Senate debates
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
Bills
Clean Energy Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Income Tax Rates Amendments) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Household Assistance Amendments) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Tax Laws Amendments) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Fuel Tax Legislation Amendment) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Customs Tariff Amendment) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Excise Tariff Legislation Amendment) Bill 2011, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Amendment Bill 2011, Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Amendment Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Unit Shortfall Charge — General) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Unit Issue Charge — Auctions) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Unit Issue Charge — Fixed Charge) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (International Unit Surrender Charge) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Charges — Customs) Bill 2011, Clean Energy (Charges — Excise) Bill 2011, Clean Energy Regulator Bill 2011, Climate Change Authority Bill 2011; Third Reading
12:50 pm
Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source
Not only did he empty the chamber; he emptied the galleries. To those 20 people left: I don't know why you stayed for that, but congratulations for your perseverance! All of the rest of them fled because, quite frankly, they have heard this nonsense time and time again. Anyone who tuned in for the last two weeks would have heard the same tired old speech, the same abuse and the Liberal Party again hiding behind process. They have nothing to say about the policy and nothing to contribute to the debate. Abuse and process are their two contributions.
We will see the steady retreat of the Liberal Party from this position over the next year or two. We have already seen it from Senator Cormann on the question of the mining tax superannuation. When put under any pressure at all they run away. I do not know why Mr Robb was not invited to the meeting, but that is a matter for them. But we will see the steady movement away from this politics.
We have seen the most puerile of student politics in the last hour. We have seen senators scurrying out of the chamber so that the opposition could demand a four-minute division rather than a one-minute division. Grow up. Accept the verdict of the Senate. It is absolutely pathetic. You are an embarrassment to yourselves.
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