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

The loudness of my voice does not underscore the incredu­lousness with which I rise to respond to what is an outrageous stunt. I am certain Senator Parry is not behind this; it is Senator Boswell's mad idea, by the look of it.

What it does and what it is intending to do is up-end the Senate on the basis of a private senator's bill when we have before us appropriations and other important bills to be dealt with on the last sitting day before the end of the financial year. Notwithstanding that, it spoils what were very meaningful discussions about how we could have private senators' bills dealt with at a particular time by an arrangement between the parties to ensure that private senators could bring bills forward into this place, have them dealt with sensibly and appropriately during that period and have them brought to a vote, as we saw this morning with the palm oil bill. It was brought to a vote, which then allowed that debate to be had. In the past, it could only happen in general business or, alternatively, through this process. So the government, opposition and other people sought—and I think Senator Bob Brown wants the credit; I do not mind who gets the credit—time to allow private senators' bills to be debated. We have agreed to that, with quite generous time being allowed for that process each week. The next time we come back here, if the opposition, the Greens or the Senate want to debate Senator Boswell's bill they can. If it is not his time slot then he can debate his private senator's bill in the following week.

What Senator Boswell seeks to do, though, is jump the queue and say, 'No, my bill is more important; it is more urgent than government business; it is more urgent than any other private senators' bills.' Why? Because he is a spoiler. That is the only thing I can think of, quite frankly. He wants to spoil the process of having private senators' business dealt with on a Thursday morning, the appropriate time, and allowing parties to come to a concluded view, because it is all about you, Senator Boswell. It is all about you, because you think you take urgency, you take precedence, over everything else—