Another week over, one more to go before the election. Let's look back:
- the fate of the government's changes to the 457 visa program will not be known until next week when the bill will be voted on;
- Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced she would go to Indonesia next month to discuss people smuggling and asylum seekers
- Liberal Senator Sue Boyce crossed the floor to support gay rights although the bill (to recognise same sex marriages conducted overseas) was voted down;
- union boss Paul Howes made a fulsome statement of commitment to Ms Gillard; and
- everyone looked spiffing at last night's Midwinter Ball.
Thanks so much to everyone who read and contributed (and for bearing with our technical problems earlier in the day). Mega snaps to Andrew Meares and Alex Ellinghausen whose beautiful and candid images make this blog.
Have a good weekend people. It's bound to be a big week next week. See you on Monday morning.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott walks through the Opposition Leader's courtyard at Parliament House on Thursday. Photo: Andrew Meares
You know they say about a week being a long time in politics? Well, there's a whole new week coming up.
Labor MPs Kevin Rudd and Ed Husic during a division in Parliament House on Thursday. Photo: Andrew Meares
The PM's trip to Indonesia has been one of the main stories of the day. Online political editor, Tim Lester, has prepared this video looking at the circumstances surrounding the visit.
Asylum mission
The Opposition and Greens have attacked Julia Gillard's plans to discuss people smuggling with Indonesia's President Yudhoyono.
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There has been some interest in the speeches given by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott at last night's Midwinter Ball.
I do have audio for the speeches but they are given on the understanding they remain off the record. I'm going to honour that agreement.
A few things to look at now question time is over:
- Liberal National Party candidate for the seat of Fisher, Mal Brough, is emailing people to explain his role in last week's "Menugate" affair;
- the Coalition looks likely to keep cuts to university funding;
- a high level inquiry has found claims of abuse at ADFA and HMAS Leeuwin are more widespread than was previously thought; and
- special legislation has been passed to allow leg spinner Fawad Ahmed to play for Australian in the Ashes series.
There's always an exemption for sport, eh?
Prime Minister Julia Gillard during question time on Thursday. Photo: Andrew Meares
Back in the 11.55 am post I mentioned a few names of people who voted against the Greens' attempt to recognise same sex marriages entered into overseas.
Labor Senator David Feeney was one (he who wants to move to the lower house in the Melbourne seat of Batman). He has taken to Twitter to explain his decision.
I believe in #MarriageEquality here in Australia, not making people fly overseas for it #auspol
— Senator David Feeney (@SenatorFeeney) June 20, 2013
And that's it for question time for the day and the week. Only four more to go.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott and Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop during question time on Thursday.
Tanya Plibersek with her husband Michael Coutts-Trotter arrive at the Midwinter Ball on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares
Oh dear.
I was really hoping Health Minister Tanya Plibersek would resist the government predilection for "cuts to the bone". But no, she said it. That phrase just should not be used by someone who is in charge of amputations.
That's better.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott during question time on Thursday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Not happy Jan.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott during question time on Thursday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott during question time on Thursday. Photo: Andrew Meares
Question time in a nutshell.
Can we just take a moment to pay respect to Liberal MP Bronwyn Bishop?
In yesterday's question time Ms Bishop seemed to stem to tide of government utterings of "mendacious" by accusing the government of offering a "farrago of mendacities".
Today, she seeks to make a point of order on the basis that the government is offering "tedious and repetitious answers".
We're going to win by this much.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott during question time on Thursday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Independent MP Peter Slipper has the cross bench question of the day.
This forces him to read out Craig Emerson's entire title - Minister for Trade and Competitiveness, Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Asian Century Policy.
Mr Slipper notes that when he was speaker he allowed the time for someone's answer to begin after the question had ended. I think they call that foresight.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has taken a question from her own side to talk about the visit she will take to Indonesia next month (see story referred to at 12.13 pm post).
Ms Gillard is emphasising the importance of the relationship between Australia and Indonesia: "Of course Indonesia is a close friend, a neighbour and one of our most important bilateral trading partners."
A government minister has been in Indonesia at a rate of one every three weeks, Ms Gillard says.
