The Sydney Morning Herald logo
Advertisement
PoliticsFederalThe Pulse Live

This was published 9 years ago

Politics Live: April 18, 2016

Australia faces a double dissolution election on July 2 after the Senate rejected Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's building industry watchdog legislation.

Stephanie Peatling
Updated ,first published
By

And that's it from me for the day. What happened?

  • Australia is headed to the polls on July 2 (only 75 days to go);
  • the Senate rejected the government's building watchdog legislation;
  • this gives Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull the trigger he needs for a double dissolution election;
  • the House of Representatives voted to abolish the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal; and
  • and, for a bit of light, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce achieved closure in the delicate matter of Pistol and Boo.

My thanks to Alex Ellinghausen and Andrew Meares for their magic and to you for reading and commenting.

You can follow me on Facebook.

Alex, Andrew and I will be back in the morning. Until then, good night.

By

Scotch that (see 7.24 pm post).

After a bit of umming and ahhing Mr Turnbull's office says he will not be making any appearances tonight.

By

Also embracing the active wear trend was independent MP Andrew Wilkie.

Independent MPs Andrew Wilkie and Cathy McGowan approach the tellers during a division at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday.Andrew Meares
Advertisement
By

Mr Turnbull has left the chamber.

There was some suggestion he would make a statement while he was in there but it now seems more likely he will hold a quick door stop.

By
Mal Brough arrives for a division in the House of Representatives in Canberra on Monday.Alex Ellinghausen

Many MPs have been caught on the hop, so to speak, by the vote. #activewearmonday

By

Mr Burke succeeds and so the vote is being taken again.

The cynic in me says this is a way to prevent Mr Turnbull from speaking in time to make it into the ABC's national news bulletin.

Advertisement
By

The house has voted to abolish the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal.

But the manager of opposition business, Tony Burke, is on his feet disputing the numbers in the vote.

The leader of the house, Christopher Pyne, is cross. He dismisses it as a "juvenile, pathetic debating" trick.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, Attorney-General Senator George Brandis and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in discussion during a division in the House of Representatives in Canberra on Monday.Alex Ellinghausen
By

Still waiting for the results of the division in the House of Representatives.

Look who has popped in.

Attorney-General Senator George Brandis and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in discussion during a division in the House of Representatives on Monday.Alex Ellinghausen
By

Surely it would be a brave government that interrupted Mother's Day (May 8) to call an election?

Advertisement
By

Greens leader Richard Di Natale says he expects the Senate to sit this week but that it is "highly unlikely" it will return next week.

He says "the only question" is whether the government calls the election on the weekend after the budget (May 7 and 8) or waits until the following week.

His money is on a weekend trip to Government House by Mr Turnbull.

Advertisement