Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Pursuant to contingent notice, I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me from moving a motion relating to the conduct of the business of this Senate, namely the motion under discussion relating to general business notice of motion no. 62 which relates to nuclear weapons.

This, today, could have been a very straightforward opportunity. In fact, it could have been a moment for celebration as this Senate completely united and unanimously reaffirmed its commitment to the abolition of nuclear weapons.

This motion calls on the government to support moves in the United Nations General Assembly later this month or very early November to commence negotiations on a binding legal instrument banning nuclear weapons. As far as I know, it is Australian government policy to prevent nuclear proliferation and to promote disarmament. The motion is also consistent, as far as I understand it, with the platform of the Australian Labor Party. It is certainly consistent with the position of the Greens and I suspect with the aspirations of many on the crossbench.

But, in shutting down the opportunity for a clear and unanimous declaration in the Senate, all the government is doing is drawing attention to how it will instruct our representatives to vote in the UN General Assembly later this month. In a few short weeks from now when the nations of the world vote to initiate drafting a legally binding instrument to ban these horrific weapons—and by all accounts that is what is about to happen—on which side of the fence will the Australian government stand and on which side of history will we be?

This Senate should have been given the opportunity today to send a strong and unanimous message to the world that we are on board and that we are on the right side of this debate. The government blew it today in denying leave for this motion, but there is still time to make it right later this month when the whole world will be watching.