As It Happened In The Australian Senate On Thursday 10 August 2023: a case of the biter bit

 

Having left it to the last day both the Upper House and Lower House chambers were sitting in August, to spring what the Opposition obviously thought was a clever raid on Labor's legion holding the Senate, the Liberals smugly alerted the media to their intention to save pharmacists across Australia from a non-existent threat. Rather swiftly the plan began to go awry.

However Opposition forces rallied. 

As Business of the Senate a postponement notice was promptly lodged ie., Notice of Motion No. 1 (to disallow government dispensing reforms making medicines cheaper for six million Australians) in the name of Shadow Minister for Health Liberal Senator Anne Ruston and others, seeking postponement to 4 September 2023.

Then the wheels spectacularly fell off the Liberal Party chariot......

The Guardian, extracts from Live News, 10 August 2023:

15.59 AEST

What happened in the Senate today

This is for those who have asked me what was going on with all that procedure because it was a bit to keep track of.

Yesterday the Coalition gave notice it was going to move a disallowance motion to stop the 60-day dispensing changes coming in from 1 September.

It had to be moved today, because the parliament doesn’t resume until 4 September, after the changes came into effect.

At one point, the Coalition thought it had the numbers to make this happen, or at least could spook the government into thinking it had the numbers to make it happen, and force the government to delay the start date itself.

Along came the Greens who said, actually, no thank you to the disallowance motion, we have been chatting to the government and they are bringing negotiations on the next community pharmacy agreement forward by a year and that is what we wanted.

So that meant the Coalition needed to get all the remaining crossbenchers on board to beat the government on numbers.

The government needed the Greens to all show up in the chamber and one other crossbench MP. Cue late night chats and Mark Butler emerges this morning on the interview circuit saying “watch what happens in the Senate, but we have had VERY PRODUCTIVE chats with the crossbench”.

Very productive chats in that context is “we have the support we need, but can’t say so officially”.

The Coalition, realising it is about to lose, then tried to delay the disallowance motion, pushing it into the next sitting.

Labor, who wanted it dealt with once and for all, decided, actually no, we ARE going to have that disallowance motion today, senate what do you think? And all the senators who were voting with Labor on the motion agreed, meaning it the Coalition couldn’t delay it.

BUT (continued in next post):

Updated at 16.15 AEST

16.03 AEST

How Labor 'adopted' the disallowance motion – and defeated it

(Continued from previous post)

It is very difficult to move another senator’s disallowance motion and shadow health minister Anne Ruston wasn’t moving it (because the Coalition wanted it delayed). Labor tried to force it, but couldn’t because it wasn’t their motion.

So in a bunch of boring procedural motions, Labor managed to de-couple the motion from Anne Ruston’s name, making it an orphan.

The poor little orphaned disallowance motion was sent into the senate orphanage as as a delayed motion to wait out question time, when SURPRISE, it was adopted by Labor senator Louise Pratt.

Before it even had time to see its new bedroom, Labor called to suspend standing orders so it could call it on for a vote, where it was once again centre stage, despite Liberal senator Simon Birmingham objecting very loudly.

But this time all the procedural ducks were in a row, the motion was in Pratt’s name, so Labor had control and a vote was called.

And the disallowance motion was decided in the government’s favour – 33 votes to 28.

Which means that the two-for-one prescriptions slated to begin on 1 September will go ahead, the disallowance motion is defeated and this probably won’t be an issue again until six months time when the next tranche of medications join the list.

We hope that little motion gets to live out its dreams in the hansard now.

Updated at 16.20 AEST

16.34 AEST

Opposition to try to disallow 60-day medicine move again in September

Bridget McKenzie, the Nationals leader in the Senate, has said the opposition will launch a further attempt to disallow the government’s 60-day pharmacy dispensing changes when parliament returns in September.

On Thursday, the Senate voted down a Coalition push to tear up Labor’s changes.

McKenzie, speaking to the ABC, said the opposition had already moved to try to disallow it again.

We have lodged this afternoon another disallowance for this mechanism. This highlights for the government that we are very very serious, it is not good enough to say is not going to have a negative impact, the people’s healthcare delivery and particularly in the regions won’t be impacted when it actually will.

Updated at 16.41 AES

The 60-day script dispensing reform is due to commence on 1 September 2023 and the Senate Chamber does not sit again until 4 September 2023.

