Australian Parliament votes to accept New Zealand’s Manus Island offer

Written By: - Date published: 7:22 am, December 5th, 2017 - 30 comments
Categories: australian politics, International - Tags: ,

I would have loved to have been watching the face of Peter Dutton as this happened.  Although like Supreme Court decisions not going his way he probably will choose to ignore the advice.  Because the Australian Parliament voted to accept New Zealand’s offer to take refugees from Manus Island.

From Mark Kenny at the Sydney Morning Herald:

The Turnbull government has been embarrassed by a shock loss on the floor of the House of Representatives.

The defeat on Monday afternoon occurred when Labor and some crossbenchers combined to back a motion supporting New Zealand’s offer to resettle refugees from Manus Island.

But two members of the government – Trade Minister Steve Ciobo and Liberal National Party backbencher Warren Entsch – didn’t show up, triggering the 73-72 defeat.

The vote was unfortunately short lived.

Speaker Tony Smith used an escape clause in the House of Representatives standings orders to allow the vote to take place again. The grounds for a new vote were that the absent MPs had not intended to abstain but were simply absent at the crucial moment due to “misadventure”.

When the missing Coalition MPs were allowed to participate, the result was overturned.

Mr Ciobo and Mr Entsch were invited to explain to Parliament why they cited “misadventure”. Neither provided details, prompting heckles from Labor.

Note the twisting of standing orders beyond breaking point.

So no lasting damage.  Shame really.  The current Government’s position is totally inhumane.

30 comments on “Australian Parliament votes to accept New Zealand’s Manus Island offer ”

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  1. One Anonymous Bloke 1
    5 December 2017 at 7:32 am

    So the whole narrative about how the offer is upsetting Australia, or “the Aussies”, turns out to be nothing but partisan hot air. What a surprise /sarc

    • Ed 1.1
      5 December 2017 at 7:41 am

      Right wingers in all countries lie.
      If they were honest about their plans for a country they’d struggle to get 5% of the vote.
      The interests of international finance and corporations is not the interests of over 95% of the population.

    • Macro 1.2
      5 December 2017 at 8:57 am

      Yep! And hot air generated by a failing govt trailing miserably in the polls.
      Dolton is not only an embarrasment as minister of immigration but also as a human being

      • greywarshark 1.2.1
        5 December 2017 at 9:09 am

        Macro
        +100

      • NewsFlash 1.2.2
        5 December 2017 at 2:19 pm

        It’s Dutton, the Fwit

        • Macro 1.2.2.1
          5 December 2017 at 5:36 pm

          I know its Dumbton!
          No .. Dumpton.
          Dumpling?

        • tc 1.2.2.2
          5 December 2017 at 6:55 pm

          Dutton, Brandis, Abbott, Pyne, Cash, Turdbull, Bishop etc its one hell of a rogues gallery.

          Then look at the xenophobic one nation and other cross benchers that turdbulls election double dissolution gamble brought into the senate and they may as well go home as not much will get done.

  2. greywarshark 2
    5 December 2017 at 9:08 am

    I remember that late last century there was a stir about an MP who was supposed to be working and in the Australian House, but had actually taken the opportunity to go fishing. I have the idea he represented Queensland that famous state of high political standards. I guess getting back to work would have been a missed-adventure!

    But very clever and adept political maneouvring to get as far as it did. 10 out of 10. Knowing the count in Parliament everyday, perhaps every minute, is a good basic skill for being able to stride boldly forward doing what you need to. We can learn from Oz on that!

    • Macro 3.1
      5 December 2017 at 10:15 am

      Yeah only a matter of time before they pulled this one. G Greene’s “The Quiet American” and the book by Eugene Burdick and William Lederer “The Ugly American” will have nothing on the down stream effects of Trumpism.
      Far from making America Great Again – Trumpism will collapse the society into seething mass of hatred and dysfunction from which it will struggle to survive.
      There are signs hope. There is resistance. The #metoo, and Indivisible to name a couple – but far more in needed. Men we need to get in behind the women who are leading the charge – give them the support they need!

  4. adam 4
    5 December 2017 at 10:47 am

    Is it just me, or should have labour just shut parliament down rather than let them vote again?

    Oh wait, that’s right, no left wing parties can have any back bone – otherwise they might win an election or somthing. Or God forbid, actually do what people want.

    Better to spinless, then it’s simpler to beg money off their corporate masters.

    • Andrea 4.1
      5 December 2017 at 1:18 pm

      Even when you’re on a hiding to nothing you still play the full 80 minutes – though the disappointed fans could wish you’d quit after the first half.

      Them’s the rules. It’s less bloody that way.

    • McFlock 4.2
      5 December 2017 at 2:31 pm

      How would Labor have shut down the parliament?

      • adam 4.2.1
        5 December 2017 at 2:40 pm

        How would you do it McFlock?

        • NewsFlash 4.2.1.1
          5 December 2017 at 2:52 pm

          Labor in parliament can’t shut down the parliament ,only the Govt can do that and last week they did do that to avoid a loss on the floor before the reinstatement of Barnaby Joyce and the by election, which he won with about a 60% majority.

