Category Archives: Australian politics

Australia’s most senior public servant refuses to appear before Senate inquiry

Posted on by

Inquiry looking at Christopher Pyne and Julie Bishop’s new corporate jobs will demand Martin Parkinson attend

Australia’s most senior public servant is refusing to appear before an inquiry into Christopher Pyne and Julie Bishop’s controversial new corporate jobs, saying it would not be “worthwhile” for him to give any further evidence.

The stance of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary, Martin Parkinson, has prompted stern words from the Senate committee chair Jenny McAllister, who has now demanded he appear as requested.

Continue reading...

Vanuatu will host the next Pacific Islands Forum. We want to know if Australia really wants a seat at the table | Ralph Regenvanu

Posted on by

Scott Morrison should bring strong climate commitments to next year’s forum to avoid a repeat of this year’s summit

Last week at the close of the Pacific Islands Forum in Tuvalu I described the leaders’ discussions as frank and fierce. It is now well-known that the leaders debated the text of the Kainaki II Declaration for Urgent Climate Change Action Now for many hours. I do not want to comment on the tone of the debate, as many others have done that already.

Instead, as incoming Pacific Islands Forum chair, Vanuatu has a message for Australia: we ask that Australia prepares well ahead of the next forum meeting in 2020 and comes to the table ready to make real, tangible commitments on climate change.

Continue reading...

Morrison’s ‘arrogance’ on climate blasted as Australia accused of ‘trying to destroy’ Pacific islands

Posted on by

Labor says PM has trashed Australia’s standing as former Kiribati president urges review of Australia’s membership

Labor has accused Scott Morrison of trashing Australia’s standing in the Pacific and alienating its friends at the Pacific Islands Forum in Tuvalu, while a former president of Kiribati has urged Australia’s membership to be reviewed.

Anote Tong said the forum should consider possible sanctions or suspension of Australia for its continued “protestations” on coal and climate.

Continue reading...

Fiji PM accuses Scott Morrison of ‘insulting’ and alienating Pacific leaders

Posted on by

Exclusive: Frank Bainimarama says Australian leader is pushing nations towards China

Scott Morrison has been accused of causing an extraordinary rift between Australia and Pacific countries by the prime minister of Fiji, who said the Australian prime minister’s insulting behaviour while at the Pacific Islands Forum in Tuvalu would push nations closer to China.

In an exclusive interview with Guardian Australia after the conclusion of the PIF, Frank Bainimarama, the prime minister of Fiji and a political heavyweight in the region, said Morrison’s approach during the leaders’ retreat on Thursday was “very insulting and condescending”.

Continue reading...

China’s conduct in Hong Kong comes under cautious scrutiny on Q&A

Posted on by

Panellists debate whether Australia ‘turning a blind eye’ to China’s rising power

As demonstrators shut down Hong Kong’s airport on Monday in protest against police brutality, Chinese official said “terrorism” was emerging in the city.

Meanwhile, on the ABC’s Q&A program, the “people’s panellist” guest suggested he shared China’s view, prompting one of the more cautious political discussions ever held on the show.

Continue reading...

Australia coal use is ‘existential threat’ to Pacific islands, says Fiji PM

Posted on by

Frank Bainimarama appeals to larger neighbour to ‘more fully appreciate’ climate risks and reduce carbon emissions

The prime minister of Fiji has warned Australia to reduce its coal emissions and do more to combat climate change as regional leaders prepare to gather in Tuvalu ahead of the Pacific Islands Forum this week.

Speaking in Tuvalu at a climate change conference ahead of the forum on Monday, Frank Bainimarama appealed directly to Australia to transition away from coal-powered energy and asked its government “to more fully appreciate” the “existential threat” facing Pacific nations.

Continue reading...

