Australia politics live: Pat Dodson bids Senate farewell in final speech; PM says government will reopen thalidomide survivor support program

Prime minister delivers national apology to Australians impacted by thalidomide apology

Anthony Albanese is delivering the national apology to Australians affected by thalidomide.

Today, at long last, Australia will say sorry. I want to acknowledge and welcome all the thalidomide survivors and their families here with us in the parliament.

I extend that same respect to all those watching from afar here with us in spirit, you have been survivors from the day you were born. More than that, you have been advocates, organisers, champions and warriors.

Time and time again, you have summoned remarkable resolve. You have shown an extraordinary strength of character. Yet for so long, parliaments and governments have not proved equal to this or worthy of it. Too often, we have let you down. Today – your presence lifts all of us up.

And together, today we mark an absence too. At the conclusion of these proceedings, we will join in a minute’s silence to remember and honour all those this strategy took from us far too soon.

Because this apology will forever belong to those Australians as well.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese delivers a national apology to all Australians affected by the thalidomide tragedy at Parliament House. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Updated at 18.41 EST

Key events

Penny Wong has continued the federal government’s silence on whether a man was able to leave immigration detention without electronic monitoring because his visa conditions were not read out to him.

Guardian Australia earlier today reported home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, was staying mum on whether the Australian Border Force failed to verbally brief the missing man on the conditions of his bridging visa and the ABF did not fit him with an ankle bracelet as was required to do.

Upon being questioned about the issue by Liberal senator, James Paterson, Wong responded:

I’m not going to engage in discussion in this chamber about operational matters other than to say we support the ABF and AFP in their work to ensure … Australians are safe, and we will continue to do that.”

Read the original report by my colleague, Paul Karp:

Clare O’Neil continues:

We had some very disturbing news earlier this week that a hand-picked person on the front bench of the opposition has used his position as a Senator not once but twice to advocate for the release from detention of a child six offender, a child six offender….

Sussan Ley interjects on relevance, and Tony Burke returns the tag line at the end of her question opened up the question. Milton Dick allows O’Neil to continue, but she says she’ll come back to it (which means it is an upcoming dixer)

Clare O’Neil continues:

So let me compare and contrast a little bit about how the government has handled this High Court decision, and what we are seeing from those opposite. What we have seen from the government is that within a week and one day of the High Court decision, we had released the people that the High Court ordered us to release under bespoke visas.

We had set up a completely new regime of community protection, established a joint operation between police and ABF, who are case managing each of these individuals in the community.

Now we have the reasons for decision from the High Court, and as I have said, I would have preferred that none of these people be released from detention. I support preventative detention and that is why I will be bringing a proposal back to the parliament.

We will be able to move through this quite quickly if we get the support and the cooperation of the opposition.

But what have we seen since this decision was made? We have seen three weeks of the most shameless politics I have actually ever seen played in this parliament.

And that included the opposition’s unbelievable action earlier this week, where we brought a proposal to this parliament, the minister for immigration and I brought a proposal to this parliament to strengthen the law is that we passed, to criminalise paedophiles loitering near schools, a pretty uncontroversial proposal, but what did they do?

They came in and they voted against it. And there was only one reason for that, because they put politics above the safety of the Australian community.

Then, much like a middle aged man’s hairline, the chamber takes a few steps back from congeniality and moves on.

Sussan Ley:

The minister failed to prepare for an expected High Court loss and then falsely claimed she was advised she would win. She claimed urgent laws weren’t necessary until we wrote them for her. She claimed the Coalition’s preventative detention proposal is utterly impossible, but now says parliament won’t rise without legislating it. She can’t explain how one of the criminals she released has disappeared. Minister, why is your job is safe when the Australian public is not?

Clare O’Neil:

I will leave the political commentary to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. And I would say to those of you who are here in the Chamber that I see the opposition has had a little bit of a meeting this morning and decided they will spend today making a political attack on me. Well, congratulations, congratulations…you are free to do that, but I would just say it says a hell of lot more about you, than it does about me.

