Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The Australian Greens cannot support the motion put forward by Senator Mason, although I do concur that the ALTC’s funds should not have ever been put in the bucket to make funding cuts from. That is, of course, why the Greens, in the negotiations over the flood levy, ensured that some of that money—and the important roles of the ALTC—would be retained. I would also like to point out while I am here that Senator Mason’s own leader, Tony Abbott accepted—and I am not sure whether or not Senator Mason is aware of this—all of the original cuts put forward by the Gillard government in the face of the debates over the flood levy, so Senator Mason’s own party had actually already accepted those cuts. Thankfully, the Australian Greens were able to negotiate to keep those roles and to ensure that some of the responsibilities were protected.