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

Unusual things happen in politics, and I am always amazed at Senator Fielding’s ability to turn a very serious matter into a light-hearted one and to have everybody around the chamber laughing. I thank him for that at this stage of today’s proceedings.

The Greens are a mainstream party and we are putting forward an important means of drawing upon the wit and wisdom of all Australians in developing population policy. The Greens do have a population policy. I think it is very moderate and inadequate. If you go to their websites you will find that, contrary to what Senator Bernardi said, there is no population policy from the coalition or from the government—although we are pleased that the Prime Minister has now established a population ministry. But how is the ministry going to work if it is not informed?

Here we are saying: ‘Let’s have an independent inquiry and get everybody’s viewpoints and the expertise of the nation brought to bear.’ It is, after all, a motion that is consequent upon the advice of Barry Jones and the House of Representatives inquiry into population in 1994. This is not new territory. It was Labor policy at least after that inquiry and it ought to be getting endorsement now. Instead of that, from the coalition, the government and the Family First entity we are getting complete negativity. They do not want to know about it, they do not want to have an independent inquiry and they do not want to be properly informed. It is not a good way of formulating national policy on a matter as important as this.

When it comes to international population growth, there is a set formula. I say to Senator Bernardi, the more we put into overseas aid—particularly literacy for women and the ability for them to engage in small investments and businesses—the quicker we see populations steady down for the health of all— (Time expired)