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| Shorten and Turnbull trade blows over penalty rate cuts – as it happened | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| 6.15am GMT | |
| 06:15 | |
| Night time politics | |
| Question time was dominated by penalty rates again. Labor began questioning around the issue of conflict of interest. That is, if a government MP has a small business and benefits from the penalty rate cut, it is a conflict of interest according to Labor. While the point is arguable IMO given the penalty cut was a Fair Work Commission decision, Malcolm Turnbull did not answer the question. He preferred to point out previous deals negotiated by Bill Shorten at head of the Australian Workers’ Union which remove penalty rates in enterprise bargaining agreements. | |
| Labor has also sought to target various government backbenchers for veiled or open support for the penalty rate cut. Ann Sudmalis was one, who described the cut as a “gift” which would create more jobs. After two days of question time targeting, she appeared a bit teary. | |
| The national account figures came out and behold, they were good. At least, not bad, certainly a big improvement on the last lot. Australia escaped falling into a technical recession. | |
| Barnaby Joyce went the full National party press conference to talk about his plan for decentralisation in a bold move to head off laughter over estimates evidence that heard APVMA staff were working in McDonald’s for wifi in Armidale. APVMA is the agency Joyce moved to his electorate in the lead-up to the Tony Windsor fight at the last election. Labor’s Joel Fitzgibbon said decentralisation? It rarely works at a federal level, says he. | |
| George Brandis could not recall when he had his first conversation with the WA attorney general Mischen about the Bell litigation, even though Mischen said it was a month earlier than Brandis told the Senate. | |
| The omnibus bill went through the lower house and it will sit in the Senate queue. | |
| That’s your lot for the evening. Thanks to the brains trust Paul Karp, Katharine Murphy and Mike Bowers. Tomorrow is the last sitting day but who’s counting. | |
| Herewith, some pics for your viewing pleasure. | |
| Nighty night. | |
| Updated | |
| at 6.20am GMT | |
| 5.22am GMT | 5.22am GMT |
| 05:22 | 05:22 |
| Senator Cory Bernardi is questioning in estimates. He has a case of a constituent who was asked to sign a childcare agreement with “priority of access” guidelines which state the child could be kicked out of the centre with 14 days notice if a more needy family needed the place. | Senator Cory Bernardi is questioning in estimates. He has a case of a constituent who was asked to sign a childcare agreement with “priority of access” guidelines which state the child could be kicked out of the centre with 14 days notice if a more needy family needed the place. |
| He said needy families would include Indigenous families, low socioeconomic families, disabled families etc. Bernardi says this is wrong. | He said needy families would include Indigenous families, low socioeconomic families, disabled families etc. Bernardi says this is wrong. |
| The department spokesman says while his advice on the guidelines is correct, anecdotally no one is displaced. Usually the centres renegotiate with all their families to squeeze in the child in need. | The department spokesman says while his advice on the guidelines is correct, anecdotally no one is displaced. Usually the centres renegotiate with all their families to squeeze in the child in need. |
| Education (and childcare) minister Simon Birmingham says he was not aware of this issue and would take it up. Department and minister suggest guidelines should be clarified to the practice. | Education (and childcare) minister Simon Birmingham says he was not aware of this issue and would take it up. Department and minister suggest guidelines should be clarified to the practice. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.24am GMT | at 5.24am GMT |
| 5.04am GMT | 5.04am GMT |
| 05:04 | 05:04 |
| Curiouser and curiouser. | Curiouser and curiouser. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.06am GMT | at 5.06am GMT |
| 4.54am GMT | 4.54am GMT |
| 04:54 | 04:54 |
| I promised to confirm the quotes from the Liberal MP Ann Sudmalis regarding penalty rates. | I promised to confirm the quotes from the Liberal MP Ann Sudmalis regarding penalty rates. |
| She told one of her local newspapers on the New South Wales south coast, the Illawarra Mercury, that the penalty cut was a gift. | She told one of her local newspapers on the New South Wales south coast, the Illawarra Mercury, that the penalty cut was a gift. |
| “It’s not cutting wages, it’s opening the door for more hours of employment and in a regional area like Gilmore, with almost double the national youth unemployment, that’s a gift; that is a gift for our young people to get a foot in the door of employment,” Ms Sudmalis told the Mercury. | “It’s not cutting wages, it’s opening the door for more hours of employment and in a regional area like Gilmore, with almost double the national youth unemployment, that’s a gift; that is a gift for our young people to get a foot in the door of employment,” Ms Sudmalis told the Mercury. |
