What we learned: Wednesday 9 October
We will wrap the live blog here for today. Here’s what made the news:
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, apologised a second time for referring to Tourette syndrome during an exchange with the shadow treasurer, Angus Taylor, during question time yesterday.
More than 120 academics as well as mental health and youth organisations wrote an open letter to the prime minister arguing against plans to ban younger teens from social media.
The federal government introduced legislation to make it harder for a future government to privatise the NBN, as the opposition questioned why it was needed.
Patricia Karvelas announced she was leaving Radio National Breakfast after three years, but will take on a new role at the ABC.
Former Labor turned independent senator for WA, Fatima Payman launched her political party, Australia’s Voice.
Labor re-introduced its help-to-buy housing legislation into the House of Representatives.
Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) governor Adrian Orr cut the official cash rate to 4.75%.
Two students were arrested at Western Sydney University (WSU) after a pro-Palestine protest on campus.
One more sitting day this week tomorrow, and we will be back in the morning with all the news.
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Hail lashes south-east Queensland and NSW in wake of severe storms
There has been hail up to 7cm in size after severe thunderstorms in southern Queensland and northern NSW on Wednesday afternoon, Weatherzone has reported.
There was reportedly 35mm of rain in Inverell in 30 minutes, and flooding in Southport, Queensland, as well as between 50 to 70mm in rainfall across northern NSW and Southern Queensland over the seven hours from 9am.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warnings in place for areas between the Capricornia and the southern downs in Queensland, and the northern slopes and plains in NSW.
BoM has said the thunderstorm risk will subside tomorrow, but there will still be showers along the east coast of Australia, with anywhere between 50 and 100mm of rain in those hardest hit across Wednesday and Thursday.
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The bill to introduce a national student ombudsman has passed the House of Representatives. It will now go to the Senate.
BREAKING: Our bill to establish an independent National Student Ombudsman has just passed the House of Representatives.
— Jason Clare MP (@JasonClareMP) October 9, 2024
1 in 20 students have been sexually assaulted since they started university and 1 in six have been sexually harassed.
— Jason Clare MP (@JasonClareMP) October 9, 2024
Not enough has been done to address sexual violence in our universities and for too long students haven’t been heard
With this legislation that begins to change
Victoria police have identified a man wanted in connection to the alleged assault of a 20-year-old British tourist whose jaw was broken during the altercation.
Police on Wednesday morning had released CCTV that showed a man they wanted to speak to in relation to the alleged incident. Sr Const Elissa Dykstra said the alleged incident was “horrific” and “not great to see, especially on a busy Saturday night”.
In a statement, Victoria police said inquiries were ongoing:
The person we were seeking to identify following an assault in Richmond has made himself known to police.
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Here are some photos from the Bulga forest protest this morning that we reported on earlier.
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I am going to hand you over to Josh Taylor now, who will take you through the evening’s news.
We will be back with the last sitting day from early tomorrow morning. It is the last sitting day until November (when estimates will also be held) so make sure you get your fill.
Until then – as always – take care of you.
Veteran activist 12th person arrested at community campaign to protect Bulga state forest from logging
Veteran forest campaigner Susie Russell has become the 12th person to be arrested in a community campaign to protect the Bulga state forest in mid-north New South Wales from logging.
Russell, the vice-president of the North East Forest Alliance, locked herself on to logging machinery at the forest on Wednesday until she was cut off.
It comes a day after Russell and other campaigners criticised the government for hypocrisy and “bullshit” for hosting a nature summit in Sydney while habitat for the endangered greater glider was logged just 400km away.
She said today:
Every hour those machines don’t work is 50 trees saved. Our community will throw itself at the machines for as long as we can. We don’t want to give up any chance to save this precious forest and the greater gliders and koalas that live there.
I have no doubt that our actions are on the right side of history. All the science, all the reports, all the experts say that if we want to repair the damage to our planet, we need to start by not doing more damage. That is the most straightforward and cheapest way to make progress.
She added she was “sickened at the inertia of the environment departments and their ministers, at state and federal level. They have no vision, and no appetite for action.”
Logging at the Bulga state forest, inland from Port Macquarie, is expected to continue for weeks.
The operations this week have occurred close to an area of the forest where Guardian Australia photographed a greater glider emerging from its den in July.
The Forestry Corporation of NSW has said trained ecologists had undertaken nocturnal surveys and put exclusion zones in place around greater glider den trees.
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High court hears cases relating to federal court re-detention decision
The high court is hearing a trio of cases relating to a retrospective law re-detaining more than 100 unlawful non-citizens who were released from immigration detention by the Pearson full federal court decision.
In February 2023, Labor and the Coalition teamed up to pass laws authorising the cancellation of visas of people who were released from immigration detention due to the decision that aggregate sentences did not count for the automatic cancellation of visas for serving a sentence of more than 12 months in prison.
Bret Walker, counsel for one of the applicants, said that the legislation had gone beyond “unexceptional corrective legislation” to an “impermissible interference” or “usurpation” of judicial functions. The legislation “required that Pearson be considered incorrectly decided”, he submitted.
Craig Lenehan, representing the commonwealth respondents, said the cases run counter to a “long line of authority” that there is “no interference with judicial power merely because [legislation] declares or amends substantive rights of parties in litigation”.
Lenehan said the legislation does not declare that “the law was different than what the court in Pearson declared it to be” but rather it declares “particular effects” about validity of things including visa cancellation.
Lenehan argued if the original Pearson decision was correct, a person convicted of murder and grievous bodily harm and sentenced to an aggregate 25 years in prison “would not fail the character test”.
The high court justices queried why the commonwealth was only arguing Pearson was wrong in one of the three cases. Lenehan replied they were worried it would be an abuse of process because leave to appeal had been denied. The judges noted leave was denied only because the new law overturned its effect. They recommended he reconsider his position, resulting in Lenehan receiving instructions to argue Pearson was wrong in all three cases.
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What is Fatima Payman’s position on recognising a Palestinian state?
The senator tells the ABC:
That would definitely be something that I would advocate strongly for. Something that is overdue. This government has been sitting on its hands.
You cannot have a two-state solution when they are advocating without recognising one of those two states.
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Powers to take over social media accounts to gather evidence of criminal activity unused
Social media account takeover powers granted to federal law enforcement officers haven’t been used once in the 2023-24 financial year, a document tabled shows.
The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission’s report, tabled Wednesday, shows the powers to take over social media accounts to disrupt criminal activity weren’t used for the entire year.
The powers, known as the identity takeover disrupt laws, were introduced in 2021 under the Morrison government and also give ACIC and the Australian federal police access to other online accounts, including online banking and online forum accounts.
The powers are due to sunset on 4 September 2026. The Independent National Security Legislation Monitor announced in July it would conduct a review of the powers to determine how they were actually being used, including for which offences and their effectiveness.
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Senate question time, as seen by Mike Bowers:
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Watt reaffirms security checks carried out for Gaza visas
While the house question time (which still ran as a repeat on ABC TV) focused on security checks for visas (again) the Senate QT was more of a mixed bag.
Business insolvencies, home builds, the cost of living and apprentice numbers were all canvassed.
On the issues raised in the House of Representatives earlier today, the answers were the same.
Asked whether Asio cleared a visa (along with the implication these questions were not answered in the House of Representatives), the employment and workplace relations minster, Murray Watt said:
These matters have been canvassed quite extensively this morning at question time in the House of Representatives, and I’m very well aware there were answers given. They might not just be the answers that you are hoping for, but there were answers, accurate answers, that were provided.
I’m very happy to repeat the comments that Minister Burke made, and they were that they that we are working closely with our security agencies on this matter, as people would expect, everyone from Gaza granted a visa since October the 7th has been checked by our security agencies.
Every single person has been checked by our security agencies.
I think the disturbing thing that we continue to see from the opposition is a complete lack of faith in our security agencies. We have seen that over and over again, and I think, I think, I think it’s very concerning to see this creeping authoritarianism within the opposition.
Last week we had the leader of the opposition, Mr Dutton, and other frontbenchers demanding that police, state police, go and arrest certain people this week, we’ve got the opposition trying to direct the security agencies as to what they would do.
So that’s a little shadow and a little insight into the kind of operation we would have under a Dutton government, if, God forbid, we ever had a Dutton government.
Updated
Richard Marles is officially acting prime minister – Anthony Albanese has taken off for Laos and the Asean conference.
