Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to give additional information to an answer in question time.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Oh, you want to hear it, indeed! You want to hear it. Senator Waters asked me a question about whether I could confirm if a deal had been done in relation to wind energy. Senator Waters then went on to cite—as, indeed, Senator Urquhart just did—a letter from Minister Hunt that allegedly was on The Guardian's website. After I said there was no deal that had been made, but I did confirm discussions were being had with the crossbenchers, Senator Waters then went on to suggest that I had misled the chamber and to invite you to consider that fact, Mr President. The fact that Senator Waters ignored and the fact that Senator Urquhart has ignored is that the letter on The Guardian's website is undated, unsigned and has 'Draft' written right across it.

I can confirm for the Senate, as I told the Senate during question time, that no deal has been done. I can confirm for the Senate that the government does listen to the concerns of the community, does listen to the concerns of its senators, does listen to the concerns of the crossbenchers and is having discussions to that effect, but no deal has been done. It is thoroughly misleading of the Australian Greens and the Australian Labor Party to be coming in here proclaiming they have a letter when the very letter they have they know is a draft that is unsigned and they have absolutely no proof to suggest that anybody has misled this Senate.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In light of that answer, I again seek leave to table the draft letter to senators on Minister Hunt's letterhead. I understood the Leader of the Government in the Senate was out of the loop, but the minister clearly was not. He has now read the letter, so the government has notice of the letter—in fact, it is the government's letter. I seek leave to table it.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. Senator Wong has been here long enough to know that the usual courtesies are that, where leave is sought to table these sorts of documents, they have to be circulated across the chamber in the appropriate fashion. This can be considered later in the day.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is not a point of order. I understand your sentiment.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

We will not be giving leave to table this document, because we were asked leave to table a letter. The document I have been given is not a letter.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, would you still like me to put the question in light of the comments of Senator Brandis? I gather not.