Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The MP citizenship issue has been a significant matter of public interest in recent weeks. I was personally devastated by the news that Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters resigned from parliament over issues with dual citizenship. These two people—indeed, friends of mine—have served the party and the country with distinction and brought so much to this chamber. I'd like to pay tributes to both of them, and I certainly hope to see them back in this place one day.

Scott, Larissa and our leader Richard Di Natale have brought great credit on themselves and on the Greens in how they have dealt with this question with complete integrity, openness and grace. This is in stark contrast to the Liberal-National Party and, today, One Nation, who have announced they will refer Senator Roberts to the Court of Disputed Returns, but only after the Greens and others had forced the issue.

I came under public scrutiny over my citizenship because my parents were in Singapore when I was born, as my father was serving in the Australian Air Force during the Vietnam War. However, because of Singaporean law—where you can only become a citizen of Singapore if you have one Singaporean parent—there was no way I could have inadvertently become a Singaporean citizen. Despite this, like many in this place, I was under a lot of media and constituent pressure to publicly provide documentation on my citizenship status. So I sought advice, records and a statement from the Australian High Commission and the Singaporean High Commission and have provided this to the media.

I have been open with my documentation. I also know that Senator Di Natale has been open about his, but it has been brought to my attention that one person in this chamber has not been willing to clear up public speculation and doubts about their efforts to rid themselves of dual citizenship when they were duly first elected: Senator Eric Abetz.

We know that Eric Abetz was once a German citizen. We know that he is now no longer a German citizen. What we don't know is whether—or how long—he sat in this chamber before he rid himself of his dual citizenship. It could've been anything up to 16 years. We don't know whether he took all reasonable steps to renounce his German citizenship before he took his place in the Senate. He has previously said he would publicly release documentation, but I understand he has not done so.

The government has been very vocal in the media about Larissa and Scott. It is only fair to subject senators on the government's side of the chamber to the same scrutiny—in fact, all senators. This is why we have moved for a general AEC audit of all sitting senators' and MPs' citizenship records and status. Given Labor and Liberal are disappointingly not likely to support this motion, it would then be a simple matter for Senator Abetz to clear up this issue by publicly providing the documentation about the steps he took to end his citizenship. This would be easy to do and would put him above doubt, which we all must be. I ask him to come to this chamber and do so.

Now, onto Venezuela. Since I last spoke on the issue in June, Venezuela has taken further steps away from democracy and towards chaos. With the establishment of a so-called constituent assembly, the Venezuelan President, Mr Maduro, has effectively set the stage to perpetuate himself in power at the expense of Venezuelan democracy and the human rights of the Venezuelan people. Many international human rights groups, like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have condemned the constituent assembly, as have governments from around the world, including Venezuela's Latin American neighbours and the European Union.

There are many concerns with a constituent assembly, and I will outline some of the most egregious aspects here. It is entirely made up of ruling party loyalists, including the President's own wife. It's impossible to ascertain the truth regarding the voter turnout given there were no independent observers and the media were, generally, not allowed to get close to the voting centres. But it's widely believed that turnout was low. Millions of Venezuelans had previously expressed their opposition to the proposal through a plebiscite on 16 July. It has the power to stop the national assembly—Venezuela's democratically elected parliament—from operating. Indeed, the new body is meeting where the opposition-controlled assembly holds its sessions. It removed the Attorney-General, Luisa Ortega Diaz, from her position in one of its first decisions. Ms Ortega was once a government loyalist, but, more recently, she has been a critic.

The chair of Transparency International, Jose Ugaz, said:

Without an autonomous judiciary that provides for checks and balances to the government, democracy is impossible. The lack of an independent Attorney General Office in Venezuela will result in even more impunity for illicit enrichment in a country where corruption is already rampant.

Indeed, Venezuela ranks amongst the most corrupt nations on the planet. It can indefinitely suspend elections. Elections for governors, which were supposed to take place last year, are now scheduled for December 2017. Presidential elections should take place in 2018. It will be critical to ensure that elections proceed as planned. That is not to mention the fact that the assembly itself is unconstitutional. Instead of holding a plebiscite to ask voters whether they approved of his plan, as experts generally agree is required, Maduro did it through a presidential decree. And I note that previous the President, Chavez, held a plebiscite on changing the country's constitution, which was defeated and which didn't go ahead.

