Parliament has now finished its sitting fortnight. Michelle Grattan discusses the key issues from it, including Labor’s approach to passing legislation given its weaker position in the Senate.
Malcolm Turnbull took to Twitter on Thursday, reigniting his battle with Christian Porter.
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Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull clashes with Attorney-General Christian Porter.
Several candidates were forced to withdraw in the recent election over Section 44 concerns. This will only continue until parliament acts.
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Whether or not it’s some sort of record, the Liberals’ loss of two Victorian candidates in a single day is way beyond what Oscar Wilde would have dubbed carelessness.
On citizenship, the section means Australians can be hostage to changes in overseas law.
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That Victorian Liberals have to change candidates in three seats draws attention to an issue that should be properly fixed but won’t be any time soon – the problem of section 44 of the constitution.
Scott Morrison is touring Queensland on the ‘Scomobile’ bus in a bid to retain marginal seats.
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Katter is a politician who creates a fuss in search of a reaction. And what better time than when Morrison is heading north on a campaign journey through Queensland, making announcements as he goes?
Problems with section 44 of the Constitution have absorbed a great deal of time, money and energy over the past year – it’s time all politicians worked towards genuine reform.
Tony Abbott is now the prime minister’s Special Envoy for Indigenous Affairs, while Barnaby Joyce is Special Envoy for Drought Assistance and Recovery.
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While there is no evidence that Abbott and Joyce have accepted a salary for their special envoy roles, an offer of payment, if there was one, could cause them problems.
Peter Dutton has been under an eligibility cloud, which appears to have been in part lifted by the Solicitor-General’s advice.
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The Solicitor-General finds Dutton to be “not incapable” of sitting in parliament after questions were raised about his eligibility through section 44 of the Constitution.
Whether we end up with Prime Minister Turnbull, Dutton, Morrison or Bishop – it will not be sweetness and light among those who find themselves at the “out-group” when the dust begins to settle.
Turnbull told a news conference that if he is ousted he will quit parliament - increasing the prospect of an early election.
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Prtime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will invite a leadership “spill” motion at midday Friday, once a majority of Liberals formally ask for a party meeting.
It has been widely assumed that any dual citizenship problems are confined to the federal parliament. But that may need a rethink.
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Attorney-General Christian Porter on a crowded agenda.
Christian Porter says the response to the consultations for a national apology to victims of child sexual abuse has been very strong with a total of 167 attendees at consultation sessions so far.
Might there be yet another way in which parliamentarians can unwittingly fall foul of dual citizenship laws?
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Liberal backbench senator Dean Smith will challenge on Saturday his party’s decision not to field a candidate in the byelection for the federal seat of Perth.
This week the Liberal Party also faced questions over the proportion of female MPs it has in parliament.
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It was the week that saw a parliamentary committee recommend a referendum to end the dual citizenship debacle- but the idea was immediately shut down by the government.
The dual citizenship saga that has rocked the parliament in recent months is unlikely to end any time soon.
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A report into the dual citizenship saga provides a number of practical recommendations to improve compliance with section 44 of the Constitution, but also confirms there is no easy fix.
According to the committee more than half of all Australians would have to reorder some aspect of their affairs if they wanted to nominate for parliament.
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