Senate debates
Friday, 24 March 2023
Motions
Albanese Government
3:01 pm
Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I seek leave to move a motion relating to the Albanese Labor government as circulated in the chamber:
That the Senate:
Notes that:
(a) Senator Farrell has demonstrated how out of touch the Albanese Labor Government is when it comes to cost-of-living pressures on Australian households and businesses when he said, "I do not follow power prices…closely".
(b) Senator Farrell has demonstrated that the Albanese Labor Government has no real plan to address cost-of-living pressures on Australian households and businesses; and
(c) Condemns the Albanese Labor Government for breaking its promises to Australians by:
i. failing to deliver its promised $275 reduction in power bills;
ii. failing to deliver its promised cheaper mortgages;
iii. failing to honour its promise to not change superannuation taxes;
iv. failing to honour its promise to not change taxes on franking credits;
v. failing to honour its promise to deliver real wage increases;
vi. failing to honour its promise to lower cost-of-living pressures; and
vii. failing to categorically rule out breaking its promise to honour the legislated stage 3 tax cuts in full.
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Order on my left and right! Thank you, Senator Birmingham; you have sought leave, but I remind the chamber that Senator Canavan was entitled to ask his second supplementary question. Senator Canavan, do you wish to do that before I go to the question of leave?
Senator Canavan, I'm asking you a question; when you answer I expect you to stand.
Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I'm perfectly fine for the Leader of the Opposition to have precedence on these matters.
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Thank you, Senator Canavan. Is leave granted to Senator Birmingham?
Leave not granted.
Opposition senators interjecting—
Order on my left! Your leader is on his feet. Leave has been denied. Senator Birmingham.
Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Pursuant to contingent notice of motion standing in my name, I move:
That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me moving a motion as outlined before and circulated in the chamber for the consideration of a matter, namely a motion to give precedence to a motion relating to the Albanese Labor government.
Most Australians know the smallgoods advertising campaign with the slogan: 'Is Don. Is good.' Sadly, this week Senator Farrell has looked and sounded more like a turkey than any sorts of tasty smallgoods, with answer after answer comprising nothing but gobbledegook, endless ums and ahs, stalling tactics, pauses and evasion tactics to get to the end of every single question and run the clock down.
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Birmingham, please resume your seat. A suspension of standing orders has been sought. That is what you are speaking to. You need to be explaining why we need to suspend standing orders.
Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
President, it has been an extraordinary show this week from the Acting Leader of the Government in the Senate, so extraordinary that it does warrant consideration of an extraordinary motion that necessitates the suspension of standing orders. Senator Farrell, during the course of this week, was asked about the rate of electricity price increases in Australia. What did we get? 'Don't know.' He was asked about the rate of grocery price increases in Australia. What did we get? 'Don't know.' Senator Farrell was asked about the rate of rental rate increases in Australia. What did we get? 'Don't know.' Senator Farrell was asked about the rate of mortgage increases in Australia. And what did we get? 'Don't know.'
Opposition senators interjecting—
Not only does Senator Farrell not know but, indeed, he—
Honourable senators interjecting—
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Order, across the chamber, but particularly on my left! Senator Birmingham, I did remind you that you have sought to suspend standing orders, and you need to be demonstrating to the chamber why you are seeking that suspension.
Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
President, as I outlined, this has been quite an extraordinary week in the Senate that does warrant the suspension of standing orders—
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator McGrath, I've just called the chamber to order. You are being incredibly disrespectful and disorderly. I would ask you to be silent. Senator Birmingham, please continue.
Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
So extraordinary has it been, that not only has Senator Farrell indicated he doesn't know the answers to these things, but, on power prices, he admitted: 'I do not follow power prices closely.' Right around Australia, households and small businesses are opening their power bills, each and every day, under the shock of the increasing rates of electricity, with genuine concern and pressures that they are feeling, and here we have the Albanese Labor government saying it doesn't know, it doesn't follow it and, apparently, it seems, it just does not care.
James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Out of touch; don't care.
Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
It doesn't care. It is a government, indeed, that is out of touch. Of course, it isn't just in relation to those matters affecting the cost-of-living pressures on Australians that we've seen this remarkable performance. Even on national security matters, such as cybersecurity protections of Five Eyes partners or, indeed, in relation to giving cogent answers on the AUKUS partnership, Senator Farrell has demonstrated time and again that he and the Albanese government just don't know—don't know, don't care, are not properly in touch.
