John Howard says blocking immigration from certain countries won’t stop terrorism
Sarah Basford Canales
The former prime minister John Howard has warned political parties against banning migration from certain countries as the debate over Australia’s immigration settings continues.
The 87-year-old was in Canberra last night for an hour-long chat with Australian National University national security professor Rory Medcalf before the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US.
The discussion began with last year’s alleged terrorist attack in Bondi, before turning to whether immigration settings can prevent potential terrorists from entering the country.
Howard said the “law of averages” meant some people with nefarious intentions could enter the country but he did not believe the “evidence is overwhelming”.
He continued:
But I think the mood is overwhelming that we have to try very hard to stop terrorism creeping in under the cover of immigration, and you can’t do it by just stopping immigration, and it’s very hard to do it by stopping categories of immigration.
When some people say you stop it by saying ‘we won’t take migrants from any country that has got a reputation for terrorism’, well, it might be a lot more limiting than those people imagine.
Neither major political party has proposed a country-wide ban on specific countries for permanent migration. One Nation has said it would like to see country-wide migration bans on people coming from countries the foreign affairs department has listed as “do not travel”.
Key events
‘Invite-only’ grants program ‘standard practice’ says Labor minister
The grants program is all above board and there’s nothing to see here, says the assistant treasurer, Daniel Mulino, defending the government’s use of the Major and Local Community Infrastructure Program.
As mentioned below, that program committed tens of thousands of dollars to particular seats that were “invited” to join the program, but left out almost a third of seats across the country. Analysis by the Centre for Public Integrity showed $493m of the $560m fund went to safe, fairly safe or competitive seats for Labor.
Mulino told ABC News Breakfast:
It’s standard practice and longstanding practice for governments to set up these kinds of grants programs in order to deliver those election commitments. They’re different to the kinds of grants programs which are run in the ordinary course of government. And this program, as Catherine King has explained, is part of long standing practice and there are checks and balances in there.
Ministers won’t approve programs in their own electorate and it’s an important way for governments to be able to deliver commitments.
‘This is pork barrelling’ Chaney furious over ‘invite-only’ grants program
Independent MP Kate Chaney says reporting of an “invite-only” community infrastructure grants program by Labor shows “governments from both sides use taxpayer-funded grants to buy votes”.
The ABC has reported the Major and Local Community Infrastructure Program committed tens of thousands of dollars to key seats, but 45 seats around the county (almost a third) were not invited to apply for this fund.
Chaney says:
This is pork barrelling, and we’ve seen it before. The Coalition had Sports Rorts, and now Labor is Park barrelling – money for parks and playgrounds, pools and sports ovals all promised during the election campaign.
The Coalition’s colour-coded spreadsheet was Sports Rorts’ smoking gun, and this report shows that Labor’s pork barrelling is no different – same spreadsheet, different colour.
Chaney says the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Principles has recommended the use of a competitive, merit-based selection process for grants – but so far those rules have been ignored.
Krishani Dhanji
Good morning, Krishani Dhanji back in the hot seat here with you for another busy sitting day.
The government’s focus is on social media – pushing ahead with a digital duty of care bill, and its legislation to increase fines and give the eSafety commissioner more power to tackle social media companies that breach the under-16s ban.
There’s plenty going on here – let’s get stuck in!
Sarah Basford Canales
Howard claims US is Australia’s ‘ultimate security guarantor’
John Howard says the US remains Australia’s “ultimate security guarantor” despite its “unorthodox” president in Donald Trump.
At ANU last night, the former prime minister said:
Although there may be occasions for superficial provocation … [we shouldn’t] lose sight of the fact that our ultimate security guarantor is the United States.
Howard said while on a flight from Hawaii back to Australia after the September 11 attacks in 2001, the then foreign affairs minister, Alexander Downer, urged him to invoke the Anzus treaty to show US solidarity.
Howard said he spoke to then US ambassador to Australia, Tom Schieffer, about his decision during the flight, who he said became overcome with emotion.
Howard believed it was this decision that would pave the way for the Aukus treaty becoming possible two decades later.
John Howard says blocking immigration from certain countries won’t stop terrorism
Sarah Basford Canales
The former prime minister John Howard has warned political parties against banning migration from certain countries as the debate over Australia’s immigration settings continues.
The 87-year-old was in Canberra last night for an hour-long chat with Australian National University national security professor Rory Medcalf before the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US.
The discussion began with last year’s alleged terrorist attack in Bondi, before turning to whether immigration settings can prevent potential terrorists from entering the country.
Howard said the “law of averages” meant some people with nefarious intentions could enter the country but he did not believe the “evidence is overwhelming”.
He continued:
But I think the mood is overwhelming that we have to try very hard to stop terrorism creeping in under the cover of immigration, and you can’t do it by just stopping immigration, and it’s very hard to do it by stopping categories of immigration.
When some people say you stop it by saying ‘we won’t take migrants from any country that has got a reputation for terrorism’, well, it might be a lot more limiting than those people imagine.
Neither major political party has proposed a country-wide ban on specific countries for permanent migration. One Nation has said it would like to see country-wide migration bans on people coming from countries the foreign affairs department has listed as “do not travel”.
Joyce says super plan has ‘minute’ inflationary effect
Adeshola Ore
Joyce has also defended his party’s new policy allowing renters and mortgage holders to dip into their superannuation to boost their pay, saying it will have a “minute” impact on inflation.
The superannuation industry has warned the policy – which Labor and the Coalition have said they do not support – would stoke inflation. The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia chief executive, Mary Delahunty, said the proposal would be “economically disastrous” and make people poorer in retirement.
Speaking to the ABC’s 7.30, Joyce – the party’s Treasury spokesperson – said withdrawing your superannuation from your fund due to financial hardship was currently a “protracted” system.
Asked if the party had modelled the inflationary impact of the policy, Joyce said it would have a minimal impact but did not point to any modelling:
Now are you saying that it has no effect whatsoever? No, I wouldn’t say that but I’d say it is almost minute.
Adeshola Ore
Joyce says allegations against Victorian One Nation leader are ‘contested’
One Nation’s deputy leader, Barnaby Joyce, has been asked about the party’s Victorian leader, Warren Pickering, who continues to attract scrutiny over allegations made against him by an ex-partner about alleged drug use.
Pickering said his ex-partner’s claims were false. “They are extremely hurtful and I just hope the public can see through them,” he said in a statement, according to The Australian.
Speaking to the ABC’s 7.30 last night, Joyce said the historical allegations were “contested”.
He said he did not hear about the allegations before story was published in The Australian on Monday:
If he’s good enough to serve our nation in the defence force, as determined by our nation, then I presume he’s good enough to serve the people of Victoria.
If we’re saying that any person will be held to account for any action they ever did, no matter how far in the past it was, I would suggest there are lot of people in this parliament who will no longer have a job Monday morning.
Good morning
Welcome to Guardian Australia’s live news coverage for Tuesday.
Krishani Dhanji will be with you shortly.
Let’s begin.
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