[ad_1]
Albanese confirms censure motion against Morrison on secret ministries
Anthony Albanese says the government will move to censure Scott Morrison for his secret ministries.
(It is all happening in this press conference)
The cabinet this morning has endorsed all six recommendations of the Bell inquiry. These are serious recommendations going forward. We will introduce legislation later this week to make sure that this can never, ever happen again.
And this week, as well, the House will be moving a censure motion in the member for Cook as a result of the findings of Virginia Bell and the inquiry, which found that the actions of the former prime minister fundamentally undermined the principles of responsible government, because the former prime minister wasn’t responsible to the parliament – and through the parliament to the electors – to the departments that he was appointed to administer.
And that that had real consequences of acting to undermine public confidence in government and were corrosive of trust in government. I note the rather extraordinary comments by the manager of opposition business, who has said that the issue of the relationship between the former PM and his ministers is a matter for them. This wasn’t about a relationship between the former prime minister and his ministers. It’s not a personal relationship between two mates over what happened down the pub. This is about accountability of our democratic system, and whether the parliament was functioning properly. And about the relationship between the prime minister and the people of Australia, who expect to be held to account through our parliamentary processes.
Key events
Filters BETA
Then we get to some questions about Philip Lowe’s apology:
Q: Philip Lowe has just said sorry to the Australians for saying that he wouldn’t increase interest rates by 2024. Are Australians supposed to just accept this apology and move on? Why shouldn’t Philip Lowe resign as Governor of the Reserve Bank, given he’s increased cost-of-living pressures to so many Australians?
Anthony Albanese:
We have confidence in Dr Lowe and his position as the head of the Reserve Bank.
Q: Is that the right response from him to apologise? Should he have gone further?
That’s a matter for him. I do note that he has taken that action, but it’s not up to me, as Prime Minister, to give an ongoing, running commentary on the actions of the Secretary of the Reserve Bank.
There may not be time for the legislative changes recommended by Virginia Bell in her report on Scott Morrison to be introduced and passed by the end of the year.
But Anthony Albanese says he has already instructed his department to make the regulatory changes which were recommended.
Albanese confirms censure motion against Morrison on secret ministries
Anthony Albanese says the government will move to censure Scott Morrison for his secret ministries.
(It is all happening in this press conference)
The cabinet this morning has endorsed all six recommendations of the Bell inquiry. These are serious recommendations going forward. We will introduce legislation later this week to make sure that this can never, ever happen again.
And this week, as well, the House will be moving a censure motion in the member for Cook as a result of the findings of Virginia Bell and the inquiry, which found that the actions of the former prime minister fundamentally undermined the principles of responsible government, because the former prime minister wasn’t responsible to the parliament – and through the parliament to the electors – to the departments that he was appointed to administer.
And that that had real consequences of acting to undermine public confidence in government and were corrosive of trust in government. I note the rather extraordinary comments by the manager of opposition business, who has said that the issue of the relationship between the former PM and his ministers is a matter for them. This wasn’t about a relationship between the former prime minister and his ministers. It’s not a personal relationship between two mates over what happened down the pub. This is about accountability of our democratic system, and whether the parliament was functioning properly. And about the relationship between the prime minister and the people of Australia, who expect to be held to account through our parliamentary processes.
Dreyfus on Liberal amendments to Nacc
Mark Dreyfus then moves on to the national anti-corruption commission and – shock – the Labor-Coalition bipartisanship on the Nacc has hit a snag:
Regrettably, I have to say that the Liberal party has introduced amendments in the Senate just now. One of those amendments is one which would create an effective veto on the establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Commission. The government will not be supporting that amendment and, indeed, I would call on the Liberal party to withdraw that amendment. I would call on the Liberal party to support the establishment of a National Anti-Corruption Commission, and let’s get on with this task that the Australian people voted for at the last election.
Attorney general Mark Dreyfus on Respect at Work
Dreyfus:
Sexual harassment is not inevitable. It is preventable. This is historic legislation that has passed through the Australian parliament today. It significantly progresses gender equality in Australian workplaces. It ensures that women are able to earn a living in safe and respectful workplaces. Like the prime minister, I record the thanks of this parliament and the whole community. To Kate Jenkins, the sex discrimination commissioner, for her work. To all of those who assisted her in her inquiry who came forward to tell her about their shocking experiences in Australian workplaces, we hope that this is a real step forward. This is legislation that very closely follows the recommendations of the Respect@Work report. And I’m looking forward to its implementation.
That includes taking an offensive, rather than just reactionary, position in workplaces, when it comes to sexual harassment.
