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Labor conference: Chris Bowen says Myefo shows Coalition has 'given up' on budget repair – live Labor conference: Chris Bowen says Myefo shows Coalition has 'given up' on budget repair – live
(35 minutes later)
The Labor conference is on break, so there might be a slight break in posts.
We’ll do our best to find out what is happening in the afternoon sessions in this time for you.
The protest from earlier was in relation to Newstart I believe.
“What do we want?
Raise the rate
When do we want it?
Now.”
There were about 30 or so people from what I could see and it was all over in about 10 or so minutes.
The Labor conference has adopted a motion to restore a system of “safe rates” in the road transport industry, restoring an independent body to set safety standards including pay and conditions.
The previous Labor government established a Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal to set pay rates due to a studied link between low rates of pay for owner-drivers and worse safety outcomes. The Turnbull government abolished the body when some owner-drivers complained that mandating certain rates of pay would put them at a competitive disadvantage.
A motion moved by Michael Kaine, the Transport Workers Union national secretary, will see a very similar body restored.The platform states: “This task has become more pressing given the emergence of new technology and the gig economy in passenger and freight transport which has accelerated the downward spiral throughout the transport industry.”According to the platform, Labor will introduce a road pay regime with the following principles:
This is a tweet from 2015.
Never tweet.
The question of the day. #santaiscoming #Christmas pic.twitter.com/j7GuMvIiE9
He continued:
And we do so in part because of our First Nations’ caucus.
How lucky are we, all of us as Australians, to have leaders from our First Nations’ people like Pat, who came through the experience.
Stories which children today would think would be more akin to a Mississippi or the stories of civil rights in other parts of the world, but it’s in our own country, in the lifetime of own people and the problems still persist right now.
How lucky are we that we have the Father of Reconciliation, seeking to be part of the next Labor Government.
How lucky are we also that he’ll serve alongside that remarkable Wiradjuri woman and leader, Linda Burney.
Linda has explained to us in the Parliament that she wasn’t counted in the Commonwealth Census until she was 14 years old.
But at the next election, if things go the way we hope, from someone not counted in our census she will be a cabinet minister in a Commonwealth Government.
And of course we’ve got our outstanding senator for the Northern Territory here with us on the stage. A Yanyuwa woman, Malarndirri McCarthy.
Anyone else in our caucus will tell you this, not only does she bring vibrancy and energy to our political discourse, she brings a marvellously fresh set of eyes to the old problems.
Now, it has taken our party the best part of 120 years to have three First Nations’ members in our caucus.
But sometimes at these conventions and in the gatherings of the ALP, the progressive party of Australian politics, there are moments which are even greater than the sum of the parts.
And I feel this is such a moment.
The fact that our party recognises and wants to be the party of choice for First Nations’ people, we understand the only way we can even begin to contemplate such a privilege, is by ensuring that in our ranks, we do have our First Australians.
Now some of the state parties have been very good and they have led the way, some perhaps need to do more work. But we are here now.
And when you look at our movement’s contribution to equal rights and to Reconciliation, we can hold our head up - not exclusively - but we have been in the lead more often than not.
It’s been ten years since Kevin Rudd delivered the apology to the Stolen Generations, an act of Labor leadership and national healing.
The apology though wasn’t just the recognition of the wrongs of the past, it was a promise to do better in the future.
And later today, our discussion in our discussion of chapter 9, we will talk about our commitment to the unfinished business of Reconciliation:
Enshrining a voice for First Nations’ people in the Constitution.
Establishing a Makarrata Commission, for truth-telling and treaty.
And genuine partnership and progress on Closing the Gap.
Simply put, Labor believes that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples deserve equal opportunity and an equal share in our nation’s future.
The equal right to a great education and a good job.
The equal right to be safe in their home and their community, to be healthy in their life.
And an equal right to justice in the courts of the land.
And when we say this, we reject unequivocally the notion that by closing the gap we are somehow giving a special advantage to our First Australians. Right now, our First Australians do not start a equally in life - we are just redressing an imbalance.
And I say to those who complain about policies which want to close the gap: why are you so scared by providing an equal go to people who do not have an equal go to start with.
So we will recognise above all else, that these solutions and policies have to be authored and owned by First Nations’ people themselves.
We must, and we will, focus on local empowerment, on the principle of community control.
The Reconciliation Action Plan that we launch this morning is about what we can do to continue to improve our culture and our structures as the party for the advancement for First Nations’ people.
This plan is not a nod to good intentions, it is not a tick-box exercise. It is a set of overdue concrete steps and clear goals.
We want to see:
More First Nations’ people as members of our party
More First Nations’ people as members of a parliament and as senators.
And more First Nations’ people enrolled to vote, to make sure that their policy priorities are national political issues.
We want to deliver and make Labor the party of choice for the First Australians but we need to earn that right.
So, delegates, for me - and I’m sure for all of us here - the First Nations’ members of our parliament and our party are simply an inspiration.
I acknowledge also the Reconciliation Working Group, the support and leadership of the National Executive, Karren Mundine and Reconciliation Australia who have worked to put this document together.
And finally, I’d also like to give a shout-out to the artist, Elizabeth Close sitting up in front of us. We sometimes get a lot of speakers up the front but not a lot of artists…of sorts.
So, we all have a part to play, from members of parliament, to branch members, to union delegates and to volunteers.
Reconciliation is Australia’s unfinished business.
And, delegates, it is Everyone’s Business.
I commend this marvellous plan to the Conference.
Bill Shorten’s speech from this morning has been transcribed by his office:
When we think about where we sit in this hall, in this city, our nation stands on what is, was and always will be Aboriginal land and we acknowledge that today.
I was listening to Pat Dodson, as I know this whole gathering was. And like all of you I want to thank him him for his words, thank him for his wisdom, but I also want to thank him for making a decision, more than two-and-a-half years ago, to join our Labor family as our senator for Western Australia.
Pat is like a lot of truly modest people. They don’t always realise how much they are loved by others.
And to all of you here in the Labor family and movement, and to Australians watching today, when Pat speaks in the parliament and when he speaks in our caucus and our meeting rooms, he has this almost magical effect of making the rest of us feel better about ourselves. And that has been a journey of teaching and learning that Pat has been on his whole life.
I first met Pat 14 or 15 years ago when I was with the Australian Workers’ Union, and he took me through the Kimberley and to Fitzroy Crossing and he showed me parts of Australia that I didn’t realise existed.
And I remember thinking back then, wouldn’t it be good if this outstanding leader, a leader of all Australians, could make it through our Labor process and end up as one of our senators.
I wasn’t quite sure then how that would happen but it has. And Pat joining his story with the Labor story enhances and enriches the Labor story.
Thinking about his journey and his teaching of all of us, I went with our caucus committee, our ATSI caucus committee, Warren Snowdon the local member, we visited Katherine, in the Northern Territory, where Pat spent some of his young years.
And he took me along a road, Fourth Street, and he pointed to scrub near where he grew up, in the house he grew up.
And he explained to me that in 1960, in his lifetime, his beloved sister took him from the house and hid him in the scrub because welfare were coming down Fourth Street to take the children away and to send them out to Croker Island.
And then he told me about his first night, the next year, when he went to boarding school in Casteron, a very well regarded school – a lot of champion footballers. Pat said he was a Collingwood six-footer, which means not quite.
But he did tell me about his first night there, which perhaps is not as amusing.
Because of his skin colour, his was the only bed in the boarding school without sheets on it.
Then he comes back from school to visit his family back up in Katherine. There was a “rights for whites” meeting, as if the white people of Katherine were being put upon.
Now, he says that we was approached by the local Jawoyn people and they said: “You’ve been to school, you go and tell them why they’re wrong.”
Pat said, “I’ll do a couple more years of schooling and then I’ll tell them why they’re wrong.”
These are just little snippets of an amazing story and the reason why I perhaps focus on his story is this: it really shouldn’t have taken us 48 national conferences to develop a reconciliation action plan. But we have one now.
A refugee protest has kicked off outside of the conference centre.
Labor plans on introducing a national office of road safety.
From the resolution:
After decades of decline, the road toll is again heading in the wrong direction.
59. Labor will establish a national office of road safety. This dedicated unit within the Department of Infrastructure will be tasked with improving data collection, promoting best practice research, and leading the development of the next 10-year national road safety strategy, which will commence in 2021. Labor will ensure the strategy draws on the findings of the Inquiry into the National Road Safety Strategy 2011-2020, and is developed in partnership with state and territory governments, law enforcement, motoring organisations, experts, research bodies and other relevant stakeholders.