(You can see why the government wants to talk about this. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said earlier today that if Ms Gillard had such a good relationship with Indonesian she would have worked out a way to prevent boat arrivals. The government has been pursuing the opposition over its plans to ask the navy to tow illegal boat arrivals back to Indonesian waters.)
NB. The question came from Laurie Ferguson, the backbencher who criticised Ms Gillard earlier this month for not doing enough to ease western Sydney voters' concerns about boat arrivals.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard during question time on Thursday. Photo: Andrew Meares
Question time will be slightly delayed while there is a condolence motion for former Fraser government minister Michael Hodgman, who died yesterday.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard described Mr Hodgman - the so-called mouth from the south - as a "a gentleman larrikan with a story on his lips and a twinkle in his eye".
Ms Gillard says when Mr Hodgman was defending "Chopper" Reid in court he gave him a Liberal Party tie to wear.
"And yes, it might have been a blue one," Ms Gillard says.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says Mr Hodgman's words live on through his son, Will, the leader of the Tasmanian (Liberal) opposition.
Mr Abbott praises Mr Hodgman's record public service but notes he "drew the line at serving in the Senate".
Mr Abbott also mentions Mr Hodgman's association with "Chopper" Reid: "Who said the Liberal Party is not a broad church?"
The office of Immigration Minister Brendan O'Connor has confirmed the proposed changes to the 457 visa scheme will not be voted on until next week.
Beanies for all! Although Greens leader Christine Milne prefers to style hers a la beret.
Greens leader Senator Christine Milne during the anti coal seam gas rally at the front of Parliament House on Thursday. Photo: Andrew Meares
And a little bit more detail:
Only 40 MPs turned up to vote on the uni cuts motion (35 backed cuts, 5 opposed). House of Reps has 150 MPs including speaker #auspol
— Daniel Hurst (@danielhurstbne) June 20, 2013
This just in from education reporter Daniel Hurst:
Green motion condemning $2.3bn in cuts to uni funding/student support fails in House. Vote went down 35-5 with Coalition backing ALP #auspol
— Daniel Hurst (@danielhurstbne) June 20, 2013
For those people interested in the gay marriage debate that was held in the Senate earlier today here is a video with some excerpts from the speeches.
Crossing the floor
Liberal Senator Sue Boyce crosses the floor to support the recognition of foreign same sex marriages.
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The party cabinet.
Treasurer Wayne Swan with partner Kim and Labor Minister Jenny Macklin with partner Ross, arrive for the Midwinter Ball at Parliament House on Wednesday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Malcolm Turnbull and his wife Lucy arrive for the Midwinter Ball on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares
Don't they look positively regal?
A quick word before going into the ball.
Foreign minister Senator Bob Carr talks on the phone with his wife Helena as Malcolm Turnbull and his wife Lucy arrive at the Midwinter Ball on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares
Senator Bob Carr and his wife Helena arrive for the Midwinter Ball on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares
Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr attributes his youthful good looks to activated almonds (he said in an interview in January that he was partial to the snack).
Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop arrives for the Midwinter Ball on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares
While it's lunchtime and there seems to be - momentarily - a lull in proceedings let me show you some more pictures from last night's Midwinter Ball. Everyone scrubbed up beautifully.
Here's Bob Katter from Katter's Australia Party arriving for last night's Midwinter Ball.
Just kidding.
Well, it is Bob Katter but he's attending a protest by landowners calling for more federal action to protect them from mining giants that's taking place outside Parliament House right now. (Greens leader Christine Milne has tweeted in to say the beanies were made by a group called Knitting Nannas.)
Bob Katter was presented with a hand woven wool beanie by coal seam gas protestors as they blocked the front entrance to Parliament House on Thursday. Photo: Andrew Meares
Paul Howes, head of the Australian Workers Union, and a key mover behind the installation of Julia Gillard to the prime ministership in June 2010, says he and his union remain supportive of Ms Gillard.
"This government is second to none in terms of delivering for working people," Mr Howes is telling Sky News' David Speers. The union movement's "best chance is to unite behind the Labor Party under the prime ministership of Julia Gillard".
Mr Howes says "there's always going to be discussion about internal, inside the beltway activities" but it's like living in "Opposite Land" when it comes to leadership speculation - he says something one day and it's reported in a completely different way the next day.
