Parliament Week in Review
This week saw all hands-on deck as the country rallied together with unprecedented catastrophic fires tearing down the east coast of Australia.
Federal and State governments acted quickly this week to fight the fires blazing around Australia, with close to 100 separate fires burning in Queensland and NSW. Tensions were raised on all sides of politics and in the community, as many groups sought to discuss the significant role climate change in the severity and timing of the fires.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian acknowledged that we are facing extreme weather conditions that we have never seen before, while stating her and the government’s first priority is ensuring the safety and wellbeing of those impacted by the devastation.
Monday
Premier declares State of Emergency in NSW – The NSW Government took the critical step of declaring the catastrophic conditions a State of Emergency on Monday. This was as a result of Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons writing to Premier Gladys Berejiklian requesting she declare a State of Emergency under Section 33 of the State of Emergency and Rescue Management Act. The State of Emergency declaration was the first since October 2013.
Tuesday
Right to Farm Bill 2019 – The Legislative Council sat late on Tuesday evening, considering the Right to Farm Bill 2019. The purpose of the bill is to create a new Act to protect commercial farmers from nuisance claims and from ‘unlawful disruption’ by protesters.
'Big stick' energy bill passes the Senate – The government’s big stick legislation passed the Senate on Tuesday. The legislation, as a last resort, enables the forced divestment of energy companies for anti-competitive conduct.
Wednesday
Former NSW fire chief saw it coming – Former Fire & Rescue NSW Commissioner Greg Mullins has said he wrote to Prime Minister Scott Morrison in April and again after the May election to warn him of the coming bushfire season and to request a meeting to discuss further funding for firefighting and action to address climate change. Mullins, on behalf of the Emergency Leaders for Climate Action group, has recently said that the government must take urgent action by stopping the mining and burning of fossil fuels to address climate change and stop Australia's rising emissions. The Federal Emergency Services Minister, David Littleproud, will meet with the group in coming weeks.
Berejiklian government conflicted over hazard reduction – Environment Minister Matt Kean and Nationals leader John Barilaro clashed this week over hazard reduction. The feud came about as Barilaro said that not enough hazard reduction burning had been done in national parks to manage the fuel load, promoting Kean to respond, saying that "I am not going to have people using the bushfires to push an anti-national parks agenda."
Funding approved for Walsh Bay precinct – The NSW Government has approved millions of dollars of funding for the redevelopment of Pier 2/3 at the Walsh Bay precinct. There is an estimated $100 million earmarked for the project.
Thursday
Festivals in NSW – both the Berejiklian government and the music festival industry had wins on Thursday. The government voted to reinstate safety measures after they were previously abolished by the upper house in September. However, in a significant concession the government will establish a music industry roundtable, with the first to be held next month.
Frydenberg urges states to support productivity reforms – Treasurer Josh Frydenberg urged the states and territories to embrace his new wave of productivity reforms, which could boost the economy by almost $100 billion a year. At the Downer Oration in Adelaide, Frydenberg stated that complacency is one of the biggest risks to the economy and advocated the undertaking of nationwide reforms . He argued that the position of states in recent years to harmonise rules and regulations has helped businesses carry out their day-to-day operations, stating “"While we conceived our economic plan laid out in this year's budget cognisant of these threats, we must continue to look for every opportunity to take the country forward. Making the federation work better is essential to this task.”
Federal Attorney-General Christian Porter on track to criminalise wage theft – Porter has said he won’t let Labor's Senate inquiry into wage theft delay his plan to criminalise the worst underpayment by employers, keeping plans to introduce legislation early in the parliamentary new year.
Medevac – Former Member for Wentworth Kerryn Phelps penned an op-ed on Thursday, urging Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie to stop the government’s plan to repeal the medevac legislation passed last year. Under medevac a refugee or person seeking asylum requiring urgent medical assistance can be temporary transferred to Australia after the recommendation of two independent Australian. Suspected arsonist chased through Royal National Park – A suspected arsonist was arrested after a chase through the Royal National Park by an Army Black Hawk helicopter normally tasked with Special Forces missions.
Friday
Tax relief – Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the Federal Government is "always looking" at ways to cut taxes in response to the Australian Bureau of Statistics reporting total employment fell by 19,000 in October. It is the nation’s biggest one-month fall in jobs in more than three years, prompting the Morrison government to investigate ways to deliver tax relief to middle income earners to boost the economy.