Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Can I indicate that I will be supporting this motion. I think it is important that we deal with these matters. I know Senator Leyonhjelm has made a contribution saying that this is a waste of taxpayers' money. I respectfully disagree. I believe that there ought to be fulsome debate in relation to these issues, because climate change needs to be addressed. The amendments that have been agreed to by the government, which I will be moving and which the Palmer United Party will be moving, will substantially improve Direct Action and put a much better and more robust framework in place.

But that is not actually the motion that we are dealing with. The motion, as I understand it, is that standing orders be suspended to allow a variation of sitting hours to allow this legislation in respect of Direct Action and the Carbon Farming Initiative to be dealt with from eight o'clock tonight until the matter is disposed of. That is not a gag. That is not truncating debate. It is to allow a fulsome debate in relation to this.

Now the whip is walking towards me. I hope he is not going to tell me I have made a mistake—no, I have not—in relation to my understanding of the motion. So I will support the suspension of standing orders. I will support a debate on this. There is an element of urgency in respect of this issue, and it is this: there are something like 171 projects in limbo, in a sense, because of the legislative uncertainty. There are many hundreds more projects that I think will be funded in respect of carbon abatement.

I absolutely respect what Senator Milne has said, that there needs to be adequate scrutiny of this legislation. That is why I will not be supporting any gag on this bill. We need to have adequate debate, a fulsome debate, so that when people have run out of questions it can be put to a vote. But, in short, I think it is important that we debate this sooner rather than later and do it in fulsome manner.