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Josh Frydenberg wins a battle, but energy war still looms – politics live Turnbull claims Neg victory, but backbench dissent still alive – politics live
(35 minutes later)
This push to get out of the Paris Agreement by Tony Abbott and Barnaby Joyce has received some pushback from another sector - the guy who sits in the same room as them and looks after Australia’s trade. So the takeaway of that 1.5 hour meeting is that yes, the majority of the party room are in favour of the Neg.
Steve Ciobo told Sky News a little earlier this morning that if Australia abandons Paris, then it can also kiss any chance of an EU trade deal, post-Brexit, goodbye. But, Labor hasn’t decided what it will do. Which makes this a numbers game for the government.
There were three fairly concrete ‘nos’ in that party room meeting, which, if it comes to a vote where Labor and the Greens are opposed, makes it a fairly tough ask for the government to get it across the line. If that group of three grows to five, then, well, it’s a pretty insurmountable problem.
Anne Aly got to have some fun this morning at the launch of the children’s book: If I was Prime Minister (which I can’t help but think should have been: If I were Prime Minister, but I digress)
Here’s a taster from the book - #ReubenforPM
The kids are alright pic.twitter.com/lSwQfXugy7
The bells are ringing for the start of parliament.
And maybe also in Malcolm Turnbull’s head:
BREAKING: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has declared overwhelming support of Coalition party room for the National Energy Guarantee. It follows around 2.5 hours of discussion behind closed doors.
Birds of a feather....
Coalition party room update: Abbott, Hastie, Pasin expressing opposition thus far. Possible Kevin Andrews will also be a naysayer #NEG #auspol @AmyRemeikis
Following the decision last sitting by the Senate not to deal with any legislation until David Leyonhjelm’s euthanasia bill has been voted on, the Senate is getting down to business.
The big test for that, if it passes the Senate, will be whether or not it is taken to the House for a vote – and what the government does with it.
This push to get out of the Paris Agreement by Tony Abbott and Barnaby Joyce has received some pushback from another sector – the guy who sits in the same room as them and looks after Australia’s trade.
Steve Ciobo told Sky News a little earlier this morning that if Australia abandons Paris, then it can also kiss goodbye to any chance of an EU trade deal, post-Brexit.
“They would walk away from it. I have no doubt about that at all. The impact on Australian exports and Australian jobs would be profound,” he said.“They would walk away from it. I have no doubt about that at all. The impact on Australian exports and Australian jobs would be profound,” he said.
Which is something Joyce should have considered - he is not only re-re-branding himself as the voice of the bush - you know, that place where the farmers live, who rely on things like trade deals - but he also spent time laying the framework for a post-Brexit trade deal world with the EU while he was deputy prime minister. Which is something Joyce should have considered – he is not only re-re-branding himself as the voice of the bush – you know, that place where the farmers live, who rely on things like trade deals – but he also spent time laying the framework for a post-Brexit trade deal world with the EU while he was deputy prime minister.
Someone’s happySomeone’s happy
Common sense prevails. Let’s hope the new ‘C’ word at the @ABCaustralia is Conservative. https://t.co/3jjslOF8vvCommon sense prevails. Let’s hope the new ‘C’ word at the @ABCaustralia is Conservative. https://t.co/3jjslOF8vv
Greg Hunt has responded to the announcement Labor will be heading an inquiry into the Myhealth Record rollout (spoiler - we were doing it first)Greg Hunt has responded to the announcement Labor will be heading an inquiry into the Myhealth Record rollout (spoiler - we were doing it first)
Labor knows we were already going to refer the My Health Record legislative changes to the Senate as a matter of ordinary business. This is a stunt and they know we were writing to the Senate and they were just trying to get in ahead.Labor knows we were already going to refer the My Health Record legislative changes to the Senate as a matter of ordinary business. This is a stunt and they know we were writing to the Senate and they were just trying to get in ahead.
