Summary
The Prime Minister, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP, and the Opposition Leader, the Hon Bill Shorten MP, started their day by joining multiple faith leaders for the annual Interfaith Breakfast at Parliament House. While seeking to move the optics of the 24-hour news cycle on from the same-sex marriage debate, the Prime Minister together with the Treasurer, the Hon Scott Morrison MP, and the Minister for the Environment and Energy, the Hon Josh Frydenberg MP, used an opportunity to meet with the heads of leading retail electricity companies to warn against anti-competitive behaviours and price gouging in a move the Government says could save households more than $1,000 per year in their bills by reducing complexities.
The theatre of Question Time returned to Canberra as the Opposition sought to pressure the Government over a raft of issues.
1.The Prime Minister used the opening of Question Time to speak, on indulgence, on the passing of Australia’s Golden Girl of athletics, Ms Betty Cuthbert AM, MBE. The Prime Minister spoke passionately about Ms Cuthbert’s role in the 2000 Olympic Games saying “perhaps the most poignant moment was when the Olympic torchbearer, Betty Cuthbert, began her journey around the Olympic track, pushed in her wheelchair by her long-time friend, Raelene Boyle. She would never, ever, be defined by her illness”. The Opposition Leader, respectful in his tone but excited in his delivery, said “Betty’s time in 1964 (Women’s 400m) would have been fast enough to qualify her for the semi-finals in the World Championships last week”. Both leaders also spoke on the passing of Australian Football journalist and broadcaster, Mr Les Murray AM, who died on 31 July.
2.In a rare move, the Opposition chose to direct each of their eight questions to the Prime Minister. While the Prime Minister opted to defer to his Ministers, including the Hon Christian Porter MP, on issues such as the NDIS rollout in Tasmania, he was the main act today answering a total 10 of the period’s 17 questions.
3.Given its muddled performance yesterday, the Government‘s tactics were clearer today as they attempted to prosecute the case for pricing compliance in the retail energy sector. Of the Government’s eight questions, three centred on the rising costs of energy, and were all asked by backbenchers in marginal seats, who will be critical to the Government’s fortune at the next election: Steve Irons MP, Russell Ramsey MP & David Coleman MP.
4.In a tit-for-tat display of brinkmanship, firstly by the Opposition’s Shadow Attorney-General, the Hon Mark Dreyfus QC MP, and then by the Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, who both used questions to highlight the vulnerabilities of their opponents over the issue of fundraising and the possibilities of the avoidance of disclosure laws. The Speaker, the Hon Tony Smith MP, obviously had enough of the spurious preambling from the Shadow Attorney-General ruling his second question out of order on the topic.
1.Following the announcement by the Prime Minister yesterday, to again seek Parliamentary approval for a people’s plebiscite on changing the definition of marriage in the Constitution, the Senate today voted on the issue?—?31 for and 31 against?—?meaning the motion to debate the plebiscite again was defeated and the Government’s Plan B, a postal plebiscite, will now proceed.
2.A High Court challenge to the postal plebiscite has been announced today. Independent Tasmanian, Andrew Wilkie MP, has been confirmed as one of the litigants, along with the Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)’s spokesperson, Ms Shelley Argent and Victorian mother, Ms Felicity Marlowe.
3.Pauline Hanson’s One Nation leader, Senator Pauline Hanson, announced she would personally refer her Queensland colleague, Senator Malcolm Roberts, to the High Court to confirm the veracity of his election, given his disputed citizenship credentials. This comes as the Greens had secured enough support amongst Crossbench and Labor colleagues to seek the Senate to refer the matter.
4.The Prime Minister, flanked by the Treasurer and the Minister for the Environment and Energy, outlined changes that will force energy companies help their consumers find better deals and provide greater certainty regarding their products and services.
5.The Commonwealth Bank (CBA) today announced it’s yearly results with a cash earnings figure of $9.9b, a rise of 4.6 per cent. The result comes hours after the Chair of CBA, Ms Catherine Livingstone AO, announced that her Senior Executive team would forgo their short-term bonuses for the year in the wake of the AUSTRAC findings against the bank.
Today’s legislation focus included:
1.Australian Border Force Amendment (Protected Information) Bill 2017.
2.Australian Immunisation Register And Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2017.
3.Australian Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening The Requirements For Australian Citizenship And Other Measures).
