DLP senator John Madigan resigns from party - as it happened
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Version 0 of 1. 5.56pm AEST08:56 Night time Australian politics summary Parliament does not sit again until September 22. By that time, we could reasonably expect to see the second tranche of the government’s counter terrorism laws, relating to the return of foreign fighters, among other things. At that time, you shall see Katharine Murphy back driving the blog. Thanks for your company. Good night. 5.37pm AEST08:37 Ok people, apologies for the gap but I have been snooping around the corridors. The lower house of parliament has risen for the night and the senate will rise by 6pm. I will get to the summary shortly. 4.11pm AEST07:11 The Captain Hook furore. He swears he was referring to Captain Hook after the Speaker warned Labor not to use any single fingers. In oppositional defiance, all Labor members raised their single fingers and Husic, holding crooked finger aloft, said: Well that’s pretty anti-Captain Hook. Only to be unceremoniously thrown out. 3.35pm AEST06:35 Thanks for the protection Madam Speaker. A frontbench frolic. 3.27pm AEST06:27 Clive Palmer defends his Australia Fund, sometimes known as the Palmer Piggy Bank or the Slush Puppy. The @PalmerUtdParty proposal for parly inquiry into creating Australia Fund to help those in need at times of crisis has won govt support. 3.16pm AEST06:16 Anthony Albanese is prosecuting a Matter of Public Importance on Tony Abbott’s broken promises. Albo says Abbott treats promises like plates at a Greek wedding. 3.14pm AEST06:14 It must be Thursday. 3.13pm AEST06:13 A Coalition question to the assistant minister of defence Stuart Robert on government programs for rehabilitation of Australian veterans from wars including Afghanistan. Let’s call it the Jacqui Lambie question. Updated at 3.22pm AEST 3.10pm AEST06:10 Environment minister Greg Hunt speaks to the home insulation royal commission report. As the house falls silent, Hunt outlines the findings, that the lessons were not learned by the government administering the program after the first of four deaths of young installers. In short, the commissioner said these four tragedies were avoidable...he said ‘Despite electrical safety issues being raised squarely as an issue after the death of Mr Fuller, insufficient action was taken to prevent further tragedies’. 3.06pm AEST06:06 Rishworth’s question to Pyne: I refer to a media release still on the minister’s website Pyne On-line titled Coalition will not cap places or raise HECS. Given the government is massively increasing university fees, why is the minister misleading the Australian people on his website? We are actually expanding the demand-driven system in the reform bill to sub bachelor courses, diplomas and associate degrees so that tens of thousands more young people will get the opportunity to do those pathways courses into undergraduate degrees. They are mostly used by low socioeconomic status young people, mature age students, first generation university goers to get to university, says Pyne. 3.04pm AEST06:04 Christopher Pyne, in answer to a question from Amanda Rishworth, welcomes the question from her. Rishworth is a psychologist. He says at least she finished her degree, as opposed to the Member for Adelaide (Kate Ellis) who, Pyne says, started two degrees paid for by the taxpayer and finished neither. 3.00pm AEST06:00 The communications minister Malcolm Turnbull gets a question. (Abbott must be away.) He is asked about the importance of getting “informed advice” when funding major projects (like the NBN). I think these children are beyond anyone’s ability to reform, Turnbull says of Labor. 2.58pm AEST05:58 Speaker Bronwyn Bishop refers to Labor: I would ask the children on the left to stop waving to the children leaving the chamber. 2.57pm AEST05:57 Pyne quotes Bob Hawke. He says one of the greatest stupidities was the proposition that the Whitlam Labor Government introduced of so-called free education. There is no such thing as free education, it’s a question of who pays and how it’s paid for. The reforms that we are proposing to universities will lift the contribution that students make to their education from 40% to 50%. It will be a 50-50 split with the taxpayer. Right now the taxpayer is paying 60% and this will lead to student contribution to 50-50. 2.53pm AEST05:53 Christopher Pyne is asked: Is doubling university fees and threatening to cut university funding what the prime minister meant by a government that keeps its promises? Mark Dreyfus takes a point of order on relevance. Speaker Bishop warns Labor about frivolous questions. Pyne thanks Speaker Bishop for ruling in his favour. Thank you for your protection, says Pyne to Bishop. 2.51pm AEST05:51 A government question to Truss on support for the Australia-Korea free trade agreement. Labor brought out a dissenting report and Truss is claiming that Labor is prevented by its unions from supporting bilateral agreements. 