Bill Shorten Labels Final Week of Congress ‘Toxic’ as NDIS Misbehavior Centers Q&A

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten made a cheerful appearance during a question-and-answer session last week, calling parliamentary culture “toxic” and suggesting that corruption is rampant in the National Disability Insurance System, while ABC is the National Political Editor-in-Chief. He questioned the fact that he made the job unnecessary.

The former Labor leader opened the show by saying his last week at the Houses of Parliament was nothing to be proud of.

The week included allegations that Chancellor of the Exchequer Katie Gallagher misled parliament by knowing about Brittany Higgins’ alleged rape in 2002. Senator Gallagher flatly denied the allegations.

i saw it last week Independent Senator Lydia Thorpe accuses then-Liberal Senator David Vann of sexual assaultwhile she was under parliamentary privilege.

Senator Vann denied the allegations, but former Senator Amanda Stoker also accused her of misbehavior and was barred from the Liberal Party room by opposition leader Peter Dutton.

Senator Vann subsequently quit the party, saying he could not remember the incident Ms Stoker allegedly described.

Shorten was asked by an audience member, Julius Tin, how parliament could become more empathetic after a week of “turmoil.”

“Unfortunately, I think it was more terrible than tragic,” Shorten said.

“It’s not what Congress is, but it’s certainly not what Congress should be.

“Some of the actions cast a shadow over what many of us do every day to make Australia a better place and help Australians.”

The coalition came under fire for its attack on Senator Gallagher, as many Australians struggled with cost of living, rising inflation and interest rate hikes by the Reserve Bank.

But Senate National Party leader Bridget Mackenzie said the coalition was right to consider the allegations.

Senator Mackenzie said: “I think there were serious questions to ask in the face of the fact that the minister misled the Senate. We could use that information to find out who knew what was done and when. I asked him what he was doing,” he said.

When asked by Q+A host Patricia Carvelas last week if she planned to change the way the coalition responded, Sen. Mackenzie said no.

Nonetheless, Shorten said he was uncomfortable with the way the coalition interrogated Senator Gallagher.

“Bridget made some points about Katie Gallagher. I don’t think the opposition was so justified, and I think it has had a very real impact on a lot of other people. he said.

NDIS corruption hurts many Australians

One of the issues affecting many Australians is the NDIS and its funding, and during the Q+A several guests raised issues with the program, which Mr Shorten did not dismiss. rice field.

Poor planning decisions have been made in the past, he said, and he is working on reforms.

Sam Connor, a disability advocacy group, said the system has failed many people with disabilities, citing a young Perth man who died Friday at a train station as an example.

“People with disabilities have been let down by more and more bureaucracy and becoming more like the system we’re transitioning to than the system we’re transitioning to,” Connor said.

Audience member Cheryl Slade, who also struggles with two disabled children at home, said she and her husband were recently diagnosed with ADHD and autism.

She said the NDIS told them, “We were not handicapped because we could look after our families and children, we could get married, we had jobs.” .

Slade wanted to know how the response was fair to people with disabilities.

Connor said this was a “big problem” and that the NDIS did not adequately help people with autism.

“A lot of the problems that have happened with the NDIS so far have been related to people looking for justifications for not joining the scheme, or to limiting or capping assistance,” she said. Stated.

“This is a big problem for people with disabilities, especially the autistic community.”

Shorten then said he would look into Slade’s case before accusing the coalition of alleged mismanagement of NDIS.

But that’s a far cry from the comments he next dropped when attacking service providers for profiting from the misfortunes of disabled Australians while aiming to cut waste in planning. It was something

“I recently saw at Gumtree that there are service providers who provide accommodation support, and they are selling the business and selling the people.

“It’s close to human trafficking.”

When asked if there was “$74 billion worth of corruption” in Mr. Carvelas’ plan, Mr. Shorten clarified.

“The numbers you’re citing are over a decade old,” he said.

Senator Mackenzie later defended him.

“I think Bill actually has the toughest job in government,” she said.

“This is an important project for all Australians.

“We are all behind the success of a sustainable NDIS for the most vulnerable, and you know he has to make it happen under budgetary pressures. , it is not easy.

“The prime minister is counting on Bill Shorten to get this right.”

‘Unbelievable’: ABC cut sparks debate

But none of the panelists seemed to think ABC management did things right this week regarding job cuts.

Questions were about cuts to the arts team, but one of the biggest stories was the dismissal of the role of political editor Andrew Provin.

Senator Mackenzie and Shorten later attacked the decision. ABC News director Justin Stevens defended the move last week.

“We need to change the way we serve spectators,” Stevens said.

“Well, the role of ABC’s political editor for many years was exactly that of a 7:00 p.m. service.

“The job for the Canberra bureau is to build an organization that can serve all audiences.”

Senator Mackenzie lashed out at the cuts.

“In my political life, I have benefited from the excellent journalism of Andrew Provin, but after watching ABC, the public service broadcaster, I find it inconceivable that there is no political editor in the Congressional Press Gallery. I think,” she said.

“It is unbelievable that the government is funding ABC so much more and yet ABC is cutting the very core of what it is to be a public broadcaster via social media – they are doing it. I’d like to think we can get more TikTok by cutting it down.” And Instagram, and what do you have? “

Shorten said ABC’s digital transformation would be questioned by Communications Minister Michel Rowland over its five-year plan.

“I’m vaguely concerned about Canberra news editor Mr Provin that this was all out of the blue for him. This is a lesson for all organizations. Don’t drop change on it. You don’t deserve it.”