Cory Bernardi (SA, Australian Conservatives) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that the South Australian state election will occur on 17 March 2018, in which the Weatherill Labor Government will be asking voters to endorse it to serve 20 continuous years in office;

(b) encourages all South Australian voters to carefully analyse the policies, track record, voting record and political ideology of party leaders participating in that election; and

(c) urges the next South Australian government, however constituted, to immediately implement policies to address South Australia's energy reliability, affordability and overall economic position so as to attract business investment, reduce unemployment and be a stronger contributor to the national economy.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

South Australians have an important choice at the upcoming state election. Only Steven Marshall and the Liberal team have a strong plan for real change. This is a contest of a leader, Steven Marshall, who wants to provide more opportunity and greater prosperity for South Australia and, importantly, has the plan to deliver it, versus four more years of failure and mismanagement under Jay Weatherill and Labor. A vote for any other party than the Liberals on 17 March risks another four years of the same tired, chaotic dysfunction in South Australian politics.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! We're getting towards the end of housekeeping.

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

I'd like to seek leave to make a truthful statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

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

Labor will be supporting this motion. I'd like to thank Senator Bernardi for giving us the opportunity here to remind the chamber about the leadership of the South Australian Labor government and encourage South Australians to re-elect them for a historic fifth term. Whether it be the South Australian government's leadership on jobs, on health, on education or on energy, the choice for South Australian voters is clear.

I'll happily be contributing to the debate on the matter of public importance today as the chamber takes the time to list the achievements of the Labor government in my home state, but for now I'll leave you with a quote from the gentleman that the former speaker referred to in a passionate and heartfelt— (Time expired)

Senator Farrell interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Farrell, resume your seat. Your microphone is turned off, so no-one can hear it.

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

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

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

Of course, the Greens will be supporting this motion as well. If South Australians want to see a state that invests in renewable energy, that takes climate change seriously and that wants to save the River Murray, then there is only one choice, and that's to vote Greens.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We're living up to our design as the states house today, I note.

Question agreed to.