2.48pm AEST05:48 Plibersek asks Hockey: The treasurer’s scrapping of the low income superannuation contribution will mean that a woman earning $37,000 a year will lose $500 every year of her working life from 2017 onwards. Why is the treasurer putting the interests of one billionaire ahead of more than 2 million women on low incomes? The fact of the matter is that the best way you can help to grow the pool of superannuation in Australia is to have a strong economy with profitable businesses, improving real value in real estate and people in jobs, says Hockey. 2.45pm AEST05:45 Hi Viz! Haven’t we seen the before? With worker on 23 Aug 2013 for beginning of Torrens to Torrens South Rd project which Truss claimed as new in #qt pic.twitter.com/SVB3PBUMEi 2.41pm AEST05:41 The acting prime minister. 2.39pm AEST05:39 Shorten to Truss: The freezing of the superannuation guarantee will mean that an average income earner aged 25 will lose around $100,000 by the time they retire. Can the acting prime minister explain to the students here in parliament today from the National Student Leadership Forum why his government is placing the interests of one mining billionaire ahead of 9 million Australians? The Opposition presumes incorrectly that the mining industry is only of value to those who own mines. The reality is it is a major employer in this country....Now Labor took $3.3 billion a way from low-income earners for their superannuation scheme. They have got no right to criticise those who need to make decisions, need to deliver outcomes, because Labor had a budget that was spending money that they weren’t making. Updated at 2.42pm AEST 2.36pm AEST05:36 A government question on how repealing the mining tax will improve the economy and job growth. Ed Husic expulsion number 196 @GuardianAus @gabriellechan #politicslive http://t.co/9a3GaTkfJn pic.twitter.com/cU1SVpcVg8 2.32pm AEST05:32 Shorten asks Warren Truss, what happen to Tony Abbott’s promise for one million new jobs in the first five years. Truss says the government has created 100,000 new jobs in the first year, compared with 200,000 new unemployed people under Labor. 2.30pm AEST05:30 Justice minister Michael Keenan is updating the house on the MH17 investigation. Essentially, the work is continuing. More than 50 personnel remain in the Netherlands, 50 AFP personnel remain in the Ukraine and the Netherlands in support of the ongoing victim identification and the criminal investigation into the “murder of 298 innocent people”. 2.27pm AEST05:27 Andrew Wilkie asks health minister Peter Dutton if he will establish an alcohol summit to implement a strategy to establish similar policies to stop tobacco use. Wilkie says the federal government is passing the buck on alcohol. Dutton says he will work with the states and he points out the Australian Medical Association has planned an alcohol summit in October and he suggests the AMA summit should also consider other drugs such as steroid use among young people. So we will take it as a no. The feds won’t establish an alcohol summit. Updated at 2.27pm AEST 2.23pm AEST05:23 Scott Morrison gets a government question on his border protection policies. Bowen asks about the Coalition’s policy of “never doing deals with minor parties”. Labor has now dubbed the government the Palmer-Abbott government and wants to know about the Palmer Piggy Bank deal - otherwise known from the Australia Fund. Joe Hockey goes into a dissertation on the “Rudd Bank” They come in opposition to the parliament and ask us to rule out speculation put forward by the Independent member forFairfax about a proposal that may or may not ever receive the support of this Parliament and yet the Labor Party as complete hypocrites when they were in government tried desperately to establish a bank that would lend money to businesses obviously, that only failed a couple of months later. 2.18pm AEST05:18 Truss mentioned the East West link in Melbourne as evidence of the Coalition’s promised bulldozers and cranes on the skyline. He says geological surveys are being carried out. Albanese replies: It was a very specific question about a very specific promise by the Coalition about bulldozers, not early geological investigations. 2.14pm AEST05:14 197. Julie Owens punted. #BronwynBingo 2.13pm AEST05:13 Albanese aims at Truss and wants to know the name of one new project the Coalition has started, as opposed to projects already conceived and funded by Labor? Albo is asked to withdrawn an unparliamentary term, which he does. Speaker Bishop warns against airing “single fingers”. (Your mother always told you not to point.) I think Labor’s Ed Husic lifted a finger and was turfed. 196. Husic #BronwynBingo 2.09pm AEST05:09 A government question to Warren Truss, how is the government fast-tracking infrastructure projects? Truss commends Sydney’s second airport, the roads of the 21st century and the NBN. The Minister for Communications (Turnbull) has achieved more in delivering the NBN in one year than Labor did in its six. He’s getting people connected, things are really happening. 2.06pm AEST05:06 Joe Hockey continues taking the mickey out of Wayne Swan. Swan is not impressed. The Good Fight- reading for Treasurer Hockey #QT from the member for Lilley @GuardianAus @gabriellechan #politicslive pic.twitter.com/UCLG3EqujQ 2.05pm AEST05:05 First question is to Joe Hockey from Shorten: I refer to the Government’s broken promises on not doing deals with minor parties. So will the Treasurer right here right now rule out creating a government-owned Australia Fund or a “Palmer piggy bank” as a result of the Government’s dirty deal with the leader of the Palmer United Party. We believe that industries should be in the business of relying on its own enterprise, not become reliant on taxpayers’ support. 