Mike Pompeo urges Australia to stand up for itself over trade with China

Posted on by

US secretary of state dismisses warning by top security analyst, arguing ‘you can sell your soul for a pile of soy beans or you can protect your people’

The US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has declared “you can sell your soul for a pile of soy beans, or you can protect your people”, dismissing a warning from prominent Australian security analyst Hugh White that Australia should avoid following Donald Trump into a confrontation with Beijing that America probably can’t win.

Pompeo issued the provocative declaration during a question-and-answer session at the Centre for Independent Studies in Sydney on Sunday.

Continue reading...

Australia giving ‘serious consideration’ to US request to help it confront Iran

Posted on by

Mike Pompeo hails ‘unbreakable’ relationship between Washington and Canberra as he urges Australia to join coalition to protect shipping in the Gulf

Australia’s defence minister Linda Reynolds says the Morrison government is giving “very serious consideration” to a formal request from the Trump administration to join a US-led coalition to protect shipping in the Gulf from Iranian military forces.

Reynolds told journalists on Sunday after annual security talks between the Australian and American foreign affairs and defence ministers that the Morrison government was deeply concerned by the heightened tensions in the region, and strongly condemned the attacks on shipping in the Gulf.

Continue reading...

George Christensen expenses trip to meet alt-right figure Lauren Southern

Posted on by

Exclusive: Government MP bills taxpayers $1,600 to get to Cairns for Great Barrier Reef trip with controversial far-right YouTuber

The government MP George Christensen billed taxpayers $1,600 to travel to the Great Barrier Reef and meet the far-right identity Lauren Southern but the controversial YouTuber “pulled the pin” on the appearance.

The latest records of MPs’ financial interests reveal that Christensen accepted a free “reef trip from Cairns to Great Barrier Reef” from a company named Axiomatic Events.

Continue reading...

‘More teeth than Jaws’: Jacqui Lambie considers ultimatum over stronger integrity commission

Posted on by

Show of unity by crossbenchers puts Coalition under pressure following Crown casino allegations

The Tasmanian independent Jacqui Lambie says she will consider telling the Morrison government “where to stick their bills” if the Coalition continues to pursue a suboptimal federal integrity commission.

Lambie made the threat during a show of unity by parliamentary crossbenchers on Wednesday about the necessity for stronger accountability measures in response to allegations aired by Nine this week against the casino operator Crown Resorts.

Continue reading...

Crossbench pushes for a federal Icac – politics live

Posted on by

As the government stands firm against calls to raise Newstart, key MPs call for a federal integrity commission. All the day’s events, live

“A bit of a beat up,” says Coalition male MP about whether the Coalition is a welcoming place for women on the day two Coalition women staffers talk about their treatment within the party.

Is the coalition a welcoming place for women? "Of course it is" replies @DaveGillespieMP How so, why? "It's a bit confected. The coalition is a very welcoming place for women in general. It's a bit of a beat up, I think." #auspol @SBSNews pic.twitter.com/xu3fA3lWQD

The bells are ringing – which means parliament is about to start.

I am already on my fourth coffee, so this is going to be *fun*.

Continue reading...

Government refers Crown allegations to integrity commission – politics live

Posted on by

Attorney general responds to crossbench calls for inquiry. All the day’s events, live

Siri: what is the definition of “a punish”?

David Gillespie saddles the despatch box, and therefore us, with Michael McCormack, which gives me the permission I needed to go make a cup of tea.

“All politics is local, as it should be,” says Sliced White.

Continue reading...

Angus Taylor says unnamed Yass farmer, not his family, spurred grassland meetings

Posted on by

Minister tells parliament he requested briefings because of constituents’ concerns, not family business interests

A conversation with an unnamed Yass farmer, not the interests of his farming family, had spurred the minister for energy, Angus Taylor, to seek briefings from the environment department about a listing to protect native grasslands, he told parliament on Monday.

In a personal explanation to the House of Representatives, Taylor sought to deflect further questions and a possible Senate inquiry into meetings he had with bureaucrats on the grasslands laws in 2017.

