Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Pursuant to contingent notice, I move:

That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent me from moving a motion to provide for the consideration of general business notice of motion No. 1231.

This is a particularly important motion. It's an order for the production of documents. I'm absolutely shocked that Senator O'Sullivan would think it's acceptable to come into this place and yet again deny formality to a motion and disrupt, quite frankly, the orderly business of this chamber. This is a perfectly legitimate approach that Senator Hanson-Young has asked this chamber to consider. If he wants to vote no, he's got an opportunity to vote no. Senator Hanson-Young is seeking an order for the production of documents on a very important issue to do with water, to do with the Murray-Darling Basin, which has been so comprehensively mismanaged in this country. She has a perfect right to ask for these documents under an order for the production of documents, which is what she did.

The management of these lakes, as I understand it and recall from when I had this portfolio over a decade ago, is a very important part of the way that we manage water in the Murray-Darling Basin. I urge this chamber to support the suspension of standing orders so that Senator Hanson-Young can move this motion so as to ensure that the order for the production of documents is dealt with and voted on. Senator O'Sullivan and that side of the chamber can make their opinion well known to this place at that time, but at least allow us to put this motion in order to debate it.