Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

It is very rare for me to rise in this place and feel sorry for those on the other side, particularly for my colleague from the Northern Territory, but I think it is reasonable to put on the public record why they are taking this position. The reason my heart goes out to them is I am actually quite sure the leather is softer on that side. It is a long time since I sat over there, but it was certainly a lot more comfortable. There are a lot of benefits that go with government which make you want to stay on that side.

The sad thing about Labor's position is that it has had a very light spray of green over all of its motives. It is really important to have a look at the motive today. Senator Crossin stood in this place today, as she always does on any issues in regard to the Northern Territory, and said that we are moving along towards statehood. I have been very pleased to stand in this place on the most recent issue, legislating for euthanasia, and I support her in that regard. If you look at the motive for all of this behaviour, it is simply to stay in government. That is the rawest deal. Of course the Greens have a great deal of influence, as they should in those circumstances, to ensure that this government does what it is told. Today we see the Labor government being pretty compliant and the Greens should be very pleased with that—it seems to be behaving appropriately and it is not being too naughty or doing things that the Greens do not require.

If we are looking to motive, perhaps we should examine the Greens' motives. Motive is very important in life. Why is it that we are moving along with this? Why is it that, suddenly, Bob Brown has a terrific love affair with the territories? He is very keen on the territories and on the people who live in the territories, but he is particularly keen on the legislation in the Northern Territory. As has been indicated today, Bob Brown hardly seems to have a consistent approach. He is, today, basically saying that the Common­wealth should not interfere with the Northern Territory or with the Australian Capital Territory—'The poor devils, we should allow them exactly the same rights as a state.' It sure seems odd. I do not know whether it was a different bloke, but whoever it was, Senator Brown, I recall him standing in here saying: 'Let's overturn the mandatory sentencing laws in the Territory. How dare they take their own stand in the Northern Territory and have their own rights to determine how they deal with the criminal justice system. Let's use the Common­wealth's powers in this place, in this Senate, to overturn them.' You can understand why I am a little bit confused in that regard.

I wonder what the motive is. You cannot accuse the Greens of not being organised or of not having a motive. They do have a motive. There is a very clear motive here and it has been indicated earlier. The cat has already been belled. If Katy Gallagher was not happy to stand up and say that this is all about introducing same-sex marriages in the Australian Capital Territory, the previous Chief Minister, Mr Stanhope, certainly was. He said: 'Absolutely. Looking forward to introducing same-sex marriages in the Australian Capital Territory.' In regard to this piece of legislation that those on the other side have been forced to accept, they have been given foolish assurances and have been foolish to accept those assurances. Those on the other side have accepted that that is the case.