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Repealing medevac would be 'a wicked thing', Centre Alliance says – question time live Repealing medevac would be 'a wicked thing', Centre Alliance says – question time live
(30 minutes later)
Tony Smith:
The question is the Member for Wakefield to be suspended from the service of the house? All those who say aye? The ayes have it - division required. Ring the bells for four minutes.
BUT - we pause - because Nick Champion is no longer the member for Wakefield. He’s now the member for Spence.
So we stop the bells.
Christian Porter moves the motion for the Member for Spence and the House divides.
The independents side with the government, because Champion dis-repected the Speaker.
So Ed Husic will sit alone for a full 24 hours. Now he knows how the cheese feels.
It’s been a while since this has happened - but it’s also the first time Christian Porter has had to do this and well, third time’s the charm.
I move the Member be suspended for the remainder of the proceedings. (No)
I recommend ... that he be removed from the service of the house. (No)
I move the Member be suspended from the service of the house. (There we go)
Nick Champion, the member for Spence goes TOO FAR. He backchatted Tony Smith, and Smith is in NO MOOD - so he is named.
That means he is out for 24 hours. Can’t vote on bills, can’t speak, until the suspension is lifted.
Smith:
I won’t debate issues on 94 with any Member. Especially the Member for Wakefield, if he interjects, he will resume his seat. I have made this very clear. This is about the dignity of the house. The Member for Wakefield, knows by now if he interjects and I ask to cease, if he interjects immediately I will ask to remove himself from the house. I won’t have him back chat the chair when I represent the house. I am now naming the Member for Wakefield. Naming the Member for Wakefield.
The Opposition leader ⁦@AlboMP⁩ seeks more precision in an answer by the Deputy PM ⁦@M_McCormackMP⁩ #qt ⁦@AmyRemeikis⁩ ⁦@murpharoo⁩ ⁦@mpbowers⁩ pic.twitter.com/JwjKQ9g9cq
Libby Coker (new member for Corangamite) to Michael McCormack.
It is official. I died and this is my hell.
Why won’t work on the south Geelong rail upgrade be commenced before July 2024?
McCormack:
Mr Speaker, all infrastructure has to be over a phased period. You cannot build it all at once. When you are spending a record $100 billion on infrastructure, you can’t spend it all in the one year.
He continues.
Blah, blah,blah, congestion, road, rail, money, building, billions, whiteness, time, beige, beige, beige,
There’s been a lot of talk in recent weeks about the revolving door between politics and business.
Christopher Pyne’s new job with EY, helping it grow its defence business, and Julie Bishop’s new job with foreign aid contractor, Palladium, have caused a fresh round of controversy about post-ministerial employment and lax enforcement of ministerial standards.
But Australia’s revolving door goes well beyond Pyne, Bishop, and ex-cabinet ministers. New and ongoing ANU research has found 56% of registered lobbyists previously held roles within government.
That could include public servants, political staffers, and backbenchers, as well as ministers. Speaking about his as-yet unpublished research, Prof Darren Halpin said it was “crucial” that cooling-off periods for politicians were properly enforced.
“Rightly, there are measures to enforce cooling-off periods that limit such movements,” Halpin said.
“If these are set, it is crucial that they are noted, monitored and enforced. The trickle of media ‘scandals’ in this regard is arguably one dynamic undermining trust in the motives of public officials in their career choices.”
Brian Mitchell to Michael McCormack:
My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. When will work began on the new Bridgewater Bridge?
McCormack:
The Bridgewater Bridge is something that we have said we would fund and we will, Mr Speaker. It is quite as simple as that. We are getting on with the job. We are working with the Tasmanian government, the Hodgman government. When I go to Tasmania, the difference between what we saw before the Hodgman government taking over the reins in Tasmania and what we see now is writ large, Mr Speaker. The factors that is infrastructure such the Bridgewater Bridge which we look forward to building with the Tasmanian government. There are projects such as a Scottsdale irrigation scheme, and during the election campaign, it was delightful to go to..”
He says it in his usual cadence of having. to. stop. after. every. word. with. an. un. necessary. pause. because. he. needs. to. think. about. his. next. word.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. It’s like someone taught a loaf of white bread to talk.
Labor asks WHEN
It is interesting, Mr Speaker, to get questions from those opposite because when they were in power between 2007 and 13, the only thing they built weather egos. We are going to get on and build the Bridgewater Bridge. The fact is there are issues that the infrastructure Australia has identified with that particular project, there are some unresolved engineering issues, there are some cost factors.
When we get those issues resolved, and we will, because we are a government that does things, we are a government which builds things, we will get on with that project, just like we will get on with other projects right throughout Tasmania. We are building...
WHEN WHEN WHEN yells Labor.
Tony Smith says if Labor was listening they would have heard he is answering the question.
McCormack: “They’re just rude, Mr Speaker.”
Smith: No, don’t... Don’t try and help, please don’t try and help.
Timeless. Statement.
It’s time for JUST HOW SAFE ARE YOU with Peter Dutton.
Today it’s the UNION’S ARE BAD edition.
It’s almost like the government has a bill targeting unions it is trying to get support for.
Sharon Claydon to Josh Frydenberg:
[In the Senate the government] ruled out changing the timetable for legislated increases to the superannuation guarantee to 12%. Will you, the Treasurer, now do the same?
Frydenberg:
Yes.
That’s the whole answer.
It’s also the first time the government has ruled it out that definitively.
So those backbenchers who have been calling for it, just got their answer.
Anyone who has ever wished to slow down time should just sit through a question time for the 46th parliament.
Tony Burke to Angus Taylor:
My question as to the Minister for energy, and as last answer he said his interest in jam land had been declared in accordance with the rules. Given the last published register makes no reference to the company, does the Minister stand by the claim he just made to the Parliament was that claim misleading?”
Taylor:
As I said in my last answer, my indirect interest in Jam Land through my family company has been reported in the media and was declared in accordance with the rules, declared in accordance with the rules through my family company. As I have also said in the previous question, I have no association with the compliance action, that has been the subject of these questions. I have never made a representation, in relation to it. I tell you what I have made representations about, the farmers in my electorate. Because I care about them and I stand up for them.
Tony Burke gets up for a point of order, but Taylor has finished.
Christian Porter is taking a dixer on the ensuring integrity bill, and honestly, we should all think of ourselves as well as Christian Porter thinks of Christian Porter.
At the pointy end of #qt with Ministers ⁦@AngusTaylorMP⁩ and ⁦@D_LittleproudMP⁩ ⁦@AmyRemeikis⁩ ⁦@murpharoo⁩ ⁦@mpbowers⁩ pic.twitter.com/03Z0VD74j7
Checking the data. The Home Affairs Minister ⁦@PeterDutton_MP⁩ and Attorney-General ⁦@cporterwa⁩ in #qt. ⁦@AmyRemeikis⁩ ⁦@murpharoo⁩ ⁦@mpbowers⁩ pic.twitter.com/IajjsxqQHYChecking the data. The Home Affairs Minister ⁦@PeterDutton_MP⁩ and Attorney-General ⁦@cporterwa⁩ in #qt. ⁦@AmyRemeikis⁩ ⁦@murpharoo⁩ ⁦@mpbowers⁩ pic.twitter.com/IajjsxqQHY
Labor’s leader in the Senate, Penny Wong, began question time with fresh questions about the energy and emissions reduction minister Angus Taylor. Labor’s leader in the Senate, Penny Wong, began question time with fresh questions about the energy and emissions reduction minister, Angus Taylor.
She asks Simon Birmingham about some responses he gave to questions on notice on Tuesday.She asks Simon Birmingham about some responses he gave to questions on notice on Tuesday.
Those questions related meetings Taylor had with environment officials and Josh Frydenberg’s office about endangered grasslands that were at the centre of an investigation into a company - Jam Land Pty Ltd - that he part owns. Taylor holds shares in Jam Land via his family investment company Gufee. Those questions related to meetings Taylor had with environment officials and Josh Frydenberg’s office about endangered grasslands that were at the centre of an investigation into a company – Jam Land Pty Ltd – that he part-owns. Taylor holds shares in Jam Land via his family investment company Gufee.
Senator Wong reads from a letter from Senator Birmingham and asks if he stands by this statement:“Minister Taylor has always declared his interest as required under the house register of interests and the ministerial code of conduct.”Birmingham says to the best of his knowledge Taylor “has always declared his interest. Wong reads from a letter from Birmingham and asks if he stands by this statement: “Minister Taylor has always declared his interest as required under the House register of interests and the ministerial code of conduct.”
Birmingham says to the best of his knowledge Taylor “has always declared his interest”.
Wong is now asking why Taylor’s register of interests fail to declare his interest in Jam Land.Wong is now asking why Taylor’s register of interests fail to declare his interest in Jam Land.
Birmingham says he will take that on notice and that he won’t take Wong’s word for it. Wong tables ASIC documents that show Taylor is a director of Gufee Pty Ltd, which is a shareholder in Jam Land. Birmingham says he will take that on notice and that he won’t take Wong’s word for it. Wong tables Asic documents that show Taylor is a director of Gufee Pty Ltd, which is a shareholder in Jam Land.
“Given these extracts clearly show Minister Taylor’s interest in Jam Land Pty Ltd, will Senator Birmingham correct the record and apologise for misleading the senate,” she asks. “Given these extracts clearly show Minister Taylor’s interest in Jam Land Pty Ltd, will Senator Birmingham correct the record and apologise for misleading the Senate,” she asks.
