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| Malcolm Turnbull says Dean Smith bill 'a good place to start' – as it happened | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| It’s time to call time on what has been a rather extraordinary start to the Senate sitting week. Thanks for sticking with me today. Just to recap on the (many) key events of today: | |
| James Paterson, a Liberal MP, proposed a new private members bill for same-sex marriage, presenting an alternative to the original Dean Smith bill. The Paterson bill gives far broader rights for people to discriminate against same-sex weddings. Yes campaigners have condemned it as a step backwards and a “licence to discriminate”. Malcolm Turnbull said the original Smith bill was a good place to start. Education minister Simon Birmingham also expressed support for the Smith bill. | |
| Malcolm Turnbull met with Donald Trump and Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe. Turnbull will dine with Trump later tonight in Manila. Earlier, he met with controversial Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte, and the pair discussed the country’s violent war on drugs. | |
| Three new senators – Fraser Anning, Jordon Steele-John and Andrew Bartlett – were sworn in. A new Senate president, Scott Ryan, was also voted into the big chair. | |
| Fraser Anning, within hours of being sworn in as a One Nation senator, either defected from the party or was given the boot. Conflicting accounts emerged from Anning and One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, about his departure from the party. Regardless, he’s now sitting as an independent. At the heart of the dispute appears to be Anning’s employment of former Malcolm Roberts staffers. Anning also blamed Hanson’s chief of staff, James Ashby, for forcing him out of the party. | |
| The date for the Bennelong byelection was set for 16 December. Liberal candidate John Alexander, who was forced to resign on Saturday, appeared unaware of the date on Monday afternoon. He faces a race against the clock to determine whether he is a British citizen, and have that citizenship renounced, prior to his candidacy. | |
| An agreement was struck between the government and Labor over the disclosure of politicians’ citizenship status. Members of parliament will need to disclose their citizenship status, including that of their parents and grandparents, by 1 December. | |
| Question time in the Senate was dominated by an explosive exchange between Greens senator Nick McKim and attorney general George Brandis over Manus Island. McKim said both major parties had blood on their hands. Brandis said McKim’s visit to Manus was designed to foment violence. | |
| I’ll catch up with you again tomorrow, when we’ll do it all again. | |
| The PM, President @realDonaldTrump and Prime Minister @AbeShinzo at their trilateral meeting today in Manila 🇦🇺🇺🇸🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/wrUngWAjPQ | The PM, President @realDonaldTrump and Prime Minister @AbeShinzo at their trilateral meeting today in Manila 🇦🇺🇺🇸🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/wrUngWAjPQ |
| Our political editor, Katherine Murphy, was in the Senate to witness the explosive exchange between Greens senator Nick McKim and attorney general George Brandis over Manus Island. She’s written a piece on what proved to be a difficult first question time for the new Senate president, Scott Ryan. | Our political editor, Katherine Murphy, was in the Senate to witness the explosive exchange between Greens senator Nick McKim and attorney general George Brandis over Manus Island. She’s written a piece on what proved to be a difficult first question time for the new Senate president, Scott Ryan. |
| Marriage equality campaigner, NSW independent MP Alex Greenwich, has slammed the alternative James Paterson same-sex marriage bill as a “licence to discriminate”. | Marriage equality campaigner, NSW independent MP Alex Greenwich, has slammed the alternative James Paterson same-sex marriage bill as a “licence to discriminate”. |
| “It seeks to take us back to a time where a shop could put a sign out the front, saying who they would serve and who they wouldn’t serve. This is not what Australians have voted for in this postal survey,” Greenwich told Sky News. | “It seeks to take us back to a time where a shop could put a sign out the front, saying who they would serve and who they wouldn’t serve. This is not what Australians have voted for in this postal survey,” Greenwich told Sky News. |
| Greenwich said the original bill, proposed by moderate Liberal MP Dean Smith, was robust and reasonable. | Greenwich said the original bill, proposed by moderate Liberal MP Dean Smith, was robust and reasonable. |
| “I’m not sure Senator Paterson’s bill has the numbers,” Greenwich said. | “I’m not sure Senator Paterson’s bill has the numbers,” Greenwich said. |
