Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The other, after many times of trying, was when Senator Siewert and I managed to get an inquiry into the impacts of climate change on Australian agriculture. Had the coalition allowed the kinds of inquiries the Greens tried to get up through those years, we would have had an awareness of the impacts of climate change across all sectors a lot sooner. So, when the coalition talk about time management, they need to refer to the fact that they tightly controlled the Senate committee process as to what committee inquiries could be held, for how long and so on. Also, they not only controlled the outcomes, by controlling the numbers on those committees, but they actually blocked many inquiries. Unlike that, in this period of government, when there has been shared power, we have seen not only a large number of Senate inquiries go forward from all parties; we have also seen particular select committee inquiries get up which the coalition have moved ad infinitum and have had many inquiries around the country on particular matters. So there has been a much more democratic representation of the concerns of the community, represented through those Senate inquiry processes, than ever occurred when the coalition had control of both houses.

When Senator Abetz talked about a coalition controlled Senate, he failed to mention one of the most appalling scandals in modern Australian history—that is, the Wheat Board scandal. People around Australia still shake their heads and wonder how it could have been that, at a time when Australia had our troops serving in Iraq, the Australian Wheat Board was paying off, to the tune of $220 million, transport companies—bribery, I think it is called. That occurred when the coalition had control of both houses of parliament. So, when you talk, be judged on your actions and not on your words. Australia will never forget the scandal of the Wheat Board inquiry.

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting—