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Labor steps up its campaign against Senate voting reform – politics live Labor steps up its campaign against Senate voting reform – politics live
(35 minutes later)
12.34am GMT
00:34
Dreury says the current system has delivered diversity in the Senate. He says Ricky Muir is a real person and now he’s a senator. That trend should continue.
He’s challenged by the JSCEM chair, who says the reason people like Muir are in the Senate is a consequence of a bunch of highly complex preference deals. That’s right, isn’t it? Druery concedes the point.
12.30am GMT
00:30
Scott Mitchell has been excused at JSCEM and replaced by Glenn Druery, the artist both formerly and currently known as the preference whisperer. He says he starts up small parties, that’s his business. The major parties now seem to have a problem with smaller parties getting elected, he says.
Glenn Druery
It’s almost a form of school yard bullying.
He says the changes mean the only party that will be able to control the Senate in the future will be the Coalition. Labor, he contends, has no chance. This set of reforms will force Labor into a formal coalition with the Greens.
Updated
at 12.31am GMT
12.22am GMT
00:22
Tony Basil Nutt.
12.19am GMT
00:19
Scott Mitchell, the director of the National party, has replaced Nutt in the chair at JSCEM. David Leyonhjelm wants to know whether Mitchell is worried about the implications for the National party in the event it wants to run a separate Senate ticket to the Liberal party in some states, like it currently does in West Australia. You people might poll like a micro-party in that event, is Leyonhjelm’s point. Mitchell says he isn’t worried.
12.08am GMT
00:08
The minister who is not in the hearing, the special minister of state, Mathias Cormann, chimes in with the fob off from the Twitterverse.
People voting below the line already have the power to direct their preferences according to their wishes. Above the line they don't. #JSCEM
12.07am GMT
00:07
Nick Xenophon is persisting in the hearing this morning asking witnesses whether or not the voting reform package could be amended to fix the current disparity between voting above the line and below the line.
Given he’s a supporter of the government’s proposal, it’s interesting how persistent he’s being with these questions. Nutt fobs him off, politely.
12.05am GMT
00:05
Labor senator Kim Carr asks Nutt whether there have been preference negotiations between the Liberal party and the Greens for inner city seats in the House of Representatives.
Nutt answers with a general formulation. It’s an election year ... parties have those discussions, he says.
Carr says this answer confirms preference negotiations have been a factor here.
Tony Nutt:
I’m not confirming anything, senator. That’s you trying to get something for the 12 o’clock news. Senator Faulkner used to do that too, he was just much better at it.
Updated
at 12.14am GMT
11.58pm GMT11.58pm GMT
23:5823:58
All the channel surfing required this morning is preventing me from catching some of the best lines of various proceedings. In the JSCEM, David Leyonhjelm, has just asked a question about Antony Green. I think he was trying to discount one of his points on the basis of a legal action (but I didn’t hear the full exchange.) All the channel surfing required this morning is preventing me from catching some of the best lines of various proceedings. In the JSCEM, David Leyonhjelm has just asked a question about Antony Green. I think he was trying to discount one of his points on the basis of a legal action (but I didn’t hear the full exchange.)
Tony Nutt brushes this off. He notes that Green works for the ABC ..Tony Nutt brushes this off. He notes that Green works for the ABC ..
.. which last time I looked was not a lick spittle apologist for my party. ... which, last time I looked, was not a lickspittle apologist for my party.
Updated
at 12.14am GMT
11.51pm GMT11.51pm GMT
23:5123:51
Meanwhile, a dispatch from the Coalition party room.Meanwhile, a dispatch from the Coalition party room.
Reports from inside Coalition Party Room: Tony Abbott "laid down the challenge on tax". Calling on leadership to make savings not lift taxesReports from inside Coalition Party Room: Tony Abbott "laid down the challenge on tax". Calling on leadership to make savings not lift taxes
Tony. Helping.Tony. Helping.
Meanwhile, Tony Nutt, in JSCEM.Meanwhile, Tony Nutt, in JSCEM.
The truth is only God and Malcolm Turnbull knows when the election will be, and neither have told me.The truth is only God and Malcolm Turnbull knows when the election will be, and neither have told me.