| “There are a lot of sensible people in our parliament who have been calling out what he is seeking to achieve with this bill, which is take Australia backwards when people have been voting to move Australia forwards,” he said. | “There are a lot of sensible people in our parliament who have been calling out what he is seeking to achieve with this bill, which is take Australia backwards when people have been voting to move Australia forwards,” he said. |
| Our youngest Australian senator, Jordon Steele-John, 23, has picked quite a day to arrive in parliament. How does the Greens senator sum it up? | Our youngest Australian senator, Jordon Steele-John, 23, has picked quite a day to arrive in parliament. How does the Greens senator sum it up? |
| “It isn’t every day that you’re sworn in by the governor general and then your first act is to elect the president of the chamber that you’re serving in, but I guess those are the crazy times in which we live,” Steele-John told the ABC. | “It isn’t every day that you’re sworn in by the governor general and then your first act is to elect the president of the chamber that you’re serving in, but I guess those are the crazy times in which we live,” Steele-John told the ABC. |
| “I can only describe it as a mess, I arrived here in Canberra last week and since then MPs have been dropping like flies.” | “I can only describe it as a mess, I arrived here in Canberra last week and since then MPs have been dropping like flies.” |
| “The young people of Australia are not getting what we need from our parliament. We deserve a new deal.” 23-yo Senator @JordonSteeleJoh pic.twitter.com/TX2ye0rDP6 | “The young people of Australia are not getting what we need from our parliament. We deserve a new deal.” 23-yo Senator @JordonSteeleJoh pic.twitter.com/TX2ye0rDP6 |
| A transcript of the remarks made by Turnbull, Trump and Abe before their trilateral meeting has just been released. | A transcript of the remarks made by Turnbull, Trump and Abe before their trilateral meeting has just been released. |
| There were a few interesting exchanges, including this between Trump and Turnbull: | There were a few interesting exchanges, including this between Trump and Turnbull: |
| Trump: | Trump: |
| We’ve made a lot of big progress on trade. We have deficits with almost everybody. Those deficits are going to be cut very quickly and very substantially. | We’ve made a lot of big progress on trade. We have deficits with almost everybody. Those deficits are going to be cut very quickly and very substantially. |
| Turnbull: | Turnbull: |
| Except us. (Laughter.) | Except us. (Laughter.) |
| Trump: | Trump: |
| Except with you. You’re the only one. (Laughter.) And if I check it, I’ll probably find out that was ... | Except with you. You’re the only one. (Laughter.) And if I check it, I’ll probably find out that was ... |
| Turnbull: | Turnbull: |
| Oh, no. It’s real. | Oh, no. It’s real. |
| Trump was also very keen to highlight how much red carpet had been rolled out for him across Japan, China and South Korea. | Trump was also very keen to highlight how much red carpet had been rolled out for him across Japan, China and South Korea. |
| It was red carpet like nobody, I think, has probably ever received. And that really is a sign of respect, perhaps, for me a little bit, but really for our country. And I’m very proud that. | It was red carpet like nobody, I think, has probably ever received. And that really is a sign of respect, perhaps, for me a little bit, but really for our country. And I’m very proud that. |
| Hmmm. | Hmmm. |
| The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has just spoken in Manila after talks with the Philippines president, Rodrigo Duterte, the US president, Donald Trump, and Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe. | The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has just spoken in Manila after talks with the Philippines president, Rodrigo Duterte, the US president, Donald Trump, and Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe. |
| Turnbull said he raised the controversial war on drugs in the Philippines, which has involved extrajudicial and indiscriminate killings. | Turnbull said he raised the controversial war on drugs in the Philippines, which has involved extrajudicial and indiscriminate killings. |
| “We talked about the war on drugs and he talked about the fact that leadership of that campaign has been taken over by the drug enforcement agency and he certainly recognises the concerns that have been raised,” Turnbull said. | “We talked about the war on drugs and he talked about the fact that leadership of that campaign has been taken over by the drug enforcement agency and he certainly recognises the concerns that have been raised,” Turnbull said. |
| North Korea was a key point of discussion at the Asean summit. Turnbull praised China for stepping up its efforts to pressure North Korea. | North Korea was a key point of discussion at the Asean summit. Turnbull praised China for stepping up its efforts to pressure North Korea. |
| Trump’s visit to China had been valuable in encouraging a coordinated effort on North Korea. | Trump’s visit to China had been valuable in encouraging a coordinated effort on North Korea. |
