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

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. At the last election, your government promised to fix Australia's broken environment laws. Why won't the Prime Minister work with the Greens to put in place environment laws that stop the destructive logging of our native forests and consider climate impacts in a way that would both tackle climate pollution and provide more certainty for the renewable energy industry?

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

I just was waiting to see if Senator Hanson-Young was going to call a quorum. I guess she doesn't mind being in the chamber if she gets to ask questions; she just minds being in the chamber when she might have the embarrassment of voting again with Mr Peter Dutton. That's what it's about.

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

Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Order! Order! Senator McKim, which part of 'Order!' does not apply to you? Senator Waters?

Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, on a point of order, Senator Wong needs to withdraw that reflection on my colleague—who's doing an excellent job, I might add.

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

Senator Waters, I don't believe that was a reflection, and I'll ask Senator Wong to continue.

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

I'd make a few points about—

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, withdraw!

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

What am I withdrawing?

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

Senator Henderson, I'm the President of the Senate; you are not. I've called for order. Minister Wong, please continue.

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

As you know, Senator Henderson, I'm always happy to withdraw if asked, but I did point out that she called a quorum before so that she didn't have to vote, which was the truth. So I don't know if that's actually unparliamentary, but I'm always happy to withdraw if people want me to.

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Oh, good. Thank you.

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

Well, you know that. You know that. I think everyone knows that the current laws aren't working for business, and they certainly aren't working for the environment. We know that the minister has been engaged in discussions. It's regrettable that to date we haven't seen the coalition engage responsibly on this. What I would say to Senator Hanson-Young is that I think the Prime Minister has made clear his views on some of these policy matters, and that is the position of the government, and if you don't wish to be a responsible party in how you deal with these issues, then, yet again, what you will see is good Labor reform which is not able to proceed because the Greens are taking an extreme position and the coalition are taking the oppositional position, the negative position, that they always engage in.

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

Senator Hanson-Young, first supplementary?

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

The Prime Minister's arrogant, bulldozer approach to the Senate—this requires this parliament to be cooperative and collaborative. What is it about putting climate in our environment laws that triggers you so much?

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

Well, I suppose the response might be, Senator: why are you so frightened about voting? Why are you so frightened about voting on housing? Is it because a part of Senator Hanson-Young and her colleagues in the Senate know that the member for Griffith has led them up the garden path? In your heart of hearts, do you think 40,000 houses is not a bad thing for low-and middle-income Australians? Is that why you're getting so upset?

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

Senator McKim?

Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point of order, as I'm sure you would anticipate, is on direct relevance. This question was not about housing. It wasn't about the member for Griffith. It was about climate and our environment laws. I ask that you draw the minister to the question.

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

I will draw the minister to Senator Hanson-Young's question.

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

There were some political statements in there. There were a number of political statements about the Prime Minister. And what I'd say to Senator Hanson-Young is: if this is a bulldozer, it's a pretty slow bulldozer. I mean, you've had 290 days to deal with the housing legislation and now you're complaining about being bulldozed. It defies belief—doesn't it?—the lengths to which you will go to try and justify voting with the coalition.

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

Senator Hanson-Young, second supplementary?

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

I find it extraordinary that this government does not want to talk about the environment, native forests or climate. Why does the Prime Minister choose to be berated by the Minerals Council and the BCA executives instead of working in this place to fix our environment laws to protect our forests from logging and to make sure we help the renewable energy industry with climate considerations?

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

Order! Senator McKim, I have called order, that applies to you.

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

Senator, I'm tempted to talk about who goes to which events and I'm tempted to talk about a shameful appearance by one of your members at a CFMEU rally with pictures of the Prime Minister. I think your judgement is sound, Senator Hanson-Young, and you would not have stood on that stage with those pictures. When it comes to the challenges on the environment—but also the overarching challenge, which is climate—we are serious about action on climate and on the environment, and we have taken action. We have taken action. We have ambitious targets, and we are committed to transitioning our economy. Unlike those opposite, we believe it is possible to have sensible environmental framework and continue economic growth. Unlike your party, we don't believe that we should be stopping economic growth. As always, it is up to Labor to chart the right course— (Time expired)