Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I must say I was fascinated tonight to hear that I may be with child, as expressed by Senator Fielding in his declaration that I am half-pregnant. I am trying to work out which half is pregnant. Maybe I am a little ample round the girth these days; I will have to do something about that. However, it was fascinating also to be reproached by a man who looked like he was fresh from his private box after a near-death experience with La traviata. Nonetheless, I do not know whether he was supporting the arts on his way back from the opera or supporting Pot Black on his way to it. Anyway, it is great to have senators come here dressed in theme.

What is interesting tonight is that there is something we must acknowledge—and this is stating the obvious. Senator Fielding has clearly put his cards on the table: he does not support the higher education legislation. We can see what is going to happen: it will be a tied vote. A tied vote is a lost vote. A lost vote is obviously a trigger for a double dissolution. What does that mean? It means this: the premise that an ETS must be passed otherwise there will possibly be a double dissolution is no longer applicable because you have a trigger in any case. I do not know whether that works well for either side. The Labor Party’s position of placing duress on the opposition to pass the ETS is now no longer there because it is no longer the case that they have a gun to our head. They could possibly have two. Therefore, the desire to do whatever it takes to get the ETS through that may have been there among some of us is no longer there, so it is an interesting proposition on both sides. The premise that might be played by a range of groups that it is absolutely essential to pass the ETS has now been surpassed by the fact that there is now a trigger on the student amenities fee as well. That is a very interesting tactic.