This could get messy
Malcolm Turnbull has announced both houses of parliament will be recalled on April 18 to discuss the Australia Building and Construction Commission legislation.
Mr Turnbull announced the move in a press conference in Canberra on Monday morning.
He said if the senate fails to pass the legislation in the three sitting weeks he has called there will be a double dissolution election.
Three days ago the Senate passed the new voting laws (which gave us a signal that Turnbull might go to the polls early). In the meantime, Family First senator Bob Day will be taking the Government’s new Senate voting laws to the High Court.
This is where it could get messy.
If, after the election, the High Court challenge is upheld, this could mean that the results of the entire election could be in dispute. And this could drag on.
Are there any constitutional lawyers out there who would like to offer an opinion? Anybody else?
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Return to home pagewhat Mal he do if they passed his legislation I wonder?
ha,ha,ha…… This country is a mess under these LYING Libs.So this would be the perfect thing to happen.After the election.
Aussie aussie aussie WTF!
Turnbull can call the election for July 2 despite Day bringing a High Court action against the Senate changes. If the High Court agrees that it is unconstitutional to disenfranchise 3 million micro party supporters, then it will be interesting to see the Governor General’s position on the legitimacy of the Turnbull Government.
I’m finding it difficult to understand why the governor general has ordered the recall of parliament (as apparently that’s the way Mal has got around the senates order that they wouldn’t agree to being recalled before 10/05). If Mal hasn’t been able to get his legislation through in the set sitting days isn’t that his tough luck?? The GG playing this game looks incredibly partisan and grubby.
Laurie Oaks predicted that Turnbull would go down this path a few days ago. From what some commentators have said the stalling tactics in parliament last week were an attempt to stop this happening. Looks like we will end up with WorkNoChoices MkII.
Thats why the Greens were so accommodating to give him the time
The LNP are the common enemy. Not the Greens. Keep your focus on how we can work together to annihilate the LNP disease.
I see a common enemy LNP/Greens alliance
Running an election campaign on unproven union corruption is a dangerous enough ploy in itself (if only in the sense of the counter campaign the unions will mount), but to do so as a Government with a track record of so many incidents of rorting along with an allegedly corrupt Special Minister of State, magnifies that danger in my eyes.
Let’s always remember Turnbull is not renowned for his political judgement, and for good reason. Bring it on, I say.
I see a common enemy LNP/Greens alliance
I see dead people. Sometimes they’re dressed in togas.
We have the power in our hands to complete upset this applecart. Ignore above the line, vote for individual Senators below the line. That’s the power they said they were giving us – well we must take it.
Voting above the line is still giving the party the preference choice as you can be sure they will all have 6 at least in their group.
Let’s show them that we are not mugs.
Labor was right that Turnbull would use union bashing to force an election. This strategy amounts to coercion/blackmail of the crossbench – vote to bash unions or lose your job.
There is one easy way to foil Mr Turnbull’s machinations.
He wants Bill Shorten to deliver his budget reply “on the Thursday in the usual way.” That would usually be Thursday May 12. If parliament can keep discussion and debate going until then before passing supply then it will be too late to call a DD.
Just tell them you aren’t ready yet Bill but will be ready to give your reply and pass supply in the “usual way” on May 12 🙂
Well said Keitha.
I’m voting below-the-line. I will vote for as many below-the-line, as I see fit. My understanding is that as long as I vote for at least 12, I’ll be right. If I don’t like a few then they will remain unmarked. That also sends a big message especially as they will be Liberal and other extreme Right representatives.
Then I’m sorry, nurses1968, you need to have your sight examined. Your prejudices are distorting your view.
The Greens have agreed with the LNP far less often than Labor has.
Labor voted have with the LNP nearly 40% of the time whereas the Greens voted with LNP 6% of the time.
Labor is not in alliance with the LNP, and the Greens certainly are not.
The LNP thrives upon hate and division. You are giving them exactly what they want. You are becoming their helper by spreading dissent among natural allies.
