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 representing the Deputy Prime Minister, Senator McKenzie. Nationals senator Matt Canavan has said if Mr Morrison adopts net zero emissions by 2050 without the approval of The Nationals 'it will be ugly'. Does the Deputy Prime Minister agree with Mr Canavan?

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

Thank you, Senator Keneally, for your question. I think that it will be ugly. I agree with Senator Canavan. You'll have to check with Barnaby about whether he doesn't.

What we're doing, as a political party, is carefully considering the proposal before us, and this proposal will set up a net zero position for our country over the next three decades. It's only right and proper that the party that represents miners, foresters, fishers, manufacturing workers, farmers and those who live out in rural and regional Australia assesses the impact of this decision on our communities. And that impact is not just between now and the next election and not just between now and our own political careers but between now and the three decades when this policy will be rolled out and will have impact. We're doing that in a calm, methodical way. We're doing it on behalf of the regions. It is the right and proper process to go through. Our party room has primacy in this. It's not the leader having a top-down approach on what should or shouldn't happen to our communities or what should and shouldn't happen to our industries; it is each and every MP and senator feeding into the leadership group what they think will be the implications and what their views are, and we're taking those forward as a group.

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

Mr Joyce has declared that if Mr Morrison adopts net zero by 2050 without the Nationals blessing it could be 'a very hard time for the government' and 'not what you want for a harmonious government.' What does the Deputy Prime Minister mean by that?

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

As I said yesterday, we've been a very successful coalition government for 75 years, delivering outcomes for our nation and for the regions as a result of our shared values and commitment to deliver. Sometimes we disagree—very rarely—but we do disagree. It is important that, when we have periods of disagreement, it is a respectful conversation. That is exactly how we are conducting this negotiation. It would be best, obviously, for the coalition that we come to an agreement. But we've made it very clear that we're not agreeing to anything that isn't right for the regions.

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

Senator Keneally, 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

Yesterday, Senator Canavan refused to guarantee that there would be no resignations if Mr Morrison adopted net zero by 2050 without the approval of The Nationals. How many Nationals are at risk of resigning if the Morrison-Joyce government adopts 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

Talking about resignations over climate change policy—and going to what Nationals may or may not do is a hypothetical question—I'll tell you who has actually resigned over climate change policy, and that is Joel Fitzgibbon. He's a great loss to the Hunter, a great loss to those who care about mining jobs in this country and a great loss to the National—no, the Labor Party. He should be a National Party MP, but he's a great loss to the Labor Party.

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

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

The point of order is direct relevance. The minister is straying into areas that have nothing to do with the question. It was specifically about the National Party and comments about National Party resignations made by a member of the National Party.

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

Senator Keneally, the minister was addressing the issue of resignations over climate policy. I cannot direct the minister how to answer a question. I have allowed you to draw the minister's attention back to the question. Minister, 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, Mr President. Talking about resignations of candidates and MPs: it was the candidate for Fowler, I think, who pulled out of the preselection race—

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

Senator Wong, do you have a point of order?

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

The point of order is direct relevance. The use of a verb doesn't mean that anything associated, potentially, with the verb is directly relevant. The former President talked about glancing references to the opposition; we understand that's part of the interplay of question time. But the minister was asked about Nationals resigning.

That is the question. We'd ask her to be directly relevant. I'm happy to move leave for Senator Canavan to speak for two minutes. I'm happy to give him leave. If the government will give him leave, we will give him leave.

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

Senator Canavan, is this on the point of order?

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question was clearly about resignations. Senator Keneally has great experience here in forcing the resignation of a Labor candidate for the lower house, so this is directly relevant to the questioner's experience.

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

I'm listening carefully to the minister's answer. Senator Wong, you have had the chance, again, to draw the minister's attention back to the question. I cannot direct the minister how to answer the question. She was dealing with matters raised within the question.

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

I have a submission, Mr President. With respect, I'd ask you, post question time, to take advice from the Clerk and look at the Hansard. We are not asking you to direct her how to answer the question. We are asking you to make a ruling to uphold the standing orders as to direct relevance. I'll put it to you—and I'd ask you to get advice and consider the Hansardthat a question which goes to Nationals resigning, which is what Senator Canavan put on the public record and which is an appropriate question to the Deputy Prime Minister's representative, cannot possibly be answered in a directly relevant way by reference to an entirely different matter.

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

Mr President, in considering the matters that Senator Wong has raised, I would draw to your attention the fact that Senator McKenzie very clearly went specifically to matters of National Party ministers and their current representation in the current ministerial arrangements in the very first part of her response. Having addressed directly the direct question asked, it is entirely appropriate for a minister to be able to give context, including historical context, in relation to such answers that have been given. It is entirely appropriate for a minister to be able to elaborate on a point that they're making, and, in elaborating, that may mean that they are adding further context and information to what they have provided in terms of a direct response to the question that was asked.

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

I have ruled on the point of order. I will come back to the chamber, and I will seek further information on this particular issue and on previous rulings that have been made. My ruling, however, stands. Minister McKenzie, did you wish to continue?

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

I was going to put on the record that Joel Fitzgibbon, a resigning member of the Labor Party, resigned from the shadow executive of the Labor Party. Specifically, he resigned around climate policy. He said, 'The Labor Party has not made one—

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

Senator McKenzie, resume your seat.