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Coalition ministers lock in behind double-dissolution strategy – politics live
Coalition ministers lock in behind double-dissolution strategy – politics live
(35 minutes later)
1.55am GMT
01:55
Here is the AFP statement.
Statement from AFP on reported office raid. #auspol pic.twitter.com/XmGCi9ZOfm
1.54am GMT
01:54
The innovation minister, Christopher Pyne, has told Sky he has no information about the AFP’s activities. He also thinks, if the government holds an election in July, that would not constitute an early election.
Updated
at 2.09am GMT
1.51am GMT
01:51
Sky is now quoting from an AFP statement (which we haven’t seen yet), which says the police have not executed a search warrant on any member of parliament. That formulation doesn’t rule out police obtaining material cooperatively with an MP. As developments come to hand, I’ll share them.
Updated
at 2.08am GMT
1.44am GMT
01:44
My colleagues have ruled out a bunch of other MP’s from being the object of police interest, but I don’t see much merit in sharing who isn’t the object of police interest, unless they make a public statement, a la Brough.
We expect police to comment soonish.
1.41am GMT
01:41
Mal Brough: stand down people, it ain't me
Given that Sky hint, various parliamentarians are now ruling themselves out of being the object of police inquiries.
Mal Brough:
Rumours are circulating through Parliament House that the AFP have raided my Parliament House office. These rumours are completely false. The AFP have not sought any additional assistance in any way from me since my interview on 7 January 2016.
1.38am GMT
01:38
Politics, this lunchtime
A quick summary while I have a chance. Today, Monday.
And so it goes.
Updated
at 2.08am GMT
1.15am GMT
1.15am GMT
01:15
01:15
Sky News is reporting AFP officers have seized material from the parliamentary office of a federal politician. Sky have not named the MP. My colleagues are making calls. When there’s something to know, you’ll know it too.
Sky News is reporting AFP officers have seized material from the parliamentary office of a federal politician. Sky have not named the MP. My colleagues are making calls. When there’s something to know, you’ll know it too.
1.01am GMT
1.01am GMT
01:01
01:01
12.55am GMT
12.55am GMT
00:55
00:55
My, look at that doo higgly.
My, look at that doohickey.
Updated
Updated
at 1.13am GMT
at 1.58am GMT
12.54am GMT
12.54am GMT
00:54
00:54
Hmm, what can this be?
Hmm, what can this be?
The prime minister is currently looking at things: specifically, high tech defence equipment.
The prime minister is currently looking at things: specifically, high tech defence equipment.
Updated
Updated
at 1.14am GMT
at 1.14am GMT
12.44am GMT
12.44am GMT
00:44
00:44
Will not be diverted by Oscar frocks, or Oscars jokes. Will. Not.
Will not be diverted by Oscar frocks, or Oscars jokes. Will. Not.
Ok, just one.
Ok, just one.
OMG HAHAHAHA pic.twitter.com/JNclhpkHvx
OMG HAHAHAHA pic.twitter.com/JNclhpkHvx
12.32am GMT
12.32am GMT
00:32
00:32
It looks like the prime minister has become emotional. Sadly this teaser gives me absolutely no context for his emotion, but I can tell you this much: Turnbull has been interviewed for NITV by Guardian Australia’s indigenous editor, Stan Grant.
It looks like the prime minister has become emotional. Sadly this teaser gives me absolutely no context for his emotion, but I can tell you this much: Turnbull has been interviewed for NITV by Guardian Australia’s indigenous editor, Stan Grant.
The interview airs tonight.
The interview airs tonight.
I’d say mind the conservatives Malcolm but this would be 1. Silly when there is no context for these tears, and 2. Depressing and reductionist. There’s enough of that in politics without me defaulting there with scant encouragement.
I’d say mind the conservatives Malcolm but this would be 1. Silly when there is no context for these tears, and 2. Depressing and reductionist. There’s enough of that in politics without me defaulting there with scant encouragement.
What made PM @TurnbullMalcolm cry? Watch Stan Grant's interview on #ThePointNITV 9pm pic.twitter.com/2dAxqEqJIH
What made PM @TurnbullMalcolm cry? Watch Stan Grant's interview on #ThePointNITV 9pm pic.twitter.com/2dAxqEqJIH
12.27am GMT
00:27
Reasons to love Politics Live readers, part two.
.@murpharoo sham and ram might be assonance where similar vowel sounds are used to connect words
#Assonance
12.26am GMT
00:26
More musings. I never understand when the freedom warriors want to ban things. Rather undercuts the freedom narrative: banning things.
