Katy Gallagher ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service
4:16 pm
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
4:17 pm
I seek leave to move an amendment to the motion as circulated in the chamber under Senator Duniam's name.
Sue Lines President
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
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
Senator Pocock, I note you've got an amendment as well.
David Pocock ACT, Independent
Do we deal with that one first, or do I move mine as well?
Sue Lines President
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
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
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
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.
James McGrath Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition
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
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
My bad—and (c). We would like (b) and (c) put separately to (a).
James McGrath Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition
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
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
4:34 pm
The question is that the paragraph (c) of Senator Duniam's amendment be agreed to.
Sue Lines President
4:39 pm
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
4:41 pm
I want to clarify that the substantive motion that is left is effectively just paragraphs (b) and (c).
James McGrath Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition
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
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
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
Can you get that in writing? It is in writing, because it's in the Hansard.
David Pocock ACT, Independent
4:43 pm
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
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
I will die on this hill. I'm happy to proceed.
Sue Lines President
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
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
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
I think, President, if I can assist the chamber—
James McGrath Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition
4:46 pm
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
Sure. Senator Pocock, let's just make sure you've moved the amendment as revised.
David Pocock ACT, Independent
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
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
The question is that paragraph (c) of Senator Pocock's amendment be agreed to.
Sarah Hanson-Young SA, Australian Greens
4:52 pm
We are seeking to have the two points of the final motion put separately.
Sue Lines President
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.