When the Greens prove they haven’t sold out, I wonder if you will be submitting your apology, nurses1968.
Don’t forget they relented on their Senate reform stance by including the reduced below-the-line voting option too.
Keitha and Jennifer, that is the way to go. Spread the word as much as possible: vote below the line for 12 candidates. Make sure your vote gets used the way YOU want.
Stop the Politics
Start to Govern
I am so fed-up – no work done since Gillard was deposed.
Just one question, why is there no equivalent out-cry WHEN Labor sides with the LNP?
Not only will I be voting below the line (as usual), I’ll be putting Ricky Muir at No.1
Bernard Keane @BernardKeane 2h2 hours ago
Between the costs of recalling parliament & an election, this’ll be the most expensive attempt to regain control of the agenda ever.
I like your thinking, margcal.
ByB,
if that is the case, we the Australian people should submit an invoice to the LNP Coalition parties for their excessive spending and abuse of the electoral system.
It would be a great media ploy, even if we can’t make them lose their political funding from Gina, Rupe and Packer.
So, the deal with the Greens was to pass the Senate voting legislation, vote against the ABCC and facilitate Turnbull’s manufactured Double Dissolution : have I got that right ?
Richard Di Natale is going to have to explain his strategy because it’s starting to get very messy as he now has the balance or power in the Senate and the only way he can demonstrate his independence is to vote in favour of the ABCC legislation and avoid this DD which is a shameful manipulation of our Constitution and our democracy.
Lee, we need you input here.
Twitter is fun right now:
Terry Sweetman @Terrytoo69 8m8 minutes ago
I’ve seen some confected parliamentary crises but this has double icing.
So, the deal with the Greens was to pass the Senate voting legislation, vote against the ABCC and facilitate Turnbull’s manufactured Double Dissolution : have I got that right ?
It’s unfair to the Greens to connect those two things. They have always opposed the ABCC legislation, but the way some Labor people are framing it, they are damned if they continue to do so. My understanding is that a DD trigger already exists anyway. This is merely the Coalition playing cheap, dirty politics.
Michael, surprise surprise the budget crisis has disappeared …I think??
It must have because the PM has found the funds to recall both Houses of Parliament to force a DD election.
What frauds! They got the senate election bill through to make way for this????
Arthur Sinodinos said on Sunday that cutting company tax rates will create jobs and increase workers pay packets.
What a load of HOG WASH….minimum wage has not risen in ages…employment high.
Most of the money coming from tax cuts for big business will go overseas, also there is no onus on business to increase wages or employ more people.
It seems that the LNP is prepared to spend money here, there everywhere except on the people who elect them….but then they don’t see us as vested interests.
So let us see;
we will have the old , the sick , the unemployed, people with disabilities , single mothers suffer whilst big business will make more money.
Pox be on all of them.
I hope the Senate will NOT pass supply…Give the LNP what they deserve ….NOTHING.
I am so angry that they think we are all stupid and can’t vote bellow the line.
If it takes me all day …I will fill out the senate form bellow the line.
COME ON PEOPLE USE YOUR POWER don’t accept being treated like mushrooms (ie kept in the dark and fed BS”
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the Coalition got soundly trashed and I could have a moment of respite from feeling like I must protect my children’s future.
If it takes me all day …I will fill out the senate form bellow the line.
This gives new life and meaning to this post’s title. 🙂
Kaye Lee
I very much doubt that the coalition will make any ground in Qld and more likely will lose a couple of seats.
Although the Senate performance last week didn’t do Labor any favors.
This could get messy….
Off topic but Tony Abbott flew to Kiev over the weekend to join international advisers who are helping the country “outlive” the tensions with its powerful neighbour.
Right….invite the guy that wants to shirtfront Putin to relieve tensions.
I think I will give Ricky Muir first preference, as well, margcal. Di Natale can go fart in a bucket.
John Fraser,
I don’t think anyone came out of last week looking good with the possible exception of Ricky Muir.
