Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, I would like an answer to it; maybe the National Party could supply it. Senators who have been here since at least five or six years ago will know that it was not permissible to take photos from the galleries—the press were not permitted to take photographs—as recently as that. It was a motion I put to change that rule, which the Senate adopted, which meant that we could have a photographer in the press gallery just a few moments ago. Before that, there was a total prohibition on photographers except for the first 30 minutes of question time—and then, bang, they were asked to leave at that stage.

We have seen the rules amended for breastfeeding—and I am interested in what Senator Collins had to say, and I thank her for her very generous contribution—but I do not know that there has ever been a mother who has breastfed in this chamber. And it is very obvious why that is likely to be so. What we are talking about is mothers bringing very young children, infants, into the chamber on occasions where they have felt that that was temporarily and very briefly a reasonable thing to do.

I think people who are elected to this place and who have children have the common sense to know what is a reasonable thing and what is not. The President must always have the discretion to intervene if they do not show that common sense. I note that all presidents since I have been here have been very good with children who come into the public galleries. We all know how disrupting it is if suddenly a child starts crying or creating a lot of noise in the public gallery—and very swiftly they are removed. Very swiftly, kindly and gently their parents are assisted to have them be taken away, and they cease to be a distraction.

I do not think it is beyond our wit and wisdom to improve the rules to make sure that some accommodation is made for mothers and, indeed, fathers who have the common sense to know that, if they bring a child in here, the child should not be disruptive, the time should be brief and it should only be done on rare occasions. Some good will come of this. I hope the Senate will vote for this reference. I know that the Procedure Committee will take into account the debate and the changing circumstances in modern Australia in 2009. I certainly hope that they will adopt the suggested amendment or something similar.

Question, as amended, agreed to.