Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that general business notice of motion No. 369 standing in my name and the name of Senator Abetz relating to the establishment of a select committee on climate policy be taken as formal.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is there any objection to this motion being taken as formal?

Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will not object to the motion being taken as formal as long as I am given leave at the appropriate time to move the amendment I have circulated in the chamber to motion No. 369.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is there any objection to Senator Fielding, prospectively, being given the opportunity to move an amendment by leave?

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy President, on a point of order: I do object to a process whereby a senator puts forward a proposal on the basis that a future action of the Senate be anticipated otherwise that proposal is not dealt with. In good faith, I can tell the senator that we will not, and would not, object to an amendment being put under these circumstances—but conditional? No, we do not accept that condition; we just give him that assurance.

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

On that, Mr Deputy President: I think Senator Bob Brown has a good point. I took it that Senator Fielding was in fact asking for leave and, on that basis, we would always grant leave to move an amendment in this chamber; that is how the chamber works. If it has been badly put by Senator Fielding, I am sure he can correct the record about that.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You may note that is why I sought advice from the Clerk, because it was conditional leave. I will put the question again. Is there any objection to this motion being taken as formal? There being none, I call Senator Milne to move the motion.

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Abetz, move:

(1)

That a select committee, to be known as the Select Committee on Climate Policy, be established to inquire into and report by 14 May 2009 on:

(a)

the choice of emissions trading as the central policy to reduce Australia’s carbon pollution, taking into account the need to:

(i)

reduce carbon pollution at the lowest economic cost,

(ii)

put in place long-term incentives for investment in clean energy and low-emission technology, and

(iii)

contribute to a global solution to climate change;

(b)

the relative contributions to overall emission reduction targets from complementary measures such as renewable energy feed-in laws, energy efficiency and the protection or development of terrestrial carbon stores such as native forests and soils;

(c)

whether the Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme is environmentally effective, in particular, with regard to the adequacy or otherwise of the Government’s 2020 and 2050 greenhouse gas emission reduction targets in avoiding dangerous climate change;

(d)

an appropriate mechanism for determining what a fair and equitable contribution to the global emission reduction effort would be;

(e)

whether the design of the proposed scheme will send appropriate investment signals for green collar jobs, research and development, and the manufacturing and service industries, taking into account permit allocation, leakage, compensation mechanisms and additionality issues; and

(f)

any related matter.

Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

Omit paragraph (2), substitute:

(2)

That the committee consist of 10 senators, 4 nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, 3 nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, 1 nominated by the Leader of the Australian Greens, 1 nominated by the Leader of the Family First Party and 1 nominated by an independent senator.

This amendment will omit paragraph (2) from the motion and substitute that the committee would consist of 10 senators, four nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, three nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate, one nominated by the Leader of the Australian Greens, one nominated by the Leader of Family First Party and one nominated by an Independent senator.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—This is a quite extraordinary proposal being put forward by Senator Fielding. I presume, but I do not know, that it means that the Independents have not been able to determine who should be on the committee. But the way to resolve that is not by giving a quite untoward representation to my Independent colleagues. The equivalent would be to add all five Greens. If we follow through on that logic, we should hold the committee in here, of the whole Senate, and make sure that everybody gets an opportunity. These are difficult matters. I have been in this position before when, as the single Greens senator, I could not get onto the committee I wanted to. You have to accept that. I guess I am foreshadowing that the Greens will not support this process, for very important procedural reasons in this place.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I thank Senator Bob Brown for reminding us of the good old days. More seriously, can I say from the opposition’s point of view that we love Senator Xenophon and Senator Fielding dearly and we would love to have them both on the committee, but the reality is, and the practice has been, as Senator Brown has outlined. Given that there is unable to be a resolution between Senator Xenophon and Senator Fielding of who out of the two Independents should be on the committee, that is a matter of regret. But that is the motion that I jointly sponsored with Senator Milne and we are minded, therefore, to continue with the motion as is, which of course has the unfortunate and regrettable consequence of voting against Senator Fielding’s amendment. We would invite him to understand, though, that the reason we are doing that is simply because of the way these matters have been dealt with in the past and not for any other reason. Of course, the best resolution from the coalition’s point of view would be if you, Senator Fielding, and Senator Xenophon could come to an agreement between the two of you—but I think that might require pistols at 20 paces, which I am sure is against standing orders. Accordingly, the Senate will undoubtedly need to resolve it by ballot later on.

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I would seek to remind the Senate that Senator Abetz and I, in moving this motion, have included a clause which is unusual in establishing a committee of this kind in that it provides for anyone to choose to be a participating member of this committee. The issue there is that we did not want to exclude anyone from participating in the hearings of the committee and being able to exercise their rights as a senator. So I put that to the Senate, in case people were not aware of it. Nobody is being excluded in that context.

Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I appreciate the love and response from Senator Abetz. I am not so sure that we would go kissing with each other, mate, but I appreciate the loving feeling. The real problem is that I wear glasses and Senator Xenophon does not, so at 20 paces I may not be able to shoot that straight! The issue at hand is: do we have the right emissions trading scheme for this country? For the next decade, the emissions trading scheme will be the biggest reform we have had in this country and it will affect every single Australian—yet we will not have each political party or interest across the Senate being represented on the select committee. I take up the Greens on their statement that you can be a participating member. Maybe the Greens want to give up their spot around the table and become a participating member and allow Senator Xenophon and me to participate as full members of the committee. Maybe that could be a way of solving it for me. If they think participating members are that valuable, then they can go down that track. I appeal to the chamber: this is an absolutely key piece of legislation that will affect every single Australian, not just for this year and next year but for the next decade, and we need to get it right. You need to make sure you have all the views across the chamber and that they are able to be expressed by full members of this particular committee. As senators are going to vote on this issue, I appeal to them to give that full consideration.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the amendment moved by Senator Fielding be agreed to.

Question negatived.

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

by leave—The government opposes the motion by Senator Abetz and Senator Milne. The Senate has just voted to refer the exposure draft legislation to establish the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme to the Senate Economics Committee. By releasing the exposure draft legislation, the government has provided an early opportunity for the Senate to consider the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme before the final legislation enters the parliament in the winter sitting. Therefore, the government does not believe that establishing another Senate inquiry is necessary or helpful.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by Senator Milne be agreed to.

Question agreed to.