Turnbull will win and I figure i can find 11 decent Micros to help complete my Senate ticket
Vote for at least six ‘parties’ above the line and for more than 12 candidates below the line. Provided one can number 1 to 12 (or more) correctly, then the below the line ‘preference’ will take precedence. In short, the valid below the line exercise will prevail over the above the line preference.
Do both to minimise the risk of voting informally.
And yes Turnbull has another trigger but prefers the ‘union’ route.
In NSW, Disability campaigner Hollie Hughes toppled sitting Liberal Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells to take out top spot on the party’s NSW Senate ticket but was instructed to step aside to let Fierravanti-Wells retain top spot. Nationals senator and cabinet minister Fiona Nash will be in the third position. In fourth spot is Retired General Jim Molan, architect of Operation Sovereign Borders. Molan was gifted the job of “Special Envoy” for asylum seekers, given a million bucks and never heard from again until he was called on to contribute to the defence white paper, a gig he quit after a few weeks in a real hissy fit. What a surprise to see him putting his hand out for more.
Factional powerbrokers told The Australian that the threat from the far right to back Mr Molan in place of Senator Fierravanti-Wells had been thwarted and the “moderate and centre-right alliance prevailed.”
The conservative senator had faced a push from the far-right to unseat her because of her recent comments to author Niki Savva about her advice to Tony Abbott about his chief of staff Peta Credlin.
<
Senator Michaelia Cash "Looking for Love".
From the Senate ?
John Fraser,
your comparison is being unkind to Effie! 🙂
Cash always reminds me of Kath and Kim….Look at me
A double dissolution trigger now exists for the 44th Parliament. The Senate today rejected for the second time the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (Abolition) Bill 2013 [No. 2].
This means that Prime Minister Tony Abbott could now use Section 57 of the Constitution to dissolve both houses of the Parliament and hold an early election. The trigger does not have to be used but it remains “live” until May 11, 2016
It would seem that the DD route has another option. But it’s not the ‘trigger’ of preference.
Seems like there will be an eight week campaign
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/double-dissolution-election-careful-what-you-wish-for-malcolm-turnbull/news-story/15e90fcd2ed5d8d8adf2a7a2ee529e0b
More evidence of confusion? While there will be nervous Senators, there will be a few backbenchers with concerns as well.
<
The Senate could always make the coalition look stupid …. by passing the abhorrent ABCC bill.
In the grand scheme of things, Unions have worked with it before.
Ella:
> I am so angry that they think we are all stupid and can’t vote bellow the line.
And most of the time they would be right.
> we will have the old , the sick , the unemployed, people with disabilities , single mothers suffer …
And judging by past results, a good number of these very people will vote against their own interests.
No wonder we’re doomed.
If you discount ’75 as anomalous, as I do, Labor doesn’t have too bad a record in DDs. Mind you, discounting ’75, as I do, there’s only been 5, but we won 4 of ’em.
If one votes below the line, PM clever tricky plan goes down the sewer where it belongs. Would consider preferencing many more than 12.
Cross benchers, Greens and Labor don’t seem to be having trouble dealing with PM bullying and threats.
Margcal “a good number of these very people will vote against their own interests”…By past results are you referring to the election of TA.
If so I tend to agree … BUT don’t forget the pressure of the mass media at that time. Today we have a more active social media and hopefully it will make a difference.
The other factor is that this DD will not give the gov control of the Senate.From what I have heard during interviews with the cross benchers
the Gov will not get much support from them. AS they feel they are being blackmailed.
The messier the better
What we now need to know is who the senate candidates are & what they actually stand for. I’m all for good independent candidates. This list would help all voters to sort out the wheat from the chaff!
Rob Lucas (#LNPfail state senator SA) was #74 on my last ballot. Always vote below the line.
Good idea, Sandra.
It seems that the Turnbull barrackers are out in full force, and this includes Fairfax’s Peter Hartcher who has written along the lines of: Turnbull wasn’t really an indecisive nincompoop who has wasted six months of government, it was all a devilishly cunning plan and Turnbull knew what he was doing all along.
