Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the opposition for their support in having these bills dealt with today. I appreciate that they are prepared to allow us to debate these bills again without applying the cut-off. It is the sort of cooperation we welcome from the opposition. They have a very keen interest in having these matters resolved. They have a very keen interest in having them passed, because they know, if they have opened the Adelaide Advertiser or any other paper today, that if these bills are not passed they will wear the political blame. Certainly Senator Xenophon has got a lot of focus today, but the opposition know what the long-term political impact will be if these bills are not passed, so I appreciate their support.

I just rose to make the very simple point that everyone now understands: the reason the government is negotiating with the minor parties is because they are willing to negotiate. They take an interest in these issues. They accept that the stimulus package is in the national interest. What we are arguing about is the detail. Each of the minor parties has made a contribution to that. We have had our disagreements, but they are focused, as we are, on getting the package passed. The opposition dealt themselves out of the game last Wednesday. They said: ‘We will block it in the House of Representatives; we will block it in the Senate. We will make ourselves totally irrelevant to the process. We will not accept our responsibilities as parliamentarians or as an alternative government. We will rule ourselves out of the process.’ That is the decision they made; that is the decision they have to live with. They have come in during the last couple of days and said: ‘Why don’t they talk to us? Why don’t they negotiate with us?’ Because you declared you would oppose this every step of the way. And, while you may be feeling the heat and you may like to change your position, everybody knows that you decided that you would play long-term politics rather than act in the national interest.

Opposition senator after opposition senator came into this chamber and made big speeches about debts and Gough Whitlam. They convinced themselves of the righteousness of their position. They said, ‘Maybe in a year or so we can say we told you so.’ They said, ‘We’d rather play long-term politics than engage in the national interest today.’ So do not come in here and cry about not being consulted. The opposition dealt themselves out. Peter Costello went into the party room and frightened Malcolm Turnbull, and they all convinced themselves that they were better off sticking together and going down together on this ridiculously irresponsible path.

I know, from what I have read in the paper, that both your leader and deputy leader in this place did not agree with this tactic; they understood the stupidity of this tactic. It has been reported, and it has not been refuted as far as I have seen, that the leadership in the Senate actually said, ‘This is madness.’ There was an interesting combination: I understand Mr Pyne and Senator Minchin were as one on this. This is only just short of a miracle. There was an epiphany in the Liberal Party’s party room: Mr Pyne and Senator Minchin agreeing. That is what the Liberal Party has come to. This is the parlous state they have come to, that they both went around the back and met. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall.

Mr President, to return to the very serious debate at hand, the reason the government are negotiating with the minor parties on this package is because we believe it is in the national interest to have a proper stimulus package to try to protect Australian jobs. We are very focused on that. We think it is important. The opposition have said they are not interested. They are going to vote no. They are not going to support Australian jobs; they are not going to support Australian families. They are just going to vote no. They have dealt themselves out of the debate. So I appreciate that the minor parties are cooperating with the government in the negotiations. I appreciate the responsible position the Greens, Senator Fielding and Senator Xenophon have taken. I would hope that Senator Xenophon and the minor parties today would again consider their position and support the government in trying to get these bills through. We are open to negotiation; we are open to trying to get the right package—not at any price, though, but it is important. We do regard it as a matter of urgency; we do think it is in the national interest and we would appreciate the support of the Senate.

If the opposition want to be relevant and think that this should not go on for a long time today, vote for the package; vote for the package and all will be resolved. If you think that the minors are holding people to ransom, as you say, act as an alternative government, act responsibly, and pass the package. If you indicate that today, clearly we will move through this very quickly. The decision is in their hands, Mr President. I appreciate their cooperation on procedural matters. That tells you where their hearts really lie on these issues. Hopefully, by the end of the day the Senate will support what is an important, responsible and urgently needed package of stimuli to protect jobs and to protect families from the worst effects of this global financial crisis.