Honourable senators interjecting—
Of course, it comes on the back of a government that is continuously breaking its promises. As we approach the one-year anniversary of this government, it is worth this chamber taking the step to giving special attention to debating the many broken promises of this government, because Senator Farrell—
Honourable senators interjecting—
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Birmingham, please resume your seat. Once again, the disorder across the chamber—
Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
It's the 'no-alition'!
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Brown, I've just sat the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate down, to call for order. I don't expect senators to continue to call out.
Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
As we approach the one-year anniversary of the Albanese government, it is worth this chamber taking the time to debate the extraordinary list of broken promises that have been racked up and the denial of them that is occurring on the other side. Time and again, we have sought to get the government to respond directly to their promise that they would reduce household electricity prices by $275. During the course of this week we actually asked them to acknowledge direct quotes out of their own policy document. They won't acknowledge it. We've even handed the document across the chamber with the quote highlighted. They still wouldn't acknowledge it. We even asked Senator Farrell yesterday just to say the words 'two hundred and seventy-five dollars'. He could not say them. He would not say them.
They will not admit that on more than 97 occasions before Australians cast their votes they went out and promised power price reductions of $275. And then the day after the election, and not once since have they been willing to repeat that promise. Not on one single day have any of you been game to repeat that promise—nor has Prime Minister Albanese—because you knew you never had an intention of delivering it. You knew it would never happen. It was a broken promise from the moment you made it, just like your promises not to change superannuation taxes, just like your promises not to change franking credits. They're all broken promises from a government that has demonstrated just how inept it is, how committed to breaking its promises it is and, as a result, how much the Australian people are feeling the pain from a government showing so early how out of touch it is. (Time expired)
3:10 pm
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I've got to say, I'm pretty disappointed in Senator Birmingham. You should have left these schoolboy tactics behind—maybe at university, even. One of the reasons why—and I don't think you've quite understood this, Senator Birmingham—you only got 71 likes on your Facebook the other day is nobody is listening to you.
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The reason they're not listening to you—
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
is you're irrelevant to the Australian people.
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Why did you lose? Why did you—
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Farrell! Order! Please resume your seat. Once again, I had to call 'order' about four times. This is disrespectful and it's incredibly disorderly. Minister Farrell.
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
They don't like me telling them the truth about how irrelevant they are. You were rejected by the Australian people and you haven't got over that. You haven't got over the fact that you were rejected. What you hate, what you absolutely hate, is—
Glenn SterleDon Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
That's true. You're dead right there, Senator Sterle. You do hate each other. I know you want some diversion from the Ruston-Antic—where is Antic? Out getting his numbers, I suppose.
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Minister Farrell, please, when referring to a senator in this place, use his proper title. Senator O'Sullivan?
Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
On a point of order. You just addressed the first one I was going to raise. The second one is that I ask you to ask the minister to direct his comments through the chair, please.
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I believe he is doing that, Senator O'Sullivan, but I will remind him to direct his comments to the chair.
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Yes, I should have referred to the dispute between Senator Ruston and Senator Antic about preselections in South Australia.
Opposition senators interjecting—
That's why, of course, it's Senator Birmingham who's trying to divert attention from the terrible, terrible internal—
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Farrell, please resume your seat. Order! I'll come to you in a moment, Senator Birmingham. I had just called the chamber to order, and the minute the minister got back to his feet the disorder and the interjections immediately started up again. Senator Birmingham.
Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
President, on a point of order: you drew me to the question of the matter of suspension of standing orders on multiple occasions, without anybody having to make a point of order. I invite you to apply the same standard to Senator Farrell.
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Thank you, Senator Birmingham. I did draw you to the suspension; I note you very rarely went there. I will do the same to Minister Farrell.
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
They can't stand the truth. The truth is: you were an irrelevant government, you were a bad government, and you are an irrelevant opposition.
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
That's not arrogance—
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Minister Farrell, resume your seat. I ask for that to be withdrawn.
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
What are we doing in terms of cost of living? We're putting downward pressure on cost of living. How many times have I spoken this week? How many times have I spoken this week about what we're doing to push down the price of—
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Farrell, I direct your comments to the suspension of the standing orders. Please continue.
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I am commenting on the suspension, President. The reality is that this government is doing things the previous government was never, ever prepared to do. They have opposed, in opposition, to put downward—
James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
We didn't break promises!
