don't have an environment within which to do it. i like to have prioritized making certain our world is a better world in which to have economic developer and for our kids in the future. >> voices from that campaign trail, part of space c-span battleground state tour. >> next, highlights from the last australian parliament were prime minister scott morrison and members of his cabinet face questions about syria, climate change, agriculture issues and press freedom. courtesy of sky news australia this review is 40 minutes. >> hello, i'm welcome to another edition of question time rap as we look at what's happening in the australian parliament. u.s. troops have a drawled out of syria across the globe including here in australia

wanting to know what the government plans is for the so-called australian refugee camps in the north of syria. >> thank you. my question is to the minister of foreign affairs. i'm deeply concerned about the military targeting the kurds in syria and turkey to take international action. we already think the operation is further destabilizing the region worsening the humanitarian disaster and risk undermining progress against [inaudible]. advise what action this drug government has taken.it >> thank you, mr. president. i think the senator for her question. [inaudible] both the prime minister and i have made it very

clear in our statements that the turkish military action has great consequences for original security among other things it will significantly undermine the gains made by the international coalition and without question it continues to be a serious threat to regional security despite territorial debates and it will cause additional suffering. it will lead to population displacement and will further inhibit the international to those of international humanitarian support. mr. president, in relation to their engagement before the incursion actually commenced made to turkey issued a statement by all parties to the

comic in syria calling for all involved to avoid military option and opportunistic options that would cause for instability and add to humanitarian suffering. i directed department of foreign affairs to make the plane -- [inaudible]] we've spoken with your secondary estate pompeo to discuss the situation with turkey and in syria. yesterday i spoke to my counterparts in a detailed wide ranging repaving australia's concern urging straights and indicating the severe impact this would have on the security i think the minister for her outline of what would be done in while the military action has been launched by turkey it's been enabled by the trump

administration to withdraw u.s. forces from northern syria and i understand from her answer that representation has been made to the secretary of state with representations were made to the u.s. about the impact of its decision to withdraw forces from northern syria. >> it is very important to be clear about where responsible these light in relation to the impact of the military action. turkey is responsible for the decisions it has made in conducting this incursion. turkey is totally accountable for the actions of its military forces and military groups its employee. they are response will for the community or in suffering they are causing through their military operations and they are accountable for the detention, custody and escape of anyhe duth fighters. sanctions with the united states concerned these issues but it is

not my habit, as you know and as the senate knows to go into the content for those private discussions. >> final question. >> the reports indicate thousands of isis fighters are being held. at the border. >> please, start again. i lost track of the question. >> thank you, mr. president. the reports indicate thousands of isis fighters are held by kurdish led forces in northern syria. what is the government's decision for the consequence of both the turkey military action and the u.s. decision to withdraw in the region? >> as i stated in my remarks and my response we are concerned about the impact this military action by turkey will have the

fighting campaign against the dutch. we know we have achieved a territorial defeat and that is broadly accepted but we also know recognized in our own region that they are more than capable of small bursts or large bursts of energy and activity in continuing terrorist and violent extremism activity not just in the middle age but allied with extremist organizations in our region and more broadly. any actions that enable activity and enable that engagement is of concern for australia. >> he did introduce special legislation about those people that have been waiting for isis and then in returning to austria. >> thank you. my question is to the minister for foreign affairs. will the minister update the

house on how the morrison government is managing the difficult issue of potentially returning foreign terrorist fighters to australia? is the minister aware of any alternative policies? >> the minister for foreign affairs. >> thank you. i think the honorable member for his question. it's a question because all of us want to be sure we keep australia insight and we know that the talk of september 2014 when the national terrorism threat level was raised there have been seven attacks targeting people in australia and 16 major counterterrorism disruptions for mr. speaker, i can inform ther house that sine 2004 around two and 30 australians have traveled to syria or iraq to fight with the in the groups involved conflict. mr. speaker, the government has put forward to the probably rent a number of bills indicating these people from taking back

their country wherever it is because we know on all the ntntadvice that many of these pe can pose a significant threat and we've seen very major disruptions in european countries across america in the southeast asia w and foreign fighters have turned back to the country of origin and cause significant loss of life we don't want that in our country. we have done everything we can and the position of the labour party reminds completely confused. it is clear mr. speaker that senator the opposition for foreign affairs had absolutely no idea what she was proposing. there's been many reports about labor because i think other members on the front bench of