Two students arrested during pro-Palestine protest at Western Sydney University
Two students have been arrested at Western Sydney University (WSU) following a pro-Palestine protest on campus. About 50 people were in attendance at the protest, NSW police estimate.
Police say about 11.20am, the two protesters, 24 and 21, were arrested after allegedly assaulting campus security. They allege as police were arresting the pair, one allegedly assaulted and resisted police.
Students were gathering to call for the university to cut its ties with Israel and weapons manufacturers, citing financial investments revealed under FoI in weaponised planes, naval weapons and lethal drones.
In footage of the protest distributed by the social media page, WSU 4 Palestine Collective, police are seen attempting to remove a banner from protesters while they resist, amid cries of “it’s a banner, it’s not a weapon”. In another video, five police are seen arresting one of the men.
Both students have been taken to Gladesville police station where they are assisting police with inquiries.
Asked whether it called the police to attend the event and if it was condoned, a spokesperson for WSU said it was “aware” of an incident at its Parramatta South campus during a rally.
We are committed to free speech, and respectful and civil debate. Our priority is always the safety, wellbeing and security of every single person across our university community.”
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A very big thank you to Josh Taylor for picking up the blog for me for that moment.
You have Amy Remeikis back with you – I’ll give you a brief whoosh whoosh of QT.
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New Zealand lowers cash rate to 4.75%
Interest rates are on the way down in New Zealand, where the central bank has cut 50 basis points from the official cash rate, AAP reports.
Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) governor Adrian Orr took the OCR to 4.75% on Wednesday.
He said:
Economic activity in New Zealand is subdued, in part due to restrictive monetary policy.
Business investment and consumer spending have been weak, and employment conditions continue to soften.
The New Zealand economy is now in a position of excess capacity, encouraging price- and wage-setting to adjust to a low-inflation economy.
The [RBNZ’s monetary policy] committee agreed that it is appropriate to cut the OCR by 50 basis points to achieve and maintain low and stable inflation, while seeking to avoid unnecessary instability in output, employment, interest rates and the exchange rate.
With headline consumers price index (CPI) inflation at 3.3% and almost back in RBNZ’s target band of 1-3%, the central bank has opted to start cutting.
Orr said he believed the CPI had lowered beyond that 3.3% figure, last measured in July, with fresh figures due next week.
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The Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (Accan) has welcomed the government’s move to introduce legislation to keep the NBN in public ownership.
Accan CEO, Carol Bennett, said:
Retaining public ownership of this critical public asset will provide the opportunity for continued improvement in the communications services Australians need now and into the future. The NBN in public hands provides ongoing certainty that will ensure Australians’ economic and social wellbeing for years to come.
Bennett said the legislation would remove a pathway for future governments to sell off the network.
Updated
Over in the Senate, the focus is on the nature-positive laws the government is trying to get support for (the Greens are not a fan).
It’s the same answer we heard in yesterday’s QT in the house.
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NBN should be sold off when ‘time is right’, Liberal MP says
The Senate is busy being the Senate, so we are just taking a look at Liberal MP Zoe McKenzie’s interview with Sky News.
Q: Would you sell it [NBN] off? Was that your plan?
McKenzie:
To be fair, I’ve never heard that that’s our plan, but it has been in the public debate, the public discussion, that eventually it would be privatised. Remember? It’s interesting to me, you do know that the NBN just paid back the last tranche of public loan money it had to the commonwealth. There was about 5bn paid, I think, on the 30th of June of this year. So now the NBN has technically paid back the commonwealth for the loan it gave of some $20bn. Now all of a sudden it’s urgent that it be in public hands. I don’t get it. It’s like, thanks for the cash, but I want to keep the title –
Q: So you’d be relaxed with it being privatised?
McKenzie:
It has always been in the contemplation that it would be privatised when the time is right.
Q: So you think it should be?
McKenzie:
Eventually, when the time is right, but that’s not now.
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The Senate question time is just about to begin and because we have had already brunch QT, we will be covering as much of Senate QT as we can stomach.
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We are just about to head into Senate question time, but here is the question time exchange between Tony Burke and Dan Tehan that we covered earlier in the blog:
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On the campaign trail in Queensland
On the Queensland election trail, both major parties spent the day making announcements on their respective core issue: youth crime for the LNP and health for Labor.
In Townsville, the LNP promised a new $40m “victims’ advocate service”, spruiked as a “one-stop shop” for victims of crime. Their leader, David Crisafulli:
It’ll give people updates of the court proceedings. It’ll give continuity of advice so they don’t have to retell their story every time to someone different in a different part of government.
It’ll help with financial support, and often we speak to victims who fall between the cracks during a difficult period of time … and probably above all else, it will connect them with those service providers who do great work in this space.
In Brisbane, the premier, Steven Miles, told journalists “we already have one”, pointing to the victims’ commissioner set up under Labor.
The Labor leader was in the nation’s capital to announce a backflip on payroll tax for GP clinics. The party will now abandon a plan to help clinics transition to new financial arrangements to evade the tax.
The new approach is the same as the LNP – to pass a new legal exemption.
Miles said the reversal was necessary “because of the LNP’s successful misinformation campaign, they were unfortunately successful at convincing GPs that some kind of new tax was coming and that that would affect them and their patients. We want to allay that fear, and we will do so by legislating specifically”.
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Ramos-Horta says ideal world is one of ‘peace and cooperation’
José Ramos-Horta continued his National Press Club answer by saying Timor-Leste did not discuss “high-stakes security issues with the Chinese”.
He said that when he visited China the issue he wanted to discuss most was agriculture and “how China can replicate in Timor-Leste the Chinese miracle of eliminating poverty, increasing food production”. Ramos-Horta said the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, “responded very well” to that policy discussion.
Ramos-Horta acknowledged that there were “sensitive issues in the South China Sea”. He said his vision “ideally, in a romantic world, would be a sea of peace and cooperation”. He also believed that disputes in the South China Sea “should be discussed bilaterally between the claimant states”. Ramos-Horta added:
To say that, ‘oh, this is not acceptable because China would put so much pressure on each country,’that they are smaller, weaker’ – that is patronising to these countries. They may be small, but they have an incredible sense of sovereignty, of pride, and the more pressure you put on them, the more they resist. So it’s total nonsense, these arguments.
Ramos-Horta said Timor-Leste currently had an Australian, Portuguese and US military presence. He attracted more laugher with this line:
Imagine if we had one or two Chinese military personnel there. No one would sleep in peace in Australia!
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Timor-Leste president José Ramos-Horta speaks at National Press Club
The president of Timor-Leste, José Ramos-Horta, has joked that if Australian intelligence services continued to spy on his country’s political leaders “they would find it very boring”. He told the National Press Club in Canberra that such snooping would only reveal politicians bad-mouthing each other.
His comments are an oblique reference to a 2004 scandal when Australian spies bugged Timor-Leste’s cabinet room during sensitive negotiations over access to oil and gas reserves.
When asked for his perspective about China’s position in the region and whether he was “leveraging China against Australia at the moment” in regard to the development of the Greater Sunrise project, Ramos-Horta began by suggesting that Australian newspapers sought to increase their sales by focusing on China “in a negative way”.
Ramos-Horta said he believed that “Australian intelligence, Australian military people and the politicians who are really, really informed and educated … would know that China is not in any shape or form or imagination a threat to Australia”, adding:
It is an economic trade rival. Yes. China steals technology. Who doesn’t steal technology?
Ramos-Horta recalled a conversation with a British ambassador when they were both in West Africa:
Then there was the issue of espionage, Australians spying on Timor government, and the ambassador, with a British sense of humour, he said, ‘God, if because of bugging phones people cut [diplomatic] relations, the US wouldn’t have relations with anybody, because they bug everybody’s phone around the world.’
And if, at all, the Australian intelligence continued to bug our phones – or the Chinese – they would find it very boring, very tedious, because the only thing you end up finding out is Timorese politicians and leaders bad-mouth each other all the time.
The comment attracted laughter from the National Press Club audience.
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Rowland holds press conference on gambling and NBN
Michelle Rowland has also held a (belated) press conference (the first one was cancelled because it clashed with Fatima Payman’s presser) about the legislation to keep the NBN in public hands.
There is an argument that this legislation is fixing to address a problem that doesn’t exist – no one is proposing to sell the NBN. So you could say that this is something the government has created so it has something to talk about.
But on the flip side, there is also the point that we are very late in the electoral cycle and if you wanted to do something, well now is the time to do it.
The Rowland presser though, was mostly focused on the gambling reforms and when that response was coming.
Rowland told Josh Butler:
We’ll work with the states and territories on how to do it effectively, we will be taking advice from the department and from the regulator on the best way in which to achieve that.”
But there was no real answer beyond that – a timeless statement.
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Labor reintroduces Help to Buy legislation in the House of Representatives
Over in the House, Clare O’Neil has reintroduced the shared equity scheme Help to Buy (mark II) as part of the government’s broader aim to have the focus shift back to domestic issues.
Help to Buy (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2023 [No. 2] is now in the parliament. May Dolly have mercy on it.
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Gerard Rennick to announce People First party’s monetary policy today
It is a day of new political parties. Gerard Rennick has announced he will be unveiling his new political party’s policy on monetary/capital markets policy very soon. That’s the People First party, if you missed that news.
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Fatima Payman: a new breed of politician?
Fatima Payman certainly knows how to attract a crowd in this place.
Payman is also part of a new breed of politicians who don’t mind calling out questions they think go beyond respectability at press conferences. Kamala Harris made recent comments about seeing young women immediately calling out questions and behaviour they disagreed with and how it was one of the things she admired most about younger generations.
Payman has at least another five years in the Senate – might be something reporters have to get used to.
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Payman says Australia’s Voice party is not about ‘whether you sit on the left or right’
Asked where Australia’s Voice sits within the Overton window, Fatima Payman says:
The ideological spectrum of whether you sit on the left or right, this is not what we’re talking about here. This is a party for all Australians. We’re going to ensure that everyone is represented, whether it’s the mums and dads who are trying to make and make ends meet, or the young students out there, or whether it’s the grandparents who want to have, you know, dignity and respect as they age.
Q: That’s a pretty broad group with lots of different interests. How do you make sure that all these different competing interests are represented?
Payman:
Isn’t that beautiful? That Australia, being one of the most multicultural, mature democracies in our world, we’re able to represent people of all walks of life … and that’s what Australia’s voice is going to do. It’s not going to be an easy task. I appreciate that, but we need to capture everyone’s concerns and make sure that they’ve got a voice here in Canberra.
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Payman promises future MPs a conscience vote on every matter
Fatima Payman says she has not had conversations with any other crossbenchers about joining her party and will be considering all options.
As to what would happen if there was a disagreement with any future MP, Payman says:
As a person of principle, as somebody who voted on her conscience, we will definitely have a conscience vote. And I will support anyone else’s, should Australia’s Voice have a member elected. We will ensure that they have the opportunity to exercise a conscience vote. We’re a beautiful democracy, and we should exercise on every matter a conscience vote on every matter.
Well, on matters that are important, obviously, you know, as a party we would have value alignment. But at the same time, that’s something that even if I disagree with them on, it would be important to appreciate that.
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Payman says she admires Greens but Voice party will be more practical and pragmatic
You can find the website for Fatima Payman’s party here
The senator is asked about the party name – Australia’s Voice – and whether it is related to the voice referendum. She is also asked what will make it different to the Greens:
Payman says:
In regards to what makes us different from the Greens, well, I admire the Greens for their passion. But I’ve heard from Australians that they think sometimes the Greens go way too far. And that, you know, when it comes to practicality or pragmatism, there needs to be that level of engagement with what’s possible and what can be achieved.
And in regards to the name, Australia’s Voice, we’ve consulted with First Nations people. We’ve consulted with elders from that community who actually feel like the current government is not representing them, and they are being treated as electoral poison.
Any form of Indigenous issues is being treated as electoral poison when it comes to the government and I’ve heard first-hand from First Nations elders that, you know, they didn’t realise and would never have fathomed that they would be far worse off post a failed referendum and that was a constitutional matter.
But what we’re proposing and perhaps even asking for it to be considered, is maybe there is an opportunity to have that level of engagement with First Nations elders throughout, through our parliamentary processes.
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Payman says no decision on whether to run candidate in PM’s seat
Fatima Payman says Australia’s Voice may run a candidate in Anthony Albanese’s seat, but has not made any decisions.
In terms of the target seats, we have not had those decisions yet. But, you know, the prime minister challenged me the other day, so we might consider that maybe.
Maybe not.
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Payman says ‘not ruling out anyone’ in terms of candidates
Q: What kind of backgrounds are you looking for? We have heard in the past interest from some Muslim groups to engage with you. Will you be hoping to recruit some people from Muslim backgrounds to run as part of your party?
Fatima Payman:
The candidate selection will occur in due course … it will be based on merit and value alignment when it comes to selecting those candidates. We are not ruling out anyone again. Australia’s voice is for each and every person, and we welcome candidates.
And to just add to that, we’ve already received so much interest from disenfranchised Labor candidates, former Labor candidates. We’ve had people from the National party reach out and express interest. So there’s already a growing number of people putting their hand up.
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Payman says Voice party’s policy platform will come ‘in due course’
What will Australia’s Voice be focused on, in terms of issues?
Fatima Payman:
We’re obviously launching the party today. The policy platform will come in time, and I’m very excited to publicly announce them in due course.
All you have to do is look back at a few of my speeches since becoming an independent, whether that’s negative gearing and capital gains tax in terms of housing affordability, or whether it’s looking at our aged care reform bills or whether it’s looking at early childhood education, making sure that parents and families are able to put food on the table while ensuring their kids get a good education.
So there’s lots to look at. But obviously we will be announcing it in due course.
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Payman says Labor party has ‘lost its way’
Fatima Payman, the leader of Australia’s Voice (which was registered last week, according to ABN records), says:
Australians are fed up with the major parties having a duopoly, a stranglehold over our democracy. If we need to drag the two major parties kicking and screaming to do what needs to be done, we will do it. I’m reminded of the quote by the great Gough Whitlam.
‘There are some people who are so frightened to put a foot forward, to put a foot wrong, that they won’t put a foot forward.’
This comment was made in 1985 and applies so much to the current Labor party, who has lost its way.
Australia’s Voice believes in a system where people come first, where your concerns are not just heard, but acted upon.
We reject the status quo that serves the powerful and ignores the rest, the forgotten people.
As Robert Menzies put it, Australia’s voice is here to build a future where every Australian, regardless of their background, their colour, their faith or circumstances, have a voice that matters. This is more than a party. It is a movement for a fairer, more inclusive Australia.
Together we will hold our leaders accountable and ensure that your voice, Australia’s voice, will never be silenced.
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Payman says new party Australia’s Voice will be ‘for the disenfranchised and the unheard’
Fatima Payman is announcing her new political party.
The WA senator left the Labor party after a disagreement with Labor’s position on Gaza.
She has named the party Australia’s Voice.
[So many have felt] a growing frustration, a feeling of being left behind. Of shouting into the void. Only for their concerns to fall on deaf ears. So many of you have told me with emotions in your hearts, we need something different. We need a voice. It is this cry for change that has brought us here today. Because we can no longer sit by while our voices are drowned out by the same old politics.
It’s time to stand up, to rise together and to take control of our future. And so it is with great humility and deep responsibility that I announce the formation of Australia’s Voice, a new political party for the disenfranchised, the unheard, and those yearning for real change.
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David McBride allowed to appeal over jail sentence
The former army lawyer David McBride will be allowed to appeal his jail sentence for stealing defence documents and leaking them to the ABC after launching a late court application.
On Wednesday morning, McBride appeared in the ACT supreme court in his application to file an appeal outside of the usual 28-day window.
After the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions said it would not oppose, the court’s registrar granted approval for the appeal in a packed courtroom full of McBride’s supporters.
McBride’s legal team said they were seeking to have the appeal heard in March 2024 for a day.
Both legal teams will return to court next Thursday to confirm what dates they agree to hold the appeal.
McBride said he was grateful to the supreme court registrar for allowing him to attend and said he would probably not appear again in the following week.
As the former military lawyer exited the courtroom, the crowd of a few dozen clapped and cheered, shouting support.
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How has abortion become a political issue again?
Abortion has become a political issue again, being discussed in the Queensland election campaign.
Queensland Labor decrimalised it in a very, very fraught campaign where LNP MPs were given a conscience vote. Those that voted with the government – which already had the numbers – found themselves facing preselection battles for what had been very safe seats. They faced the challengers down, but it was one of those ‘battle for the heart of the party’ moments.
