What we learned, Tuesday 22 July
It’s official: parliament is open! Thanks for staying with us through a busy day on the blog. Here are today’s major developments:
The 48th parliament is now in session, with a slate of familiar faces returning to key roles. Labor senator Sue Lines has been returned as the Senate president despite a surprise pitch from Pauline Hanson to see David Pocock in the role. And Milton Dick will be the Speaker of the House once more, after he was “dragged” to the chair.
The Coalition will support legislation to cut student debt by 20%, a policy backflip since the federal election campaign.
The Senate is set to hold an inquiry into the devastating SA algal bloom, with the Greens warning the crisis is a sign of things to come for other parts of the nation.
Minutes from the Reserve Bank board meeting confirmed more interest rate cuts are a question of when, not if, with the focus of this month’s meeting on the best timing for doing so.
Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi sparked controversy in parliament today after holding up a sign during the governor general’s speech, reading “Sanction Israel”.
Protests calling for sanctions on Israel continued elsewhere in Canberra today.
New MPs Ali France – who unseated Peter Dutton in Dickson – and Sarah Witty – who unseated Adam Bandt in Melbourne – gave their first speeches to parliament this evening.
We’ll be back tomorrow with another Australia politics live blog bright and early. Take care.
Updated
Senate likely to convene algal bloom inquiry tomorrow
The federal Senate is likely to convene an inquiry into the algal bloom off South Australia’s coastline, with Labor and Coalition senators co-sponsoring a motion expected to be debated tomorrow.
A motion from Labor senator Karen Grogan and Liberal Andrew McLachlan – both South Australians – as well as Nationals senator Ross Cadell, is to be moved tomorrow, seeking to set up a Senate inquiry into the environmental issue.
The motion, posted on the Senate’s website tonight, calls on the Environment and Communications References Committee to report back, by 28 October, on issues relating to water quality, tourism, ecosystem health, Indigenous communities, fishing, and the responses of state and federal governments.
It also calls for investigation of research and monitoring, as well as prevention strategies.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, also from SA, also her a separate motion of her own on the notice paper, calling for an inquiry.
The environment minister, Murray Watt, announced $14m to help in the recovery, but Cadell – the shadow minister for fisheries and water – said “this is far more than an environmental event”. Cadell said:
The people of South Australia need more than a promise of funding. They need clear answer on what the money will be used for, and how it will support them.
Updated
