how is that possible? Now I get phone calls from people saying this is really important, that we have a voice about this. But Labor and the Greens don’t want to listen to those voices.
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Kerrynne Liddle unable to provide detail on Liberals’ ‘local voice’ proposal
So what is the Liberal party proposing?
Kerrynne Liddle:
I think if you go back to the only real thing that is different about what the Liberal party has been proposing is constitutional recognition, yes.
Changing the lives of Indigenous Australians, Yes.
Not voice in the constitution and voice being more focused on where the rubber hits the road in the local and regional areas and the areas of greatest need.
So where is that detail?
Liddle:
When you consider that the prime minister has picked this timeframe, he has gone to a referendum and picked a date without the detail – we’ve got a set of principles, we have a document done by professors Calma and Langton, where he hasn’t endorsed all the considerations of models in there …
Uh huh, but where is the detail on what the Liberal party is proposing?
Liddle:
You asked me where the Liberal party detail is and I’m telling you that there’s no detail that has been provided to explain to the Indigenous people as well as to the Australian public how this is going to change the lives of Indigenous peoples. It is a lot about vibe.
It’s a lot about marketing and that’s unfortunate.
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Liddle says ‘we don’t have the detail’ on how voice would work
When it is pointed out that what Liddle is describing sounds like the voice, the Liberal senator says:
No, because we don’t have the detail about who is going to be on that voice and how that’s going to work.
(To be clear, it has always been the case that the parliament would shape what form the voice took – which means that Liddle and the Liberal party would play a role in that. The parliament has control over its own destiny, which means that the parliament creates the voice, after the referendum.
The idea that there is “no detail” is misleading. We know that the voice will be 24 Indigenous people chosen from across each of the state and territories, from rural, regional and urban centres. Those people will be “selected by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities”. They will receive information from local communities as part of the consultations when they examine laws which have impact on Indigenous people.
The voice will then give advice to the government on the legislation and its impacts. Just like there is advice given to the government on the impact legislation would have on regional communities. The parliament then decides whether or not it accepts that advice.)
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Liddle says local voice model would bring ‘right people’ to ‘the table’
ABC host Hamish Macdonald asks if Kerrynne Liddle supports the local voice model (which is not on the table and only being asked about because it is something the Liberals have thrown up as a “well, we could do this” option instead of the voice referendum)
Liddle says of course, as it is what the Liberal party have been talking about. Asked why she thinks it is a good idea, Liddle says:
When you actually consider that funds for health, housing, jobs and actually come from Canberra and are sent to the states and territories, there is a lot more accountability that [doesn’t just sit] at the commonwealth level, but also in the states and territories and in those very organisations that are actually charged to deliver change, not just putting a grant application and deliver the same same, but deliver the change.
So that’s why I support that proposition much more and I want to make sure that people who are experts in the particular area of focus are actually the right people at the table.
Which sounds exactly like … the voice.
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Australians ‘actually want’ constitutional recognition: Liddle
So Liddle is asked again: if the voice is being criticised for not doing enough, how will constitutional recognition alone do anything? She says:
I think that’s what Australians actually want. I’ve heard that for a very, very long time. They actually want constitutional recognition, but they also want to help improve the lives of Indigenous Australians. So on the second part, I believe this is the wrong model.
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Kerrynne Liddle defends Dutton’s proposal for second referendum if first fails
Liberal senator and Arrernte woman Kerrynne Liddle is on ABC radio RN Breakfast and is being asked about Peter Dutton’s latest idea to have a referendum for constitutional recognition (only) if the voice referendum fails. The Liberal party says it also wants regional and rural voices (but not in the constitution) which would give local information to inform Canberra policy (like what the voice model actually plans to do).
Asked how constitutional recognition would address some of the criticisms over the voice – that it doesn’t go far enough to actually change things – Liddle says:
I’ve always been an advocate of talking to the people about issues that matter to them. I’m saying not in the constitution, but I’m also saying that, you know, we’ve got we’ve got Indigenous Affairs, a whole sector that delivers to the most vulnerable people. We’ve got some real issues in terms of looking at how we deliver those services, [who] we deliver those services to and the impact of those services, and I’ve always held that position based on my lived and my professional experience in transitioning hundreds and hundreds of Aboriginal people into employment, which then improves people’s lives.
I believe that’s the way to go about this, to actually look at: how are we actually delivering this? Who’s delivering those programs? Who’s delivering those outcomes?
Which didn’t answer the question.
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Government opens consultations on national autism strategy
Public consultations for a national autism strategy open today as the federal government hopes to develop a whole-of-life plan for autistic Australians – the first of its kind in the country.
Forums, focus groups and workshops will be held across the country from 4 September until late October to determine key reform areas across healthcare, education and employment.
