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

Pursuant to contingent notice, I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me from moving a motion relating to the conduct of the business of this Senate, namely a motion to produce documents that I have asked for from the Turnbull/cum-whoever government.

I think this is just absolutely appalling. This is about a motion to provide transparency. A lot of public money is being spent on this nuclear waste dump. A lot of processes have been established, and what we want to know is what is really going on inside the various government departments. Rather than being prepared to be transparent with the Australian people, the coalition government has denied me leave to move this motion. They are an absolute rabble. They're an absolute disgrace. They're rolling their own Prime Minister and they can't let the rest of us get on with governing the country. Just because they're not up to the job doesn't mean the rest of us don't want to get on with ours. The people in South Australia would like this government to get their heads out of the sand and their noses out of each others' backsides and start doing something for the people. The government are rolling the Prime Minister—knifing their own leader—rather than actually doing today what we've been elected to do in this place.

Just imagine if we have Peter Dutton as Prime Minister come the end of the day. Behaviour such as what we've seen from Senator O'Sullivan will be rife across this chamber. The whole reason that Mr Dutton in the other place has any sway over the Prime Minister, who leads this country, is because of the outdated, conservative, opaque views of people like Senator O'Sullivan here, who doesn't want transparency in this place.

Boy, oh boy, what a chaotic day we've got in this building today. We only have a few hours left of what is meant to be parliament, meant to be the place where we debate laws, where we ask questions of government, where we get information brought here, where we can be representatives of the people. Because this government can't even keep their own house in order, they're now trying to shut down the ability for the Senate to do its job as well. It is absolutely appalling. I tell you what: the people in South Australia that I represent deserve to know what this government wants to do in South Australia in terms of a nuclear waste dump.

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How hypocritical! You're a hypocrite.

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

I can hear Senator O'Sullivan sniping from the sidelines. He better watch what he says, because we know that he is incapable of thinking before he speaks. We know that he is incapable of behaving himself in this place. No wonder he lost pre-selection. Even the National Party don't want this bloke on their benches anymore. Even the National Party are sick and tired of his outdated views. I tell you what, I'm not going to come into this place and be shut down from representing the views of the South Australians who put me here to fight for them and to fight for our state to be clean and green and not riddled with radioactive waste in our backyard, in our national parks or in the Flinders Ranges.

That's what this government wants to do: dump nuclear waste in the Flinders Ranges, right in the heart of our state's beautiful tourism hotspot. People come from all over the world to see the Flinders Ranges, and the Turnbull government—or maybe the Dutton government, or maybe the Scott Morrison government. Who knows? But what we do know is that the coalition government don't care about regular Australians, and that has been shown in spades today. They're more interested in their own egos and in working out which bloke gets the top job than they are in doing anything for the people of this country. No wonder Australians are sick and tired and fed up with politics in Australia! Look at the rabble that is leading this country. Mr Peter Dutton as the Prime Minister of Australia terrifies so many Australians. The idea that this government would be led by him is— (Time expired)

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor will be supporting the suspension on this occasion. Whilst it's unfortunate that Senator O'Sullivan—I'm not sure if it's reasonable to say the government, but at least Senator O'Sullivan—denied formality, I'm pleased in one sense that we have an opportunity to reflect on what's occurring here. Senator Hanson-Young just referred to preselection issues, but Senator O'Sullivan is keen to continue to remind the Senate about his dissatisfaction in relation to the motion that he attempted to move—I think we dealt with it earlier this week, but originally it was proposed for last week—and why formality was denied. Senator O'Sullivan has mischaracterised elements of the procedure that occurred on that occasion but also has moved on to a new procedural ploy.

The problems that we've been having procedurally, which the Procedure Committee is about to discuss yet again this afternoon, have now exploded into an even bigger monster, if I can use that term. Labor has always been very clear about why we oppose formality in relation to complex foreign affairs matters. I think Senator Macdonald mischaracterised some of Senator Chisholm's one-minute statements in relation to the denial of formality on foreign affairs matters and, indeed, a statement I've read on at least three occasions now about denying formality on complex matters that need broader debate or consideration than just a tick or flick in formal motions. But we now have Senator O'Sullivan sitting here throwing bombs. There's no way to predict which motion on which day he's going to pull out. It may be an important matter in relation to an order for production of documents, which I think is a critical matter that should be considered expeditiously. On this occasion, in respect of this order for production of documents, the opposition will be opposing the motion on the basis that there are matters still before the courts, but other orders for production of documents, or indeed many of the other motions here today, are issues that still should be dealt with expeditiously. This one, 1011, is another of those.

