Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move a motion relating to the referral of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024 to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee, as circulated.

Leave not granted.

Pursuant to contingent notice standing in the name of the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me moving a motion to provide for the consideration of a matter, namely a motion to give precedence to a motion relating to the referral of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Getting the NDIS Back on Track No. 1) Bill 2024 to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee.

What we saw today before we moved into question time was a filibuster on the other side on the NDIS bill simply so we couldn't get to a position where we could allow the community the opportunity to debate this bill in the committee and see the intention of this bill. Six hundred and sixty thousand Australians rely on the NDIS. Six hundred and sixty thousand people will be impacted by the conditions, terms and amendments that are contained in the NDIS bill. All we are asking this chamber for is permission to enable that bill to be fully ventilated with the community so that people who are going to be impacted and their families, communities and friends have the opportunity to really understand what is being proposed here by the Labor Party. So we've just sought to refer this bill for a short additional length of time because of the truncated nature of the previous referral. We're more than happy for this bill to come back into this place the next time the parliament sits after this particular sitting session. But no. The Labor Party continue to be obstructive about this, without any regard whatsoever.

I have to say this has become an extraordinary track record of this government. They do not want transparency about what they're doing. It's not just this bill. Bill after bill after bill and measure after measure after measure is shoved into this place with little if any consultation. Earlier this week, we saw an absolute classic when the very people impacted by a decision of this government that was shoved through this place—that is, the 6,000 small-business community pharmacies of this country—had something forced on them and they found out about it when they heard about it in the media. If this is what you think running a country is all about, I think you will be very sadly informed differently when you get to the ballot box next time, because I think Australians are sick to death of the contempt with which this government is treating them. We see this happen time and time again.

So I am seeking to refer this bill to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee so that we can get the NDIA—the National Disability Insurance Agency, the very organisation that oversees the running and administration of the NDIS—before that committee. The NDIS is a scheme put into place with bipartisan support. It was very poorly put together at the time, I might say, but it received bipartisan support because we, the coalition, saw at that time, and still do see, the absolutely vital service that this provides for the Australians that rely on it. I acknowledge that this is causing extraordinary heartbreak and concern to the many Australians legitimately on the NDIS. Every morning that they wake up and see that this government wants to shove through a bill without giving them the opportunity to have their say on what's going on, they wonder why it is that their government is betraying them and not giving them the opportunity to have their say.

I also commend Senator Steele-John for the fact that he and the Greens have seen that this is such an important issue that it deserves the kind of scrutiny that we are asking for it to have. So far we've had 2½ days of hearings on a matter that is going to affect 660 vulnerable Australians. If this government thinks that that is adequate, then they are completely missing the point. But I'm not overly surprised about the government missing the point because we keep seeing them missing the point because they keep failing to actually understand that real hard-working Australians are being affected and hurt by many of the policies that they continue to shove through this place without consultation or consideration. But I think it is an even greater shame on them that they would be doing it to some of the most vulnerable Australians—that is, those people who live with disability.

I would hope that this chamber will reconsider the position that they are currently holding and allow this bill to be referred without any further argument. I think it would be a sign of good faith to those Australians who rely on the NDIS. It would give them some certainty about the changes that are going to be made by this bill and how the change are going to affect them, and make sure that they have their say. And, hopefully, when they have their say, they will actually be listened to, so that the relevant changes can be made to this act so that we can have an NDIS going into the future which is fit for purpose but which makes sure that it continues to provide the extraordinary support that it needs so that Australians who live with disability get the support that they need.

I commend this motion to the chamber.

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to indicate briefly the government's position in relation to this suspension motion and in relation to the bill. It is clear to me, at least, that the government does not have the numbers to defeat this proposition, but I just want to outline who is engaged in this conspiracy to prevent reform in the interests of—

Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Not me!

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

Order! Senator Steele-John, I've called you.

Senator Steele-John! Senator Hughes.

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

Senator Hughes, resume your seat. Senator Hughes, there was no reference to you. There was no reference to any senator that I heard. Senator Ayres, please continue.

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It may be clear to some—

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

who is engaged in this sordid, partisan plot—

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

Senator Ayres, please resume your seat. Senator Hughes, you will come to order! You have a choice to remain here and be silent or to leave the chamber or to make a contribution. Senator Ayres, please continue.

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A sordid, partisan plot—that is exactly what this is. Because what is in the interests of Australians here, and particularly in the interests of disabled people and their families and carers, is that we establish the platform for reform that is set out in this bill.

This has had the broadest consultation of any piece of legislation—

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

Senator Ayres, please resume your seat—

Opposition senators interjecting—

Order! Just as I invited Senator Hughes—

Senator Shoebridge, I am speaking! Just as I invited Senator Hughes to remain and listen in silence, to leave or to make a contribution by standing and seeking the call, that is exactly what I'm asking all senators in this place to do. Senator Steele-John, I had to call you three or four times in a row. Then I had interjections from Senator McKim and Senator Shoebridge after I had called for order. You are out of order. If you want to make a contribution, stand up and seek the call or signal that you want the call. Senator Ayres.

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I understand, President, that it is uncomfortable having the bitterness, the nastiness and the partisanship of this position here, which is putting the bitterness, the nastiness and the partisanship above the public interest and above the interest of disabled people and their carers. That is what is going on here. The Liberal and National parties have decided to do the same old trick, which is claim that they are interested in working with the government in order to fix this scheme and make sure that it is fit for purpose, that it does what it says it is supposed to do, that the growth in the scheme is moderated in a way that means it supports the Australians who it's designed to support and in the way that it's designed to support them and that it's fit for the future so that disabled people and their families can count on it. So they say that but then work with the party that will never agree to decent reform in this area—will never agree and will always position.

So the two of them united together are out there trying to scare disabled Australians and to frighten communities about what is contained in this bill. The other thing that unites them is the dishonesty of that position.

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

Order, Senator Steele-John!

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What it will mean is that, while this is going out to some new Senate committee process—

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

Senator Ayres, please resume your seat. Senator Steele-John, you are being incredibly disrespectful. I have called for order. As I said before, you have a choice. You can listen in silence, you can leave the chamber or you can seek to make a contribution. Senator Ayres.

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have watched the contributions of various senators who have been engaged in this over some time. I have watched them. This is the apotheosis of those contributions—partisanship over the interests of ordinary Australians who have a disability, who need the support of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and who need the certainty of a scheme for the future that will deliver. All this is about is crude politics and trying to position in the last half of 2024 and the first half of 2025. There is no interest in the public policy outcome and no interest in engaging with families and stakeholders.

I know that it may be a futile task here, but my job is to ask people in this place to reflect on their duty to ordinary Australians—to disabled Australians, in particular—and to put the public interest first. But I know that, when the sordid partisan fix is in, the fix is in.

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the question be put.

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

The question is that the question be put.

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

The question is that the suspension motion moved by Senator Ruston be agreed to.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That a motion proposing a reference to the Community Affairs Legislation Committee may be moved immediately, have precedence over all other business and be determined without amendment or debate.

Question agreed to.