The final sitting week of the year saw the government endeavour to pass the last of their legislation.
The first was the ABCC that finally passed in the Senate after deal making with the cross-benchers, primarily through promising to look into the Murray Darling Basin Plan again, to make sure that the concessions being made to northern farmers do not come at the cost of the farmers downstream in South Australia.
Meanwhile, the backpacker tax drama has continues with haggling back and forth between the government, who dropped their offer from 19% to 15% tax on backpacker earnings, while Labor offered a rise from 10% to 13% tax on backpacker earnings. Malcolm Turnbull suggested that anything lower would have backpackers paying less tax than young Australians doing the same job – forgetting that Australian citizens and permanent residents’ earnings are tax-free to $18,000, and most backpackers don’t make that much. There was finally an agreement, when the Greens decided to accept the Government’s 15% tax rate in return for $100 million for environmental organisation Landcare. The Opposition is calling the Greens sell-outs, and criticising the government for making a deal that puts a big hole in the budget instead of fixing it.
This week the first female Chief Justice of the High Court was announced. Susan Kiefel was the first female QC in Queensland, and she will take over from current Chief Justice French next year. Meanwhile the replacement for Kiefel’s position as a High Court Justice is just 42, meaning he will be on the bench for the long-term.
The final week of parliament was rocked by protests both in the House of Representatives, where some young activists protesting offshore detention interrupted Question Time and glued themselves to the handrails. The next day protesters abseiled Parliament House to unfurl a banner demanding the government close detention centres while others stood in the fountain.
Finally this week, Tony Abbott is making moves to get into cabinet and is also giving Turnbull advice; the “No More” domestic violence campaign from the Northern Territory has gone national; there are calls for George Brandis to go after it was alleged he was trying to make a deal with the West Australian government about dividing up the remaining assets of a now-defunct Alan Bond company – which he blame Joe Hockey for; and ANU research into Super Max prisons suggests that terrorism convicts and suspects should be spread out across the system, rather than just in Super Max jails to avoid radicalisation.
Tweet of the Week
Mike Baird offended the NSW Parliament Press Gallery….
Things I’ve Been Looking at Online
Sydney’s problem with IT specialists – SMH
Don’t be the sleazy male customer – SMH
Sexual Harassment in the retail industry – SMH
Kara L 