Politics live: November 26, 2012 - Sydney Morning Herald (blog)

Welcome to our live coverage of politics from the national capital. All times in AEDST. You can follow us on Twitter @murpharoo @mearesy @ellinghausen

11.16am: Schedule an el desko luncheon today politics tragics.

The Prime Minister has called a pre-Question Time press conference at 1pm.

Festival of slush. Front foot. All that.

11.00am: Boats is bubbling around at the margins this morning.

The Labor left will meet later today to consider recent punitive government initiatives, including changes ensuring boat arrivals don't have work rights. Labor's Doug Cameron hit the airwaves this morning to be troubled about this development.

Liberal moderate Judi Moylan was also troubled about the partisan politicking by her leader Tony Abbott - including a move expected this week, via a private members bill, back to Temporary Protection Visas.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen is on the ABC just at the moment, attempting to be Mr Reasonable.

The government claims that a recent upsurge in arrivals from Sri Lanka reflects a bunch of enterprising folks seeking a new life in Australia for economic reasons - not because they face any tangible threat at home.

We need to send a crisp and clear message to Sri Lanka that economic migration through the refugee system is not on, Mr Bowen says.

10.44am: My view on the substance of this matter? Trade union officials should not steal the member's money.

What is your view? Comment below.

Tweeters can weigh in to our rolling conversation by using the hastag #thepulselive

10.36am: The Opposition leader, Tony Abbott, on his private members bill, coming up later today. Criminal penalties for union officials making off with the members moulah. Want a clean trade union movement? Change the government.

Today, the Coalition will be introducing a private members bill to try to ensure that there is a level playing field for officials of unions and for directors and officials of companies. It's very important that people who commit essentially the same offence should pay essentially the same price and if you are in favour of doing the right thing by union members, you'll vote in favour of this legislation. If you're in favour of allowing dodgy union officials to get off more or less scot-free, you'll vote against this legislation. So, this is a real test for the Government and for the Prime Minister. My fear is that too many members of this government are too conflicted and too compromised by their past union associations. If we want to see a clean and straight and honest union movement, I fear the only way to get it is to change the government.

Reporter: Why didn't you introduce this at the height of the Craig Thomson scandal?

This is a perfectly appropriate time to introduce this legislation.

10.33am: Meanwhile, over at the simulator.

Transport Minister drives a pretend train over pretend harbour bridge.

Because he can.

Alex Ellinghausen is down with the train spotter.

10.20am: Breaking news reporter, Judith Ireland, with the two Smiths (Stephen and Len):

• The Gillard Government will establish an independent taskforce, headed by a QC, to assess individual allegations of abuse within Defence and will make a parliamentary apology to victims.


• Announcing the inquiry into allegations of abuse within Defence across every decade since the 1950s, Defence Minister Stephen Smith did not rule out a Royal Commission into some episodes of abuse. And he confirmed that he would deliver a parliamentary apology to Australian Defence Force members and Defence employees who had suffered sexual or other abuse.


• Mr Smith said that the independent taskfoce, headed by Len Roberts-Smith QC would determine if individuals should receive compensation of up to $50,000, counselling, restorative justice or referral to the police or military police.


• The government’s response follows a review into Defence abuse, announced in April 2011, in the wake of the so-called ‘‘Skype Scandal’’ at ADFA.


• The review, by law firm DLA Piper, received allegations of abuse from more than 1,000 people, dating back to the 1950s.

(Andrew Meares captured Mr Smith and Len Roberts-Smith QC a couple of minutes ago.)

10.09am: The Defence Minister Stephen Smith is in the Blue Room addressing the media. He's announcing a new taskforce to investigate allegations of abuse within the Australian Defence Force.

A taskforce, not a Royal Commission. But if the inquisitors need additional powers they will be granted.

Defence will pay for this inquiry. The taskforce will work for 12 months, and then assess whether that timeframe is sufficient for its inquiries.

Mr Smith says he will be giving an apology to victims in parliament later today.

10.00am: The preamble to this week's festival of slush is certainly entrancing those who watch politics for a living, but it doesn't seem to have impacted public sentiment at this point.

Today's Newspoll shows the main measures on a par with recent surveys.

Labor's primary vote is steady on 36 per cent, as is the Coalition on 43 per cent. The two party preferred measure in Labor 49, Coalition 51 per cent.

The Prime Minister is ahead of Tony Abbott on the preferred Prime Minister measure 46 per cent to 33 per cent.

9.48am: Enough with the quirk and the ghosts of lively Novembers past.

Absolute concentration from now on.

The Australian Financial Review's Laura Tingle has a good preview this morning of the festival of slush.

She speculates Ms Gillard may get on the front foot about this AWU-Bruce Wilson matter rather than wait for the Deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop to launch her much telegraphed Question Time offensive. There's no definitive guidance on that point thus far. The Prime Minister's office tell us if they have something to tell us, they'll tell us.

The Age's political editor Michelle Grattan has a comprehensive story on what the Opposition wants to know on this AWU matter.

9.45am: Total drama action.

The Transport Minister Anthony Albanese will shortly drive a virtual train across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

(Yep, he will.)

9.35am: Tis of course the season. The killing season.

Our politicians will attend a White Ribbon Day morning tea later on this morning. This fact reminded Andrew Meares of this wonderful picture from 2009.

Then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and then Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull attended a White Ribbon Day event at Parliament House Canberra on Wednesday 25 November 2009. Mr Turnbull later survived a leadership spill following dissent within the coalition surrounding the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.

Nothing so dramatic this week, right?

Just bare knuckles, to the end. With a little break later in the week for the Christmas messages.

9.20am: Good morning Pulsers and welcome to the closing week of federal politics.

Slush funds. Polls. Boats.

Backbenchers duelling on morning radio about their leaders racing to the bottom on the question of asylum seekers.

"Questions the Prime Minister must answer."

A couple of colourful union officials interjecting from the sidelines about events 17 years ago.

A private members bill from the Opposition leader Tony Abbott imposing criminal penalties on trade union leaders trousering the members cash.

Hope you've packed lunch.

It's going to be a big week.

Thanks for joining us.

Let's get into it shall we?