| Asked if she supported the cuts, the MP reiterated the move was a good one for young workers and urged people to “look more broadly than our own hip pocket”. | Asked if she supported the cuts, the MP reiterated the move was a good one for young workers and urged people to “look more broadly than our own hip pocket”. |
| “There are some people who are very dependent on those penalty rates, and I get that and I understand that, but there are some others who might be able to pick up an extra day,” she said. | “There are some people who are very dependent on those penalty rates, and I get that and I understand that, but there are some others who might be able to pick up an extra day,” she said. |
| “There’ll be opportunities for more people to get more work, rather than just people losing part of what they believe is ‘I’m working on a Sunday, I should get paid more’. | “There’ll be opportunities for more people to get more work, rather than just people losing part of what they believe is ‘I’m working on a Sunday, I should get paid more’. |
| Labor has used question time to target her comments and by association Malcolm Turnbull who recently visited her electorate. | Labor has used question time to target her comments and by association Malcolm Turnbull who recently visited her electorate. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.58am GMT | at 4.58am GMT |
| 4.48am GMT | 4.48am GMT |
| 04:48 | 04:48 |
| The immigration minister, Peter Dutton, is being pressed by Ben Fordham on 2GB about his leadership prospects. Fordham thinks he will be the next prime minister. | The immigration minister, Peter Dutton, is being pressed by Ben Fordham on 2GB about his leadership prospects. Fordham thinks he will be the next prime minister. |
| My job is to be loyal to the prime minister ... that is the only thing I am concentrating on. | My job is to be loyal to the prime minister ... that is the only thing I am concentrating on. |
| I have lots of people who loathe me and fortunately some people who like me. | I have lots of people who loathe me and fortunately some people who like me. |
| You take the bouquets and brickbats and do the best you can. | You take the bouquets and brickbats and do the best you can. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.53am GMT | at 4.53am GMT |
| 4.37am GMT | 4.37am GMT |
| 04:37 | 04:37 |
| In the flurry of the day, I missed Labor agriculture shadow Joel Fitzgibbon, who replied to Barnaby Joyce on his decentralisation press conference. Fitzgibbon says it was more about shoring up seats in the coming Queensland state election. | In the flurry of the day, I missed Labor agriculture shadow Joel Fitzgibbon, who replied to Barnaby Joyce on his decentralisation press conference. Fitzgibbon says it was more about shoring up seats in the coming Queensland state election. |
| Fitzgibbon has been critical of the APVMA move to Armidale. | Fitzgibbon has been critical of the APVMA move to Armidale. |
| He keeps talking about research and relationships with universities. By the way, the relationship with UNE is so good that they are camping in McDonald’s. Barnaby Joyce said they would be located in UNE, but they are in McDonald’s. The APVMA does no research as such. They analyse data provided to them by the big multinational companies. So, he doesn’t understand what it does. On that basis, I don’t think he fully comprehended the consequence of gutting the APVMA, an organisation that has lost half of its staff. In some areas of expertise, 50% of the people have walked out of the building. Now he is going to have some sort of cyberspace experiment where people will be working from their homes here in Canberra. Well that’s hardly going to bolster the economy of Armidale. | He keeps talking about research and relationships with universities. By the way, the relationship with UNE is so good that they are camping in McDonald’s. Barnaby Joyce said they would be located in UNE, but they are in McDonald’s. The APVMA does no research as such. They analyse data provided to them by the big multinational companies. So, he doesn’t understand what it does. On that basis, I don’t think he fully comprehended the consequence of gutting the APVMA, an organisation that has lost half of its staff. In some areas of expertise, 50% of the people have walked out of the building. Now he is going to have some sort of cyberspace experiment where people will be working from their homes here in Canberra. Well that’s hardly going to bolster the economy of Armidale. |
| Fitzgibbon says decentralisation rarely works though he accepts that “moving the APVMA to Armidale can do no harm to Armidale”. | Fitzgibbon says decentralisation rarely works though he accepts that “moving the APVMA to Armidale can do no harm to Armidale”. |
