THE WEEK THAT WAS
While Monday’s news that the Government still trails the Opposition, for the 16th consecutive time in the latest Newspoll, Tuesday’s drama with the standing down of Senator the Hon Matt Canavan from Cabinet proves politics moves very quickly indeed.
This week also saw:
- Newspoll confirm the Coalition still trails the Labor Party
- The Minister for Sport, the Hon Greg Hunt MP, urge peace between warring cricketing sides
- Key Tories in town for AUKMIN talks, and
- Australia farewells Gillian Triggs.
COSÌ A LUNGO PER ADESSO (SO LONG FOR NOW) SENATOR CANAVAN
Senator the Hon Matt Canavan will stand aside from his Cabinet role, but not from the Senate, as the High Court, acting as the Court of Disputed Returns, seeks to test whether the LNP Senator from Queensland has breached Section 44 of the Constitution.
This stems from the actions of Senator Canavan’s mother who apparently lodged documents in 2006 with the Italian Consulate to become an Italian citizen and, perhaps inadvertently, made an application for her son too. Outlining the actions of his mother, Senator Canavan said “While I knew that my mother had become an Italian citizen I had no knowledge that I myself had become an Italian citizen. Until last week I had no suspicion that I could be an Italian citizen. I was not born in Italy and have never been to Italy”.
While Senator Canvan wasn’t the first elected representative to be caught up in this scandal, he may soon be joined by Pauline Hanson’s One Nation’s Senator Malcolm Roberts who this week has also had his bona fides questioned over citizenship. The Australian reported this week Senator Roberts was still a British dual national when he was elected to federal Parliament in July last year which too would prove him in breach of the Constitution. While he was finally given formal notice of his renunciation on December 5 last year from UK authorities, the High Court may yet have to rule on a further case.
ANOTHER NEGATIVE NEWSPOLL FOR THE GOVERNMENT
While Monday’s headlines screamed ’16 down, 14 to go’ on the Prime Minister’s own scale he used in his successful leadership challenge, an in-depth analysis of the latest Newspoll is more worrying for two other political parties and two Senators in particular: Pauline Hanson and Richard Di Natale.
As Newspoll confirmed the Labor Party still maintains a lead of 53:47 two-party preferred over the Coalition, it appears the two majors were able to claw back previously lost support on their outer flanks, with the Coalition welcoming gains at the expense of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party at the same time the Labor Party’s primary vote increased from a plagued Greens Party.
Support for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, the Greens, other minor parties such as Senator Bernardi’s Australian Conservatives and the ‘uncommitted’ vote reached 35 per cent at the end of February. This has now fallen to 32 per cent in the latest survey.
In a survey period that has also included national security and defence announcements by the Prime Minister, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP has widened his lead over the Hon Bill Shorten MP as preferred Prime Minister to 11 points, a rise of three points in two weeks.
MINISTER FOR SPORT INTERVENES IN THE CRICKET PAY DISPUTE
According to The Australian, the Minister for Health and Minister for Sport, the Hon Greg Hunt MP, has quietly intervened in the prolonged and much-publicised pay dispute between the players and the peak administrative body, Cricket Australia, by “urging both parties reach a compromise and end the damaging stand-off as quickly as possible”.
The Minister’s press office confirmed as much with a statement that read “the Minister has spoken with both parties in the cricket dispute. He has urged both sides to resolve it as a matter of priority and to show flexibility”.
News of the Minister’s intervention comes as the Australian Cricketers Association is currently considering a revised offer from Cricket Australia. A major part of the impasse has been Cricket Australia’s wish to alter a revenue-sharing model with the players that has been in operation for the previous two decades.
Both sides will need to work frantically to protect the integrity of this summer’s showcase cricket event; the Ashes.
BRITISH HIERARCHY IN TOWN FOR STRATEGIC DEFENCE TALKS
British Westminster heavyweights including the Foreign Secretary, Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP, and the Defence Secretary, Rt Hon Sir Michael Fallon MP, were hosted this week in Sydney by their Australian counterparts, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, and the Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, over two days of talks at the annual AUKMIN talks.
While discussions on the rogue North Korean regime were wide-ranging, including the threat of nuclear testing, counter-terrorism, freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and the post-Brexit trading status of Australia were also prominent topics. Naturally the hot topic of “Future Frigates” would have been heavily lobbied by the British team.
GILLIAN TRIGGS SAYS FAREWELL
Controversial former President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Professor Gillian Triggs, served out her last week by proffering a final parting shot at the current Coalition Government accusing the Executive of being “ideologically opposed to human rights”, arguing they have regressed during her term of five years.
Responding on ABC Radio on Thursday morning, the Foreign Minister rebuffed the statements describing them as “totally misguided”.
Triggs’ criticism comes at a time when the Government is lobbying world leaders to claim a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council. Speaking on the success of her campaigning to date, the Foreign Minister said she had been “overwhelmed by the support”. FOR THOSE IN THE CAPITAL THIS WEEKEND
Hot off the heels of the creation of the country’s first Ministry of Home Affairs, Canberrans can enjoy an adaptation of Orwell’s chilling novel ‘1984’. The Canberra Theatre Centre hosts this play that has been seen by over 250,000 people including three successful West End seasons in London and an international tour including a sold-out season at the Melbourne Festival.
NEXT WEEK
Parliamentarians remain on their winter recess with both Houses not sitting until Tuesday 8 August.
TWEET OF THE WEEK
