Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Senator Birmingham. Minister, procedural order of continuing effect No. 20 on page 138 of the Senate standing orders requires, inter alia, that the full text of any bilateral or plurilateral agreement with other countries is to be laid on the table at least 14 days before signing. This was not done with the recently signed Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, TPP-11, or with the agreements with China, Korea and Japan. In fact, these agreements were all presented to the Senate as a fait accompli, giving the Senate no opportunity to debate the agreements and fulfil its responsibilities to the Australian people. This rule has been in place since 11 December 2013. Would the minister explain why he did not comply with procedural order of continuing effect No. 20 with regard to the TPP-11 and these other agreements?