(Which is kinda funny given that up until this happened, O’Neil’s question time job was an almost daily rendition of ‘how terrible was Peter Dutton as a home affairs minister? let me count the ways’ but no one has memories in this place)

There are enough interjections that Milton Dick gives a general warning to the chamber –next person named will get booted.

Albanese and Dutton give shoutout to Movember organisers in 20th year

The speaker, Milton Dick, acknowledges special guests in the speaker’s gallery, which includes the Queensland delegation fighting for more infrastructure funding, which includes the deputy premier, Steven Miles, and some mayors), the mayor of Palmerston, the ambassador for Uruguay and representatives from the Movember foundation.

Which explains the number of mos in the chamber today.

Anthony Albanese stands up on indulgence:

Just maybe a shoutout as well for the crew from Movember who are here. Michelle Terry, the CEO, and Richard Deutsch, the chair of Movember.

The 20th anniversary of Movember. I am advised by my staff who participate in Movember, sometimes more than I would like, that they have raised over $1bn over 20 years. That is quite an extraordinary effort, so congratulations to all who are involved and all who participate.

And then it is Peter Dutton’s turn (after a bit of lighthearted back and forth with Albanese).

The prime minister is giving me a bit of stick about facial hair.

I would say, as the father of two sons, one of whom has just come back from schoolies sporting a mullet and a big mo, that other Australians should follow suit even against their parents’ advice.

But do it in the name of Movember, and if you are after a good cause to support, or you are thinking of somebody who is far away but that you would like to give an early Christmas present to, I would advise all Australians to go to the Movember website, to provide sponsorship and support to a very worthy cause. I commend all of those who are involved in the promotion, in the governance and in a program that every Australian has really taken as a very special cause. Congratulations to all those involved and I would love to be joining you this year, but perhaps a donation in lieu would be sufficient.

Updated at 22.37 EST

Opposition grills government on stage-three tax cuts commitment

Senate question time has also kicked off, with the upper house opposition leader, Simon Birmingham, asking about the Labor government’s commitment to stage-three tax cuts.

The question comes after The Australian reported today that the Sydney backbench MP Jerome Laxale said he would “encourage” the government to look at whether the controversial Coalition-initiated tax cuts should still go ahead.

The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, responds that the cuts are already legislated and the government’s position to support them hasn’t changed.

Birmingham then follows up with another question asking the minister to deliver “a crystal-clear commitment”, pointing to Laxale’s reported comments.

Gallagher fires back:

You can’t force me to speak in a way that you find acceptable. I have answered the question.

Updated at 22.28 EST

Environment minister Tanya Plibersek speaks during question time. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

David Littleproud has a point of order on relevance. Tanya Plibersek is told to get on with her answer and she says:

If the leader of the Nationals really cared about farming communities, he would pass this legislation because he knows that if this legislation is not passed by the end of the Senate sitting period, then there will be automatic [measure] that will drop water entitlements automatically.

You should know that when the member for New England was the water minister he was happy to buy water.

He bought $80m worth of water from a company set up in the Cayman Islands by the shadow treasurer.

The Speaker tells Plibersek to stay relevant to the question.

Katharine Murphy in the chamber hears Angus Taylor say “say that outside the chamber” (speech in the chamber of course, being legally protected).

Plibersek finishes with:

There has been plenty of modelling … including by Sarah Wheeler, who is a well-respected economist, who has shown that the modelling that the member claims shows that water buybacks push up prices is discredited. And the modelling that the Victorian government is relying on is completely discredited.

The modelling done by Sarah Wheeler and other economists has shown that, of course, there are all sorts of things that affect food and beverage prices – floods, droughts, fuel prices and labour shortages, which you did nothing to deal with for farming economies when you were in government.

Another thing that affects food prices are trade embargoes like the ones that this government has successfully dealt with.

