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

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. This week in the Senate the vast majority of legislation passed were bills brought forward by Senators Lambie and Pocock. These four bills were passed without any voices against and therefore without a division being called. The Labor Party did not oppose these four bills. Given Labor's support for these bills, will the government give their commitment to treat the Senate, and Senators Lambie and Pocock in particular, with appropriate respect by allowing these bills to be debated and voted on in the House of Representatives next week?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

First, I note: is this not Senator Babet's question? No, this is yours. Have you handed it to the Libs?

Oh, now we know. We already knew. Are you going to join? Maybe you should. I would just make the point that I'm interested to get a question on legislation from the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, whose leadership is so fragile that he holds up a bill that he supports and that is important for Santos in his home town because Senator Canavan wants an inquiry, and he lines up his people to vote with the Greens to prevent legislation he supports. I mean, that is the Senate legislation program. It's all about the internals of the Liberal Party and the National Party. That is all it's about. So, if you want to come in here and talk about the legislation program, can you explain to Santos, to South Australians, to the people—oh, yes, I'm unsurprised—

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

President, a point of order: the question was very clearly about the industrial relations bills that related and were moved by Senators Lambie and Pocock, not any other legislation before the Senate. And of course they were bills the government itself was too weak to even call a division over.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Birmingham, the minister is being relevant.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What was striking about the discussion before was that I didn't actually see the other side disagree. Did you?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I didn't really see the other side disagree, because they know what is happening. You are voting with the Greens against legislation you support. Maybe those who care about national security should think about the fact that the governments of Korea and Japan have been asking us to pass the legislation. You're lining up with the Greens. And this is a party of government! Look at what they have become.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senators! There should be silence across the chamber. Senator Cash, I called you a number of times, and your interjections are disorderly. I called you to attention, and you ignored that. I would ask you to respect my calling. Senator Birmingham, first supplementary?

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

This week in the Senate the government has failed miserably to manage its own legislative program. In five days not a single government bill that wasn't non-contro has passed, yet the government has not once asked for extra hours nor extra sitting time, nor did it put to the coalition any cooperative proposal—just a guillotine, take it or leave it. Will the government come to the Senate next week with less arrogance and more willingness to show the give and take that has always been required and shown to get things done in this Senate?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Birmingham. Minister Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, I'll make it to you now. You give us extra hours and an agreement to pass the legislation, and we'll keep sitting. I'll make it to you now, but, do you know what you've been doing? You said no to Santos. You then said no to Woodside. You've said no to INPEX. You've said no to Korea. You said no to Japan—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Wong, please resume your seat.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Senators! Senator McKim! Order! Senator Paterson!

Senator McKim, I have one of your senators on his feet. Senator Whish-Wilson, I am waiting for the chamber.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Senators! Senator Green!

Senator Canavan, you have been very disorderly today. I've called you a number of times.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order! Order! Thank you for waiting, Senator Whish-Wilson.

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

Thank you, President. On a point of order: I think Senator Wong is misleading the chamber by pointing out that there's a difference between the Liberal Party and the Labor Party while supporting fossil fuel companies. It's misleading the—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Whish-Wilson, please resume your seat.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order! Order!

Senator Canavan—when you've finished. Minister Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm serious. And those opposite know why this—

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Canavan—

Senator Canavan!

Senator McKim!

Senator Ciccone, that is really unhelpful as well.

Honourable senators interjecting—

The:

I'm waiting for order. I am appealing to senators to stop being disrespectful. If you have something to say, make a contribution at some other time, not question time. Minister Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The reality is that this question is a pathetic attempt to cover up the fact that the Leader of the Government in the Senate and Senator Cash as deputy leader have teamed up with the Greens against legislation they support in order to try and get Senator Canavan an inquiry—enough said.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Birmingham, I will wait for order.

Senator Wong! Senator Birmingham.

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

It has taken five full days for the government to come up with a proposal on how to get this bill through, demonstrating clearly it has been lacking leadership all week. Given that it's 82 years since a government tried to function with only four Senate ministers, half of whom have been absent for most of the week, will the minister commit to asking the Prime Minister to promote some of the Labor senators languishing on the backbench? Perhaps Senator McAllister, who has done most of the work for the government this week, could replace the hapless Stephen Jones. There's one suggestion.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Birmingham, before I call the minister, I'm going to ask you to withdraw that reflection against Minister Jones.

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

I withdraw.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Birmingham. Minister Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I respect the position of the Australian Greens. They've had a consistent position on this legislation.

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you for your assistance. Political debate has many aspects.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Are you right? Are you right?

The:

Minister Wong, please resume your seat.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order across the chamber!

Senator Whish-Wilson, you are out of order, as are you, Senator McKim.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order! Minister, please continue.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I respect, but disagree with, the position of the Greens. They have been consistent, but I do not respect a party of government that votes against something for five days in the Senate, then complains about it—votes against it because they want an inquiry to shore up their internals. That's not how parties of government behave.