George Campbell (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I accept the explanation that Senator Parry has made with respect to the two senators in question. At the end of my comments we will grant leave for the third reading to be recommitted to the chamber. It is an unusual set of circumstances. It is not unusual for senators to miss divisions in this place but it is certainly unusual for three senators to miss a division on the one occasion. It is difficult to judge whether people are abstaining or whether they have genuinely, for whatever reasons, missed the division. It is disruptive to the work of the Senate to have to recommit motions and to have a recount. We are already working to a tight timetable, at the government’s insistence. We sat long hours last week and we are sitting long hours this week in order to get through a fairly substantial legislative program. We can do without these sorts of disruptions.

It has always been Labor’s position that any votes taken in this chamber should express the will and the make-up of the chamber. That is why we will grant the recommittal of the motion to the Senate. But it is up to the government to ensure that its members are disciplined and attend the chamber when required. At the end of the day, it is the responsibility of the government to manage the chamber; it is not our responsibility. It lies with the government to ensure that its members are disciplined enough to attend the chamber and be in attendance when votes are required. Having said those few words, I am happy to grant leave for the motion on the third reading to be recommitted.