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| Labor on the fence about support for climate emergency motion – politics live | Labor on the fence about support for climate emergency motion – politics live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| As Sarah Martin, who has had a read through the drug testing bill, has pointed out, the government is not releasing the cost of the trial. | |
| The financial impact of these amendments is not for publication. | |
| That’s despite the front page in yesterday’s Daily Telegraph saying up to $65,000 would be available for those determined to need referrals. | |
| Also, it just appears to apply to those on a “job seekers” payment (which will become the new Newstart term) or youth allowance. No other welfare appears to be included. | |
| You can find the whole bill, here | |
| Someone has been paying attention | |
| It’s clear @GladysLiuMP needs to answer some serious questions. Her statement is shocking. She should be held to the same standard that I was - a standard the PM set. I resigned. I took responsibility. That was the right decision in my circumstances. | |
| Does Mark Dreyfus see any reason for a religious discrimination act? | |
| Dreyfus: | |
| Some of the public commentary and some of the submissions, Senator Lambie, for example, the day before yesterday, expressed the view that the legislation wasn’t necessary at all. I imagine that that’s going to be part of the debate because some people are expressing that view – but speaking for myself, I think that there’s a number of groups in the Australian community that have suffered discrimination because of their religious belief, and the community that most springs to mind in recent years would be the Muslim community among us, who directly suffer discrimination in employment and the provision of services. | |
| I think that it’s absolutely a worthwhile innovation that the attorney general has produced to add this additional ground of discrimination to our existing set of anti-discrimination laws. | |
| Precisely how that’s going to be done is the argument that’s ahead of us. But I hear the voices that have said, ‘What’s the need for this?’, or, ‘Why are we doing this?’ | |
| Other voices saying the reason we’re having the discussion is because of what occurred in the same-sex marriage debate. | |
| Put that to one side, there’s been calls now for a long time for a new ground of discrimination based on religious belief. Four states of the commonwealth have acted to create that ground of discrimination. | |
| I’m very happy we’re having that debate at the federal level now. | |
| The whole question and answer exchange is here: | |
| Paul Karp: In the context of the marriage debate, Bill Shorten gave a very simple commitment that Labor would not vote for legislation that watered down the protection of LGBT Australians. | |
| Now, I know the religious discrimination bill is just an exposure draft and I know Labor is still consulting about it, but will you recommit today that Labor will not vote to water down existing protections in state and federal discrimination law? | |
| And if not, why is that principle no longer a red line for Labor? | |
| Mark Dreyfus: Well, I don’t want to give an absolutely clear answer to Paul’s excellent question. | |
| It’s one of the questions raised by the exposure draft bills that Christian Porter released about 10 days ago. | |
| The reason I don’t is that, as I said publicly as recently as yesterday at a press conference that Paul asked me a similar question about, I said these are exposure drafts. | |
| Labor’s now consulting on those exposure drafts and when the government resolves on whatever final position it gets to and introduces legislation to the parliament, that will be the time for Labor to form a final view of whether the legislation that the government has introduced to the parliament is an appropriate change to Australia’s anti-discrimination law. | |
| One thing I can say, though, is that we have longstanding Labor values in this area. | |
| Labor is committed to the elimination of all forms of discrimination in our community. | |
| We have shown that since 1975, when we enacted the Racial Discrimination Act, through to the Sex Discrimination Act through to the Disability Discrimination Act, another Labor enactment, and then supporting the Howard government when it enacted the Age Discrimination Act. | |
| Those are the four acts of the Australian parliament that set up the anti-discrimination framework that governs conduct in Australia today. | |
| We look carefully at the other provisions that have been enacted at the state level, because one of the parts of the debate prompted by the exposure drafts that Christian Porter has produced is whether or not, in addition to the existing framework of the four acts, there should also be a new attribute protected against discrimination, namely religious belief. | |
| Four states already have such a protected attribute in their anti-discrimination frameworks. There’s a question raised by this legislation as to whether or not at the federal level we should have that as well. | |
| And one of the questions that’s going to need to be resolved, as it always has been when a new anti-discrimination statute is produced, is how that new anti-discrimination statute needs to interact with the existing anti-discrimination statutes. | |
| This is something that international human rights has dealt with and political rights deals with directly. It’s where you have potentially conflicting rights. | |
