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The next interview on ABC radio RN is with the shadow employment minister Michaelia Cash who has a lot to say about the scrapping of the ABCC. Cash, you may remember, was one of its biggest supporters while in government. She is outraged at it being scrapped while in opposition.

That is to be expected. Cash oversaw the body and was one of its biggest defenders.

The interview then moves on to whether or not the Coalition will support legislating an emissions reduction target and that is when things get personal.

Cash refuses to accept that the electorate sent the Coalition a message at the election and accuses Patricia Karvelas of not wanting to give the Coalition credit for what it did on climate.

Asked if Labor has a mandate to legislate a target, given it won the election, Cash responds with;

The Coalition won more votes than the Australian Labor party.

Cash says there is no way the Coalition will support legislating a target and says if her colleague Bridget Archer supports it, then that is a matter for her.

And on Scott Morrison’s absence (he is in Japan at a meeting of former prime ministers) Tony Burke says if he is getting paid to speak, he should declare that.

The opposition have not requested a pair for Morrison, Burke says.

Burke:

Sometimes people have deeply personal reasons that they can’t come because of sickness or a loved one.

And those quiet conversations happened with the whip, between the whips, and so there are occasions where it’s appropriate and that that happens.

If someone’s being paid to do another job, then I’m not sure how they get away with the taxpayers paying them to do this one.

On question time (the first one will be tomorrow) Tony Burke says there will be a bit of a vibe shift:

The big standing orders change effectively will be the role of the crossbench; where they used to only have one question they’ll now have three.

The thing that I’ve said is this … to debate in the parliament, you’re still going to have the back and forth, and I think that’s healthy to have that – what you are less likely to find, though, is where 95% of an answer is about the other side of politics.

He says there will still be sledging, but just less of it.

On domestic and family violence paid leave, and why not also concentrate on sick leave, Tony Burke says:

I really want to make sure that we acknowledge that this one is different to any other entitlement.

This is something where the gravity of whether or not someone gets out of the situation– principally women but not exclusively women – there are already so many things stacked against them making it hard, worried about worried about other family members worried about children worried about what happens to a whole social network.

I just don’t want losing your job or being poor to be added to that list.

So I hear what you say about the other principles that are otherwise wrapped up in casual loading.

My starting point is I want to get more people into secure work. So the way I want to deal with those principles … I want to get people into secure jobs where they where they want them.

But with family and domestic violence leave, I just start with this core principle – you shouldn’t have to choose between your safety and your wages.

And that means logically, we have to apply it to casuals as well.

The head of the ABCC will still be paid their $450,00 salary, though. Tony Burke says as a statutory appointment, that has to continue until the legislation is repealed.

I would have loved to abolish the organisation yesterday. But you know, in terms of legislative programme, that legislation will come probably in a couple of months time.

My first priority on legislation was family and domestic violence leave and so that’s that’s where I’ve started things.

Tony Burke says the move to abolish the ABCC will be one of the first acts of the new government, and regardless of what happens with the legislation, the body will be unfunded – the government will allow the funding to lapse.

Burke says the important work of the construction watchdog will be split between the fair work ombudsman and the safety regulators;

The Fair Work Ombudsman has the capacity to deal with a series of right of entry and other disputes, where there was something that used to be unlawful that was at the more ridiculous end of things, like flags like stickers, or like for example, the fact that you couldn’t have on construction in an enterprise agreement a clause that encouraged people to get permanent jobs or that had…apprenticeships attached to it. Those principles are now gone.

So no one takes over the ridiculous stuff that’s gone.

But safety issues go to the normal safety regulators and the rest goes to the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Tony Burke said the government will be able to move forward with its commitment for a 43% emissions reduction commitment without legislation.

Obviously, as we said during the election, we’ll be able to implement our commitments whether or not this legislation is passed, our preferences that it be passed, and we’re hoping that we can bring people together to do that.

So how quickly will the climate legislation get through the parliament?

Tony Burke:

I have never pretended to understand what what happens once it gets to the Senate. It is my intention, though, to get it through the House of Reps during this fortnight.

Burke says the senate does not have to wait for the legislation to arrive before it sets up a committee (if it wants to) but that what the senate does is a matter for the senate.

The employment minister, Tony Burke, is on ABC Radio RN speaking about Labor’s climate bill and the reports the government is willing to compromise with the Greens over the legislated target.

Burke:

Chris Bowen is leading those negotiations, and he’s conducting them in good faith. So we’re not going to depart from what our election commitment was, the discussions with the crossbench and the different parties have been happening in good faith.

I understand Chris is going to be standing up in a couple of hours to be able to give an update on where all that said that is and those those two principles where something’s within our election commitments, where it doesn’t involve a departure of the expectations, we go to the community, then we’re having those discussions.

Good morning

Amy Remeikis

Happy new parliament day (for those who observe).

The 47th parliament will officially open a little bit later today, after hours of pomp and ceremony and of course, the 19 gun salute.

Anthony Albanese, Peter Dutton and a large swathe of the parliament are attending the traditional church service ahead of the sitting. Guardian Australia’s photographer-at-large Mike Bowers is there, of course, and will bring you all the details (and snaps).

After their “planning” day yesterday the Nationals are trying to work out where they fit in the scheme of things, while the Greens, buoyed by increased numbers, are working out how best to hold Labor to account on climate.

But before the politics comes the pomp. It’ll be some time before we get to the nitty gritty of Labor’s agenda and the 18 pieces of legislation it plans on introducing.

Of course, the issues in aged care and Covid won’t wait for the ceremony: both aged care and the health sectors are completely overwhelmed by both the pandemic and staff shortages. The ADF personnel deployment extension may fill some gaps, but not enough to ensure everyone gets the right amount of care and workers get a break.

And after Splendour in the Grass showed yet another impact of climate change – with the festival hit by huge rain squalls, cancelling the first day and bogging attendees in – and many still without a home or permanent shelter from the floods which hit the region, the Labor government can’t ignore the need for urgent climate action either.

The Liberal MP Bridget Archer says she is open to supporting Labor’s 43% emissions reduction bill, but the true test will be in the Senate.

We will bring you all the news as it happens with Katharine Murphy, Paul Karp, Tory Shepherd and Josh Butler following all of the Canberra news.

You’ve got me, Amy Remeikis, on the blog for most of the day and, of course, Mike Bowers guiding the way, as usual.

It’ll be a four coffee day.

Ready?