Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I must confess to feeling a little heartened over this fortnight because the Senate has been working in a way that I think the Australian public would expect, and that is in a chamber where the government of the day does not have a majority in its own right. It works with all groupings in this chamber, and what that will mean is that on some occasions we will be successful with the support of the Australian Labor Party with some propositions, as we were with the omnibus savings bill. We acknowledge that, and also their support with the national security legislation.

I should also acknowledge the support and assistance of the Labor Party in the provision of their general business time last week for facilitating the passage of legislation and also the Labor Party's private senator's bill time this morning. I should also acknowledge that the crossbench were supportive of extra hours in the course of this week, and that as a result we had the passage of the Australian Building and Construction Commission legislation. I want to acknowledge the crossbench support for that bill and also for the registered organisations commissioner legislation.

We will also, on occasion, work with the Australian Greens. This, tonight, is an example of that. I want to acknowledge the assistance and approach of the Australian Greens in relation to matters we are dealing with this evening.

My point is that Senator Brandis's motion to seek suspension of standing orders in order to move a motion for extended hours to deal with the legislation that is before us is, I hope—depending on the votes—another example of the government working with different groupings in this place. Sometimes all groupings in this place will be as one on certain propositions. But such is the nature of this Senate, as a house of review, that there will be, understandably, many occasions where we take different views. As I said, I am heartened by the last fortnight because this is the Senate working the way that the Australian public intend. The government of the day does not always get its way, and you would not expect that in a chamber where we do not have the numbers in our own right and in a chamber that is one of review.

This will be one of my last opportunities, if not the last opportunity, to speak in this Senate before the end of the year. I would like to acknowledge the cooperation and assistance of all groupings in this chamber that have, on different issues, come together with the government to make sure that we can transact the people's business. I obviously appreciate and recognise that the opposition are not supportive of the particular endeavour that we are seeking to prosecute tonight. But it is my hope that we will have a majority of colleagues support the suspension of standing orders and, if that is successful, support Senator Brandis moving a motion that we do deal tonight with the relatively small number of bills that are before us: the VET Student Loans Bill 2016, on which I do not think there is much controversy: the Civil Nuclear Transfers to India Bill 2016, on which I do not think there is much controversy; and the Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Budget and Other Measures) Bill 2016, on which I do not think there is much controversy.

That really leaves the issue of the moment, which is the backpacker matter. In concluding all those items this evening, there is probably not the need to sit very late. But the substantive motion Senator Brandis will seek to move gives the chamber the opportunity to sit until these items are resolved. Thank you, Mr President, and I encourage colleagues to support the suspension.