| And the resolution of that conflict or competition between rights is the subject matter of the debate. We have seen bits of it so far in the commitment that the prime minister made during the Wentworth byelection, for example, to abolish the exemption that’s there for religious schools to discriminate against students and children in those schools – that’s unresolved, of course, because the prime minister didn’t keep that promise, and still hasn’t. | |
| [That] perhaps demonstrates the degree of difficulty, but that’s the issue that’s going to have to be resolved. | |
| The issue raised by your question is going to have to be revolved when we come to debating the legislation that the government says it’s bringing forward. | |
| Sighhhhhhhhh | |
| Mark Dreyfus refuses to recommit to principle @billshortenmp established that Labor won't vote to water down protections of LGBT Australians. Says it's "not of assistance to commit" and he doesn't want to "pre-empt" consultation by giving that guarantee. #auspol #NPC | |
| Cory Bernardi has been unable to file his weekly “commonsense” missive to supporters, because he is “under the pump in Canberra”. | |
| Given what the Senate is dealing with this week, he may be the only one, but I guess we all handle transitions differently. Or in this case, approaching a transition. | Given what the Senate is dealing with this week, he may be the only one, but I guess we all handle transitions differently. Or in this case, approaching a transition. |
| On the ongoing Labor review, and what may happen to some of the policies of the last six years, Mark Dreyfus says this: | On the ongoing Labor review, and what may happen to some of the policies of the last six years, Mark Dreyfus says this: |
| I’m not going to pre-empt the outcome first of all of the review being conducted by eminent former figures of the Labor party. That review is going to report to the party later in the year. And this will be an ongoing debate in the Labor party, as it should be after an election defeat. | I’m not going to pre-empt the outcome first of all of the review being conducted by eminent former figures of the Labor party. That review is going to report to the party later in the year. And this will be an ongoing debate in the Labor party, as it should be after an election defeat. |
| It’s an election defeat where the government increased its majority by precisely one seat, moving from having a one-seat majority after the 2016 election to a two-seat majority after the 2019 election. | It’s an election defeat where the government increased its majority by precisely one seat, moving from having a one-seat majority after the 2016 election to a two-seat majority after the 2019 election. |
| But it’s an election result which has caused shock right across Australia because of the deep expectation that Labor was going to win the election. | But it’s an election result which has caused shock right across Australia because of the deep expectation that Labor was going to win the election. |
| We do have to review the way in which we campaigned; we do have to review the policies we took to the people at the last election. That’s an entirely appropriate process for us to be engaging in. | We do have to review the way in which we campaigned; we do have to review the policies we took to the people at the last election. That’s an entirely appropriate process for us to be engaging in. |
| And might I say – we are not going to win the 2022 election by making announcements right here and now – or for me to make an announcement at the Press Club of what our policies are going to be. | And might I say – we are not going to win the 2022 election by making announcements right here and now – or for me to make an announcement at the Press Club of what our policies are going to be. |
| One of the striking things, I would say, about the last election was just the way in which the winning party, the one that won a majority of seats, 77 seats in the parliament, in their Coalition, was able to go from the knifing of a prime minister for the second time in five years to a just winning position in May of 2019. | One of the striking things, I would say, about the last election was just the way in which the winning party, the one that won a majority of seats, 77 seats in the parliament, in their Coalition, was able to go from the knifing of a prime minister for the second time in five years to a just winning position in May of 2019. |
| But it does tell you something about the speed in which things can change in Australian politics and the closeness to the election that changes a position that might be able to be achieved. | But it does tell you something about the speed in which things can change in Australian politics and the closeness to the election that changes a position that might be able to be achieved. |
| Could everyone who is commenting on some of the issues today take a breath and think about the origins of their comments, and how it may be coming across. Not all racism is intentional, but it still needs to be called out. | Could everyone who is commenting on some of the issues today take a breath and think about the origins of their comments, and how it may be coming across. Not all racism is intentional, but it still needs to be called out. |
| I don’t need comments defending some of the terms or nicknames. Just think about it, before posting. | I don’t need comments defending some of the terms or nicknames. Just think about it, before posting. |
| And if it doesn’t apply to you, cool. Enact one of the most golden social media rules – if it doesn’t fit, let it slip. | And if it doesn’t apply to you, cool. Enact one of the most golden social media rules – if it doesn’t fit, let it slip. |