So it will be interesting to hear from Senator O'Sullivan exactly what his criterion for his bomb-throwing is. Is it random, is it in the order of the alphabet—the alphabet is one theory I've heard from other senators—or is he going to look at the motions and say, 'Actually, this is important business for the parliament, so I'm not going to just deny formality as part of my tantrum,' or is it going to be which senator he likes or dislikes the most? Seriously, none of it really makes sense.

But what is important is for us to have this opportunity in the suspension debate—so I thank Senator Hanson-Young for that—to have a clear explanation of what really is going on here, which is that Senator O'Sullivan will be leaving us in the not-too-distant future. The issue of abortion is—fair enough—a very important issue to him and many others here, but this is not the way to leave your legacy, Senator O'Sullivan. There are countless other, far more dignified ways to leave your legacy, if you wish, in relation to important issues that are very meaningful to you. But just simply throwing bombs in procedural, very important parliamentary government management-type matters will not assist the parliament as a whole, the country as a whole, or, indeed, your own legacy.

There may well be criteria that you have in mind in terms of who you allow formality for and who you deny it for, and perhaps you might care to elaborate on that further, if this strategy is going to continue into the future—if indeed there is a future of this parliament. Senator Hanson-Young referred to issues about what else is occurring within the parliament today. Senator O'Sullivan, this strategy of yours may well continue into a new parliament, but it will be brief. I don't think it dignifies you to express yourself this way.

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can I say to you, Acting Deputy President Whish-Wilson: it is about a legacy. This is about a legacy. It's your legacy. It's about the introduction of a bill into the Queensland parliament that will provide for unfettered late-term abortions of children based on gender selection. That's the legacy that I'm interested in. We had a motion here today where we fretted about testing cosmetics and the like on animals in laboratories. That went through this place without resistance. No-one denied formality. But because I moved a motion relating to late-term, partial-birth abortions and presented it to the floor of this Senate, you, Senator Collins, denied me formality.

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, I did not.

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You denied me formality, so the position is—

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

Senator O'Sullivan, take your seat, please. Senator Collins, on a point of order?

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The statement made by Senator O'Sullivan is factually incorrect. Another senator denied formality; it was not myself.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's not a point of order. Senator O'Sullivan.

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Dear, oh, dear. Your party, of which you are one of the chief strategists, denied me formality on a motion that I think is probably the most significant question that would come before our minds as legislators in this nation—the protection of babies that are within seconds of full life, with a name and a future. I know you find it absolutely abhorrent that I would raise and start to describe the procedures around—

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator O'Sullivan, could I just remind you to address your comments to the chair.

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm speaking expansively, sir, but I will face you if you need me to. Colleagues here find abhorrent the thought of partial-birth abortions—the brutality of it—based on gender selection. We know it's occurring. They know it's occurring. They don't want this. Senator Collins failed to mention why—and I know why—they don't want my motion tested on the floor of this parliament. It's because there are decent members in the Australian Labor Party who will support the motion. You can't afford to have that happen when your state arm of the ALP—

Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, there isn't.

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll take the interjection, through you, Mr Acting Deputy President. It's been confirmed now that there are no Labor members—let the world see and hear—who would resist a law that will allow for late-term abortions on gender selection. Now, I don't think that's true. I know some of your people are very decent and very exercised about this. And, if it's true, let my motion go to the floor. I will test this again and seek leave to put my motion—a significant, important motion—back on the Notice Paper. The people of Australia are entitled to see where you sit on this question. The people who vote for you and put you in here are entitled to know where you sit.

Senator Faruqi interjecting—

I know where you sit, Senator, on this. We've heard from you and some of your colleagues. It's clear: late-term abortions are almost a policy of the Australian Greens.

Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Give it a rest. Sit down.

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You can holler all you want. In answer to your question about my system, Senator Collins, I will deny leave and I will deny formality—

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You're a pig.

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

It being 12.45, the time for debate has expired. A point of order, Senator O'Sullivan?

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Di Natale just twice called me a pig. This is what this has deteriorated to.

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

Senator Di Natale, it would assist the chair if you withdrew those comments.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I called Senator O'Sullivan a pig for stating that the policy of the Australian Greens—

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

Senator Di Natale, this is not a chance to give an explanation.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

was for late term abortions. That is false, and I ask him to withdraw those comments.

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

Senator Di Natale, I will say again: it would assist the chair if you would withdraw those comments.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask Senator O'Sullivan to withdraw the comments that he made.

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

The Clerk's advice to me is that it was a debating point made during a debate, and he has nothing to withdraw, as much as you may disagree with it, but I do ask you to withdraw the personal imputation on Senator O'Sullivan.

Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw the word 'pig' and I replace it with 'a disgraceful individual'.