60. Labor will ensure that the national safety standards applying to motor vehicles are up to date and fit for purpose. The role of the national government is to ensure the latest road safety technology features are in new vehicles, including electronic stability control and autonomous emergency braking. Labor will work with industry and stakeholders to promote vehicle safety ratings and to amend the Australian design rules to mandate proven vehicle safety technologies in new vehicles.
Labor is moving its regional and agricultural policies.Labor is moving its regional and agricultural policies.
There are not a lot of changes and can be summed up by this resolution:There are not a lot of changes and can be summed up by this resolution:
Labor will work with States, Territories and local government to: Labor will work with states, territories and local government to:
Invest in properly integrated transport systems involving public transport and roads;Invest in properly integrated transport systems involving public transport and roads;
Invest in active transport solutions which connect with public transport, education and employment hubs closer to where people live;Invest in active transport solutions which connect with public transport, education and employment hubs closer to where people live;
Invest in communities struggling with the shift away from traditional manufacturing in partnership with business and those affected to develop a strategic vision that will unlock future industries, jobs and learning opportunities;Invest in communities struggling with the shift away from traditional manufacturing in partnership with business and those affected to develop a strategic vision that will unlock future industries, jobs and learning opportunities;
Improve housing affordability through the use of urban planning, land supply and incentives;Improve housing affordability through the use of urban planning, land supply and incentives;
Drive alignment of funding for smart and sustainable urban infrastructure;Drive alignment of funding for smart and sustainable urban infrastructure;
Align greater housing density with public transport corridors;Align greater housing density with public transport corridors;
Encourage the best practice urban designs outlined in Creating Places for People: An Urban Design Protocol for Cities;Encourage the best practice urban designs outlined in Creating Places for People: An Urban Design Protocol for Cities;
Promote jobs growth in outer and middle ring suburbs, by investing in research precincts around universities and hospitals, considering incentives for the location of business, and supporting innovative funding models for local governments in high growth areas;Promote jobs growth in outer and middle ring suburbs, by investing in research precincts around universities and hospitals, considering incentives for the location of business, and supporting innovative funding models for local governments in high growth areas;
Work with States, Territories and local government to support connectivity and productivity through a fibre National Broadband Network; Work with states, territories and local government to support connectivity and productivity through a fibre national broadband network;
Earlier integration of water, wastewater and stormwater into urban planning to improve overall (including health and liveability) outcomes for our cities and regions.Earlier integration of water, wastewater and stormwater into urban planning to improve overall (including health and liveability) outcomes for our cities and regions.
Incorporate action on climate change into major urban strategic plans (mitigation and adaptation)Incorporate action on climate change into major urban strategic plans (mitigation and adaptation)
Facilitate the transition to renewable energy by supporting urban innovation and green urban growth e.g. net zero carbon and liveable precincts.Facilitate the transition to renewable energy by supporting urban innovation and green urban growth e.g. net zero carbon and liveable precincts.
So far, all have been carried without going to the vote.So far, all have been carried without going to the vote.
Serious inquiry – are there any Nationals left to take over from Andrew Broad?Serious inquiry – are there any Nationals left to take over from Andrew Broad?
But Michael McCormack does not believe the National party has a problem with women. He can even name two women, so that’s how you know there are no problems at all:But Michael McCormack does not believe the National party has a problem with women. He can even name two women, so that’s how you know there are no problems at all:
Not at all, and I have spoken to Bridget McKenzie a number of times today. She is appalled at what has happened over the last couple of days but Bridget McKenzie and Michelle [Landry] are outstanding female representatives of the constituencies that they serve.Not at all, and I have spoken to Bridget McKenzie a number of times today. She is appalled at what has happened over the last couple of days but Bridget McKenzie and Michelle [Landry] are outstanding female representatives of the constituencies that they serve.
We have a strong women’s council doing wonderful things to make sure that women are encouraged to join our party and encouraged to run as members of parliament and, on Saturday, I was in Wagga Wagga for the preselection of an outstanding candidate for that state seat.We have a strong women’s council doing wonderful things to make sure that women are encouraged to join our party and encouraged to run as members of parliament and, on Saturday, I was in Wagga Wagga for the preselection of an outstanding candidate for that state seat.
I want to encourage any women to not only join our party, but indeed, to run for political office. It is a tough job running for political office and making sure that we do the right thing to serve the people who we do.I want to encourage any women to not only join our party, but indeed, to run for political office. It is a tough job running for political office and making sure that we do the right thing to serve the people who we do.