A suspicious person might wonder if the well-heeled owners and operators of Airbnb-style short-term rentals in Byron Bay may have been lobbying both Macquarie Street and Darcy Street to protect their lucrative income earners

A suspicious person might wonder if the well-heeled owners and operators of Airbnb-style short-term rentals in Byron Bay may have been lobbying both Macquarie Street and Darcy Street concerning Byron Shire Council’s desire to place a 60-day annual cap on short-term rentals by June 2024.

With the following consequences.......

The Echo, 9 August 2023:

Byron Shire Council risks losing its planning powers to ‘independent intervention’ if it does not ‘demonstrate how it intends to improve its housing supply’.

In an aggressive letter to Council’s general manager, Mark Arnold, Sydney-based Deputy Secretary NSW Planning, Marcus Ray, outlined what he believes is Council’s failure in fast-tracking housing supply for the area, adding that Council’s development application (DA) processing times ‘are among the slowest in the state’.

In the letter, which was provided to The Echo, Mr Ray demands that Council outline ‘commitments it intends to make over the next three, six, 12 months and beyond, to deliver at least 4,522 new and diverse homes to 2041’.

It’s a target that he says Council will fall ‘well short of’.

Where is the flood data?

The demand comes despite his own department still sitting on the long-awaited 2022 flood data that will underpin further developments.

In previous years, the NSW planning department told The Echo that housing targets are set by councils, are flexible, and not enforceable.

Regarding the Independent Planning Commission (IPC) report recommendations on short-term rental accommodation (STRA), which are yet to be adopted/rejected by NSW Labor Minister Paul Scully, Mr Ray says, ‘it remains critical for Council to demonstrate how it intends to improve its housing supply before any decision on Council’s planning proposal can be made’….

Read the full article here.

Cartoon of the Week

 

Mark Knight

Measles infection alert for NSW North Coast, August 2023

Measles was officially declared eliminated from Australia in March 2014, which means that outbreaks in Australia

now start with a single non-immune individual contracting infection while overseas and coming/returning to Australia. [National Centre for Immunisation, Research and Surveillance, Fact Sheet, 2019]

After a two and a half year respite Measles popped up on the public health radar in New South Wales again in February, March, April and July 2023.

With a low number infections being identified on incoming international flights up to late July 2023 and one case with no identified source.

The latest instances triggering limited period alerts for Rose Bay, Randwick, Minnie Waters, Coffs Harbour and Woolgoolga.

Those most likely to be susceptible to measles are infants under 12 months of age who are too young to be vaccinated, anyone who is not fully vaccinated against the disease, which may include some adults, and people with a weakened immune system. [NSW Health, 21 July 2023]

NSW Health, Measles alert for Mid North Cost and Northern NSW, extract, 7 August 2023

The Mid North Coast and Northern NSW Local Health Districts are urging people to be alert for signs and symptoms of measles and to get vaccinated if not up to date, following the notification of a case in the region.

It is likely the case acquired their infection whilst travelling in Bali, where a high number of cases have occurred in recent months. The case visited several locations in NSW while infectious, and contact tracing of potential high risk persons is underway.

Dr Valerie Delpech, Acting Director, Northern NSW Population and Public Health Directorate, said anyone

who was in the same locations as the cases should be alert for signs and symptoms of measles until 18 August, and check their vaccination status.

People may have been exposed to the case in the following locations:

• Coffs Harbour University football field, AFL North Coast under 10 competition – on Sunday 30 July between 9am-10am

• Woolgoolga AFL sports field, AFL North Coast under 12 competition – on Sunday 30 July between 11am-12pm

• Hazard reduction burn, Minnie Water Road, Minnie Water – on Monday 31 July 8.30am-5.30pm

These locations do not pose an ongoing risk to people…..

Tweet of the Week

 

The 'Yes' Voice campaign has tip-toed around the 'No' camp for months, unwilling to take the fight to them. But Uluru Dialogue co-chair @mdavisqlder isn't afraid - scorching statement about a "single No advocate" using her "privileged media platform to confuse mainstream media" pic.twitter.com/ThPPtqjVzi

— James Massola (@jamesmassola) August 9, 2023

The newly created National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) currently has 157 referrals in the second stage of assessment in August 2023 with another 87 referrals waiting assessment

 

It seems that the NACC is off and running and its recent media release is of more than passing interest to those into guessing names.