the labour party have distanced themselves from the senator but by her own admission received advice from my apartment that people do pose a certain risk and that is they are terrorists who pose a diffident risk if they return to our country and if they are out there calling for our country. i think that reflects the view of the majority of the strong public and the public support this government and did it last election because i know social security is a significant issue. i know only this government has the ability to keep australians safe. we knowe. from the labour party they given up on border protection and we know in relation to national security they have watered downso every bill that has come before this parliament and mr. speaker, the latest foray into the media on this topic just demonstrates the labour party has no idea what they are doing when it comes to

national security. >> there have been widespread protests around climate not just round the world but particularly and many of our capital cities same ongoing demonstrations and their wanting to know when australia will meet with the paris commitments. >> my question is to the minister for energy and admissions reduction. the government claims australia will meet the paris agreements targets however, the treatise government relies to meet our targets by county artificially inflated [inaudible] meanwhile, official government figures show our missions have reached record highs and continue to rise. this feels the climate emergency. the effects of which we are seen in our backyard with the fires. in other words, a plant is cooking or the government cooks

the books. prime minister, why the denial and one will the government take real action to reduce emissions? >> the minister for energy. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i think the memberer for his question while some see this as symbolism we are acting on meaningful action and that is why we have -- [inaudible conversations] >> members, members -- >> we will see 50% reduction in our missions per per capita and at 65% reduction in our mission across the whole economy, mr. speaker. we have an enviable track record ine making and being -- we aren track to overachieve with meeting our targets by 367 million pounds and [inaudible]

we believe credit should be where credit is due because australian households and businesses have worked hard to achieve those targets. mr. speaker, that overachievement of 306 to 7 million pounds is a 1.1 billion pound turn around what we inherited from those. we are seen at record levels of investment in renewables in fact in the lastve year calendar year 2018 the investment in australia was more than france, germany and to the uk combined. we have a clear plan to meet our 2030 targets. fully funded climate solutions with a package that includes the 2 billion-dollar energy funds in tasmania. were looking forward to

investing in technologies of the future that includes ourur national hydrogen strategy where we've gotten $140 million and that contribute at $50 million to the hydrogen energy supply project, a very impotent project that is crucial technology with a gas trial alongside the hydrogen. all of this is focused on achieving our emission reduction obligations while we keep a strong economyio. if we don't trash the economy and weaken those policies -- [inaudible conversations] >> the draft here in australia one of the worst on record. it's also leading mps thought the government but not factoring in climate change on draft most earliest agriculture industry prayed. >> the member for melbourne. >> the bureau of meteorology says it's a record drop in the

climate crisis is a significant factor. your government is leaking pollution which is making global warming worse and threatening farmers and communities on the land even further. prime minister, we've always been a land so why are you doing having in your power to make the extreme events doesn't every time [inaudible] >> thank you, mr. speaker. i think the member for his question and will refer to the speech i gave to the united nations recently in the national [inaudible] would set out very that destroyctions you has taken and now record in relation to renewable energy which per per capita the highest of any country in the world today and i'd ask the member and

that i simply said australians per per capita investment in renewable energy is the highest in the world today and he shook his head. mr. speaker. if he's in denial of that that mr. speaker what i know is what i set out in that national state of the united nations which very clearly will meet our 2020 targets not only will be make them but beat them by 367 n million pounds and then we will meet our 2030 commitments to the accommodation of vision that we have announced and factors will contribute to that after 2030. we agreed that there is a need to update action on climate change prayed that was not an issue of debate or division between the major parties of the last election and the issue that was the issue that was being suggested was the level of

targets that could be responsibly set for australia into the future and the impact that would have on the strong economy. at the election we werean able o define clearly about targets and how we would meet them. the labour party at the last election were unable to do that or unable to spell out the job and this was a key issue. i note now that the labour party cannot even settle a policy on climate change today. they cannot settle what their policy is paid we've got 28% over here and 45% over here. >> prime minister. the member for melbourne on a point of order. >> on two matters, [inaudible] the prime minister must address the drought and the climate crisis at some point. >> just before i called the

prime minister thereis is an narrow escape in the question with respect to alternative policies but in terms of what was the question there was 45 seconds worth they are andn the were a number of questions and statements and when as i've said before the longer they are -- the more material there is to deal with. >> i now note the labour party and the greens would agree because you joined in on this matter today is what he described as the climate emergency. in response to a climate emergency the opposition will say that we will know like this response sometime between october 2021 and march 2022, mr. speaker. in an [inaudible] it is when --

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> prime minister time has concluded. >> is not just drought but farmers buyer security and the increase in question is is australia doing enough to screen out swine flu. >> senator mcmahon. >> thank you. my question is to the minister for agriculture. can the minister please tell us what other benefits to australian farmers and the wider community of having a strong bias security system?

