5&5: 48th Parliament

It’s the first week of the 48th Parliament and we’re busier than ever.

Here’s the 5&5.

BEST

  1. Commitment to the House

  2. Cuts to student debt

  3. First speeches

  4. Protecting penalty rates

  5. Deputy speaker’s new record

WORST

  1. Nationals’ climate bomb

  2. To rule in or out that is the question

  3. Alex Hawke’s “solidarity” with minorities

  4. Sorry, who?

  5. Don’t give up your day job

1. Members make their own decision about what is the most serious form of commitment that they make when being sworn in to a new Parliament. For some people, that’s making an affirmation. For others, it also involves holding a religious text. On Monday we saw members make their oath holding the Bible, the Quran, the Buddhist Great Compassion Mantra and the Torah. The beauty of Parliament is that we see members from all walks of life, of faiths and of beliefs come together with the ultimate goal of serving their communities.

2. Cut every Australian’s student debt by 20 per cent - that was the promise we made during the election and on Wednesday morning, Minister for Education Jason Clare introduced the bill that would reduce the student debt of 3 million Australians. Jason said, “Nurses, teachers, tradies, doctors, paramedics, engineers, architects,  IT workers, AI experts. These are the Australians who are already building Australia's future and this will take a weight off of their back.”

3. We’ve done something different with first speeches this time. Normally, we do a few a week and it can take five weeks before everyone’s had their turn. This time it’s been - as Matt Smith would know - a full-court press with mornings and afternoons full of first speeches. And they have been truly moving - it has to be one of the best parts of a new government. I want to particularly highlight the new Member for Dickson, Ali France and the new Member for Melbourne, Sarah Witty who both not only won their seats but took down party leaders Peter Dutton and Adam Bandt. I highly recommend you watch each and every one, I’ve linked them all at the bottom.

4. Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Amanda Rishworth introduced some life changing legislation on Thursday. “Today, I've introduced legislation to protect penalty rates and overtime rates of 2.6 million workers in this country. Penalty rates and overtime rates matter. They compensate people from working regular hours and are an essential feature of many workers' take-home pay.” The Prime Minister added “If you’re giving up your weekends, our government will make sure you’re getting paid the penalty rates you deserve.”

5. Not only was Milton Dick elected Speaker unopposed, he was nominated from both sides of the House, something that happened with the very first Speaker in Federation back in 1901, but has rarely happened since. We also had the absolute standout of Sharon Claydon go to ballot against Liberal Member Terry Young. Sharon received 98 votes (67.6 per cent), the most of all time, from all parties, to be reinstated in her roles as Deputy Speaker of the House.

1. Had the Coalition won the election, their first move would have been to repeal our tax cuts for every Australian. Turns out, the first bill to be introduced by the opposition will come from Barnaby Joyce, and it's to cancel action on climate change. He’s been supported by Michael McCormack, who proudly told Sky News he and Barnaby remained ‘virile’. Chris Bowen had this hilarious take on the odd couple, “We saw the new dream team, the dream couple—the member for New England and the member for Riverina—out there this morning, backing each other in. The member for Riverina said on the Kieran Gilbert show, 'We're virile, and we're out there.' That's the member for New England and the member for Riverina. Now, this is not his Tinder profile; this is his dream ticket. He's not looking to swipe right; he's looking to swipe out the member for Maranoa. That's what he's trying to do.”

2. On Wednesday the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Ted O’Brien thought it would be a good idea to ask the Treasurer if he’d rule out a policy change…little did Ted know, Jim had watched his Sky News interview on Sunday (why Jim was doing this remains a mystery). “I want to remind the House that just on Sunday—not in September, not before the election, not even a few weeks ago—the member for Fairfax said on Sky, on 20 July—and I'm quoting here—'They shouldn't be taking anything off the table.' So, on Sunday, he said, 'They shouldn't be taking anything off the table.' By Wednesday, he is saying, 'We want you to rule something out.'” There was a bit more back and forth but Jim ended with some words of advice for Ted, “I won't be taking lectures from the Member of Parliament more responsible than anyone for their nuclear meltdown on 3 May.”

3. On Tuesday the new Manager of Opposition, Alex Hawke was responding to the election of Milton Dick as Speaker. He spoke about how no current members have lived through a Parliament where the government has had such a majority. In relation to his party he continued “and I think the rights of minorities are going to be especially important in relation to the operation of this House.” The next day I put forward a sessional order change allowing for the crossbench to get an additional question when Question Time runs long, instead of all of the additional questions going to the Opposition. After putting forward the change I told the House, “I suspect I know the speech that's about to come. If it's like we heard yesterday, it will be about the rights of minorities. Allow me to say I am pleased that the Opposition have found a minority they support! I am disappointed that it is themselves.”

4. On Thursday, the Member for Wright, Scott Buchholz interjected with an unparliamentary remark and became the first Member of the 48th Parliament to be kicked out of the Chamber. Jim delivered the winning blow, he responded with “Mr Speaker, nobody knew he was on the front bench until you asked him to leave it.”

5. As an actor, Milton Dick makes an excellent Speaker of the House. Which is just as well. After his election on Tuesday, he was, as tradition dictates, ceremonially dragged to his chair. As you can see here, it was the most pathetic attempt at resisting I’ve ever seen. You don’t greet the people who are trying to drag you somewhere with a hug! Mr Speaker - don’t give up your day job!

As you can see, we’ve been flat out in the first week of the 48th Parliament and both houses will be back next week for more.

‘til then,

Tony

PS In honour of all the new Members becoming part of the 48th Parliament, the song of the week is Join the Club by Hockey Dad.

Tony Burke