Opposite Land is a place where "hamburgers eat people and we wear hats on our shoes", Mr Howes says in exasperation.
"I think Labor will win the election under Julia Gillard," Mr Howes says. (He has just rubbished opinion polls so he can say this).
It's been one of those mornings.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is now speaking in the House of Representatives about the government's changes to 457 visa.
"True love for this country is expressed by trying to unite us, not by trying to divide us," Mr Abbott says. "True patriotism means putting the nation first....This bill is false patriotism from a failing government."
"We appreciate our debt to the migrants of this country, we appreciate everyone who has come to this country the right way," Mr Abbott continues. "Never, never, never will you find any attempt from this country to say there are first class and second class Australians."
Reporter Daniel Hurst has this update on where the bill is up to. Its passing is by no means assured at this point.
Earlier today The Age's political editor, Michael Gordon, had the story that Prime Minister Julia Gillard will travel to Indonesia to discuss the issue of boat arrivals. You may remember Ms Gillard declined to tell the opposition she was going when asked about it in question time yesterday.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in Queanbeyan on Thursday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
The vote. Finance Minister Penny Wong can be seen on the right of the frame.
Liberal Senator Sue Boyce sits with ALP Senator Louise Pratt to vote in favour of recognising international same sex marriages on Thursday. Photo: Andrew Meares
The half way mark.
Liberal Senator Sue Boyce crosses the floor to vote with the Greens in recognition of international same sex marriages on Thursday. Photo: Andrew Meares
It's a rare thing to see an MP cross the floor of Parliament.
This sequence of photographs by Andrew Meares captures Liberal Sue Boyce's journey from the opposition benches to vote with the Greens (and other senators) in support of a proposal to recognise same sex marriage.
Labor Senators David Feeney, Stephen Conroy and Ursula Stephens were among those who voted against the bill.
Liberal Senator Sue Boyce crosses the floor to vote with the Greens to recognise international same sex marriages on Thursday. Photo: Andrew Meares
The Senate has voted against Senator Hanson-Young's bill that sought to give recognition to same sex marriages conducted overseas.
The vote was 28 in favour, 45 against.
One of the fantastic things about my job is the awesome people I have the privilege of working with.
For example - the great Tony Wright, aka national affairs editor for The Age, has been checking the blog from his sick bed and called in to tell me about the provenance of the word "bellwether".
A bellwether is a neutered ram. Said ram would always stay with the flock so a bell was tied around its neck to alert the shepherd to its location.
Sitting member Mike Kelly defends his hold on the seat via twitter:
Abbott pathetically waving his version of the little red book in Qbn which ironically says nothing about rural and regional Australia.
— Mike Kelly MP (@MikeKellyMP) June 20, 2013
Meanwhile, if it's a sitting week then Queanbeyan beware! Politicians may descend on you and they may be wearing blue ties.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is on his fifth visit there this year in aid of Liberal Party candidate Peter Hendy. He hopes to replace the incumbent, Defence Materiel Minister Mike Kelly, in the closely watched seat which is referred to as a bellwether seat because it tends to go with the party that takes government.
2 year old Cameron de Jongh and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in Queanbeyan. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Just to clarify the situation regarding Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young's proposal to recognise same sex marriages that were conducted overseas - should the bill go to a vote Labor MPs will be allowed a conscience vote while Coalition MPs would not.
This is why Senator Sue Boyce's decision to cross the floor is significant - not so much because she is in defiance of the party line but because it is an extra vote for those supporting the bill.
The bill is unlikely to garner enough support to pass but every vote counts.
Veteran Labor Party Senator John Faulkner has just spoken on the bill: "We can't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.....I support the bill."
Just an editor's note to all readers and contributors: "A technical problem means all comments are appearing twice. We are aware of the problem and are working to rectify it."
Liberal Party Senator Sue Boyce is now speaking.
"Surely, surely in 2013 we're passed the sort of homophobic, scared of difference, scared of diversity view that would attempt to put the marriage of men and women in the constitution," Senator Boyce says (she is referring to Senator Madigan's proposal in the 10.27 am post).
Senator Boyce says her "only hope" is that the "appalling track record" for altering the constitution through referenda would mean such a proposal would fail.
