Australia politics live: Dreyfus ‘stands by everything’ he said on antisemitism in parliament after Dutton defends gag motion
Dreyfus ‘stands by everything’ he said on antisemitism in parliament
Earlier as we reported, Peter Dutton backed the Coalition’s attempt to gag the attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, in question time on Monday after he accused the opposition of politicising antisemitism.
Dreyfus has issued a statement in response to Dutton’s press conference remarks on Tuesday, saying he “stands by everything” he said.
I never thought I’d see the day when a Liberal leader would try to silence a Jew for speaking about antisemitism in the Australian parliament.
I stand by everything I said yesterday.
We need to put an end to the wave of antisemitism in this country, which is exactly what the government I am a part of has worked tirelessly to do. The only way that will happen is if there is unity and bipartisanship.
Key events
Former ambassador to the US Arthur Sinodinos, who was in Australia’s representative at the tail end of the last Trump administration says Trump “needs to be taken by his word”.
Sinodinos tells Sky News Trump had foreshadowed putting in place tariffs before the election in November.
He believes tariffs is the most beautiful word in the English language. He believes that tariffs raise money for the US Treasury.
Sinodinos says he expects the trade minister Don Farrell will be in discussions with his counterparts, but believes a lot of the work on negotiating a carve out for Australia will be done by Ambassador Rudd and the embassy team in Washington DC.
A lot of Americans say the best way to handle someone like the president is to be confident, to go in there… to put stuff on the table that shows that you can work together for mutual benefit. So it’s all about how you conduct yourself. Because he is the sort of leader that he thinks if I’m dealing with someone weak, he’ll treat them accordingly.
Emily Wind
Union says moratorium on regional bank branch closures contains ‘no new safeguards’
The Finance Sector Union says the government’s announcement of a moratorium on regional bank branch closures until mid-2027 “contains no new safeguards” and is “effectively a statement of the banks’ status quo.”
FSU national president Wendy Streets said the CBA previously announced a moratorium until 2026, and Westpac and ANZ until at least 2027.
The union said today’s moratorium announcement doesn’t cover smaller banks and mutuals, “leaving thousands of regional customers out.” Streets said:
We are troubled by what we have seen in recent months with smaller banks making significant announcements about regional branch closures. For example, BOQ has already closed 14 branches and the union has fears for the remainder of the 114 owner-managed branches it has bought back.
And the People’s Choice bank are closing 20% of their network in April this year. This announcement does nothing to address that, it’s just more of the same from the Big Four.
The FSU said an agreement struck between the government and the major banks to increase regional services through Australia Post outlets was not a replacement for banking:
Auspost is not a bank and does not provide banking services to regional Australia. It’s only provides an ATM service: cash in and cash out.
It is calling on the government to commit to the recommendations of last year’s senate inquiry into regional bank closures, to declare banking an essential service and develop a mandatory industry code.
Waters accuses Labor of snubbing Greens and crossbench on electoral reform
The Greens senator Larissa Waters spoke a little earlier at parliament on the prospect of a deal between Labor and the Coalition on electoral reform.
Neither of the major parties have confirmed a deal has been agreed, but Waters says their negotiations have been “the worst [kept] secret, and we have been waiting months for the two big parties to reveal their collusion”.
The special minister of state, Don Farrell, says he’s been consulting widely on the bill to find a path through the Senate.
Waters says she’s still expecting an announcement on a deal today.
The two big parties are so happy to scratch their own backs with this arrangement, and they will do everything they can to lock out challenges to the two-party system as well.
It’s been clear from the outset that the Labor party only wanted to deal with the Coalition on this and they have snubbed the Greens and the crossbench.
Funding for eating disorder helpline welcomed
The Butterfly Foundation has welcomed the government’s investment of $9.2m over three years to support Australians living with eating disorders.
The national charity for people affected by eating disorders and body dissatisfaction welcomed the funding for the foundation’s helpline, which provides support for people experiencing eating disorders, their friends and family and professionals including GPs and psychologists.
