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Politics live as details of same-sex marriage plebiscite revealed

Liberal senator to cross floor over plebiscite vote

West Australian senator Dean Smith, the Liberal Party's first openly-gay federal politician has told Fairfax the idea of a plebiscite is 'abhorrent'.

This is where we will leave you today, as we head to the Senate to cover the upcoming maiden speeches.

But first - what have we learnt?

The SSM marriage plebiscite dominated the sitting day - 'citizen panels' will help decide how the money allocated for the yes and no campaigns will be spent, Liberal Senator Dean Smith will cross the floor when it hits the upper house and Tim Wilson apologised to the Prime Minister over a party room 'misunderstanding'. 

And the government and opposition did come to an agreement over the Coalition's omnibus savings bill - which Labor managed to announce first.

That's it for me - Stephanie Peatling, Andrew Meares and Alex Ellinghausen will be back with you Wednesday morning.  Have a lovely evening and thank you for reading.

Special Minister of State Scott Ryan is on Sky talking more about the details of the plebiscite and the public funding for both the 'yes' and 'no' campaigns - and while he says that media outlets will have to run advertising from both campaigns, he can't say whether they have to be truthful in their advertising.  

"I would think they would all be truthful, but opinions are allowed in all advertising," he said.

Also this afternoon - the debate on the house adjournment and sitting rules is scheduled.

The big take away from that, which has been prompted by the first week shenanigans which saw the government lose three procedural motions in the lower house - the first time that has occurred in more than 50 years - is that instead of sitting until 9.30pm on Mondays and Tuesdays, the House will adjourn at 8pm.

 

 

 

 

A Senate where no major party holds a majority means negotiations are occurring at every available opportunity - of which the cross bench is taking full advantage. 

 

The Australian National Audit Office has released its report into the procurement of services for the Manus and Nauru detention centre - and it doesn't look like it tells a great story.

 

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Thank you to my colleague Stephanie Peatling for her usual stellar job.

Having a look at the afternoon, Labor has kicked off a discussion on what it says is the failures of the Turnbull Government to as it approaches Wednesday's first anniversary.  Bill Shorten appears to be having a wonderful time delivering his speech on the topic.

And first speeches are continuing - Queensland Senators Murray Watt (Labor) and Malcolm Roberts (One Nation) are both scheduled to deliver theirs in the Senate just after 5pm.

 

I'm handing over to my colleague Amy Remeikis for the afternoon.

Thanks for your company thus far. You can follow me on Facebook.

And that's it for question time.

Tee hee.

Labor asks Foreign Minister Julie Bishop about David Cameron's comments about the role of a former prime minister.

Speaker Tony Smith immediately rules it out of order.

Leader of the house Christopher Pyne and Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop during question time on Tuesday.
Leader of the house Christopher Pyne and Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop during question time on Tuesday. Photo: Andrew Meares

FYI - it's the first time since 2005 that a member of the opposition has directed a question to the Opposition leader.

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Curiouser and curiouser.

Labor MP Terri Butler asks Mr Shorten (yes, that's correct) about the progress of his private member's bill on marriage equality.

"Today, I call upon the Prime MInister to go back to views he once cherished and vote with us on marriage equality."

The phrase "playing politics" springs to mind and applies equally to everyone in the chamber at this point in time.

Labor MP Terri Butler during question time on Tuesday.
Labor MP Terri Butler during question time on Tuesday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

"The leader of the house is meant to be on pause," Speaker Tony Smith says of Christopher Pyne.

"I wish I had a mute button."

The opposition asks Mr Turnbull how the Coalition's policy on the plebiscite is different than the policy of the Abbott government.

Mr Turnbull points out that he was a member of the party room and cabinet that endorsed that policy.

"This is a fair and transparent process. It is an objective process and the Labor Party should get behind it," Mr Turnbull says.

 

Mr Shorten asked Mr Turnbull if there will be any restrictions on what each side of the plebiscite campaign can say.

Mr Turnbull says there will be "very clear accountability".

The $7.5 million awarded to each side will only be able to be used for advertising and research. Campaign material will have to be authorised by the respective committees.

"They will have to take responsibility," Mr Turnbull says.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during question time on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during question time on Tuesday. Photo: Andrew Meares

He moves on in response to another question.

"You don't trust the people of Australia," Mr Turnbull says to the opposition.

"We put our faith in the Australian people. The plebiscite is a proposal we took to the election. We won the election. We have a mandate."

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Labor has brought a 13 year old boy, Eddie, and his mothers into the visitors' gallery so it can ask why they should have to undergo a plebiscite on same-sex marriage.

Mr Turnbull treads cautiously, obviously not wanting to rip full throttle into Labor while the young man in question sits a few metres away.

He promises the plebiscite will be "civil".

Liberal MPs Warren Entsch and Trent Zimmerman during question time on Tuesday.
Liberal MPs Warren Entsch and Trent Zimmerman during question time on Tuesday. Photo: Andrew Meares

Four questions in and Mr Turnbull has not tried to pressure Mr Shorten on the plebiscite.

Senator Brandis just did an able pre question time warm up but now there is no main event.

Leader of the house, Christopher Pyne, and Foreign Affairs Minister, Julie Bishop, during question time on Tuesday.
Leader of the house, Christopher Pyne, and Foreign Affairs Minister, Julie Bishop, during question time on Tuesday. Photo: Andrew Meares

Mr Turnbull is having a fine time getting stuck into the situation of Sam Dastyari and the $1600 debt.

"The floodgates of cash are open for Senator Dastyari, just dial 1 for cash," he says, pointing out the number of Labor MPs who said Senator Dastyari had done nothing wrong.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten begins with a question about leaked talking points in relation to the same-sex marriage plebiscite.

Mr Turnbull says it is a pity that on the day the two sides of parliament reaches agreement on budget savings Mr Shorten would rather ask "another shabby political question".

Opposition leader Bill Shorten during question time on Tuesday.
Opposition leader Bill Shorten during question time on Tuesday. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

And with that, question time is now about one minute away.

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