It is tough to put your hand up public life and I’m glad that so many women are putting their hand up public life and I’m glad the National party is doing things to encourage more women to do just that.It is tough to put your hand up public life and I’m glad that so many women are putting their hand up public life and I’m glad the National party is doing things to encourage more women to do just that.
I have got the member for Cootamundra in my own electorate doing outstanding things for the people of the Riverina in south-west New South Wales.I have got the member for Cootamundra in my own electorate doing outstanding things for the people of the Riverina in south-west New South Wales.
We will continue to encourage women if you have a look at the sorts of things that we have done to encourage more women to join our party, they are very admirable and we continue to do that.We will continue to encourage women if you have a look at the sorts of things that we have done to encourage more women to join our party, they are very admirable and we continue to do that.
Well, [these issues] are an unfortunate distraction, yes. I will agree to that and I’m doing my very best as leader to ensure that we are focused on the people we serve to ensure that we stop focusing on ourselves, we do the right thing, we make sure that we are answerable and accountable and that is why I have taken swift and decisive action I have over the past 24 hours, and I will continue to make sure that I lead a party that encourages women to not only join our party but also put their hand up for public life.Well, [these issues] are an unfortunate distraction, yes. I will agree to that and I’m doing my very best as leader to ensure that we are focused on the people we serve to ensure that we stop focusing on ourselves, we do the right thing, we make sure that we are answerable and accountable and that is why I have taken swift and decisive action I have over the past 24 hours, and I will continue to make sure that I lead a party that encourages women to not only join our party but also put their hand up for public life.
Given that McCormack said earlier that he learnt about this issue “a couple of weeks ago” the “swift and decisive action” seems to have been taken when it became obvious New Idea magazine was about to publish.Given that McCormack said earlier that he learnt about this issue “a couple of weeks ago” the “swift and decisive action” seems to have been taken when it became obvious New Idea magazine was about to publish.
Bit more on the looming refugee debate: @gedkearney will move the motion this afternoon critical of the government's handling of offshore detention @AmyRemeikis #auspolBit more on the looming refugee debate: @gedkearney will move the motion this afternoon critical of the government's handling of offshore detention @AmyRemeikis #auspol
On the Barry O’Sullivan staffer who was stood aside after a vile message was sent to News Corp political editor Annika Smethurst after she wrote a column about women and the National party, Michael McCormack says this:
Well, he has been stood aside. There are circumstances in relation to that matter which he needs to seek assistance and he is seeking assistance with, the fact is it was an accidental and inadvertent sending about message to the journalist.
I know the journalist, and I’ve had a number of discussions with her when I found out about issue late Friday.
I appreciate the fact that when you look at the text that was sent to her, you can understand that they were not meant for her, but look, I do not condone in any way, shape or form the language, the vile language that was used in those texts. That is not the way I operate, that is not the way the National party operates and I’m very, very disappointed that it did occur. Annika Smethurst knows that, she knows what we stand for as a party in what I stand for as a leader, that is why the person concerned has been stood aside. He will seek the assistance he needs and that is the appropriate course of action.
On the resignation conversation, Michael McCormack says:
It was a very short and polite conversation. I have accepted his resignation. It was the right thing to do, we need to get on and focus on the people who matter most to us, those are the constituents.
And whether it is Mallee or whether it is, we need to make sure that they are being well served, they have been well served by a government.
We are getting on with the job of rolling out the water infrastructure that the country is needed for many, many years, we are getting on with the job of building Australia, those are the sorts of things that I want to be focused on, not these sorts of issues that quite frankly distract from otherwise what has been a very good government, and is a good government, and will be a good government going forward.
Michael McCormack said he learnt about the Andrew Broad situation “a couple of weeks ago”
Obviously I am very disappointed by what has happened, obviously it is also a matter for the Australian federal police and, obviously, I know Mr Broad will co-operate with the Australian federal police, but when he told me about what happened, I urged him to contact the Australian federal police about the allegations that had been made by him and against him, so I think that is the right course of action, and we will see what the AFP comes up with as a result of these investigations.
When did he learn about it?
A couple of weeks ago ... Yes, I told him to contact the Australian federal police, which he did.
Just worth noting from this morning’s updated economic forecasts, the Morrison government has set aside $131m over seven years from 2018-19 (and $10.1m per year ongoing from 2025-26) to “support measures to improve energy affordability, reliability and sustainability”.
