Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for , Senator McKenzie. The Cabinet Handbook requires members of cabinet to observe cabinet solidarity. Does cabinet solidarity extend to this minister and Nationals members of cabinet publicly campaigning against Mr Morrison's stated intention to adopt net zero by 2050?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

E (—) (): I thank Senator Keneally for the question. As the Prime Minister has made clear, this is a decision for cabinet and no decision has been made. That is as it stands. Every cabinet minister in the Senate is aware of the processes of cabinet, and of the Cabinet Handbook and of our responsibilities as cabinet ministers in this government. It has been an incredibly collegiate cabinet that has been able to deliver for rural and regional Australia.

My question though is, I guess—having dealt with that question, I am very, very happy to go to the fact that the Labor Party's question belies your strategy—that you're all politics and no—

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, please resume your seat. Senator Keneally on a point of order?

Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My point of order is on direct relevance. The minister, in her own answer, is admitting that she is straying into areas that are not relevant to this rather tightly worded question.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Keneally was asking quite a politicised question. That was the way in which she presented it. Senator McKenzie has directly addressed the substance of the question in relation to knowledge of the cabinet rules and processes. Senator McKenzie, having directly addressed the question, is fully entitled to add context to the answer she has given.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, I believe you were being directly relevant to the question; however, your choice of phrase in broadening your answer was probably not indicating that you were staying directly relevant to the question. So I will bring your attention back to the question. You have the call.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr President. And, having answered Senator Keneally's question, I want to go to other aspects of her question—that is, the decision on the issue that we're discussing today coming before cabinet. The Labor Party choose to politicise their questions to me—all day yesterday; all day today. It's a quote-a-thon. I'm sure we'll have George Christensen quoted at some point today, others tomorrow.

The fact is that you are playing politics with this question because you actually have no plan. You actually have no plan yourselves to take forward. You have had eight different positions on this question—eight! Whether it's Chris Bowen, whether it's Mark Butler, whether it's the fantastic member for Hunter, who sadly won't be running at the next election, which provides an opportunity for this side of the chamber, quite frankly, or whether it's Meryl Swanston and the like, you are much more divided on this question going forward than we ever have been. The National Party is focused on its— (Time expired)

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Keneally, a supplementary question?

Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

KENEALLY (—) (): The Prime Minister has made clear that net zero emissions by 2050 will be a decision of cabinet. Given the cabinet handbook requires that, 'Members of cabinet must publicly support all government decisions made in cabinet, even if they do not agree with them,' does this minister commit to supporting the Liberal plan for net zero emissions by 2050 once it is adopted by cabinet?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

IE (—) (): I completely reject the many assumptions and presumptions that exist in Senator Keneally's question. As I've just said, the cabinet has not made a decision. The Prime Minister has been clear about that, as has the Deputy Prime Minister. They are making sure that the National Party have the chance, as an independent sovereign party, to make their own decision. We will go through the process that we have outlined.

As I've stated, though, this tacky, tawdry political game that you're choosing to play is because you don't have a plan. You're not standing up and saying what you think should be taken to Glasgow and what you think the 2030 targets should be, which is why the Greens chose to try and wedge you this morning. I just want to read from Paul Kelly's Triumph and Demise: the broken promise of a Labor generation. (Time expired)

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, I don't think in question time you can have the length of answer required to read quotes from a book. Senator Keneally, do you have a second supplementary question?

Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The cabinet handbook also states that, 'Cabinet ministers cannot disassociate themselves from or repudiate the decisions of their cabinet colleagues unless they resign from cabinet.' Given this minister's stated opposition to the Liberals' plan for net zero emissions by 2050, will this minister resign from cabinet once it is adopted by cabinet?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is absolutely a hypothetical question, Senator Keneally. I have been very clear on what process has been outlined by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Prime Minister. I will return to what former Nationals leader Warren Truss had to say when the Rudd Labor government put forward the ETS, your climate policy. He said—

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Watt on a point of order?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's on relevance. How is quoting from a book about the Rudd government possibly relevant to a question about the cabinet handbook? I would submit that ministers are flagrantly abusing the privileges of senators in here and are testing your limits, as the new President. I would ask you to make sure that their answers are relevant.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Watt, I have heard your point of order. I have another submission. I assume it's on point of order, Senator Birmingham?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order, the question went to matters of cabinet convention and processes, which are, of course, very longstanding customs and practices. I am not aware of the contents of the quote that Senator McKenzie is going to use and, unless Senator Watt has powers that I've not yet seen, nor is he. So it's entirely possible that the quote is indeed relevant to matters of cabinet process and cabinet consideration, which would make it directly relevant to the question that was asked.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, I believe that Senator Watt may have a point of order, but, as Senator Birmingham has pointed out, we don't know the content of your quote. But I would caution you against reading something that is not relevant.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was asked this in my capacity as a cabinet minister, and so I am quoting a former National Party cabinet minister and Deputy Prime Minister who, when considering this exact issue under the Rudd Labor government, in the shadow cabinet, said that the Labor Party's climate policy was a 'job-destroying rabid dog that should be put down'.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, unless you want to return to the question, I'm going to ask you to stop reading from the book.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll agree to your ruling, Mr President.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You have 19 seconds remaining if you wish to take it.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm very proud to be leader of a Senate team that doesn't shy away from having the tough conversations. Too many people in this place don't stand up for the people that sent them here. Ask the foresters, ask the CFMMEU and ask Michael O'Connor who actually stands up for their jobs, and it's not you. (Time expired)