Bill Shorten speaks on $450m package on refugees, including funding for the UNHCR and more oversight of detention facilities, in an effort to win support for boat turnbacks. The conference will debate climate policy and refugee policy. All the developments, live
4.30pm AEST
Mark Butler tells delegates Labor has its debates in public. He expects some respect in return. He gets a standing ovation for that.
Mark Butler:
It will be a robust debate because we are a party with a pulse.
4.25pm AEST
The debate has just got underway with the left’s Andrew Giles at the podium. Protestors have just invaded the stage. The sign reads No Towbacks.
ALP president Mark Butler is attempting to clear the stage.
4.22pm AEST
Boats are coming. I’ve now been able to confirm that Tanya Plibersek will join Penny Wong in proxying out for the turnbacks debate.
Plibersek’s vote will be cast by Terri Butler from the left in Queensland. Butler will vote in favour of the Giles/Watts motion to prohibit turnbacks.
4.10pm AEST
While there’s a debate about Labor’s empathy with folks concerned about rising cost of living I can share a picture of Bill Shorten from the climate debate just before.
3.57pm AEST
This amendment commits Labor to addressing the scourge of family violence.
Resolution on family violence carried at #ALPConf2015 pic.twitter.com/CVBjk6ki54
3.49pm AEST
Three amendments and three resolutions to get through before we hit asylum seeker policy. We should move through fairly quickly #ALPConf2015
In a nutshell, yes.
3.42pm AEST
Back to present tense, we’ve had amendments on disability, and we are now dealing with an amendment on Indigenous policy.
3.35pm AEST
While the opening of chapter nine continues, the Giles/Watt amendment prohibiting turnbacks has just lobbed through the processes.
The wording of the amendment is as follows. (Note the final dot point in bold.)
3.27pm AEST
Just while this debate is working up – a picture from a lunchtime event we couldn’t stretch to – Australian of the Year Rosie Batty did an event on family violence.
3.23pm AEST
So that’s climate. Here comes chapter nine – a fair go for all. This is the chapter with the refugees debate. Shadow families minister Jenny Macklin is kicking off proceedings with an opening pitch. The debate this afternoon deals with equity across the board, it is not just about asylum seekers.
3.17pm AEST
A second resolution is moving through now which mirrors the platform amendment that I flagged at the beginning of the climate debate. This is about the Paris targets – making them ambitious.
That’s just been carried.
3.10pm AEST
Two other speakers in favour of the resolution are Felicity Wade, from Labor Environment Action Network, and Pat Conroy, from the Labor left in NSW.
Wade gives a shout out to the members. LEAN has pushed these amendments through 300 local branches. She says the members have been heard.
... bullshit affected workers.
3.03pm AEST
Bill Shorten is at the microphone moving a resolution in the debate which is on the future of electricity. He says it falls to the ALP to win the climate and energy debate in this country.
There are some who say we cannot win this argument.
There are not enough digitally altered images in the world to deter Labor. We are not afraid of the future, we are not afraid of challenges. We understand renewable energy is the future and we will take Australians there.
We will wage a concerted campaign to get what has been promised.
2.46pm AEST
A Labor man has sailed past to say Bill Shorten will make a contribution in the climate debate. Delegate Collins (Julie Collins, Tasmania) is meanwhile blasting super trawlers operating in Tasmanian waters.
2.38pm AEST
The amendment I just flagged has just been carried.
2.32pm AEST
Labor’s president and environment spokesman Mark Butler is kicking off the climate policy debate this afternoon. We’ve been so flat out on boats I haven’t done an exceptional job of setting this up.
Let me try to rectify this now. The amendments I’ll be drawing your attention to over the next little bit are a new platform amendment which commits the leadership to adopt post 2020 pollution targets, consistent with doing Australia’s fair share in limiting global warming to 2 degrees celsius.
Labor will base these targets on the latest advice of bodies such as the independent Climate Change Authority.
2.11pm AEST
The bells, the bells – the afternoon session is about to get underway.
2.08pm AEST
Given the not unreasonable confusion from some readers about all these moving pieces on our chessboard, let me cut through a bit on turnbacks with some main points.
