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| Wayne Swan wins Labor presidency – question time live | Wayne Swan wins Labor presidency – question time live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Bill Shorten has responded to Wayne Swan’s election as ALP president: | |
| It’s a great pleasure to congratulate Wayne Swan on his election as President of the Australian Labor Party | |
| Swanny lives and breathes Labor values, he’s given our movement a lifetime of service and it’s wonderful so many true believers have chosen him to serve as our next president. | |
| Wayne has said it will be his mission as ALP President to lead the battle against inequality – I can think of no finer mind or more determined fighter for this task. | |
| I also congratulate Mark Butler and Mich-Elle Myers on their election as Labor’s Vice Presidents. | |
| Wayne, Mark, Mich-and Claire all ran positive, ideas-focused campaigns. We are very fortunate to have people of their standing care so much about making our Labor Party better. | |
| On behalf of our whole movement, I thank Mark Butler for his service as President. Mark’s leadership was vital to the success of our 2015 National Conference and his passion for a bigger and more democratic party will continue to drive an important debate about Labor’s future. | |
| I look forward to working with Wayne and every member of our movement in preparing the platform and policies of a new Labor Government. | |
| Just further to the Mediscare bill, here is some of what Christian Porter had to say in that URGENT press conference: | |
| Thanks for being here. It is a significant day for Australia’s democracy today. The, what has become known as the Mediscare Bill has passed the Australian Parliament. I just wanted to make three comments about the significance of this Bill. The first is that the integrity of the Australian democratic system absolutely relies on the proposition that we have a clear, statutory statement of principle that it is a criminal act to use modern mass communications to deceive Australian voters, and that’s what the Mediscare Bill does today. | |
| The second point about this is that the new offence, which will make it a criminal act for anyone to impersonate or contend that they are acting on behalf of a Commonwealth body, will apply to a very broad range of Commonwealth bodies, from Commonwealth departments like the Department of Attorney-General to Commonwealth corporations like the NBN, right through to critical service delivery agencies of the Commonwealth such as Medicare, Centrelink and the NDIS. | |
| The third thing I’d like to note is that the Bill very importantly, and this is critical again for the maintenance of our democracy, contains a civil injunction power so that if something like the Mediscare campaign happened again, where the Labor sent text messages reporting to be from Medicare, impersonating Medicare, then injunctive proceedings could be listed straight away to prevent that sort of behaviour and prevent the mass deception of the Australian voting public. | |
| I’ll just finish today, of course, invite your questions in a moment, but finish by saying if you want a good dose of Labor Party hypocrisy, consider this: this Bill went through with the Labor Party’s support. The Labor Party in effect agreed to the creation of a criminal offence which would make it unlawful, make it criminal, to now do in the future precisely what they did as the cornerstone of their last federal election campaign in terms of Mediscare. So they have now agreed and voted in favour of making criminal, precisely what they based the larger part of their last election campaign on. So if you want a good dose of Labor hypocrisy, there’s probably few better examples than the passage of this legislation with their support. But it’s absolutely necessary, with the by-elections coming up, to maintain the integrity of our democratic system and not allow text messages and mass modern media communication to be used to deceive Australian voters before an election.” | |
| Just before question time, Bill Shorten gave a 90-second statement on Eurydice Dixon (I didn’t get around to transcribing it before QT, so here is the transcript Labor has just put out) | |
| I offer the sympathies of this parliament to Eurydice Dixon’s family, all the people who loved her and the people she loved. | |
| We remember that they are not mourning a statistic or a cautionary tale. They are grieving for a person: a funny, smart, clever woman with passions and opinions, friends and family. | |
| And she wasn’t seeking to make a statement that night, she was just living her life. She had her phone with her, now full of a hundred unfinished conversations. She was happy that her comedy performance had gone well, she was messaging a friend to check-in and to let him know that she was nearly home safe. | |
| None of that cost her life. Nothing she did or didn’t do in any way makes her responsible for what happened. Walking home should not mean that you are risking your life. | |
| Getting an uber, a cab, catching public transport should not be a dangerous ordeal. Women’s rights in Australia must include freedom of movement. And that’s about more than better lighting and more CCTV cameras.It’s about attitudes, it’s about actions. | |
| It’s about honesty. It’s about stopping violence and stopping the enablers of violence. It’s about deciding as a nation that violence against women is ultimately preventable. It’s about the example that we set for our sons. Our hearts go out to Eurydice’s loved ones today May she rest in peace. | |
