End of the day. What happened?
- National Party MPs are concerned about the WA Liberal Party's decision to preference One Nation;
- Liberal ministers have shrugged off the deal, raising questions about what will happen at the next federal election;
- the Turnbull government is playing hardball on its childcare package by linking savings from other welfare cuts to funding for the national disability insurance scheme;
- calls for a bipartisan approach on energy policy were rebuffed; and
- Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull marked the ninth anniversary of the apology to the stolen generations.
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Labor frontbencher Penny Wong thinks it's all the Prime Minister's fault.
"For over 20 years, governments both Labor and Liberal managed to keep Senator Hanson and One Nation out of this parliament, and it took the genius of Malcolm Turnbull to not only get them back in, but back in in such numbers that he cannot govern without their support," Senator Wong told the chamber a little while ago.
Some of you might read something into the fact that the lights went out in the Senate while Pauline Hanson was speaking.
I couldn't possibly comment.
So that would be a "no" to the suggestion that there should be a bipartisan approach to energy policy.
Back to topThe opposition's social services spokeswoman, Jenny Macklin, has released a statement about the government's linking its childcare package to the national disability insurance scheme.
"This is a disgraceful political game of brinksmanship," Ms Macklin said.
"People with disability do not deserve to be treated with such contempt by the Turnbull Government."
"The NDIS is a bipartisan reform that should be above politics. Instead, Mr Turnbull wants to use the NDIS as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the Senate."
Meanwhile:
The lights have just gone out in Senate. strange, with all the wind blowing from mouths of Govt MPs today there should be plenty of power
— Sarah Hanson-Young (@sarahinthesen8) February 13, 2017
And that's it for question time.
Mr Turnbull is being asked about freedom of opposition documents that show government statements blaming last year's South Australian blackout on its high renewable energy target ignored confidential public service advice stating that it was not the cause.
Mr Turnbull says Mr Shorten will say "whatever he thinks will suit him".
No one ever said the blackout was caused by "an errant wind turbine", Mr Turnbull says, but the "mindless, negligent and incompetent" policies of the South Australian government.
In amidst all of this Mr Turnbull has left open the door to dealing with a significant and lingering problem for his government - the GPs' rebate.
He tells the house: "We are open to reviewing that indexation clause."
Back to topGreens MP Adam Bandt is cross.
He was trying to get the call to ask a question which was a ruse to wave a solar panel about.
Speaker Tony Smith gives him short shrift before very gently reprimanding Treasurer Scott Morrison for using an "undesirable prop" - ie a lump of coal - in question time last Thursday.
"This is not going to become a regular occurrence," Mr Smith says. "So, like a game of musical chairs, that's it."
Labor MPs would rather the focus be on who is directing the preferences.
Which means some MPs might have received One Nation preferences but Labor candidates put the party last on their tickets.
Okay - here's how it going to go.
A member of the opposition will ask a minister whether he or she thinks something someone from One Nation has said is "sophisticated" (which is the word Industry Minister Arthur Sinodinos used to describe One Nation yesterday).
The minister will then attack the questioner by pointing out someone from their side received One Nation preferences and suggesting Labor's support for the Greens is no different.
The opposition tries again this time listing some of the things One Nation types have said recently including that the Port Arthur massacre was faked, the September 11 terrorist attacks were a hoax and being a single parent was a lifestyle choice.
Mr Turnbull tartly responds that it must cause the opposition "some discomfort" to know Cathy O'Toole, the member for Herbert, won her seat last year on One Nation preferences.
The question is almost identical to a question asked in 2000 by then opposition leader Kim Beazley to John Howard.
Mr Howard's answer then was: "My view is that the One Nation party should be party should be placed last on all Liberal Party how-to-vote cards in Australia."
Back to topOpposition Leader Bill Shorten asks Mr Turnbull if he will tell WA Premier Colin Barnett to put One Nation last in its list of preferences at the upcoming state election.
Speaker Tony Smith jumps in to say the question is out of order because Mr Turnbull cannot be expected to answer for Mr Barnett's actions.
The opposition is pretty unhappy about the ruling. It is keen to make the One Nation preferences a key issue this week.
"We acknowledge the suffering of those little children crying for their mothers and fathers," Mr Turnbull says.
Mr Turnbull notes he will tomorrow deliver the annual closing the gap statement and receiving the recommendations from the referendum council.
"This it will be the parliament's task...to then shape the amendment and present it to the Australian people," Mr Turnbull says.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is making some comments marking the ninth anniversary of the apology to the stolen generations.
"It was a remarkable and historic moment," Mr Turnbull says.
"It's an apology that today we reaffirm....It was an apology whose time has come."
Question time - now just a few minutes away.
Mr Porter made another point in relation to the One Nation preference deal.
As a former treasurer of WA, Mr Porter knows what he's talking about and points out the association between the Liberal and National parties is very different than the federal Coalition.
Mr Porter describes it as more of an "alliance".
In other words, he is saying the federal National Party should just put their pipes back in their mouths.
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