"It would go down because in 2013 it's a disgraceful and immature idea."
Liberal Senator Sue Boyce addresses the Senate on Thursday. Photo: Andrew Meares
Senator Penny Wong and partner Sophie Allouache arrive for the Midwinter Ball on Wednesday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Finance Minister Penny Wong is now speaking. She supports the bill.
"If you subscribe to the principle of equality....then simply substitute the words 'inter racial' or 'different age' for same sex marriage and see if that changes your view," Senator Wong says.
"Can you image if we told someone they could not marry the person they love because they were of a different religion?"
Senator Wong says marriage is "unique" and "special" and "that is why those of us in same sex marriages also want to be able to demonstrate our relationships".
"It is a discrimination that will one day come to an end," Senator Wong says.
Since Parliament voted on same sex marriage last year Senator Wong says the debate has "become more hurtful and divisive".
She says comments by Liberal Party Senator Cory Bernardi linking gay marriage to polygamy and bestiality "are nothing other than bigotry and we should not shy away from calling it for what it is".
Democratic Labor Party Senator John Madigan - who is against gay marriage - say the issues dealt with in the Greens' bill are bigger than the Parliament.
Senator Madigan wants a referendum.
"The issue here is marriage itself because we cannot agree to this bill without changing our understanding of marriage itself," Senator Madigan says.
"The definition of marriage is not something that can be left to Parliament.....I believe this is an issue every Australian should have a vote on....We can't legislate the conscience of the nation."
DLP Senator John Madigan addresses the Senate on Thursday. Photo: Andrew Meares
Liberal Party Senator George Brandis is now speaking on the bill.
Senator Brandis says there is something "chillingly unpleasant about hearing [Greens] Senator Hanson-Young giving one of her emotional speeches and claim, as she does, that her point of view is the only morally legitimate point of view".
"How dare you," Senator Brandis says. "How dare you be so puffed up with moral vanity? Because, Senator Hanson-Young, there are millions and millions of Australians who vigorously dissent from your view, who have a commitment to the definition of marriage that has always been understood."
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young addresses the Senate on her bill to recognise same sex marriages conducted overseas on Thursday. Photo: Andrew Meares
At 9.51 am I promised to bring you Tim Lester's interview with Liberal Senator Sue Boyce. Being a woman of my word I can bring it to you now.
Crossing the floor on gay rights
Liberal senator Sue Boyce says crossing the floor is difficult and painful, but that she is prepared to do so twice today on gay rights legislation before the Senate.
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The family that parties together stays together.
Labor MP Kevin Rudd was escorted to the Midwinter Ball by his daughter Jessica. Mr Rudd has to "zip" early but the younger Rudd partied.
Kevin Rudd and his daughter Jessica arrive for the Midwinter Ball. Photo: Andrew Meares
Labor Senator Louise Pratt is speaking about the gay marriage bill (which seeks to recognise same sex marriages conducted overseas under Australian law).
"I fear it won't be successful because marriage equality in this Parliament will only succeed when all parties work to see it done. We are a long way behind community expectations on this."
I interrupt this news bulletin with a fast-breaking news story.
Liberal Senator Sue Boyce may cross the floor twice in defiance of leader Tony Abbott - both in defence of gay rights.
Senator Boyce (who will retire at the end of her term) will vote in favour of the Greens proposal to recognise same-sex marriages performed overseas and another - from the government - seeking to remove provisions that allow aged care homes to refuse residency to same-sex couples.
The same-sex marriage bill is due to be voted on later today.
Breaking news reporter Jonathan Swan has the story.
Online political editor Tim Lester has recorded an interview with Senator Boyce, which I'll have for you shortly.
Tony Abbott and his wife Margie arrive for the Midwinter Ball on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares
The Abbotts - tall, tanned and terrific.
Let's spend a while looking at everyone dressed up in their finery. It's not often MPs get dolled up for a night on the town so let's make the most of it before getting down to the serious business of the day.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Tim Mathieson arrive for the Midwinter Ball in Parliament House on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares
It's the morning after the night before (the Midwinter Ball) so it's not so much a case of ''clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose'' as ''bleary eyes, heavy hearts, must stay awake''. Join us for our live coverage of the day in federal politics.
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