“From hopeless ditherer to decisive leader in a moment, Turnbull has now staked his government on a challenge and put all the other political parties on the defensive.”
It seemed to me that it was no coincidence that changes to voting in the Senate only but shortly preceded calling a DD election. I honestly don’t know how the changes will pan out, for good or for bad for the Greens especially, but one thing I do know and this is Turnbull did not gain the wealth he now possesses by being forthright and honest. Where is it that Turnbull has ever considered changes to the Senate voting system of any importance whatsoever, and would he have done it if he had the expectation that any other party except his own would benefit?
It would seem (from the Chanel 7 news) that the LNP inner circle have known about this plan for at least a week. If that is the case then the LNP are the most arrogant lot of politicians we have ever had the displeasure of knowing. Although the deal that was done between the Greens & LNP regarding the Senate, it has actually made me want to know more about who I want to see in the Senate.
Kaye Lee, you seem to be the go to lady for the sort of info that is needed for us to make the changes in the Senate voting system really work for the good of the people.
With good information, we can make sure that those here and on other social media sites can get that information out to everyone.
Carol, not get messy. All ready messy.
PM getting bad reception everywhere. None answering questions. PM came across bad abc 730.
Cash Abetz even PM going with lying allegations with TURC.
Morrison left looking like an idiot. Parkinson taken over his treasury duties.
Shorten will have 3 weeks to debate every sentence in bill . Much there that is ugly.
Cash’s voice already grating on most. Actually gives one a headache.
Day one only half over.
Decisive leader or once again a foolhardy one with little judgement.
Florence, thank you for the feedback on that one..all that I had heard to date was all about ‘clever tactics’.
On a brighter note, the latest Morgan Poll puts Labor at 50.5 versus LNP on 49.5. Given that Newspoll has Turnbull’s approval rating in negative territory for the first time ever, one cannot help but suspect that Turnbull needs an early election to stop his approval and the fortunes of the LNP plummeting even further.
Join 2 weeks free foxtel so I could follow what they are saying. Have to remember to cancel it. 16 weeks over 100 days is long time campaign. I suspect Shorten is better able to focus that Turnbull. The last two or more years prove that.
Labor is united as it has ever been. I suspect most are hungry for a win, beating this government.
Yes the latest Morgan poll is very interesting.
LNP down 3% on the primary while the ALP is up 3.5%. Seems like an outlier. Too good to be true?
http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/6723-morgan-poll-federal-voting-intention-march-21-2016-201603210505
It’s the dreaded ‘narrowing’. As Denis might argue,
Here’s the thing. Malcolm doesn’t care about the legislation. He really just wants a DD, because he needs a workable senate. So if a couple of cross benchers vote for this legislation on the published expectation that Malcolm will have to find another way to get his DD, then they can make him look even more conniving than he already is. That might help a backlash against his duplicitous nature.
Because he has already backed down to the right wing of the party, even if Malcolm gets his “mandate” at the election, he will be beholden to his decisions of the last six months. Progressive Malcolm is long dead. We now have zombie Malcolm – Tony reincarnated.
And all this just so he could sit in the big chair. These Libs are all the same. Narcissists, and egotists.
No one is accepting that only the CFMEU is corrupt. Senator Madigan was furious tonight, saying it is contractors that come into his office, unable to get their money from corrupt developers. Most of the cross bench want ABCC extended to whole construction industry, even to all businesses, Including politicians as one said.
many are asking why aren’t they deregistering the CFMEU if they are so corrupt. Cash mumbled something about it takes too long. Lazarus said Heydon didn’t recommend restoring ABCC. Lazurus said if he did, must be in section no one is allow to see.
No, today hasn’t been Turnbull’s day.
One can only imagine what their private polling is telling them. Was robot polled doe Labor this week.
PM had no option but act as he did today. Coonan thinks PM has taken back agenda. Suspect very wrong. All media are asking PM and co, is what are their policies, not wanting to talk about ABCC.