In addition to the establishment of the constituent assembly and the sacking of the Attorney-General, on Sunday 20 people in military uniforms attacked a military base and stole weapons. The attackers said they wanted to save the country from total destruction, but this is a very disturbing development, especially in light of international experts' concerns that Venezuela will slide into civil war with devastating consequences for the instability of the region and, of course, for human rights. This attack is an example of the increasing chaos in Venezuela. I call on all sides, both government and opposition, to deplore violence and stand up against human rights abuses and to move towards restoring democratic processes. Given the violence and deaths that we are seeing on our TV screens—and it is increasingly being covered here in Australia and in newspapers—the violence seems to be progressively worsening. I have met with a number of Venezuelans living in Australia, including in Tasmania and in Melbourne. They are all good people and they have very, very grave concerns for their families and loved ones back in Venezuela. It's on their behalf that I stand here today and represent this issue in the Australian parliament.

With the last few minutes I have left, I would like to quickly touch on Four Corners' stunning expose on the waste and recycling industry in Australia in recent days. This is a problem that has been a long time coming. My first senator's statement in here five years ago was how we need to tackle waste issues in this country, especially the issue of marine waste. I said in that senator's statement that it was one of the key reasons I came to parliament. Every Senate estimates I have repeatedly pushed the government to do something on this issue. Time and time again, they have stonewalled. The federal coalition has completely stalled our national waste policy. They abolished the COAG Standing Council on Environment and Water. They have not issued a national waste report in four years. They have not issued a single policy objective. They have vacated this space. The result is that the recycling industry is now in crisis, and public trust is sure to follow.

Last night, the ABC reported that the New South Wales regulator was recorded joking with industry about stopping his own government from introducing a plastic bag ban. This is no laughing matter, but it is what we are up against. It suggests that even when conservative ministers such as in New South Wales want to do something on this significant matter of public importance, the industry and regulators have got in the way. The environment minister must act now to save the industry and help restore public faith by recommitting the federal government to developing a national waste policy, including binding, mandatory national targets.

The Greens support the Senate Environment and Communications References Committee's recommendations. I note there was no dissent across the political divide. I very much respect the work that Senator Back did in that committee. There is the call for the federal government to step in and legislate for a national container deposit scheme and plastic bag ban if the states have failed to act by 2019. We also desperately need mandatory product stewardship schemes for a range of problematic waste streams, including tyres, mattresses, paints, batteries and other electronic equipment.

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Whish-Wilson.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Acting Deputy President, I want to raise a point of order. I did the previous speaker the courtesy of not interrupting him—a courtesy which, I might say, he doesn't show to other senators. I draw your attention to standing order 193, which says senators shall not make imputations of improper motives or personal reflections upon other senators. Not only did Senator Whish-Wilson do that but, in a cowardly way, he did it when he and everyone of this chamber knows that Senator Abetz is not in the parliament this week because of his wife's illness. I draw to your attention standing order 193. You might ask Senator Whish-Wilson to withdraw those imputations.

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Macdonald, I don't have the standing orders in front of me, but let me consult with the clerks. Senator Macdonald, I've reviewed section 193 and, due to the content, I will refer your point of order to the President, unless Senator Whish-Wilson wishes to make a statement.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do. I certainly don't withdraw that, Acting Deputy President. I was going to suggest that you do refer it to the President. I made similar statements in the media only last week, and I knew nothing about Senator Abetz's wife. This is a significant matter of public importance.

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting—

You are a grumpy old bugger.

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Sorry, Senator Whish-Wilson.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was going to ask that you refer it to the President.

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've made my decision. Senator Macdonald, I will raise with the President the concern you have raised. Senator Macdonald, you have the call.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Acting Deputy President. Today I want to talk about two significant industries in what we all know and acknowledge and agree is the best part of Australia, and that is northern Australia—in particular, northern Queensland. There would be no-one in this chamber who would argue with that description. The two industries in the north of Queensland in particular that I want to talk about are the tourism industry and the banana industry. In the tourism industry, I particularly want to talk about a wonderful feature called Paronella Park, which is otherwise called 'The story of a Spaniard's dream'.

Before I get to that, I want to briefly mention another great Australian industry, and that is the banana industry, which is centred principally around Tully, Innisfail, some parts of the Atherton Tablelands and up further, at Lakeland in the north of Queensland. In doing that, I wish to correct a misstatement I made previously when I told the chamber that Australians consume five million bananas each and every day. I was wrong in saying that and I want to correct the record. I'm told by the industry that it's actually six million bananas each and every day.

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, I'm glad you've cleared that up!

