Guy Barnett (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the document.

The document is a letter of advice relating to lists of departmental and agency appointments and vacancies. In the response, which I have here, it notes that the response was nil. But, with respect to the Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General, I want to alert the Senate that I am in possession of a letter from Richard Egan, of Western Australia, who has written to Her Excellency Quentin Bryce AC, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, where he says:

I understand that Your Excellency was not in attendance at the ecumenical service for the opening of the 43rd Parliament held at Wesley Uniting Church, National Circuit, Forrest, ACT at 7.30 am on Tuesday the 28th September 2010. I believe this may be the first time the incumbent Governor-General has not attended the service. Would I be correct in assuming that Your Excellency was invited to attend? If so, I would be grateful if you could let me know why Your Excellency declined this invitation. The absence of both the Prime Minister and Your Excellency has occasioned some comment and it would be helpful to understand the reasons.

Yours faithfully,

Richard Egan

I have also been provided with the answer, from Mark Fraser OAM, who writes to Mr Egan:

Thank you for your email to the Governor-General. Her Excellency has asked me to reply on her behalf. The ecumenical church service before the opening of Parliament is organised by the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship, a group of Christian parliamentarians. It is not a formal part of the opening of Parliament proceedings and is for those members of Parliament who hold Christian beliefs. It is a personal choice of Governors-General as to whether they attend the service and, in the past, some governors-general have attended the service and others not. Thank you for bringing your views to the attention of the Governor-General.

I would be very interested to know which governors-general have not attended the service at the opening of parliament. Since I arrived at the parliament, in 2002, at every opening the Governor-General has attended as, indeed, has the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and many members of parliament of different faiths, not just the Christian faith. It is a very important service and I think it should be noted that in many respects it is a priority for many people.

I asked the question in the Senate at the time, because I was quite shocked that the Governor-General was not in attendance at the service, whether a public statement would be made by the Governor-General as to why Her Excellency was unable to attend. I had not been made aware of any public statement, but, of course, I am now in possession of this correspondence, which does make things a little clearer, although, for me, very disappointing, and it also raises further questions. The key question is: does the Governor-General only attend functions where she shares the beliefs of those who sponsor the function? Is that now the protocol for the office of the Governor-General? It would be interesting to know what religious functions the Governor-General has attended since taking office. I am also aware that an organisation, ISRA Australia, was launched nationally in Canberra on 24 November 2009 in the presence of the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia.

David Feeney (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Acting Deputy President, I rise on a point of order. The senator is discussing this matter in such a way as he appears ignorant of the fact that the Governor-General is a practising and very devout member of the Anglican Church.

Judith Troeth (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rule that out as a point of order.

Guy Barnett (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Madam Acting Deputy President. I take the interjection from Senator Feeney. I am only going on what has been made available to me and what I am aware of in the public interest. I do appreciate Senator Feeney’s contribution to the discussion.

I would like to know whether the Governor-General does intend declining to participate in state funerals which involve Christian prayers, for example. I do not know, but I would hope that she would attend. Does the Governor-General approach invitations of this kind as a matter of personal choice or as a question of considering her duty as a representative of the Crown?

The Acting Deputy President:

Senator Barnett, I would caution you that you are speaking on a government document and I remain to be convinced that what you are talking about now is the subject of that document.

Guy Barnett (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very  much, Acting Deputy President. In conclusion, I note that more than 60 per cent of the Australian nation consider themselves as Christian, and I think that is something that is worthy of note. The document which has been tabled and referred to, which I am speaking to and taking note of, refers to the nil return of the Official Secretary to the General-General. Although not directly relevant, I think some of these questions are worthy of consideration, and I hope that some of these matters and questions that I have put to the Senate can be clarified in the not too distant future. I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave not granted.

Judith Troeth (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Macdonald, am I to understand that you are refusing Senator Barnett leave?

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

Yes, because I wish to speak on the same document.

The Acting Deputy President:

Please proceed.

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

I was interested to hear what Senator Barnett said and the intervention of Senator Feeney. I am pleased to hear that the Governor-General is, like I, a practising Anglican. What Senator Barnett raised was of some interest. The Governor-General is the Queen’s representative in Australia and, as I understand it, the Queen is actually the titular head of the Anglican Church world wide, and it occurs to that it would seem quite improbable if the Governor-General had not been in a position where she may have attended that particular service. I just raise that and wonder aloud whether the Governor-General’s role representing the Queen also has some involvement with her role in the Anglican Church. I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.