>> thank you very much. i think senator mcmahon for her question and now she has a strong interest in a robust security system but this underpins $60 billion worth of agricultural production and $49 billion worth of agricultural exports. each bottle contributes to growth particularly in rural australia. when we get security breaches such as the beatles that could cost us truly a $1.47 billion to a year over a two-year period or the disease that could devastate livestock industry. for those of us who care about the possibility and resilience of rural australia and indeed the national economy having a robust 23rd century bio secure the system is absolutely paramount. it is not just protecting our agriculture industry but it's

also our $6 trillion worth of environmental assets, our animal and human health. one in five jobs in australia are related to trade and a tough security system for taps our reputation as a trading nation on the global stage. pest and disease free status is iconic and unique and underpins the value of so much of the products we export to the world. we do not take a backward stop when takes keeping our border safe whether it's the stinkbug of last year and brown stinkbug almost [inaudible] this ended at the moment 650 kilometers and we will not take a backward step in

keeping our border secure. >> thank you. can the minister update the senate how the government economic plan is helping to defend australia against african swine fever?r? >> thank you. thank you, senator mcmahon. when you have a strong economic plan you can do a lot of things like respond to risk to the economy which would be incurred if we had african swine flavor onshore shore paid we have picked up 20700 picked producing dirty 6000 australians that work in pork industry. this disease which kills 80% of the pigs that are infected from our source and we got the financial resources at your disposal you can send [inaudible] to check and when you need to you can ramp up the

inspections at the border, increase your x-ray of passports from infected countries and through those measures we been able to detect and stop over 27 tons of cooked pork from reaching our shore. it's that response that we need. >> thank you. can the minister advise the senate on risks to a strong bias a kitty systems? >> thank you so much. senator mcmahon, yes, i can talk about the risks. the risks to our bio security system is complacency. complacency from industry and complacency from travelers and people that would think it's okay to bring that home cooked sausage into your son or daughter who may be studying at

our great institutions. you think it's okay that you walk out of high-quality food here in australia so you pack your suitcase full of cooked pork products and maybe squid and away you go. what we found on the way was that yes, squid. on the weekend a woman from vietnam arrived on our shores with 10 kilos of material which was significant bio security breach. she breached our legislation and we have sent her back to vietn vietnam. >> on the other side of climate they are skeptics of men in the austro impoundment who are international commitment. >> my question is for the senator representing the prime minister. on the third of october, 2019th the prime minister during the lower institutes

quote, are pushing for a borderless global community that aims to damage our livelihood, safety and sovereignty. twenty-five years ago -- they warned of the dangers of unelected bureaucracies and rebuilding the federation and specifically named the united nations. twenty-three years ago the mp called out the 1992 declaration agenda 21. ... 21 when can we expect the australian government to remove us from the following damaging treaties and protocols and declaration cracks the 1982 b declaration for 21st century government and the kyoto agreement and the paris agreement >> thank you very much. let me just say right up front,

it was a great speech. i would invite all colleagues to read it and to read it in its full context, and what i would also say is that australia, the world's 13th largest economy, we do take our international responsibilities very seriously, but that doesn't mean from time to time, we don't express a view about things that could be improved, when it comes to the international architecture that we operate in. from time to time, it needs updated, and indeed we have expressed the view in relation to our multilateral trading infrastructure that there are some improvements that could and should be made, and that is something that we are articulating forcefully in the appropriate forum. you also mentioned richard corden and senator smith, we had the privilege to serve in the

office. richard corden did a lot of great things for the great state of australia. i'm pleased you are aware of the contributions he's made over the years. let me conclude. i would encourage every senator in this chamber, to read precisely what the prime minister has said in his speech at the lower institute. there's a lot of verbaling going on. in particular by the labour party, . we are absolutely committed to do the right thing internationally, to take our international responsibilities very seriously indeed. >> supplementary question? >> thank you, mr. president.

