Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I am happy to withdraw the phrase about Stalinist. I do not know what her personal politics actually are. I was making the point about democracy and actually ensuring that instead of a group in here—a cabal—

Senator Rhiannon interjecting—

making decisions that they just impose on everybody it is probably a good idea if the millions of Australians who do not follow every word that the Senate debates and every aspect of every bill are actually given the opportunity to understand the largest changes in its voting system in 30 years. If Senator Rhiannon thinks that is wasting time, well, that says something about her politics and her priorities.

I am also going to make this point about Senator Rhiannon. She accused me of misleading—well, she had better get up and correct it, because she said, 'We've been arguing about this for years. It was in the Labor-Greens agreement.' Let's be very clear about what was in the agreement. She did not mention this part that I am quoting:

d) The Parties note that Senator Bob Brown will reintroduce as a Private Members Bill the Commonwealth Electoral (Above-the-Line Voting) Amendment Bill 2008. The ALP will consider the Bill and work with the Greens to reach reforms satisfactory to the Parties.

So we never made a commitment that we agreed with them. But that little bit of context happened to be left out. I make that point.

I have to say, it was kind of amusing to have Senator Rhiannon lecture us all about it being a bit rich for this to be run by a Senate cabal—the Greens would know a bit about a Senate cabal, wouldn't they? They would know a fair bit about that. In fact, it is a cabal which Senator Rhiannon and Senator Di Natale have imposed on the party room. They might all come in here and say how great it is, but we know the division in their party room and the concern about this—

Senator Rhiannon interjecting—

and the concern about the way that you, Senator Rhiannon, have pressed this through. I remember how desperate you were to get this through, because it is about your seat in New South Wales—poor old South Australia!—and the failure by you as a negotiator to consider a double dissolution. And now some of the Greens are getting angry at the trade union movement, who have actually had the temerity to say, 'Oy! You're giving the keys to Malcolm Turnbull for a double dissolution.' Maybe you should have thought of that before.

Senator Rhiannon was also talking about the merits of this bill—and I will come to the exhausted votes point in a moment. But I do want to reprise the fact that Senator Rhiannon, who talks so much about people not getting enough votes, started her political career how, Senator Rhiannon? With how many votes?

The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN (20:47): Senator Wong, I would remind you to make your remarks through the chair.

Through you, Madam Chair? Through you?

The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN: To the chair.

Through? To?