Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

We support this motion, but it's interesting that you had to seek leave to move it, because the effect of your temporary order, which you'll soon be seeking to make permanent, would be to stop motions like this from even being debated on the floor of this chamber. Now, under your temporary order, which no doubt you'll deny me leave to speak on later, you would stop the Senate from moving motions about forming an opinion on something, you would stop concurrence motions and you would even stop censure motions.

People want us to be accountable on the issues that matter to them. They want us to come to Canberra and be clear about what we stand for. Speeches and debates are well and good, but, until you actually vote on something, nobody knows what you stand for. Motions have achieved so much in the past. We got the banking royal commission, the disability royal commission and the veterans royal commission through motions. We made progress on an ICAC because of motions. But you guys don't want to held accountable for what your positions are, and that's why, once again, you're ganging up to silence the rest of us. (Time expired)

Question agreed to.