Summary
The final sitting day of the week saw the Prime Minister, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP, close a coherent week for the Government continuing to sell the virtues of his budget fully funding Government services such as Medicare, NDIS and needs-based education funding. The Opposition Leader, the Hon Bill Shorten MP, utilised a morning media appearance to again highlight his party’s opposition to the Government’s Gonski 2.0 education plan by cheekily greeting school students from Waverley Public School visiting Canberra from the electorate of Wentworth, conveniently held by the Prime Minister. Those same school students were later treated to a visit to the Prime Minister’s courtyard with the PM, an experience they will likely remember.
The Treasurer, the Hon Scott Morrison MP, in a speech to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia’s State of the Nation Conference today in Canberra said “Labor’s alternative vision is to have one of the highest marginal top tax rates in the world at one of the lowest cut-in points for that top tax rate. Now that is not a vision to grow your economy. What that is, is an economic ‘mogodon’. It will put the economy to sleep.” The Treasurer, perhaps cognisant of the budgetary impact Cyclone Larry had on the Commonwealth’s tax take, warned about future shocks saying, “we expect fruit and vegetable prices to rise” in the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Debbie.
While Question Time lacked its usual histrionics of any regular Thursday, debate about equitable schools funding and taxation arrangements to fully fund the NDIS continued to be heated on both sides.
1.Parliamentarians again commenced Question Time in unison as the Prime Minister, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP and the Opposition Leader, the Hon Bill Shorten MP, spoke on indulgence over the recent terror attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. It was a decent gesture, sadly practiced too frequently of late, to see the Afghanistan Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Mr Wahidullah Waissi, warmly welcomed to the floor of the House of Representatives to receive the wishes of the Government and the Opposition, following similar gestures to other countries which have been attacked.
2.The Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education and Development and Member for Adelaide, the Hon Kate Ellis MP, was ejected by the Speaker, the Hon Tony Smith MP, under section 94a, after she failed to resume her seat following an attempted point of order. Given the original question was asked to the Prime Minister, who opted to allow the Minister for Social Services, the Hon Christian Porter MP, to answer the question, it was a tactical error by the Shadow Minister to allow herself to be booted from the House, especially during the answer to her question.
3.All week the Minister for Social Services has effectively highlighted numerous quotes from third party advocates in the disability sector over the Government’s plan to fully fund the NDIS. Perhaps keen to provide the House with a moment of levity, the Minister shared his belief that the former Treasurer and current Member for Lilley, the Hon Wayne Swan MP, was too an advocate, by quoting from Swan’s book, The Good Fight. The Minister informed the House, “after a diligent search, there it was, nestled gently amongst the Phil Collins CD’s in the bargain bin at the second hand shop, a copy of the literary classic: The Good Fight.” On reading a passage to the House from Chapter 20, titled ‘Hanging Tough’, the Minister said, “we needed to ensure the long-term sustainable funding for the scheme (NDIS). Less than $1 a day for someone on average wages.” To raucous laughter from behind his back, the Minister asked the Speaker, “hanging tough: how is it hanging in 2017?”
4.Interestingly, the Government today opted to utilise an Opposition tactic and chose to highlight a real and believable human story in an answer to a question on effective marginal tax rates. The Prime Minister, talking about Mary, informed the House, she is “an experienced midwife” who earns $87,000 a year. Making his point that Mary would be subjected to over $500 in additional Medicare levy payments if her income rose $1 to $87,001, the Prime Minister humanised an issue and blunted the Opposition’s line of questioning, even including the figure that Mary would be subjected to a tax rate of 43,539.5 per cent on that scenario.
1.Malaysian Airlines flight MH128, which had departed Melbourne Airport at 11.11pm last night, and was scheduled to arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 5.28am, was forced to turn back to Melbourne after the cabin crew alerted the Captain to a passenger attempting to enter the cockpit. Malaysian Airlines said the man was apprehended by police and security after the plane landed just before midnight and was sent to a remote part of the airport. The Australian reports the accused is a 25-year-old man from Dandenong in southeast Melbourne. Police confirmed he was an Australian citizen and was known to them because of his past mental health issues. Superintendent Tony Langdon said, “it was an isolated incident and the community should feel safe coming to the airport”.
2.Facing mounting pressure thanks to his member-subsidised public profile, CPA Australia Chief Executive Officer, Mr Alex Malley, has been forced to reveal he was paid almost $1.8m last year. The revelation was itemised in a 32-page booklet sent to members this morning following a request for information by member Mr Brett Stevenson under the Corporations Act.
3.
Costing $100m to implement, the Australian Defence Force will take delivery of ‘bird-sized’ drones that can hover over battlefields sending vital intelligence to command centres. The Army will buy a fleet of the 1.3-kilogram drones, which have a wingspan of less than one metre and can be disassembled to be carried in a bag. The Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP and Member for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, today announced the purchase. The Army will initially buy US-designed WASP AE drones, but will tailor them to Australian needs using technology provided by firms in Melbourne and Canberra. In a statement sent to Fairfax, Senator Payne confirmed, the drones will allow soldiers to “see over the hill, around the corner and down the road”. The Minister for Defence Industry also spoke on the reliability of the assets confirming, “it’s a proven capability used by militaries around the world, including with the US Marine Corps”.
4.The Parliamentary Budget Office, in recently released analysis, shows the budget balance was $10.7b better than had been expected in the December budget update, known as MYEFO.
Today’s legislation focus included:
1.Imported Food Control Amendment Bill 2017
2.Medicare Guaranteed Bill 2017
3.Treasury Laws Amendment (GST Integrity) Bill 2017
4.Education Legislation Amendment (Provider Integrity And Other Measures) Bill 2017