I should note that Christensen’s “let’s be free by banning burning of the flag” contribution did include a shout out to Donald Trump. People like Trump rise when the majority find they’ve become a minority in their own country.
Christensen for president. You read it here, first.
Updated
at 12.54am GMT
12.19am GMT
00:19
Reasons to love Politics Live readers. Was sham and ram onomatopoeia, I wondered to myself (and you) an hour or so ago.
@murpharoo Just in case nobody has replied to you, onomatopoeia is words that are pronounced or constructed to mimick a noise like meow bang
12.16am GMT
00:16
In case you are interested in the substance of that Christensen bill, here’s the explanatory memorandum.
The intent of this bill is to enshrine in law protection for the Australian national flag, following recent cases of flag burning in public places. It seeks to provide this protection by making it a criminal offence to wilfully destroy or otherwise mutilate the flag in circumstances where a reasonable person would infer that the dishonouring and defiling of the flag by burning or other actions is intended publicly to express contempt or disrespect for the flag or the Australian nation.
On recent occasions the flag-burning acts were undertaken to dishonour the flag in front of Australians and many present at the time, and thousands of others who witnessed the acts via media channels, found such desecration of their foremost national symbol highly offensive. In Australia we have enormous public support for protecting the flag. It is the paramount symbol of our nation. Thousands of Australian men and women have fought and died under this flag in the defence of the nation. Their sacrifice to defend our nation requires this Parliament to defend the flag for which they have fought.
And from the statement of compatibility with human rights:
The intent of this bill is to enshrine in law protection for the Australian flag, following two recent cases of flag burning in public places by counter protestors at reclaim Australia rallies.
On both occasions it must reasonably be assumed that the acts were undertaken to dishonour the flag in front of Australians who consider such desecration of their foremost national symbol as highly offensive.
12.10am GMT
00:10
Looking to the lower House now, and private member’s business. LNP backbencher George Christensen is currently trying to protect the integrity of the Australian flag.
Chattering classes, compliant and self serving media, ill winds, cultural relativism – it’s all thundering out of Christensen’s mouth right now as he makes his tabling speech.
I believe this bill is about stopping flag burnings. But we’ve segued into the racial discrimination legislation and section 18C and convenient omissions by the human rights commission.
I think Christensen’s point here is burning flags is a racist act. Patriotic Australians of European origin have as much right to be in Australia as Aborigines and other people the MP notes.
Racism is racism, you don’t have to have brown skin in order to be offended.
11.54pm GMT
23:54
So, in the double dissolution corner this Monday morning: Pyne, C and Morrison, S.
My own view is once you roll the Senate voting reform dice, you are basically locking in behind a double dissolution strategy. The alternative is the government (assuming a Turnbull victory in this case study) comes back after an election to face most of the same cross benchers who are in the chamber now, except these cross benchers now know the government has taken concrete steps to get them out of the chamber and limit future representation from micro party candidates.
Doesn’t sound very tenable to me.
11.49pm GMT
23:49
Shalailah Medhora
To another variety of door slamming, to double dissolutions. The leader of the House, Christopher Pyne, has been on Channel 7 earlier today and gave his strongest indication yet that the government would go to a double dissolution election if the Senate doesn’t pass the government’s industrial relations legislation.
We would prefer the Senate to pass the Australian building and commission bill, for example, to clean up building and construction in Australia, which is important for productivity and growth and jobs.
If they refuse to pass the legislation it makes us very difficult not to go to the polls – how else do we do the things we are elected for? We had a mandate for change before the last election, it was our policy. The crossbenchers, Labor and Greens are blocking it. Only a couple of options left available to a government in those situations.
Updated
at 11.52pm GMT
11.37pm GMT
23:37
Stephen Conroy apparently left the meeting of the electoral matters committee when members declined to allow him to hear an answer to a question. I don’t know if he slammed the door.
11.32pm GMT
23:32
Sham and ram.
This is Labor’s Sam Dastyari, sledging the Greens.
Is this onomatopoeia? Sham and ram. Someone will jog my memory.
11.26pm GMT
23:26
I didn’t catch the beginning of this debate, but I gather, reading between the lines, that Labor’s Stephen Conroy has been ejected from a meeting of the joint committee on electoral matters. I’ll chase particulars when there’s a moment. Labor’s Doug Cameron is now engaging on the subject of Richard Di Natale’s glass jaw. Cameron says at this rate the Greens will go the way of the Democrats – dealing their way to disappearing.