        • McFlock 4.2.1.2
          5 December 2017 at 2:58 pm

          You suggested it.
          Can’t vote ’em down, which is why you’re in opposition.
          Doing a walkout would simply leave the government with sole charge of the House – their caucus is twice the required quorum.
          Similarly doing a noisy protest and getting ejected would have the same result.
          Can’t filibuster because speeches have a 20 minute maximum. At best you might, depending on speaking allowances, delay it a day or so.

          So that’s why I asked you what your plan was. Obviously I can’t see how Labor could have shut down the aussie house of representatives, so what plan am I, and Aussie Labour, overlooking?

  5. NewsFlash 5
    5 December 2017 at 2:48 pm

    There is actually huge support for the NZ deal for the refugees on Manus in Australia, the voters are seeing what a terrible mess this has become, entrenched points of view regardless of their obligations.

    Aus spends $2B every yr to stop “boat ppl arriving” by patrolling the borders, boats are still coming, but are turned around and sent back, an illegal operation under the Geneva convention, they spend another $2B keeping the refugees in offshore detention centres on the basis it will stop refugees wanting to come, a deterrent.

    They are spending aprox $550k annually for each refugee, now you can understand just how determined the Govt is.

    The vote that was reversed still embarrassed the Govt and Turnbull has now had 24 consecutive negative polls, 6 less than the deposed Abbott.

    And then this last Friday, deputy NSW premier, John Barilaro asking Turnbull to resign and give Aussies a xmas present., just more embarrassment, most Aussies would rather have Jacinda Ardern for there PM, as the current one has no spine.

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-01/barilaro-calls-on-malcolm-turnbull-to-resign/9214134

    • Macro 5.1
      5 December 2017 at 7:05 pm

      Yep Turnbull is just hanging on for what ever reason – hoping against hope that the tide will turn for them but that’s never going to happen. As for the now reliance on One Nation! That’s really going to work out.

  6. Cinny 6
    5 December 2017 at 3:40 pm

    Another heinous disgusting vile display of ego politics from the tories.

    Peoples lives are being gambled with, kicked around like they were unwanted toys and it’s so wrong on so many different levels.

    tories won’t last, aussies will see that great change is possible, great change that will save many lives. We did it here in Sept, aussies can do it too, if they look at WE rather than ME when it’s their turn to vote.

    Meanwhile… how are those from Manus doing? Is media allowed in? Are the new prisons aka detention centres even finished yet?

    Question for the Aussie PM.. turnball… is your cock any bigger from all of this? Didn’t think so.. it appears to be none existent, just like your spine.

    Dear TS, Excuse crassness, but that really was the nicest way I could word it. Cinny

    • Angel Fish 6.1
      7 December 2017 at 1:25 pm

      Those people took that gamble against their own life!
      Australia is simply protecting it’s border and holding everyone to the law!
      They are more than welcome to try and enter said country LEGALLY!

      • Cinny 6.1.1
        8 December 2017 at 7:15 am

        Yeah because things must have been oh so wonderful at home for them to risk everything including their own lives to leave.

        Wait up, stop running from genocide, you must fill in this form before you flee.

        • Zorb6 6.1.1.1
          8 December 2017 at 7:22 am

          Been down to the Marae yet Cinny?

          • Cinny 6.1.1.1.1
            8 December 2017 at 7:32 am

            Yes I did, they would be happy to help and welcome refugees.

          • One Anonymous Bloke 6.1.1.1.2
            8 December 2017 at 7:32 am

            What foolishness, pretending you speak for anyone other than yourself. It’s time for your reality check.

            You are whanauka tawhitoa, family of old. Our genealogy takes in all people because the umbilical cord of all people comes from Africa so, in the welcome, I was welcoming you as our family of old. You are me and I am you.

  7. Tanz 7
    5 December 2017 at 7:04 pm

    This will be a big vote loser for Winston’s government, but hey, what do Kiwis know and when did Labour ever listen to the majority view! Not since Lange was in power, the best PM we have ever had, besides Bill English.

    • One Anonymous Bloke 7.1
      5 December 2017 at 7:08 pm

      what do Kiwis know

      That Countdown stays open late on Thursday? That there are only nineteen days until Xmas? That you are a whinging bad loser?

    • Macro 7.2
      5 December 2017 at 7:10 pm

      ?????
      Tanz – this is happening in Australia! You know – that little island off the coast of NZ.
      Now pray tell how this affects Winston?

  8. Angel Fish 8
    7 December 2017 at 1:21 pm

    Yet another burden on the tax payer! Great…

    • One Anonymous Bloke 8.1
      8 December 2017 at 7:33 am

      Stop whining, cry-baby.

    • Cinny 8.2
      8 December 2017 at 7:41 am

      Thinking of yourself angel fish?

      That’s part of the problem, the me, me, me mentality that has infested society, the lack of empathy and inability to put others first that is destroying relationships and communities, Me, me, me is nothing but a pursuit for self importance and attention.

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