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

We know that this is about a desperate attempt to delay debate on the CPRS. Well, all I am arguing is that we have some honesty about that. If there is a majority in the Senate for that, say so. Otherwise, bring the bills on. Let us debate them. Let us have a vote on them. Let us determine how this country should respond to the challenge of CO2 emissions. Let us deal with the policy debate. But if you are not prepared to deal with it then at least be honest and say so.

Under this resolution proposed by Senator Parry we have the subterfuge that somehow we will get the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme bills again, sometime, maybe, on Thursday, and then they will go, ‘Oh golly gosh, we’ve run out of time! Isn’t that terrible! Oh, is that the time? We’ve got to go home. Oh, isn’t that horrible! Surprise, surprise!’ I mean, really—have some political guts. Have some courage. If you are saying to us that you are not going to vote for it, say so. If you are saying to us you are not going to deal with the bill properly this week, say so. Let us have that debate. But do not come in here with this mealy-mouthed effort to pretend that you are ‘helping the government with the urgency of its legislation’. What nonsense!

And to people like Senator Fielding, I say: please be honest with us. If you are really saying that you are not going to deal with it, say so. Be honest. Otherwise, if you are not saying that, I will expect you to vote for a resolution to extend hours to complete the bill, because that will force you to make your position clear. If you are saying to us that you are prepared to deal with the bill, we will move the resolution on sitting hours to ensure that we deal with it. But if you are honestly saying to us that you do not want to deal with it this week then that is fine; we will have the political argument about that. But do us the courtesy of saying that, not hiding behind some other, quite pitiful, excuse.

I accept Senator Xenophon made his position clear yesterday. I do not agree with him, but his position is on the record and that is for him. He wants to deal with it.