FnF,
Labor are not the only ones who are hungry for this win against the LNP disease.
Any community and political progressives are also hungry to purge our nation of their destruction.
So It’s Time for us ALL to work together to ensure their defeat. It’s Time for Labor to realise that the working Alliance can win and should mean proportional representation in the political base upon completion.
The diversity of the power base will ensure far more compassionate policy than Labor has been able to deliver for people on welfare and people in detention.
It will also ensure far greater policy development for environmental protection such as anti-Adani projects that threaten the Great Barrier Reef.
Labor will win friends if it broadens its horizons and its reach into principled areas for campaigning and policy development and implementation.
Ever since the day Bill Shorten won the leadership there has been continuing howling for his head.
Is it now time for the Greens to bite the bullet and get rid of Di Natale?
Surely Greens must be questioning his competance, lots of others are including Unions
ETUQLD&NT Retweeted
Sandi Logan @SandiHLogan 22m22 minutes ago
Sandi Logan Retweeted Richard Di Natale
Want evidence of Greens’ political naivety? Just read Greens leader’s tweet.
Sandi Logan added,
Richard Di Natale @RichardDiNatale
PM Turnbull promised stability and leadership – but calling the Senate back is more of the same Abbott blackmailing tactics. #auspol
14 retweets 22 likes
Certainly true. And much, if not most, of that ‘howling’ came and comes from ‘democrats’ within the Labor Party. Ever wondered why? As I understand it, Albanese won the ‘popular’ vote and was screwed by the ‘factions’ (the ‘insiders’) who, while in the numerical minority, prevailed. The promise of a ‘democratic’ leadership was thwarted by the real power brokers.
Please explain. ?
Now my understanding of ALP leadership ballot, was 50% members 50% caucus, so Albanese won HALF of the Ballot.
I understand that even members of Albaneses own faction within caucus didn’t vote for him
How does the Greens Leadership work?
What do you think of the rest of my question, should Di Natale be dumped
I have numbered many more than 12 boxes below the line in every senate election since Steve Fielding got elected and I discovered my preference might have been used. It’s easy. Just do it! Take your democracy back.
Not sure. And for any number of reasons. Is he to be judged on his ‘intentions or the ‘outcomes’ which he either caused or intended? I reserve my judgement.
Certainly I entertain the possibility that Di Natale might have been naïve; inexperienced in the ‘dark arts’.
If so, then who in the ‘experienced’ ALP will accept responsibility for same?
if more than 50point1%of the australian electorate cast an invalid vote , the A.E.C, will have to declare that election NULL and VOID . The A.E.C. will have to call another election and [ here’s the best part ] NONE of the original candidates are ALLOWED to stand again . ALL NEW CANDIDATES MUST BE FOUND . It is in the constitution . Be brave Australia ! You can do it .
Turnbull hasn’t got anymore options.
His backbench is brawling against him, and, the Senate is unworkable as the cross benches are now taking their own agenda.
Of course Turnbull has to accept this mess.
How can Turnbull govern when the Abbott sever right bloc dictate to Turnbull how to govern the Abbott way!!??
Now, Abbott is saying that this year’s federal election will be based on when he was the PM as well with the so called “Badge of Honour” 014 budget!!
How can anybody in their right mind vote for this LNP government!!??
I saw Sales interview Turnbull on the 7:30, and, of course Turnbull tried to take over the interview, but, Sales had to bring him back in to line!!
When Turnbull was in opposition, he appeared on Q&A a number of times, so, I wonder if he will do this during this campaign, or, will he do the Abbott thing, and, refuse to appear on to Q&A??
Both Rudd, and, Gillard appeared on Q&A when the both of them were PM’s.
If Turnbull doesn’t, then, its only because he doesn’t want to answer unscripted questions, and, if things go’s this way, then Turnbull is that gutless!!!
‘Should Di Natale be dumped?’