Research has shown the life expectancy for autistic people is lower than the general population, though the reasons are not yet fully understood.
The social services minister, Amanda Rishworth, said it was important the strategy be informed by those with lived experiences along with professionals working within the sector.
Rishworth said:
This is a strategy for all autistic Australians, wherever they are in their journey. We want to encourage as many people as possible to have their say so we can capture the full diversity of their experiences and what autistic people want and need from the strategy.
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Dutton has underestimated Liberal voter goodwill on Indigenous voice: Burke
And on the voice, how does the government plan on turning around the vote?
Tony Burke:
By continuing to explain that recognition through a voice will deliver results. We need to remember this idea came after governments of both sides said to First Nations people, tell us what would make recognition meaningful, and people came back simply saying, well, it’s meaningful if there’s also a commitment through the Australian people that you will listen, that would make it meaningful. And so we will continue to be out there campaigning.
I’m very confident on this.
And I also think that Peter Dutton, I think, has underestimated the goodwill of a whole lot of Liberal voters here as well. There’s a generosity in the Australian people and as people come closer to the date, focus their minds and look at the proposal – we see it as something where there’s nothing to lose and everything to gain.
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Senate crossbench will have constructive conversations about IR bill: Burke
Tony Burke says talks with the Senate crossbench have been under way, but there have been no promises made, because no one has seen the legislation as yet:
No one’s locked in they have to look at the legislation. Almost certainly there’ll be a Senate inquiry process ….
The opposition only needed to hear the title of the bill, that it was closing loopholes, and they knew they were against it.
But for the crossbench, they’ll conduct their due diligence we’ll have constructive conversations. And I’m very hopeful that there’ll be enough goodwill to be able to close these loopholes this year.
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Legislation to target ‘a minority of employers’ exploiting loopholes: Burke
The message from Tony Burke on this legislation is “it’s for the minority of employers who are doing the wrong thing”.
You’ve just got a minority of employers that are exploiting a number of loopholes. It’s bad for their workers. It’s also bad for the other businesses that have to compete with them.
You have something that changes the plan for labour hire so that … workers who are brought in for short-term contracts or workplace to get the same pay as if they’d been hired directly by the business.
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Most businesses won’t notice IR law changes as they ‘don’t use the loopholes’: Burke
Speaking to Sabra Lane on ABC radio AM, Tony Burke kicks off his big day by making it clear that the same job, same pay legislation won’t be something that most businesses even notice:
Most businesses don’t use the loopholes. So this is something where there is a subset of workers who will notice a really significant difference.
But for most workers around Australia, you know the work that we’re already doing in getting wages moving is the main thing for them.
So you know, most employers don’t undercard enterprise agreements. Most employers, if you’re a casual and you’re wanting to be able to convert to permanent work, they do it cooperatively. Most employers don’t engage in wage theft.
And so for each of these issues, we’re talking about loopholes that a minority of employers use, but I’ll tell you what, for those workers who are disadvantaged because they’re unlucky enough to be with an employer who does use these loopholes – for those workers, today makes a real difference for their working lives.
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Good morning
Welcome back to Politics Live and the parliament sitting, where IR is the main game.
After a fairly big business-led backlash to the same work, same pay legislation Tony Burke has been talking about, the government is going on the offence, selling the bill as necessary for today’s workforce.
Small business will most likely be exempt from the most major changes to the bill and there will be more time for businesses to make the change. Plus, there are all the platform issues to work out – what is in and what is out (Facebook Marketplace, Airtasker etc).
In news that will absolutely shock you, Peter Dutton doesn’t think the Coalition will be able to support it.
Burke will be out and about talking about that morning through to night today, so you will probably be sick of him by the time the day is out.
Meanwhile, the latest Newspoll shows support for the voice has continued to fall with no in a majority, 53 to 38.
The poll, first published in the Australian, also showed Anthony Albanese’s popularity fell by six points to 46%, while those who feel negatively about the prime minister have risen to 47% –meaning his Newspoll popularity has fallen into negative territory for the first time since he won office. Labor is behind the Coalition on the primary vote measure, but still comfortably ahead when it comes to two-party preferred (53 to 47).
So it is going to be a bit of a rough week for the government who are trying to turn the voice referendum around with a lot less political capital than they had even a few months ago.
And that’s before the economy takes its predicted downturn.
We will keep you abreast of all that is happening in Canberra – you have Katharine Murphy, Paul Karp, Josh Butler, Daniel Hurst and Sarah Basford Canales to help guide you through. Mike Bowers is already out and about and you have me, Amy Remeikis, on the blog for most of the day.
Ready? I am looking at my third coffee already.
Let’s get into it.
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