FEAR OF FRESH MISSILE TEST

South Korea is concerned its northern neighbour is preparing yet another missile test, this time of an inter-continental ballistic missile. Overnight, Seoul agreed to install four THAAD anti-missile systems with the help of the US. Earlier in the year, South Korea said it would hold off on the THAAD deployment.

United Nations US ambassador Nikki Haley continued Washington’s sabre-rattling rhetoric, saying North Korea was “begging for war” while taking a semi-veiled potshot at China for continuing to do business with Pyongyang. China has asked for the US and South Korea to cease military drills in return for a freeze on North Korea’s missile program, a proposal backed by Russia.

Malcolm Turnbull has warned the Korean situation has brought the region the closest to war it has been in 60 years, and that a conflict would be a “disaster for the ­region and for the world”.

SHORTEN PRODUCES DOCUMENTS

Following calls from former prime minister Tony Abbott to “show it or shut up“, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has tabled documents in Parliament (from 2006) proving he has renounced his British citizenship and declaring “the circus has to stop”.

“In an age of Twitter trolls [and] baseless online conspiracies, this is a chance for Parliament to declare we’re bigger and better than this,” he said. That admirable sentiment rang unheeded across both sides of the chamber in both houses, however. In the House of Representatives, Labor immediately returned to attacking the legitimacy of Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce — Phillip Coorey writes in the Australian Financial Review that, following the release of his letter of renunciation, Shorten “wrote to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull demanding National leader Mr Joyce, a dual New Zealand citizen, and deputy Nationals leader Fiona Nash, a dual British citizen, step down from cabinet until their fates were determined by the High Court”. 

In the Senate, the government continued to target Labor Senator Katy Gallagher over her potential British dual citizenship (in addition to her potential Ecuadorian dual citizenship).  

“I never took any steps to ­become a British citizen. Accordingly, I was always of the understanding I was not a British citizen,” was Gallagher’s response. “I am not a citizen of Ecuador. I am not a citizen of the United Kingdom. I am only an Australian citizen.”

Yet any role Labor could play in helping bring the “circus”to an end appears to have been ruled out, with the party refusing a request for the citizenship details of 11 MPs —  Susan Lamb,  Tony Zappia, Justine Keay, Maria Vamvakinou, Katy Gallagher, David Feeney, Brendan O’Connor, Penny Wong, Doug Cameron, Brian Mitchell and Josh Wilson — from the ABC.

Labor Senator Murray Watt told AM:  “If you’ve got some evidence that any of these people are dual citizens bring it forward and then we would probably have to think about referring them off but at the moment there’s no evidence.”

ONCE, TWICE, THREE TIMES A SURVEY

Today the High Court sits in Melbourne to hear independent Andrew Wilkie, Australian Marriage Equality and others challenge the government’s same-sex marriage postal survey — and clearly Turnbull and co are not overwhelmingly confident that it will survive. Both The Australian and Fairfax are reporting that Turnbull is being forced to consider another option if, following the original plebiscite’s defeat in Parliament, the High Court strikes down the Australian Bureau of Statistics-helmed replacement.

Dennis Shanahan writes in the Oz, that while no major policy shifts (such as a free vote) are currently being considered to avoid further internal ruptures over the issue, it would likely have to be taken back to the Coalition party room in the case of a successful challenge. He quotes the survey’s chief spruiker, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, who claims the government had strong advice from the Solicitor-General that the survey is sound and would “would cross that bridge when we come to it” should the court rule against it — which, his colleague Chris Merritt argues, could be no bad thing:

“A government victory would have an impact far beyond the national opinion survey of same-sex marriage. It could make it possible for all future federal governments to sidestep a critically important control on when they are entitled to spend taxpayers’ money.”

Michael Koziol, writing in Fairfax, meanwhile says a failure for the survey outcome could cause “another bitter debate about same-sex marriage, a third attempt at the failed plebiscite, or even a backbench revolt” for the Turnbull government, while noting “that no plan or consensus has emerged” among moderate Liberals as to how to respond if the survey is knocked over.

