Budget bills, school funding to debated

Two weeks of federal parliament sittings will be dominated by debate over the budget's fairness and Senate hearings on government spending.

Parliament, Malcolm Turnbull (front)

Two weeks of federal parliament sittings will be dominated by debate over the budget's fairness. (AAP)

Leader of the House of Representatives Christopher Pyne is anticipating a "very positive week" for the Turnbull government as budget bills and new school funding arrangements are put to the parliament.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will also mark the 50th anniversary of the 1967 referendum to include indigenous people in the constitution on Wednesday.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton can also expect to be quizzed on his setting of an October 1 deadline for illegal arrivals making their detailed claims for asylum in Australia after years of refusal, describing them as "fake refugees".

Politicians return to Canberra on Monday for a fortnight of lower house sittings and Senate estimates hearings.

Labor says it will use the Senate hearings to get to the bottom of Mr Dutton's arbitrary October 1 deadline.

Immigration, border protection, regional deals on refugee resettlement and visas will be on the agenda for the legal committee on Monday and Tuesday.

Other hearings on Monday include the environment committee examining the management of the Great Barrier Reef, climate change and regulations.

The school funding legislation, a key part of the May 9 budget, is set down for debate on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Mr Shorten told reporters in the Tasmanian town of Wynyard on Friday the budget had failed the fairness test.

"We all know Mr Turnbull has tried to steal the policy clothes of Labor but they aren't a good fit for him," Mr Shorten said.

"He doesn't understand what fairness means. Fairness is not cutting $22 billion from schools over the next 10 years or making it harder for first-home buyers to enter the housing market."

Mr Turnbull, who was in central Queensland on Friday, said the government was delivering extra funding for schools, training, roads and rail as well as giving tax breaks to allow businesses to take on more workers.

"What you need is more investment so that's why the budget provides so many incentives," he told ABC radio.

On Monday, MPs will debate a Labor bill to protect penalty rates as the Fair Work Commission decides how to implement its cuts to penalties for retail, hospitality and pharmacy workers.


Share
2 min read
Published 21 May 2017 4:14pm
Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends