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

POCOCK () (): This week the major parties are teaming up yet again to ram through bad legislation without any scrutiny. Our laws are again being changed to suit vested interests while the community loses out. A month ago, it was the major parties feathering their own nests and locking out competition through an electoral reform stitch-up. Before that, it was a shelving of a federal environment regulator to appease the mining and fossil fuel industries in WA. We now hear the Labor Party caucus has rolled over to the Prime Minister on the basis of a promise that he will bring back the EPA next term. This morning, the PM was on the radio claiming that the EPA could not pass because there wasn't support in the Senate. This is wrong, and I'm calling on the Prime Minister to correct the record. The Greens and other crossbenchers cut a deal with the environment minister to pass the EPA bill, and that's in writing. But the PM intervened at the last minute to make a captain's call and deny Australians the EPA promised by Labor at the last election.

Here we have another captain's call from the Prime Minister. We are seeing echoes of former prime minister Scott Morrison, intervening over the top of ministers for political self-interest. It seems like the irony is lost on this government. You came in promising so much. You came in off an electorate that voted for change and action on nature, and yet you're here, taking us backwards. I hope Australians see this for what it is and actually see who you're serving in this place, because it certainly isn't them.