The cheese has found a friendThe cheese has found a friend
JUST IN: Federal Member for Canning Andrew Hastie is the second Coalition MP to formally oppose the National Energy Guarantee.Former Prime Minister @TonyAbbottMHR has also made his opposition known in the Coalition's joint party room.BACKGROUND: https://t.co/S36x8jJJNa pic.twitter.com/uKKtaBQVUUJUST IN: Federal Member for Canning Andrew Hastie is the second Coalition MP to formally oppose the National Energy Guarantee.Former Prime Minister @TonyAbbottMHR has also made his opposition known in the Coalition's joint party room.BACKGROUND: https://t.co/S36x8jJJNa pic.twitter.com/uKKtaBQVUU
Labor’s shadow health minister, Catherine King, and Senator Jenny McAllister – chair of the Finance and Public Administration References Committee – have released the following joint statement calling for a comprehensive inquiry into My Health Record ... here’s the guts of of what it says:Labor’s shadow health minister, Catherine King, and Senator Jenny McAllister – chair of the Finance and Public Administration References Committee – have released the following joint statement calling for a comprehensive inquiry into My Health Record ... here’s the guts of of what it says:
“Labor will lead a comprehensive Senate inquiry into Malcolm Turnbull’s My Health Record fiasco amid ongoing privacy and security concerns.We remain deeply concerned that the government’s bungled rollout of the My Health Record opt-out period has severely undermined public trust in this important reform. “Labor will lead a comprehensive Senate inquiry into Malcolm Turnbull’s My Health Record fiasco amid ongoing privacy and security concerns. We remain deeply concerned that the government’s bungled rollout of the My Health Record opt-out period has severely undermined public trust in this important reform.
The inquiry will review all the laws, regulations and rules that underpin the My Health Record. The inquiry will review all the laws, regulations and rules that underpin the My Health Record. It will examine the government’s decision to shift from an opt-in system to an opt-out system and whether it adequately prepared for this fundamental change from Labor’s system.
It will examine the government’s decision to shift from an opt-in system to an opt-out system and whether it adequately prepared for this fundamental change from Labor’s system.
The committee will be asked to report before the end of the opt-out period in mid-November.”The committee will be asked to report before the end of the opt-out period in mid-November.”
Pauline Hanson has said she is in favour of David Leyonhejelm’s bill to re-instate the rights of territories to legislate euthanasia laws (which was taken from the NT and ACT in 1997 when the NT passed it’s voluntary assisted death laws).Pauline Hanson has said she is in favour of David Leyonhejelm’s bill to re-instate the rights of territories to legislate euthanasia laws (which was taken from the NT and ACT in 1997 when the NT passed it’s voluntary assisted death laws).
Cory Bernardi is against it. His man in Queensland, Lyle Shelton, who is aiming for a Queensland Senate spot and fighting for the same voters as One Nation, claims Hanson’s support proves she is not a “true conservative”.Cory Bernardi is against it. His man in Queensland, Lyle Shelton, who is aiming for a Queensland Senate spot and fighting for the same voters as One Nation, claims Hanson’s support proves she is not a “true conservative”.
From his statement:From his statement:
Senator Hanson’s support for doctor-assisted suicide and changing the role of the territories is further evidence that One Nation is not based on conservative principles.Senator Hanson’s support for doctor-assisted suicide and changing the role of the territories is further evidence that One Nation is not based on conservative principles.
“Senator Hanson has played an important role in articulating many legitimate grievances Australians have with the major parties,” Shelton said.“Senator Hanson has played an important role in articulating many legitimate grievances Australians have with the major parties,” Shelton said.
“However, she sadly lacks a coherent and principled policy platform.“However, she sadly lacks a coherent and principled policy platform.
“Conservative voters expect conservative parliamentarians to uphold the dignity of human life and not allow the abuses that have occurred in the small number of countries where euthanasia has been legalised.“Conservative voters expect conservative parliamentarians to uphold the dignity of human life and not allow the abuses that have occurred in the small number of countries where euthanasia has been legalised.
“Conservatives also expect conservatives to uphold our federation, not seek to radically re-shape the role of the territories.”“Conservatives also expect conservatives to uphold our federation, not seek to radically re-shape the role of the territories.”
The Queensland conservative war is shaping up as one of the ones to watch in the next election. Don’t forget there is Katter’s Australian Party as well, who are also chasing the same voters. And this time, there is no lowered quota for senators.The Queensland conservative war is shaping up as one of the ones to watch in the next election. Don’t forget there is Katter’s Australian Party as well, who are also chasing the same voters. And this time, there is no lowered quota for senators.
And further to that Neg modelling update a couple of posts ago, here’s the letter the government sent when lodging the documents, which we already had.And further to that Neg modelling update a couple of posts ago, here’s the letter the government sent when lodging the documents, which we already had.
Govt response to Greens/Senate order production of NEG documents - just pointing to docs already on record #auspol ping @AmyRemeikis and @murpharoo pic.twitter.com/SxJXwNdPbVGovt response to Greens/Senate order production of NEG documents - just pointing to docs already on record #auspol ping @AmyRemeikis and @murpharoo pic.twitter.com/SxJXwNdPbV
The Greens and Labor have both emerged from their respective party room meetings.
