Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The Greens are opposed to this exemption from the cut-off order. It is absolutely outrageous. Here is a bill that we saw for the first time yesterday afternoon. It was rammed through the House yesterday. The proposal is to ram it through the Senate today, with the collusion of the Labor Party. It is the absolute abrogation of good process in this place. The bill has had significant changes from the last time it was presented to the parliament. There needs to be time for consultation. There are many stakeholders who are concerned about this bill. It would be good governance and, in fact, just polite and respectful to give us the opportunity—and to give the government and the Labor Party the opportunity—to discuss this bill, which has very significant implications. Here we are setting up a drought fund. It is a much-needed fund to provide money for people, communities and farmers struggling with drought. But we've got to make sure that it's the right drought fund, that it is properly set up, that it has good governance. By ramming this legislation through, you are undermining all of that good governance.

We saw this bill yesterday afternoon. We then immediately moved to work on some proposed amendments to the bill. I really do want to thank the wonderful drafting team here for getting some amendments together, but they should not have been put under the pump, put under pressure, to prepare those amendments in double-quick time. This is just not the way that business should be done if you are concerned about actually having good processes and good governance in this place. There is no reason why this bill needs to be rammed through the Senate today. There is every reason why it should be done appropriately, with the proper consideration that the Senate actually is here to give to legislation. This is why the Greens are absolutely opposed to this exemption from the cut-off order.