Daily Bulletin

Men's Weekly

.

  • Written by Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

Two Nationals crossed the floor and four others, including three cabinet ministers, failed to vote on a motion from Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm to disallow the import ban on the Adler lever-action shotgun.

Senators John Williams from NSW and Victorian Bridget McKenzie voted with Leyonhjelm and One Nation against the ban.

Nationals deputy leader Fiona Nash, their Senate leader, Nigel Scullion, and Matt Canavan were missing, as was backbencher Barry O'Sullivan. This meant no Nationals voted against the motion, which was defeated 45-7.

Nationals sources explained the absence of ministers by saying the vote was a “mickey” – that is, a division in which the major parties vote against a minor party (and so the numbers are not close). But Liberal ministers George Brandis, Arthur Sinodinos, Scott Ryan and Mitch Fifield voted.

Leyonhjelm has accused the government of breaking a deal he had for the ban on the importation to be lifted earlier this year. A sunset clause was inserted when Tony Abbott was prime minister – although Abbott denied personal knowledge of it – but the ban was maintained by the Turnbull government.

image Gun enthusiast senator Bridget McKenzie taking aim. Facebook: Senator Bridget McKenzie

The floor crossing came as the Nationals reel from the byelection in the NSW of Orange, which saw a devastating wipeout for the state Nationals. On Monday the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party secured the seat by 50 votes. The Nationals suffered a massive 34% swing on primary votes.

The Herald Sun reported that in the two-hour meeting of the federal parliamentary party, there were concerns about the direction of the Turnbull government, the rising threat from One Nation, and the amount of time some Liberals were spending talking about “fringe issues” such as Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.

The Nationals were divided over the issue of foreign workers – Queensland National George Christensen has publicly criticised the 457 scheme but some Nationals argued regional Australia depended on these workers, according to the report.

Authors: Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

Read more http://theconversation.com/nationals-buck-government-line-on-adler-69178

Business News

Westlink Construction Cleaning Revolutionizes Warehouse Cleanliness with Eco-Friendly Solutions in Sydney

“Innovative cleaning services offer sustainable and efficient solutions to meet the growing demand for eco-conscious warehouse maintenance.” Westlink Construction Cleaning is proud to announce its gr...

Daily Bulletin - avatar Daily Bulletin

How HZad Education Supports International Students Preparing for CELPIP in Australia

As Australia officially accepts CELPIP (Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program) for visa applications, international students face new opportunities alongside unprecedented preparation ch...

Daily Bulletin - avatar Daily Bulletin

Online Site Inductions for Busy HR Teams

Induct For Work, the Australian platform for frontline onboarding and compliance, has launched Compliance Hub, a fully integrated, real-time workflow designed specifically for the fast-paced, highly m...

Daily Bulletin - avatar Daily Bulletin

LayBy Deals