Australia politics live: parliament censures Scott Morrison over secret ministries as Greens, Bridget Archer and entire crossbench back Labor

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The climate crisis could make Australian banks more vulnerable to economic downturns as they face up to a three-fold increase in lending losses by 2050, but the system should be able to absorb the impact, the banking regulator says.

Losses on mortgages were expected to be higher in northern Australia, which is at greater risk of some extreme weather events, notably cyclones and heavy rain, according to the climate vulnerability assessment by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority.

Losses from business loans were likely to be higher in mining, manufacturing and transport – the sectors most affected by a transition to a net zero emissions economy. The report said the country’s five biggest banks – ANZ, Commonwealth, Macquarie, National Australia Bank and Westpac – were likely to respond by adjusting lending practices and appetite for risk, including reducing their exposure to higher risk regions and industries.

The report suggested Queensland would be particularly sharply affected, with modelling implying lending losses to the state could increase by 35% between 2030 and 2045.

Helen Rowell, ARPA’s deputy chair, said the assessment was an important step as it required the banks to develop techniques in climate analysis. But she indicated there were limitations – for example, banks used different modelling approaches and assumptions.

Despite the high profile of climate change, climate risk management and modelling remain emerging areas of expertise, in part due to uncertainty about how the risks will play out decades into the future, and how these risks are incorporated into financial models.

This, however, is a good start and we urge all APRA-regulated entities to examine the [assessment] findings.”

The Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said the report was “a really significant contribution to understanding the risks of climate change in our banking system”.

The government is developing a framework for climate disclosure by businesses and financial institutions. A consultation paper is expected next month.

And the last part:

A key element of the consultation standards is the general expectation that Parliament and Government would engage the National Voice at the earliest opportunity when developing policies and proposed laws that have a significant impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The result of this early engagement would mean that by the time a bill is finalised, the National Voice should already have been engaged and given the opportunity to provide considered formal advice.

The consultation standards and transparency mechanisms must be flexible enough to address the full range of possible circumstances, particularly concerning timing. In some cases, consultation with the National Voice may be built in from the early stages. In other cases, legislative changes may be time-sensitive, and a shorter amount of time might be provided for consultation with the National Voice. The proposed consultation standards and transparency mechanisms do not take a prescriptive approach to this. Instead, they support partnership and dialogue that can facilitate change.

How membership of a National Voice is determined is a crucial matter for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. During community consultation sessions, a significant topic of discussion—especially in the most disadvantaged areas—was the need for greater representation at a national level to ensure the most marginalised and excluded voices have the opportunity to be heard, particularly those of people living in remote areas and those of people who are not members of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander organisation. As a result of this, and through careful deliberation, the final proposal for a National Voice is a 24-member model including five members representing remote regions, and one member representing the significant number of Torres Strait Islanders living on the mainland. This is a critical refinement from the proposal in the Interim Report that each state and the Northern Territory have two members, and the Australian Capital Territory and the Torres Strait Islands each have one or two members, for a maximum of 18 members. In both the interim and final proposals, there is also an option for the joint appointment of up to two additional members if a particular skill set is required and this is agreed upon between the National Voice members and the Minister for Indigenous Australians.

The National Voice membership would be structurally linked to Local & Regional Voices. Members of the Local & Regional Voices within each state and territory would collectively determine National Voice members from their respective jurisdictions. This membership model draws on the strength, legitimacy and authority of Local & Regional Voices, particularly as developed under the principles of Inclusive Participation and Cultural Leadership. This would embed community voices and ensure the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is connected to the National Voice. This membership model provides flexibility and opportunity for the involvement of jurisdiction-level Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representative assemblies, where they exist, and elections if the Local & Regional Voices and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of the relevant jurisdiction agree.

That continues:

The National Voice would advise on matters of national significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples relating to their social, spiritual and economic wellbeing. This is to ensure that the diverse perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are considered in key areas of legislation and policy development. The relationship between the Australian Parliament and Government and the National Voice would be a two-way interaction, with each able to initiate advice or commence discussion around relevant policy matters.

The proposed model for the National Voice includes a set of consultation standards for when, how and on what types of matters the Australian Parliament and/or Government should consult with the National Voice. Engagement with the National Voice would ideally occur early in the development of relevant laws and policies to allow for a partnership approach. The Australian Parliament and Government would be ‘obliged’ to ask the National Voice for advice on a defined and limited number of proposed laws and policies that overwhelmingly affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. There would also be an ‘expectation’ to consult the National Voice, based on a set of principles, on a wider group of policies and laws that significantly affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The proposed model for the National Voice also includes a set of complementary transparency mechanisms situated in the Parliament to provide for public accountability and enhance the ability of the National Voice to be heard. Importantly, these are based on existing parliamentary mechanisms and practices.

For those who haven’t read the report, or can’t find the relevant parts Ken Wyatt was talking about, here you go:

National Voice

The proposal for a National Voice was strongly supported during the consultation and engagement process. Key considerations raised during consultation included how membership for the National Voice would be determined, the number of members on the National Voice and the link between the Local & Regional Voices and the National Voice.

As a result of the consultation and engagement process and resulting deliberations, key refinements are presented for the proposed National Voice.

The final proposal for the National Voice is for a small national body of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members tasked to advise the Australian Parliament and Government. The National Voice would provide the mechanism to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a direct say on any national laws, policies and programs affecting them.

