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

As you can see at the moment. Senator Abetz used the word 'cowardly'. He can take that with a capital C. Isn't this the senator who gave notice of a motion here that the Clerk's performance should be put to a vote just this week? That is unprecedented in Senate history, but dragged down to that level by Senator Abetz and his colleagues. I have no doubt that wiser counsel prevailed and he withdrew that totally derogatory motion as it has not appeared here before the Senate. It should never have been put up, but it is an indication of the level to which Senator Abetz and his crew, with this chair, have taken this Senate.

On the matter of the running of the Senate, the simple matter is that I withdrew three references to the committee on those braying opposite who have connections with donors and so on. They were not referenced through to the committee. But when it came to the Greens and Senator Milne and I, it was referenced to the committee. As a result of that, a huge amount of time was taken up by the committee to find that the charges that came from Senator Abetz were totally baseless. The chair had let them through. I expect that, whatever advice was given to the chair, that was adopted. I have not heard anything to the opposite. As a result of that, Senator Milne and I are left with a $70,000 legal fee. That is totally contrary to natural justice. Two senators proven innocent by the committee are left with that legislation and then Senator Abetz, who was trained as a lawyer—

Opposition senators interjecting—