Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Evans. Has the government received any representations or had any discussions on issues relating to this Saturday’s COAG meeting as a result of the pre-COAG strategy meeting held by Labor state and territory treasurers?

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

I am not sure that I fully understand the question from the senator. What I do know is that a lot of preparation goes into COAG meetings. There is a great deal of work conducted by officials from state and Commonwealth governments on the agenda, to try and reach agreed positions and to do the necessary research work and exploratory work that will facilitate the ministers, the Prime Minister and premiers to reach conclusions on their deliberations. So, obviously, a great deal of work goes into those meetings. Former ministers of the Howard government would be well aware of that. In many ways, the COAG meeting is a culmination of a lot of work that has been done by officials in the lead-up. Certainly there would have been preparations done.

In terms of my own portfolio, I am not involved in the COAG, so I have no personal knowledge of that arrangement, but it stands to reason that there has been very serious engagement with the states and territories in the lead-up to COAG. The agenda has been prepared and no doubt that will be considered at the meeting. If there is anything further I can help the senator with, I will see whether the Prime Minister has got anything to add. But, as I said, I think it is self-evident that there is a lot of preparation before the meeting. No doubt that will be used to assist the deliberations of the ministers at the COAG meeting.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Given that the minister confirmed that there were such preparations for the COAG meeting, does the Commonwealth believe that it was appropriate that the Western Australian Treasurer was excluded from the pre-COAG strategy meeting just because he is a Liberal?

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

I can think of a lot of reasons why you would not invite Troy Buswell to a meeting—a lot of reasons—because his behaviour has been of less than the required standard. I certainly would think twice about meeting with him.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Evans, resume your seat. On both sides, order! It is completely disorderly to be shouting across the chamber from both sides. The minister has 33 seconds remaining to answer the question.

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

I would regard it as quite prudent not to invite Mr Buswell to certain meetings—not because he is from WA, not because he is a Liberal but because of his own personal characteristics that many of us find offensive.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! On my right! People shouting across the chamber is not going to allow question time to proceed. Senator Macdonald is rightly standing on his feet. I believe he wants to take a point of order. He is entitled to be recognised.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I do raise a point of order. I refer the President to the provisions of the standing orders which prevent ministers from referring disrespectfully to other members of parliament.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! When senators come to order I will proceed. I have Senator Macdonald, who has taken a point of order, and I have Senator Ludwig waiting to get to his feet. I call Senator Ludwig.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on the point of order: I would submit to you that there is no point of order. There was no imputation that was related to another member of a chamber. Senator Evans was simply stating a factual response to a question that was put by the senator on the other side. I would ask you to have a look at the record to confirm that.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order, but, Senator Evans, I would draw your attention to the fact that there are 18 seconds left to answer the question, and you should be careful about not imputing any other motives to a person in another parliament.

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

I have completed my answer, Mr President.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Doesn’t the minister’s partisan answer prove that cooperative federalism is nothing more than a political slogan without any substance? Has the Prime Minister taken any action to reprimand state and territory Labor governments or at least reminded them of the need to work cooperatively, including with the state of Western Australia? If the Prime Minister has been too busy since this became public, given his international commitments, will he do so at the meeting on Saturday?

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

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

Can I say first of all—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Evans, resume your seat. I no sooner called ‘order’ than two people, one from either side, started up again. It is not fair to the person trying to answer the question. I understand that there will be interjections from time to time, but Senator Evans and other senators are entitled to be heard in silence.

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

I actually think that the Premier of Western Australia, Mr Barnett, has indicated his support for cooperative federalism. The Prime Minister had a very positive meeting with the premier about that, and I hope that the WA government continues to provide support for that approach. Mr Barnett is a person of strong reputation and he is a very reputable person. I think he and the Prime Minister had a good first meeting on working together in a cooperative way. I am sure that that relationship will continue and I hope WA provides a strong input into the COAG discussions on the weekend.