Unless you were living under a rock, or really couldn’t care less about politics to even pay attention, then you are probably aware of the pretty terrible week the Liberal Party has had. In the first week of the winter break for parliamentarians, Malcolm Turnbull travelled the country talking up some policies that are being funded by this year’s budget. But instead of being asked questions about policies and the budget, he was questioned over the unity of his party.
It started with a recording being leaked to the Daily Telegraph, in which Minister of Defence Industry Christopher Pyne bragging to some more moderate Liberal party members – while drinking at a nightclub at the Star Casino – that he had a lot of power and that they would eventually get same-sex marriage through the parliament. He also claimed that he had always voted for Malcolm Turnbull in any spill or ballot Turnbull had run in. Turnbull was left to calm his more conservative party members, promising they would still go through with a plebiscite, while Bill Shorten reminded the public Turnbull wants same-sex marriage and urged him to just get on with it. Pyne later apologised to marginal seat MPs, apologising for causing trouble.
Meanwhile, Tony Abbott seems to be going back on his promise not to snipe and cause trouble. This week he spoke at two events where he spoke of his plans for the country and for policies, to “make Australia work again”. At the first event, Abbott was suggesting slowing migration, a freeze on renewables, a state-run coal plant and reform of the senate to allow joint sittings without a double dissolution. In the second appearance, he talked about Australia considering nuclear submarines instead of the usual diesel ones Australia currently has, despite the fact Australia doesn’t have the infrastructure it needs for that to possible. It appears Abbott is trying to fashion himself as a thought leader, and Turnbull has been speaking about how most Australians don’t want to be dealing with politics and personalities and just want the government to do its job.
Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon has been stood down by her federal parliamentary colleagues, pending negotiations with the NSW branch of the Greens. She was accused of working to undermine the Greens’ almost-deal with the coalition on Gonski. It’s understood that she was working with the education union while Richard Di Natale and Sarah Hanson-Young were attempting to make a deal on Gonski. Rhiannon thinks that her party acted unfairly and she is asking for a review.
Despite its epic fail back in August last year, the Census appears to have been completed by most of the country with results suggesting the country is more ethnically diverse and less religious than it was 25 years ago during the 1991 Census. The results show that most people live in the capital cities with either a mortgage or rent to pay, many immigrants come from India and China, and more same-sex couples are declaring their partnerships.
This week also saw an international cyber attack that hit the Australian branches of Cadbury and courier company TNT. It was also announced this week that as of July 1, Australia will have its own cyber warfare unit, 11 years after the Americans created one. The unit will start with 100 members and by 2027 there will likely be 900 members of the unit.
Finally this week, Cardinal George Pell, the former Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, has been charged with historical sexual abuse by the Victorian police; Defence is making a push to wipe out domestic violence; and Australia and the USA are completing their biennial war games operation “Talisman Sabre”.
Tweets of the Week
Trickle down economics – expectations vs reality:
Things I’ve Been Looking at Online
First Dog on the Moon on the Census results – The Guardian
Kara L 