Sue Lines returned as Senate president
Josh Butler
Labor senator Sue Lines has, as expected, been returned as the Senate president. She prevailed over Penny Allman-Payne, the Greens’ candidate, in a ballot of senators by a margin of 55-12.
There were also five “informal votes”.
As we mentioned, David Pocock was briefly nominated by Pauline Hanson, in an unexpected move, before he respectfully declined. The Coalition didn’t put up a candidate of their own.
After a pen-and-paper vote, with senators indicating their choice on pink ballots dropped into a wooden box, Lines will stay as president for this term of the Senate. There was a round of applause as Lines was announced the winner.
She walked up to the president’s chair on her own, a contrast to the tradition of the House speaker being “dragged” to the chair upon their election.
Key events
Patrick Commins
Last rate hold decision was made six to three, minutes show
Following from our last post…
For the first time, the decision also came with a voting record, which showed six members in favour of no change, and three in favour of a cut.
Those voting for a cut were more worried than their fellow board members about the risks to the economy from threats overseas and the slow rate of growth at home. The minutes said:
That in turn posed a risk that underlying inflation would moderate somewhat more rapidly than envisaged in the May projections.
The minutes are unlikely to add much to the sum of our knowledge about what the RBA is thinking. It’s worth noting, however, that new figures last week showed some cracks in the resilient jobs market, after unemployment climbed to 4.3% from 4.1%.
Investors are pricing in a rate cut following the next meeting on 12 August, and all eyes have turned to next Wednesday’s crucial quarterly inflation report.
Reserve bank minutes confirm rate cuts a matter of when, not if
Patrick Commins
Exiting parliament house for a moment, the Reserve Bank board minutes released this morning confirm that more interest rate cuts are a question of when rather than if, with the “focus” of this month’s meeting on “the appropriate timing and extent of further easing”.
The RBA shocked the market and most economists when they failed to deliver a widely predicted cut, instead choosing to hold the cash rate at 3.85% on 8 July. The minutes stated:
All members agreed that, based on the information currently available, the outlook was for underlying inflation to decline further in year-ended terms, warranting some additional reduction in interest rates over time.
The board said stronger-than-anticipated data across inflation, spending and the jobs market ahead of the most recent meeting “pointed to the benefit of waiting for a little more information to confirm that inflation remains on track to be at 2.5% on a sustainable basis”.
Milton Dick gets dragged into the speaker’s chair
As we brought you earlier, speaker Milton Dick was “dragged” to the speakers chair just a little earlier.
Why was he dragged? You can read a little more on that here.
And you can see just how that happened today here:
Milton Dick re-elected as speaker, aims to increase civics education across the country
Re-elected speaker Milton Dick has taken his seat, and is addressing the house, thanking his family including brother, Cameron Dick (a Qld Labor MP) and his sister, who he says is the most “important” member of his family as a longtime teacher.
He also gives a shoutout to Nationals MP Michael McCormack, who he says gives him free advice “whether I like to hear it or not”.
Jokes aside, Dick says he wants to make the chamber a more respectful place, and also wants to increase civics education across the country.
This term, I will continue to look for ways to improve standards in this chamber. As I said, more work needs to be done… No role or title elected or otherwise exempts us from our obligation to create and foster a culture of safety, integrity and inclusion.
The parliament will not tolerate disrespectful behaviour.
Dick announces he will visit every electorate to “champion” engagement with young Australians.
Ley says opposition will remain ‘strong’ and ‘principled’, praises Dick’s election
Opposition leader Sussan Ley is also speaking, wishing Dick well in his role as speaker and saying the Coalition looks forward to working “constructively” under his tenure. Ley said:
Mr Speaker, this new parliament begins after an election where, to be frank, the Coalition would have preferred a different result. That is the nature of democracy. We respect the outcome and we are resolved to do the job that the Australian people have entrusted us with, to be a strong, principled and effective opposition. …
As an opposition we will be constructive where we can and critical when needed.
Albanese praises Milton Dick as ‘custodian’ of 48th parliament
The prime minister is giving his own remarks on Dick’s return as speaker, saying:
During the last term you showed a commitment to integrity, you showed a commitment to fairness and an understanding that this institution is something that we who have just been sworn to office should cherish and should really value. …
You are a steady hand, Mr Speaker. In your re-election this house has shown its gratitude for the work that you have done in your first term as speaker. …
I am pleased that you are our custodian in this 48th parliament. I look forward to your guidance, council and your – mostly – infallible, gracious rulings.
Colleagues call Milton Dick a speaker for all
Joanne Ryan, the chief government whip, gave a nice speech about her colleague before the dragging, pointing to Dick’s longstanding work to speak for all members of the House. She said:
There is no better to take the chair as speaker than the member for Oxley. Nothing demonstrates his appointment more than the outstanding record.