| Decentralisation has rarely worked. Where it has worked, it’s worked at the state level best. Where it has worked it has been successful because people have spent a long time developing a strategic plan and a transition. Barnaby Joyce has no strategic plan for the APVMA. It was a thought bubble. A thought bubble to shore him up in Armidale where Tony Windsor constantly defeats him at the ballot box. This is not a plan for decentralisation, this is a plan to get Barnaby Joyce re-elected. | Decentralisation has rarely worked. Where it has worked, it’s worked at the state level best. Where it has worked it has been successful because people have spent a long time developing a strategic plan and a transition. Barnaby Joyce has no strategic plan for the APVMA. It was a thought bubble. A thought bubble to shore him up in Armidale where Tony Windsor constantly defeats him at the ballot box. This is not a plan for decentralisation, this is a plan to get Barnaby Joyce re-elected. |
| While the APVMA move may have been a plan to get re-elected by Joyce, Fitzgibbon cannot assert Windsor beat Joyce at the one and only election they fought. Joyce is here and Windsor is not. | While the APVMA move may have been a plan to get re-elected by Joyce, Fitzgibbon cannot assert Windsor beat Joyce at the one and only election they fought. Joyce is here and Windsor is not. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.42am GMT | at 4.42am GMT |
| 4.26am GMT | 4.26am GMT |
| 04:26 | 04:26 |
| 4.18am GMT | 4.18am GMT |
| 04:18 | 04:18 |
| An emotional prime minister ends question time with a statement on the 75th anniversary of the sinking of the HMAS Perth. | An emotional prime minister ends question time with a statement on the 75th anniversary of the sinking of the HMAS Perth. |
| Bill Shorten follows with his own speech. | Bill Shorten follows with his own speech. |
| 4.15am GMT | 4.15am GMT |
| 04:15 | 04:15 |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.21am GMT | at 4.21am GMT |
| 4.14am GMT | 4.14am GMT |
| 04:14 | 04:14 |
| 4.12am GMT | 4.12am GMT |
| 04:12 | 04:12 |
| Put up your dukes. | Put up your dukes. |
| 4.10am GMT | 4.10am GMT |
| 04:10 | 04:10 |
| Liberal MP Ann Sudmalis (above Julie Bishop) visibly uncomfortable after two days of questions over her comments on penalty rates. pic.twitter.com/6mbt2sSkzJ | Liberal MP Ann Sudmalis (above Julie Bishop) visibly uncomfortable after two days of questions over her comments on penalty rates. pic.twitter.com/6mbt2sSkzJ |
| 4.10am GMT | 4.10am GMT |
| 04:10 | 04:10 |
| Sudmalis has been taunted about a visit to her electorate with Turnbull and her comments on penalty rates. I will confirm those comments. | Sudmalis has been taunted about a visit to her electorate with Turnbull and her comments on penalty rates. I will confirm those comments. |
| Liberal MP Ann Sudmalis has been seen wiping tears from her eyes during #QT #auspol | Liberal MP Ann Sudmalis has been seen wiping tears from her eyes during #QT #auspol |
| 4.07am GMT | 4.07am GMT |
| 04:07 | 04:07 |
| Labor to Turnbull: Given the prime minister’s statement yesterday that he supports the decision to cut penalty rates, can the prime minister confirm his colleague, the Liberal member for Ford, was reflecting government policy when he said in relation to the decision to cut penalty rates, “The reductions are minor.” For this prime minister, is a $77 per week pay cut just a minor reduction? ? | Labor to Turnbull: Given the prime minister’s statement yesterday that he supports the decision to cut penalty rates, can the prime minister confirm his colleague, the Liberal member for Ford, was reflecting government policy when he said in relation to the decision to cut penalty rates, “The reductions are minor.” For this prime minister, is a $77 per week pay cut just a minor reduction? ? |
| Turnbull does not answer this $77 question. | Turnbull does not answer this $77 question. |
| He repeats, the FWC is an independent umpire. Shorten made the referral on penalty rates as minister. Shorten also negotiated away penalties as a union leader. | He repeats, the FWC is an independent umpire. Shorten made the referral on penalty rates as minister. Shorten also negotiated away penalties as a union leader. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.19am GMT | at 4.19am GMT |
| 4.01am GMT | 4.01am GMT |
| 04:01 | 04:01 |
| Labor to Turnbull: Yesterday during question time, the prime minister finally confirmed he supports a decision to cut penalty rates. The prime minister’s support for cutting penalty rates means workers at the cane land central shopping centre in Mackay in the electorate of Dawson will have their pay cut. Is the reason the prime minister is refusing to stop the penalty rates decision is because he and his Liberal-National government, including the member for Dawson [George Christensen], support cuts to penalty rates. | Labor to Turnbull: Yesterday during question time, the prime minister finally confirmed he supports a decision to cut penalty rates. The prime minister’s support for cutting penalty rates means workers at the cane land central shopping centre in Mackay in the electorate of Dawson will have their pay cut. Is the reason the prime minister is refusing to stop the penalty rates decision is because he and his Liberal-National government, including the member for Dawson [George Christensen], support cuts to penalty rates. |