1.53pm AEST
Just for folks trying to work out when to tune in – the boats debate, as in turnbacks, will be late this afternoon. I can’t give you a specific time, only suggest you tune in seriously from about 3pm if this is your only point of interest.
The climate debate is up first.
1.35pm AEST
We understand that Labor’s senate leader and prominent left-winger Penny Wong will not herself vote against Bill Shorten’s position on turnbacks.
Inexplicably, reports have been circulating overnight that Wong will back the right in this debate. This is not the case. Wong actually backs the left position.
1.19pm AEST
A couple more calls in an effort to answer the last question I posed – will there be positive votes from the right faction on the Giles/Watt motion?
We’ll have to watch and wait to be absolutely definitive, but I’m told that seven delegates from the right delegation have just proxied themselves out for this afternoon’s turnbacks debate.
1.11pm AEST
Delegate Nicole Campbell says the left resolved not to bind its delegates to vote in favour of the Giles/Watt motion.
@murpharoo @gabriellechan but Left decision not binding :( Hope we can win this on the floor #DontTurnBack #putthelighton #ALPConf2015
12.58pm AEST
The left has just resolved to proceed with plan A this morning – which means a motion will be moved by Andrew Giles and Murray Watt in this afternoon’s asylum debate. I’m told the Giles/Watt motion passed despite the (perplexing) opposition from Labor for Refugees. The motion is just a simple statement that Labor will not turn back asylum boats. It will be framed as a platform amendment, not a resolution (which is the more symbolic course.)
12.48pm AEST
12.43pm AEST
That really is about it, yes. Major stress all round.
This anguished photo sums up Labor’s bitterly divided asylum seeker debate http://t.co/OFJM1ZPKtl #ALPConf2015 pic.twitter.com/RP2sMUgiVU
12.42pm AEST
Let’s take stock of the developments this morning, and look forward to the highlights of the afternoon.
12.24pm AEST
A couple of pictures from round and about before I post a lunchtime summary.
12.11pm AEST
Sorry that last post was a bit messy. The key points are turnbacks under a future Labor government will only be to Indonesia, not to source countries; Labor will go back to the old system of maximum transparency, putting out a press release when boats arrive – and there are other nuts and bolts there about how the oversight powers will work.
12.06pm AEST
Some more details are emerging about the new asylum policy. Take it away BuzzFeed.
Labor will only turn back boats from (Java) Indonesia…. they wouldn’t turn boats back from some others (e.g. Sri Lanka) #ALPConf2015
The children-in-detention monitor will have statutory powers.. likely within HR Commission or Commonwealth Ombudsman office #ALPConf2015
Labor will retain the option to use the orange life boats and the scuttling procedures pioneered by the Abbott government #ALPConf2015
12.01pm AEST
Chapter three is going to the floor as amended.
11.55am AEST
Meanwhile, downstairs ..
Anthony Albanese & Mark Butler address climate change action rally, vow #alpconf2015 to adopt 50% renewable target pic.twitter.com/b6JdNpPJak
11.46am AEST
The chapter three debate is moving to resolutions now.
Just tracking back to Tanya Plibersek and her intervention on affirmative action that I posted about a moment ago (50% targets are great but they don’t mean anything without a compliance mechanism) – I should have mentioned that issue will be part of a debate tomorrow afternoon on Labor party rules.
11.41am AEST
Delegates at the 1930 ALP Federal Conference, Canberra pic.twitter.com/va33CvFjcJ
Just because, really. Wonder if there were any F-bombs in 1930?
11.37am AEST
If you are just tuning in, here’s Bill Shorten’s address to delegates this morning ahead of the refugee policy debate this afternoon.
11.26am AEST
Still hot with the ships downstairs. In the media room behind me, the shadow immigration minister Richard Marles is in a huddle with reporters. Gabi Chan will bring me some of that shortly.
Meanwhile a little item from last night. Tanya Plibersek gave this speech to Emily’s List last night. She’s saying the new affirmative action target of 50% is terrific – but it’s just motherhood without a compliance mechanism to get there.