The National Voice would provide advice to both the Australian Parliament and Government. This is important because it allows the National Voice to engage fully with laws and policies at different stages of development. This dual advice function reflects the different roles of Government and Parliament in making laws and policies. This does not diminish from the role of providing a voice to Parliament; it strengthens and integrates advice, ensuring early engagement before bills are introduced to Parliament. By providing for a voice to both Parliament and Government, the National Voice would engage fully with policy of different kinds and at different stages of development.

Lower houses discusses Closing the Gap report

The chamber is acknowledging the latest Closing the Gap report, which as our colleague Josh Butler reported earlier in the blog, has shown we are still not doing enough to close the gap with Indigenous Australia.

Anthony Albanese used the opportunity to urge people to support the voice as another measure to actually act.

Peter Dutton said again there wasn’t enough detail. This is after his former cabinet colleague told ABC radio this morning that argument was just “laziness” and he took a proposal to cabinet (which Dutton sat in) twice.

Ken Wyatt also said all the detail is publicly available in the Indigenous Voice Co-design Process Final Report to the Australian Government.

Updated at 20.47 EST

Sussan Ley: ‘an appalling political stunt’

Sussan Ley was also not in the chamber for the vote but she was paired (meaning her vote was matched with someone from the opposite side).

Her office sent Paul Karp a statement:

This speech has been in the deputy leader’s diary for months. She was paired in parliament long ago. Her absence from the division on the censure should not be read into – this was an appalling political stunt by the government of the day that the deputy leader unequivocally rejects.

Updated at 20.34 EST

Karen Andrews confirms she abstained from censure vote

Karen Andrews confirmed she abstained from the censure motion vote (meaning she did not vote either for it, or against it).

Andrews was one of the only members of the Coalition to chastise Scott Morrison’s actions for taking on additional ministries in secret (including hers) and had previously called for him to resign from the parliament.

But that doesn’t mean she is in support of the censure.

In a statement to the Guardian, Andrews says:

“The government has had ample time to introduce remedies in accordance with the Bell recommendations. I expected Labor to milk this and that is exactly what they did – this was never about fixing the problem, but a political stunt.”

Updated at 20.30 EST

On Karen Andrews …

Just before we move on to the next bit of parliamentary business, I looked for Karen Andrews in the vote on Scott Morrison’s censure, and couldn’t see her in the House.

Andrews had called for Morrison to resign from the parliament when she learned of the extent of his additional ministries, which included her former ministry of home affairs.

I will confirm, but I think Andrews may have abstained during the censure vote.

Updated at 20.16 EST

Victorian Nationals leader on leaving Coalition: ‘something that has to be discussed’

The Victorian Nationals leader, Peter Walsh, says the party will discuss leaving the Coalition agreement with the Liberal party following the state election.

The Victorian Nationals held their first party room meeting on Wednesday morning. The Coalition’s junior partner seized back three regional seats from independents at the weekend’s election, while the Liberal party suffered a disastrous result.

Asked if the Nationals would consider leaving the Coalition, Walsh did not rule out the possibility:

That’s something that has to be discussed by ourselves and with the Liberal party once they elect their leadership group.

We’ve demonstrated with the policy platform and initiatives we took to the election that we can work well together to put the issues that are important to Victorians front and centre.

Updated at 20.15 EST

Scott Morrison is censured over secret ministries

Greens, Bridget Archer and crossbench (minus Katter) back Labor

Updated at 20.22 EST

Paul Karp has the numbers on the censure vote:

86 votes to 50.

Labor, Greens, Bridget Archer and crossbench (minus Katter and Dai Le) in favour.

Opposed: Coalition (including Scott Morrison who did vote) and Katter.

Le was not listed as voting.

Updated at 20.21 EST

Bob Katter has entered the chamber and is sitting with the Coalition.

Updated at 20.06 EST

And now we get to the vote on the motion.

It is falling into the lines you would expect.

Labor, the crossbench and Bridget Archer on one side, voting for the motion and the Coalition on other, voting against it.

Mark Butler announces new anti-smoking measures

Graphic warnings like “smoking kills” and unattractive colours may soon be printed on individual cigarettes, and menthol cigarettes will be banned, under new reforms by the Albanese government to drive down smoking.

“Australia was once a world leader on tobacco control and now we are a laggard,” said health minister Mark Butler, who announced the reforms today. “We are determined to see Australia reclaim its position as a world leader on tobacco control.”

Butler announced 11 new measures which will be streamlined alongside existing laws into a single act. This will include:

After nine years, Butler said Labor’s plain packaging reforms had started to lose their impact. He said at best the warnings on the packaging are ignored, and “at worst, they are mocked”.

The aim of the new measures is to achieve smoking prevalence in Australia of less than 10% by 2025, and 5% or less by 2030, Butler said.

Updated at 20.05 EST

Abbott unveiled

Meanwhile former, former, former prime minister Tony Abbott is having his prime ministerial portrait unveiled today.

Last year we revealed it would be painted by Bill Leak’s son, Johannes Leak.

Updated at 20.01 EST

Dr Sophie Scamps, the independent MP for Mackellar, is also in support of the motion (you can take it that the independents who were elected on a platform of transparency are going to be in support of this motion).

Updated at 20.00 EST