| And then there are some more dixers, but this Monday has already been a complete punish and listening to Paul Fletcher talk about “Team Queensland” is more lameness than I can handle right now. | |
| Terri Butler to Malcolm Turnbull: | |
| ABS statistics confirm company profits increased over the year, nearly three times as much as wages growth of 2.1%. Why does this arrogant and out of touch Prime Minister support further cutting the penalty rates of up to 11,000workers in Longman while giving it a tax cut to big business. | |
| Turnbull: | |
| The honorable member knows very well, I’m sure, because it was, as the Leader of the Opposition once said,a fact that every student of Australian economic history would be well aware of it. He said every student of Australian and economic history would be aware of the fact that reducing company tax results in higher wages, more jobs, more investment, higher productivity, all of those good things. And you know, we are starting to see them now and that’s why we have record jobs growth. It is a very competitive world out there. The honorable members opposite should recognise the world is getting more competitive than ever and what we need to do is ensure that every element of our tax system ensures that Australian businesses can compete and win. The member for McMahon set all it out in his famous book years ago. He is munching his way through one copy of it after another. He is being forced to eat his words. Talk about dry economics,very dry. Munching away through all of those books, Mr Speaker. The fact of the matter is, a more competitive corporate set results in more investment, more jobs. That is why we are seeing record jobs growth.The Labor Party should recover the economic good sense they had in the years passed and support our enterprise tax plan. | |
| Bill Shorten tries again on the football coverage question: | |
| “Is the prime minister aware that today the managing director for SBS has said about the decision to license the World Cup games to Optus, and I quote: “Had I not looked at our budgets, we probably would have retained it like we were planning to.” Therefore, when will the prime minister apologise to Australian and football fans for his cuts to the [SBS World Cup coverage] | |
| Paul Fletcher takes the question: (representing the communications minister) | |
| I am pleased to have the chance to respond to what is as is usually the case with the Leader of the Opposition, a misrepresentation of the facts. The SBS received about $280 million in funding every year from the government. How SBS decides to use this funding is a matter for the board and management of SBS, a fairly basic principle of governance, and I want to make the point that in exchange for sharing the World Cup rights, SBS secured some rights to the English Premier League matches. In other words, board and management of SBS made a commercial decision. On this side of the house, we believe they are best placed to make those decisions.” | |
| Best placed, that is, unless you are AGL, in which case, the government should totally be able to tell you what to do with your assets. | |
| It’s all cool though: | |
| I have spoken with the Optus CEO, Allen Lew. He assures me he is giving the World Cup streaming problems his personal attention and he believes it will be fixed this evening. | |
| Congratulations to @SwannyQLD on a strong campaign and emphatic victory. I reckon his former boss and Nat Prez, Mick Young, would have been proud! Best wishes for the next 3 years. https://t.co/ABSJPdbyuc | Congratulations to @SwannyQLD on a strong campaign and emphatic victory. I reckon his former boss and Nat Prez, Mick Young, would have been proud! Best wishes for the next 3 years. https://t.co/ABSJPdbyuc |
| Greg Hunt gives a very enthusiastic answer to a dixer, which is probably not the best strategy when the last question time you featured in you had to apologise for swearing at a woman during an official government meeting. | Greg Hunt gives a very enthusiastic answer to a dixer, which is probably not the best strategy when the last question time you featured in you had to apologise for swearing at a woman during an official government meeting. |
| Stephen Jones has a question to Malcolm Turnbull about warnings cuts to the SBS could result in problems in covering things like the SBS: | Stephen Jones has a question to Malcolm Turnbull about warnings cuts to the SBS could result in problems in covering things like the SBS: |
| “Will the prime minister to apologise to any football fans who are watching second-rate coverage of the football cup.” | |
| Turnbull - go sport team. Basically. | Turnbull - go sport team. Basically. |
| Peter Dutton gives his daily Labor-wants-to-open-the-borders speech. | Peter Dutton gives his daily Labor-wants-to-open-the-borders speech. |
| He links that back to what he says is the Left taking over the Labor party (that would be the Left faction which just lost the presidency vote) | He links that back to what he says is the Left taking over the Labor party (that would be the Left faction which just lost the presidency vote) |
| But I just have to point out, that at the moment, Labor policy on asylum seekers has not changed. There are policy proposal changes floating around. And unlike the Liberal party, the Labor national conference motion votes are binding. But at this stage, they are just ideas. And saying that is absolutely Labor policy is like saying a non-binding vote to sell the ABC is absolutely Liberal policy. | But I just have to point out, that at the moment, Labor policy on asylum seekers has not changed. There are policy proposal changes floating around. And unlike the Liberal party, the Labor national conference motion votes are binding. But at this stage, they are just ideas. And saying that is absolutely Labor policy is like saying a non-binding vote to sell the ABC is absolutely Liberal policy. |
