Australia politics live: Lambie pushes back on right to disconnect; NAB chief executive to step down

Jacqui Lambie said on Wednesday says since the pandemic there has been a lot more flexibility around workplaces, and workers can already go to the fair work commission if they have an issue.

LIVE – Updated at 22:08

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22:08Benita Kolovos

Further to the earlier report on the weapon changes Victoria’s police minister Anthony Carbines is introducing to day, Carbines is also amending existing laws to make it easier for police to serve a firearm prohibition order (FPO) on a person.

An FPO allows police to stop and search a person of interest at any time to see if they have a firearm on them.

He said while the scheme has seen Victoria police issue more than 2,000 FPOs, they currently can only be served in person, which is difficult when people are actively avoiding police:

“If police believe you’re in a home or you’re in a vehicle and stopped, you can be served and you can’t avoid that service. We’ve had people in immigration detention, we’ve had people in custody, who have refused the service of firearm prohibition.

Carbines said only people of “ill repute” were subject to FPOs – no person doing the right thing will be stopped and searched under the changes. He said:

“You have to meet a pretty significant threshold to be the subject to a firearm prohibition order … Clearly a character of pretty ill repute.

22:04Josh Butler

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations have called for urgent action in the wake of the Closing The Gap report, which gave a scathing assessment of the potential failure of the whole agreement due to governments simply not doing enough.

The Aboriginal Housing and Homelessness Forum and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Association (NATSIHA) said the Indigenous housing and homelessness crisis would “continue to deteriorate” if governments don’t fundamentally change their tack. They’ve called for a separate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing and Homelessness plan to address the housing emergency.

Rob Macfarlane, CEO of NATSIHA, said they are “yet to see any real commitment” despite bringing ideas to government. It is time for governments to move beyond rhetoric and embrace true power-sharing… The gap will widen for our people if attention is not given to addressing the housing emergency faced by our people,” he said.

SNAICC CEO Catherine Liddle called for governments to “substantially shift the way they operate”. She said that despite community-controlled organisations entering into the CTG agreement with good faith, “despite our best efforts this hasn’t happened. It’s past time all Governments got serious about changing the way they work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations.”

The Productivity Commission was blunt in its assessment that without fundamental change the Agreement will fail. Australia cannot afford to keep failing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children,” Liddle said.

22:02

PM Anthony Albanese stopped briefly for a doorstop after his speech at the UN Women’s breakfast this morning.

He slammed Peter Dutton for a “vague commitment” on more tax reform from the Coalition in future, and admitted governments “need to do more” on Indigenous policy in the wake of the scathing Closing The Gap report out today.

We need to do more and the government acknowledges that,” Albanese said, after the Productivity Commission said the CTG report was on the brink of failure and that governments simply weren’t listening.

We’re doing work on a range of issues,” he continued, noting policies to develop housing in remote Australia, employment and boosting the Community Development Program.

All governments need to do better. The report today is a reminder of that, which is why we’ll continue to move forward practical measures in order to close the gap.”

Albanese again pointed toward next week’s Closing The Gap statement, to be tabled in parliament, as a possible avenue for new policy announcements.

Asked about Dutton’s pledge to cut tax more ahead of the next election – which he didn’t give any details of yesterday – Albanese dismissed it as a “thought bubble”.

I’ve never seen such a vague commitment from a Labor government or a Labor opposition. You can’t just say ‘we’re gonna have more tax cuts, but we can’t tell you what they are or who they’re aimed at’,” Albanese said.

Their third position they’ve had in a week. They need to say, what will the cuts be and what will the new taxes be to make up for it? Either that or they’re going to be fiscally irresponsible.”

Asked about Jacqui Lambie’s reluctance to back the “right to disconnect” in the new IR bill, Albanese said discussions remained ongoing.

What we’re simply saying is, someone who’s not being paid 24 hours a day shouldn’t be penalised if they’re not online and available 24 hours a day,” he said.

‘Not one person has ever mentioned it’: Lambie on after hours work calls

21:59

Jacqui Lambie is speaking to ABC radio RN Breakfast about some of her concerns with the bill, which includes the right to disconnect:

I have to say nobody has ever spoken to me in the 10 years I’ve been in and out of politics, about phone calls after hours, not one person and even going through this not one person.

And I’ve been out there with my boots on the ground because I’m running a team in Tasmania for the state election. Not one person has mentioned anything about that not ever. So I just think if there’s not a problem while we’re trying to fix it.

Lambie says since the pandemic there has been a lot more flexibility around workplaces, and workers can already go to the fair work commission if they have an issue.

Here’s Cait Kelly with more on the issue:

21:55

PM urges men to step up to address violence against women

In Australia, one man a week, on average, will kill his partner or former partner. In his speech to the International Women’s Day breakfast held in parliament this morning, Anthony Albanese said it was time for men to stand up to address violence against women (which should really be referred to as men committing violence against women, if you want to get down to it).

