State Treasurers Not Impressed After Meeting With Swan
Liberal State Treasurers were in Canberra today to meet with Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan, ahead of the Council of Australian Governments meeting.
State Treasurers Mike Baird (NSW), Kim Wells (Vic), Christian Porter (WA) and Tim Nicholls (Qld) commented on their meeting with Swan.
- Listen to the Treasurers before their meeting:
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- And after their meeting:
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- And Treasurer Wayne Swan’s perspective:
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Julia Gillard Meets With Campbell Newman
Prime Minister Gillard has met with Queensland Premier Campbell Newman for the first time since last weekend’s election.
The advent of the Liberal National government in Queensland means that Gillard now faces non-Labor premiers in the four largest states: NSW, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.
Gillard also maintained her criticism of Tony Abbott over his plan to consider a scheme to assist families to employ nannies.
This is how Channel 10 reported the meeting:
Sir Zelman Cowen Eulogised By Josh Frydenberg
The former Governor-General, Sir Zelman Cowen, was remembered today at a funeral service in Melbourne.
The service was attended by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and former prime minister Malcolm Fraser, who appointed Cowen in December 1977. Former PMs Bob Hawke and John Howard also attended, as did Cowen’s successor as Governor-General, Sir Ninian Stephen.
A moving eulogy to Cowen was delivered by the Josh Frydenberg, the Liberal member for Kooyong.
- Listen to Josh Frydenberg’s eulogy:
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Sir Zelman Cowen, Governor-General After Kerr, Dies, 92
Sir Zelman Cowen, Australia’s 19th Governor-General, appointed by Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser in 1977, has died, aged 92.
Sir Zelman died last night, on the 34th anniversary of his swearing-in as Governor-General.
He held the position from 1977 until July, 1982.
Appointed to succeed Sir John Kerr, the man who dismissed the Whitlam government in 1975, Sir Zelman is credited with restoring confidence in the position of Governor-General. “Confidence in the office needed to be restored,” said Malcolm Fraser.
Fraser was the only prime minister during Sir Zelman’s time as Governor-General.
A TRIBUTE TO SIR ZELMAN FROM FORMER PRIME MINISTER MALCOLM FRASER
Zelman Cowen contributed to Australia as a lawyer, an academic, administrator and governor-general.
He accepted the role of governor-general at a difficult time. Confidence in the office needed to be restored. [Read more...]
Senate Committee Proposes Reform Of Australian Federation
The Senate Select Committee on the Reform of the Australian Federation has released its report.
The committee was established in June 2010 to:
- inquire into and report by the last sitting day of May 2011 on key issues and priorities for the reform of relations between the three levels of government within the Australian federation; and
- explore a possible agenda for national reform and to consider ways it can best be implemented in relation to, but not exclusively, the following matters
- the distribution of constitutional powers and responsibilities between the Commonwealth and the states (including territories)
- financial relations between federal, state and local governments
- possible constitutional amendment, including the recognition of local government
- processes, including the Council of Australian Governments, and the referral of powers and procedures for enhancing cooperation between the various levels of Australian government, and
- strategies for strengthening Australia’s regions and the delivery of services through regional development committees and regional grant programs
The Committee comprised three Liberal senators (Russell Trood, Chris Back and Scott Ryan), two ALP senators (Mark Furner and Claire Moore) and one Greens senator (Scott Ludlam).
Talking 110 Years of the Australian Constitution
I’ve just done a radio spot with Tim Shaw on Sydney’s 2UE, discussing the Australian Constitution which is 110 years old this weekend.
- Click PLAY to listen to the discussion:
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Americain: Governor-General Presents 2010 Melbourne Cup
The Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, has described the Melbourne Cup as a “day of national unanimity”.
She made the comment during her presentation to the connections of the winning horse at Flemington Race Course in Melbourne.
The 150th Melbourne Cup was won by Americain. Maluckyday was second, whilst the sentimental favourite, So You Think, came in third.
Bryce said it was also a day of “individual financial adventure” and, “if you are female, exuberant showing-off”.
By tradition, the Governor-General makes the presentation to the winner of the Melbourne Cup.
Click the PLAY button to listen to the Governor-General’s presentation:
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Click the PLAY button to listen to the call of the race by Channel 7′s Greg Miles.
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Watch the Melbourne Cup:
Politics at the Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup, the so-called “race that stops a nation” will be run for the 150th time today.
Such is the pull of this sporting event that it takes precedence over other events and institutions. For instance, the days are long gone when the Federal Parliament met on Melbourne Cup day.
Dissolutions, Prorogations and a Mea Culpa
I learned a timely lesson earlier today.
Sitting in my car after leaving an appointment, I looked at Twitter to see if any there was any news of interest.
A number of media outlets and journalists were tweeting that a 19-gun salute was about to take place, at 4.59pm to be precise, outside Parliament House in Canberra.
Then I managed to forget things I used to know and proceeded to make a fool of myself. Well, I could argue only half a fool, but that’s a bit like being half mad or half pregnant.
I took issue with statements by others that the prorogation of Federal Parliament was about to take place. I was wrong. The Parliament was prorogued at 4.59pm. Here’s the explanation from the Parliamentary Education Office. Thanks to @2ricz.
Before dissolving the House of Representatives, the Governor-General issues a proclamation proroguing the Parliament. Prorogation is an ancient power of the British Crown adopted in the Australian Parliament as the means of bringing a session of Parliament to a close. A prorogation may take place separately from an election, but this rarely happens now except for ceremonial purposes. For example, in 1974 and 1977 the Parliament was prorogued when the Queen visited Australia which enabled Her Majesty to attend and open Parliament. When an election is called, the Prime Minister usually announces a dissolution and prorogation of Parliament at the same time before they are formalised by the Secretary to the Governor-General in a public ceremony in front of Parliament House. After the Parliament is prorogued and the House of Representatives dissolved, bills and other business before the House of Representatives and the Senate lapse and will need to be reintroduced. The government becomes a caretaker government and, by convention, does not make major decisions. The sittings of the Senate are terminated, but Senate Committees may still operate.
I took issue with statements by others that the Parliament was dissolved at 5.00pm. I was right. The House of Representatives was dissolved at 5.00pm but the Senate wasn’t. The Senate is only dissolved when there is a double dissolution and that hasn’t happened since 1987.
I took issue with the assertion that Parliament was “deferred”. I was right. As @ljLoch tweeted, whilst that might be a nice concept, Parliament is never deferred.
The lesson? As that old saying goes, sometimes it’s better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.
