Malcolm Turnbull complained to ABC about NBN coverage – as it happened
This article is more than 8 years old
The prime minister confirms he complained to the ABC over the NBN coverage publicly and privately, the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement is signed, and human rights commissioner Gillian Triggs responds to high court decision on asylum seekers. As it happened
Question time was dominated by the GST debate and the so-called “bedwetters”, the backbenchers nervous about losing their seats. Ministers said there was no such plan.
Malcolm Turnbull also faced questions on whether he complained to the ABC about coverage of the NBN. He said before the election, he complained publicly and privately that there was not a proper discussion about the competing technologies. “I’m entitled to have that view”, he told parliament.
And the prime minister confirmed he was not a fan of the plebiscite on marriage equality but described it as a “democratic innovation” which would give all Australians a say on the issue.
The Greens and independent senator John Madigan were the only senators to back a motion to grant an amnesty to the 237 asylum seekers who face return to Manus Island after the High Court ruling.
Trade minister Andrew Robb signed Australia up to the Trans Pacific Partnership and rejected suggestions the Productivity Commission should do an economic analysis.
The Australian Building and Construction Commission bill passed the lower house but was swiftly referred back to an employment committee in the senate, thereby delaying it further.
Thanks for all of your comments, thoughts and links throughout the day and thanks to Shalailah Medhora, Daniel Hurst and Lenore Taylor. And to Mike Bowers who took a truckload of wonderful pictures.
Katharine Murphy will be back in the chair next week when the lower house sits and the senate is immersed in estimates - grilling public servants on their departmental activities. Murph will have her work cut out.
I leave you with a Matt Hatter gif, which I find mesmerising and accurately reflects my blog day.
The redtape minister Peter Hendy wrote in the Oz that his work is done. Sid Maher reported:
The Turnbull government will scrap its twice-yearly parliamentary red-tape repeal days — a feature of Tony Abbott’s election promise to cut red tape by $1 billion a year — arguing much of the heavy lifting to remove unnecessary laws has been done.
Assistant Minister for Productivity Peter Hendy, writing in The Australian today, says repeal days will be replaced with annual reports “that will assess our performance to date and set a course for reform over the next year’’.
Under Abbott, the house endured endless filibustering on red tape, which resulted in minor changes to statute books that usually happen behind the scenes without much fuss. Abbott elevated parliamentary housekeeping to a fine art and produced a glossy book, wrapped in red tape to prove he was getting rid of red tape.
But now, it’s over. The bonfire has been doused. You are all free of red tape.
Burke had a bit of fun with it this morning:
The war is over. Punctuation has been defeated and the government’s semi-annual skirmishes against hyphens and semi-colons have come to an end.
After four rounds in the arena of red tape reduction, the Government’s third minister responsible for Repeal Days, Peter Hendy, has declared victory.
Repeal Days have often been accompanied by much hype about the success of the Government’s war on the punctuation, but what has been achieved?
On the first Repeal Day, the Defence Act 1904, which related to the definition of naval officers and state navies, was repealed.
The states haven’t had navies since 1913, but just in case Queensland or Western Australia got any ideas, this government was on to them.
Owners of mules and bullocks were also given a reprieve, with the repeal of laws requiring the animals be registered for military purposes.
The government has also claimed red tape reductions in the updating of spelling, grammar and punctuation on the statute books.
Such pressing updates include changing the word “e-mail” to “email” and “facsimile” to “fax” across numerous pieces of legislation.
In a series of Statute Law Revision bills, the government removed 40 hyphens, one comma and one inverted comma; changed two full stops to semi-colons, one semi-colon to a full stop; and inserted two commas, one full stop, one colon and one hyphen.
Burke points out that the government also used the bonfire of red tape to justify watering down the future of financial advice (Fofa) reforms and the wage cut to cleaners by abolishing the commonwealth cleaning services guidelines.
Labor to Turnbull: I refer to his previous answer, given his admission that he complained privately to the ABC and given evidence that the story was dropped because of concerns by the Turnbull camp, and given concerns that the Coalition has about bias at the ABC, will he conduct an independent inquiry into this just like he did about ‘Q&A’?
Turnbull:
I simply made the point that in respect of the ABC coverage of the NBN issue - and this was essentially in the lead up to the last election, so this predates my being a minister.
My view was, and I’m entitled to have that view as we’re all entitled to have a view about news reporting, that they could have done a more comprehensive job, a more balanced approach in which they...made a better effort of explaining the arguments about the competing technologies which was, if you like, the factual context in the NBN broadband debate at the time.
You know, is fibre to the node worthwhile? Does it deliver adequate speeds? Is fibre to the premises the only way to go?
I mean, in many respects the debate has been resolved. The evidence is in, the multi-technology mix the Government is taking has been proved to be correct.
Turnbull: Yes I did complain to the ABC about NBN coverage - publicly and privately
Turnbull says he was very critical of the ABC’s coverage.
My point very simply was this, that was we know in the lead up to the last election there was a debate, a discussion, if you like, about competing technologies and the proposition that the Labor Government presented was that the only solution, the only acceptable solution was to have a universal fibre to the premises network which was their plan.
The honourable member’s question is, have I complained? Did I complain about this to the ABC? The answer is yes, I did complain but I complained publicly. I was very public about it and made this point. I’ve said nothing in any of my discussions with the chief executive at any time. I’ve said exactly the same things privately as I’ve said publicly because it is important, in my view, that the national broadcaster, whenever it can, seeks to inform the public debate so to ensure that, right or wrong, the contending arguments are well exposed in light of the facts.
Two weeks ago a taped conversation between a journalist and management at the ABC surfaced. It revealed an ABC article critical of his NBN was blockedby management because they did not want to upset, and I quote , “The Turnbull camp.” Can thePrime Minister advise the House if he or any members of his current or former office has had any contact with ABC management in relation to stories critical of his second-rate NBN?
Pyne objects on the grounds it is within the responsibility of the ABC. Burke says it is within the bounds. Pyne says it was a fishing exercise.
A Dixer to Turnbull: In a advance of the next joint Commonwealth-Tasmanian economic council, Prime Minister, can you update Tasmanians on the progress of investments and Tasmania’s trade performance?
Malcolm Turnbull on marriage equality: I did not favour a plebiscite
Labor to Turnbull: will you allow a free vote on marriage equality, given your previous views?
Turnbull says the plebiscite is a democratic process.
Every single Australian will have a say. It is a new approach. It has not been a practice in the Australian political system, other than constitutional referendums. It is a new approach, I grant the honourable member that, and it is certainly not the approach that I favoured. At the outset, I am a traditionalist. This was a case of democratic innovation. The innovator was out innovating. There you go.
Turnbull says he will vote for marriage equality. Others may vote against.
A Dixer to Barnaby Joyce: Will the minister update the house on how strong agricultural exports figures are contributing to growth and jobs not just in rural and regional Australia but right across the nation?
A Dixer to the social services minister Christian Porter: Will the Minister update the house on reforms recently announced to achieve fairness and sustainability in Australia’s welfare system? Is the minister aware of any alternative approaches?
Porter talks about the debts owed by individuals inside to social security system and changes. Will have to check the finer details.
Labor to Morrison: The ‘Sydney Morning Herald’ today reports that Liberal MPs are worried that he’s already made up his mind to increase the GST to 15%. Has the Treasurer made up his mind? When will we see the Treasurer’s plan to increase the GST or will we never ever see it or at least never until after the next election?
Morrison says Labor has learned nothing from its days in government.
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