| Moving on. | Moving on. |
| This is either “farmers don’t take drugs” or “if farmers take drugs we don’t care”, because not all welfare is equal, apparently. | This is either “farmers don’t take drugs” or “if farmers take drugs we don’t care”, because not all welfare is equal, apparently. |
| If the point is to try and find drug problems and help people defeat them, shouldn’t everyone be involved? | If the point is to try and find drug problems and help people defeat them, shouldn’t everyone be involved? |
| Farmers in welfare drug test sites who receive farm household allowance are exempt, according to the legislation tabled today:'recipients who receive a payment of farm household allowance made under the Farm Household Support Act will not be subject to the drug testing trial' | Farmers in welfare drug test sites who receive farm household allowance are exempt, according to the legislation tabled today:'recipients who receive a payment of farm household allowance made under the Farm Household Support Act will not be subject to the drug testing trial' |
| And here are Mark Dreyfus’s problems with the government’s proposal for a national integrity commission: | And here are Mark Dreyfus’s problems with the government’s proposal for a national integrity commission: |
| The government’s model proposes a body with two wings – one wing is essentially the existing Australian Commission for Law Enforcement and Integrity, with a few new departments brought under its jurisdiction. The second wing is designed to cover politicians, their staff, and the commonwealth public service. | The government’s model proposes a body with two wings – one wing is essentially the existing Australian Commission for Law Enforcement and Integrity, with a few new departments brought under its jurisdiction. The second wing is designed to cover politicians, their staff, and the commonwealth public service. |
| The government proposes vastly different powers for the two wings, which would be in effect two different bodies. The ACLEI wing would retain all its previous investigatory powers and the ability to hold public hearings – although notably it has not held a single public hearing since its foundation in 2006. The second wing, however, would be far more limited: | The government proposes vastly different powers for the two wings, which would be in effect two different bodies. The ACLEI wing would retain all its previous investigatory powers and the ability to hold public hearings – although notably it has not held a single public hearing since its foundation in 2006. The second wing, however, would be far more limited: |
| It can not self-start inquiries or act on tip-offs from the public, as it must rely on referrals of allegations of serious or corrupt conduct from agency heads. How that will work in the case of politicians is unclear. | It can not self-start inquiries or act on tip-offs from the public, as it must rely on referrals of allegations of serious or corrupt conduct from agency heads. How that will work in the case of politicians is unclear. |
| It can not hold public hearings, full-stop. | It can not hold public hearings, full-stop. |
| It can not make findings of corruption – instead it will simply determine whether any case is strong enough to refer to the CDPP. | It can not make findings of corruption – instead it will simply determine whether any case is strong enough to refer to the CDPP. |
| It can not investigate serious misconduct due to the threshold for investigation being set at a reasonable suspicion that the conduct in question constitutes a criminal offence. | It can not investigate serious misconduct due to the threshold for investigation being set at a reasonable suspicion that the conduct in question constitutes a criminal offence. |
| It will not have the power to seize evidence nor conduct surveillance – powers that have proved key to several cases in state-based anti-corruption systems | It will not have the power to seize evidence nor conduct surveillance – powers that have proved key to several cases in state-based anti-corruption systems |
| It can not self-start inquiries or act on tip-offs from the public, as it must rely on referrals of allegations of serious or corrupt conduct from agency heads. How that will work in the case of politicians is unclear. | It can not self-start inquiries or act on tip-offs from the public, as it must rely on referrals of allegations of serious or corrupt conduct from agency heads. How that will work in the case of politicians is unclear. |
| It can not hold public hearings, full-stop. | It can not hold public hearings, full-stop. |
| It can not make findings of corruption – instead it will simply determine whether any case is strong enough to refer to the CDPP. | It can not make findings of corruption – instead it will simply determine whether any case is strong enough to refer to the CDPP. |
| It can not investigate serious misconduct due to the threshold for investigation being set at a reasonable suspicion that the conduct in question constitutes a criminal offence. | It can not investigate serious misconduct due to the threshold for investigation being set at a reasonable suspicion that the conduct in question constitutes a criminal offence. |
| It will not have the power to seize evidence nor conduct surveillance – powers that have proved key to several cases in state-based anti-corruption systems | It will not have the power to seize evidence nor conduct surveillance – powers that have proved key to several cases in state-based anti-corruption systems |