A couple of days ago Barack Obama was on Jon Stewart’s Daily Show. He said that when you hit your goals, what that tells you is, you didn’t set them high enough in the first place. And that is the sort of ambition that women in progressive movements need to have in pursuing what we want. When we hit our goals, we set the next goal – further and higher... It was in Hobart in 1994, that we set our first AA target. 35% of winnable seats. I remember how proud we were. And I know some of you were there that day. I was watching the debate from the bleachers – we ran down to the conference floor. There were hugs and and a few tears. I remember former Liberal MP Michael Hodgman’s response to this victory: “the lesbians have the Labor party by the balls.”
I also remember when we fought, and won, to raise the target to 40%, in 2002. And this conference we set the bar higher again. When women are half of our community, holding half of our strengths, talent, competence, and ambition, we should should be half of parliament. 50% female representation is fantastic, but we also need a strong compliance mechanism. A target without a clear path on how to get there, doesn’t cut it.
11.18am AEST
Just for delegates who might be following the live blog down in the main conference room, Crumlin just secured a round of applause from the media room, including from journalists at The Australian, who he just sledged for writing poorly disguised opeds.
This motions is about labour standards and the use of overseas workers.
11.14am AEST
An amendment now from Maritime Union about shipping, moved by delegate Crumlin (Paddy Crumlin, NSW). Crumlin is currently railing against the Alice in Wonderland people running the country.
WTF – what is going on here? What the fuck ..
11.10am AEST
Back to the debates of the moment – in seconding chapter three, the shadow agriculture minister Joel Fitzgibbon is speaking about a fibre boom. Crops, not Metamucil.
Into amendments now. Starting with an amendment on the NBN. Labor is committed to ensuring all Australians have access to affordable broadband. Delegate Conroy (Pat Conroy, NSW) is saying some businesses in the Newcastle area are still using dial up internet.
11.04am AEST
Meanwhile I’m still trying to come to terms with the fact that Labor for Refugees is balking at putting the motion on turnbacks this afternoon. Labor for Refugees actually set this whole torturous debate in motion by making it known some time back that this issue would be pursued at the national conference.
Given the factional balance at this conference, it was entirely possible that a motion prohibiting turnbacks could succeed. There was support on the left, and from elements of the right.
10.58am AEST
The shadow infrastructure minister Anthony Albanese is at the podium, talking about nation building.
10.54am AEST
Now a resolution which says all students, including LGBTI students, need to be part of health and PE programs. The resolution also calls on Labor to commit to commission an independent and expert review to ensure the curriculum genuinely meets the needs of LGBTI students and equips kids with age appropriate and diverse programs about sexuality.
It’s a Rainbow Labor resolution. Carried.
10.49am AEST
Amendments are being waved through briskly here.
There’s been an amendment supporting elected staff and student representation on university campuses; one on minimum training standards for apprentices; another committing Labor to supporting national programs addressing homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and intersexphobia in schools.
10.41am AEST
Back to education. Two amendments now, one which supports lifting the status of the teaching profession. The second is a commitment to needs based funding, with an emphasis on Indigenous kids.
Labor is committed to needs-based school funding so our schools are equipped to meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and to improve educational attainment and employment outcomes.
10.38am AEST
Labor frontbencher Tony Burke, who was the immigration minister for four months before the 2013 election, has entered the asylum debate in the Labor Herald this morning. The piece is supportive of turnbacks.
I’ll never know the exact number. I held the job of immigration minister for less than four months. In that time thirty three lives were lost that we know about. The youngest was ten weeks old. His name was Abdul Jafari. I was handed his name on a post-it note and kept it on my desk for the rest of my time as minister.
I kept it there for one simple reason. His story had to remain in my line of sight. I may never have seen him or heard his voice, but the loss of his life could not be separated from the fact that those who cared for him believed risking his life with people smugglers carried a realistic chance that he would have a new life in Australia.
10.32am AEST
Meanwhile, down in the main theatre, delegates are currently considering an amendment that will require computer coding to be taught in all Australian schools. The mover is Delegate Jones (Kate Jones, Queensland) and seconded by Delegate O’Neill (Deb O’Neill, NSW).
10.29am AEST
I have to multi-channel a bit between education and boats – apologies for that. While the left position on turn backs remains officially unresolved until lunchtime, there will be a motion.