| Labor has set up this website on Georgina Downer: www.downerfacts.com | Labor has set up this website on Georgina Downer: www.downerfacts.com |
| Just a tip for anyone thinking of entering politics – buy up every domain name you can think of regarding your name. | Just a tip for anyone thinking of entering politics – buy up every domain name you can think of regarding your name. |
| Bill Shorten asks Malcolm Turnbull about a Natsem finding that: this new tax system from 2044- 2025 is less progressive than the current system. It means higher income inequality. | Bill Shorten asks Malcolm Turnbull about a Natsem finding that: this new tax system from 2044- 2025 is less progressive than the current system. It means higher income inequality. |
| “The rich get more of the tax cuts than the poor. Prime minister, how is this fair?” | “The rich get more of the tax cuts than the poor. Prime minister, how is this fair?” |
| Turnbull: | Turnbull: |
| It is fair precisely because it gives Australians, 94% of Australians, in fact, the surety that they will pay no more than 32.5 cents in the dollar for every additional dollar they earn. We all remember Dr Craig Emerson who used to talk great deal about effective marginal tax rate and all the problems occasioned by that. We are well aware of those issues. This gives you a 32.5 cent marginal tax rate from 41,000 through to $200,000. It ensures that you have every incentive for people to get ahead and Mr Speaker, the approach we are taking is one that provides benefits to Australians right in the heart of that little income area where Australians have had so many disincentives. It is a very positive reform and as far as the issue about inequality is concerned, I come back to this point. After the plan is fully rolled out and the people on the 45% of bracket, marginal tax bracket, that is you are earning over $200,000, will be paying a larger share of the personal income taxes take than they do today and a person on $200,000 who is earning roughly five times as much as somebody on $41,000 will be paying nearly 13 times as much tax . That is a progressive tax system. | It is fair precisely because it gives Australians, 94% of Australians, in fact, the surety that they will pay no more than 32.5 cents in the dollar for every additional dollar they earn. We all remember Dr Craig Emerson who used to talk great deal about effective marginal tax rate and all the problems occasioned by that. We are well aware of those issues. This gives you a 32.5 cent marginal tax rate from 41,000 through to $200,000. It ensures that you have every incentive for people to get ahead and Mr Speaker, the approach we are taking is one that provides benefits to Australians right in the heart of that little income area where Australians have had so many disincentives. It is a very positive reform and as far as the issue about inequality is concerned, I come back to this point. After the plan is fully rolled out and the people on the 45% of bracket, marginal tax bracket, that is you are earning over $200,000, will be paying a larger share of the personal income taxes take than they do today and a person on $200,000 who is earning roughly five times as much as somebody on $41,000 will be paying nearly 13 times as much tax . That is a progressive tax system. |
| Chris Bowen to Malcolm Turnbull: | Chris Bowen to Malcolm Turnbull: |
| Can the prime minister confirm that by the time they are fully integrated, stage three of the government’s personal income tax scheme and its big business tax cut will cost the budget at least $35bn a year? Why won’t prime minister support Labor’s plans for a bigger, better tax cut instead of giving $25bn per year to big business and higher income earners? | Can the prime minister confirm that by the time they are fully integrated, stage three of the government’s personal income tax scheme and its big business tax cut will cost the budget at least $35bn a year? Why won’t prime minister support Labor’s plans for a bigger, better tax cut instead of giving $25bn per year to big business and higher income earners? |
| Turnbull: | Turnbull: |
| I think it is worth noting that the question has been asked by the author of that famous economic tome.... Hearts and Minds [then a joke about it being available where ever great remainders are found] The honorable member wrote a book and talked about the importance of having a competitive tax rate and now, now having done that, he has been forced to eat his words and is flinging himself in the way of a competitive tax rate. | I think it is worth noting that the question has been asked by the author of that famous economic tome.... Hearts and Minds [then a joke about it being available where ever great remainders are found] The honorable member wrote a book and talked about the importance of having a competitive tax rate and now, now having done that, he has been forced to eat his words and is flinging himself in the way of a competitive tax rate. |
| Scott Morrison then tries to yell some things, but he just doesn’t have the vocal power today. | Scott Morrison then tries to yell some things, but he just doesn’t have the vocal power today. |
| Let us all take a moment to thank the internet for never forgetting anything. | Let us all take a moment to thank the internet for never forgetting anything. |
| Here is Mitch Fifield in 2008, addressing the Australian Adam Smith Club: | Here is Mitch Fifield in 2008, addressing the Australian Adam Smith Club: |