The member for Oxley was a speaker for all members of the House of Representatives, extending the same opportunities, fairness, and, yes, even leniency, to every member, regardless of political affiliation or position.
Milton Dick dragged into the speaker’s chair
Josh Butler
We’ve whipped over to the House of Representatives now, where members have been sworn in, and the chamber is now voting on the Speaker of the House.
Labor MP Milton Dick has been nominated by colleague Joanne Ryan, and his candidacy has been seconded by Nationals MP Michael McCormack. Dick was speaker in the last parliament, and has been roundly praised by politicians of all sides for his fair and unbiased operation of the House.
Dick was been elected unopposed, to a large round of applause from across the chamber.
Ryan made a speech nominating Dick, praising his efforts to champion Australia’s democracy and parliament in more than 100 schools visits during the last term of parliament. McCormack said Dick brought “panache and style” to the role.
Dick’s brother Cameron, the Queensland state MP, is in the chamber watching proceedings. So is the former House speaker Liberal MP Tony Smith. Anthony Albanese’s fiance Jodie Haydon, and his son Nathan, are also in the chamber watching, alongside family members of other politicians too.
Independent MP Bob Katter got up and started making a speech on another topic, but was cut off quickly because the speaker vote was still ongoing.
Dick has now been “dragged” to the chair, as is tradition, by Ryan and McCormack.
Sue Lines returned as Senate president
Josh Butler
Labor senator Sue Lines has, as expected, been returned as the Senate president. She prevailed over Penny Allman-Payne, the Greens’ candidate, in a ballot of senators by a margin of 55-12.
There were also five “informal votes”.
As we mentioned, David Pocock was briefly nominated by Pauline Hanson, in an unexpected move, before he respectfully declined. The Coalition didn’t put up a candidate of their own.
After a pen-and-paper vote, with senators indicating their choice on pink ballots dropped into a wooden box, Lines will stay as president for this term of the Senate. There was a round of applause as Lines was announced the winner.
She walked up to the president’s chair on her own, a contrast to the tradition of the House speaker being “dragged” to the chair upon their election.
Josh Butler
A bit of insight on today’s proceedings, and the dozens of extra chairs needed
A short ceremonial gathering of all the MPs and senators now being over, the Senate and House are swearing in new members of the chambers.
It’s relatively rare for both chambers of parliament to officially meet, and custom is that the members of the House trudge over to the Senate. It might be one of the only times we see everyone in the one chamber, and it was a pretty stark illustration of Labor’s big majority. To accommodate an extra 150 people on the Senate floor, dozens of extra chairs were put along the walls – but even with that, and many Labor MPs squeezing onto the normal Senate benches alongside their colleagues, the government members spilled over to the opposite side of the chamber, while there were many empty chairs behind the Liberal side.
New senators taking the oath or affirmation for the first time include Warwick Stacey, Charlotte Walker, Corinne Mulholland and Ellie Whiteaker.
We’re now also getting a look at the new makeup of the Senate for the first time, with the House members having gone back to their normal chamber. Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has doubled its representation, from two to four. There’s also a number of new faces on the Labor benches.
Michaelia Cash and Penny Wong are up at the front table, leading their respective sides.
Pocock ‘flattered’ but declines Hanson’s nomination for Senate president
Josh Butler
Staying with the Senate president election, the Greens put forward their senator, Penny Allman-Payne. So it was briefly a three-horse race at that stage: Sue Lines for Labor, Allman-Payne for the Greens, and David Pocock – who had been unexpectedly nominated by Pauline Hanson.
Lines accepted Labor’s nomination, saying she would seek to ensure “every voice is heard, in a respectful way” in the Senate. Allman-Payne said she would bring decades as a teacher to the role.
Pocock said he was “very flattered” by Hanson’s nomination, laughing that he was “surprised” by her support, joking:
Just as surprised as people from NSW were in game three of the State of Origin.
(The former rugby union star from the ACT knew he was making a sensitive gag, after NSW were upset in the rugby league decider a few weeks ago)
But Pocock went on to say that while flattered, he was focusing on his constituents in the ACT, and would respectfully decline Hanson’s nomination.
It’s now a two-horse race between Lines and Allman-Payne. The Senate is now voting on its president.
Pauline Hanson nominates David Pocock for Senate president
Josh Butler
There’s something interesting happening in the Senate right now. The upper house is now deciding on who will be the president of the chamber, keeping it in order for the parliamentary term.
The former president Sue Lines, the Labor senator, has been nominated by her party to run for the Senate. But Pauline Hanson has just nominated the independent David Pocock after the Senate clerk threw open the floor to nominations from anyone.
Pocock appeared surprised by the nomination. Others in the Senate were also surprised. More to come shortly.
