Sean Edwards (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to take note of answers given today by Minister Cormann and Minister Cash. I support my colleague Senator Ryan's early comments in his protests about the shrill nature of the argument that is coming from the other side. There is some kind of inference that a discussion amongst parliamentary peers on this side is somewhat unusual. It is unusual for us on this side to imagine that you could be muzzled in your parliamentary debate publicly, as we see so often in this chamber where everybody on the other side mundanely and routinely votes in the same way, have no colour, have no character and have no conversation about various policies that are before the country. What that turns into is an inane conversation.

When it is in government, which we saw for six years prior to the September election in 2013, a dysfunction starts to occur and that robust argument—which we on this side of the chamber enjoy—is muzzled and therefore the backroom deals start. That is where the dysfunction that we saw with the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd government era occurs. They drive everything underground. It is a subversive culture. It is one which is not healthy in a functioning, First World democracy. We have seen it bubble out in the way in which the unions—where all but a couple of the members from the other side come from—run themselves. That is playing out in royal commissions now in the south of this country, where we have seen suggestions of slush funds and other secret issues which affect the culture and the way in which governance on the other side is bred. You see that type of dysfunction come from those organisations, and they bring it here.

We do not do that. You are going to be talking about Senator Macdonald and you are going to be talking about this. It really is a bit ho-hum. It is somewhat boring. Senator Bernardi is here. We agree on a lot of things. We agree on the majority of things. But we do not agree on all things, and we are quite happy to air those. But we will not be expelled from our party for doing that. We will not be jettisoned out of here in some way. We will see the trappings of parliament and the trappings of being in this place—

Senator Bernardi interjecting—

Yes, that is right, Senator Bernardi. You will see the trappings finish. Of course, those people would not want to see that, because it is a club over there, and they make all these agreements outside.

I am absolutely delighted to see the conversations that go on between people on my side over here. I think it is a bit of a stretch to suggest that you know how everybody is going to vote on this issue, because you do not know. There have been suggestions, and I know that there are a lot of conversations going on about it.

But what I do know is that the Prime Minister is absolutely committed to paid parental leave, in his eyes an equitable solution for mothers in this community. He is absolutely committed to ensuring that there is an extension from the current 18 weeks to 26 weeks, and he is absolutely committed to ensuring that that is paid at a rate which reflects the professional standing which people had before they had their baby. He views it as a progressive policy, a policy which he stands behind and a policy which I am sure will be argued somewhat democratically over here over the next days and weeks, and which we can be proud of in this place.

I just remind those on the other side of the answer from Senator Cash about border protection. It is projected that some 200-odd lives have been saved by boats not coming to this country. (Time expired)