11.48pm GMT11.48pm GMT
23:4823:48
Meanwhile, the interwebz.Meanwhile, the interwebz.
@mpbowers @murpharoo @GuardianAus enhanced for dramatic effect pic.twitter.com/ibwG7THcPr@mpbowers @murpharoo @GuardianAus enhanced for dramatic effect pic.twitter.com/ibwG7THcPr
11.47pm GMT11.47pm GMT
23:4723:47
The federal director of the Liberal party, who has just introduced himself as Tony Basil Nutt, is in the chair at JSCEM. Nutt is talking group voting tickets with Labor’s Stephen Conroy.The federal director of the Liberal party, who has just introduced himself as Tony Basil Nutt, is in the chair at JSCEM. Nutt is talking group voting tickets with Labor’s Stephen Conroy.
Stephen Conroy:Stephen Conroy:
The total people who understand how the science and the maths [of group voting tickets] work is a very small number.The total people who understand how the science and the maths [of group voting tickets] work is a very small number.
Conroy wants Nutt to nominate how many people he believes would understand the science of group voting tickets. Nutt agrees that would be a quite limited number.Conroy wants Nutt to nominate how many people he believes would understand the science of group voting tickets. Nutt agrees that would be a quite limited number.
Possibly just you and Gary Gray, seems to be Conroy’s inference. Nutt declines to be offended by what he calls a flick on the way through.Possibly just you and Gary Gray, seems to be Conroy’s inference. Nutt declines to be offended by what he calls a flick on the way through.
11.38pm GMT11.38pm GMT
23:3823:38
Busy morning, where are things up to?Busy morning, where are things up to?
While the JSCEM is on a tea break, a quick summary to take stock in the event you are just tuning in.While the JSCEM is on a tea break, a quick summary to take stock in the event you are just tuning in.
And on we go.And on we go.
Updated
at 12.12am GMT
11.25pm GMT11.25pm GMT
23:2523:25
Portrait of an excitement machine.Portrait of an excitement machine.
Updated
at 12.11am GMT
11.23pm GMT11.23pm GMT
23:2323:23
Behind you. Cory, behind you.Behind you. Cory, behind you.
Updated
at 12.10am GMT
11.17pm GMT11.17pm GMT
23:1723:17
Meanwhile, sitting up the back of the party room.Meanwhile, sitting up the back of the party room.
Updated
at 12.09am GMT
11.11pm GMT11.11pm GMT
23:1123:11
Antony Green and Stephen Conroy are engaged in a willing discussion about the merits of voting above the line.Antony Green and Stephen Conroy are engaged in a willing discussion about the merits of voting above the line.
Conroy points out that many people are happy to vote above the line, and the party’s preference deals are publicly available for people who want to be very clear about the implications of their vote. Conroy points out that many people are happy to vote above the line and the party’s preference deals are publicly available for people who want to be very clear about the implications of their vote.
Green says people vote above the line because it is too complex to vote below the line.Green says people vote above the line because it is too complex to vote below the line.
Antony GreenAntony Green
You have been herding people above the line for the last three decades! It’s a herding process to make people vote above the line.You have been herding people above the line for the last three decades! It’s a herding process to make people vote above the line.
Updated
at 12.09am GMT
11.03pm GMT11.03pm GMT
23:0323:03
Mackerras.Mackerras.
The [Senate voting] system is unconstitutional!The [Senate voting] system is unconstitutional!
Q: And has been since 1984?Q: And has been since 1984?
Yes.Yes.
10.57pm GMT10.57pm GMT
22:5722:57
Back to the JSCEM. Malcolm Mackerras is fomenting revolution. He says senators must challenge this new Senate voting regime if it happens to pass the parliament. He says the system being proposed is the worst of all worlds.Back to the JSCEM. Malcolm Mackerras is fomenting revolution. He says senators must challenge this new Senate voting regime if it happens to pass the parliament. He says the system being proposed is the worst of all worlds.
Have a system based on principle. Have a decent system. It will get a good reputation. Let the chips fall where they may.Have a system based on principle. Have a decent system. It will get a good reputation. Let the chips fall where they may.
UpdatedUpdated
at 11.05pm GMTat 11.05pm GMT