Updated at 22.24 EST

Plibersek rejects claim Murray-Darling water buybacks drive up food prices

The Nationals MP Sam Birrell (yes, I had to look him up too) asks Anthony Albanese:

Labor’s Murray-Darling Basin plan has been estimated by water market specialists to cost up to $22bn to deliver in full. Has the government undertaken modelling on the cost to taxpayers and the financial and social impacts on basin communities of water buybacks, which will drive up prices at the supermarket for all Australian families?

Tanya Plibersek takes this one:

The first thing to say, of course, is that it’s very clear that last time voluntary water purchase happened – the largest year a voluntary purchase, 2011-12, when almost 500 gigalitres of water was brought – the price of food and beverage prices went down by 4-5%.

The interjections get very loud.

Plibersek continues:

The next thing I would like to say is those opposite, the National party, are perfectly happy for anyone to buy water other than the Australian government to protect the environment. They’re very happy for foreign companies to buy water.

There are more interjections.

Plibersek:

In fact, more water is owned by foreign companies than is owned by the commonwealth environment water holder. They’re very happy to sell water. The member for New England, the shadow minister, when he was the water minister bought $80m of water …

Updated at 22.25 EST

Tony Burke is taking a dixer on how many times the Coalition voted no on the closing the loophole IR bill and its amendments.

While he enjoys himself, might be a good time to let you know that Anthony Albanese will deliver the Whitlam Oration this evening. That is hosted by the Whitlam Institute.

Updated at 22.11 EST

Question time begins

It opens with Angus Taylor asking Anthony Albanese:

Will the prime minister rule out breaking his election promise to deliver the stage-three tax cuts in full?

Albanese:

We haven’t changed our position on the stage-three tax cuts. At all. At all.

If only all questions and answers were as succinct.

Probably as pointless a wish as hoping we might one day be able to have a serious conversation about much-needed tax reform in this country that actually addresses inequality.

Updated at 22.04 EST

Labor party members from western Sydney have met with several federal MPs to urge the government to call for an “immediate, permanent and just ceasefire” in Gaza.

The 15-strong delegation was led by Suzan Wahhab, the president of Palestinian Christians in Australia, who told reporters at Parliament House a short time ago:

We believe that there’s a humanitarian catastrophe right now that is engulfing the whole of Gaza and we can’t stay silent and see those people die from starvation, from lack of access to clean water and lack of access to medicine.

We cannot stay silent and see those people die in front of our eyes on TV screens, we will not let that happen. So we are asking every single politician and normal ordinary Australian people to find it your hearts to show mercy and ask your representative for a permanent, immediate ceasefire.

Dr Mohamad Assoum, an infectious diseases epidemiologist and the vice-president of the Labor party’s Auburn-Lidcombe branch, told reporters:

We have doctors operating without anaesthetic, children having to have their limbs amputated because of the utter deterioration of the humanitarian condition in Gaza. International law is very clear, the Geneva Conventions is very clear. The UN is very clear, the WHO are very clear: we need an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

The group said the federal MPs they met included Jason Clare, Andrew Charlton, Linda Burney and Anne Stanley.

Asked if the delegation got any sense MPs were open to demanding a full ceasefire, Assoum said:

We understand that everyone is on the side of human rights. And we do get the inclination that many many politicians in Canberra are seeking a permanent ceasefire as well.

To date the government has signalled it would welcome the extension of the current truce between Israel and Hamas but has said any ceasefire cannot be “one-sided”.

Palestinian Christians in Australia president Suzan Wahhab and Labor Friends of Palestine. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

Updated at 22.06 EST

Bill Shorten’s team continues to abuse meme formats. (Evergreen statement.)

Updated at 22.06 EST

Labor senator says government not considering changes to stage-three tax cuts

Queensland Labor senator Anthony Chisholm remembered some of the lessons of campaigning language it seems, after he was asked whether or not the government should be reconsidering the stage-three tax cuts (as some backbenchers would like to see happen, following “feedback” from their electorates, on the ABC.

Chisholm answered:

That’s not something the government are considering at this time, Greg. I certainly know … it’s not something we are considering.

That little gap there is Chisholm remembering what happens when politicians say things like “at this time” (the immediate response being SO MAYBE AT ANOTHER TIME?!)