In terms of pure pragmatics based upon public polling, the answer would be a clear ‘no’.
Greens primary polling has consistently been elevated to higher (often unprecedentedly so) levels (13-16.5%) under his leadership, and has not at any stage fallen to anything like the levels it regularly did under the reign of Milne.
Likewise, in realpolitik, the ALP would be, in my opinion, very unwise to show leadership instability (‘jitters’) by deposing Shorten at this late juncture, especially with the waft of a DD election in the air.
So, the Treasurer wasn’t briefed on the change of Budget delivery date and Tony Abbott has come out saying that the election will be fought on Abbott government achievements.
T’s already very messy.
Can somebody please explain to me how voting in favour of reforms that have been one of the your policies since 2004 constitutes “doing a deal with the LNP”?
Labor agreed to these changes to Senate voting in order to get Greens support back when they had a minority government (but then failed to follow through on their promise when it came time to pass legislation).
If the LNP put forward a bill to make offshore detention illegal, or to raise the minimum wage, are we all supposed to vote against it just because it was the LNP who proposed it? And if so, should we then blame Labor for voting in favour of cuts to the ABC, CSIRO, etc?
And while we’re here, let’s clear up a few things about the other fallacy that is being bandied around the internet right now: that the Greens are against micro parties. As convenient as it would be for the ALP if this were true, I can’t find any evidence to back this up. The Greens have been fighting to halve the nomination fees to make it easier for micro parties to stand for election.
Further to this, the Greens ensured that the recent Senate voting reforms make it possible to number at least 1-6 above the line so that votes preference to more than the big three parties. These changes won’t prevent independent Senators or micro parties from being represented, but they will ensure that a proportional part of the electorate actually want a person or party to be elected.
Are you really ok with your vote going to a person or party that you’ve never heard of; a person that may have only had a couple of thousand people actually vote for them across the state? How is that democracy?
The pure speed, vitriol and malice with which ALP supporters have rallied to admonish (against the available evidence) the passage of this bill reeks of self interest and cowardice to me. They see the Greens as a weaker target than the LNP (but gaining ground), so they strike out at a party that – as Miriam and Jennifer state above – should be allies.
It is petty, it is politics, it is bullying, and – frankly – it is beneath Labor. Or so I thought. Are they really that scared of losing voters on the left that they’re willing to fight on two fronts rather than negotiate on all the issues that they have in common with the Greens?
And if they really are losing support, isn’t that an indication that maybe they shouldn’t be chasing the LNP so far to the right?
Stacy
As you know, in politics it’s all about compromise so when the LNP approached the Greens for support on the Senate voting legislation the Greens were in the position to demand a quid pro quo : for instance they could have said ‘we will support the legislation in consideration of you (LNP) not using its passing to facilitate a Double Dissolution’.
Then, we wouldn’t be facing the current charade.
Turnball named women but keeps them nodding behind him occasionally letting a splash of cash mix with a dose of bishop.
Shorten seems to have decided the experience of a woman is unmentionable and Dinatale has reborn the loonies by sending the SHY women to the kitchen.
So the year of the monkey is shaping to fit the gibbon of 2013 with the only hope that a rabbott will awaken the lies and a unionist will show the economic lies that allowed the allocation of billions for overseas purchases and multi-billion borrowings from a ‘disastrous’ labor economy.mismanagement of the last three years by explaining the debt and promising the subs to SA.
ps just heard turnball say ‘…under an abbott government … as to now under a liberal government’
reference to abbott captainancy vs his liberal leadership what about joyce?
‘oh what a lovely war’ it could be?
ps Terry2, why let principle influence pragmatist values? Surely the good doctor needs an election to clear the decks for phase 2.
Terry2,
I hope both the Greens and Labor have learnt out of this Senate changes debacle and that is not to be sucked into any bilateral agreements with the LNP because if you sleep with dogs, you get fleas.
Yes had decided to vote below the line myself and intend to put those independents within the twelve, bit the most important placing will be the LN P at the very last