This week’s Parliament sittings were dominated by debate on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, while the Coalition tried desperately to keep the pressure on the government over it’s cost of living policies.
As voters in New South Wales prepare to head to the polls tomorrow, and a looming by-election in Melbourne next week, it was a politically charged week in the nation’s capital.
Catch up on the major developments in this week’s Parliament Wrap.
A divisive voice
Prime Minister Albanese was hoping to unite the country behind the referendum’s proposed alteration to the constitution to enshrine an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, but the announcement of the final principles yesterday was anything but uncontroversial.
The Coalition is pushing for the government to release legal advice provided to it’s referendum working group, as the no campaign and other critics raised concerns about the proposed body’s impact on the functioning of government.
The PM maintained the group had reached a sensible consensus on the design principles and proposed new chapter of the constitution, dismissing questions about the Voice’s power to hold up government legislation and inviting Australians to reflect on slow progress of closing the gap targets.
Meanwhile, the bill implementing machinery provisions for the referendum passed Parliament on Wednesday with the eventual support of the Coalition.
Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton, who had previously maintained the Coalition’s support would only be given with the establishment of official yes and no campaigns, won only a minor concession from the government to award deductible gift recipient status for both sides.
Debate on government’s climate change bill continues
MPs in the House of Representatives spent hours this week debating the safeguard mechanism bill, Labor’s signature climate change policy.
With the Greens yet to announce their support of the bill, the government continued to attack the Coalition for not waving through the legislation it had hoped to pass before the end of the month.
Negotiations will continue next week, the last sitting period before the May budget.
National security in spotlight
The government used Question Time in both the House of Reps and the Senate this week to sell the benefits of the AUKUS deal, the details of which were officially announced with great fanfare last week.
While the opposition supports the deal and claims credit for having initiated it, shadow defence minister Andrew Hastie pushed the government for details on how they would pay for the huge cost of the nuclear submarine program.
Western Australian Labor MP Josh Wilson, whose Fremantle electorate includes the state’s major shipbuilding hub Henderson, became the first government MP to break ranks and flag his own concerns about the deal. Reports suggested other Labor caucus members challenged the PM on the AUKUS details at this week’s party room meeting.
Wilson aired doubts about the deal’s compliance with Australia’s nuclear non-proliferation treaty commitments – concerns said to be held by many among Labor’s left faction.
Jobs and Skills Australia functions outlined
Minister for Skills and Training Brendan O’Connor on Wednesday introduced legislation in the House to establish the permanent function of Jobs and Skills Australia, a new statutory body Labor had promised to set up during last year’s election.
The bill outlines the role of a Ministerial Advisory Board, to be made up of state and territory representatives, unions and industry experts.
Jobs and Skills Australia will advise government on policies to address skills shortages in key industries and locations, including a particular focus on rural and regional Australia.
The government has said the new body will play a key role in supporting priorities across areas such as health care, defence industry, technology and clean energy.