Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Chisholm, I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the Liberals and Nationals have teamed up with the Greens and One Nation to block:

(A) faster environmental approvals for businesses,

(B) easier access to the latest environmental data for businesses, and

(C) fast-tracking work with the states for critical minerals, housing and other energy projects,

(ii) under the last Liberal Government, the Liberals cut 40% from the federal Environment department,

(iii) under the last Liberal Government, the average decision for a new project was 116 days behind schedule, and

(iv) under the last Liberal Government, 80% of decisions contained errors or were non-compliant;

(b) calls on the Liberals and Nationals to rule out any future cuts to the Environment department; and

(c) That the government business order of the day relating to the Nature Positive (Environment Protection Australia) Bill 2024 and related bills be discharged from the Notice Paper.

Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move an amendment to the motion as circulated in the chamber under Senator Duniam's name.

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

It has been circulated, I understand. I'll just clarify: Senator Askew has indicated that she is moving an amendment to government business No. 1. It's standing in the name of Senator Duniam. It was circulated. I'm just checking in that senators—okay. So that's all good. Thank you, Senator Askew.

Leave granted.

Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move the amendment:

Omit paragraph (a).

Omit paragraph (b).

At the end of paragraph (c), add ", and the Senate calls on the Labor Party to guarantee that this legislation never be returned to the Parliament".

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

Senator Pocock, I note you've got an amendment as well.

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Do we deal with that one first, or do I move mine as well?

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

Let me just seek the advice of the Clerk, because I'm not sure; sometimes amendments cancel one other out. We'll deal with Senator Askew's first. So the question is that the amendment as moved by Senator Askew, standing in the name of Senator Duniam, to government business notice of motion No. 1 be agreed to.

A division having been called and the bells being rung—

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

President, I'm sorry for the late notice. I would like to ask that the question be split, so I'm asking for the division to be cancelled in order to do that.

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

Okay. Let's cancel that division, and I will call the amendment again. The question is that the amendment moved by Senator Askew to government business notice of motion No. 1 be agreed to.

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

President, I ask that you put the questions separately in relation to (b), which is the part that says 'calls on the Liberals and Nationals to rule out any future cuts to the environment department'. We wish to vote differently on that compared to the other elements of this amendment.

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

If it suits the chamber, I will put (b) first and then the remaining motion. Senator McGrath?

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, to clarify: the motion before the chair is the deletion of paragraph (b) as per the amendment that was moved by Senator Askew in the name of Senator Duniam?

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

Yes. The Greens party have indicated that they want the motion split. They've asked for (b), which starts off with 'calls on the Liberals and Nationals' to be voted on separately, and I'll put the vote on that.

Senator McKim, don't shout out. I'll come to you. Yes, Senator McKim?

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

My bad—and (c). We would like (b) and (c) put separately to (a).

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

Senator McGrath, this might assist you. The motion I would put is that the amendment to paragraph (b) be agreed to, and if that got up that would delete that paragraph.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To confirm, we are voting on the deletion of paragraph (b), and paragraph (c) is not involved and paragraph (a) is not involved.

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

That's right. I believe we need to call a division. The question is that paragraph (b) of the amendment moved by Senator Duniam be agreed to.

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

The question is that the paragraph (c) of Senator Duniam's amendment be agreed to.

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

The question is that the remainder of the amendment as moved by Senator Duniam be agreed to.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to clarify that the substantive motion that is left is effectively just paragraphs (b) and (c).

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

That is correct.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That motion that was just put up also included the words 'that the Senate', and that was also deleted. Senator Pocock, I think this means that the remaining motion no longer makes any sense.

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

I believe we can fix up a small technicality like that. Thank you for sharing it with the chamber.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No worries. I think it's very important to clarify such things. I will hand over to Senator Pocock.

An honourable senator interjecting—

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

Can you get that in writing? It is in writing, because it's in the Hansard.

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move an amendment to the motion as circulated in the chamber. I hope this helps Senator McGrath, as it re-inserts 'that the Senate'.

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

That's quite clever!

Leave granted.

Senator Pocock, the previous motion, Senator Duniam's amendment, removed the whole of paragraph (a), so that's a problem for your (v). I am advised, Senator Pocock, that you can still proceed with your amendments to paragraphs (b) and (c) of the motion, but it does make it a little hard to retrofit it to the amendment which we just dealt with. I'm in your hands, so you need to advise me and the Senate of what you intend to do.

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will die on this hill. I'm happy to proceed.

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

You're happy to proceed with (b) and (c)? I just advise the chamber that we're not in the committee stage. I'm trying to move the Senate along. We're in our normal Senate business, so I need some indication from you, Senator Pocock.

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, President. My amendment would be to have paragraph (b) stand, as the Senate has voted, and then to remove (c).

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

Okay. As I understand it, we are now proceeding with the part of Senator David Pocock's amendment relating to paragraph (c) of the motion.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think, President, if I can assist the chamber—

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

Just wait and I'll give you the call, because we are not in committee stage here, Senator McGrath.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think that Senator Pocock has two remaining amendments. One is to paragraph (b), where he adds the word 'Labor'. Then he wishes to have paragraph (c) deleted. First of all, if that's correct, the coalition would like to split that, if that's possible, to vote on (b) and (c) separately.

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

Sure. Senator Pocock, let's just make sure you've moved the amendment as revised.

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, President. I move the amendment:

Paragraph (b), omit "calls on the Liberals and Nationals to rule out", substitute "calls on Labor, the Liberals and Nationals to rule out".

Omit paragraph (c).

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

The question at this stage is that the first part of the revised amendment moved by Senator Pocock, relating to paragraph (b)—because the coalition have indicated they want to vote on it separately—be agreed to.

A division having been called and the bells being rung.

The:

The government have indicated they are happy for the division to be called off, so, therefore, the amendment to paragraph (b) will stand.

Question agreed to.

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

The question is that paragraph (c) of Senator Pocock's amendment be agreed to.

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

We are seeking to have the two points of the final motion put separately.

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

The question is that paragraph (b) of the amended motion be agreed to.

Question agreed to.

The question is that part (c) of the amended motion be agreed to.