Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment Participation, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Chairman, maybe Senator Parry did get it wrong: it was not the minister’s office that was confused; rather, we have a very confused minister here. Senator Carr sat in the chamber and listened to Senator Parry outline what he was seeking leave to achieve. Senator Parry very clearly spelt out the two amendments that the opposition would be recommitting, and Senator Carr sat in this chamber and still could not follow the program. No wonder this government cannot manage a legislative program. If Senator Carr had listened to what Senator Parry had said just 10 minutes ago, he would have known that the first thing that would happen would be the recommitment of this amendment on behalf of the opposition. In my little contribution earlier, I confirmed that the only reason I did not call for a division then was that the minister had given me an indication that Senator Xenophon would not be supporting the amendment. Also, based on the Greens’ earlier position, I was not going to press the point through a division.

I have never reached an agreement with the minister’s office in relation to anything to do with this amendment. Minister, you might be sending paperwork to my office—that is fine—but I can tell you very clearly, through you, Mr Chairman, that the opposition has always been committed to this amendment. Dr Andrew Southcott, as the shadow minister, was committed to it. I was committed to it. Senator Mason was committed to it. All of us have been committed to it. At no point in time have we ever given an indication that we would not be proceeding with this amendment. This morning we put it to a vote, but it was defeated because we did not call for a division.

Minister, given your state of confusion in this chamber, I am not surprised about the events over the last couple of days. Clearly, you do not follow what is going on. Given this state of affairs, it is very difficult to have a proper line of communication with the government on this particular piece of legislation. I have moved the amendment. I commend it to the Senate. It is a very important amendment and it will ensure that state training authorities will appropriately prioritise and risk manage the re-registration process.