The final thing I’d say is that while women are shaping these policies and driving these responses, ending this epidemic of violence has to involve men stepping up. Because violence against women is not a problem that women should have to solve. Men have to be prepared to take responsibility for our actions and our attitudes. To educate our sons, to talk to our mates. To drive real change in the culture of our sporting clubs, our faith and community groups and our workplaces – including this workplace. It’s great there are so many members and Senators here this morning. I know that everyone elected to Parliament, from all points of the political compass, believes that the decisions we make here can help change the country for the better. And practically every week, whenever we read about another life violently stolen, all of us are reminded of why change is needed and why it’s needed as a matter of urgency. I know all of us are determined for Australia to do better on this. Working together, I know we can and I’m confident we will.

21:53Jonathan Barrett

NAB chief Ross McEwan to step down in April

The chief executive of National Australia Bank will step down in April after more than four years in the high-profile role.

McEwan, who will be replaced by the internal candidate Andrew Irvine, oversaw NAB’s response to the royal commission into misconduct during a tumultuous period for the financial sector.

He came in at a critical time with significant international experience and expertise,” NAB chair Philip Chronican said in a statement today.

Irvine has been group executive for NAB’s business and private banking since 2020 after holding senior banking roles in Canada.

Chronican said Irvine had been a “tireless advocate for the agricultural sector, small business and First Nations business”.

21:52Benita Kolovos

Victoria to ban machete sales to minors

The Victoria police minister, Anthony Carbines, is announcing a ban on the sale of machetes to people under 18 and the introduction of tougher firearm prohibition orders he says, will stamp out organised crime.

Carbines will today introduce to parliament the firearms and control of weapons (machetes) amendment bill 2024 that will classify machetes as a “controlled weapon” and make it clear they cannot be possessed, carried, or used without a lawful excuse or sold to anyone under the age of 18.

He says:

Police feel that there is ambiguity when they enforce the law. Market and stall holder operators, they need to be very clear, you cannot sell machetes to those under 18 years of age.

You need to seek ID and you need to clear up who you’re selling to. [The new laws] also make it very clear that machetes can’t be carried by people who are underage. These changes were requested by Victorian Police.

Carbines said there will be exemptions for people who use machetes for “legitimate and lawful purposes”, such as farmers and agriculture workers clearing food crops, gardening and maintaining trails.

The penalty for carrying a controlled weapon with an unlawful excuse is a fine of more than $23,000 or a jail term of one year.

It is an offence for a person to sell a controlled weapon to any person under 18, with a fine of up to $3,846. It is also an offence for a child to buy a controlled weapon, with a fine of up to $2,308.

The changes are expected to come into effect in mid-2024.

21:36

New NAB chief

One of the Big Four has a new leader – NAB has announced Andrew Irvine will succeed Ross McEwan as Group CEO and managing director on 2 April.

Irvine is now the group executive business and private banking head.

21:35

Coalition hints at future tax reform

The Coalition will vote for the stage-three tax changes, because to paraphrase Peter Dutton, they don’t want to stand in the way of giving help to people. But the are continuing their “these changes are terrible” tour, which is a hard line to walk when you have acknowledged that they are going to help people.

To combat that, they are going to create a NEW tax plan. Stage Four; the Tax Awakens I assume.

Here was Jane Hume earlier today:

Once we have done the work to be able to recalibrate a personal income tax plan that restores aspiration back into our economy, that allows people to keep more of what they earn because they deserve to do so, and more importantly, doesn’t provide a disincentive for people to get a promotion, get a new job, go out and work those extra hours, so that they can keep more of their own money. That’s what Anthony Albanese has taken away.

21:13

PM speaks at UN women’s day breakfast in Canberra

Anthony Albanese gave a speech at the UN International Women’s Day breakfast which was held in parliament this morning. It is held earlier than March because of sitting day clashes.

I’ll bring you some of that in a moment when I chase it down.

The UN Women theme for 2024 is “Invest in women: Accelerate progress”.

That obviously means different things to different people though.

21:11

Pocock prefers local solutions on Closing the Gap

David Pocock has a different view – he wants to see more solutions designed at a local level rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. He acknowledges that was part of what the voice was going to do, but he says even if Australians rejected enshrining it in the constitution, they wouldn’t stand in the way of local voices being put in place:

I think most Australians would acknowledge that people at a local level have a far better understanding of their problems than bureaucrats in Canberra.

And so I think that has to be part of what we do as a country is empowering local organisations to actually design and implement solutions at a local level.

It’s obviously a hard thing to do but you look at reports like the one that came out today, and we can’t keep doing the same thing. That’s ridiculous.

21:03

Without ‘fundamental change’ Closing the Gap will fail: Lambie

Jacqui Lambie also lets fly over the Productivity Commission report.