The foundation’s chief executive, Dr Jim Hungerford, says Butterfly reaches more than 300,000 children and millions of adults through its prevention and education services, with more than 20,000 people contacting the helpline every year.
4.4 million Australians, one in six of us, self-identify as having symptoms of an eating disorder.
These experiences can affect people from all walks of life. The Cost of Appearance Ideals report launched today shows that appearance-based discrimination is particularly prevalent among the age cohort of 15-17-year-olds, especially in females, which has devastating implications on both mental and physical health.
The assistant minister for mental health, Emma McBride, said the funding will held reduce barriers such as stigma, wait times and cost.
Eating disorders have some of the highest mortality rates of any mental illness and many Australians go undiagnosed … The Butterfly national helpline means there are now more ways for people with an eating disorder to get the professional and compassionate care they need
Dreyfus ‘stands by everything’ he said on antisemitism in parliament
Earlier as we reported, Peter Dutton backed the Coalition’s attempt to gag the attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, in question time on Monday after he accused the opposition of politicising antisemitism.
Dreyfus has issued a statement in response to Dutton’s press conference remarks on Tuesday, saying he “stands by everything” he said.
I never thought I’d see the day when a Liberal leader would try to silence a Jew for speaking about antisemitism in the Australian parliament.
I stand by everything I said yesterday.
We need to put an end to the wave of antisemitism in this country, which is exactly what the government I am a part of has worked tirelessly to do. The only way that will happen is if there is unity and bipartisanship.
Emily Wind
Expanding low-cost rentals key political issue at upcoming election – poll
An expansion of low-cost rentals will be a vote-changing political issue at the upcoming federal election, according to research from Redbridge.
The poll, conducted for the Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA), surveyed more than 1,500 people across 24 of the most contestable electorates. Almost three-quarters (73%) said housing affordability would be important in influencing their vote, 84% believed ensuring safe and stable housing is a fundamental government responsibility and 76% agreed more social housing is needed.
The CHIA chief executive, Wendy Hayhurst, said housing was “at the eye of the cost-of-living storm”.
In this election, we know increasing community housing is the best solution to this crippling problem and it has overwhelming public support.
Fewer than 4% of Australian homes are social or affordable. To fix our broken housing system, it needs to be more like one in 10.
This research not only confirms voters want more action on affordable housing, but that there are alarming levels of housing stress. In these key electorates, one in three people lack confidence they can afford their housing costs over the next year. These findings should send a strong message to all political leaders.
The research found that 28% of renters and mortgage holders spend more than half their income on housing.
Sarah Basford Canales
Negotiations on electoral reform continuing: Farrell
The special minister of state, Don Farrell, says the parliament will decide in 24 hours whether it wants to let “billionaires determine who gets into” power as proposed changes to overhaul electoral laws sit in wait.
Farrell told the Labor caucus this morning negotiations across the parliament are continuing but a decision would be made before the end of the likely final sitting week.
As flagged earlier, the Greens and crossbenchers are bracing for a deal between Labor and the Coalition to overhaul spending and donation caps for federal elections to be confirmed today and rammed through the Senate as soon as tomorrow.
Farrell has been angling for an agreement with Peter Dutton’s opposition on laws to curb the influence of big money in politics, including through caps on donations and spending, and introducing real-time disclosures for donations.
The crossbench has felt increasingly sidelined from negotiations, heightening concerns Labor and the Coalition will land a deal that disadvantages aspiring independents and minor party candidates.
The legislation as drafted would cap individual donations at $20,000, limit spending to $800,000 per seat and $90m nationally, and require near-real-time disclosure of donations above $1,000. Speaking this morning, Dutton said negotiations with Labor were continuing.
We have been conducting good-faith negotiations with the government and that continues on, and if at some stage an arrangement [is] arrived at, we will make some [announcement], but at the moment we are still in those discussions.
– with Dan Jervis-Bardy
‘Energy costs will go up as a result of 2035 targets’: Dutton
The press conference goes to a few other issues.
Dutton is asked about the Coalition’s climate policy. He won’t give much away, just that the party continues to support net zero by 2050, and then turns attention back to the government.