Finance minister Katy Gallagher was asked about it on ABC radio this morning and said:
I look forward to the day when women’s health isn’t a political football that’s used and pulled out at election time. I think there’s been a lot of legislative reform, rightly, across states and territories.
And it is primarily an issue for states and territories around abortion legislation, to make sure it’s not a criminal offence and to put in place the legislative framework that allows women to make choices about their own reproductive health or involve doctors as appropriate.
And I really think it’s a matter between a woman and her health professional, and it’s unfortunate we see it rise up and down at election times, but I look forward to a day when we don’t have that political football brought out and used, and that this is treated, really as it should be, as a health matter between a woman and her health professional.
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Queensland opposition leader asked about abortion laws – again
Queensland’s opposition leader has refused to say which way he would personally vote on a Katter’s Australian party abortion bill to be introduced next parliament.
David Crisafulli spent the third day straight giving the same answers on the issue: “there will no change” and “it’s not part of our plan”.
He again refused to say whether his party – most of whom opposed abortion legalisation in 2018 – would be granted a conscience vote on the issue. Two LNP MPs have in recent weeks said in public that they would vote to restrict abortion, if it came before parliament.
KAP leader Robbie Katter told Sky News this morning “I’m your huckleberry, the KAP’ll put it in” by introducing a private members’ bill to bring the issue before parliament.
“I’m up for anything,” he said.
Crisafulli repeated on Wednesday: “Not part of our plan.”
“Katter’s priority is recriminalising abortion. Labor’s priority is running a scare campaign to brush over their failings in crime. Our plan is dealing with youth crime. So over to you Queensland.”
Labor leader Steven Miles said his party would be granted a conscience vote.
It’s been our long-held practice to have a conscience vote on those matters, but you know what our conscience says. Labor MPs support a women’s right to choose. And you know what the LNP MPs’ consciences say too; they are overwhelmingly opposed to a woman’s right to choose.”
Miles pointed out that all LNP MPs voted against a bill making abortion more available earlier in 2024.
Now we know that there will be a bill next term, and MPs should tell their constituents, or candidates should tell voters how they would vote on that bill.
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RBA’s Covid-era lending fund cost $9bn but ‘helped prevent dire economic outcomes’
Christopher Kent, a Reserve Bank assistant governor, is giving a speech this morning in Sydney related to the central bank’s term funding facility, one of its key tools to keep the economy afloat during the Covid pandemic.
The funding provided low-cost three-year funding to commercial banks and in so doing, helped lower borrowing costs at a time when markets were seizing up. The RBA’s cash rate was already on the way to just 0.1%, or about as low as it could go.
By the end of its operations, in mid-2021, the facility extended $188bn, with the major banks collecting $133bn and foreign banks $22bn.
All the money was repaid, and on average, outstanding lending rates fell by almost 100 basis points (or 1 percentage point).
In sum, the facility “met the objectives we set out for it at the start of the pandemic. It helped prevent dire economic outcomes at a time when the outlook was bleak and highly uncertain, and there was limited scope for further cuts to the cash rate,” Kent said.
The cost to the RBA, though, wasn’t small, at $9bn. One reason for the loss size was that the lending rate was fixed. When the economy recovered faster than expected and the RBA hiked its cash rate, what had been profitable until May 2022 started losing money for the bank.
Similarly, the extension of the facility in September 2020 turned out to have been unnecessary (although officials had little idea then how Covid variants would play out at the time).
The RBA “would consider” using the TFF again “in extreme circumstances when the cash rate target had been lowered to the full extent possible”, Kent said. And next time, a flexible rate would be on offer since the RBA and the banks have since upgraded their systems - one lesson learnt.
What might trigger the next meltdown? Who knows - and Kent doesn’t speculate - but perhaps that will come up in the speech Q&A. (US elections from 5 November, sadly, may be the next big market challenge.)
Updated
Fatima Payman to announce new political party
For those asking, yes, Fatima Payman will absolutely be announcing her new party at the 12.15 press conference.
Updated
Albanese: ‘When people fire on Israel, Israel has a right to defend itself’
The interview moves on.
Q: The US State Department overnight said that Israeli incursions to degrade Hezbollah infrastructure [the US supports that], do you?
Anthony Albanese:
I support Israel’s right to defend itself. We’ve done that from the very beginning. But I also, along with all of the G7 nations, including the United States, including us – we were part of the statement of 13 countries, the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, the European Union, as well as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, we have said that there needs to be a deescalation.
They called for a ceasefire in order to have peace in that Israeli Lebanon border, and they call for the implementation of the UN Security Council resolution that was carried on.
Q: Just to clarify, or do you support the US position…
Albanese:
We have supported, always supported, the same position as the United States have put here. And the United States have consistently said that there needs to be an agreement, and there were negotiations with Israel and Hezbollah prior to the current escalation, and you need a deescalation in order to have a diplomatic solution.
If you don’t say that that’s the case are you saying that this conflict should just continue to escalate ad infinitum with no end?
….Now we support Israel’s right to defend itself, and how it defends itself matters.
So we have always said that from the very beginning, from October 8, I said that on the Insiders program, and we did that in the resolution that was carried in the parliament that I moved.
Q: Just is that contradictory?
Albanese:
It’s the same position that the G7 countries have had. It’s the same position that everyone in terms of world leaders, it’s the same position that Keir Starmer in the UK have said, that President Biden in the United States has said, that all of our allies and partners who we work with have said, that they want a deescalation of this conflict, that they want a ceasefire that enables Israel to continue to exist with security. Now, Israel is taking this action because there isn’t security there, and when people fire on Israel, Israel has a right to defend itself.
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Ask Amy: what’s the deal with party preferences?
In case it needs to be made clear, voters decide their preferences in the voting booth.
Political parties can make suggestions and list the order they would like their supporters to place candidates in particular races, and there is evidence that some voters, particularly those considered “rusted-on”, do follow those how-to-vote cards.
But there are also large numbers of people who make their own decisions and the political parties just have to see where those votes end up.
Much like accepting a vote of someone voted into the parliament, politicians have no choice but to accept what voters decide to do in terms of preferences. You cannot reject a vote (although sometimes political parties will send one of their own out of the chamber to offset a vote, which makes a point but doesn’t alter the voting record) and you cannot reject a voter’s preferences.
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Albanese reiterates goal of Labor in majority government
Back to the Sky News interview, Anthony Albanese is asked:
If you’ve given your view of the Greens and you believe that many of their views are repugnant, how do you accept preferences from them?
(That sound you hear is psephologists around the nation screaming.)
Anthony Albanese:
Well, I don’t accept preferences – people go into polling booths and put numbers next to names. So the preference allocation, of course, will be done by the organisational wing.
I make it very clear, as occurred when I was deputy prime minister in 2013 under Kevin Rudd, that there were no deals done.
That was a minority parliament, no deals were done in 2013 and I certainly am seeking to be prime minister of governing in my own right …with a majority, I want people to vote [No 1] Labor.
There is something called One Nation whose views on race are pretty repugnant as well.
Updated
Fatima Payman calls press conference for today
Looks like an announcement from Fatima Payman on her new political party is imminent.
The independent senator has called a press conference in about an hour’s time.
Updated
Albanese says ‘no deals with the Greens’ even in minority government
The prime minister is sitting down for an interview with Sky News ahead of his trip to Laos. It is focused on Australia’s position on Israel and the Greens:
Q: The leaders of two peak Jewish groups have written to you and the opposition leader, urging you to preference each other above the Greens, given their repugnant position on the Middle East, would you consider that?
Anthony Albanese:
Well, of course, preferences will be done by the organisation, but I make this point, or a few points here.
One is, the only reason why the Greens are in the Queensland Parliament is because the LNP chose to put them there to give them preferences.
My objective, of course, is to lead, on an ongoing basis, the majority Labor government. That is what we will do.
The LNP in Queensland, in the election that’s underway at the moment, talking and giving preferences to One Nation above the Labor Party. I find that extraordinary, and that contradicts something that began under John Howard of putting One Nation last.
Q: You said it’s a matter for the party, and it is, but it’s also a matter for moral leadership, isn’t it? Would you consider doing that, and also in terms of the preferences, but also in terms of the minority government, if we do end up in that situation, would you rule out bringing in the Greens in any way, given what you yourself believe, their views on the Middle East are repugnant? They’re accusing you of being complicit in genocide.
Albanese:
Absolutely, I rule that out. I’m the only candidate for prime minister seeking a government in our own right, and there’ll be no deals with the Greens. I want a majority Labor government, and the best way that that can be achieved is by people voting Labor in the election when it’s held.
