Face of Nation : Federal parliament returns for a fortnight of sittings from Monday, with drug testing of welfare recipients, child sex criminals and MPs’ integrity on the agenda.
It is the first sitting of the lower house and Senate since August 1, coming after a winter break during which Prime Minister Scott Morrison travelled overseas, a raft of data pointed to a weakening economy and the coalition chalked up six years in power. The government has flagged it will reintroduce a bill, which has previously been rejected in the Senate, to allow for drug testing of welfare recipients.
Mr Morrison told a NSW Liberal Party meeting on Saturday he likes to set the Labor “tests” when parliament sits. “So the test is on them next week, whose side are they on when it comes to getting people off welfare and into work?” Mr Morrison said. Manager of Opposition Business Tony Burke is unimpressed.
“Doesn’t it say it all that we have got a prime minister who’s only determined to work out what fights he can pick rather than having a plan for jobs,” Mr Burke told Sky news on Sunday.
The two-year drug testing trial would be rolled out in three locations – Logan in Queensland, Canterbury-Bankstown in NSW and Mandurah in WA. Labor says the bill is punitive and unfairly singles out welfare recipients.
As well, Attorney-General Christian Porter will bring to parliament a bill to make jail time mandatory for child sex offenders. Labor has previously baulked at the idea of mandatory sentencing, which is also considered unworkable by peak legal groups such as the Law Council.
Water Minister David Littleproud is looking to pass a bill ensuring an indigenous person is on the board of the Murray Darling Basin Authority. The Senate is expected to deal with bills on counter-terrorism, intellectual property, the National Disability Insurance Scheme, live animal exports, multinational tax, a national sports tribunal and farm activists.
After two former ministers were hauled before an inquiry into their post-retirement jobs, Labor will seek parliamentary approval for a new body – known as the select committee on integrity – to look at improving transparency and accountability from ministerial standards to freedom of information laws.
Greens senator Larissa Waters will seek to bring on a vote on a bill to establish a “strong” federal anti-corruption commission after the NSW ICAC revealed Labor attempted to cover-up a $100,000 donation.
“The community has had a gutful of wrongdoing by our political leaders,” Senator Waters says and whose party has been campaigning for such a watchdog for a decade. Meanwhile, Centre Alliance senators are seeking an inquiry into Australia’s relations with China.