This includes its controversial commitment to underwrite new power generation, including coal, and an advertising campaign to tell everyone how marvelous everything is.
According to Myefo, the funding will:
• enable the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to hold an inquiry into prices, profit and margins in relation to the supply of electricity in the National Electricity Market;
• establish a default market offer and reference bill to help consumers get better energy deals;
• design and implement the new underwriting new generation investment program to drive investment in new power generation to increase energy supply, improve competition and affordability in the energy sector;
• provide support to small and medium businesses to get better energy deals and reduce their energy usage;
• support the Energy Security Board to provide whole-of-market oversight for energy reliability, affordability and sustainability;
• implement the retailer reliability obligation to ensure a reliable energy system;
and • continue the national campaign to inform Australians about work being undertaken to deliver more affordable, reliable and sustainable energy and promote options available to consumers to reduce their energy bills.
Tanya Plibersek has interrupted her speech to the convention to announce the Andrew Broad news.
So we have peace in our time on refugees, sort of. As Amy has reported, there is an agreed increase in the intake of 5,000, and tripling of AFP resourcing for disruption activities, and $500m for the UNHRC.
But there will still be debate this afternoon. We don’t expect anyone to move a motion opposing boat turnbacks or offshore detention but that can’t be ruled out.
There will be a debate about rights of review for asylum seekers subject to the Coalition’s fast track process. We expect a motion from Andrew Giles and Murray Watt proposing that people have access to a merits review of their cases, but the motion is unlikely to succeed.
There will also be a motion critical of the government’s handling of offshore detention.
Chris Bowen was also not impressed with the midyear economic and fiscal outlook:
This is a government which is riding on the back of a good international economy and has given up on the task of budget repair themselves. What we see in this economic update today, the government’s own update, is that growth is down, investment growth is down.
Wages growth is down. Consumption growth is down. And the only thing that’s up is terms of trade.
What the world is prepared to pay us for our commodities – the one thing which this government has absolutely no influence over is up.
When it comes to wages growth and consumption, we’re seeing the fruits of the government’s poor economic policy and the chaos and confusion at its heart.
This is a budget which is being delivered by a strong global economy, but we have a weak government. Now the government is pat itself on the back for budgeting and forecasting a surplus when in fact they’ve been failing to deliver surpluses now for almost six years.
Chris Bowen has commented on Andrew Broad’s resignation:
I’ve seen the report. Obviously his resignation has a personal element for which I have absolutely no comment, that is entirely a matter for him. His resignation doesn’t help the chaos and dysfunction at the heart of the Morrison government. But the rest I have no comment on.
All eyes may be on Andrew Broad but at least the ratings agencies are paying attention to Josh Frydenberg’s Myfeo announcement this morning:
S&P Global Ratings said today that Australia’s credit rating and outlook reflects its expectation that the general government, including state and local governments, will return to surplus by the early 2020s.
We believe today’s midyear budget announcement confirms that the central government is on track to achieve this.
Stronger nominal GDP and terms of trade as well as better labor market conditions are delivering higher revenue growth and lower expenditure outflows than we expected at the time of the 2018-2019 budget, released in May.
This improvement is funding new policy announcements.
“We continue to monitor the effect of spending announcements on the general government budget in the lead up to the 2019-2020 budget and upcoming election,” said S&P Global Ratings credit analyst Anthony Walker.
“This is because political parties can introduce new spending or investment initiatives that are not currently earmarked, and this can weigh on fiscal outcomes.”
McCormack’s statement:
Deputy prime minister, minister for infrastructure, transport and regional development and leader of the Nationals, Michael McCormack, has accepted Andrew Broad’s resignation as the assistant minister to the deputy prime minister.
Mr McCormack thanked the federal member for Mallee for his service to the ministry, following his appointment in September this year.
A replacement will be made and announced in due course.
Mr McCormack said due to the nature of the allegations made, it is appropriate for Mr Broad to resign as the assistant minister to the deputy prime minister.
He also stressed the matter may also be subject to future investigation and further media comment on such detail is not appropriate.
Mr McCormack said Mr Broad will continue as an effective and hardworking Member for Mallee, a role he has capably held since 2013.
Broad was what used to be known as a parliamentary secretary, the title was changed to assistant minister, because it sounded more fancy, under one of the Coalition governments (who can remember these days which one it was).