| Turnbull: | Turnbull: |
| This is abandoning every principle of the Labor party, and as Jenny George said, in words that honourable members opposite should reflect on very carefully, be careful what you wish for. The independent umpire has served workers well, it has served employers well, it has served Australia well. Decisions have been controversial, to be sure. But backing the independent umpire has been a joint commitment for many years, now abandoned as a politically cynical effort by the Labor party and their hypocritical leader. | This is abandoning every principle of the Labor party, and as Jenny George said, in words that honourable members opposite should reflect on very carefully, be careful what you wish for. The independent umpire has served workers well, it has served employers well, it has served Australia well. Decisions have been controversial, to be sure. But backing the independent umpire has been a joint commitment for many years, now abandoned as a politically cynical effort by the Labor party and their hypocritical leader. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.20am GMT | at 4.20am GMT |
| 3.53am GMT | 3.53am GMT |
| 03:53 | 03:53 |
| Labor to Turnbull: My question is to the prime minister and I refer to the prime minister’s recent visit to the electorate of Gilmore, and the member for Gilmore’s statement yesterday that it is a gift for our young people that their penalty rates have been cut. On that visit, did the prime minister and the member tell the people of Gilmore that it was government policy to cut their penalty rates? And why does the prime minister and the member for Gilmore support cutting penalty rates of Australians? | Labor to Turnbull: My question is to the prime minister and I refer to the prime minister’s recent visit to the electorate of Gilmore, and the member for Gilmore’s statement yesterday that it is a gift for our young people that their penalty rates have been cut. On that visit, did the prime minister and the member tell the people of Gilmore that it was government policy to cut their penalty rates? And why does the prime minister and the member for Gilmore support cutting penalty rates of Australians? |
| Turnbull says it is the FWC’s judgement and their judgment alone. | Turnbull says it is the FWC’s judgement and their judgment alone. |
| Their judgment and their judgement alone, is that these reductions in this case a reduction for casuals from 275% penalty rate to 250%, that that reduction will assist in creating more job opportunities. That was the trade-off. | Their judgment and their judgement alone, is that these reductions in this case a reduction for casuals from 275% penalty rate to 250%, that that reduction will assist in creating more job opportunities. That was the trade-off. |
| Turnbull quotes Shorten prior to the election, warning off the Greens from changing any (future) FWC decision. | Turnbull quotes Shorten prior to the election, warning off the Greens from changing any (future) FWC decision. |
| [Shorten said] I caution the Greens from their sideshow position. They need be careful of what they’re playing with fire by proposing a government should be able to legislate on specific penalty rate outcomes. They are loading the gun for a future conservative government to pull the trigger because what a government has the power to put in, a future government has the ability to dismantle. | [Shorten said] I caution the Greens from their sideshow position. They need be careful of what they’re playing with fire by proposing a government should be able to legislate on specific penalty rate outcomes. They are loading the gun for a future conservative government to pull the trigger because what a government has the power to put in, a future government has the ability to dismantle. |
| A couple of comments here. | A couple of comments here. |
| A: Let’s not pretend the government does not support the penalty rate cut. They clearly do, but they will not crow about it, lest they give material to Labor for future election ads. | A: Let’s not pretend the government does not support the penalty rate cut. They clearly do, but they will not crow about it, lest they give material to Labor for future election ads. |
| B: I agree with this previous Shorten position. Once you change the FWC decisions you don’t like, you licence future governments to do the same. | B: I agree with this previous Shorten position. Once you change the FWC decisions you don’t like, you licence future governments to do the same. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.00am GMT | at 4.00am GMT |