Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

I will keep my remarks brief—much as I prefer not to be provoked by some of the hysteria that has been canvassed in this discussion. Unfortunately, Senator Cash, for instance, needed to listen to the comments I made when moving this motion. There were two aspects, acknowledged by Senator Fifield, that I raised. Firstly, she has mischaracterised the comments I made about allowing more productive time. What I indicated was that I was going to limit my comments, as I will now also in reply, so that more time can be spent in the Senate debating legislation rather than procedural motions. But perhaps the more critical issue that Senator Cash should have listened to was that I said very clearly in my remarks, as acknowledged by Senator Fifield, that I was indeed open to the question of time management. So why she is seeking an assurance directly contrary to what I gave in my initial remarks is somewhat bizarre. I thank Senator Xenophon for adding some perspective to this discussion.

One issue I thought needed to be highlighted and which was not covered by Senators Cash or Fifield was that the Low Aromatic Fuel Bill had almost 2½ hours of debate last week. Suggestions that there will be no time for bills or that for the Low Aromatic Fuel Bill there will be only the time in the discussion of this motion are somewhat misleading. I would also encourage Senator Cash to perhaps have a broader history lesson on the conduct of this chamber or indeed the conduct of both this chamber and the House. Her perspective seems considerably narrow. The Senate itself has finished earlier than the current time frame on a Thursday on many occasions with cooperation amongst senators. I am an optimist. I hope that we might be able to return to our families at the end of the session somewhat sooner but, as I highlighted, I am still open to the situation where we may seek to time manage to ensure that we progress all legislation. Senator Cash also raised the issue of Fridays in the House and perhaps I will share with the senator a different perspective about why Mr Rudd's plan to extend sittings in the House did not work. That was more as a result of lack of cooperation from the opposition than the government's plan to try to extend the sittings in the House.

Finally, with respect to the perspective on debate on legislation at the end of a session, I think it should be highlighted, whether it is the current government or the Howard government or indeed other governments with 22 sitting weeks, that time management is not something new to the Senate. As for the issues around how much time is available for legislation, obviously with cooperation—as we have had in the last week or two as we have moved through legislation in a prompt fashion—that avoids some of that pressure at the end of the final week and avoids a situation where we are moving through the remainder of the legislation at a very fast pace. With cooperation sufficient time can be allowed but I would ask senators not to misrepresent the situation or seek to claim that it is one peculiar to one particular government.

Question agreed to.