Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to talk on the adjournment about a number of things, but I feel compelled to start by refuting most of the allegations made by Senator Conroy in his contribution earlier. Regrettably, Senator Conroy was not at the meeting about which he spoke for 10 minutes, so anything he has said to the chamber is hearsay and very much second-hand evidence.

Perhaps it is important to go to the bottom line first but, before I do, could I just say what a significant chairman, senator and, indeed, person is Senator Eggleston, whom we are fortunate enough to have as Chairman of the Standing Committee on Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts. I do agree with the part of Senator Conroy’s address where he said what a wonderful person Senator Eggleston is. Senator Eggleston chaired the very difficult committee hearing on the recent package of media bills and he did an exceptional job—one that I think few others in this chamber could have emulated.

A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts was called today to discuss a number of issues. Four government senators and two Labor senators were present, and Senator Bartlett came a little late. I myself was a little late and so I did not hear what happened in the beginning. But I am told—and I accept—that Senator Lundy indicated that, if the meeting did not go the way intended, she would leave and then there would be no quorum—and, as you know, Mr Deputy President Hogg, to have a quorum it is essential to have present members of the Labor Party and the government. On the basis of that threat, a number of issues were dealt with. We then got to the issue of what the timetable was to be for the estimates committee in a couple of weeks time.

For very good reasons, which time will not permit me to go into, there is a real concern that the sale of Telstra could be inextricably interfered with if certain things were said by any range of people at the estimates committee hearings. This is a very significant sale for Australians and members of the committee thought it was not appropriate to put it in jeopardy. I have a different view, I have to say, in that I do not think Telstra should be present anyhow. The sooner the government can get rid of its shareholding in what is a multinational, very significant company and business enterprise, the better. I have long said that governments have no purpose in being involved in a significant multinational communications company. Governments certainly have a role in the provision of communications around Australia, but they do that by regulation, by subsidy or by some other means and certainly not by using shareholder influence in what is a significant multinational company.

Anyhow, for all the right reasons, which we do not have the opportunity to go into just at the moment, it was obviously thought by government members that Telstra’s presence at those hearings was inappropriate. As we were about to vote on that, the bells started to ring. After being threatened with and with the real fear of the meeting being made inquorate, the vote—

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Quite appropriately so.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What, to walk out so that you could not even have a meeting?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When you ambush people—

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That sort of interjection, which I willingly accept, shows the extent of the inappropriateness of the Labor Party’s approach to these things.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why are you having the meeting again? It was outside the standing orders. You ignored the advice of the Clerk.

John Hogg (Queensland, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Evans!

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Let me come to that, Senator Evans. If you would just keep quiet, just shut your mouth for a little while, I will be able to—

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, I won’t. They’re the sort of bullyboy tactics you used—

John Hogg (Queensland, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Evans! Senator Macdonald, address your comments to the chair. Senator Evans!

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Colbeck interjecting—

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When you start bullyboy tactics, I will take you on.

John Hogg (Queensland, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Evans!

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy President, thank you for the protection. This bully sitting there who thinks he can shout while I am speaking and intimidate me has another think coming. I have been intimidated by better people than Senator Evans, and his shouting will not in any way interfere with what I have to say and I will continue to say it.

On the threat of the Labor Party making the committee inquorate, which means we could not have decided anything, the vote was held as the bells started to ring. We have had lots of advice—fortunately not from Senator Evans, who would not have a clue—on what should and should not happen. Senator Conroy and Senator Lundy later wasted much time on this matter but, as it turns out, it was pointed out to us that, under the standing rules of the Senate—like every other committee, this committee meets regularly each week and has met regularly each week for years and years but without the approval of the Senate—unless there is total agreement, the committee does not operate. So, getting to the bottom line first, the whole thing was a farce.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That’s the advice you got at the meeting.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is a regular committee meeting that happens every week of the parliamentary year, and it happens with every other committee.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chris Evans interjecting—

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Do not try and bully me, Senator Evans. You will have your chance later if you were clever enough to put your name on the adjournment list, which I suspect you were not—well, you certainly were not on it before.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chris Evans interjecting—

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I listened to Senator Conroy in relative silence. But these are the facts of the matter: if there is any disagreement in any committee meeting that is held while the Senate is sitting, then those committee meetings may as well not be held because nothing that is decided by a majority of 95 per cent matters any more. We obviously have to do something about that, and I hope that in our committee there will be a motion moved to say that we can meet while the Senate is sitting and that we can make decisions that will be valid. As it turned out in this instance, when the standing orders were pointed out, the whole purpose of the meeting became irrelevant. Perhaps Senator Lundy should have taken that point right at the beginning and we could have all gone home and had a meeting tomorrow or next Tuesday by telephone. They are the facts of the matter. I understand that two Labor senators indicated that they would walk out, making the meeting inquorate.

Dana Wortley (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That’s not true.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was not there, Senator Wortley, but I understand from advice given to me that there was a real chance that the meeting would become inquorate. We had certain urgent business we had to transact, so we were going to transact that. As I said, as it turned out the whole thing was a bit of a farce. But I think it shows the attitude that the Labor Party, led by their leader who sits at the table and shouts all the way through my presentation, adopt to these things. If they do not get their way, they pull out the bottom lip and say, ‘We’ll go home.’ In that way they can disrupt things. You could probably all go home now and stop me speaking, Senator Evans. I am surprised that you have not adopted that tactic as well. Perhaps you will even call a quorum.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Don’t get all bitter and twisted because you got dumped from the ministry.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I might be bitter and twisted, Senator Evans, but not about that issue tonight. I am disappointed that I am no longer a minister, but I have been a minister for seven years, and it is a lot longer than you ever will be. You will never be a minister. So do not bring that up. In this instance the chair was absolutely appropriate.

Until I was provoked by Senator Evans, I wanted to agree with Senator Bernardi on the tuna industry. I want to quickly put on record—although perhaps it will be lost to anyone who might happen to read Hansardthe great work that Glenn Hurry, an officer of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, did in relation to that Japanese issue. It is an issue which the Commonwealth government has been following for over a year now, and I must give all credit to Glenn Hurry on the way that he actually got the evidence together, with the help of the South Australian tuna farmers, and got that through. Senator Bernardi was quite right in what he said. The other issue I wanted to talk about was the bushfire season and how the Greens continue to lock trees away in parks that can be burnt down, but I have not got time to go into that. (Time expired)