Summary
As Parliamentarians returned to Canberra for another sitting week, the focus shifted swiftly to Budget Estimates where Treasury and the Department of Health provided the Opposition with ammunition in a fiery Question Time. Also, today, the Prime Minister, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP, was on hand as a portrait of Australia’s first indigenous Minister, the Hon Ken Wyatt MP, was unveiled at Parliament House today.
Question Time commenced on reflections on indulgence as both the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader, the Hon Bill Shorten MP, warmly welcomed prominent American legislator, Senator John McCain, to Canberra. On addressing Senator McCain, who was seated on the floor of the House of Representatives, the Prime Minister said that Senator McCain “has led a life of leadership, of public service and of selfless courage”. On his commitment to bilateral relations, the Prime Minister said Senator McCain has “spoken for the importance, for the bedrock of the Australian/US alliance”. Associating himself with the comments of the Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader too acknowledged a life of service and duty declaring, “it is an honour to welcome you to our country and our Parliament” and that “you remind us that our democracies share that fundamental respect of liberty for all”.
1.Aided by a Fairfax article asserting the Government would be looking to a radical overhaul of the hospital and health system in Australia, the Opposition used seven of their nine questions to probe the Prime Minister and the Minister for Health and Sport, the Hon Greg Hunt MP, on various issues relating to an alleged secret Medicare taskforce and the Medicare freeze.
2.While attempting to bat away Opposition yelps over the Medicare freeze and the alleged secretive taskforce, the Government seemingly road tested new electoral messaging on their bulk services policy. Instead of answering questions about individual policy topics, the Government used their Dorothy Dixers to discuss “services” in combination, such as their improvements to NDIS, Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Time will tell whether the Coalition can convince the electorate that their “services” policy is more trustworthy than that of the Opposition.
3.The Manager of Opposition Business, the Hon Tony Burke MP, today asked the Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Barnaby Joyce MP, to reflect on his position regarding certain comments made to the press gallery. The Opposition was eager to paint the Deputy Prime Minister as insensitive, citing his comment about the Opposition Leader that, he “has left them for dead” in the context of the Beaconsfield Mine collapse. The Deputy Prime Minister used his reply to argue the inference, as made by the Opposition, was for cheap political points only and that he meant no disrespect to the family of Larry Knight, whom was tragically killed in the mine collapse.
4.The Speaker, the Hon Tony Smith MP, was in no mood for misbehaviour as he ejected five members of the Opposition, including two from the front bench under section 94a. The Members for McMahon, Lyons, Bruce, Lindsay and Isaacs were all dismissed as the Deputy Prime Minister attempted to answer the serious accusation from the Manager of Opposition Business.
1.The second Newspoll since the recent Budget confirms the Government still trails the Opposition 47:53 on a two-party preferred basis. However, the Prime Minister has kept his lead over the Opposition Leader as preferred Prime Minister, 45 per cent to 33 per cent, while the primary vote for the Coalition remains at 36 per cent, tied with the Opposition.
2.According to a Fairfax article, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Barnaby Joyce MP, has dismissed a call from Aboriginal community leaders for a specified indigenous body to influence policy in Canberra, saying that “it’s not going to happen”.
3.
The Australian today reports that GetUp!, a left-wing grass roots political organisation, made 50,000 scripted calls into Queensland marginal seats in a bid to undermine the Palaszczuk Government’s support for Adani’s coal mine in Far North Queensland.
4.Fairfax is reporting leaked documents which supposedly confirm the private health insurance rebate would be abolished, consumers would be charged more for extras cover and the States would be forced to find more money for public hospitals under radical funding changes being considered by top government officials. Speaking in Question Time, the Health Minister dismissed the claim, stating that “it will not be Government policy. It will never be Government policy.”
Today’s legislation focus included:
1.Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Take Home Pay) Bill 2017
2.Australian Education Amendment Bill 2017
3.Social Services Legislation Amendment (Relieving Domestic Violence Victims Of Debt) Bill 2017
4.Australian Education Amendment Bill 2017