Chisholm finished all of that answer with:

What I know is … we’ve got great backbenchers who are out and about in their community.

We know that inflation and cost of living is significant. The [inflation] numbers reported today were encouraging. It’s great. We know it is the central focus of the government in doing what we can … It’s obviously significant that we think we’re getting the balance right but the prime minister and the treasurer have indicated there will be more to do the next budget. I’m sure they will take on board feedback from their great hard-working backbenchers who are out talking to the community and providing that in-touch commentary that you’d expect.

Updated at 22.08 EST

Patrick Dodson bids the Senate farewell in a final speech

Readers following politics yesterday will know the father of reconciliation, Patrick Dodson, is bowing out of politics because of ill health. I wrote a piece yesterday marking that departure. You can find that here if you’d like to catch up.

Dodson has given his final speech in the Senate today. It’s fair to say there were few dry eyes in the chamber. Dodson has expressed his disappointment about the defeat of the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum. But he told the Senate the repudiation needed to be a moment of “fresh opportunity” to pursue substantive matters of reconciliation.

This renewed conversation must proceed under a human rights framework, Dodson said today. “We can begin that journey by implementing the United Nations declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples,” he said. Dodson said the other important component of next steps was to help First Nations people “achieve and enjoy economic independence”. He said Indigenous Australians needed to create economic independence by “leveraging up their significant asset bases”.

He said:

We have the opportunity now to approach reconciliation on the basis of justice.

That will strengthen our integrity as a nation. Australians have become more aware of these issues now than they were before the referendum process.

Dodson said the next chapter of reconciliation would be written by the next generation – younger Indigenous leaders and non-Indigenous people – “those with ambition, those with hope, those who love this nation”.

The emotion caught up with him at that point.

I’ll leave it to them.

Dodson said durable reconciliation required healthy country, where the use of resources was balanced “and sacredness is embedded in the landscape”. It also required healthy spirit – strong communities, where people mattered and were valued.

He signed off.

I’ll see you when I see you. Thank you.

Senators replied with a standing ovation.

Updated at 21.53 EST

Closing the Loopholes IR bill passes House

In between all of that, the Closing the Loopholes IR bill has passed the House (which, of course it would, the government controls that) and is on its way to the Senate where negotiations with the crossbench continue.

Tony Burke would like you to know, judging from his press release on the bill’s partial passage through the parliament, that the Coalition voted against it. There are dot points. You get the picture.

Updated at 21.54 EST

We are now 20 minutes out from question time, where there will be more focus on the indefinite detention decision and the coming preventive detention legislation.

So grab what you need to get through it now.

The Greens have continued their advocacy for a permanent ceasefire in the Senate chamber:

Updated at 21.42 EST

Bill Shorten questioned over David Van’s appearance alongside Tanya Plibersek

Continuing on from that earlier press conference with Bill Shorten, one reporter asked the former Labor leader about David Van’s appearance alongside Tanya Plibersek yesterday.

To speed readers up, the environment minister and Van held a joint press conference on Tuesday after the government agreed to the Liberal-turned-independent senators’ amendments on the restoring rivers bill.

Van confirmed on Tuesday the parliamentary workplace inquiry into sexual misconduct allegations made against him, sparked by a referral from his former leader, Peter Dutton, was “an ongoing confidential process”.

A reporter queried Shorten about whether he was comfortable his colleague had “elevated” Van’s status by conducting the joint presser with him given the ongoing inquiry.

Shorten responded:

This is a government who works with, leaving aside Senator Van, we work with, sometimes, the Greens, we’ll work sometimes with One Nation, we will work with the Liberals and the Nats. It’s a democracy and we’ve got to work with the people that the people give us.

The independent senator Lidia Thorpe had alleged Van had acted inappropriately against her in June – a claim he has denied.

Van said in June, upon being stood down from the Liberal party room, that he had been denied a presumption of innocence after multiple inappropriate touching allegations were made against him.

Updated at 21.44 EST