1.59pm AEST04:59 Question time is about to begin led by Warren Truss. 1.50pm AEST04:50 Just to digress into after hours activities. Wednesday is always a big night in Canberra, being the night before pollies, staffers and some meeja ship out at the end of the sitting week. National party MP Andrew Broad and his party colleague and Bundaberg boy Keith Pitt were: rockin’ on. Broad, being from Mallee in Victoria, is a Great Southern Man. Icehouse in concert in Canberra, rocking on with Keith Pitt MP. All the ol classics... pic.twitter.com/lxDynwnuih Updated at 1.52pm AEST 1.42pm AEST04:42 Daniel Hurst has provided this snap based on the documents tabled by Madigan in the senate this afternoon. The office manager for the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) senator John Madigan used her work email account to write to the Liberal party about the possibility of “jumping ship” and applying for preselection, documents show. Documents tabled include correspondence on 12 February between Madigan’s then-office manager, Rachel Carling-Jenkins, and a Liberal party official with the subject line “RE: Preselection Application”. Jane Galanti, the personal assistant to the Liberal party’s Victorian state director, wrote to Carling-Jenkins: “I don’t seem to be able to find you on the membership system, can you please confirm your membership number?” Carling-Jenkins replied: “I’m not currently a member – but I’ve spoken with Jason Wood (Federal MP, La Trobe) whom I ran against in the last federal election – and I’ve been so impressed with the Liberal party that I’m considering ‘jumping ship’ [smile face] … Could you perhaps send me a membership application with the preselection form? (Also – is it too late to put up my hand for preselction in the upcoming Victorian state election?)” 1.40pm AEST04:40 Lunch time Australian politics summary 1.26pm AEST04:26 The higher education bill has just passed the lower house. Labor, Greens MP Adam Bandt, Cathy McGowan and Andrew Wilkie voted against the changes which deregulate fees for universities, lower the threshold at which university students repay education loans and extend fee help to diplomas and associated degrees. Now to the senate. 1.08pm AEST04:08 Question time is an hour away and in the last sitting day before the one year anniversary of the Abbott government, we are now up to 195 members have been ejected from the house. The Speaker Bronwyn Bishop is responsible for 194 members. The deputy speaker Bruce Scott is responsible for 1. Thus, in the interests of intellectual debate, we are launching our parlour game: Bronwyn Bingo. Who will be the 200th member thrown out? So that we have no insider information, here is the breakdown and the top five class clowns. Ejected for an hour: Labor 188. Liberal 4. Named and suspended for 24 hours: Mark Dreyfus, Ed Husic and Wayne Swan. We want your nominations for the 200th member turfed under 94A. Updated at 1.24pm AEST 12.50pm AEST03:50 Lenore Taylor reports: Alleged rorting and corruption in the Queensland government and the possible nationalisation or taxpayer bailout of struggling companies will be investigated by two extraordinary parliamentary inquiries at the behest of Clive Palmer. Both have specific relevance to his business interests. Labor sources said the party would back an inquiry by Palmer – who is in bitter business, legal and political disputes with the Queensland government – into the commonwealth government’s payments and relationships with the state government. The Greens are also understood to be likely to agree to the inquiry, meaning the bid to set it up is likely to succeed when parliament resumes in October. Glenn Lazarus has just added National Party MP Barry O’Sullivan to the PUP motion to establish the joint committee into the Australia Fund. Which is kind of strange. O’Sullivan is the (relatively) new senator who replaced Barnaby Joyce when he shuffled off to the lower house. 12.41pm AEST03:41 What the? Updated at 12.43pm AEST 12.35pm AEST03:35 The lower house divides to vote on Christopher Pyne’s higher education changes to ensure he remains the best friend students have ever had. 12.19pm AEST03:19 The senate is where it’s at today and, we suspect, every day until the next election. There has been the procedural shenanigans and currently they are arguing over the selection of bills. Senator Ian Macdonald made mention to the elephant in the room, mentioned in the opening post, about senators not being privy to information from his own government. It’s often the case that negotiations happen with everyone except the government’s own backbench...(smirk)... that’s no reflection on Senator Fifield, who does a wonderful job in very very difficult circumstances. Just like those on the opposition, the government backbenchers got no forewarning of the Palmer mining tax repeal deal. Regular watchers will know Macdonald’s tongue has been much freer since he was liberated from any extra jobs by Tony Abbott on winning government. 