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Category Archives: Senate

December double dissolution threat a joke

September 14, 2009 – 9:17 am

Judging from what I’ve read, it seems I am more open than most in thinking there is a credible possibility that the Prime Minister might call an early double dissolution election – assuming the political environment at the time suits it (and assuming he gets a trigger).  A chance to strengthen their Lower House majority [...]

By Andrew Bartlett | Also posted in Australian politics, health | Comments (4)

Debates on refugees – then and now

September 8, 2009 – 9:47 am

In December last year, a report from the federal Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Migration unanimously recommended that “as a priority, the Australian Government introduce legislation to repeal the liability of immigration detention costs.”   That is, the law which raises a debt against people in immigration detention to cover the cost of their detention.  Legislation [...]

By Andrew Bartlett | Also posted in immigration, refugees | Tagged , , , | Comments (3)

Care about out democracy? Read this & spread the word

July 24, 2009 – 11:33 pm

If you are only going to read one thing about how Australia’s federal Parliament works – and more importantly how it doesn’t work – read this fabulous piece by the long-standing Clerk of the Senate, Harry Evans.
Among many things, he highlights the fact that the supposed ‘Westminster system’ we are repeatedly told Australia has, is [...]

By Andrew Bartlett | Also posted in Australian politics | Tagged , , | Comments (1)

Senate stresses into final week

June 21, 2009 – 9:49 pm

The Senate is moving into its final sitting week until mid-August. As is usually the case, the government has a large pile of legislation it is insisting absolutely must be dealt by the end of the week. As is also often the case, this includes one highly contentious piece of legislation – the Carbon Pollution [...]

By Andrew Bartlett | Also posted in Australian politics | Comments (4)

Barnaby & the future of the Nationals

May 12, 2009 – 5:43 pm

The Nationals’ Senate Leader, Barnaby Joyce, gave an address to the National Press Club yesterday where his key theme was the need for the Nationals to more clearly distinguish themselves from the Liberals.
He said
“the 2007 Federal election loss was a devastating event for the Federal National Party, not only because it saw us out of Government [...]

By Andrew Bartlett | Also posted in Australian politics | Tagged , , | Comments (1)

Win-win for Families! Cheaper grog, while mega-donations stay secret

March 18, 2009 – 11:50 pm

I in no way cast aspersions on the genuineness of Family First Senator Steve Fielding’s concern about alcohol abuse. But he certainly has a very strange idea of what constitutes a good outcome when it comes to reducing it.  His vote in the Senate resulted directly in alcoholic soda pops being made substantially cheaper, while [...]

By Andrew Bartlett | Also posted in electoral issues, health | Tagged , , | Comments (10)

Senate debate starts on workplace law changes

March 10, 2009 – 11:35 am

Given public statements made by both the Coalition and the Greens, it is very hard to see a majority of the Senate insisting on any amendments it makes, should the government reject them in the House of Representatives. This means Labor will make the eventual decision on what type of amendments, if any, they are willing to wear and the Senate debate will serve mainly as a vehicle for the various parties to do some positioning on what is still a politically significant issue.

By Andrew Bartlett | Also posted in economic issues, workplace relations | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

A stimulating time for the cross-benches

February 9, 2009 – 12:42 pm

It seems like a long time ago, but it is actually only six months that the new Senate convened in parliament House for the first time. It was a significantly different Senate in two ways. Firstly, it was the first since 1977 without a single Australian Democrat Senator on the cross-benches.  Secondly, it shifted the [...]

By Andrew Bartlett | Comments (1)