You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more
State, territory and federal energy ministers will meet next to crack on with designing the NEG. Senator Birmingham is hopeful the new Liberal state government in SA will be more constructive than its Labor predecessor. #auspol
Labor's Murray Watt asks whether 140,000 Australian apprenticeships have been lost under the Turnbull government.
Senator Birmingham confirms there has been a drop in apprentices entering training, but blames it on the Gillard government. #SenateQT
Watt shifts to Pauline Hanson's deal for 1000 new apprenticeships in exchange for One Nation support for company tax cuts. "Was Senator Hanson made aware the pilot program funding a measly 1000 apprenticeships represents 0.7% of the 140,000 Australian apprenticeships lost?"
"Although Senator Watt continues to pursue a hypothetical line of questioning, I will say that many on the crossbench engaged constructively on this," Senator Birmingham says. "Many want to explore policy ideas to rebuild vocational education from the failures of those opposite."
Greens Senator Janet Rice asks government to rule out logging in national parks under renegotiated of regional forest agreements. Response: "The Australian government supports a strong forestry industry in this country, and we support sustainable use of our forestry resources."
Senator O'Neill asks how it is fair to cut the energy supplement to pensioners. "We repealed the carbon tax, so we repeal the compensation that went with it," Senator Fierravanti-Wells says.
Labor Senator Lisa Singh asks the finance minister how it's fair to hit ordinary workers with higher taxes while giving big businesses a tax cut. "We are pursuing reforms of business tax arrangements because we care about working families around Australia," Senator Cormann says.
Senator Cormann says 90 per cent of Australian workers are employed in the private sector. "Their future job security, their future career opportunities, their future wage increases depend on the future success and profitability of the businesses that employ them," he says.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.