| ... As the prime minister might put it, “how good is a national integrity commission that can’t investigate anything that embarrasses my government?”. (He did a voice for that) | ... As the prime minister might put it, “how good is a national integrity commission that can’t investigate anything that embarrasses my government?”. (He did a voice for that) |
| Mark Dreyfus acknowledges the NSW Labor situation in his speech: | Mark Dreyfus acknowledges the NSW Labor situation in his speech: |
| There has been a great deal in the news recently about the conduct of individuals in the NSW Labor party in relation to election donations, aired at the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption. Other matters at Icac over recent years have resulted in the resignation of some 11 Liberal party MPs, and just this morning we read that another Liberal minister has serious questions to answer. Without prejudging any possible findings of the current investigation, let me make an unequivocal statement, and that is that Labor stands for integrity, accountability and transparency in government. And that we do not tolerate misconduct, whether in government, business or unions. In keeping with this guiding principle we have always worked to foster a culture of integrity in government. And in opposition. | There has been a great deal in the news recently about the conduct of individuals in the NSW Labor party in relation to election donations, aired at the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption. Other matters at Icac over recent years have resulted in the resignation of some 11 Liberal party MPs, and just this morning we read that another Liberal minister has serious questions to answer. Without prejudging any possible findings of the current investigation, let me make an unequivocal statement, and that is that Labor stands for integrity, accountability and transparency in government. And that we do not tolerate misconduct, whether in government, business or unions. In keeping with this guiding principle we have always worked to foster a culture of integrity in government. And in opposition. |
| And if misconduct does occur, action must be taken. Not just action against the individual or individuals involved, but serious action to ensure that such conduct never occurs again. | And if misconduct does occur, action must be taken. Not just action against the individual or individuals involved, but serious action to ensure that such conduct never occurs again. |
| This is a statement from Gladys Liu to me less than 24 hours ago denying any connection with a number of Chinese organisations. She now accepts she did have an association with three of the groups #auspol pic.twitter.com/luJAliP5PN | This is a statement from Gladys Liu to me less than 24 hours ago denying any connection with a number of Chinese organisations. She now accepts she did have an association with three of the groups #auspol pic.twitter.com/luJAliP5PN |
| Gladys Liu is putting her statement out via twitter: | Gladys Liu is putting her statement out via twitter: |
| not take sides on competing territorial claims but we call on all claimants to resolve disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law.Our relationship with China is one of mutual benefit and underpinned by our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. China is not a | not take sides on competing territorial claims but we call on all claimants to resolve disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law.Our relationship with China is one of mutual benefit and underpinned by our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. China is not a |
| being the first Chinese-born member of Parliament. I know some people will see everything I do through the lens of my birthplace, but I hope that they will see more than just the first Chinese woman elected to Parliament. I hope they will see me as a strong advocate for everyone | being the first Chinese-born member of Parliament. I know some people will see everything I do through the lens of my birthplace, but I hope that they will see more than just the first Chinese woman elected to Parliament. I hope they will see me as a strong advocate for everyone |
| •Honorary President of the United Chinese Commerce Association of Australia. My involvement was done for no other reason than to support the promotion of trade between Australia and Hong Kong, and to encourage individuals in the Australia-Hong Kong community to undertake | •Honorary President of the United Chinese Commerce Association of Australia. My involvement was done for no other reason than to support the promotion of trade between Australia and Hong Kong, and to encourage individuals in the Australia-Hong Kong community to undertake |
| Association in 2011. I no longer have an association with this organisationMy Labor opponent in the recent election also had an association with the United Chinese Commerce Association of Australia and was honorary President of the Australian Jiangmen General Commercial | Association in 2011. I no longer have an association with this organisationMy Labor opponent in the recent election also had an association with the United Chinese Commerce Association of Australia and was honorary President of the Australian Jiangmen General Commercial |
| I am in the process of auditing any organisations who may have added me as a member without my knowledge or consent.I am a proud Australian, passionately committed to serving the people of Chisholm, and any suggestion contrary to this is deeply offensive. | I am in the process of auditing any organisations who may have added me as a member without my knowledge or consent.I am a proud Australian, passionately committed to serving the people of Chisholm, and any suggestion contrary to this is deeply offensive. |
