Senate President Announces Decision On Covered Visitors To Parliament House

The President of the Senate, Senator Stephen Parry, has announced that visitors who do not wish to be identified when visiting Parliament will be required to sit in the public galleries enclosed in glass that are normally reserved for school groups.

Parry announced the decision in response to a question from the Opposition’s Senate leader, Penny Wong. He said the decision was an interim measure, pending further advice from specialist agencies.

Visitors who cannot be clearly identified will be asked to be identified and to produce identification. They will then be free to move around the building but will be required to sit in the glassed enclosures in order to view parliamentary proceedings. [Read more…]


Shorten Says Brandis Has Been Humiliated By Cabinet Over 18C Repeal

The Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten, says the Attorney-General, Senator George Brandis has been humiliated by the Abbott government’s backdown on the repeal of Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.

Shorten

The backdown was announced this afternoon, together with a batch of new anti-terrorism measures. [Read more…]