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's a wonderful statistic. But when you think of the uses bananas are put to and the way they are readily consumed by most Australians—particularly young Australians—you can understand that that statistic of six million bananas being consumed in Australia each and every day of the year is accurate. For young people, of course, when parents pack a lunch for the kids to take to school, a banana has in-built wrapping—it comes in its own wrapping facility. And, of course, it is wonderfully tasteful. Not long ago, the industry in the north achieved a Guinness record of having the world's longest banana split. It was something that happened as a new world record of 8.04 kilometres. That's a pretty big banana split.

It's a great industry. It employs a lot of people in tropical North Queensland. It's well run and well managed. They obviously do have their difficulties with diseases and importations but, by and large, it's a wonderful industry. Along with Senator O'Sullivan, I had the pleasure of attending the annual banana growers' conference during the break and saw firsthand the wonderful things they are doing: the way they are farming so sustainably; the way they have a concern about the environment in which they work; the sustainability, marketability, and future of their industry. All congratulations to the Australian banana growers on what they do. I thank them for their hosting of the banana growers' conference and wish them all the best in the future.

The other industry in North Queensland that I particularly want to highlight today is the tourism industry. There are so many wonderful aspects of the tourism industry in North Queensland that it would take more than 10 minutes—in fact, more than 10 hours—to properly detail them. In what is wrongly called the 'break' over the last month or so, I was in the area of Tully and the Atherton Tableland. I had been up to a local government conference at Yungaburra and Atherton, and that was followed by a meeting with the Mareeba Shire Council and the Mayor, Councillor Tom Gilmore. It was more than a meeting; I actually opened a facility of theirs. I've done a lot of openings in my time, and some of them were pretty schmick sorts of openings, but this was the opening of a sewerage plant—not quite as glamorous as many of the other openings I do. But, thanks to the Minister for Regional Development, Senator Nash, who happens to be in the chamber, $5 million was made available through the Stronger Regions Fund, which Senator Nash administers, to the Mareeba Shire Council to do this new sewerage plant, which will stop run-off of effluent contaminating some of the gulf rivers. It is visionary and provides for the future.

On the way home from those parts of the Atherton Tableland, I thought it was time I again went to have a look at a wonderful venue called Paronella Park. For those who are not aware of this, Paronella Park is a Spaniard's dream. It is a Spanish castle built in the rainforest. A man named Jose Paronella arrived in Innisfail in 1913, having sailed from Catalonia in northern Spain, to plan a splendid life for himself and his fiancee, Matilda. He worked for eleven years—cutting cane, I might say, in those days—and created some wealth for himself. He then went home with the intention of getting Matilda to join him in Australia. He was going to build for Matilda this wonderful Spanish castle in the middle of the rainforest at Mena Creek just outside Innisfail, on the backroad between Innisfail and Tully. Unfortunately, in the long time Jose had been in Australia, Matilda thought he was never coming back and married someone else. Never mind, Jose married the sister, brought her back and then built this magnificent Spanish castle right in the middle of the rainforest.

It has had a chequered history over the years. In the prewar and immediate postwar years it was the social venue for anyone in that part of North Queensland. It had a ballroom and a theatre. It is on the banks of Mena Creek, which is a fast-flowing waterfalled creek in that part of tropical North Queensland. It is a magnificent site right in the middle of the rainforest. In the middle of that he built this Spanish castle with turrets, walkways and a love tunnel. It's really interesting.

Over the years it became a tourist attraction. Following Cyclone Larry and Cyclone Yasi it fell into disrepair and the jungle started to take over. Since then two very enterprising people, Judy and Mark Evans, acquired Paronella Park and have restored much of the property. They have improved the surrounds and the grounds. They have wonderful tours through there. While I am at it I want to thank Pablo, the young Spaniard, who conducted the tour we took when we visited that place. They've turned this around so it is a very successful tourist attraction in tropical North Queensland. Not only do Mark and Judy Evans own Paronella Park and all that goes with it; they own the old hotel across the road, the caravan park and the skywalk through the forest not far away. They have done a wonderful job. They employ 80 people. They tell me that, if they did not have to pay the payroll tax they pay to the Queensland government, they could employ another two people.

It is a wonderful enterprise. Mark and Judy Evans have done a wonderful job not only in restoring Paronella Park, the castle and the grounds, but in building a real tourist enterprise that provides real jobs for 80 of my fellow North Queenslanders. I congratulate them on all they have done. Any senator who happens to be up that way—if there is a committee meeting up that way—should take time off and travel the hour or so from Cairns to see Paronella Park. It would be well worth their while.