| “We’ve got to make sure we keep the squeeze on North Korea. China has the biggest leverage,” he said. | “We’ve got to make sure we keep the squeeze on North Korea. China has the biggest leverage,” he said. |
| Turnbull was asked about a range of domestic issues, including news that a second private member’s bill for same-sex marriage had been proposed by Liberal James Paterson. The bill includes a broader right to discriminate against same-sex couples. | Turnbull was asked about a range of domestic issues, including news that a second private member’s bill for same-sex marriage had been proposed by Liberal James Paterson. The bill includes a broader right to discriminate against same-sex couples. |
| “We’ll find out the result on Wednesday ... If it’s yes, we said we’ll facilitate a private member’s bill. It’s a free vote ... We’re going to have a free vote. And if it goes to the Senate, the senators will work out which bill they want to deal with first,” Turnbull said. | “We’ll find out the result on Wednesday ... If it’s yes, we said we’ll facilitate a private member’s bill. It’s a free vote ... We’re going to have a free vote. And if it goes to the Senate, the senators will work out which bill they want to deal with first,” Turnbull said. |
| Pressed on which bill he would support, Turnbull said the Dean Smith bill would be a good place to start in considering same-sex marriage. | Pressed on which bill he would support, Turnbull said the Dean Smith bill would be a good place to start in considering same-sex marriage. |
| He was asked whether Australia’s parliament looked particularly unruly, given the current citizenship crisis. | He was asked whether Australia’s parliament looked particularly unruly, given the current citizenship crisis. |
| “Everyone looks at parliamentary events at any given time and says gosh it’s unruly, and you know what, it’s always been so,” he said. | “Everyone looks at parliamentary events at any given time and says gosh it’s unruly, and you know what, it’s always been so,” he said. |
| Hotels could freely refuse to host a same-sex marriage or reception under an alternative bill proposed by a Liberal MP, James Paterson. | Hotels could freely refuse to host a same-sex marriage or reception under an alternative bill proposed by a Liberal MP, James Paterson. |
| Paterson has just appeared on Sky to discuss his same-sex marriage bill, which he proposed today as an alternative to the private member’s bill of Dean Smith, a moderate. | Paterson has just appeared on Sky to discuss his same-sex marriage bill, which he proposed today as an alternative to the private member’s bill of Dean Smith, a moderate. |
| The bill gives a broader right to freely discriminate against same-sex weddings. | The bill gives a broader right to freely discriminate against same-sex weddings. |
| Paterson said he has great respect for Smith, but said Smith’s bill’s religious freedom protections were “too narrow”. | Paterson said he has great respect for Smith, but said Smith’s bill’s religious freedom protections were “too narrow”. |
| “It doesn’t extend to the congregation ... and it doesn’t extend to people who have the same views, but for secular reasons,” he said. | “It doesn’t extend to the congregation ... and it doesn’t extend to people who have the same views, but for secular reasons,” he said. |
| Paterson, an agnostic, said religious freedom was one of the most important cornerstones of a democracy. | Paterson, an agnostic, said religious freedom was one of the most important cornerstones of a democracy. |
| Malcolm Turnbull is preparing to speak after his meeting with the US president, Donald Trump, and Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe. We’re expecting a press conference in 15 minutes. | Malcolm Turnbull is preparing to speak after his meeting with the US president, Donald Trump, and Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe. We’re expecting a press conference in 15 minutes. |
| I thought this day couldn’t get much stranger. But with Trump involved, who knows? | I thought this day couldn’t get much stranger. But with Trump involved, who knows? |
| John Alexander, who resigned from parliament on Saturday, has revealed he wasn’t aware that a date had been set for the byelection in Bennelong. | John Alexander, who resigned from parliament on Saturday, has revealed he wasn’t aware that a date had been set for the byelection in Bennelong. |
| Alexander is attempting to win back the safe Liberal seat. | Alexander is attempting to win back the safe Liberal seat. |
| The date was set this morning for 16 December. | The date was set this morning for 16 December. |
| That gives Alexander very little time to get formal advice on his citizenship status from the British home office, and renounce any foreign citizenship before he formally nominates. | That gives Alexander very little time to get formal advice on his citizenship status from the British home office, and renounce any foreign citizenship before he formally nominates. |
| Alexander, speaking in Sydney, said he remained confident he could renounce any British citizenship in time. | Alexander, speaking in Sydney, said he remained confident he could renounce any British citizenship in time. |