Anthony Albanese press conference
The prime minister is straight into it …
My government is very pleased that the Respect@Work legislation has now passed the parliament. This is one of the key commitments that we made during the federal election campaign. My government believes in gender equality. And with this legislation, combined with the cheaper childcare legislation, the commitment to paid parental leave expansion, the changes to the Fair Work Act that will put gender equality as one of the objectives of the Act, the changes that will flow from, particularly, lower-paid feminised industries in terms of lifting their wages – this is an important reform.
Anthony Albanese then throws back to the Women’s March.
Everyone in this building will remember that, two years ago, women marched for justice. They gathered in their thousands outside this building. They gathered to say, ‘Enough is enough’. They gathered to say that this was an issue that we needed to address. The Jenkins report was an important report. I pay tribute to all those who came forward and gave evidence to that inquiry. And to Kate Jenkins, in her report, deserves a great deal of credit. That report didn’t even receive a response from the former government for more than a year. My government has acted. Today, the parliament has legislated. And I thank them for it.
Respect at Work bill passes
The Respect at Work bill has just passed the parliament, meaning all the recommendations Kate Jenkins made that needed legislating are now legislated.
Which is what Anthony Albanese and Mark Dreyfus will also be talking about.
Big day so far.
More on Andrew Wilkie’s private member’s bill on video games
(My colleague Nick Miller enjoyed Wilkie’s speech on this, particularly that Mario Kart is now in the Hansard record.)
Via AAP:
Video games with gambling-type features could soon have mandatory age ratings as federal parliament hears a proposal for reform.
A loot box is a feature where players can pay for the chance to win extra advantages to use during the game.
Many of the most popular video games such as Star Wars, Call of Duty, FIFA and Mario Kart have had the feature.
But Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie has proposed reforms which would classify all video games with loot box features as R18+ and ban their sale to children.
Wilkie said the feature was an “insidious gateway to gambling” and Australians kids were being targeted.
He said the strong links between loot boxes and problem gambling had been demonstrated in multiple studies and could not be ignored.
“These companies are very smart and are making billions of dollars and that’s wrong … we cannot continue to let our children be groomed for future gambling in this way,” he told parliament on Monday.
“Tempting young players with the potential to win game-changing items is encouraging risk-taking behaviour for a possible reward, delivering random prizes on an intermittent basis and encourages players to keep spending money.
“It’s clear that loot boxes give rise to many of the same emotions and experiences associated with poker machines and other traditional gambling activities.”
Wilkie was backed by Liberal MP Andrew Wallace, who said he would stand “shoulder to shoulder” with the independent to put big tech and gambling companies on notice.
“I’m not advocating for gambling to be made illegal but there is so much we need to do to protect vulnerable Australians,” Wallace said.
“It’s uncomfortable for some people, it’s uncomfortable for (political) parties, but together we can do this and this is a sensible start.”
The proposed reforms would also require video games to have clear labelling about their features to ensure parents and carers are informed.
Press conference ahead
Mark Dreyfus is standing up with Anthony Albanese so looks like the privacy legislation is the name of the game.
As Paul pointed to a little earlier, Labor and the Greens voted together on that legislation in the Senate to send a symbolic message.
The prime minister will be standing up for a press conference in about 20 minutes – which means cabinet has finished meeting.
Christopher Knaus
Attorney general urged to end prosecutions of David McBride and Richard Boyle
The Human Rights Law Centre, Australian Centre for International Justice, Amnesty International and the journalists’ union are among an alliance of civil society groups calling for the government to intervene and end the prosecutions of whistleblowers David McBride and Richard Boyle.
The groups published a joint open letter to attorney general Mark Dreyfus in the Australian Financial Review on Monday, saying the prosecutions make Australia “less transparent, and less democratic”.
We welcome your move to strengthen Australia’s whistleblower protection laws, and the promise of comprehensive reform in 2023. But the criminal prosecutions of whistleblowers David McBride and Richard Boyle undermine these efforts. They act as a stark warning to any person seeking to speak out against corruption and wrongdoing: blow the whistle, and the government may send you to prison.
These prosecutions make Australia less transparent, and less democratic. We urge you to drop these prosecutions now!
Other signatories included Getup!, the Alliance Against Political Prosecutions, and the Australia Institute.
Boyle is facing prosecution for acts associated with his decision to blow the whistle on the aggressive pursuit of debts by the Australian Taxation Office. McBride is facing trial for the alleged disclosure of classified documents that were used by the ABC to report on war crimes in Afghanistan.
[ad_2]
Source link