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3.59pm on Aug 20, 2015
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It being Thursday I am having an early mark along with Andrew Meares and Alex Ellinghausen.
What happened today?
Prime Minister Tony Abbott faced another embarrassing leak from his inner circle;
the government attempted to change the topic of conversation by holding two press conferences on security related issues;
changes to environmental protection legislation were introduced into Parliament;
Mr Abbott has won back the support of Indigenous leaders after he agreed to changes to the consultation process in relation to the constitutional recognition referendum; and
Parliament has finished its sitting fortnight.
My thanks to Alex and Andrew for their work and to you for reading and commenting.
A survivor of the Port Arthur massacre, Carolyn Loughton, criticised the decision and urged the government to "stay vigilant" on gun control.
"We all have to forego what we consider to be our individual rights because we recognise there is a bigger responsibility, which is the functioning of society," Ms Loughton, whose daughter Sarah was killed in the massacre, told legal affairs correspondent Jane Lee.
"Walk in my shoes, pick a coffin for your child and then tell me you have the right."
3.49pm on Aug 20, 2015
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You will probably be familiar with Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm's position on guns (he is for them and thinks they should be more freely available).
"It is the rumble we had to have to get the ground rules right, to get the understanding clear, but now we're very positive that we've got this show back on the rails," Cape York leader Noel Pearson declared after the meeting which wrapped up shortly before question time.
Noel Pearson in Canberra on Thursday.Alex Ellinghausen
3.37pm on Aug 20, 2015
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Mr Abbott has abandoned his opposition to Indigenous-only conferences on constitutional recognition to regain the support of Aboriginal leaders.
The Prime Minister made the concession in a meeting with the four leaders who proposed separate Indigenous conferences as the best means of securing Indigenous support for a recognition model.
3.16pm on Aug 20, 2015
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This would mean Social Services Minister Scott Morrison is the only one of the three possible leadership alternatives to Mr Abbott who is against marriage equality.
Social Services Minister Scott Morrison and Prime Minister Tony Abbott during question time on Thursday.Alex Ellinghausen
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3.15pm on Aug 20, 2015
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Shortly before question time Ms Bishop gave the strongest hint yet that she supports marriage equality.
(You will know it's been a bit of a fixation of mine that Ms Bishop has never made her position clear.)
"Philosophically I'm a very liberal minded person but I'm yet to see the detail of changes to the Marriage Act that would satisfy me that we should vote for it and I've been asking for this for some time," Ms Bishop said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop and Social Services Minister Scott Morrison during question time on Thursday.Andrew Meares
3.10pm on Aug 20, 2015
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And that's it for question time for the day and the fortnight.
Parliament is back on September 7.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott departs at the end of question time on Thursday.Alex Ellinghausen
3.04pm on Aug 20, 2015
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Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop during question time on Thursday.Andrew Meares
The opposition seeks to make a bit of mileage out of the alleged embezzling of funds by the former state director of the Victorian Liberal Party (see 12.21 pm).
Mr Abbott says the matter has been referred to the police.
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3.01pm on Aug 20, 2015
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The opposition returns to Dyson Heydon and wants to know if Mr Abbott will withdraw Mr Heydon's commission.
"They know the rules," Mr Abbott says of the opposition after reading out some advice.
"Just for once - do it the right way."
By which he means the opposition should let the hearing tomorrow take place.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott in question time on Thursday.Alex Ellinghausen