Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—With the indulgence of the Senate, I would like to offer my apology. I was not here during the division. It was an inadvertent error. I was caught in a stairwell having an impromptu meeting and I did not hear the bells. Unfortunately, I have made a second error by not having my pager with me. I apologise particularly to my colleagues and to the Senate.

Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—As has been the tradition in this place when a senator does not turn up to vote, for whatever reason and an explanation is satisfactorily given to this chamber, to reflect the true wishes, the true dimensions and the proportionality of the chamber, the vote is always recommitted. So, on behalf of the opposition, I ask that the question on the third reading of the bills be put again.

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

by leave—This issue has of course arisen time and time again in the parliament and sometimes inadvertently—and once many years ago I was one of them—when we do not make it to the chamber for one reason or another. However, this does show the opposition is in some disarray. It was absolutely known that this critical vote would be on this afternoon. It is a commentary on the opposition and the internal cohesion of the opposition that a senator could miss such a vital vote. It has been known since question time that this vote would be coming up at about this hour and it was an absolutely crucial vote and that it would be very close. The Senate does the right thing here, unlike many other parliaments, to make sure that the will of the elected representatives is correctly reflected. But I have to say that there have been a couple of such times since the coalition came into the Senate as the opposition. It may be a commentary on the fact that it spent too long predominant in the Senate, not having to care about procedure. My only advice to the opposition is you need to get yourself in order—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

That is right. This is the Senate and the votes in here are extraordinarily important.

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

Why are you building the Traveston Crossing dam?

Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Brown has the call.

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

It is a commentary—

Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why has your candidate sent all his how-to-vote cards back?

The Acting Deputy President:

Order! Senator Brown has the call.

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

The interjections from the coalition members from Queensland are an indication why the opposition is in such trouble, because they simply cannot take seriously the matter that is at hand.

Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why did your candidate send all his how-to-vote cards back? He was so embarrassed!

The Acting Deputy President:

Order!

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

I have a very brief speaking time here so I will just say this. Senator Boswell’s crass and unhelpful comment just then against the interests of Queensland is an indication of why this place is in such utter disarray as far as the opposition are concerned. They should do better.

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

by leave—What we have here is a very serious matter. It is something on which I think the opposition have demonstrated a pattern of behaviour in respect of this chamber. It is something that should be taken very seriously. We have known for some time that there would be a crucial vote on a significant package of something in the order of $1.6 billion. What we have now seen is an opposition senator miss a vote in the chamber, a critical vote on a very important bill, and then come back into the chamber, make an explanation and ask for the matter to be recommitted. We will grant that because it is a longstanding convention to ensure that the will of the Senate is reflected. But in this respect it is something on which I am saying clearly that, when you look at the behaviour of the opposition from this morning right through the rest of the day, you see the opposition have refused leave in a range of circumstances, which is not by convention. Over the last week they have not stuck to what I would have said was a broad agreement about how the program would run.

Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Parry interjecting—

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

You’ll get your go in a moment. The opposition have demonstrated an inability to deal with this place in the serious way that it should. It is not the first time that this has occurred, and it does seem to demonstrate a pattern of behaviour within this place. What we will do, of course, is respect the convention of this place. But can I say that it is extremely disappointing to find that this has occurred. (Time expired)

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I do not wish to turn this into a slanging match between both sides. I begin by thanking the government for recognising the convention that has applied in this place and without which this place would be dysfunctional—that is, when a senator, for whatever reason, is inadvertently detained and fails to make a vote that would have made the difference to an outcome, that is recognised and the vote is recommitted. So we thank you for recognising that. But we are not prepared to put up with the insulting, gratuitous and idiotic remarks about the opposition.

We have a situation where Senator Scullion has explained why he missed this vote. He explained that he should have had his beeper with him—and no doubt it is embarrassing to Senator Scullion that he did not have it—and he did not hear the bells. That is the reason why he was not here. It has happened before on our side, it has happened on the Labor side and it will happen again; Senator Brown himself said that he has also missed a vote. It is a regrettable fact of life that there will always be senators who will occasionally miss a vote. This exaggerated and idiotic language from other senators, about the opposition being in disarray and all of that, is completely rejected by us. For Senator Ludwig then to try to play partisan politics with this inadvertent mistake by Senator Scullion is ridiculous.

The opposition has been cooperating to the full extent with the government to help them manage their program, which, frankly, has been chaotic for the last two weeks. In the last week we had an occasion when the government had no legislation to give us; we had nothing to do. Now this week they have rammed everything through in a rush. So do not give us lectures about cooperation or management of programs! We will work with the government to make sure their program is dealt with this week—but do not give us these gratuitous lectures.

John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I will be brief. I reject some of what the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate has just said. First of all, let me correct the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate in relation to the convention—

Trish Crossin (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Macdonald, do you have a comment that you want to make? Leave was granted by your Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate and, as chair, I recognised that granting of leave by your Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate.

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

I thought it was up to every individual senator, but you have ruled.

John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is a convention, and I think I was one of those responsible for designing and implementing it over a long period of time, to basically argue that the will of the electorate is reflected in votes of the Senate. It is true that it can affect any senator on any side of the chamber. On this occasion it has affected Senator Scullion. I would respectfully suggest to the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate that this is becoming a pattern with the opposition. Senator Scullion himself needs to show leadership as the Deputy Leader of the National Party in this parliament. But the government does respect the convention and we will recommit this vote, even though in recommitting it we will be blowing a $1.6 billion hole in our budget. We also know the serious ramifications this will have on the health of young people in our community. A principle is a principle is a principle and a convention is a convention is a convention, but please, please, please, Madam Acting Deputy President, do not let the opposition lecture this government on decency and process. We demonstrate again that we are the upholders of decency and process in this parliament.

Leave granted.