Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. In a press conference on 25 November 2022, the Prime Minister said: 'We're operating as a mature, orderly government.' Minister, this week the government has tried to rush through new immigration laws with virtually no scrutiny, is engaging in secret and opaque consultation processes on religious discrimination legislation and has tried to paper over its disastrous family car tax aimed at the country's top-selling vehicles. Minister, how is this chaos and dysfunction consistent with operating as a mature, orderly government?

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

I'm pleased to take a question from Senator Cash.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Oh, demean me straight up. Excellent! Great start.

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

Senator Cash!

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

That's a slight overreaction. I was going to say—

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order across the chamber!

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

I'm pleased to take a question from Senator Cash, who has, this week, teamed up with Senator Shoebridge as the new, interesting political alliance. The Cash-Shoebridge, Dutton-Bandt alliance—this is new in Australian politics. There was a time when the party of government—

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! Seriously, within a few seconds I had to call the Senate to order, and then the Senate immediately went crazy. So let's have some order and some respect while Senator Wong answers the question.

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

Thank you, President. As I said, it does say something, doesn't it, when you have the Dutton opposition lining up with Mr Bandt and Senator Cash lining up with Senator Shoebridge in order to fail to ensure that Australians are kept safe. So let us be clear, because I know there are those who are more sensible on that side—I know there are—that what Senator Cash and Mr Dutton, in their desire to team up with the Greens, have done is make sure you are standing in the way of us making Australians safer. That is what you are doing. So I want to be crystal clear about this.

You can yell all you like, Senator Cash, but this opposition, led by Mr Dutton and pressed by Senator Cash—I know there are others on your side, because of conversations that were had, who were more sensible. I know that you are standing in the way because you think you will win a political fight of Australians being safer. So let us be clear: that is what you are doing. And after you get out of this place and after all of fire and the victory with the Greens has faded, the hard reality is that the Liberal Party and the National Party are standing in the way of Australians being more safe. (Time expired)

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

Senator Cash, first—

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order, Senator Ayres. Order across the chamber. Senator Cash, first supplementary?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 12 February 2022, in relation to religious discrimination, the Prime Minister said: 'What we will have is a proper consultation process.' Minister, many religious groups are either still in the dark about what the religious discrimination legislation actually contains or, alternatively, have been gagged by the Attorney-General of this country from talking about it. How is this a proper consultation process, and why won't the government just release the legislation for all to see?

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order!

Order! Senator Cash, you've just asked your question. There's so much disorder I can't even call the minister to respond, so be orderly across the chamber. Minister Wong.

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

I'm just waiting for Senator Cash to finish, President.

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

Minister Wong, you have the opportunity—

Senator Cash, order!

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order, Senator Watt and Senator Wong! Senator Cash, it is my role to assign the order. I did not call you. Minister Wong.

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

It's an interesting approach for the deputy leader of the opposition here in this place. But I would again say this. Whether it's on the cost of living, on tax cuts, on energy, on Medicare, on cheaper medicines, on ensuring the energy transition is undertaken, on delivering the first budget surplus in many, many years—on all of these things we are a government that does take very careful decisions, methodical decisions, in the interests of the Australian people, which can't be said—

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's a point of order on relevance. This question was specifically in relation to religious discrimination legislation and gagging faith leaders from talking about it.

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

I will draw the minister to the question.

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

There was a lot of hyperbole, as there often is, when Senator Cash gets very worked up. There was a lot of hyperbole, which I was responding to. On religious discrimination, I can recall this debate being a very difficult debate, including inside the coalition—

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We released the legislation.

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

Well— (Time expired)

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

Senator Cash, second supplementary?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Will the minister admit that the chaos, dysfunction and total lack of transparency on display this week is emblematic of a prime minister who has made many promises to the Australian people but, time and time again, has failed to keep them?

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

The answer is no. But if I might finish the response on religious discrimination—because it's a serious topic, and it's an issue which was difficult inside the coalition, and I acknowledge Senator Sharma and others, including in the other place, and former members who took a position of conscience on those issues. These are challenging issues that need to be addressed respectfully and carefully, and we are seeking to do that. And I would remind you, Senator Cash, that you were part of a government that failed to deliver on religious discrimination precisely because you were not prepared to deal with it in a dignified and principled and respectful way, and you sought to play politics, just as you are now and as we know you always will, Senator Cash. You and Mr Dutton—we know that you will always go the lowest bit of the road whenever you can. (Time expired)