12.07pm AEST03:07 The I bucket challenge. Part 13,657,444. Liberal MP Alex Hawke via Liberal MP Fiona Scott. This morning I helped @AlexHawkeMP complete the #ALSIceBucketChallenge a great cause and a lot of fun! pic.twitter.com/ZC2wb9hBqt 12.02pm AEST03:02 Confidential? Not so much... 11.57am AEST02:57 The Greens lose the vote 12 to 54. Palmer United Party senators voted with the government, as did the newly independent senator John Madigan. Just checking on the others. 11.51am AEST02:51 Christine Milne is rounding out Ludlam’s debate on parliamentary approval for the deployment of troops. She says such approval is a recognised democratic principle in many countries. Government members have argued against the bill, saying executive government needs the flexibility to engage in military campaigns, based on the best advice from its agencies. Milne rejects this. This is about the principle of engaging in a military campaign to begin with...the prinicple is, in a democracy, who should preside? Government members also argued it would be foolish to change the system based on this one conflict but Milne counters the party has been arguing for approval for 30 years. She says It’s a nonsense to say there will not be boots on the ground...the government is racing into engagement behind the United States without considering whether this is in Australia’s interests. The senate is voting on this bill now. Updated at 5.19pm AEST 11.39am AEST02:39 The tale of two constituencies: Liberal and National This morning, Mike Bowers captured a fairly animated conversation between the finance minister Mathias Cormann and the agriculture minister and deputy leader of the National Party Barnaby Joyce. What were they talking about? It could have been a story from Lexi Metherall on the ABC AM program, featuring an analysis by Marcia Keegan from SGS Economics which found as a result of the superannuation deal with Clive Palmer, someone on $35,000 a year for most of their working life is going to retire with 16.7 per cent less superannuation. Metherall spoke to a country-based financial planner David Newberry who said because super contributions are taxed at 15 per cent, low income people would find their tax rate on their super contributions could exceed the income tax rate. The poorest electorates, as I have noted before, belong to the National Party. National Party frontbencher Luke Hartsuyker’s electorate would be the hardest hit with 46 per cent of all employees in Cowper set to lose the low income super contribution.Maybe Barnaby, who is a member of the government’s razor gang, the Expenditure Review Committee, was putting his case to Cormann for the bush. Then again... 11.16am AEST02:16 Joe Hockey is on his feet in the house making a ministerial statement on the G20 OECD tax and transparency. It is about the “small proportion” of multinational businesses who get out of paying tax in Australia. There is legislation before the house that will “remove the ability for multinational companies to use hybrid financial arrangements to circumvent the proper application of our thin capitalisation rules”. (Thin capitalisation rules essentially determine tax deductability for corporations.) The government is extending thin capitalisation rules apply to all debt expenses claimable in Australia from July 1 this year. The treasurer has also asked the tax commissioner to “double his efforts” on audits of multinational companies suspected as a tax risk. Hockey has also asked the Commish to look into transfer pricing. This relates to the constant complaint over higher prices in Australia for IT software and hardware, games, fashion and other products. They are looking into whether multinational companies are using Australia to generate high profits, only to shift the money overseas without paying much tax. 10.57am AEST01:57 DLP leaders, past and present. No more. 10.55am AEST01:55 There is actual stuff happening in the senate right now. Greens Scott Ludlam has moved an amendment to the Defence Act 1903 to provide for parliamentary approval of overseas service by members of the Australian Defence Force; and Air Force Act 1923 and Naval Defence Act 1910. This is part 2 of the senate’s vote earlier in the week about sending ammunition, arms but also humanitarian supplies, with accompanying SAS troops to Iraq. The Greens and independent Andrew Wilkie (in the lower house) wanted parliamentary approval for any troop deployment to overseas conflicts. The Coalition and Labor both voted against the first move. The major parties will also vote against this second move. 10.40am AEST01:40 Turning our attention to Clive Palmer. David Crowe at The Australian has extracted more details on the curious concept of Australia Fund, which was part of the government’s deal with Palmer on mining tax repeal. Dubbed the Palmer Fund or the Slush Puppy, the idea seems to be a great big industry aid bucket which would not sit well with the Coalition’s message ending the age of entitlement. TAXPAYER funds would be used to buy struggling companies and pour cash into risky new ventures under a revolutionary