Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I think it is really important that Senator Brown realise, if he is going to recommit this vote, what it is about. What Senator Fisher moved is something terribly important to horticultural producers, especially in the requirements they need to keep them viable. In our area, in areas such as St George, this is going to have overwhelming ramifications. Those producers have been watching this vote and they believed that at that point in time they had actually got somewhere—and now, because Senator Brown missed a division, we have to go through the process of recommitting it. This has huge ramifications for people in that industry. I ask Senator Brown, if he wants the vote recommitted, to strongly consider his position, the ramifications for those people in the horticultural industry and the effect it will have if we go forward and change it.

I would also like to bring this to Senator Brown’s attention. Senator Brown came in here yesterday with a motion that he had never actually lobbied anybody over. It regarded Caroona and the coalmining in that area—an extremely sensitive issue. We were trying to get the numbers and trying to actually get somewhere on this issue, but in a point of theatrics he came in here and moved a wedge motion to try to divide the place, to blow the place to pieces, to lose support all around the shop. We were really looking forward to being engaged in this process and getting somewhere, but no, we did not do that. Yesterday it was the wedge to blow support up; today it is forgetting to turn up to the chamber to vote. This is starting to show a pattern and on both issues it is extremely unsavoury.