Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

I also rise to take note of the answers given by Senator Nash to the questions asked by Senators Moore, McAllister and Polley. In every instance, Senator Nash has failed to be accountable to this place in answering questions. It points to the deep crisis within government and an extraordinary set of double standards that go to the heart of the integrity of this government. Senator Canavan did the right thing and stood aside from his ministerial responsibilities once doubt was cast on his citizenship. It was clearly recognised by him and others that it was an important step to take and the right thing to do. As Professor George Williams, the constitutional expert, said:

The wisest course is for them to refrain from making decisions or to step down pending the outcome of the High Court hearing.

Now, it is all very well for the government to talk about, 'The situation's fine; everything is as normal because we've got legal advice.' But, should Senator Nash continue to exercise her responsibilities, the Australian people deserve accountability and an explanation of the grounds and reasons for her doing so. There have been no reasons given other than the mere fact of legal advice per se; Senator Nash has failed in every instance to provide an explanation to this place. It calls into question whether Senator Nash will need to defer decisions, delay decisions or delegate decisions to other people while doubt is cast over her eligibility to be in this place.

I can only surmise as to some of the reasons why Senator Nash has allowed herself to be used in this way and to set such an appalling double standard not befit of this place. Had Senator Nash done the right thing and stepped aside from her ministerial responsibilities, it would have called into question the decision of our Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Barnaby Joyce, and his failure to also step aside. So, here we have the ministers within the National Party completely in disarray and beset by their own incompetence as a party and their failure to do due diligence when their candidates are nominated for election. It calls into question their competence, and illustrates the hypocrisy of the National Party and the government in allowing these double standards to exist.

Senator Nash may well say that there are other issues that we would like to be discussing as a nation, such as jobs, health and employment, et cetera. Indeed we would and indeed we do. But it is simply not acceptable that we are asked, as a nation, to place trust in a minister who is making decisions on these very things—the things that affect jobs and the things that affect regional development and employment—when those decisions could be called into question in the future because of her potential ineligibility to be a member of this place. The minister has provided no assurance that her ministerial decisions will not be invalidated if her own status as a senator is found to be in breach of section 44. Perhaps Senator Nash is selling out every principle of good governance because she is trying to avoid setting a precedent that would see the Deputy Prime Minister also need to step aside. I can only presume from Senator Nash's answers this afternoon that she is continuing to make decisions and participate in decisions that could be called into question in the future. Her failure to provide answers on these very serious matters to the Senate this afternoon is a serious issue.