| Labor’s new senator from South Australia, Marielle Smith, will make her first speech in the Senate later this afternoon. | Labor’s new senator from South Australia, Marielle Smith, will make her first speech in the Senate later this afternoon. |
| There will be one or two very familiar faces in the gallery as she delivers it – Smith worked with former prime minister Julia Gillard on delivering a global education policy for about five years. Kate Ellis is a big supporter as well. | There will be one or two very familiar faces in the gallery as she delivers it – Smith worked with former prime minister Julia Gillard on delivering a global education policy for about five years. Kate Ellis is a big supporter as well. |
| Mark Dreyfus is delivering the National Press Club address on the need for a national integrity commission: | Mark Dreyfus is delivering the National Press Club address on the need for a national integrity commission: |
| The proof of the government’s lack of commitment to integrity and hence, the title of my speech, Time’s Up!, is that more than 20 months after Labor’s announcement that we would establish a national integrity commission, and more than eight months after the Liberal government announced the same commitment, we still don’t have, from the government, so much as an exposure draft for legislation to establish such a body. | The proof of the government’s lack of commitment to integrity and hence, the title of my speech, Time’s Up!, is that more than 20 months after Labor’s announcement that we would establish a national integrity commission, and more than eight months after the Liberal government announced the same commitment, we still don’t have, from the government, so much as an exposure draft for legislation to establish such a body. |
| Indeed, legislation to establish such a body is not even on the government’s published legislative plan for the rest of this year. And this is despite the fact that at the time of the December press conference, the government claimed to have been working on legislation since January 2018. It seems Mr Morrison’s statement in November that ensuring integrity in government is a ‘fringe issue’ continues to be an accurate statement of his view on this matter. | Indeed, legislation to establish such a body is not even on the government’s published legislative plan for the rest of this year. And this is despite the fact that at the time of the December press conference, the government claimed to have been working on legislation since January 2018. It seems Mr Morrison’s statement in November that ensuring integrity in government is a ‘fringe issue’ continues to be an accurate statement of his view on this matter. |
| You have to ask just how serious this government is about a national integrity commission when 10 months after announcing the need for one and putting out a discussion paper, there is no proposal before the parliament, and no sign it’s even on the government’s agenda for the rest of this year. | You have to ask just how serious this government is about a national integrity commission when 10 months after announcing the need for one and putting out a discussion paper, there is no proposal before the parliament, and no sign it’s even on the government’s agenda for the rest of this year. |
| We have a government that is obsessed with a bill about unions that they have called ‘ensuring integrity’. But the same government adamantly refuses to ensure its own integrity can be put under scrutiny. | We have a government that is obsessed with a bill about unions that they have called ‘ensuring integrity’. But the same government adamantly refuses to ensure its own integrity can be put under scrutiny. |
| This piece from Michelle Grattan was interesting. Russell Broadbent has also been pushing the government to end mandatory detention. | This piece from Michelle Grattan was interesting. Russell Broadbent has also been pushing the government to end mandatory detention. |
| Liberal moderate Russell Broadbent will not vote for government's mandatory sentencing legislation https://t.co/OuhMndYzdf via @ConversationEDU | Liberal moderate Russell Broadbent will not vote for government's mandatory sentencing legislation https://t.co/OuhMndYzdf via @ConversationEDU |
| A spokesman for foreign minister Marise Payne has confirmed Australia is assisting families of three Australians who have been detained in Iran: | A spokesman for foreign minister Marise Payne has confirmed Australia is assisting families of three Australians who have been detained in Iran: |
| The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the families of three Australians detained in Iran. Due to our privacy obligations, we will not comment further. | The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the families of three Australians detained in Iran. Due to our privacy obligations, we will not comment further. |
| All Australian citizens and holders of dual nationality with Australia who are travelling to or through Iran are urged to follow the travel advice on the DFAT Smartraveller website. | All Australian citizens and holders of dual nationality with Australia who are travelling to or through Iran are urged to follow the travel advice on the DFAT Smartraveller website. |
| That advice? | That advice? |
| “Reconsider your need to travel”. Part of the country is on the do-not-travel list. | “Reconsider your need to travel”. Part of the country is on the do-not-travel list. |