Unlike the Coalition that seem to have – they, of course, are a coalition themselves, with the Liberals and the Nationals, often having different objectives – and they seem to have written off a range of the seats that they’ve held historically, don’t seem to be even campaigning in them or trying to appeal to voters in those seats.
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Albanese details Asean summit agenda as he prepares to depart
Anthony Albanese:
I will be heading to Laos attend meetings of the East Asia Summit. While there, I will be meeting with Chinese Premier Li, building on the patient, delivered and calibrated work that this government has in stabilising the relationship with China.
They will also be bilateral meetings with the prime ministers of Canada, New Zealand, Vietnam, the president of the Republic of Korea as well as meeting for the first time with new prime ministers. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba … I congratulate him in his election as a prime minister of Japan, that is a critical relationship and I rang him and had a good conversation with him initially, the relationship which in Japan is not just an economic one but increasingly one that’s important for our national security cooperation as well.
As well, I’ll be meeting the new prime minister of Thailand as well as having other meetings with leaders from our region.
The economy and national security will be the focus of the meetings.
Peter Dutton adds his “travel well, be successful” team Australia message and the chamber moves on.
Updated
Question time ends
Morning question time is even more unhinged than afternoon question time, it seems.
It ends with everyone annoyed. The prime minister is now giving a speech on indulgence about his upcoming trip to the Asean conference (which he is leaving for in a matter of hours).
Updated
Burke challenges opposition over confidence in security agencies
Tony Burke continues that answer after a point of order that was not a point of order. He is very fired up:
The guarantee of the government gets, and the guarantee in our security agencies. is the same guarantee [the] leader of the opposition would have given when he [oversaw] on visitor visas 4,994 people from Iraq, controlled by its Islamic State, described to other people who stood here as a death cult.
It’s the same guarantee the leader of the opposition would have given when he held my job about the 1,505 people he [took] in from Syria on visitor visas.
The same guarantee of the leader of the opposition would have given with respect to 864 people who came here from the Palestinian territories.
If you want to be on the side of the chamber, and you don’t have confidence in our security agencies, say so.
Because this government has confidence in our security agencies and those opposite, those opposite are now wanting to demand a whole lot of examples which, [if] tested against their record, they would fail.
Updated
Sparring continues over Palestinian visas
Dan Tehan will not be deterred.
Can the prime minister guarantee his government has not granted a visa to any individual … [who] has links to a terrorist organisation?
Tony Burke takes this one as well:
I said earlier in terms of terrorist organisations that I didn’t want to add to the words of Mike Burgess or bury them, I have the quotes, I will read it directly:
‘If you think terrorism is OK, if you think the destruction of the state of Israel is OK, if you think Hamas and what they did on 7 October is OK, I can tell you that is not OK and from security assessment point of view you will not pass muster.’
That is the test, that is a security test provided. The members [asks] what guarantee can be provided? I tell you the guarantee is the guarantee of our security agencies being responsible and a government that has confidence in them.
Which I might say is the same guarantee the leader of the opposition would have provided with respect to 1991 people coming from Taliban controlled Afghanistan.
Updated
Liberals continue visa attacks over Palestinian artist
Dan Tehan asks:
Prime minister, does supporting Hamas pass the character test for an Australian visa?
Tony Burke:
The question is with respect to character and different flags put forward by Asio which have been answered by Mike Burgess clearly.
I am not going to change a word of what has been said with respect to that.
Tehan then asks:
The Albanese government granted a visa to Fayez Elhasani, linked to Hamas and Islamic Palestinian jihad. Can the prime minister guarantee that his government is not granting visas to any other individuals from the war zone who have links to listed terrorist organisations? I give the call to the Leader of the House.
Burke looks pretty fed up by now and says:
There are seven or eight different ways of asking the same question so I guess we get the same answer again. Which is to say that our security agencies never stop collecting information, never stop collecting information and it is exactly as it should be.
And when people first apply for a visa, the movement best represents the information they already had, the different alerts that can be resolved in an Asio referral.
Updated
The Coalition continues to ask about Palestinian visas and the security checks.
So it is worth keeping this story from Daniel Hurst in mind, about the realities of the time it took for visas to be approved.
It was not, as claimed by the Coalition, 24 hours.
Speaker calls for order after continual opposition interjections
Milton Dick again has to tell the opposition to shut it, after even more interjections during a dixer. He calls out Paul Fletcher for “yelling” which he says, again “is disrespectful”.
This is the last QT the prime minister will be at this week, and it is the last QT until the first week of November, so everyone is feeling a bit rowdy.
Updated
Burke says visa concellations relating to Gaza to date have been offshore
The Liberal’s Julian Leeser takes the next non-government question and asks:
Have any of the tourist visas granted to those coming from the terrorist-controlled Gaza war zone since 7 October 2023 been cancelled?
Tony Burke also takes this one:
I will deal with the question into parts.
Specifically first with reference to the issue of visa cancellations. Secondly with the concept of visas coming from war zones.
First of all with respect to cancellations, the situation is the same as what I last advised parliament which is some cancellations have occurred and may well occur offshore but that does not change the fact that the government, the security agencies never stopped collecting information.
As has happened, no matter who is in government, and we continue to conduct various checks on people who have visas whether they are onshore or offshore.
Specific to the question, the cancellations so far have been offshore.
On the issue which has been raised in the preface to the question and raised a number of times in this house, is about the use of visitor visas for people coming from war zones.
Because when the people from Syria who came on humanitarian visas were separately interviewed, there’s been a presumption that they were the only people that came from the war zone during that time.
It is to be remembered that during the period those opposite were in office and a large portion of that, the leader of the opposition was the chief minister in charge of these programs – Afghanistan, large portions of which were controlled by the Taliban, did they put a ban on visitor visas from Afghanistan?
No – 1,991 visitor visas [were] granted from Afghanistan during that period.
From Iraq and Syria, during the period that Islamic State controlled large parts of Iraq and Syria, did they put a ban on visitor visas in the region?
No. Over 4,000 visitors [from the region], 1,500 by visitors from Syria.
And similarly, during the entire period where the Gaza Strip was controlled by Hamas, 864 visitor visas from the Palestinian territory.
Updated
Opposition rages on during government dixers on the NBN
The dixers on the NBN bill continue and the opposition cannot hide their contempt. The rowdiness from the coalition side of the chamber is growing – as our Josh Butler, who is in the chamber, points out, they are now openly mocking government MPs during the dixer answers.
(If you need an explainer on dixers, have a peek below.)
Updated
Barbs continue to fly in question time
That moment of unity came directly after the prime minister took a dixer on the NBN legislation, where he spoke about “what the NBN has been reduced to”.
Our own Daniel Hurst hears Peter Dutton interject with “what have you been reduced to, prime minister?” so it seems the early QT has done nothing to improve moods.
Updated
House honours former Tasmanian premiere Peter Gutwein
There is a moment of unity to honour former Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein, who is a guest in the chamber today.
Anthony Albanese:
I had a meeting with the former premier of Tasmania. He is on a mission to celebrate the role that migrants have played in [Australia’s] story up until now, but also in Australia’s future.
And Mr Gutwein has, through his experience in Tasmania, wanted to reaffirm the role of multiculturalism in this country and who we are in 2024.
He spoke to me about the extraordinary contribution of people particularly from the subcontinent making the delivery of services in Tasmania but we spoke about the range of services and the role that migrants are playing essentially in agriculture in the great story that is modern Australia.
And I certainly reaffirm my government’s commitment to social inclusion – a commitment to support full multiculturalism and cohesion as well as one of the reasons why I appointed Peter Khalil as the special envoy on social inclusion.
We cannot take this for granted and I congratulate him on his leadership in undertaking this big journey. His journey, his walk is similar to the walk Australia has taken towards this modern, vibrant, dynamic multicultural society that we are. We cannot take it for granted, we have to cherish it and nurture it and I thank Mr Gutwein for his contribution [and his] post-parliamentary life, his ongoing contribution [in] public life. Well done.
Peter Dutton joins with the prime minister’s words in support.
Updated
Opposition continue attacks over visa of Palestinan refugee
Dan Tehan is back:
The Albanese government granted a visa to Fayez Elhasani, an individually openly linked to terrorist organisations Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in 2019. Al Hassani reportedly hosted a summit of terror organisation leaders, which he opened by stating they must quote, I quote, “confront the occupation by all possible means”.Prime Minister, has the visa of this individual been canceled … ?
