Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Joyce makes a very good point. But can I just respond to the minister’s answer to my question—which she chose not to answer but simply used to abuse me and others who have the temerity to question our government on what funds they are putting aside for this. I acknowledged to her that I did not expect a dollar figure. I asked her to tell us what the parameters might be. I asked her to tell us whether she expected to come away from Copenhagen without having mentioned funds to developing countries but that, if she was intending to say something, could she indicate to us just what the parameters are and how it is going to be assessed?

I say to the minister that, if she is simply going to get up in response to questions and abuse the questioner, then we are going to be here until Christmas. This is the greatest piece of economic rearrangement of Australia in a lifetime. We understand the government has a position, wants to get this through and claims a mandate—and all of that may be true—but at least this Senate should be able to question the minister on just what this might cost and how it is going to operate. If the minister, in answer to those questions, simply abuses the questioner, we are going to be here for a very long time. I suggest the minister might need to find a fill-in for Copenhagen, because if that is the way she is going to keep answering our questions, we will keep asking the questions—and we can do that until we get an answer.