READ ALL ABOUT IT

Group of Manus Island asylum seekers believes $70m compensation too low, court told

Jobs for the boys and girls: nine out of 15 defeated Liberal MPs win cushy government jobs

New authority to monitor sex creeps should not be subject to human rights charter: State Opposition

Petition calling for Aussie doctor Dr Pansy Lai to resign over No Campaign ad pulled down

No more energy deals with the Greens: Labor

WHAT’S ON TODAY

Melbourne: The High Court sits for the first of two days of hearings regarding challenges to the same-sex marriage postal survey (see above).

Brisbane: The Reserve Bank of Australia will meet and deliver a decision on interest rates. Later governor Philip Lowe will address the RBA board dinner.

Melbourne: Contested hearing for leaders of far-right group United Patriots Front. Blair Cottrell and supporters Neil Erikson and Christopher Shortis are expected to give evidence in their defence today, facing charges under Victoria’s racial vilification laws after a mock beheading of an effigy at a mosque.

Sydney: Former A Current Affair reporter Ben McCormack will face court today over child pornography charges.

TODAY IN TRUMP

President Donald Trump is considering a plan that would unwind an Obama-era law protecting 800,000 young people who entered the US illegally. Known as DACA, and covering a group often referred to collectively as Dreamers, the law offered short-term visas and barred deportations.

According to reports, Trump is now leaning towards undoing Barack Obama’s executive order and giving Congress six months to legislate a new compromise plan. Despite hardliners in his administration wanting it scrapped altogether, DACA remains popular with Democrats and some Republicans.

THE WORLD

There has been an explosion at the tense Myanmar-Bangladesh border, where tens of thousands of Muslim Rohingya have fled since violence again erupted in Myanmar just over one week ago. Around 500 people have been killed since an insurgent group attacked police and army posts in Myanmar, and 90,000 people have fled. There are unconfirmed reports the explosion was triggered by land mine. — Reuters

COMMENTARIAT

Marriage equality supporters think a postal vote is a circuit breaker. I wouldn’t regret its demise — Rodney Croome (Guardian Australia): “Both cases argue the specific point that the power the government has used – a law allowing the finance minister to spend money on things urgent and unforeseen – is not appropriate because a postal vote is neither urgent nor unforeseen.”

Free speech denied in the High Court of Australia in Bernard Gaynor case — John Wilson and Kieran Pender (Sydney Morning Herald): “In refusing to hear Gaynor’s appeal, the High Court has missed a significant opportunity to protect freedom of expression in this country. Our democracy is poorer for this omission.”

Voters are hungry for alternatives — Anthony Albanese (The Australian $): “The Donald Trumps of our world might not offer workable solutions, but they resonate because they identify genuine problems that the establishment has, to its discredit, downplayed.”

CRIKEY QUICKIE: THE BEST OF YESTERDAY

Could Israel’s ‘right of return’ ensnare Danby, Dreyfus and Frydenberg in the section 44 thicket? — Guy Rundle: “What’s really sticky about all this is that relations between Australia and Israel are one of the places where the question of dual loyalties anticipated by section 44 exactly comes into play. Though governments of both parties have affirmed pretty unstinting support of Israel as part of the Western alliance, Israel’s sometimes adventurist strategies are not always to our advantage.”

Four fun facts about Jacinda Ardern, the ex-Mormon who might become NZ’s PM — Rebekah Holt: “For those thousands of New Zealanders who are being screwed by Australia’s flip flops on permanent residency, having a potential PM who won’t just adjourn to the Australian Club with Malcolm when it gets too hard to negotiate a fraction of the same benefits that Australians living in New Zealand enjoy, Jacinda Ardern’s lack of shits was rather exciting.”

Tips and rumours: Preselection whispers. Spring is in the air, and so is preselection, with a tipster telling us the Labor members in the seat of Corangamite are getting ready to cast their votes for who will take on the Liberals’ Sarah Henderson in the marginal seat, which includes areas of Geelong. Our source tells us the likely challenger will be either Libby Coker, who polled 46.9% (two-party preferred) last election, and local businesswoman Diana Taylor. Taylor is on the Geelong Football Club board — a useful connection for anyone trying to make it in that town. Preselections are happening at different levels across the country — got some goss? You can share it with us here.

HOLD THE FRONT PAGE