>> doing outstanding job, doing outstanding job there too. let me just say i represent the prime minister in this chamber, and not former premier of the great state of australia, you know, i note the comments that senator roberts has provided. let me also refer the chamber to my initial -- that australia does take its international responsibilities seriously and we are active and constructive participants in all of the

relevant international forum, always pursuing australia's national interests. always pursuing advancing australia's national interests, and of course we are represented with distinction by our outstanding foreign minister, who does a great job on our behalf, and, you know, we are represented by fine -- >> order -- order. senator roberts, final supplemental question. >> thank you mr. president. although the prime minister didn't quite have the courage to name the united nations as unelected international bureaucracy that he was condemning, when can we expect australia to have the courage to exit the united nations and allow australians through the ballot box to determine their future rather than unelected unaccountable socialist bureaucrats. >> order. order. senator coleman? >> thank you very much; mr. president, we are a founding member of the united nations. we won't be leaving the united nations. but that doesn't mean we can't

strive to improve the operation of international bodies that we are a part of, and, you know, any organization made up of human beings is, you know, can always be -- always able to be improved. it's not at al flawless -- all flawless. it is quite appropriate for the prime minister to assess all of the issues that we believe are important from australia -- international interest point of view. that's indeed what he did and i commend the prime minister's speech to you again as i did before >> the second fortnight of widespread campaign from the media on press freedom. this is seen -- usually a different group of media companies come together and ask the question about whether or not the government is truly committed to press freedom after raids on journalists earlier this year. >> the opposition? >> thank you, mr. speaker. my question to the prime minister, i refer to the front

page -- >> will the prime minister now rule out prosecuting, abc journalist and news corp. journalist to doing their jobs? does the prime minister agree that journalism is not a crime? >> thank you, mr. speaker. i agree that journalism is not a crime, but i agree also, and i wonder if the leader of the opposition agrees that if people -- whatever profession they are in, whether they are politicians, whether they are journalists, anyone, mr. speaker, public initiofficials, there's no one in this country that's above the law. people shouldn't be prosecuted for their profession. they should only from prosecuted if they have been found --

[inaudible] -- >> members -- >> i don't believe the decisions about who should be prosecuted at the end of the day should be made by politicians. i think they should be made under the law and a constituted law enforcement agency. that's why, mr. speaker -- >> if the prime minister could pause for a second. those on my left are interdicting far too loudly. i need to be able to hear the prime minister. if you keep interjecting, i h will take the required action. >> mr. speaker, the government believes absolutely in press freedoms in this country, and we have taken the steps to add additional defenses into our laws to ensure that journalists, mr. speaker, can go about their -- [inaudible] -- in fact, mr. speaker, it is those

protections that apply to many others around the country, and those were put in our government, not those opposite because i remember when those were in government, they sought to gag the press in this coun y country, mr. speaker. they sought to gag the press in this country with their media reforms that wanted to implement a public interest media advocate to try and stifle the press, mr. speaker, in this country. now, mr. speaker, i'm not going to take lectures from a labour party who sought in this place when they were in government to try and muzzle the press. in stark contrast, we have provided important guidelines to law enforcement agents about how they can best go about their business. i note also the statements from the commissioner, mr. speaker, in the work he is doing to review these matters. i tell you what, mr. speaker, if it comes to a position in this

country, where prime ministers and politicians decide who gets prosecuted and who doesn't get prosecuted, without taking the appropriate advice and without seeing the appropriate -- which are required under legislation, when we get to the point whether where the leaders of the opposition wants to arbitrarily, outside the law, decide who gets prosecuted and who doesn't, mr. speaker, then that's not a country that i think australians would want to live in. >> the spring races season is in full flow in australia, but for some the season has gone out of celebrations after a recent media report highlighting the promise of racing organizations to rehone all racehorses is failing miserably. >> the member? >> my question to the prime minister, prime minister, the revelations on abc last week

exposed the vile treatment of horses in queensland. if it is happening there, it is a safe bet it is happening elsewhere including in tasmania. systemic animal cruelty is rampant in australia, horse racing, greyhound racing, live exports, puppy and kitten fac facts -- kitten factories and industrial production. prime minister, we finally acknowledge the systemic failing of animal welfare in this country and establish a national independent office of animal welfare. >> the prime minister. >> thank you, mr. speaker. i thank the member for his question and i share with him and i would be certain that all members of this house would share their deep concern at the images that were recently seen and screened. i found them very concerning and very disturbing, mr. speaker. and i have no doubt that australians across the country

