Another big week in Parliament with important legislation passing, a world leader visiting and a former Prime Minister heading for the door.

In case you’ve missed it - there’s also a 5&5 Live Podcast these days. My guest this week is the Labor MP, Zaneta Mascharenas, and you can listen and subscribe to it here.

Here’s the 5&5.

BEST

Every taxpayer will get a tax cut
Somehow still dim in the spotlight
Peter Dutton the butcher
Josh Burns’ power couples smackdown
President Marcos

WORST

*dog whistle sound*
Matt Canavan on the “useless” gender pay gap data
For the last time - Scott Morrison
The Opposition oppose their own policy?
Another scare campaign from Dutton

1. On Wednesday night the Government’s cost of living tax cuts passed the Parliament. It means that every taxpayer will get a tax cut. As usual the Opposition tried to stand in the way and now say they’ll go back to the drawing board when it comes to their tax plan.

2. During Question Time the sun filters through the windows in the House and gradually moves around the chamber. You have these movements where individual members are perfectly lit up, as though there’s a spotlight on them. On Tuesday the Liberal MP for the seat of Groom, Garth Hamilton, interjected while the PM was answering a question. The light happened to be shining on him at that exact moment. The PM didn’t miss in taking the interjection. “The light shines upon the member for Groom, but it doesn't make him any brighter!”

3. Jason Clare has this way of being completely disarming when answering questions. On Tuesday during a question on education he began talking about the jobs people take to support their study at education. He went around the room, rattling off all the jobs that members had had in uni. He explained how the PM had worked at Pancakes on the Rocks, Peter Dutton had worked at a butcher’s shop, Anika Wells had worked at an aged care centre, and Meryl Swanson had pulled beers at a brewery. Which was really clever and funny until he pointed out that Keith Pitt had worked as a lifeguard. At this moment Pat Conroy interjected “Baywatch!” and I now have an image I’ll never get out of my mind.

4. Power couples. Not a topic I was expecting to be debated in the Parliament, but this from Josh Burns was really clever.

5. There was an important joint sitting of the House and the Senate on Thursday – with President Marcos of the Philippines addressing the Parliament. As part of his speech he reflected on the importance of our shared history and friendship.

“When the Southern Cross met the Pearl of the Orient, our friendship blossomed, withstood the test of war and flourished through the changes brought about by a world in flux. Looking ahead, I am confident that Filipinos and Australians will remain steadfast partners, unyielding and uncompromising in our shared values.”

1. Another of the Opposition’s scare campaigns this week was about migration numbers. The Speaker, Milton Dick, pulled up an Opposition member who was interjecting by whistling. Anne Aly had the perfect response: “It was a dog whistle!”

2. We had important gender pay gap data come out this week. For a long time Labor has campaigned that this data – which was already being collected – should be published so you can work out which companies have the worst gender pay gap. Nationals Senator Matt Canavan had a different view, saying the data was “useless”. To her credit Sussan Ley was out there immediately responding and rejecting what Senator Canavan had said. But it shouldn’t have been only the deputy who was out there. What did we hear from Peter Dutton? Absolutely nothing. The gender pay gap – at 12% – is now the lowest it's ever been, but we have more work to do.

3. Scott Morrison gave his valedictory speech this week, reflecting on his time as Prime Minister. In the 35 minute speech he talked about being honest when it comes to his own failings and shortcomings. The only problem was at no point in the 35 minute speech did he acknowledge a failing or a shortcoming. We’re still waiting for the five other speeches on all of his other secret portfolios.

4. The Opposition has found a new policy to oppose. This time it’s on the Government’s planned vehicle efficiency standards - which will save people money as more fuel efficient cars are brought into the country. The weird thing is the policy they’re opposing is in fact it their policy from back in 2018! On Monday when they asked Catherine King a question on it - she hit back, reminding the Opposition of all their greatest hits when it came to previous scare campaigns.

“Well, here we go again. It's the political party of the '$100 lamb roast'. I had lamb on the weekend, and I don't remember it being $100. It was very nice, thank you very much. It's the party of, 'Whyalla will be wiped off the map.' I haven't been there recently, but I know the Prime Minister has. There are millions of dollars of investment going into Whyalla. And, of course, it's the party of 'the end of the weekend'. Well, here we go again. You cannot believe a single thing these Chicken Littles of Australian politics say – not a single thing.”

5. Peter Dutton really tried to get some mileage out of his vehicle efficiency scare campaign this week. The PM put him in his place at the end of Question Time on Tuesday.

“He was down there in Dunkley at the used-car yard happy to stand up and try to sell the Morrison scare campaign from back in 2019. The Leader of the Opposition's used-car model is noisy, unreliable and only turns right. It only works in reverse and won't ever go forward. It only goes backwards. It won't drive in Melbourne at night—you've got to remember all of those migrants. And it's made entirely of glass. It's a bit of a bold design move from this guy. Like the bulldozer from Cook, who has left, it's designed to wreck, not to build.”

Both the House and the Senate will be back in a fortnight.

‘til then,

Tony

PS. Given the focus on women’s rights at work this week with the release of that important gender pay gap data – song of the week is ‘9 to 5’ by Dolly Parton.

5&5: The Bulldozer has left the building