In a paper being sent to all federal MPs, Shaun Hanns argues that current policy is based on an unfounded belief that resettlement in Australia would lead to an out-of-control influx of boat arrivals.
- Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
An interesting and notable point of detail about the “lifetime ban” legislation is that it would not apply to the refugee children.
Barnaby Joyce on facing the drought and rural women
Some in the Nationals would like Barnaby Joyce back in the leadership before the election. Joyce says if the leadership were offered, he would be up for it - though he insists he is not canvassing.
Morrison remains wedged between his Liberal right wing ideologues and mainstream voters. The right claims to speak for the “mainstream” on climate (and other things) but it doesn’t.
While the government currently has pledges of confidence from some crossbenchers, they would be in a strong position to demand concessions in a hung parliament.
The trouncing in Wentworth will re-open fractures in the government, threatening more damaging in-fighting between the party’s conservatives and moderates.
Michelle Grattan discusses the week in Australian politics with Nick Klomp.
It’s increasingly obvious that as prime minister Morrison will do whatever he thinks it takes – and plumb some dubious depths – to serve his immediate purposes.
There’s a fine line between being out and about and canvassing. Just being visible is all that’s needed at this stage of a bid. And Joyce doesn’t hide his ambitions for a return.
Peter Jennings on Morrison’s Jerusalem move
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Jennings says it would be "silly" to claim there is no connection between this week's announcement about the possible relocation of Australia's embassy to Jerusalem and the Wentworth byelection.
Opposition immigration spokesman Shayne Neumann said Labor welcomed the government’s “sudden and unexplained interest” in considering a deal with New Zealand.
One would think ministerial staff would be particularly alert to Hanson motions, and think very carefully before concluding she was doing something as unlikely as putting forward an anti-racist one.
The Liberals have been making a big pitch for the Jewish vote in Wentworth, on the back of Sharma’s diplomatic experience. His major opponent, independent Kerryn Phelps, is Jewish.
Some Liberals who agitated for action on religious freedom might be starting to appreciate that the best stand for a conservative can sometimes be to just leave things alone.
Mrdak, who interviewed both Milne and Guthrie, said they had no doubt the government was “very concerned at the issues of opinion and accuracy and editorial standards raised” in the several pieces.
The latest national polls come just days out from Saturday’s Wentworth byelection, which will determine whether the Coalition is forced into minority government.
Michelle Grattan speaks Mark Evans about the week in Australian politics.
Alex Turnbull said in his video the IPCC report “frankly was terrifying … and it’s seemingly insane to me that we could not be doing something about this and soon”.
This debate will divide and discredit the Liberals unless it can be shut down quickly. Within the party it will split the moderates from the right, and cause division within the right too.
The battle for Wentworth
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The government's majority is at stake in the October 20 Wentworth byelection, when the Liberals face voters still reeling from the loss of their member Malcolm Turnbull.
The furore over whether the Sydney Opera House should be used as a billboard is one thing, but the bigger issue is Alan Jones’ bullying behaviour and the NSW government caving in to it,
Michelle Grattan speaks with Deep Saini about the week in Australian politics.
Malaysian-born Tan, from Victoria, who has most recently been Director of Multicultural Engagement at Swinburne University of Technology, replaces Tim Soutphommasane, who in August completed his term.
The Morrison and Berejiklian governments might be of the same stripe but, with both facing elections in the first half of 2019, their interests rub up against each other uncomfortably.
There are 750,000 fewer workers under enterprise agreements now than when the Coalition was elected, McManus says in her speech to the John Curtin Research Centre.
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