Continue reading...

Angus Taylor remains in Labor’s sights over grasslands and power prices

Posted on by

Push to set up Senate inquiry takes a step forward, as Coalition faces questions on why energy prices keep rising

Labor will continue to target the energy minister, Angus Taylor, as the government’s weak link, citing power price rises since 2015 and renewing its push to set up a Senate inquiry into his meetings with the environment department over endangered grasslands.

On Sunday the mooted inquiry took a step forward with Rex Patrick reversing Centre Alliance’s position and pledging to support the move, although Labor and the Greens still need Cory Bernardi or One Nation’s votes to succeed.

Continue reading...

Jeff Kennett accuses Victorian Labor MP who kicked in hotel door of playing mental health card

Posted on by

Former premier says he objected to Will Fowles ‘using the coverall of a mental health illness’ when explaining his confrontation

Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett has accused a state Labor backbencher who kicked in a door at a Canberra hotel of wrongly playing the mental health card.

Will Fowles smashed a door at the Abode hotel during a confrontation with staff over his luggage on Thursday morning. Police have questioned the MP for the Melbourne seat of Burwood but he has not been charged over the incident.

Continue reading...

Labor grills Angus Taylor over company interests – politics live

Posted on by

Energy minister accuses opposition of ‘grubby smear campaign against my family’ and ALP pursues Coalition over its superannuation schism. All the day’s events, live

With the chambers all quiet and the rush to the airport in full swing, we are going to go collapse in a heap and stare at a wall.

Until Monday, when the parliament is back for the last sitting ahead of the winter break.

Here’s how Mike Bowers saw some of the day

Continue reading...

The imperative for progressives? Bold action on inequality, democracy and climate | Osmond Chiu

Posted on by

Big challenges demand a big, convincing narrative that taps into the public mood

Writing publicly means living with the chance you will be a hostage to fortune. But I wrote in March that: “While Shorten has attempted to draw parallels to Bob Hawke’s style of leadership, the best comparison may instead be with a UK Labour government that never was: the unsuccessful campaign and platform of Ed Miliband in 2015.”

On 18 May, like many progressives, a sense of an incoming Labor government was replaced by shell shock that seemed to parallel what happened in Britain in 2015. The salience of a campaign mobilised against taxation, swings in regional and outer suburban electorates and the inability of Labor to cut through despite conservative chaos and division must prompt some deep reflection.

Continue reading...

Repealing medevac would be ‘a wicked thing’, Centre Alliance says – politics live

Posted on by

Rebekha Sharkie says if the government is successful in repealing the legislation it will cause ‘needless harm’

On the ensuring integrity bill, Rex Patrick says there are political elements to the bill it can’t support:

The aim was to deal with misconduct and there is no question that has been in the union movement.

I have seen the fairly significant sheet of judicial rulings against some of the unions and in some instances we have some very conservative, considered judicial officers stating things like this union is simply using the fines, treating the fines as the cost of business.

Rex Patrick is speaking to Patricia Karvelas on Afternoon Briefing and says while Centre Alliance supports the intent of the temporary exclusion order bill, it will abstain from voting for it, because it can’t support it in its current form.

Labor will be passing it, although it has raised its own concerns.

Continue reading...

Angus Taylor pursued by Labor over rising emissions and grassland meetings

Posted on by

In a combative question time the energy minister suggests the Coalition has an ‘open mind’ on nuclear power

Angus Taylor has flagged the Morrison government has an “open mind” about pursuing nuclear power during a combative question time where the energy minister was pursued about rising emissions and his meetings with officials about the protection of grassland in the south-eastern highlands.

Taylor, who is the minister for energy and emissions reduction, was asked repeatedly by Labor on Tuesday whether emissions had risen in recent years, whether he supported calls by government backbenchers to establish a nuclear industry, and whether he had declared any relevant conflicts when meeting departmental officials.

Continue reading...