It’s going to be an action-packed fortnight as the government has one final sitting period before it drops its first budget on October 25.
It follows a jam-packed two days last week as employment and the economy were canvassed in the jobs and skills summit, after which the government vowed to implement changes to help Australia’s workforce shortage.
Climate and cost of living are the main themes for this week. Here’s what’s on the agenda.
Media diversity
Independent MP Zoe Daniel confirmed to Crikey she’ll be pushing for an inquiry into media diversity in Parliament next week after Lachlan Murdoch’s decision to sue Crikey for defamation. The former journalist said she would instigate a motion for a judicial inquiry, looking at all media organisations and defamation law reform.
Jobs and skills summit outcomes
The government announced 36 outcomes from the summit and plans to get the ball rolling on a few. The outcomes range from a one-off income credit allowing those on the aged care pension to earn an additional $4000 over this financial year without losing any of their pension, migration law reform, and making $575 million available from the National Housing Infrastructure Facility to invest in social and affordable housing.
Tomorrow the Jobs and Skills Australia Bill will be reintroduced, establishing a statutory body to improve data collection on current and emerging labour markets.
Climate change
The Climate Change Bill 2022 will be introduced to the Senate today to legislate an emissions reduction target of 43% from 2005 levels by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050. It’s got support from the Greens and independent David Pocock and will pass — but not without debate and attempts to strengthen it. Greens Leader Adam Bandt will also introduce a climate trigger bill to halt the development of new coalmines. The bill will ban environmental approval of developments that emit more than 100,000 tonnes of carbon.
The electric car discount will be voted on in the House tomorrow. The bill would make cars cheaper for more people by removing an import tariff and changing fringe benefit laws.
More social support
This morning the government announced the largest increase in welfare payments in 30 years, with increases to the age and disability support pensions, carer payment, JobSeeker, parenting and rental assistance payments to keep up with changes in the consumer price index.
It’s not the only change to social services expected this week: veterans and their families going through crises will receive more support under a bill to be debated before the House to enable them to access more diverse support. Under the proposed legislation, which addresses recommendations from the Senate inquiry into suicide by veterans and ex-service personnel, families can access everything from gardening to child support to help them better support veterans under stress.
Debate is also set to resume on the aged care amendment bill, which is expected to pass the House. The bill strengthens requirements around the delivery of care, forcing providers to have at least one registered nurse on-site at all times.
A bill repealing the cashless debit card will be introduced to the Senate on Thursday.
The Voice under the microscope
Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney will deliver a major speech this week to announce the next steps in enshrining a Voice to Parliament in the constitution. The Voice has proved to be controversial, gaining criticism from Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe and Coalition Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price — with critics saying it lacked a clear public strategy. Burney is expected to announce a working group of experts.
Thanks Amber. For all the talk about liberal democracy coverage in our media of what is being debated in Parliament is remarkably sparse. Its about time that more attention was given to detail rather than strategy and tactics.
How come we’ve seen more action in just a few months than in three years plus of Morrison? Why is it so?
True but don’t mistake movement for progress – ie gas approvals and exploration licences in the sea off WA.
NB also the PM’s absurd claim, after his victory lap post the JobsConFlab, that exporting more of our coal is good for the environment because, like everything else in Australia, it is “the best in the world”™ ®.
“…ie gas approvals for extraction in NSW, thanks Minister Plibersek”
Hurray for the Greens’ phrasing, proposing a limit of “100,000 tonnes of carbon”. Carbon, that’s fossil carbon, not coal, so gas must be included in the hit list. Labor is currently discovering that renewables-plus-gas can never completely replace coal-oil-and-gas. If it were not for the Greens, Labor would be preparing to expand gas so they can claim progress towards the extinction of coal. Watch as Labor erases the words, “and gas” from their rhetoric, at the same time as the Greens put the words “and gas” back into the accounting.
Watch what’s happening in WA. Its grid is isolated from neighbouring states, so we can confidently watch them live up to their promise of getting rid of coal. At the same time we will be able to watch as they progressively increase their use of gas. The WA government intends to claim to have eliminated coal by expanding renewables. However they will never be able to claim to have the eliminated coal-and-gas by expanding renewables-and-gas. We need the Greens around to point out their logical fallacy. Gas must go!
Gas with the inevitable leaks = coal for CO2. Expanding gas use takes us out of the frying pan and into the fire. The IEA expects next year to beat all records for mega coal use around the world, while climate disasters just get worse. Don’t be disappointed – be angry.