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 Treasurer, Senator Conroy. Why will the government not act on the advice of the Senate and introduce legislation today to validate the $300 million of revenue collected over the past 12 months as part of their failed alcopop tax grab?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Cormann for that question. There is a very simple solution: pass the bill. It is very simple. Pass the bill and there will be no need to validate anything. Pass the bill. Stop pretending that there is no economic crisis in this country. Stop playing short-term politics with Australian families’ lives. Just past the bill. This is one of the most disgracefully inept economic performances by an opposition in many years. It is one of the most disgraceful. There are a lot of claims on that title and you are winning hands down. You have been completely wrong at every stage of the response to the global economic crisis.

This bill needs to be passed to give this country the support, through a revenue base, to allow it to manage in the best possible way the crisis that is enveloping the world. This is the worst recession since the 1930s, yet those opposite continue to believe that it is really something that can be wished away if you just sit on your hands and wait and see. That is the position being adopted by those opposite—sit on your hands and wait and see. This country needs strong and decisive action, and that is why the Rudd government has taken it. That includes this bill which you have now rejected.

Those opposite should hang their heads in shame that they have been prepared to play short-term politics at the expense of the country’s national interest. They are weakening the position of the government to be able to cushion the global impact. That is why they deserve to be condemned.

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

Mr President, I have a supplementary question for the minister. Given that the liquor industry has said that they do not expect back the $300 million in revenue raised as a result of their failed alcopop tax, will the government follow calls from the coalition and the Senate and direct this money into alcohol rehabilitation, education and health measures?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those opposite should have thought about this before they took the grossly irresponsible position of defeating this bill. Those opposite are now trying to find a way to crawl out from the irresponsible position that they dragged themselves into. Well, a stunt like this will not help. The Australian public knows that this economic crisis requires swift and decisive action. It needs a stimulus package. It needs the budget to have been in surplus to allow us to go down the path of the ESS and the new jobs package that we have just announced. Those opposite who are now trying to pretend that they care, trying to pretend that they are interested in supporting measures that will remediate this economic crisis, should just have a good look in the mirror. The Australian public have worked you out. You are frauds. You are economic vandals and frauds, and they have worked you out.

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. Given that the Rudd Labor government has been given every opportunity to get themselves out of this legal mess, if the money has to be returned to the liquor industry is it because of the government’s complete incompetence or because of their political pig-headedness?

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is no surprise that even Senator Abetz is missing and does not want to be associated with this one. Even Senator Abetz, who runs your tactics committee. Fair dinkum, you get yourselves into this hole—

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

Mr President, I rise on a couple of points of order. Could you direct Senator Conroy to observe the standing orders and direct his remarks through the chair. Could you also point out to him that Senator Abetz has been in this chamber debating the Fair Work Bill, and it is not unreasonable that he be absent at the moment. I would ask Senator Conroy to be chivalrous in his remarks.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was in no way being critical of the fact that Senator Abetz was not present. I was simply pointing out the fact that even he did not want to be associated with this ridiculous question. I was in no way imputing anything at all about Senator Abetz other than—

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

Comments should be directed to the chair, from both sides, either when questions are being asked or when questions are being answered. That is the first thing. The second thing: you should address the question that has been asked of you. You now have 51 seconds to answer that question, Senator Conroy.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President, I accept your admonishment. This is an important health measure. It has been supported by doctors’ groups, by health experts and by police groups. For those opposite who have dug themselves into this hole to be now trying, through this stunt of a question, to extricate themselves is just embarrassing on their behalf. There is a very simple answer to these questions: pass the bill. You will get a better health outcome and you will get a better economic circumstance for Australia. Pass the bill.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

There is time for debating these at the end. If you do not like the answer, I can understand that; that is your entitlement. But the time to debate it is at the end of question time, not during question time itself.

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

Mr President, could I raise a point of order under standing order 193. Senator Conroy’s whole three answers have reflected upon a vote in this Senate. That is contrary to standing order 193 and I would ask you to rule that Senator Conroy should obey the standing orders.

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

Mr President, on the point of order, could I draw your attention to the fact that Senator Ian Macdonald has really highlighted the fact that the question should have been ruled out of order—not the answer. Senator Macdonald seems to be struggling this week with parliamentary process. Senator Cormann asked Minister Conroy directly about the failure to pass the bill and the impacts of that, and of course those issues were covered in his answer. If you ask the question, you are going to get the answer.

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

Mr President, on that point of order, I asked the minister very specifically whether the government intends to act on the advice of the Senate in accordance with the motion passed by the Senate in the third reading stages of the bill. Will the government act on the advice of the Senate?

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

There is no point of order.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! I am waiting to proceed with question time. Senator Conroy has completed his answer.