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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2017/mar/02/eric-abetz-no-worker-should-be-worse-off-under-penalty-rate-cut-politics-live
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| Labor accuses Malcolm Turnbull of assault on workers' take-home pay – as it happened | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 5.39am GMT | |
| 05:39 | |
| Night-time politics | |
| OK people the carnival is over. Today: | |
| Christopher Knaus reported that the office of the human services minister, Alan Tudge, mistakenly sent a journalist internal departmental briefings about a welfare recipient’s personal circumstances, which included additional detail on her relationship and tax history. Labor is now referring the matter to the Australian federal police to determine whether it was the unauthorised use of information. | |
| Question time was dominated by the Fair Work Commission’s cut to penalty rates of some awards. Labor says the government could act but will not. The government says Labor used to support the commission’s decisions and now do not. Labor tried to suspend standing orders to no avail. | |
| LNP MP George Christensen has rejected senior government arguments that 18C is not a big issue, suggesting if the racial discrimination act was not changed it would be a breach of faith with Coalition voters. | |
| The deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, is still threatening to intervene as the dispute between sugar growers and the international miller company Wilmar continues. | |
| Barnaby Joyce also snuffed out Clive Palmer’s hopes that his Waratah coal firm might get support from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation for a clean coal project. | |
| And Joyce and the education minister, Simon Birmingham, set up a review into rural and regional educational outcomes and training. | |
| Thanks to my brains trust, Paul Karp, Christopher Knaus and Katharine Murphy. Mike Bowers, sleep well. I am running off to a podcast so stay tuned for that in coming days. We have no more parliament until 20 March, so see you back here then. | |
| In the meantime, here is some more Bowers magic. | |
| Hands across the aisle. | |
| Brendan O'Connor to Malcolm Turnbull "your like a shop steward for the banks" @murpharoo @gabriellechan @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/2eeYsAgwBV | |
| Good night. | |
| Updated | |
| at 5.50am GMT | |
| 5.03am GMT | 5.03am GMT |
| 05:03 | 05:03 |
| Barnaby Joyce, speaking to David Speers on Sky, appears to rule out any support for a Clive Palmer-led clean coal power project. This is a reference to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation now taking submissions for clean coal projects, one of which might be owned by former politician Palmer. | Barnaby Joyce, speaking to David Speers on Sky, appears to rule out any support for a Clive Palmer-led clean coal power project. This is a reference to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation now taking submissions for clean coal projects, one of which might be owned by former politician Palmer. |
| Joyce said yeah-nah, when Speers asks about support for a possible Palmer project. | Joyce said yeah-nah, when Speers asks about support for a possible Palmer project. |
| Something to do with his history, he mumbles. | Something to do with his history, he mumbles. |
| Something to do with his political party that lasted three weeks, he mumbles. | Something to do with his political party that lasted three weeks, he mumbles. |
| Clive unfortunately has had a very bad day at the track. | Clive unfortunately has had a very bad day at the track. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.22am GMT | at 5.22am GMT |
| 4.53am GMT | 4.53am GMT |
| 04:53 | 04:53 |
| Barnaby Joyce again threatens to intervene in the sugar dispute after the Queensland LNP opposition’s legislation to force a resolution between sugar growers and the Wilmar milling company. | Barnaby Joyce again threatens to intervene in the sugar dispute after the Queensland LNP opposition’s legislation to force a resolution between sugar growers and the Wilmar milling company. |
| He again says a sugar code of conduct is a real option but there is no cabinet meeting so he cannot “telegraph” his punches. | He again says a sugar code of conduct is a real option but there is no cabinet meeting so he cannot “telegraph” his punches. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.56am GMT | at 4.56am GMT |
| 4.49am GMT | 4.49am GMT |
| 04:49 | 04:49 |
| Speaking of Joel Fitzgibbon, he has accused his shadow Barnaby Joyce of being all hat, no cowboy on the sugar dispute. | Speaking of Joel Fitzgibbon, he has accused his shadow Barnaby Joyce of being all hat, no cowboy on the sugar dispute. |
| Barnaby Joyce confirmed again today he is all hat, no cowboy. All spin, no substance. | Barnaby Joyce confirmed again today he is all hat, no cowboy. All spin, no substance. |
