Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I hear Senator Macdonald, for whose benefit that remark was made. But the Prime Minister should say to the Governor-General: 'We can't do anything properly. We are incompetent. We are a hopeless government.' Whether it is because of pink batts, school halls, the Green Loans scheme, cash for clunkers, border protection or, for that matter, breaching fundamental election commitments like not introducing a carbon tax, she should say, 'Governor-General, for all these reasons please grant me an election.' That is the procedural matter which should be attended to today. It should not be the motion which is before us, which is seeking the indulgence of the chamber and seeking the connivance of the opposition to facilitate the breach of promise to the Australian people. It is not an indulgence we will grant the government. It is not a connivance we will take part in.

This is a very sad day; this is a very dark day for the Australian people with that legislation having passed the House of Representatives. But we, on this side, despite the matter having been lost in the other place, will continue to fight this legislation. We will continue to fight every motion and procedure which seeks to facilitate it. It is not too late for those opposite to say what is really in their hearts and to act on it—that is, they have breached faith with the Australian people. They should not proceed. They should go to their leader and say: 'We need to abandon this. Not only is it electoral suicide for us but it is morally wrong to continue down this path of breaching faith with the Australian public.' That is what they should do if the Australian Labor Party want to regain some decency of the Labor Party of old. We will be opposing this motion. Question put:

That the question be now put.

The Senate divided. [10:02]

(The Deputy President—Senator Parry)

Senator Feeney did not vote, to compensate for the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Coonan.

Question agreed to. Question put:

That the motion (Senator Ludwig's) be agreed to.

The Senate divided. [10:09]

(The Deputy President—Senator Parry)

Senator Feeney did not vote, to compensate for the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Coonan.

Question agreed to.