| “We hope to hear back from the Home Office within a week. It’s been only a matter of days for others who have gone through this process,” he said. | “We hope to hear back from the Home Office within a week. It’s been only a matter of days for others who have gone through this process,” he said. |
| Asked whether he was aware the date for the Bennelong poll had been announced, he said: “I wasn’t aware of that. I think that’s good, I think the Australian public are really tired of this entire episode.” | Asked whether he was aware the date for the Bennelong poll had been announced, he said: “I wasn’t aware of that. I think that’s good, I think the Australian public are really tired of this entire episode.” |
| Alexander, a former tennis champion, said it was absurd for a person who represented his country in sport to be deemed ineligible for parliament over citizenship. | Alexander, a former tennis champion, said it was absurd for a person who represented his country in sport to be deemed ineligible for parliament over citizenship. |
| “It is an absurdity. It defies common sense. as every ounce of my body tells me it defies common sense,” he said. | “It is an absurdity. It defies common sense. as every ounce of my body tells me it defies common sense,” he said. |
| “But it is the law. We might disagree with the law. The law might need to be changed, I think there’s a general agreement to that.” | “But it is the law. We might disagree with the law. The law might need to be changed, I think there’s a general agreement to that.” |
| He said he resigned once he got to the point “where I couldn’t be certain enough”. | He said he resigned once he got to the point “where I couldn’t be certain enough”. |
| The employment minister, Michaelia Cash, is refusing to answer questions on her office’s media tip-off about the raid on the AWU offices, which landed her in hot water in October. | The employment minister, Michaelia Cash, is refusing to answer questions on her office’s media tip-off about the raid on the AWU offices, which landed her in hot water in October. |
| Labor’s Kimberley Kitching has picked up the attack in question time. Kitching asks whether anyone in the prime minister’s office had knowledge of the raid. | Labor’s Kimberley Kitching has picked up the attack in question time. Kitching asks whether anyone in the prime minister’s office had knowledge of the raid. |
| “I refer to my previous answer: this is now the subject of an AFP investigation, and given it is an ongoing investigation, it would be inappropriate for me to comment any further,” Cash said. | “I refer to my previous answer: this is now the subject of an AFP investigation, and given it is an ongoing investigation, it would be inappropriate for me to comment any further,” Cash said. |
| Scott Ryan getting a brisk work over in his first #qt | Scott Ryan getting a brisk work over in his first #qt |
| Senate #qt just rolling points of orders today. Please have some courtesy, says the new president #auspol | Senate #qt just rolling points of orders today. Please have some courtesy, says the new president #auspol |
| An update on Malcolm Turnbull’s movement in the Philippines. It now looks as though Turnbull will have a private dinner with the US president, Donald Trump, tonight. | An update on Malcolm Turnbull’s movement in the Philippines. It now looks as though Turnbull will have a private dinner with the US president, Donald Trump, tonight. |
| The White House’s press office has just issued an update on Trump’s schedule at the Asean summit in Manila. | The White House’s press office has just issued an update on Trump’s schedule at the Asean summit in Manila. |
| It suggests Turnbull and Trump will also have a bilateral meeting this morning, despite earlier suggestions it had been replaced with a trilateral meeting which would include Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe. | It suggests Turnbull and Trump will also have a bilateral meeting this morning, despite earlier suggestions it had been replaced with a trilateral meeting which would include Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe. |
| There are some serious fireworks going off in the Senate at the moment over Manus Island, where hundreds of asylum seekers are left stranded in the closed detention centre. | There are some serious fireworks going off in the Senate at the moment over Manus Island, where hundreds of asylum seekers are left stranded in the closed detention centre. |
| The Greens senator Nick McKim, who was in Manus last week, has launched a ferocious criticism of the attorney-general, George Brandis, and government senators. He’s asked when the government will intervene on Manus, restore the “essentials of life” like water, and bring the men to Australia or a safe third country. When will the government accept New Zealand’s offer to take the men, McKim asked. | The Greens senator Nick McKim, who was in Manus last week, has launched a ferocious criticism of the attorney-general, George Brandis, and government senators. He’s asked when the government will intervene on Manus, restore the “essentials of life” like water, and bring the men to Australia or a safe third country. When will the government accept New Zealand’s offer to take the men, McKim asked. |