were equally disturbed. our country cares for our animals and in particular our farmers and those across our rural districts care deeply for their livestock and want to manage those issues in the best possible way. and so mr. speaker, the government of course will consider all its options in relation to dealing with these matters and ask the minister representing the agriculture -- >> thank you, mr. speaker. thank you, prime minister. i do share the concern, the sadness and the anger in particular. i don't think there's anyone in this place that would not agree that that's abhorrent. can i say we're working with the queensland government in a constructive way to make sure that action is taken and that it's undertaken as quickly as we possibly can. any resources the queensland asks, they will get. we are confident the queensland

to continue on. this has been something that is quite traumatic to many of those in the industry, the vast majority of participants in those industries find this abhorrent. it is against their morals and their culture, and they are hurting from this as well. we expect -- we expect the states to live up to their responsibilities as they have in managing animal welfare in this country. we don't need another bureaucracy. we need the bureaucracy to do their job. >> as remembrance day approaches, the government has made a new promise, remembrance all around the year. more recognition of australian veterans including a pin that any veteran can wear so they can be recognized in society amongst people and businesses >> the member can begin his question again. the clock will restart. >> thank you, mr. speaker. my question to the minister for veterans defense personnel, next month on november 11th,

australia will mark remembrance day. can the minister advise what this government is doing to recognize australian veterans both on remembrance day and throughout the year? >> the minister for veterans' affairs and defense personnel. >> well, thank you, mr. speaker. i thank the member for his question. i think all understand the nature of service, the reason we run in the first place is to serve our communities. for those of us who have actually served in uniform, and those opposite as well who served, thank you for the service to our nation. on remembrance day, mr. speaker, november 11th, we recognize those who have provided the ultimate service to our country. throughout australia, in our cities and country towns, we stop, we pause to remember and reflect on that service. as a grateful nation, mr. speaker, and as a mark of respect, we pause to remember and give thanks to those who

have served in the past but also those who are continuing to serve today. we have a lot to be thankful for in this nation. we have a great deal to be thankful for. the freedoms we have enswroied today have come -- we have enjoyed today have come to a huge price. the names on the war memorial, many thousands more who were injured in conflicts and those who came back and carried those scars for life, we have a great deal to be thankful for as a nation. this remembrance day, we particularly give thanks to all those who served in the past, but also to the families who supported them, and as a government we are endeavoring -- i must say overwhelmingly with support of those opposite to improve the services we can provide to our veterans and their families throughout our nation, particularly our wronger veterans on a transition, whether it be from peacekeeping missions or deployment in conflict zones, we are constructively and practically and with the goodwill of those opposite continuing to give better services, better

opportunities, better support for our veterans and their families throughout the. we encourage the australian nation to take the time to pause and reflect, to reflect on those who have gone before us, but also to spare a thought for those who are serving today. they can be injured in training. they can be injured in humanitarian missions, and in peacekeeping duty or on deployment throughout the world. as we pause to reflect on the service, i encourage each and every one of us to keep in our thoughts, our prayers those who continue to serve today. we say to them thank you for your service, lest we forget. >> that's been another edition of question time wrap, a look at australia's parliament. thanks for watching. >> watch the c-span network live next week as the house intelligence committee holds the first public impeachment hearings. the committee led by chairman

adam schiff will hear from three state department officials starting wednesday at 10:00 a.m. eastern on c-span 3, top u.s. diplomat in ukraine william taylor and deputy assistant secretary of state george kent will testify. and then on friday, at 11:00 a.m. eastern, on c-span 2, former u.s. ambassador to ukraine, will appear before the committee. ahead of the hearings read witness testimony from the deposition, find the transcripts at c-span.org slash impeachment. we're making it easier for you to watch c-span's coverage of the impeachment inquiry and the administration's response. if you miss our live coverage, to go to our page c-span.org/impeachment for video on-demand. we have added a tally from the associated press showing where each house democrat stands on the impeachment inquiry against president trump. follow the impeachment inquiry

on our web page, at c-span.org/impeachment. it's your fast and easy way to watch c-span's unfiltered coverage, any time. >> the book how america's political parties change and how they don't author is joining us. good sunday morning. thank you for being with us. >> thank you for having me on. it is a delight to be here. >> let me begin by chapter 2 of your book you say let me describe what i believe to be the enduring character the political dna of our two major political parties. what is their dna? >> they have changed their positions on issues over the years. they are very old parties. the republican party started off as protectionist party became the free trade party around about the 70s. now with president trump they are kind of the trade party. the enduring character is that the republican are party has always been found at around a