Lambie believes new people should be around the table to bring fresh ideas. She then turns to the Indigenous Affairs minister, Linda Burney, and Labor’s attitude to Indigenous issues since the voice referendum failed and says:

It seems with the voice, since it went down the voice Labor’s sat there in a corner and just closed their eyes.

I have not seen the Indigenous minister. If she’s not up to the job, then maybe it’s time to change her over.

21:01

Lambie also flags capital gains and negative gearing review

Jacqui Lambie agrees it is time to look at things like capital gains and negative gearing:

I understand you want investment and not just your super but how many houses do you need to invest?

I just remind those people they can’t take that money with them when they’re 10 foot under.

… It is part of the reason that we’re having a housing crisis out there.

(One of the issues though is that they know they can’t take it with them – it widens inequality because their children can borrow from the “bank of mum and dad” and then gain a house or inheritance that others do not.)

20:59

Housing system ‘isn’t working’: Pocock flags tax discussion

David Pocock takes a question about the stage-three tax changes and turns it into an answer in housing – which has been the missing piece in all of this talk so far.

I want to see the major parties talking about housing. We’ve got a housing system that isn’t working.

And the gall of some of these politicians who have multiple investment properties to get out up there and say we cannot touch negative gearing and capital gains tax discount – I think they have to be on the table.

If we want to turn this ship around and have housing is something that everyone in our community can afford and to not have housing where it’s arguably easier to buy your second house than it is your first house then you’ve got to look at the tax system and the capital gains tax discount and negative gearing are something that we’re going to have to have a discussion about.

But you know you look at the hysteria, led by people who have multiple properties.

20:57

Pocock voices concerns on IR bill, leaning towards yes

David Pocock is also speaking to ABC radio RN Breakfast (the pair are in the studio together) and he is listing some of his own concerns around the legislation which include some of the technicalities around the gig economy and road safety.

He sounds a little closer to a yes than Jacqui Lambie though.

Both have given all the praise to Tony Burke and his team for the negotiation process.

Lambie says Burke is one of the best negotiators she has come across in her political career. Pocock also gives all the snaps to his team. So the negotiations seem constructive at least.

20:45

ACCI criticises ‘rushed and flawed’ IR legislation changes

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has released a joint statement from the state and territory chamber CEOs urging the Senate “to carefully reconsider the implications of this rushed and flawed industrial relations legislation”.

The national, state and territory business chambers are united in support of our small and family enterprise business community that is already under significant pressure from rapidly rising costs.

We are gravely concerned that the proposed legislation will harm all business owners and operators, especially growing ones. The legislation will also impact the prospects for the very employees that it purports to protect. It will damage the communities that are reliant on the growth and resilience of local businesses.

Our members employ millions of Australians across regions, towns, cities, and every sector. Most of our members are small businesses that contribute so much, and we will burden them with additional constraints and costs.

These costs will be passed on to the community or result in the loss of jobs. Or both.

These warnings have come with every part of the IR changes. These particular ones would give casual employees more rights to seek permanent employment, changes to the gig economy, bring about the right to disconnect and update the definition of “employment” and “casual” employment.

Jacqui Lambie and David Pocock are the kingmakers in this legislation – negotiations are ongoing.

20:27

‘It’s the law’: Katter prompts return of cash payments at Parliament House

Bob Katter has a new legacy – returning cash to the parliamentary staff dining room.

The independent MP for Kennedy was SHOCKED when he went to buy his lunch of fish, rice and vegetables at what is known as the trough and had his $50 note rejected.

The trough has been cash free for some time. This was news to Katter, who wanted to remind the parliament that “to not accept Australian legal tender, in the very place, that makes the laws to accept cash as a form of currency” was a bit ridiculous.

Legal tender means you must accept it, it’s the law,” Katter said.

Katter is a huge cash advocate and saw this as a moment to make a larger point.

I fight the battle because otherwise all your freedom is gone. The banks will control your life. You can’t buy a loaf of bread without the bank’s permission. The banks will now have complete control of your life.

And there is another factor I appreciate – in North Queensland, and we’ve seen it recently, we’re having storms and cyclones knocking out our power lines. Your plastic magic won’t work without electricity and without cash you’ll starve, you won’t be able to buy fuel or medication either.

Staff gave Katter his meal free of charge and Katter said Speaker Milton Dick told him “we will reverse this policy immediately”. (We’ll check in with Dick a little later)

Things like the trough are run by DPS, not MPs, but the speaker and president of the Senate are the presiding officers.

20:18

Livestock export to be unloaded in Perth on Thursday amid heatwave

Livestock on board the MV Bahijah will be unloaded at Fremantle on Thursday after the owners failed to present a safe plan to ship them to the Middle East.

