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Politics live: Fallout from Liberals' decision to preference Pauline Hanson's One Nation

Preferences for Pauline angers Joyce

Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce isn't happy the WA Liberal Party is preferencing One Nation over the Nationals but Pauline Hanson says her party is a force that can't be ignored.

In return Mr Shorten would like Mr Turnbull's support for his measures.

"The Prime Minister talks a big game on transparency, but he hid his own sizeable donation for months. The time for cheap talk is over. The Prime Minister should put his money where his mouth is and back my changes," he says.

Labor wants to:

  • reduce the donation disclosure limit from the current level of $13,200 (indexed to inflation) to a fixed $1000;
  • ban foreign donations; 
  • ban donation splitting;
  • ban anonymous donations larger than $50; and
  • link public public funding to campaign expenditure.

It also supports Mr Turnbull's changes to the system of MPs entitlements and allowances which were introduced last week.

The House of Representatives has just begun for the day.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is on his feet introducing a private members' bill on political donations.

"In recent weeks the Australian people have been given too many reasons to lose faith in the political process," Mr Shorten says.

We've got to put an end to politics as usual and that includes improving the donations system."

Mr Abbott said One Nation leader Pauline Hanson was a "different and I would say better person today than she was 20 years ago" and her approach to politics was now "more nuanced".

Meanwhile, on Sydney talkback radio former prime minister Tony Abbott is also talking about One Nation.

He says if he were in charge of preferences he would not put One Nation ahead of the National Party.

"I'd certainly be putting One Nation ahead of Labor and I'd be putting the National Party ahead of everyone," Mr Abbott said.

 

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Mr Turnbull says One Nation is bigger than one personality or one issue: "The Australian people chose to put them in the Senate and we respect that."

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Isaac at the Goodstart Early Learning Centre in Canberra on Monday.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Isaac at the Goodstart Early Learning Centre in Canberra on Monday. Photo: Andrew Meares

Mr Turnbull is asked about the issue of the West Australian Liberal Party directing preferences to One Nation.

"Preferences are a matter for the party organisation," he says.

"It's a matter for the WA division."

He also has a quick word for people affected by the NSW bushfires.

"It could have been a lot worse," Mr Turnbull says.

"Were it not for those great Australian firefighters it could have been a truly disastrous weekend." 

Mr Turnbull is speaking.

He is urging crossbenchers to support his package (which also cuts family tax payments).

Labor is already very unhappy with the package - largely because of the family tax component and the tacked on welfare measures such as changing the age of eligibility for the dole.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited a Canberra childcare centre on Monday.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited a Canberra childcare centre on Monday. Photo: Andrew Meares

Senior federal Liberals are talking down the deal.

Senior National Party MPs are not.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said it was "disappointing" that Mr Barnett had come to the conclusion "that the next best people to govern Western Australia after the Liberal Party are One Nation".

Mr Joyce said the most successful governments in Australia were ones based on partnerships between the Liberals and Nationals.

"When you step away from that, there's one thing you can absolutely be assured of is that we are going to be in opposition," he told reporters earlier this morning.

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Mr Turnbull will be asked about the WA Liberal Party's decision to preference One Nation ahead of the National Party.

WA goes to the polls next month and Premier Colin Barnett has decided to preference One Nation in upper house country regions in return for the party's support in all lower house seats.

The alliance between the more independent WA branch of the Nationals and the Liberals is reportedly at breaking point, which could cost the smaller rural party a handful of seats.

Ready for another week?

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is about to pop up at a childcare centre in Canberra.

No childcare centre is safe from campaigning politicians as the Coalition tries to gets its reform package through Parliament.
 

Hello and welcome to the day in politics.

Andrew Meares and I are here to take you through the day's events. Alex Ellinghausen is covering actual bushfires as opposed to the political kind.

Thank you for your company.