industry plan being pursued by Clive Palmer in a new inquiry backed by the federal government. Amid questions over the finances of his private companies, the Palmer United Party leader has secured Coalition support to investigate radical ideas such as government loans and debt guarantees to businesses in strife. The details of the plan, obtained by The Australian, include emergency financial help for industries in crisis so that private companies could use public cash to buy new equipment. Central to the concept is a new government bank, the Australia Fund, that could issue loans to companies and assume control of a business in trouble so it could be rescued with grants or guarantees backed by taxpayers. At this stage, the government has just agreed to set up a joint select committee to investigate the possibilities, so to speak. 10.26am AEST01:26 John Madigan’s statement to the Senate was forthright. I’ve been a member of the DLP in 2006, so I’ve arrived at my decision today only after deep introspection and consultation with trusted friends and colleagues. It has become apparent to me that the DLP’s own worst enemies are within its own ranks. Right from my election I’ve witnessed first hand attempts by those in the party to assume power at any means even if it means the very destruction of the party itself. This will not be news to many - a simple internet search will reveal part of what I have been talking about. But more recently that attack moved into my electorate office. Earlier this year at the strongest recommendation of senior party members, I employed an office manager. This person already had a relationship with the DLP and was involved with the party’s senior members. It has now become apparent that that person systematically ran a campaign of disinformation and disharmony in my office. Attempts by me to undertake normal communication with party members were thwarted. Confidential information was leaked and lies were told. Even more alarming it has emerged that two weeks after joining my staff that person sent an email to the liberal party asking about preselection in the forthcoming Victorian election. The cancer of political intrigue clearly has infected the Victorian state executive of the DLP. That person suddenly resigned from her position in July, three days after being elected Victorian state president of the DLP. I have sought answers from the state executive about these events. I’ve sought a plausible explanation. So far I have none. My commitment to the party has I believe been second to none. So it’s with a heavy heart that with resolution today I will announce my resignation from the DLP to continue my term as an independent senator.” He said he “could have achieved more with less distraction of party politics, of less distraction from the culture of complaint and disruption and undermining which now exists in the DLP within its senior members”. Madigan said he remained committed to DLP values, including support for manufacturing, farming, jobs, supporting those who were the most vulnerable, and “the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death and at every stage in between”. He remained committed to long-term and loyal DLP members, and to the people of Victoria and Australia and would “not rest” in his efforts to represent them. 10.24am AEST01:24 Daniel Hurst has provided this from Madigan’s statement in the senate. Since I was elected in 2010 I’ve been acutely aware of the historic significance of my position. I was the first DLP member in the federal parliament for almost 40 years. At the height of its representation in 1970 the party had five senators. History has been my compass in the past three years,” he said. He said he represented the people of Victoria who felt let down by traditional politicians and politics. The DLP has been the party of principle in the face of opposition, and no other political party in Australia can say its founders were prepared to sacrifice promising political careers to uphold the commitment to freedom from undue and corrupt influence. 10.22am AEST01:22 Madigan is praising campaigns run by independents Nick Xenophon and Cathy McGowan’s campaigns. He intends to finish the term and then he has made no decision as to running again. He says he made the decision, he was not pushed by the party. 10.20am AEST01:20 Asked if he had the funding to continue, Madigan says there is not difference. Business as normal. Same platform, my values haven’t changed. 10.19am AEST01:19 Madigan up now. He says he is not at liberty to discuss to the documents tabled in the parliament. My feeling is the DLP has left me, I haven’t left the DLP. Future decisions will be reflected in the way I have always voted. 10.17am AEST01:17 Now Independent Senator John Madigan rules out cooperating with Clive Palmer. "I have no intention of joining a voting block with anybody.." 