Senate debates
Wednesday, 9 July 2014
Bills
Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 [No. 2], True-up Shortfall Levy (General) (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 [No. 2], True-up Shortfall Levy (Excise) (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 [No. 2], Customs Tariff Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 [No. 2], Excise Tariff Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 [No. 2], Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 [No. 2], Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013 [No. 2], Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 [No. 2], Clean Energy (Income Tax Rates and Other Amendments) Bill 2013 [No. 2]; Second Reading
10:53 am
John Madigan (Victoria, Democratic Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source
Earlier this morning we had a vote regarding the Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 and related bills and I would like to explain some of my reasoning. I have never supported a guillotine in the Senate, whether put forward under the previous government or this government. Quite frankly, I am happy to sit here tonight for extra hours, tomorrow night, Friday and Saturday if need be, because I believe in the right of everybody to express their opinion.
I have heard some people say that we have discussed the carbon tax legislation ad nauseam, until some of our ears have bled, and I have heard people repeat, 'There will be no carbon tax under a government I lead.' I acknowledge that. But we now have new crossbench senators who have come into this place who have a very deciding role in legislation in the Senate. I do not believe in bludgeoning the government and I do not believe in bludgeoning the opposition. As much as I may vehemently disagree with some people in this place on specific issues, I am not the person who is going to take away the right of people to have their say. The situation I have found myself in is that I will not be bludgeoned into a situation where I go away from my ethos of respecting everybody's right to express their opinion.
I believe the government has a right to organise business. I believe the government has a right to put forward and manage government business in the Senate. All I am asking is that you not justify the way you do it on the basis of the bad behaviour of the previous government in the way they did it. It is a matter of principle for me. You cannot justify your bad behaviour at any given time by the bad behaviour of somebody else. I want the Senate to work. My views and that of the DLP on the carbon tax are crystal clear. But I will not be part of a thing that takes away other people's right to express their opinion, because it sets a precedent that can be used against all of us, depending on which way the pendulum may swing.
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