Birmingham is sticking to his earlier position and takes the question on notice.Birmingham is sticking to his earlier position and takes the question on notice.
Taylor’s most recent declaration of interests does not mention shares in Jam Land Pty Ltd, but it does list his shares in Gufee. Taylor’s latest declaration of interests does not mention shares in Jam Land Pty Ltd, but it does list his shares in Gufee.
Guardian Australia has checked the ASIC records and Gufee is named as a shareholder in Jam Land. Guardian Australia has checked the Asic records and Gufee is named as a shareholder in Jam Land.
Tony Smith, speaking for all of us, when he tells Greg Hunt to be quiet and stop interjecting (for the second time) Tony Smith, speaking for all of us, when he tells Greg Hunt to be quiet and stop interjecting (for the second time).
“If it helps him, I don’t actually hear what he says, I just hear noise”. “If it helps him, I don’t actually hear what he says, I just hear noise.”
Timeless statement.Timeless statement.
Angus Taylor:Angus Taylor:
My indirect interest in Jam Land has been widely reported. In the media and was declared in accordance with the rules. I have no association with the compliance action, I have never made a representation in relation to it. This is confirmed at Senate Estimates by the secretary of my department in April this year. My indirect interest in Jam Land has been widely reported in the media and was declared in accordance with the rules. I have no association with the compliance action, I have never made a representation in relation to it. This is confirmed at Senate estimates by the secretary of my department in April this year.
Mr Speaker I make no apology for seeking and receiving a briefing on policies that seriously impact the farmers in my electorate, it is what the people of Hume expect of me as their local Member. Mr Speaker, I make no apology for seeking and receiving a briefing on policies that seriously impact the farmers in my electorate, it is what the people of Hume expect of me as their local member.
In fact, Mr Speaker, the people of Eden-Monaro should be asking, why the representative didn’t do the same. Half of the affected grasslands are in his electorate. I stand up, for the farmers in my electorate” In fact, Mr Speaker, the people of Eden-Monaro should be asking why their representative didn’t do the same. Half of the affected grasslands are in his electorate. I stand up for the farmers in my electorate.
He goes on about the drought fund.He goes on about the drought fund.
Mike Kelly to Angus Taylor:
Why did the minister say in question time yesterday that he has, and I quote, “no association with Jam Land Propriety Limited” when it shows he does have an interest in the company?
Christian Porter is straight up onto his feet.
According to standing order 100B. That question has been asked and fully answered.
Labor goes nuts and Tony Smith tells them to be quiet so he can hear the point of order.
Porter:
Yesterday the member for Griffith asked a question, it was a compound question, it had two parts. The first part was that the, the first part sought confirmation that the minister had an interest in a company. The second part sought confirmation that there was … some departmental investigation. The minister answered the second part first. He said he had no association, clearly meaning with the departmental investigation. And then he noted that he remained at arm’s length from the company that was the subject of the question. There has never been any dispute that the minister has a relationship with the company, and that is on the members’ listed interests.
Tony Burke is back up:
Mr Speaker, first of all, the question being asked is asking him to reconcile statements yesterday with Asic documents, that question has been asked for the first time. In terms of what his answer was yesterday, the sentence that appears in Hansard is, I quote, ‘I have no association and have remained at arm’s length from the company.’ Given that was the statement, I’m sorry, the words in the investigation had been added in the point of order taken by the leader of the House. That was not part of the quote the question asks.
Tony Smith rules:
There are two issues here, whether a question is being fully answered. It’s not really for the chair to judge that, except unless it’s an identical question. I take the point that the leader of the House is making, which is it is a very similar question. Certainly the rules on the practice, the question has to be, identical, absolutely identical, the question yesterday, for that to be the case, for if that were the case, yesterday’s answer would have been deemed fully answered because the question has been answered. It’s not, so that question is in order. It is able to be asked because it’s different, but it’s referring to the answer yesterday.
Because my Mercury is in retrograde, apparently forever, Michael McCormack is back.
In maybe her first actual mis-step since coming to parliament, Zali Steggall inflicts Michael McCormack on the chamber.
Warringah has some of the most congested roads in Australia and it’s a huge detriment to people’s daily lives. A proposed solution, the Beaches Link Tunnel, would reduce congestion by bypassing the Spit Bridge. The proposed Beaches Link Tunnel has been talked about for over two decades, including by the former member of Warringah, and is now in the New South Wales planning and assessment process. During the campaign the federal government committed $50 million from the Urban Congestion Fund to provide access to the tunnel. Could the minister please tell the House what has happened to that $50 million commitment?
McCormack says some things, which involve the usual white bread homilies, but life is really too short to pay too much attention. It’s to be expected – white noise has that effect.
Alan Tudge steps up. He threatens to go all afternoon, but the gist is
... We stand by all our commitments that we make and that’s the difference between this side and that side is when we promise something we actually deliver. When it comes to delivering we’re delivering $100 billion in infrastructure over the next 10 years.
I mean, most of that is in the back end of the decade, but sure.
Ed Husic looks like he is biting the inside of his mouth with everything he has to avoid heckling Josh Frydenberg.
He settles on some very cartoonish nods.
It’s a mood.
Brendan O’Connor to Christian Porter:
What bills are before the House that implement the recommendations of the banking royal commission?
Porter:
It’s unusual for the leader of the House to take a point of order on a question to him as leader of the House. That needs to be directed to a minister, the minister responsible for those bills.
Tony Burke is up.
This is where he proves he knows more about House procedure than Porter, who currently has practically every single piece of the government’s agenda on his plate, as well as this new job as leader of the House.
Not a fun place to be, but hey, that’s why he gets the big bucks.
Burke:
The role of leader of the House is meant to be a real job. And as part of that job, members of parliament ... It has always been in order to ask the leader of the House about the business of the House, regardless of what portfolio that business falls in to otherwise.
Tony Smith gives Porter an out:
I’ll make two points because, whilst it’s unorthodox, certainly the manager of opposition business well knows I’ve seen many examples where that has occurred. But I mean the practice also makes very clear, if I can point out to ministers, that they are entitled to, if it relates to another portfolio, they’re entitled to refer that to a relevant minister if they wish to. That’s a right they have. I’ll leave it in the hands of the leader of the House whether he wishes to answer it.
Porter gives it to Josh Frydenberg:
I can confirm to the House that this parliament has passed legislation implementing the royal commission’s recommendations, including recommendation 3.6, to prohibit super funds from inducing employees, and introducing civil penalties for trustees and directors of super funds. We have also passed regulations which extend the remit in terms of dealing with financial complaints, back to January 1, 2008. We’ve also legislated product intervention powers.
#theministerdoesnotanswerthequestion
Ed Husic has just been told by Tony Smith that his word allocation is over for the day.
Husic’s face says he STILL HAS WORDS to say.
The new member for Lindsay was VERY eager to ask her dixer, jumping to her feet in an attempt to head off Peter Khalil’s question.
That is probably also because there was a bit of a rev up through the government benches about paying attention as well.
Anyways, now Josh Frydenberg is yelling about something. Tax, probably.
Peter Khalil to Christian Porter:
On how many occasions this year has a worker contacted the Fair Work Ombudsman to report an incident of wage theft, only for the ombudsman to make no contact with their employer?
Porter:
I mean, it would be unusual if I would have that level of detail to hand.
I can certainly get that for the member. I am aware of several occasions where the ombudsman has taken complaints about underpayment which originally went to a union without action and went to the ombudsman for action.
I am aware that in the last budget that this government provided $10.8 million to the Fair Work Ombudsman to investigate precisely the types of things that we’re now talking about. I am aware our government has a zero tolerance for this sort of behaviour, whether that is underpayment or wage theft.
The difficulty is, Mr Speaker, the difficulty is that they seem over there to have a very low tolerance for underpayment but they’ve got a monstrously high tolerance when it’s workers’ money being diverted from workers to unions.
That’s when their tolerance levels seem to get out of whack. We have $10.8 million given by this government to the Fair Work Ombudsman to investigate these matters. They are now investigated more heavily than they’ve ever been investigated previously.
That builds on $30 million in unpaid wages, representing more than 13,000 workers with completed audits of 4,500 Australian workplaces. That is more than when Labor were last in office.
When Labor were last in office, Mr Speaker – and this might interest the member for Wills – but when Labor were last in office, not without standing there with indignation today, they cut the funding of the Fair Work Ombudsman by 17%. So the body that investigates underpayment, when they were in government, they cut its funding by 17%. You know what, Mr Speaker, you know what they also cut, you know what they also cut – the Fair Work Ombudsman’s staff, who are paid money to investigate underpayment of wages, they were cut by members opposite by 20%. So the indignation exists now but when the rubber was on the road and they were required to investigate these matters, they underfunded and cut the staff of the organisation who are meant to investigate these matters. So we’d be very happy for another question like that, member for Wills.
Gladys Liu gets the first dixer and it includes the phrase “whose side are you on”, which just means we get a lecture on WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON and Scott Morrison Shouty McShoutiness.
Just on that (Guardian style guide aside) ‘leader of the opposition with a capital O’ isn’t quite the sledge the prime minister thinks it is, given that Leader of the Opposition is a proper noun. So it is literally spelt with a capital O.