‘Trigger’: Lambie’s furious spray at Dutton

Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie has accused Opposition Leader Peter Dutton of stoking tensions after he flagged “national security concerns” over the processing of visas for Palestinians fleeing Gaza.

It comes after Mr Dutton and the opposition went on the attack, questioning whether adequate security measures were taken.

The government says the processes are the same as when the Coalition was in government.

Speaking to Sky on Thursday, Ms Lambie called on Mr Dutton to stop.

“Peter Dutton that is really bad leadership. All you’re doing is heightening the tempo here and you will trigger events here that we don’t want,” she said.

“I now believe the way he has handled this in the last few days has heightened the situation here in Australia. He’s been a part of that.”

Earlier on Thursday, Mr Dutton was slammed in parliament after he moved a motion to suspend standing orders and debate Palestinian visas instead.

Independent MP Zali Steggall ripped into Mr Dutton after he repeatedly interrupted her as she spoke about a Palestinian man in her electorate.

He had come to a Australia as a refugee under the former Coalition government, in which Mr Dutton headed home affairs.

“He had come to Australia under a visa approved by the Morrison government under the same systems,” she said.

But she snapped at Mr Dutton’s interjections.

“We heard you in silence,” she told the Liberal leader.

“You can hear me in silence. Stop being racist!”

Previously Mr Dutton told the lower house his call for a total visa ban for Gazans “is not against people of a particular religious belief” nor “against people of a particular political persuasion.”

“This is about keeping our country safe,” he said.

“And Anthony Albanese has failed the Australian public, and he should stand condemned.”

The motion was seconded by Liberal MP Dan Tehan, but the Coalition seemed largely alone in its support for Mr Dutton’s stance.

‘NO TIME’: MINISTER WATT’S URGENT CFMEU PLEA

The Albanese government is “getting close to a deal” with the Coalition on its CFMEU Bill, a senior minister has said.

The Bill would force the embattled union to accept a government-appointed administrator to clean it up following damning reports of corruption, bribery and bullying in the construction arm.

“There’s really no time for delay. We do feel that we’re getting close to a deal with the Coalition on this,” newly-appointed Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt told the ABC on Thursday.

“If the Coalition votes with us today, this Bill will pass, and that can be a critical step towards reforming the construction union so that it returns to focusing on the best interests of its members.”

Both the opposition and the Greens say they would like more time to look over the details before committing, with the Coalition calling for the union to run in administration for a minimum of three years instead of the maximum, as proposed by the government.

Senator Watt said that was not an option.

“The reality is that there are different levels of severity of allegations across different branches, and they need to be treated separately … the administration would go for a period of three years in total, but also with the power for the administrator to release particular branches from administration if they get a clean bill of health,” he said.

“The issue is that if we make every single branch stay in for three years, that will divert resources away from the problem areas, towards divisions and branches which have been found to be fine.”

GOVERNMENT INTRODUCES BILL TO SHAVE BILLIONS OFF HECS DEBTS

Education Minister Jason Clare has introduced a bill that could shave $3bn off HECS debts.

The bill aims to keep student loan indexation lower than wage growth.

If passed, loan indexation would be adjusted to either the consumer price index or wage price index, depending on which is lower.

It comes after students were hit with a 7.1 per cent indexation last year, felt heavily on tax returns.

The government’s plan, which backdates to the last fiscal year, would see that lowered to the wage price index at 3.1 per cent.

Teal Kooyong MP Monique Ryan claimed victory for the win, stating the changes happened after an Australia-first petition calling on the government to fix the broken HECS system got 288,000 signatures.

“When hundreds of thousands of Australians stand up and demand change, thegovernment has no choice but to listen to them,” she said.

“Younger Australians in particular are facing not just insurmountable HECS debts, but a housing crisis. They are also bearing the brunt of the rising cost of living.

“The major parties need to do a whole lot more to address the rising cost of housing, energy, and education. We’ll keep pushing them – this is just the start.”