Andrew Murray (WA, Australian Democrats) Share this | Hansard source

I want to indicate at the outset that the Democrats will be supporting the government amendments that are listed on the running sheet. The reason we are doing that is that we think they strengthen the legislation. In saying that we will be supporting those amendments, I want to acknowledge our party’s appreciation for the work of Liberal and National party senators, and some Liberal and National party members, in ensuring that the government adjusts its package to recognise real issues of concern with the legislation that was before us.

In an earlier remark, Senator Ian Macdonald made a true point which is well understood by parliamentarians but probably not as well understood elsewhere. That was that parliamentarians are obliged, including those in my own party, to put a great deal of faith and trust in the portfolio holder, because you simply cannot get across every issue with the welter of issues that are before us. But it is incumbent on all parliamentarians to not take that to an extreme and to be alert to issues of national public interest or significance which need attention. Now that the government does have the numbers in the Senate, a number of Liberal and National senators and members have stepped up to the plate in being a little more assertive, whereas formerly they could rely on the opposition or the crossbench to do that job for them, knowing where those parties stood on matters of principle.

In finding their feet in that regard, there have been allegations of disloyalty and disunity, whereas in fact leading proponents of this assertiveness, such as Senator Joyce, are merely indicating that that is the proper role in an environment where otherwise the executive would hold sway—because, as we know, even if there are members of the cabinet who disagree with particular matters, once the majority are concluded that that is how it will be those ministers have to fall in line. That does not apply to parliamentarians not in the cabinet; they do not have to fall in line; and in this bill they have not fallen in line. Therefore the amendments by the government would not have happened without the active engagement of Liberal and National senators, and those of us who are not government senators would have been left in the situation where we simply put amendments and lose on a mass vote without proper consideration of what we put before the parliament.

With respect to Liberal and National senators, I would say that sometimes they should have a closer look at some of the amendments from the crossbenchers that they are throwing out automatically, because sometimes they do have merit. Over the last nine or 10 years, many amendments forced upon the government have, in retrospect, been found to be perfectly acceptable, have actually worked rather well and people have been pleased that they have come about. All wisdom does not reside in me or in my party and neither does it reside in anyone else or any other party, so I think what we are seeing here is a development in maturity, frankly, in the way the Senate operates in a situation where the government has the numbers.

Having made those broad remarks in appreciation of the role of those who in many respects had great courage, frankly, in standing up on these matters, given the view of some of their colleagues that you have to be loyal and united regardless of the issue, I will indicate our broad support throughout for the government amendments, which improve this package.