The Israel-owned vessel was 10 days into a passage to the Middle East when it was ordered to return to port when the government ruled it could not make the journey safely.

But the prospect of unloading the live cargo of almost 17,000 sheep and cattle has created a logistical headache for the port which is usually only geared up for sending animals overseas rather than receiving them. Onshore “processing facilities”, where the livestock are stunned and killed, do not have the capacity to deal with an unexpected influx of animals, one expert said.

An added complication is that Perth is facing a heatwave with temperatures on Thursday expected to reach 42C, presenting a heat risk for the animals.

Read the full story from Narelle Towie here:

Good morning

20:09

Thank you to Martin for starting us off this morning. You have Amy Remeikis with you now for the sitting day.

Paul Karp, Daniel Hurst, Josh Butler and Sarah Basford Canales will be along very soon and Mike Bowers will also help guide you through the parliamentary sitting day.

As Martin and Dan have laid out, foreign affairs and Australia’s relations with the Pacific will be the focus of the day. But there will also be quite a bit on tax after the Coalition’s capitulation yesterday and IR as Tony Burke works through his agenda.

It’s at least a three coffee morning. Ready? Let’s get into it.

20:07

PNG prime minister expected in Canberra

The Papua New Guinea prime minister, James Marape, is due to arrive in Canberra today before the annual leaders’ meeting and address to a joint sitting of parliament tomorrow.

It comes after reports PNG and China have entered early talks on security and policing cooperation.

For more, read our full report:

20:03Daniel Hurst

ADF expects training helicopters available midyear

The ADF expects that the training helicopters will be available for operations in Oakey in Queensland by around the middle of this year.

The government will argue these helicopters have been chosen because they can perform a variety of roles “including personnel and equipment transport and Defence assistance to the civil community”.

It has not dislocated the cost of the lease arrangement, but it is expected to last five years and be funded from within defence’s existing budget.

Separately, the government will also announce that it has signed $830m worth of sustainment and support contracts for Black Hawk, Apache and Chinook helicopters.

The defence minister, Richard Marles, said:

We need a highly capable army. When the tough but necessary decision was made last year to expedite the withdrawal of the MRH-90s from service, it meant that we needed to look at all options when it came to filling the capability gap and the training which our servicemen and women need.

We have been working with the United States and United Kingdom on ways in which we can bridge this gap, and their support and willingness with the acceleration of the Black Hawks and leasing of training helicopters will have a significant impact.

Defence to hire five helicopters from UK to fill gap left by Taipan retirement

19:43Daniel Hurst

The Australian Defence Force will hire five helicopters from the UK over the next five years as part of moves to fill a capability gap left by the early withdrawal of the Taipan fleet.

The federal government will announce today that it will procure five H135 “Juno” training helicopters from the United Kingdom through a lease arrangement, saying this will “support essential training requirements for army aircrew”.

The government will also confirm that the United States is delivering nine new Black Hawk helicopters this year. That will mean a total of 12 Black Hawk helicopters will be in Australia by the end of 2024. This number is believed to include the accelerated delivery of three Black Hawk helicopters that the US and Australia announced four months ago.

It’s part of a plan to acquire a fleet of 40 UH-60M Black Hawks from the US. While 12 of them will be here by the end of 2024, the remaining 28 will arrive in staged deliveries between 2025 and 2029.

Welcome

19:30

Good morning and welcome to our live politics blog. I’m Martin Farrer and I’ll be bringing you the best of the overnight stories before my colleague Amy Remeikis takes the controls.

“Weak” action, broken promises and failing to listen to Indigenous communities. These are just some of the problems with Closing the Gap identified in a scathing report today that warns the program will fail without major reform. The Productivity Commission report on Closing the Gap will make uncomfortable reading in Canberra with a warning that successive governments have failed to accept “that they do not know what is best for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people”.

The federal housing minister, Julie Collins, has described hundreds of premature homelessness deaths as “completely unacceptable” amid a push for a reporting scheme to shine a light on the crisis. It follows the launch this week of our series, Out in the cold, shining a light on the premature deaths of homeless people. The latest feature in our series charts the tragic story of rough sleeper Pasquale Giorgio who died in a police van in Surfers Paradise the day after asking an officer on the streets for help.

About 17,000 sheep and cattle intended for live export to Israel could be slaughtered in Australia if the exporters fail to come up with a plan to take the animals safely to the Middle East. The livestock are currently on board the MV Bahijah off the coast of Western Australia after being ordered to return to port when the government ruled it could not safely sail to Israel.

The Australian Defence Force will hire five helicopters from the UK over the next five years to help fill a capability gap left by the early withdrawal of the Taipan fleet – more on that soon.

And the visiting Papua New Guinea prime minister, James Marape, is due to arrive in Canberra today, before a meeting tomorrow with Anthony Albanese and an address to a joint sitting of the Australian parliament. We also have more on that coming up.