Michael Forshaw (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

When I was making my remarks earlier today on this bill, I drew attention to the continuous questioning by Senator Joyce of witnesses during the inquiry, where he was seeking to lead them to make a statement that they should all go out and support the National Party or the Liberal Party in the next federal election in Queensland. I was endeavouring to find a quote and I have found it during the break. I quote from the Hansard of Friday, 31 August. Senator Joyce asked a question of Councillor Brown:

Can you see any pressure points coming up on the horizon that may be exerted that may encourage people to be a bit more active in trying to support your cause, and where might those political pressure points be?

Councillor BrownI dare say that there probably would be. What you want me to say is that it is probably the federal election.

Senator Moore interjected and said:

That is what he wants you to say.

Senator Joyce said:

I have never suggested anything.

We had a speech here for 20 minutes today in which Senator Joyce stated quite clearly that this is all about trying to get Queenslanders who are upset with the state Labor government over forced local council amalgamations to vote for the coalition in the federal election. Yet he said during the inquiry, on the record, that he had never suggested anything of the sort! That is the nonsense that went on during this inquiry. The other point I was drawing attention to was the duplicitous position—and I use that word ‘duplicitous’ because it has been thrown around here a lot, as it was during the inquiry—of government senators attacking the Labor Party members in Queensland because, apparently, people in the Labor Party at the federal level have a different view from those at the state level. Shock! Horror! Fancy that ever occurring in the history of politics in this country!

When the committee was considering issues dealing with amending the federal Constitution to include recognition of local government, Senator Joyce stated:

I think the inclusion of local government in the Constitution is a great idea. I am all for that.

We pointed out to Senator Joyce at that time during the inquiry that he had actually voted against a proposition to that very effect last year. He could not remember it. When he finally had a look at the Hansard during the inquiry hearing he came back later and made a statement to the effect of: ‘I would like to clarify something, Mr Chairman. I have changed my mind, and it is a healthy thing to change your mind.’ Then we had the situation where I asked Mr Bruce Scott, when he appeared in Emerald:

What is your position and the National Party’s position on supporting a constitutional change to give recognition to local government in the federal Constitution? That would be a head of power that could be relied upon to put this legislation through and potentially to then enforce the results of plebiscites.

Mr Bruce Scott replied:

What you are talking about is recognising local government as a legitimate third tier of government in this country. Personally, my position is that I would support that.

Then, after a few more comments by Mr Scott, Senator Ian Macdonald interjected and said:

It is a view you have long held, if I remember correctly.

Mr Bruce Scott said:

It is indeed.

I said:

Is that true? You have long held that view?

Mr Scott said:

Yes.

I then said:

Why did you vote against that very proposition in the House of Representatives last year, on 17 October?

Mr Bruce Scott replied:

What did I vote against?

He did not have a clue; he could not remember what his position was. Let us return to the bill before us, which deals with a specific situation that has arisen in Queensland as a result of state government legislation that would have prevented councillors and councils from holding local plebiscites on forced amalgamations. If they had done so, if they had supported those plebiscites, they would have been subject to serious penalties.

I do not support the actions of the Queensland government. The then Premier himself, Mr Beattie, acknowledged that it was an overreaction to the interference by the federal government. Mr Howard is on the record on at least two occasions as saying, ‘This legislation is not about amalgamations.’ He was not seeking to impose a view or make a statement about whether he supported amalgamations in Queensland.