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Oh, come off it, Senator! This is a government that understands the problems of ordinary working Australians, which your government never, ever understood, and it never, ever will understand the problems of ordinary working Australians. We're putting on that downward pressure with cheaper medicines and cheaper child care, and by expanding parental leave for six months. We are finally getting wages moving again. What was your—
Honourable senators interjecting—
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Minister Farrell, please resume your seat! I'm going to wait for order once again. Minister Farrell, please continue.
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
What was your policy on wages? Structurally, to keep wages depressed! We've supported ordinary working people to get wages going. More affordable housing: we're doing something about affordable housing, which you completely ignored! Fee-free TAFE places and all of these things are putting the downward pressure on. And, of course, we're delivering on recognition of Australia's First Nations people by delivering a Voice to parliament.
You don't like us doing any of those things, but we're the government. We're looking after the people of Australia and we're looking after the people of Australia in a way that you have never done and have never been able to do.
Opposition senators interjecting—
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Order on my left! Senator Farrell, please continue.
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I have completed my answer.
3:16 pm
Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The government won't be supporting this suspension of standing orders. I think we've all learned today that we won't invite the opposition to attend the next sitting Friday. That's what we're seeing—
James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
That's because you don't like accountability!
Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Well, no, that's because—
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Minister Gallagher, please resume your seat. Senator McGrath—
And Senator Hughes! I have just called the chamber to order! Minister Gallagher.
James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
If you put wages up—
Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator McGrath, you're making my point for me! You're shouting at us! Keep going—come on!
Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Is this the Senate of Australia? This is honestly the Senate—Australia is watching this!
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Minister Gallagher, please resume your seat—
Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
He's—
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Minister, I have asked you to sit down. Senator McGrath, I have constantly called you because you are out of order and you are being disrespectful. Minister Gallagher.
Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Thank you, President. I think that this suspension demonstrates what we've been seeing for the last 10 months. But it has really hit home this week for the opposition: it seems to be an increasingly irrelevant and obstructionist gathering of senators in this place who are determined to undermine, distract and cause damage to anything constructive that tries to be done in this place. That's what we've been seeing. That's why here we are, with the last 10 minutes of the Senate sitting this week, dealing with a suspension debate. Nothing else, just a suspension debate, essentially reflecting on their conduct this week.
Opposition senators interjecting—
Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Obstructionist and irrelevant: say no to everything—say no to absolutely everything! Everything that we are sent here to do in this place to progress issues on behalf of the Australian people and to implement the policies that we took to the election, you say no to. You say no to wage rises. You say no to the safeguard mechanism. You say no to the climate laws. You say no to extra housing and you say no to new manufacturing jobs. The list goes on and on and on. And when you say no to everything you have nothing to say, do you? So you have to move suspension debates, like you did this morning and like you're doing now, because you are so irrelevant that you have nothing to bring to this chamber. You have absolutely no value to bring to this chamber and so we're at the point, with 10 minutes to go, where this is the best that you have. This is the best that you have! You say no to almost every piece of legislation that comes into this chamber. You don't want to debate anything. You don't want to talk about it. Your behaviour—
Opposition senators interjecting—
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Minister Gallagher, please resume your seat. Once again, and I reminded senators of this earlier, if you wish to participate in the debate please seek the call. It is not okay to continue to be so disorderly that I have to call this a place to order every few minutes.
Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The government has done more in 10 months than those opposite did in almost 10 years.
David Van (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
You're kidding! You're absolutely kidding yourself.
Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
We have done more in 10 months, and you can't stand it. You can't stand the fact that that is what we have done. We've gone around implementing our election commitments. We've gone around with the commitments we made to the Australian people to put those in place, and you have voted no at pretty much every single opportunity. That's what has happened, and that's why we find ourselves here, with 10 minutes to go, discussing this suspension motion, which won't even get completed by the end of the time the Senate sits. That's the strategic brilliance of what's being put before the Senate today!
We have been implementing our policies for women. We have been implementing our policies to invest in early childhood education. We have been implementing policies to put downward pressure on energy prices. You even voted no to that—$1½ billion going in to ensure people's power bills don't increase to the point that they otherwise would have, and you voted no to that! I mean, honestly! How do you go back to your jurisdictions and explain that to constituents? How do you go back and say: 'Oh, well, actually, you know what? The government tried to put downward pressure on your electricity bills, and we said no.' There's a badge of honour! There's something ticked off in Canberra!