Given that the Report to the Inquiry into the Robodebt Scheme recommended the referral of individuals for civil action or criminal prosecution, with the relevant parts of the additional (sealed) chapter of the report being submitted to heads of various Commonwealth agencies; the Australian Public Service Commissioner, the National Anti-Corruption Commissioner, the President of the Law Society of the Australian Capital Territory and the Australian Federal Police.

Australian Government, National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), Media Alert, 8 Aug 2023:

The National Anti-Corruption Commission provides the following update on the number of referrals received to date.

From 1 July to close of business on Monday 7 August 2023, the Commission received 587 referrals.

Approximately 13% of the referrals relate to matters well publicised in the media.

Assessment of referrals

The Commission continues to assess referrals. Assessment is a process by which the Commission considers first whether the referral is in its jurisdiction and raises a corruption issue, and secondly, whether and if so how to investigate the issue raised by the referral.

Since 1 July 2023, the number of referrals assessed to be outside the Commission’s jurisdiction (as they did not involve a Commonwealth public official) is 76. The number of referrals assessed as not raising a corruption issue is 183.

There are currently 157 referrals in the second stage of assessment.

There are 87 referrals waiting to be assessed.

The Commission’s assessment policy is available on its website at How the NACC assesses corruption issues.

The Commission is appreciative of the high level of interest and referrals it has received so far. We will continue to reach out to individual referrers where we need additional information, or to let them know if we have decided not to proceed further.

If you wish to make a report about a corruption issue in the Commonwealth public sector, visit nacc.gov.au or call 1300 489 844. 

A previous NAAC media release dated 5 July 2023 had informed that:

This broad scope to make referrals has meant the following matters have already been referred to the NACC for possible investigation:

• PwC’s recent tax leaks scandal involving their government consulting arm

• referrals resulting from the Robodebt Royal Commission after Commissioner Catherine Holmes requested a one-week extension for the inquiry’s reporting date to enable her to make a direct referral to the NAAC [my yellow highlighting]

• Stuart Robert and his alleged involvement in the Synergy 360 misappropriation of taxpayer funds

• Scott Morrison and the secret ministries he swore himself into

• the Defence Department’s Hunter-class frigate program

• the former Morrison government and the funding of the Community Health and Hospitals Program

• former cabinet minister, Bridget McKenzie, and her handling of the Community Sport Infrastructure Grant Program.

PARLIAMENT OF AUSTRALIA 2023: a short tale of Kevin and his misleading prop

 

The moment Deputy Manager of Opposition Business & Nationals MP for Page Kevin Hogan shamed the rank and file of his party, shamed the people of his electorate and deeply shamed himself.

Kevin Hogan MP at 2:44pm during House of Representatives scheduled Question Time on 8 August 2023. Snapshot from official parliamentary digital live broadcast.

House of Representatives, Hansard, on Tuesday 8 August 2023 at the point Mr. Hogan deliberately and knowingly misrepresented the pages he held in his hand:

The SPEAKER: I'll hear from the member for Page, who is seeking leave.

Mr Hogan: I thank the Prime Minister for earlier tabling page 1 of the document, Uluru Statement from the

Heart. I seek leave to table the full 26-page document, Uluru Statement from the Heart.

The SPEAKER: Is leave granted?

Mr Burke: Leave is not granted.

The SPEAKER: The member for Page will put away his prop.

How do I know that what he held in his hand was not the Uluru Statement From The Heart?

Original Uluru Statement from the Heart. IMAGE: J-Wire, 6 March 2019

Because it is a very specific document created in keeping with the tradition of the Yirrkala bark petitions and the Barunga statement, the Uluru Statement From the Heart was made in the form of a work of art on canvas which in this instance included approx. 444 words in the text. It was signed by over 250 First Nations people representing approx.1,200 delegates who participated in the regional dialogues and conferences which reached consensus, with 100 signatures including the name of their nation. The artwork was painted by Maruku artist and Uluru traditional owner Rene Kulitja and Mutitjulu artists Christine Brumby, Charmaine Kulitja and Happy Reid [The Monthly, May 2019].

What Hogan knowingly held in his hand appeared to be an extract from a 112 page compilation document created with a "3/8/23, 1:10:26 PM" date stamp, which contains copies of the records of many of the regional dialogues as well as a document which includes "Our Story" & a plain text transcript of the wording on the original signed Uluru Statement From The Heart canvas.

A best he perpetrated an infantile stunt that day, at worst he attempted to both mislead the Parliament and the Australian people.