| Last week he told Queensland cane growers he would intervene in their dispute with Wilmar if the Queensland parliament did not act this week. | Last week he told Queensland cane growers he would intervene in their dispute with Wilmar if the Queensland parliament did not act this week. |
| Joyce told cane growers: | Joyce told cane growers: |
| “We have options at the federal level.” and, “I’ve got other cards up my sleeve and I’ll play them at my will.” | “We have options at the federal level.” and, “I’ve got other cards up my sleeve and I’ll play them at my will.” |
| “I’ve got other cards up my sleeve and I’ll play them at my will.” | “I’ve got other cards up my sleeve and I’ll play them at my will.” |
| Last night the Queensland parliament chose not to intervene in the commercial stand-off. | Last night the Queensland parliament chose not to intervene in the commercial stand-off. |
| Today Barnaby Joyce led the second full-court-press of rural Liberals and Nationals in two days. Yesterday they announced a website, today they announced a review. | Today Barnaby Joyce led the second full-court-press of rural Liberals and Nationals in two days. Yesterday they announced a website, today they announced a review. |
| George Christenson was not there. Barnaby Joyce is on the run but the member for Dawson has already bolted. | George Christenson was not there. Barnaby Joyce is on the run but the member for Dawson has already bolted. |
| Barnaby Joyce said nothing about sugar today until pressed by journalists. Queensland growers will be asking why. | Barnaby Joyce said nothing about sugar today until pressed by journalists. Queensland growers will be asking why. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.51am GMT | at 4.51am GMT |
| 4.41am GMT | 4.41am GMT |
| 04:41 | 04:41 |
| Labor loses the suspension motion on the numbers. | Labor loses the suspension motion on the numbers. |
| Question time ends. | Question time ends. |
| Anthony Albanese notes today is the 21st anniversary of the class of 1996. That is, the MPs who came into parliament in that year, when John Howard won office. It includes Albo, Joel Fitzgibbon and Jenny Macklin. | Anthony Albanese notes today is the 21st anniversary of the class of 1996. That is, the MPs who came into parliament in that year, when John Howard won office. It includes Albo, Joel Fitzgibbon and Jenny Macklin. |
| Then Albo starts a speech on a matter of public importance on public infrastructure - his personal passion. | Then Albo starts a speech on a matter of public importance on public infrastructure - his personal passion. |
| One of the good things about being in government is you have access to some very smart people... | One of the good things about being in government is you have access to some very smart people... |
| Thanks mate, says Joel Fitzgibbon. | Thanks mate, says Joel Fitzgibbon. |
| 4.35am GMT | 4.35am GMT |
| 04:35 | 04:35 |
| Updated | |
| at 5.31am GMT | |
| 4.30am GMT | 4.30am GMT |
| 04:30 | 04:30 |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.31am GMT | |
| 4.28am GMT | 4.28am GMT |
| 04:28 | 04:28 |
| Strategist in chief Christopher Pyne. | |
| Updated | |
| at 5.32am GMT | |
| 4.26am GMT | 4.26am GMT |
| 04:26 | 04:26 |
| The House is now voting on Labor’s motion to suspend standing orders to debate penalty cuts. | |
| Updated | |
| at 5.32am GMT | |
| 4.23am GMT | 4.23am GMT |
| 04:23 | 04:23 |
| 4.21am GMT | 4.21am GMT |
| 04:21 | 04:21 |
| 4.12am GMT | 4.12am GMT |
| 04:12 | 04:12 |
| Malcolm Turnbull also repeats his points in reply. | Malcolm Turnbull also repeats his points in reply. |
| The commissioners on the Fair Work Commission were appointed by Labor. | The commissioners on the Fair Work Commission were appointed by Labor. |
| Labor made the reference to the commission. | Labor made the reference to the commission. |
| The president Iain Ross has worked for the ACTU. | The president Iain Ross has worked for the ACTU. |
| He is hardly an “enemy of the people”. | He is hardly an “enemy of the people”. |
| What he is seeking to do yet again is turn Australians against each other, turn workers against business, divide the country, stifle investment, stifle employment, all in his campaign to do anything to secure an election to government on the basis of a populist antibusiness campaign. He has no principle, no consistency, no integrity. | What he is seeking to do yet again is turn Australians against each other, turn workers against business, divide the country, stifle investment, stifle employment, all in his campaign to do anything to secure an election to government on the basis of a populist antibusiness campaign. He has no principle, no consistency, no integrity. |
| It was not his finest performance. | It was not his finest performance. |
| Labor shadow employment spokesman Brendan O’Connor starts his speech with: | Labor shadow employment spokesman Brendan O’Connor starts his speech with: |
