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

I move:

That the report of the committee be adopted.

Senator Xenophon, are you seeking the call?

Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes. The advice I have received—and obviously the Clerk’s office can advise further on this—is that I will be seeking to move an amendment to the motion that the report of the committee be adopted. Is this the appropriate time to do so?

The Acting Deputy President:

Indeed, Senator Xenophon. Please proceed.

Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. I move as an amendment to the motion that the report of the committee be adopted:

At the end of the motion, add “and the amendments proposed by Senator Cormann on sheet 7010 be referred to the Economics References Committee for inquiry and report by 31 March 2011.”

I seek to make a short statement of no more than two minutes.

The Acting Deputy President:

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Very briefly—and I think I can do this in less than one minute—the terms of the motion are self-explanatory. I think that if the coalition are serious about this transparency reform—and I am not suggesting that they are not—in order to properly advance this, there ought to be a process where it is looked at by the Senate Economics References Committee in order to look at the feasibility of this, the format in which it would be laid out, any potential difficulties and the like. It could get advice from Treasury, consumer groups and taxpayers’ associations to see the best way forward in relation to achieving broadly the objectives set out in Senator Cormann’s amendments.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a brief statement.

The Acting Deputy President:

Leave is granted.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The coalition are very serious about ensuring increased transparency and appropriate levels of scrutiny and accountability on government expenditure of taxpayers’ dollars. We are of course disappointed that government senators, along with the Greens and Senators Xenophon and Fielding, have voted against the very sensible transparency measure which we recommended to the Senate; however, we are very keen to see this proposal pursued further and, in that spirit, we will be supporting Senator Xenophon’s recommended referral of our proposal for increased transparency and accountability on government expenditure to the Senate Economic References Committee.

Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting on Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

The Acting Deputy President:

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting on Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government will not support the amendment but we will not call a division. I think I can anticipate the way the chamber will go. The amendment proposes that the proposal from the opposition be referred to a committee, so it is not affecting the passage of the legislation, as I understand it. The one point I would make, however, is there has not been consultation with the Senate Economics References Committee about this, as I understand. I do not know what their workload is, their time frames et cetera. I just raise a practical issue that I think we should have some consideration of when we act in this way as a chamber. I appreciate Senator Xenophon attempting to guide us and make some progress in terms of legislation, but I think there is that practical issue that we should consider when considering references in this manner without consultation.

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

Mr Acting Deputy President, this is a motion of amendment. Do you need leave to speak? I would have thought we were just speaking on the amendment.

The Acting Deputy President:

Each speaker to date has sought leave to speak on Senator Xenophon’s amendment. If you would like to seek leave for a few minutes—

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

I do not particularly want to seek leave. I assumed that, being an amendment, any senator would have the right to speak on the—

The Acting Deputy President:

It is being considered as an amendment to a procedural motion and, as such, the advice I received is that each senator seeks leave. Each senator has sought leave and it has been granted. On that basis, I would be more than happy to take your advice. Senator Macdonald, if you wish to seek leave, I would put that to the chamber.

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

I do want to seek leave; I just had a couple of points.

The Acting Deputy President:

Leave is granted.

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

I mirror the comment made by Senator Cormann that it is unfortunate that the opposition’s amendments were not agreed to. That being the case, though, I think that the proposal by Senator Xenophon is well worthy of merit. I heard what the minister said about his concern for the committee, but I am sure the committee will be able to handle this. As Senator Cormann said, it is important that we do get the widest range of advice so that we can work out the best way to implement this proposal. We think we had the best way, but, as we were not able to achieve the consent of the majority of senators, perhaps the next best way to go is to have those investigations done through a Senate inquiry that would report back at the date indicated by Senator Xenophon.

The Acting Deputy President:

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

Question agreed to; report, as amended, adopted.