Dutton says modelling shows “energy costs will go up as a result of 2035 targets”, targets that the government hasn’t yet released, and are a requirement of the Paris climate agreement.
We’ll have a sensible policy which helps us decarbonise, which makes sure we can keep the lights on.
Dutton is also asked about the majority of Coalition senators supporting a motion by Pauline Hanson to set up an inquiry on trans children.
Dutton just says it was “a conscience vote”, despite reportedly telling colleagues a week ago that they should avoid wading into culture wars.
Coalition ‘still in discussions’ with Labor over electoral reform
My colleague Josh Butler has asked Dutton whether there’s a deal between the Coalition and Labor on electoral reform.
We’ve heard the crossbench are bracing for a deal to be announced shortly.
Dutton gives a generic – I won’t tell you until I tell you – answer:
We have been conducting good-faith negotiations with the government and that continues on, and if at some stage an arrangement [is] arrived at, we will make some [announcement], but at the moment we are still in those discussions.
Dutton defends motion to gag Mark Dreyfus
You might remember Monday’s motion by the Coalition to gag the attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, as he spoke about antisemitism during question time.
The opposition had tried to silence Dreyfus, who is Jewish, after he accused the Coalition of “politicising antisemitism”.
Dutton has been asked about whether the Liberal MP Michael Sukkar, who put forward the motion on Monday, “went too far”.
I won’t stand being accused of that. We supported the Jewish community. I have told you before I have the same stance in relation to any other element of society is being targeted in the way the Jewish community is. I don’t tolerate racism or intolerance on any basis, not on religion or somebody’s background, not on their heritage, on no basis whatsoever.
Dutton is asked if Sukkar made a mistake in trying to shut down Dreyfus. Dutton says “absolutely not”.
Rudd and Wong’s criticisms of Trump ‘difficult’ starting point: Dutton
Dutton has taken aim at previous comments from the ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, and the foreign minister, Penny Wong, who have both previously made public criticisms of Donald Trump.
The president will have noticed those comments and I think it’s difficult when that’s the starting point in relationship, but what’s important now is … there is a bipartisan position in Australia to stand up for our national interest and that national interest is best served by a removal of the tariff as it applies to Australia.
Dutton has also backed the Aukus agreement as a key pillar of the ongoing relationship between Australia and the US.
Dutton: ‘bipartisan position’ on US tariff exemption
Peter Dutton is speaking on the tariff announcement from the US, and says there’s a bipartisan position for Australia to be exempt from trade tariffs.
Dutton reiterates that Australia’s relationship with the US is “incredibly important” and that the US does have a trade surplus.
It’s important for the US and Trump administration to hear there is a bipartisan position in relation to the prime minister’s call to remove the tariffs.
Greens and crossbench brace for electoral reform deal between Labor and Coalition
We’re hearing an announcement will be made within the next hour or so on a deal being reached on electoral reform.
This is legislation that would cap donations and spending for elections, as well as lower the transparency cap for donations.
Trump giving ‘great consideration’ on Australia because of surplus
Trump has announced he is still giving “great consideration” to exempting Australia from the tariffs because the US runs a trade surplus with us.
He called Anthony Albanese a “very fine man” following their phone call.
I just spoke to him. Very fine man. He has a surplus. We have a surplus with Australia. One of the few. And the reason is they buy a lot of airplanes. They’re rather far away and they need lots of airplanes.
We actually have a surplus. It’s one of the only countries [with] which we do. And I told him that that’s something that we’ll give great consideration to.
So Australia could still find a way to be exempt from the tariffs after all.
The surplus point is one Labor has been at pains to make with the Trump administration, to show they benefit from the current trade arrangement.
‘We don’t need it from another country’
Here’s the full quote from Donald Trump in the Oval Office, signing his executive order on trade tariffs for steel and aluminium.
It’s 25% without exemptions or exceptions. That’s all countries, no matter where it comes from, all countries. If made in the United States, however, the United States of America, there is no tariff, zero.
So if it’s made in the United States, there’s no tariff. All you have to do is make it in the United States. We don’t need it from another country.