10.16am AEST01:16 From Tom McIlroy of the Canberra Times: DLP-turned independent Senator John Madigan on ABC in Melbourne: "I haven't left the DLP, the DLP has left me." Updated at 10.17am AEST 10.00am AEST01:00 A quick primer on the DLP ahead of John Madigan’s resignation. From its website, the Democratic Labour Party is putting the U back into Labour. The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) formally began in 1955 but was a part of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) before that date. We count the members of the ALP prior to 1955, including Prime Minister Ben Chifley, as part of our party’s history. During 1941-49, the Communist Party almost subverted the Australian Labor Party by infiltrating ALP-affiliated unions. By 1945-48, rank-and-file “industrial groups” were organised and trained to defeat the communists in trade union elections. While the industrial groups had almost completely curbed communist power in the unions, the success was reversed under the leadership of Herbert V. Evatt. Following his failed 1954 election campaign, he attacked the industrial groups. The ALP began supporting the communists, sponsoring “unity tickets” in trade union ballots. Affiliated unions coming again under Communist Party control were then able to dictate ALP policy in critical areas, including foreign affairs and defence. This led to the birth of the Democratic Labour Party. Strange there is no mention of Bob Santamaria, the guiding force of the DLP and mentor of the young Tony Abbott. Updated at 10.11am AEST 9.53am AEST00:53 John Madigan’s staffer has informed the media that the senator will not be speaking until he is allowed to table his documents. Which would suggest what he needs to say requires parliamentary privilege. Updated at 9.54am AEST 9.51am AEST00:51 Bill Shorten has reacted to John Madigan’s resignation. I don’t know what on earth is going on within the DLP. I haven’t heard the reason he has given in this small party that seems to have just got smaller. It’s up to Senator Madigan to explain. I can’t add any moreat this time. We will work with him as an independent Senator just as we did as a DLP senator. 9.46am AEST00:46 ABC reporter Kerrin Binnie has tweeted that John Madigan resigned due to internal party problems. Madigan about to hold a doorstop to explain his position. 9.40am AEST00:40 John Madigan resigns from Democratic Labor Party News is breaking that Democratic Labor senator John Madigan is resigning from his party to become an independent senator. He has asked leave to table documents to the Senate. Government leader Eric Abetz has refused until he sees the documents. Updated at 9.40am AEST 9.30am AEST00:30 So on the Fair Entitlements Guarantee Amendment, the current law says if a company goes bust, the government pays redundancy of four weeks pay for every year of service. Under the government’s changes, workers will get a maximum of 16 weeks redundancy pay for any firms that go bust after January 1, 2015. Christopher Pyne said it was important to note that capping the assistance of redundancy pay entitlements to 16 weeks pay will align redundancy payments under the Fair Entitlements Guarantee with the maximum amount payable under the National Employment Standards. As well as addressing financial sustainability, it will also address the moral hazard that overly generous redundancy entitlements create. 9.10am AEST00:10 Christopher Pyne has just introduced the Fair Entitlements Guarantee Amendment Bill 2014. Given its title, it is notable that it caps redundancy payments at a maximum of 16 weeks. More on that in a moment. 9.07am AEST00:07 Point of The Day: set young unemployed people free from the industrial system. In his maiden speech, Day (again) urged the government to allow young unemployed to work for less than the minimum wage and allow them to leave school before year 12. 8.58am AEST23:58 Good morning hipsters and wonks alike, On this last day of the parliamentary sitting week, Tony Abbott is winging his way to India. Once there, his intent is not downward dog but dialogue on closer ties in the areas of energy and military. He is widely tipped to sign a deal for Australia to provide uranium, much to the Greens disgust. Meanwhile his government is considering a “general request” from the United States for a military role in Iraq. On Wednesday he announced a temporary embassy in Kiev, Ukraine and told the parliament, in the medium term Australia was considering closer ties. At home, the government might look to the cross benches in the senate. This morning, independent Nick Xenophon and Democratic Labor Party senator John Madigan were highly critical of the Coalition-Palmer deal on the mining repeal. They were horrified that the government guillotined debate on the bill and said it was bad for democracy. You might remember the bill was rushed through both houses without any meaningful debate. No one knew what they were voting for. Labor and the non-Palmer cross benchers were given the bill five minutes before the vote. Madigan even voted to gag debate because it was so rushed. Of course, the government would say “meh”. Given they have David Leyonhjelm and Bob Day voting on any economic bills with the government, Eric Abetz and Christopher Pyne are focussing their sights on the PUPpies as the Most Likely. The parliament is sitting from 9am, with more debate on the higher education changes. We have the pictures of Mike Bowers coming up, all the bits and bobs before the house and much more. Follow us at @gabriellechan and @mpbowers on Twitter. |