| Conservatives have often floated the prospect of privatising the ABC and Australia Post. There is merit in such proposals. | Conservatives have often floated the prospect of privatising the ABC and Australia Post. There is merit in such proposals. |
| But the likely strong public opposition means that any government prepared to go down that path would need to prepare the ground and make the case for the change. | But the likely strong public opposition means that any government prepared to go down that path would need to prepare the ground and make the case for the change. |
| A further challenge would be the widespread misunderstanding of the consequences by the public and the inevitable misleading scare campaigns mounted by privatisation opponents. | A further challenge would be the widespread misunderstanding of the consequences by the public and the inevitable misleading scare campaigns mounted by privatisation opponents. |
| But one immediate option for privatisation is the Bureau of Meteorology. In 2007 taxpayers forked out $214m to run this agency. Yet there is clearly a market for the information the bureau collects. The bureau could be sold off, with new private owners free to collect weather data and sell it on the open market. | But one immediate option for privatisation is the Bureau of Meteorology. In 2007 taxpayers forked out $214m to run this agency. Yet there is clearly a market for the information the bureau collects. The bureau could be sold off, with new private owners free to collect weather data and sell it on the open market. |
| Taxpayers would receive a windfall gain from the sale and whilst some government agencies would need to purchase weather data and services, there would be a sizable annual saving to the taxpayer. | Taxpayers would receive a windfall gain from the sale and whilst some government agencies would need to purchase weather data and services, there would be a sizable annual saving to the taxpayer. |
| So far I have mentioned reducing the number of ministries and departments and embarking on a new wave of privatisation as ways of reducing the scope of government. | So far I have mentioned reducing the number of ministries and departments and embarking on a new wave of privatisation as ways of reducing the scope of government. |
| These ideas can be thought of as reducing the number of avenues for governments to spend our money. But perhaps the most effective barrier to impulsive government spending is to reduce the money government has to spend in the first place.” | These ideas can be thought of as reducing the number of avenues for governments to spend our money. But perhaps the most effective barrier to impulsive government spending is to reduce the money government has to spend in the first place.” |
| Standard note that the government is swearing black and blue it won’t sell the ABC. | Standard note that the government is swearing black and blue it won’t sell the ABC. |
| The old “human error” excuse | The old “human error” excuse |
| Palmer sprinkler mystery solved! I asked Parliament what happened:"The system was turned on this morning in the Senate courtyard due to human error. One of the Landscape Services personnel was checking the irrigation system and mistakenly manually operated the wrong valve." | Palmer sprinkler mystery solved! I asked Parliament what happened:"The system was turned on this morning in the Senate courtyard due to human error. One of the Landscape Services personnel was checking the irrigation system and mistakenly manually operated the wrong valve." |
| I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – this is why the emus won, people. | I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – this is why the emus won, people. |
| Jenny Macklin to Malcolm Turnbull: | Jenny Macklin to Malcolm Turnbull: |
| Can this arrogant and out of touch prime minister confirm that under his unfair budget, a banker will get a tax cut of over $7,000 a year, his bank will get a company tax cut of –$17 billion go to the big banks. Then a hospitality worker from Adelaide will only get a tax cut of $10 a week, and that is before she loses $77 in penalty rates. | Can this arrogant and out of touch prime minister confirm that under his unfair budget, a banker will get a tax cut of over $7,000 a year, his bank will get a company tax cut of –$17 billion go to the big banks. Then a hospitality worker from Adelaide will only get a tax cut of $10 a week, and that is before she loses $77 in penalty rates. |
| I am sensing a theme here. | I am sensing a theme here. |
| Turnbull: | Turnbull: |
| Under the Labor party’s proposal on tax, a public teacher in Victoria would pay between $800 and $1,200 more tax per year. A crane operator would pay between $900 and $600 more tax per year. A public school psychologist in New South Wales will pay between $2,330 and $800 more tax every year. A forklift driver would pay between $1,440 and $500 more a year. Coming to Adelaide, a Police Inspector would pay between $4,000 and $5,200 more tax every year. | Under the Labor party’s proposal on tax, a public teacher in Victoria would pay between $800 and $1,200 more tax per year. A crane operator would pay between $900 and $600 more tax per year. A public school psychologist in New South Wales will pay between $2,330 and $800 more tax every year. A forklift driver would pay between $1,440 and $500 more a year. Coming to Adelaide, a Police Inspector would pay between $4,000 and $5,200 more tax every year. |
| You get the idea. Our tax plan is better than yours, basically. | You get the idea. Our tax plan is better than yours, basically. |