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

I seek leave to move a motion to vary the routine of business for today.

Leave granted.

I move:

That the order of the Senate agreed to on 25 November 2010 relating to the hours of meeting and routine of business for today, be amended as follows:

Omit paragraphs (2) and (3), substitute:

(2)

That the Senate meet on Friday, 26 November 2010, and that:

(a)

the hours of meeting shall be 9 am to 3.30 pm; and

(b)

the routine of business shall be:

(i)

the introduction of a private senator’s bill––Assisting Victims of Overseas Terrorism Bill 2010,

(ii)

a personal explanation by Senator Boswell,

(iii)

a motion relating to leave of absence for senators, and

(iv)

a motion relating to the consideration of private senators’ bills.

(3)

The Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Competition and Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2010 be called on immediately and have precedence over all other business until determined.

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

I just ask the minister whether the government is still persisting with the 3 pm closure in view of the fact that the legislation listed for when the telecommunications legislation amendment is completed is quite lengthy. I anticipate there will be quite some debate on it. I indicated yesterday that I understood the coalition will be moving amendments in the Territories Law Reform Bill which I am not sure that the government will accept. They voted against them in the other House. I again refer the minister to my amendment yesterday to have the sitting of the Senate continue until such time as that legislation was dealt with.

If the government seriously want to get those bills through, and I assume they do, the fact that they are on the Notice Paper for the last day of sitting and the fact that there will be debate and amendments moved and, I assume, voted on means one of two things: we are not going to finish them or, alternatively, the government with their lackeys in the Greens will again gag debate on those pieces of legislation so that Senator Brown and a couple of other Victorian Labor members can get down to Victoria to baste in the media spotlight for the Victorian election.

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson-Young interjecting—

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

And Senator Hanson-Young wants to go too, I understand. Is that right? Are we going to see you all here at three o’clock, Senator Hanson-Young and Senator Brown?

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson-Young interjecting—

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson-Young, are you going to be here at 3 o’clock?

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

I will be eagerly watching to see if they are here. It will be interesting to see. We heard such pious comments from Senator Brown yesterday about the need to sit, so it will be very interesting to see whether Senator Brown is still here at 3 pm when the rest of us are. I heard a rumour that Senator Hanson-Young might be pursuing her leadership ambitions by getting down there too and getting her share of the spotlight on the television. But perhaps I wrong them both, and if I get a chance to say it at three o’clock and they are both here I will apologise to both of them because you can never believe rumours in this place.

But I do seriously ask the minister in closing the debate on this motion, should no-one else want to speak: what is the plan for today? Do you want these bills through? If so, can I suggest that you adopt the amendment I used yesterday, and that is that the Senate rise as soon as all of those bills have been dealt with, whenever that is. That will be a real test for Senator Brown and Senator Conroy, another Victorian. Perhaps we will be debating them at 11 o’clock tomorrow morning. That would be interesting if Senator Brown and Senator Hanson-Young could not be there. That is an alternative I urge upon the Manager of Government Business, that we do retain the Senate until such time as the particular piece of legislation is dealt with.

Here we go, the Labor-Greens alliance having a bit of a chat again. For those who cannot see it and who might be listening on this last day of parliament, we have Senator Brown and Senator Evans, the Labor-Green alliance, the Labor-Green coalition, in furious conversation over there, working out how Senator Brown can get down to Melbourne in time to play the media—

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have Senator Kroger and Senator Ludlum in intense conversation on the other side of the chamber.

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

Senator Siewert, it would help if we just hear Senator Macdonald out.

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

I take Senator Siewert’s intervention. I had not realised that Senator Ludlam and Senator Kroger were leaders of their respective parties. There is a slight difference with a couple of senators having a bit of a chat at the back of the chamber. I am surprised they are not listening intently to what I am saying but there is nothing to stop them having a bit of a chat. It is quite different when you have the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Evans, and the Leader of the Greens—well, the leader at the moment; I know Senator Hanson-Young is making a lot of strides—

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

I remind all senators that it is Christmas coming and we should have a bit of Christmas cheer.

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

It is timely you mention that. Senator Brown said that to me yesterday: ‘Where is your Christmas cheer? I am full of Christmas cheer.’ I said, ‘I thought Christmas was a Christian greeting.’ Anyhow, I will let that pass.

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Christmas for some.

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

Okay. I do not quite understand the theological arguments here.

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

You are a grinch.

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

I talk English. I urge Senator Bishop—Senator Ludwig; how could I forget Ludwig coming from Queensland—I urge on Senator Ludwig my amendment that extends the sitting of the Senate today until such time as that deal is done. Alternatively, I would just like Senator Ludwig’s confirmation that it will be gagged through so that that legislation can be dealt with.

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

As is normally the case, normal pairing arrangements will apply from this side and I suspect from the opposition and the Greens. In terms of the remaining program for today, I am confident that we will discuss the program to ensure all business is completed with the opposition and the Greens and Senators Xenophon and Fielding to ensure that we complete the program at a reasonable hour, by 3.30.

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

I do not know what Senator Ludwig—

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

Senator Ludwig has closed the debate. You will need leave. Is leave granted? Leave is granted.

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

Normally pairing arrangements are never mentioned in the chamber as such and I would like Senator Ludwig to explain what he means that normal pairing arrangements will be continued today. My understanding and my negotiations and discussions with the Government Whip are that we are back to our standard five pairs plus leader. I want this clarified—Senator Ludwig has raised this. It was the normal five plus one plus an additional pair for a senator who got sick yesterday, which is the way we transact business in relation to pairs. And we will not be pairing the Greens per se; the pairs for the Greens will be coming from the Labor Party allocation. I want that to be very clearly understood by the chamber.

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

by leave—Can I just say that Senator Ludwig was replying to the contribution from Senator Macdonald to try to ease the tension in the chamber and get us back on track. He was just indicating there were normal pairing arrangements; that senators were able to leave. He was making no comment on the specific arrangements. We appreciate the cooperation we have had from the coalition on pairing, which we always cooperate well on. He was just making that point and suggesting that we ought to get on with business; that, in terms of the management of the program during the day, normal discussions will occur and we will work our way through the remaining business and that we all perhaps just get on with the job rather than try to incite trouble.

Question agreed to.