| “Doesn’t your government’s refusal to accept this offer categorically give the lie to your claims that the detainees are not your responsibility?” | “Doesn’t your government’s refusal to accept this offer categorically give the lie to your claims that the detainees are not your responsibility?” |
| Brandis described McKim’s actions on Manus as “despicable and contemptible”. Brandis said McKim went to Manus with television cameras in tow with the “explicit purpose of fomenting violence”. | Brandis described McKim’s actions on Manus as “despicable and contemptible”. Brandis said McKim went to Manus with television cameras in tow with the “explicit purpose of fomenting violence”. |
| That prompted requests from McKim and the Greens leader, Richard Di Natale, for Brandis to withdraw the accusation. | That prompted requests from McKim and the Greens leader, Richard Di Natale, for Brandis to withdraw the accusation. |
| The resources minister, Matt Canavan, after being saved by the high court, is on his feet in the Senate. He’s asked a dixer on Adani and the Queensland government’s decision to dump its support for a $1bn federal loan for a railway for its Carmichael coalmine. | The resources minister, Matt Canavan, after being saved by the high court, is on his feet in the Senate. He’s asked a dixer on Adani and the Queensland government’s decision to dump its support for a $1bn federal loan for a railway for its Carmichael coalmine. |
| Canavan is scathing of the decision. | Canavan is scathing of the decision. |
| “It was an act of betrayal, Mr President, to the people of Queensland,” he said. | “It was an act of betrayal, Mr President, to the people of Queensland,” he said. |
| The former Senate president, Stephen Parry, may have left the building, but his presence is still being felt in the chamber. Labor is using question time to press the government on what it knew of Parry’s dual citizenship woes, and when. | The former Senate president, Stephen Parry, may have left the building, but his presence is still being felt in the chamber. Labor is using question time to press the government on what it knew of Parry’s dual citizenship woes, and when. |
| The communications minister, Mitch Fifield, is their main target. Fifield has previously admitted he knew weeks before the high court decision that Parry faced an issue. Fifield made a short speech on the matter earlier today, and is now refusing to offer any further detail. | The communications minister, Mitch Fifield, is their main target. Fifield has previously admitted he knew weeks before the high court decision that Parry faced an issue. Fifield made a short speech on the matter earlier today, and is now refusing to offer any further detail. |
| The attorney-general, George Brandis, returned fire, using a dorothy dixer to attack Labor’s Justine Keay and Susan Lamb, both of whom have citizenship doubts. | The attorney-general, George Brandis, returned fire, using a dorothy dixer to attack Labor’s Justine Keay and Susan Lamb, both of whom have citizenship doubts. |
| Monty Python is writing the script for Australian politics today. | Monty Python is writing the script for Australian politics today. |
| Officials in Canberra, when updating the Parliament House website to include the office details of new senator Fraser Anning (who only hours ago parted ways with One Nation) have listed the wrong phone number for him. | Officials in Canberra, when updating the Parliament House website to include the office details of new senator Fraser Anning (who only hours ago parted ways with One Nation) have listed the wrong phone number for him. |
| In the place of where they should have listed the phone number for Fraser’s Queensland electorate office, they’ve put the phone number for new Greens senator Andrew Bartlett. | In the place of where they should have listed the phone number for Fraser’s Queensland electorate office, they’ve put the phone number for new Greens senator Andrew Bartlett. |
| It means Greens staff working in Bartlett’s Queensland electorate office have been fielding calls all afternoon from journalists wanting to speak to Anning. | It means Greens staff working in Bartlett’s Queensland electorate office have been fielding calls all afternoon from journalists wanting to speak to Anning. |
| “It’s hilarious. That’s one way of putting it,” a Greens staff member said. | “It’s hilarious. That’s one way of putting it,” a Greens staff member said. |
| My colleague Nick Evershed has prepared this rather, ah, illuminating graphic on One Nation after the Fraser Anning fiasco. | My colleague Nick Evershed has prepared this rather, ah, illuminating graphic on One Nation after the Fraser Anning fiasco. |
| I’ll leave it here for your viewing pleasure. | I’ll leave it here for your viewing pleasure. |