What about the minute wages were getting moving? Getting wages moving is something you spent 10 years opposing. All the attempts that we make, like our secure jobs, better pay legislation—you say no, no, no. Nothing. All the bills that were in place for this week—you said no to all of them. National Reconstruction Fund? No. Housing Australia Future Fund? No. That's not good enough for those opposite! You didn't do anything in 10 years and you don't want to do anything for the next year either, it seems. The Housing Australia Future Fund—who could oppose putting extra money into housing? People of Australia, I give you those that will do that! Here they are, lined up, every single one of them!
Today's behaviour has been a disgrace, with two suspension motions on a day that we were sent here to do government legislation and you couldn't bear it because you don't want to get anything done.
3:22 pm
Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I also rise to support the motion moved by Senator Birmingham. But the question we all need to ask is: why? Why is it so important that we be given an opportunity to note what has been outlined in Senator Birmingham's motion? In the first instance, the role of the government when it comes here is to justify itself to the Australian people. For one hour a day, those who are not in government are given the opportunity from two o'clock until three o'clock—and we've had members in the gallery today join us—to pursue what is called question time. The role of question time has been one that has been here since the time parliament commenced. The mere fact that you clearly don't know what the role of question time is says a lot. During question time—
James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
You don't like accountability. You can't even spell it!
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Cash, please resume your seat. Senator McGrath, your interjections are so loud they are drowning out Senator Cash. Please continue.
Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
those not in government are given the opportunity to ask questions of the executive, but, you see, the ministers that have been asked the question then have a responsibility to the parliament to be accountable. And what we have seen this week—in particular with Senator Farrell, as the acting leader of the Australian Senate, the Minister representing the Prime Minister of Australia—is a complete, total and utter disregard for this place, the Australian Senate and a complete, total and utter disregard for the Australian people, because, quite frankly, if you don't know the answer to a question, you're actually better off just saying to us you don't know. We would actually prefer that answer to what you have done this week.
To those listening in, this is the contempt the leader in the Australian Senate, the Minister representing the Prime Minister, has shown. And it's not just to the Senate, because the Senate represents the Australian people. So, it is the contempt that is being shown this week to the Australian people. Senator McGrath asked Senator Farrell a question: 'My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Farrell. Can the minister name anywhere in Australia where power prices have been reduced since Labor have been in government?' This is the response Senator Farrell gave to the Australian people: 'I thank Senator McGrath for his question. I do not follow power prices closely enough to be able to answer the question.' He then went on to say: 'I'm not sure that there's any person in the chamber who so closely watches power prices that they are able to get that answer.'
Well, Senator Farrell, I say to you, there actually are people in the chamber who follow power prices. There are people in the gallery who know what the increase in the their power bill is. There are people listening in—
Government senators interjecting—
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Order on my right! Senator Cash, again, I remind you that we are discussing the suspension of standing orders. You started off well. Thank you.
Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
The whole point is, it is the lack of accountability shown by the Minister representing the Prime Minister, the contempt that was shown to the Australian Senate this week. Yes, it is a matter of urgency that this motion be debated. Looking at the substance of the motion that Senator Birmingham has moved, why should we take note of this? Because it is important for us as the opposition to hold the government to account for broken promises. The government went to the election and stated certain things to the Australian people. Are we saying we should not note this fact in the chamber? Are we saying that it is not important enough for this place to actually note that, prior to the election, Mr Albanese said on over 97 occasions, 'I will reduce your power bills by $275'? And you had in the Australian Senate this week a simple question. Can you actually even say the words '$275'? The minister can't even bring himself to say the words '$275'.
So, President, I would put to you and to the chamber: it is of great importance that this suspension motion be agreed to. It is of great importance because the contempt that has been on display to this place, to the people who've joined us here in the gallery this week and to the Australian people has, quite frankly, been like nothing I've seen in my almost 15 years here. (Time expired)
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Thank you, Senator Cash. Senator McKim.
3:28 pm
Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Thank you, President.
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Just a moment. I have Senator Ruston on a point of order.
Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I seek precedence.
Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Yes, we had two from your side.
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I will seek advice from the Clerk. Please resume your seats, Senators McKim and Ruston. Senator Ruston, I'll give you the call.
Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I move:
That the question be put.
Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
On a point order: I'd just remind you that there is a large crossbench in this Senate, and the Senate has not had the opportunity to hear from the crossbench at all in this debate. In fact, we've had two contributors each from the government and the opposition. I think the crossbenchers are entitled to have a say.
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Thank you, Senator McKim. Because there were two contributors from the government I felt that in fairness it had to go to the opposition.
An honourable senator interjecting—
The question is that the motion, as moved by Senator Ruston, to close debate be agreed to.