Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move the following motion:

That the House:

(1)notes that:

(a)the Senate voted yesterday to support a government bill to repeal the 'Medevac' law, which was helping sick people get the medical treatment they need;

(b)Senator Lambie has repeatedly said she placed a secret condition on her support for the bill, and then told the Senate yesterday that she had secured a deal with the government which led to her voting for the repeal bill, saying 'So I put a proposal to the government, and since then we have worked together really hard to advance that proposal. We've worked to an outcome I believe we both want … As a result of that work, I'm more than satisfied that the conditions are now in place to allow medevac to be repealed.';

(c)the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Cormann, told the Senate the direct opposite, emphatically claiming there was no deal with Senator Lambie, saying 'Let me make the most important point up front: there is no secret deal. Let me repeat that again: there is no secret deal';

(d)the Government gagged debate on the bill, forcing the Senate to vote without knowing the full facts surrounding the agreement that Senator Lambie claims exists;

(e)the media reports today that the Prime Minister wrote a letter to Senator Lambie in relation to the passage of the bill; and

(f)this secrecy and lack of transparency from the Government fundamentally undermines trust in democracy and this Parliament; and

(2)therefore requires the Prime Minister to attend the chamber by 12 noon today to respond to Senator Lambie's statements made in the Senate yesterday, to fully explain the details of all deals, arrangements and understandings with Senator Lambie regarding the 'Medevac' repeal bill and table any associated documents or letters.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Melbourne from moving the following motion immediately:

That the House:

(1)notes that:

(a)the Senate voted yesterday to support a government bill to repeal the 'Medevac' law, which was helping sick people get the medical treatment they need;

(b)Senator Lambie has repeatedly said she placed a secret condition on her support for the bill, and then told the Senate yesterday that she had secured a deal with the government which led to her voting for the repeal bill, saying 'So I put a proposal to the government, and since then we have worked together really hard to advance that proposal. We've worked to an outcome I believe we both want … As a result of that work, I'm more than satisfied that the conditions are now in place to allow medevac to be repealed.';

(c)the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Cormann, told the Senate the direct opposite, emphatically claiming there was no deal with Senator Lambie, saying 'Let me make the most important point up front: there is no secret deal. Let me repeat that again: there is no secret deal';

(d)the Government gagged debate on the bill, forcing the Senate to vote without knowing the full facts surrounding the agreement that Senator Lambie claims exists;

(e)the media reports today that the Prime Minister wrote a letter to Senator Lambie in relation to the passage of the bill; and

(f)this secrecy and lack of transparency from the Government fundamentally undermines trust in democracy and this Parliament; and

(2)therefore requires the Prime Minister to attend the chamber by 12 noon today to respond to Senator Lambie's statements made in the Senate yesterday, to fully explain the details of all deals, arrangements and understandings with Senator Lambie regarding the 'Medevac' repeal bill and table any associated documents or letters.

This parliament has the right to know about legislation that it has voted on and—

Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Member be no longer heard.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the member for Melbourne be no further heard.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the motion seconded?

Andrew Wilkie (Clark, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion and I would add that someone in the Senate has misled the Senate—

Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Member be no longer heard.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the member for Clark be no further heard.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by the member for Melbourne be agreed to.

Question negatived.