Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister representing the Prime Minister (Senator Wong) to a question without notice I asked today relating to ministerial conduct.

According to Senator Wong, the Prime Minister and his government are meeting the requirements of the code of conduct for ministers and upholding the principles of Australian democracy. However, we know that's simply not true. This is especially the case with the nature-positive plan. They're hiding it. They're keeping it secret. Stakeholders have been invited to see some parts of the plan, but the restrictions on these people are extraordinary and anything but democratic, transparent or accountable. Before they're allowed to even enter the room, they must sign a large confidentiality agreement with heavy penalties which stops them from discussing the plan's contents or even going into the room in the first place. Stakeholders are told that they can't take photographs of the draft legislation and can't take any part of it with them. They're allowed a limited time to take a few handwritten notes.

Labor rushes legislation through, not even giving senators remotely enough time to look at bills, consult stakeholders and constituents or develop a response or amendments. Labor was the only party which voted against my inquiry into the carbon capture trial threatening the Great Artesian Basin. Senator Wong couldn't even answer my questions today about whether the Prime Minister is really standing by the code of conduct for ministers that he personally signed. We're watching the slow death of Australian democracy. It began many years ago. It accelerated with the suppression of freedom and dissent by Labor and Liberal governments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The digital ID bill and this so-called nature-positive plan will only further the decline. I'm warning the Australian people to keep your eye on this nature-positive plan, because it's going to have a real impact on our environment, the farmers and everything and how we do business in this country. I'm telling the Australian people: wake up, Australia. Our democracy is being taken from us a piece at a time.

Question agreed to.