Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

That is right, Senator Cormann. I accept that interjection. He said, ‘One bill had not even been introduced,’ yet they were complaining about it.’ This is the lack of depth in the ministry. They really are incompetent. That is a worry for Australia, if for no other reason. He wheeled them out to say that the Senate is holding things up.

The Prime Minister has not bothered to negotiate, to talk to or to even have the decency to invite the crossbenchers, let alone us, to have a discussion. He just does not do that. He does not want to negotiate, he does not want to speak; he just expects things to happen and that is why he has got the result he has got. He will not work with the Senate.

Former Prime Minister Howard had a period of a couple of years where the numbers in the Senate were favourable to the government of the day, which we were at the time. However, for the remaining eight or so years negotiation was the key to getting legislation through the Senate and putting forward the merits of the legislation the government wanted. That is the way you negotiate through this chamber. Then the Senate has the benefit of listening to the arguments put forward by the government privately and through the chamber and then it deliberates on those particular arguments.

But, no, not with Prime Minister Rudd: he is used to his bureaucratic style of—bang!—‘Put in the Senate, let the Senate sort it out, I am not going to negotiate and I am not going to lower myself to talk to the Senate in relation to these matters; let them work it out.’ And then he wonders why he does not get his legislation through. He does not even have the courtesy to talk to the crossbenchers in this place because he does not have to worry about that in the House of Representatives. He does not understand that the Senate is a totally different area. The dynamics of the Senate are totally different and always have been. If he actually started to negotiate, listen, be constructive and be consultative, he might get somewhere. But, no, his style is: wheel out five ministers and blame everything on the Senate. It is not good enough, Mr Rudd. You have got to start to work with the Senate.