Party folks say that Anthony Albanese and Tanya Plibersek will support the shadow cabinet position in this afternoon’s debate. The shadow cabinet position is Labor will turn boats back to Indonesia when it is safe to do so.
10.19am AEST
Meanwhile, out in the Twitters, Julian Burnside, lawyer and refugee advocate is going toe to toe with the Labor leader.
@billshortenmp And will you keep locking up refugee kids?
10.16am AEST
We are into amendments now. The first is about TAFE. “Labor will work with the states and territories to rebalance the contestable funding model to ensure priority funds are allocated to TAFEs so that quality training can be delivered to the regions.” This is about rebalancing the Abbott government’s contestable funding model. This amendment s moved by Delegate Bird (Sharon Bird, NSW) and Delegate Dettmer (Andrew Dettmer, Victoria.)
10.10am AEST
Rolling on, Kim Carr, the Victorian Labor senator, who I mentioned a moment ago – giving Shorten a hearty round of applause – is now introducing the chapter seven debate, which is about education.
The chapter is being seconded by Delegate Ellis (Kate Ellis, South Australia).
10.06am AEST
So there it was. Shorten’s pitch on boats.
10.03am AEST
Delegates you know and I know these are complex issues. We engage with them intellectually, morally, emotionally. But I did not enter politics to shirk hard decisions.
Shorten ends on that note.
10.00am AEST
He says Labor will retain offshore processing but Australia won’t shirk its responsibilities. Vulnerable people should not be subjected to violence in Australia’s name. Shorten says there will be independent oversight of every Australian-funded facility. (Applause).
Shorten says Labor will end the moral shame of children in detention as quickly as possible.
9.58am AEST
Shorten is going through his proposed increase in the humanitarian intake (that gets applause); he says Labor will restore the primacy of the convention (that gets applause); there will be $450m to the UNHCR (more applause).
Bill Shorten:
Beyond this we will take up the overdue leadership role in our region, working with our nearest neighbour, Indonesia.
9.56am AEST
Shorten says Labor must retain its regional resettlement agreements, it must ensure that border protection staff don’t have to pull bodies out of the water. He says the refugee flow within the region won’t stop, the pressures will become more intense. Shorten says people smugglers cannot be allowed to take advantage of a perceived weakness.
Labor must have the option of turning back boats, turning them around, when it is safe to do so.
9.53am AEST
The Labor leader has opened today’s national conference. He’s addressing the debate this afternoon.
Every view will be offered and that’s how it should be.
Unlike our opponents we do not play to the politics of fear. The Labor party I lead will never use labels to denigrate desperate people.
9.48am AEST
The left has apparently delayed a final final decision on boats until lunchtime. Can you believe it?
9.28am AEST
Anyway let’s roll on for now. The bells are dinging. Saturday in the 47th Labor conference will be underway in three minutes.
9.17am AEST
No sooner had the Giles/Watt motion been agreed to then Labor for Refugees (brackets, question mark) has raised objections to the motion being put at all – according to party sources.
As they say in the classics, go figure.
9.12am AEST
Sky News political reporter Kieran Gilbert has white smoke emerging from the Vatican.
Left caucus has agreed on motion to be put to ALP conference Giles/ Watts motion to ban turn backs. So there will definitely be a debate
9.10am AEST
A quick note on same sex marriage – we might see debate on this issue in the chapter nine debate (which is the same chapter as refugees), or it might pop up in the rules debate on Sunday.
We are not quite sure at this moment.
9.05am AEST
The folks in the green t-shirts down the front are from the Labor Environment Action Network. This activist group has been responsible for working through the various climate motions before conference today.
Day 2 of #ALPConf2015 pic.twitter.com/WtQebRJruL
8.58am AEST
For folks hanging on the boats debate, the amendments lodged last night include:
8.43am AEST
Good morning and welcome to day two of the 47th Labor conference in Melbourne. As we go live this morning the left caucus is meeting to nut out its position on boat turnbacks – the major conference debate of today.
The Labor leader Bill Shorten will today unveil the party’s asylum policy for the next federal election. That policy includes discretion to use boat turnbacks when it is safe to do so.
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