Scott Morrison has left in doubt the future of Christian Porter as Attorney-General, saying he is presently considering advice on Porter’s situation in the context of the “ministerial guidelines”.
There is a big question over whether Malcolm Turnbull can keep control of the same-sex marriage debate.
Richard Wainwright/AAP
If the push for change lost in the Liberal party room, would the rebels abide by the decision, or would they cross the floor when, for example, there was a move by Labor for a vote in parliament?
Yassmin Abdel-Magied has ‘apologised profusely to [Julie Bishop] and the Australian government’ for a controversial Facebook post.
http://www.yassminam.com
Julie Bishop has refused to sack Yassmin Abdel-Magied from the board of the Council for Australian-Arab Relations, resisting pressure from some in government ranks.
Cory Bernardi has rounded up almost all the Coalition senators to back a proposed private member’s bill to remove offend and insult from section 18C of the constitution.
Paul Millar/AAP Image
Late on Friday the long-awaited decision came in a key test of the much- debated section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. A federal circuit court judge killed a complaint from a Queensland University…
In the first sitting of the new parliament, conservatives within the government have muscled a proposed amendment to the Racial Discrimination Act onto the agenda.
Peter Costello says the government’s first preoccupation would have to be internal management.
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Former treasurer Peter Costello has raised questions about how much the Turnbull government can achieve given its political situation, and warned of the risk of a defection.
Eric Abetz is resisting pressure to fall in line with the outcome of a plebiscite on same-sex marriage.
AAP/Mick Tsikas
How far should party discipline go? Not as far as certain proponents of same-sex marriage would like it to in the Liberal Party.
Coalition senator Eric Abetz claims he and other Liberal MPs do not have to respect the result of a coming plebiscite on same-sex marriage.
AAP/Mick Tsikas
It is easy to envisage a number of arguments that MPs might use in an attempt to justify ignoring the result of a same-sex marriage plebiscite and voting contrary to its result.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott is struggling to contain instability in an openly divided team.
Lukas Coch/AAP
When Kevin Rudd came under attack from some of his ministers for the way he ran his cabinet, it turned out to be the beginning of the end. Now we are seeing Tony Abbott struggling to contain instability…
Barnaby Joyce has been outspoken in opposition to a government decision to build a coal mine in his electorate of New England.
AAP/Lukas Coch
Collective responsibility – or cabinet solidarity – is an axiom of political prudence that has mutated into a constitutional convention of how ministers should behave.
Marriage is now the yardstick by which genuine acceptance of homosexuality is measured.
AAP/Julian Smith
Opponents of same-sex marriage have turned the debate into one that is about far more than just extending the term “marriage” to already existing long-term relationships.
Critics are already seeing Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s reaction to a cross-party same-sex marriage bill as Abbott going back on his word.
AAP/Lukas Coch
The prime minister is suddenly looking like a throwback to Tony Abbott, health minister, when he was fighting trenchantly against losing ministerial power over the abortion drug RU486.
The CFMEU says corruption within the building industry should be referred to the police for prosecution, but the government is looking to a revived ABCC.
Julian Smith/AAP
Recent investigations into the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) by the ABC and Fairfax have revealed relationships between rogue union officials, underworld figures and outlaw motorcycle…