politics

There are just 10 sitting days left til the next election. Here's what's on the agenda.

 

There are 10 sitting days left until we go to an election… in May.

Now if you’re doing the math in your head thinking it’s February, what the heck. Yes, what the heck is right.

Our politicians are meeting together as one in Canberra to discuss our country’s future for just TEN DAYS starting tomorrow, before we’re expected to vote on a new Prime Minister just after the April 2 budget.

For a refresher on the Prime Minister, here is an interview Leigh Sales did with Scott Morrison after the 2016 budget. Post continues after video.

Here are some of the things that’ll be on the agenda:

Manus Island and Nauru

Australia’s asylum seeker policy has always thrown up controversy. Right now the focus is on 1000 refugees who are currently incredibly unwell on Manus Island and Nauru.

On the last sitting day of Parliament in 2018, the Senate agreed to amendments to a government bill that would give doctors a greater say on whether asylum seekers should be brought to Australia for medical treatment.

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That bill could be voted on in the House of Representatives this week.

Fallout from the Royal Commission into Banking

40 of the 76 slamming recommendations handed down in the royal commission will require legislation to change.

Labor plan on using the damning findings to win themselves a few brownie points this week, accusing the government of ignoring the severity of the situation.

The Morrison government has rejected Labor’s call for federal parliament to sit for an extra two weeks in March to deal with the recommendations.

Another Royal Commission, this time into aged care

Today, hearings into the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety will resume after the ABC uncovered several cases of abuse.

Some of the horrific stories that have emerged have included residents being inappropriately restrained, bashed and overdosed.

Lack of staff at said aged care centres is also of primary concern.

The Prime Minister has warned Australia to “brace itself for some pretty bruising information,” after 5000 submissions were sent in to be heard at the royal commission.

The government is pouring $104.3 million into the commission, and its harrowing submissions will no doubt affect the 10 final sitting days, as stories are heard in coming days.

Climate change

The majority of Australians want the government to start taking action on climate change, 59% in fact told a Lowy Institute poll last year they find “global warming a serious and pressing problem.”

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We’ve been experiencing a summer of extreme weather; from flooding up north, to the bushfires down south and the breaking of heat (and dry) records up and down the country.

Drought and the associated water shortages are of the upmost concern at the moment.

“What we have in 2019 is a perfect storm,” Dr Jill Sheppard an investigator for the ANU Australian Electoral Study told The Guardian.

“Where we are seeing independents get prominence [like with the topic of climate change], they fill a gap that major parties aren’t filling,” said Dr Sheppard.

While conservative seats have allowed the Coalition to find reasons NOT to act on climate change, independents are offering a starkly different policy position and voters are listening…

Domestic violence

The Prime Minister will be announcing $78 million in fresh funding today, for families escaping domestic abuse.

Scott Morrison is expected to say in his announcement at the National Press Club; “We have embraced tough calls rather than seeking to buy weak compromises for cheap political cover or opportunism. This is our form, this is why we can be trusted,”

The domestic violence package includes $60 million towards emergency accommodation, and $18 million to keep women safer in their own homes with things like security systems and better locks.