Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

A number of the things that Senator Milne has put on the record do not relate whatsoever to the debate we are currently having, which is on the renewable energy target. I am not from Tasmania, but I do understand that this issue has been around in Tasmanian politics for a very long time. Last night we had Senator Milne, Senator Colbeck and, I think, some others having a long discussion—if I may say, with respect to both sides—often about issues which had nothing to do with things that were before the chamber. You are entitled to do that. I would ask that the Senate consider, at an appropriate time, whether there be some end point to a debate which is in fact in large part about many other issues.

I have a procedural request for us to consider. I jumped before Senator Birmingham—which might have been an error because he might have been about to address this—but I would invite the opposition to be clear on this. I understand that the opposition is proposing another amendment on this issue to expand the eligibility. The government will not be accepting that amendment and the government will not be accepting the Greens amendment. The government’s position is that this is a definition that has been in place in the legislation for some time. We have been lobbied by both sides of the debate to expand the eligibility to enable more forest product to be used under the renewable energy target, as well as the perspective put by Senator Milne. I have indicated to both sides that the government’s position is to retain the existing eligibility and press ahead with improvements to the bill.

Leaving that to one side, as a matter of process, I invite the chamber to consider that it would be sensible for us, if possible, to debate by leave the two amendments together because, once Senator Colbeck moves his amendment on native forest eligibility, we will be traversing the same debate as we have had today and did last night. So I would invite consideration of that for the efficacy of the debate. There are a range of other debates, including from Senator Xenophon. I know that Senator Xenophon’s time constraints are substantial. Obviously, an independent senator does not have colleagues who can move his amendments, and Senator Xenophon has a number of other pressing issues that I know he wishes to attend to in relation to Productivity Commission reports. So I would invite the chamber to consider whether we could procedurally deal with the opposition’s yet to be moved amendment on native forests and this amendment together. If the opposition’s amendment is not ready, could we possibly defer this debate until then, Senator Milne? If you could consider that and Senator Birmingham could respond, I would appreciate it.