07:50

In two interviews – with Sky and ABC’s Afternoon Briefing – Labor’s Tony Burke has been asked about Labor’s position on mandatory minimum sentences for paedophiles.

The reason is that last week the attorney general, Christian Porter, and home affairs minister, Peter Dutton, announced the government would introduce a bill with mandatory sentences.



The issue is difficult for Labor because its platform opposes mandatory sentencing, as Kim Carr has forcefully noted in the party room, but Burke seems to be signalling it may support such a bill despite opposing that element.



However, the issue will not be decided tonight at shadow cabinet or tomorrow at caucus – because the Coalition has removed mandatory sentences from the Combatting Child Sexual Exploitation Legislation Amendment bill 2019 – which is before the parliament.



So mandatory sentences are likely a problem for another day when the Coalition introduces a new bill.