The Coalition is still working through the Neg.
Fairfax’s Dana McCauley reports Barnaby Joyce has passed on a letter written by his partner Vikki Campion to Emma Husar, through Bill Shorten’s office, offering her “support and sympathy”.
You can read the story here
Kristina Keneally is continuing to lead the Labor charge into the Great Barrier Reef Foundation grant. That would be the $444m one which was handed to the foundation, unsolicited, and which has been causing all sorts of headaches for Josh Frydenberg and Malcolm Turnbull as they struggle to explain why.
Here is what Keneally had to say this morning:
Yesterday, we learnt that the government’s top environment bureaucrat has decided refer this grant to the Audit Office. And well he should – well he should – it shows that the government’s own environment department does not have confidence in the government’s decision to award $444mil dollars of public money to a private foundation. But what did we learn today? Revelations in the media that the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, within days of getting this nearly half a billion dollars of public money, took their mining and banking mates from their Chairman’s Panel on a three-day luxury holiday to Hamilton Island.
Now, this is a very disturbing revelation today. As I read it, as I see it, there is nothing in the partnership agreement struck between the Turnbull government and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation that would prevent the
Foundation from spending taxpayer dollars on holidays for its Chairman’s Panel - for its banking and mining mates. Under the agreement, there is wide latitude for stakeholder engagement and fundraising, which means, under this agreement – where the Turnbull government has given away half a billion dollars of taxpayer monies – now we’ve got a foundation with a demonstrated track record of taking their mining and banking executives on luxury holidays – they’ve got the capacity to do that again under this agreement struck by the Turnbull Government.
It is time for Malcolm Turnbull to get this money back – to get this nearly half a billion dollars back, and invest it into our public sector science agencies – our public sector agencies tasked with looking after the Reef. The CSIRO, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the Australian Institute of Marine Science – we have public bodies who can look after the Reef, they should get the public money to do so.
Meanwhile, because sports and politics go hand in hand in this country and you can’t have the fun without the games, Andrew Leigh is pushing for the ACT to get an A-League team:
The A-League needs a team from the capital region. Maybe you’ve already committed to joining the Canberra and capital region A-League bid. Maybe you’ve already signed up as a foundation member. If you haven’t, do it now. Put your name to the cause. Be a part of the bid to bring A-League football to the capital.
Your support is just the start. What about your friends, your family, your teammates? Clubs need volunteers at all stages. You’re on board with the bid already? Why not visit the website for the capital region bid and get the tools to sign up more foundation members.
Yesterday, the Senate voted to have the national energy guarantee modelling released, after a push from the Greens.
The government responded – by putting up the spreadsheet which was already on the website.
Adam Bandt is not happy:
Yesterday the Senate ordered the government to release the full modelling behind the Neg and its wild claims of $550/yr power bill cuts. The government tabled their response this morning, confirming what analysts feared. That there is no proper modelling, just a single Excel spreadsheet. Previous modelling reports for government reviews of the electricity market by Jacobs have run to hundreds of papers. It is now clear the government’s claims for the Neg are built on a foundation of sand. The Neg is a toxic farce.
There’s officially a Possum in caucus.
Act natural
From the Coalition party room meeting:
Coalition party room update, thus far, only Tony Abbott expressing opposition to the #NEG according to one fly on the wall @AmyRemeikis #auspol
Basically, the cheese stands alone.
Matt Thistlethwaite, the MP whose name, as someone who had a debilitating speech impediment as a child, I dread saying on live broadcasts, is launching the “BBQ for an Australian Head of State” campaign, with Peter FitzSimons today, with, what else - a BBQ.
He gets the gig as Labor’s shadow minister for an Australian head of state, which I imagine is an awkward title to fit on a business card.
Labor is yet to comprehensively decide on where it will land with the Neg – they are waiting to see what the government comes up with as a final package and hear from their state counterparts before coming up with that decision – but Nick Champion was the latest to comment on the government’s process in developing an energy policy:
The Neg was not our preferred model. In the first instance we preferred Finkel’s report. A report which was very comprehensive and was given a life-span of about a month. That’s how long it lasted. We had the chief scientist do a report that went to government, it lasted a month. Then they came up with the national energy guarantee. So it’s not good enough of this government to cry for bipartisanship when they can’t even get certainty within the government about their own policy making processes, their political processes and what we see here is division writ large.
Some Mike Bowers for your morning