Federal Politics

Is a One Nation split between Pauline Hanson and Rod Culleton on the cards?

Ministerial zebra, parliamentary zoo

The senate turns personal as Michaelia Cash is likened to a wild animal.

Okay, time for me to call it a day. What happened?

  • the government's superannuation changes have passed the Senate;
  • One Nation senators Pauline Hanson and Rod Culleton were super cross with each other;
  • they are now friends;
  • Labor MP Emma Husar gave a very moving speech about her experiences with family violence; and
  • Labor pledged to change the Family Law Act so family violence victims could not be questioned by their abusers in court.

My thanks to Alex Ellinghausen and Andrew Meares for their work and to you for reading and commenting.

You can follow me on Facebook.

Alex, Andrew and I will be back soon. Enjoy your evening.

FYI - Labor announced this morning it would change the Family Law Act so that victims of family violence could not be questioned in court by their abusers, something that regularly happens.

Anne Aly embraces Emma Husar after she spoke about family violence on Tuesday.
Anne Aly embraces Emma Husar after she spoke about family violence on Tuesday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

There is not a dry eye in the house.

MPs are now lining up to embrace Ms Husar who finished her speech by thanking the Penrith women's shelter for helping her family.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten with Labor MP Emma Husar.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten with Labor MP Emma Husar. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

Ms Husar says 13 police cars had to come to the final episode of physical violence.

The emotional and financial abuse continued, she says.

"For many years I was embarrassed and I was ashamed. I know that I shouldn't be but I am."

She says her childhood experiences have stayed with her throughout her life and her children's lives.

"I hope that the blame that was launched at my Mum during the 90's for not leaving, is no longer part of the "solution" around domestic violence - and I hope the questions of 'why doesn't she just leave' quit being asked."

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten with Labor MP Emma Husar on Tuesday.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten with Labor MP Emma Husar on Tuesday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

For the first 13 years she says her father, a World War 2 veteran, abused her mother.

"We would go to the refuges in our community, until, after so many years and so many incidents, my father knew the locations and we were not safe there anymore. We then shifted to staying in hotels, which were located above pubs where the people below were loud and sometimes their noise would spill into the streets, waking me and reminding me that I wasn't in my own bed, in my own home."

"I was in a foreign place, because I was not safe."

"One night, when Mum was hurrying to get my sister and I out, Dad had removed and smashed the distributor cap from the car rendering it useless and us trapped. The police fetched us this time. I still remember sitting in the police station well into the early hours of the morning and the officers in Penrith police giving us pink milk while we waited. The police did their best." 

"Again, after this event my Mum returned home."

Labor MP Emma Husar speaks about her personal experience with family violence.
Labor MP Emma Husar speaks about her personal experience with family violence. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
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Labor MP Emma Husar is speaking in the house about her own experiences of domestic violence.

She says the first 29 of 36 years of her life were affected by family violence.

Ms Husar says she wants to use her story to help women too scared to speak out.

Labor MP Emma Husar speaks about her personal experience with family violence on Tuesday.
Labor MP Emma Husar speaks about her personal experience with family violence on Tuesday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

The Senate has passed the government's superannuation changes.

It is now dealing with the backpacker tax.

That look when a politician is wondering why Andrew Meares is taking a photograph of them.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash during question time on Wednesday.
Employment Minister Michaelia Cash during question time on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares

And that's it for question time.

Sorry for the unusual lack of coverage of question time. I've been distracted by One Nation. I don't think we've missed much.

Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne and Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop during question time on Wednesday.
Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne and Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop during question time on Wednesday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
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Senator Rod Culleton at a White Ribbon breakfast on Wednesday.
Senator Rod Culleton at a White Ribbon breakfast on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares

Everything is okay within One Nation.

Senators Culleton and Hanson met for about an hour and are "moving on", Senator Culleton told Amy Remeikis

Senator Culleton says Senator Hanson reviewed the letter he sent to the Queensland magistrate and decided it was a "storm in a tea cup".

He was not offered a cup of tea or a biscuit but he didn't want one and everyone is over it. He is staying with One Nation.
 

A politician wearing his barbeque apron into the Senate. So 'Straya it hurts.

Senator Ian Macdonald wears a cure cancer apron to question time in the Senate on Wednesday.
Senator Ian Macdonald wears a cure cancer apron to question time in the Senate on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares

Only two of the four One Nation senators are in question time.

That's because Senators Culleton and Hanson are holding their meeting now, political reporter Amy Remeikis has learned.

Senators Brian Burston and Malcolm Roberts in the Senate on Wednesday.
Senators Brian Burston and Malcolm Roberts in the Senate on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares

The opposition is pushing Treasurer Scott Morrison over when he will deliver a budget surplus.

Mr Morrison is getting quite worked up and likens Mr Shorten to the British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. It's hard to say whether that better or worse than being compared to Mark Latham.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Treasurer Scott Morrison during question time on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Treasurer Scott Morrison during question time on Wednesday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

Question time begins.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten asks Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull if he will change the Family Law Act so that victims of domestic violence do not have to face being questioned by their abusers in court.

Labor supports this change which is being pushed for by anti violence advocates including former Australian of the Year Rosie Batty.

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And this:

A pre question time One Nation update care of political reporter Amy Remeikis.

Senator Culleton has called Senator Hanson. The pair spoke and agreed to meet this afternoon after question time.

Stay tuned readers.

More than one MP has thoughts on the Immigration Minister's comments.

Government MP Andrew Laming says he did no more than speak the "prima facie truth" in relation to the ethnic background of people charged with terrorism offences.

He accuses the opposition of trying to stop him from being heard.

National Party MP Andrew Broad doesn't have much sympathy for the unpleasantness being directed Anne Aly's way.

"I got some wedgies in school so, you know," he said.

Photographically speaking, I really miss the prime ministership of Tony Abbott. He could always be counted on for lively images.

Tony Abbott at the Cure Cancer barbeque on Wednesday.
Tony Abbott at the Cure Cancer barbeque on Wednesday. Photo: Andrew Meares
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