| Wakey, wakey. | Wakey, wakey. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.19am GMT | at 4.19am GMT |
| 4.07am GMT | 4.07am GMT |
| 04:07 | 04:07 |
| Bill Shorten says grandfathering the penalty rate decision, proposed by Eric Abetz “the ghost of banquets past”, is not the solution. | Bill Shorten says grandfathering the penalty rate decision, proposed by Eric Abetz “the ghost of banquets past”, is not the solution. |
| There is no government worth its salt in this country that could sit on its hands and do nothing. | There is no government worth its salt in this country that could sit on its hands and do nothing. |
| We will fight this issue in the house ... we will fight it all the way to the next election. | We will fight this issue in the house ... we will fight it all the way to the next election. |
| So Labor’s campaign is, as Tony Burke said earlier today: | So Labor’s campaign is, as Tony Burke said earlier today: |
| Workers face pay cuts. | Workers face pay cuts. |
| The government can fix it. | The government can fix it. |
| The government is choosing not to. | The government is choosing not to. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.12am GMT | at 4.12am GMT |
| 4.02am GMT | 4.02am GMT |
| 04:02 | 04:02 |
| Bill Shorten says this pay cut could not have come at a worse time for workers. | Bill Shorten says this pay cut could not have come at a worse time for workers. |
| He says this is about real people’s lives. | He says this is about real people’s lives. |
| When Turnbull is asked, he throws his hands up and says it is not my problem. | When Turnbull is asked, he throws his hands up and says it is not my problem. |
| Shorten “admits” the big end of town had done well out of this government. | Shorten “admits” the big end of town had done well out of this government. |
| But the penalty rate cut will disproportionately hit the young, he says. | But the penalty rate cut will disproportionately hit the young, he says. |
| He talks about the effect on women of the cuts, not to mention the regions. | He talks about the effect on women of the cuts, not to mention the regions. |
| What have the regions ever done to deserve Barnaby Joyce? | What have the regions ever done to deserve Barnaby Joyce? |
| Shorten says the National party is simply hostage to One Nation. | Shorten says the National party is simply hostage to One Nation. |
| 3.58am GMT | 3.58am GMT |
| 03:58 | 03:58 |
| Bill Shorten tries to suspend standing orders mid-question. | Bill Shorten tries to suspend standing orders mid-question. |
| He is told to wait until the PM has finished his answer. | He is told to wait until the PM has finished his answer. |
| On penalty rates, obvs. | On penalty rates, obvs. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.01am GMT | at 4.01am GMT |
| 3.55am GMT | 3.55am GMT |
| 03:55 | 03:55 |
| Shorten to Turnbull: Today the prime minister has heard from just some of the nearly 700,000 Australians who will have their pay cut because of the prime minister’s support for the penalty rates decision. The prime minister has the power to stop this decision and he won’t stop the cuts. Why is this prime minister doing everything he can to give big business a tax cut but doing absolutely nothing to stop workers getting a pay cut? | Shorten to Turnbull: Today the prime minister has heard from just some of the nearly 700,000 Australians who will have their pay cut because of the prime minister’s support for the penalty rates decision. The prime minister has the power to stop this decision and he won’t stop the cuts. Why is this prime minister doing everything he can to give big business a tax cut but doing absolutely nothing to stop workers getting a pay cut? |
| Turnbull says Shorten constantly traded away penalty rates as a union leader. | Turnbull says Shorten constantly traded away penalty rates as a union leader. |
| He quotes a report in the Oz that the workers effected are around 286,000 rather than 700,000. | He quotes a report in the Oz that the workers effected are around 286,000 rather than 700,000. |
| That is a very substantial number but it is not 700,000. It shows the way the honourable member is loose with the truth. | That is a very substantial number but it is not 700,000. It shows the way the honourable member is loose with the truth. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.02am GMT | at 4.02am GMT |
| 3.51am GMT | 3.51am GMT |
| 03:51 | 03:51 |
| 2 arrivals #QT @gabriellechan @GuardianAus @murpharoo #politicslive pic.twitter.com/QOSrnuCfx4 | 2 arrivals #QT @gabriellechan @GuardianAus @murpharoo #politicslive pic.twitter.com/QOSrnuCfx4 |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.51am GMT | at 3.51am GMT |
| 3.50am GMT | 3.50am GMT |
| 03:50 | 03:50 |
| I can feel a suspension of standing orders coming on. | I can feel a suspension of standing orders coming on. |