Tony Burke takes this one too:
The question is not different to the last one, and the answer is not different to the last one either. If at any point we receive advice from our security agencies that a visa should be canceled, that is what will happen. That is what will happen. But this concept that shadow ministers should … be the proxies for our security agencies is just a bizarre way to operate.
Our security agencies work through the evidence that they have. They never stop collecting information. Even after people are here, they never stop collecting information, and this government stands with full confidence in our security agencies. I’m not sure what the position of the opposition is on that.
Updated
Tony Pasin ejected from question time chamber
The communications minister, Michelle Rowland took a dixer on the NBN legislation and the opposition gets rowdy. The speaker, Milton Dick, calls for order and says:
That wall of noise is completely disrespectful. Everyone on the frontbench, the member [for] Barker, the member for [for] O’Connor, just completely yelling is unparliamentary, but it’s also disrespectful, particularly when a female minister is on her feet.
Tony Pasin, the Liberal MP for Barker pipes up at this, scoffing:
Really? Rubbish.
Milton Dick immediately becomes Dugald Dick (here’s the deep lore behind that) and orders Pasin from the chamber, but first makes him apologise. Pasin:
I apologise. I apologise.
Updated
Patricia Karvelas leaving Radio National Breakfast program
Patricia Karvelas is leaving Radio National Breakfast after three years in the agenda-setting role.
She will continue hosting Q&A and will present national politics on the ABC News Channel. She said in a statement:
After a decade it’s time to change it up and I’m ready to lean into a new cross-platform role.
I want to thank the ABC for the opportunities it has provided me through my decade here. It continues to be the most important public institution in the country in my view and I want to help build its connections with voters across the country.
Updated
Question time begins
Dan Tehan opens up the questions:
The Daily Telegraph has this morning reported the Albanese government granted a visa to Fayez Elhasani, an individual proudly and openly linked to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, both listed terrorist organisations in this country, and that Elhasani is now living in Australia. Prime minister, has the visa for this individual been canceled?
Tony Burke takes this one:
The process for all of these visas for people who’ve come from Palestine has been exactly the same for every one of them.
And the engagement with security agencies has been, has been the same the whole way through.
And I have to say, if the choice between who I’ll take advice from, between the shadow minister who asked the question, or the director general of Asio. I’m sorry, but I’m going to listen to the director general of Asio.
So the process the visa goes through is this, every single applicant is first of all checked against the movement alert list.
The movement alert list is updated every 24 hours involving Asio’s information.
Then if additional flags are raised at any point, separate referrals happen to Asio, then for people who were getting out of that part of the world, they had to go through a border that was controlled by both Egypt and Israel, with the relevant checks that would happen at that point as well.
In addition to that, it is now public that there was a further check that was made in March of every single visa holder within this caseload, either onshore or offshore, all of those checks have been made.
If at any point, if at any point, our security agencies gave advice to the government that a visa should be canceled, then the government, of course, would take seriously that advice, but the concept that we should abandon our security agencies and defer instead to Google searches from the opposition is not something this government will not do.
Elhasani was granted a visa in August after he fled Gaza when 10 of his family members were killed in an Israeli airstrike, including five grandchildren.
Updated
Amy’s analysis: Liberal Aaron Violi’s response to the NBN legislation
This is a speech that really should have been an email.
Updated
Aaron Violi is now saying it is hypocritical for Labor to criticise the Coalition’s nuclear plan while saying the NBN should be publicly owned, and then ranges on to the cost of living, to how out of touch Labor MPs are because they have been in the parliament for too long.
Updated
Aaron Violi is saying that it is “amazing” that the prime minister can “get everyone to come in for his speech” today, but couldn’t get everyone in the chamber for when he apologised for his Tourette’s comment.
Question time is in just over 10 minutes, which helps.
He’s now back on the issues with the NBN. Which the Coalition built.
Updated
Coalition continue NBN criticism
Aaron Violi says the NBN is not “delivering as it is meant to” but he seems to forget that it was his side of politics which built it.
And chose copper over fibre.
And was in charge of the rollout.
Seems memories are very short at times.
Updated
Liberals accuse Labor of ‘rushing’ on NBN laws to distract from PM’s gaffe
The Liberal MP for Casey, Aaron Violi, is accusing the government of “rushing” to introduce the NBN legislation (the opposition has not yet been briefed on the bill) to create a “distraction” from his Tourette’s comment yesterday.
Updated
PM says NBN legislation will safeguard service from future Coalition government
Anthony Albanese says the legislation is about safeguarding the NBN from a future Coalition government.
Albanese:
For those opposite, it’s always the same; let the market rip, and if people are disadvantaged or miss out, well, so be it. So be it.
Updated
Albanese: in 2024 ever child needs access to the NBN
Anthony Albanese:
The National Broadband Network is a vital national asset, and it delivers an essential public service. It was built by Australians, for Australians, and it belongs to every Australian citizen, and it belongs in public hands.
That’s what this legislation is about, safeguarding the future of the NBN, making sure it cannot be privatised. It can’t be hollowed out, it can’t be sold off to overseas interests, and making sure that every Australian whether they live in the city or in the regions or in the outer suburbs can count on the affordable, reliable and fast internet that they need and that they deserve, publicly owned and affordable for all.
Prime Minister Gough Whitlam once said that his definition of equality was every child in Australia having a quiet room to study in and a desk with a lamp. That was in the 1970s.
In 2024 every Australian child … needs to be sitting at their desk with access to the NBN.
Updated
Albanese claims keeping the NBN public is a cost-of-living measure
There we go – Anthony Albanese is speaking on the introduction NBN bill (the one which will keep it in public hands) which it seems the opposition is opposing. The Liberal’s David Coleman said the government should be focused on cost of living.
Anthony Albanese says the opposition has opposed every cost-of-living measure the government has brought forward. He says ensuring the NBN stays public is a cost-of-living measure, because it won’t go to a private company who has obligations to maximise profits for shareholders.
Updated
Anthony Albanese arrives in House chamber early
Anthony Albanese has entered the chamber 30 minutes ahead of question time (it is unusual for the prime minister to arrive so early) so he may be about to speak on a motion.
Updated
Caitlin Cassidy has an update on the school funding agreement – which looks like another headache for the Albanese goverment:
Question time looms … early
We hope you are getting those mimosas and bloody Mary’s ready, because we are an hour away from the special brunch QT, where all your favourite (and not-so-favourite) politicians will be bright-eyed and bushy tailed and wondering what to do with the rest of their day.
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Twelve years on since Gillard’s powerful speech on misogyny
It is 12 years since Julia Gillard delivered her misogyny speech to the parliament.
The speech, which was delivered in response to a question from then opposition leader Tony Abbott about Peter Slipper, took on a second life of its own after it was discovered by Gen Z and turned into a TikTok trend.
It is also widely regarded as a moment the press gallery at the time missed, with members of the public embracing the words, while much reporting focused on the politics of the time. Everyone involved in that parliamentary moment has since left the parliament, but the speech continues to have an impact.
Updated
More evacuation flights arrive from Lebanon
Another 220 people have arrived in Australia from Beirut in the latest evacuation flights overnight. AAP reports:
Trading smoke and fear in the Middle East to the warm hugs of her grandchildren, Houda Ammoun says she is thankful to be back in Australia. The Sydney woman was among 220 Australians and permanent residents to touch down in Sydney late on Tuesday night after being evacuated from Lebanon.
But, like many, she’ i concerned for the family left behind. “It’s very hard, I can’t explain it, the smoke and everything,” she said, breaking down in tears.
“I’m very happy to be back home because over there is very, very sad. It’s not fair, why should we do this? [It’s] our home, our houses, our families.”
Beginning with a pager attack targeting militant group Hezbollah, Israel’s bombing campaign has killed more than 1,400 Lebanese people since 17 September. It follows a Hamas invasion of Israel in October 2023 that killed 1,200 people and a counterattack that has all but levelled Gaza and killed at least 42,000 people.
The government-chartered flight, the first operated by Qantas, is among several ferrying 1,200 people out as Israeli strikes rain down on the country. Commercial flights have been cancelled in recent weeks due to the recent conflict.
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Birmingham says PM’s disability insult a ‘serious mistake’
Simon Birmingham – who was once the hope of the “moderate Liberals” – was also asked about Anthony Albanese’s Tourette’s comment in question time yesterday, which he later apologised for.
