Derryn Hinch (Victoria, Derryn Hinch's Justice Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the answers given by the Acting Special Minister of State (Senator Cormann) to a question without notice asked by Senator Moore today relating to the postal plebiscite.

Senator Moore was asking about protections in this plebiscite or postal plebiscite or survey or opinion poll, whatever it is, and questions about safeguards that are under the Electoral Act but are not under the ABS. Those questions are things like: what are the protections against vote buying; what are the protections against multiple voting in this area; and will we have things like the two-day blackout for advertising before this poll is given—or will that not apply? That's very personal, because I was the person who ended the electronic media blackout under the Hawke government back in 1983—so that is a big question. Will that happen?

In the other place a short time ago, the minister in charge of the ABS, Mr McCormack, called this postal plebiscite—this plebiscite, this public opinion poll, this survey—a survey. Just like that: a survey—a non-binding survey—and he said that before he was finally gagged and forced to sit down by Senator Pyne. So I would like to ask this question to the government: is that the official name now? Are we going to officially call this a non-binding survey costing $122 million?

While I'm on my feet, I wanted to say—and, Mr President, you may shut me down on this, but I would like your direction on the fact that I started out to say before to the Deputy President—that the crossbenchers now represent about 20 per cent of Senate and, in the period that I have been talking about it now, we should be entitled to get more. If you go 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there, we should get five minutes, one crossbencher—not me—every day. I put that to you, sir.

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

You did have three minutes left to make a contribution, if you wished to.

Derryn Hinch (Victoria, Derryn Hinch's Justice Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My advice is: keep them brief and keep them quick.

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

Very good. The question is the motion moved by Senator Hinch be agreed to.

Question agreed to.

About the remarks you made to me, Senator Hinch: our task force, as you are aware, is looking at some of those issues.