Summary
As the gentle autumnal breezes vacate the atmosphere and are replaced by the sharp sting of Antarctica’s worst, the Government and the Opposition continue to be bogged down in a needs-based education battle that essentially boils down to an argument on trust: an $18B improvement to school funding if you side with the Coalition or a $22B cut if you side with the Opposition. Also today, the Prime Minister, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP, took the opportunity to formally meet with prominent Republican, Senator John McCain in his office.
Normal hostilities continued in Question Time as both the Government and the Opposition sought to amplify their electoral strengths and attack their opponent’s weaknesses.
1.The Opposition used five of their 10 questions to pepper the Government over the Gonski 2.0 needs-based education funding package announced recently. In a sign the Government was ready for these questions, the Minister representing the Minister for Education, the Hon Josh Frydenberg MP, was able to confirm, on multiple occasions, the specific funding increases for each Opposition Member’s electorate – thus helping to mute the potency of the attack.
2.In a sign of the electoral importance of Queensland to any side seeking to win the next federal election, the Government used three of their 10 questions from Queensland backbenchers, Mr Ross Vasta MP, Ms Michelle Landry MP and Mr Ted O’Brien MP, on a range of issues such as NDIS, schools funding and small business tax cuts.
3.Continuing a well-worn tactic, the Opposition used their first two questions to probe the Government on Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party given recent reports linking the party with allegedly illegal activities. The Prime Minister was quick to rehash a previous response saying “the Australian Federal Police (AFP) should be allowed to get on with their job free from political interference”.
4.It was an embarrassing mishap from the Shadow Minister for Regional Communications and Member for Throsby, Mr Stephen Jones MP, was ‘timed out’ of asking his question due to a long preamble and no specific question. The Hon Peter Dutton MP, who was the next Minister at the dispatch box, was quick to offer his advice, saying, “that’s not your best work Stephen”.
1.Just before 2pm on Monday afternoon, enior Constable Brett Forte was shot dead in the Lockyer Valley, west of Brisbane. This event triggered a 19-hour siege, and a man identified as Mr Ricky Maddison has been killed today in a shootout with police.
2.The Australian today has confirmed NSW Premier, the Hon Gladys Berejiklian, has dumped a plan to force local councils into collecting annual levies to fund the state’s fire and emergency services expenses after an angry backlash from residential and commercial ratepayers. Ms Berejiklian said, “we are a Government that listens, and we have heard the concerns from the community, and we will take the time to get this right”.
3.
Australian paedophiles will have their passports cancelled and right to travel overseas revoked under “world first” laws announced by the Turnbull Government. The crackdown, which follows campaigning by Victorian Senator Derryn Hinch, will affect the more than 20,000 people on the National Child Offender Register. Speaking on the matter, the Minister for Justice, the Hon Michael Keenan MP, said “this the strongest crackdown on child sex tourism ever. No country has ever taken such decisive action to stop its citizens from going overseas, often to vulnerable countries, to abuse kids”.
4.A Senate Committee has heard famed international movie star Paul Hogan paid “tens of millions” of dollars to settle his long-running matter with the Australian Taxation Office. Under questioning from Nationals NSW Senator John Williams today, Tax Commissioner Chris Jordan said he did not want to talk about the Hogan case. “All I’ll say is, in the general comment, if people aren’t taken to court and charged it doesn’t mean substantial amounts of money weren’t paid to settle issues,” Mr Jordan said.
Today’s legislation focus included:
1.Major Bank Levy Bill 2017
2.Treasury Laws Amendment (Major Bank Levy) Bill 2017
3.ASIC Supervisory Cost Recovery Levy Bill 2017
4.Criminal Code Amendment (Protecting Minors Online) Bill 2017
