Crikey is bracing for one of the biggest weeks in federal politics in years as the government faces crucial votes on the offshore processing of asylum seekers and the carbon tax.
Pollies, presumably refreshed after today’s ACT “family and community day” sojourn, will be keen to pick up the cudgels in the third-last official sitting week before the end of the year. Kicking off tomorrow afternoon’s government business in the Senate is the Student Services and Amenities Bill, a talismanic issue among Coalition MPs who remain keen to starve student unions of funding to exact revenge for 25-year-old disputes with campus socialists.
In the House, in what is looming as “Carbon Tuesday”, the government will almost certainly shepherd 18 pieces of legislation through successfully, despite a last-ditch, possibly Coalition-coordinated, public relations effort from dubious front groups like “Manufacturing Australia” and the Australian Coal Association to influence opinion (two years ago Manufacturing Australia chief Dick Warburton was a backer of a carbon tax but now appears to have changed his tune).
But while a price on carbon seems like a sealed deal, the government’s High Court-dodging amendments to the Migration Act will most likely be rejected by WA National Tony Crook on Thursday, denying the government a token win in the House of Reps ahead of ultimate rejection in the Senate and leading to new calls from Tony Abbott for a fresh election on constitutional-crisis grounds.
The last time a federal government lost a bill in the House of Representatives was more than 80 years ago.
Also on Thursday, debate will resume on the Territories Self-Government Legislation Amendment bill designed to overturn Cabinet’s arbitrary veto on NT and ACT lawmakers. The Labor-dominated standing committee on social policy and legal affairs recommended the House give it the green light.
Elsewhere, Wednesday in the Senate will see the government’s invasive Cybercrime legislation back on the agenda, with the Greens hoping to derail elements of the bill which will see ISPs vigorously recording details of their clients’ internet usage.
The Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill, which is expected to easily pass with the backing of the Coalition and Greens, will also get a guernsey. And on Thursday the Senate will “consider” Tony Abbott’s defunct Carbon Tax Plebiscite bill alongside a grab-bag of non-controversial bills that make up the vast majority of government business.
Andrew Crook will be covering federal parliament this week and seeks Crikey readers’ tips and input on what should be on our radar (email acrook@crikey.com.au). Interested in the passage of a particular piece of legislation? Check out this week’s legislative agenda — the House of Reps here and the Senate here. Alternatively, if you’re more interested in the contents of the parliamentary canteen’s bain maries, Crook is taking requests.
It is not a crucial vote on asylum seekers, it is an evil law that must be thrown out.
Yeah the asylum seekers vote and the cybercrime bills are both evil laws.
I hope they both fail.
@SHEPHERDMARILYN – Hi Marilyn. Read your letter in the SMH recently! good for you! I agree re this revolting legislation.
I was pleased to hear the visitor from Amnesty on ABC TV recently, and he was a guest on the Conversation Hour on ABC radio this morning. He doesn’t pull any punches which is great. His emphasis was the horrific policies on aboriginal people in the Top End(particularly those living on their homelands – in squalor) and asylum seekers.
Do you ever feel like just ‘pulling the blankets over your head and chilling out?’. I’m appalled, disgusted, ashamed and very sad and angry about these issues.
Interesting that JG spoke to the young boy in a jail in Bali(which I think was good) but no appropriate concern for Indonesian young people in our jails – some have not even been charged with anything? This disgusts me too! So called ‘people smugglers’? They’re children too!
ttp://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/RRTA/2011/792.html
RELEVANT LAW
4. Under s.65(1) a visa may be granted only if the decision maker is satisfied that the prescribed criteria for the visa have been satisfied.
5. So far as is relevant to this matter, s.36(2) of the Act provides that a criterion for a Protection (Class XA) visa is that the applicant for the visa is a non-citizen in Australia This means that a Protection (Class XA) visa may only be granted if the applicant is in Australia.”
This is what happens when people try to apply for protection “off shore”.
Liz, I have music every minute I am awake, it helps.
@SM – So the whole set up is aimed at ignoring our international obligations. They have no hope of being assessed in need of protection – here? Disgusting!
I read at the weekend that asylum seekers appealing their original negative decision are only able to access legal assistance if someone tells them where/how to access Legal Aid? Double whammy? The Govt is obviously not ‘impressed’ that a first negative decision is being overturned on appeal – due to ‘incorrect’ information being used by Immig.Dept! Fancy that? Who’d have thought such a terrible thing could happen in this democratic, freedom loving and compassionate/just country??
Perhaps I should turn the radio off! It keeps me informed of what’s going on – everywhere! (Only the ABC).