Al-anwar Newspaper English news in Australia
Edited by Nelly T.
Parliament begins a special sitting today highlighting Malcolm Turnbull’s large gamble, the action comes as opinion polls show the coalition is either behind or neck-and-neck with Labor.
The Australian newspaper published a newspoll today showing Labor maintaining its lead over Coalition 51 to 49 per cent after preferences.
Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove has opened a new session of Parliament designed to deal with blocked Government legislation during a brief joint sitting.
The Prime Minister says the legislation’s purpose is to protect jobs by reestablishing the Australian Building and Construction Commission.
“The small businesses, the tradies whose jobs are threatened in the construction sector by lawlessness driven by the CFMEU,” he said.
The CFMEU, which represents construction workers, have retorted with an ad campaign advising the legislation would deny union workers fair legal protection, like the right to silence, a right available to common criminals.
Coalition MPs returning to Canberra are laughing off the potential for political damage to Mr. Turnbull.
“It’s never been a more exciting time to prorogue a parliament,” backbencher Ewan Jones said.
“I don’t think anyone really knows what the Senate is going to do and how it is going to react.”
Calls to justify the necessity of the prorogue have come from the Opposition’s Kim Carr.
“We’re looking forward to seeing what the Government has to say to justify these extraordinary actions,” he said.
Allegations have come from the Senate crossbench about the Government being more interested in bringing on a double dissolution election than passing its blocked legislation.
“I have done everything I can in terms of negotiating with the crossbench,” Employment Minister Michaelia Cash said.
“Pretty much everybody’s position on this legislation is already known.”
