Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

As so often tonight, a Labor senator contributing to the debate is misleading the chamber by selectively quoting what Senator Fifield and I objected to in Senator Dastyari's contribution, which was his assertion about what government ministers allegedly were doing in the gallery, because Senator Dastyari would have no such knowledge and there is no activity such as he relayed by government ministers in the gallery.

In relation to Labor's amendment: no, we will not be supporting Labor's amendment to further delay the application of these reforms. We will be supporting, as I have already indicated to the chamber, an amendment put forward by the Greens to ensure that the AEC has three months available between the passage of the legislation and the application of these reforms at an election.

In relation to the specific question that Senator Carr asked about the timing of the election, the form of the election: I honestly do not know. No decision has been made, as far as I am aware, in relation to either the precise timing or the form of the election. The Prime Minister has repeatedly indicated that our strong preference and intention is to serve a full term and for the election to take place in the latter part of the year; in the usual course of events, in August, September or October.

There is of course the option of a double dissolution election in order to resolve the deadlock between the houses of parliament in relation to some key legislation. That is an option that everybody is well aware of. It is an option that is provided for under the Constitution. Whether or not that option will have to be exercised depends on a whole range of factors and we really do not know yet how they are going to play out. It might well be that in the next little while a sufficient number of senators give an indication to the government that there is support for the re-establishment of the Australian Building and Construction Commission. It could well be that a sufficient number of senators will give an indication to the government that there is support for the passage of our registered organisations legislation. If that were the case then obviously there would be no deadlock between the two houses of parliament that would need to be resolved and the question would become academic.

The truthful answer is: this reform is completely unconnected to the precise timing or form of the election. That is a decision that has not yet been made. Our view is that whenever the election takes place the result of that election should reflect the will of the Australian people. Our view is that, whenever the next election takes place, voters across Australia should be empowered to direct their preferences as they see fit and not have these preferences traded and directed by political parties according to the interests of those political parties.