Birmingham:
The prime minister recognised it as a serious mistake. The point I make, is imagine the sanctimonious outage if this had been Peter Dutton or a member of the Coalition.
Updated
Birmingham blames Labor for bipartisan breakdown on October 7 motion
Liberal senator Simon Birmingham has appeared on ABC Breakfast TV where he was asked if the opposition regretted not supporting the October 7 motion that the government put to the parliament yesterday.
The Coalition rejected it as it included calls for a de-escalation and a ceasefire and acknowledged the civilian deaths in Palestine and Lebanon. The Coalition was also against the motion including hopes for a two-state solution.
Birmingham said it was the government’s fault the Coalition couldn’t agree, because the Coalition held the same view it has held since the attacks on October 7 last year and it is the government which has changed position.
(The government continues to recognise Israel’s “right to defend itself” as well as condemn the attacks on October 7 and Hamas more broadly. Its motion also acknowledged what has happened since October 7, which the Coalition objected to.)
Birmingham:
I regret that we weren’t able to maintain the bipartisanship that existed 12 months ago, but that is largely because the Albanese government dramatically shifted part of its policy position in those 12 months, changed the words in the resolution carried 12 months ago, changed a decades-long policy on a two-state solution and how it is achieved.
It is not the Coalition who has changed position here, it is the Labor party.
The change to the two-state solution Birmingham is speaking about is that the Albanese government says that a two-state solution should be part of the peace process, not just something that comes at the end of the peace process.
Updated
Ley comments on PM using disability as an insult in parliament
Liberal deputy leader Sussan Ley has been asked about Anthony Albanese’s Tourette remark in the parliament yesterday and what it says about parliamentary debate. The prime minister returned to the chamber and apologised and said he should never have said it.
Ley:
What I saw yesterday was a prime minister under pressure, lashing out with a remark that he never should have made. Using disabilities as an insult in the house against another parliamentarian? Yes, definitely, the prime minister is under pressure, and he did come in and apologise, but it was at the end of the day, and it should have happened earlier, and it should have happened with more grace.
Updated
Bandt defends Greens against charges of antisemitism
Q: Well, Peter Dutton says that the Greens are racist and antisemitic, and some people agree with that, because Jewish organisations right now want the Greens to be preferenced last by the major parties. Do you accept that this charge of antisemitism has been a problem for you and your party?
Adam Bandt:
I think Peter Dutton makes all sorts of claims, and he’s made a career out of fomenting division, and I’ve seen that on display for decades now, and from the beginning, including the first time this came to parliament a year ago, the Greens have made it crystal clear that there is no place for antisemitism in Australia, and we condemn it.
There is no place for Islamophobia [either] but we think those two things can sit side by side with opposing the invasion as well …
Q: There have been instances of antisemitic behavior, from some Greens MPs, right?
Bandt: No.
Q: Jenny Leong … that was antisemitic, wasn’t it ...?
Bandt:
So federally, no, with respect to that, she apologised and those comments were inappropriate, and she admitted that that and that they were insensitive, and she apologised and gave a very strong and full and unconditional apology for those words.
With respect to the approach that we’ve taken federally, we’ve been crystal clear. We’ve been crystal clear that we oppose antisemitism and oppose Islamophobia.
But I think you can do that and still say that you have an extremist Netanyahu government that now international courts have said is committing the crime of apartheid with the occupation that is taking place in Palestine and are also now subject to court orders to prevent a genocide and criticise that as well.
And I know that there are many people, including in the Jewish community, who are critical of the approach taken by that extremist government.
Jenny Leong, the Greens member for Newtown, apologised for referring to the “tentacles” of the “Jewish lobby” and its influence across Australia in February.
Updated
Greens say Labor’s October 7 motion did not recognise actions of ‘extremist Netanyahu government’
The Green’s leader, Adam Bandt, is asked on the same program why his party didn’t support the motion (it abstained) and said:
The Greens put forward our motion that not only mourned those who lost their lives in the attacks on October 7, which we condemned at the time and continue to condemn, but we have to mourn those who have died as part of this cycle of violence before and afterwards and since as well.
And from our view, we couldn’t support a motion that talked about the things that have happened, not only on October 7, but since then, without also recognizing that the extremist Netanyahu government has also been found to be committing war crimes, and the there is an unfolding genocide and there are things that Australia can and should do, including starting to put pressure on this extremist Netanyahu government.
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Gallagher says friction over October 7 motion from left and right reflects Labor’s position as ‘mature, responsible government’
The Greens and independent senators Lidia Thorpe and Fatima Payman also criticised the motion, but for the opposite reason to the Coalition – they did not believe the motion adequately addressed what had happened since October 7 in Palestine.
Katy Gallagher said:
I think the Senate yesterday, I mean, in a sense, spoke to the fact that the government’s position is really seeking … to try and unite the country and bring the country together and not have this social division play out domestically and on the one side, we had the opposition who have a particular view.
And the on the other we have the Greens, which have the opposite view. And in the middle, you have the government that’s … absolutely condemning Hamas and the role [of] the October 7 atrocities that happened, calling for the release of hostages, but also recognizing that there has been a significant loss of life from Palestine and calling for a ceasefire.
I think our position reflects a mature, responsible government, and we’ve got … friction on either side of the political spectrum.
And you know, it’s our job to continue to make decisions in the interests of our communities as broad as they are and as diverse as they are, and not be pulled into the politics of division that are being [played] on either side of us.
Updated
Gallagher says usual for some ‘give and take’ that wasn’t done over October 7 motion
Katy Gallagher is then asked by the host whether it would have been a better idea to “reach agreement” and commemorate October 7 and says:
I think that was the aim. I mean, that genuinely was the aim, and there was extensive dialogue between the opposition and the government about how to ensure that there was a bipartisan motion that could be supported.
That’s what happened in the days after the October 7 last year, when the parliament was able to provide that bipartisanship.
And in these kind of discussions where you are trying to negotiate a motion, it isn’t unusual for there to be a bit of give and take on both sides to accept a motion that overall stood for the parliament that wasn’t able to be done yesterday. And that’s regrettable, but I think it speaks to some of the politics of division that are being played here locally, about, you know, awful conflict that’s happening internationally.
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Gallagher defends support for ceasefire as part of October 7 motion
Asked why the government included the ceasefire element in the motion, given the Coalition didn’t support it, Katy Gallagher said:
This is the position we have taken for many months now. It’s in recognition of the loss of a large amount of civilian lives in that region.
It’s the position of a number of governments around the world, including the US and the UK, you know, key allies of ours.
And I find it unusual that you’d have an opposition that wants to see the conflict continue and the continued loss of civilian lives.
So I think a statement about a ceasefire and calling for a de escalation has been part of our policy and our position for months, and I think it probably reflects the majority of the Australian people who want to see an end to the loss of civilian life in that region.
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Katy Gallagher says lack of opposition support for October 7 motion a question for Peter Dutton
The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, is speaking to ABC radio RN Breakfast, where she is asked about what happened yesterday with the parliamentary motion to commemorate the October 7 attacks.
The opposition did not support the motion as it also included acknowledgment of civilian deaths in Palestine and Lebanon and called for a de-escalation and ceasefire and a two-party solution.
The opposition said it could not support those elements, as it believed the motion should only commemorate Israel.
Gallagher is asked why the government couldn’t come to a bipartisan position on the motion and says:
I think that question has to be asked of Mr Dutton, of Peter Dutton, because I know the length that were gone to try and reach agreement with the opposition to have a bipartisan motion and they were extensive, and unfortunately, you know, agreement couldn’t be reached in the end.
But our preferred, the prime minister’s preferred approach, was to reach agreement with the opposition and he certainly sought to do that.
At the end of the day, Mr Dutton made a decision not to support that. And I think that’s unfortunate in terms of you know how the parliament could have projected and made a statement in respect of the atrocities that happened on October 7 last year.
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Opposition grows to social media age restrictions
Opposition to the federal and state proposals to ban younger teens from social media is growing, with more than 120 experts, professors and academics, as well as dozens of youth, mental health and legal organisations signing on to an open letter to the prime minister and premiers of NSW and South Australia arguing against the ban.
The letter has been released ahead of a two-day summit in NSW and SA on social media and includes signatories from universities across Australia and the world working in health, media, communications and education.
Organisations including the Project Rockit, Save the Children, Reach Out, Bravehearts, the Alannah and Madeline Foundation and the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition are among the signatories to the letter that says while the risks that social media has for children and young people are understood, they require “a careful and evidence-based response”:
The online world is a place where children and young people access information, build social and technical skills, connect with family and friends, learn about the world around them and relax and play.
Any restrictions in the digital world must therefore be designed with care and we are concerned that a ‘ban’ is too blunt an instrument to address risks effectively.
The letter says the ban affects the rights of children to access and participate online and noted that implementing a ban remains a challenge.
There are not yet effective techniques for age assurance nor to verify parental consent, and privacy concerns remain.
They said a ban would disincentivise platforms from making their services safer, meaning it is a less safe environment for teens who slip through the ban.
A tender for the federal government trial of age assurance technology closed this week.
Some related reading below:
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Ask Amy: what’s the parliamentary gameplan for the day?
As Martin and the team have laid out, the government is very keen to have people refocus on its agenda. So there is going to be a raft of new legislation introduced today, as well as a continued focus on the housing bills – which are not going anywhere, unless the Greens blink.
Keeping the NBN in public hands, cybersecurity and addressing Sydney airport congestion are all on the list.
This is one of the last gasps of legislation you’ll see this year. There are just a dozen sitting days left in 2024 and only nine of those are joint sitting days, with estimates being held in the first week of November. So there is not a lot of time left this year to pass legislation this year.
But having a flurry of legislation is one way to try to get the focus back on the domestic agenda.
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Good morning
Hello and welcome to the midpoint of this short sitting week – and a very big thank you to Martin for taking us through the morning news.
You have Amy Remeikis with you for the parliamentary day.
Ready? It’s going to be at least a four-coffee day. We’ve got question time in just under three hours today and that’s a jolt none of us needed. So maybe five coffees. And a donut.
Let’s get into it.
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Report says 90% of those using paid family violence scheme say it has helped
The government is heralding the results of its new paid family and domestic violence leave program, with an independent statutory report showing 90% of those using the scheme said it had helped them.
The review will be tabled in parliament today. We understand it will recommend a focus on increasing awareness and understanding of the entitlement and making sure employers and employees know about the scheme.
The review also concedes there is an ongoing stigma among some workers around family violence, which can be a barrier to some people seeking to access the payment.
The program allows 10 days paid leave for people experiencing family violence. People surveyed for the review said they had used the payments to help them make arrangements for their safety or the safety of their children, or to access medical, legal and police services.
The payment, the review found, allowed people to take time off work to access services they could not access outside work hours, or let them access that help during work hours without the perpetrator of their abuse knowing about it.
Stakeholders – including peak union groups and employer groups – have also backed the change, saying it has improved workplace culture and helped support employees facing violence.
Greens aim to force gambling debate
The Greens will try to force a debate on gambling reform today by introducing a bill modelled on the recommendations of the inquiry led by late Labor MP Peta Murphy, which called for a full ban on gambling advertising.
“The public are sick of the excuses and the delays,” said Sarah Hanson-Young, the Greens’ communications spokesperson.
Tim Costello, the chief advocate for the Alliance for Gambling Reform, was also concerned at the delay in enacting change.
“I’m completely mystified this has taken 16 months,” he said.
Labor to seek legal power to compel responses to hacks
The federal government is moving to gain greater legal powers to respond to serious cyber incidents, including compelling the private sector to provide information and issuing directions to businesses on how they must respond in the event of a serious attack.
The new measures, contained in a legislative package to be introduced to parliament today, will also introduce minimum cybersecurity standards for smartphones and force businesses to upgrade their risk management programs and report payments they make in response to ransomware attacks.
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, will today introduce a bill to create a standalone cybersecurity act and implement measures flagged in the cybersecurity strategy published last year.
The package of measures will include restrictions on how the Australian Signals Directorate and National Cyber Security Coordinator can use the information that businesses share about their systems and will clarify the protective obligations applying to systems that hold business-critical data.
“This legislation ensures we keep pace with emerging threats, positioning individuals and businesses better to respond to, and bounce back from cybersecurity threats,” Burke said in remarks issued ahead of introducing the legislation.
“To achieve Australia’s vision of being a world leader in cybersecurity by 2030, we need the unified effort of government, industry and the community.”
Burke said creating a stand-alone cybersecurity act was “a long overdue step for our country” and reflected “the government’s deep concern and focus on these threats”.
Among the measures are changes to the existing Security of Critical Infrastructure Act, which will give government the power to step in as a last resort during a significant incident to manage the consequences.
They will also establish a cyber review board and shift responsibility for telecommunications security into the infrastructure legislation.
‘They are not just numbers, they are precious lives’
Metres from yesterday’s bitter debate in parliament about the motion remembering the 7 October Hamas attack, those with family and friends in Gaza pleaded for them to be seen as more than just headlines and numbers.
The Guardian’s Daniel Hurst listened as Dr Bushra Othman, a Melbourne surgeon who recently returned from a volunteering stint at al-Aqsa hospital in Gaza, told a media conference in Parliament House: “The people of Gaza are not just headlines. They are not just numbers. They are precious lives.”
Read his whole report here:
And Josh Taylor has written about a pro-Palestine professor from America whse visa is being reviewed after controversial comments at a rally in Sydney.
As mentioned at the top, the Middle East conflict is deeply and personally felt here in Australia, by so many who grieve for the lives lost. And it has also redrawn domestic political faultlines.
Political editor Karen Middleton tells Reged Ahmad how differing views of the Israel-Gaza war have percolated up into our political debate.
Prime minister issues second apology after Tourette syndrome remark
The prime minister has apologised for a second time for referring to Tourette syndrome during an exchange with the shadow treasurer, Angus Taylor, during question time yesterday.
Taylor had asked a question on tax policy. After Taylor’s repeated interjections during Albanese’s answer, the prime minister remarked:
Have you got Tourette’s or something? You sit there, ‘babble, babble, babble’.
He was called to order and replied: “I withdraw, Mr Speaker. I withdraw and apologise.”
Later on Tuesday evening, Albanese returned to the chamber to deliver a fuller apology, saying:
Today in question time I made comments that were unkind and hurtful. I knew it was wrong as soon as I made the comment. I apologised and I withdrew as soon as I said it, but it shouldn’t have happened. I also want to apologise to all Australians who suffer from this disability. I regret saying it. It was wrong. It was insensitive and I apologise.
Labor to introduce law to keep NBN publicly owned
The Labor government will introduce a new bill to parliament on Wednesday to keep the $51bn network in public hands, AAP reports. The move will put pressure on the opposition to declare whether it plans to privatise the network if it wins power at next year’s federal election.
“Keeping the NBN in public hands means high-speed broadband remains affordable for Australian families and businesses around the country,” Anthony Albanese said.
The communications minister, Michelle Rowland, said more than 8.5 million customers would be worse off if the network was privatised.
“Australians don’t trust the coalition not to flog off the NBN just like they did with Telstra, resulting in higher prices and poorer services, especially in the regions,” she said.
The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, said the NBN was a critical piece of national infrastructure that helped to fuel economic growth. The Communication Workers Union, which represents NBN staff, hailed the move.
NBN workers will breathe a sigh of relief, the national president, Shane Murphy, said.
“This bill will ensure that Australians will not be threatened with massive price hikes and service quality deterioration that would inevitably occur should this vital piece of our nation’s public infrastructure be sold to the highest bidder,” he said.
Updated
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it’ll be Amy Remeikis taking the controls.
There’ve been reviews, investigations and a lot of talk but the Labor government will today announce a crackdown on the controversial way Qantas and Virgin manage runway slots as the fight against anticompetitive business behaviours gathers pace. Airlines that strategically cancel flights to block competition at Sydney airport could face civil penalties.
On another front on the war against the cost of living, Anthony Albanese will say today that new laws to keep the NBN publicly owned will ensure high-speed broadband remains affordable for all Australians. His government will introduce a new bill to parliament today to keep the $51bn network in public hands. More coming up.
The impact of the Middle East crisis continues to reverberate through Australian politics – in Canberra, the parties clashed again yesterday over how the country should be responding to the conflict. With more tough exchanges expected on the issue today, we hear from Palestinian Australians who have pleaded for the appalling humanitarian cost of the war to be recognised properly. And we also have a podcast on how it could change our politics.
And last night in Canberra, the prime minister returned to the chamber unexpectedly to apologise for an earlier comment, made in the heat of the question time debate, referring to Tourette syndrome. More on that in a few minutes.
