Robert Oakeshott (Lyne, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I rise tonight to provide clarity for those who might have questions about the 43rd Parliament—questions about agreements reached at the start, questions about its work, questions about ongoing confidence and questions from anyone who might feel the need to make decisions or assumptions on my view about the future. At the start of this 43rd parliament, a comprehensive agreement was reached with the now commissioned Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. It sought a commitment from her to do what she could to ensure this parliament would run its full term and to deliver $10 billion of project funding for regional Australia, an emissions trading scheme, the NBN and greater equity in education, particularly for regional students, low socioeconomic status and Aboriginal students. No will win a gold medal for this, but we have made it to a full term in this 43rd Parliament. I make this point out of respect for our parliament as an important institution. Every single Australian who walked into the ballot in 2010 expected a three-year term would follow the poll. This has been delivered, despite the tight result at that time—50.12 per cent for Labor and 49.88 per cent for the coalition, two-party preferred nationwide. The ballot box has been respected.

This is more than a debating point. Everything we do in politics either follows or establishes precedent. No act occurs in isolation or can be expunged from future records. This period from 2010 to 2013 could have seen a revolving door of leadership change in our parliament. It could have seen all sorts of constitutional uncharted waters. I, along with colleague Tony Windsor, consciously chose to focus on this issue at the start of this parliament, and I am pleased, for the sake of precedent, that we have made it through to a full term in this 43rd Parliament, despite both major parties doing what they could to make this a greater challenge than it needed to be.

I also share with the House the fact that the vast majority of what was agreed in program funding for regional Australia as well as the key national policy items of an emissions trading scheme, the NBN and education have been delivered or are in the process of being delivered. I and many others in this place campaigned on an emissions trading scheme at two elections. The framework for an ETS is now in place and Australia will move to an open trading market in just two years. And as a firm believer in the principle of equity for all Australians, I am pleased that the deepest fibre infrastructure possible combined with education funding formula changes at secondary and tertiary levels, known as Gonski and Bradley, are finally tackling the intolerable disadvantage that had previously been accepted in public policy and is now accepted no more. Australia will be much stronger as a consequence of these two policies being delivered in full.

We have made it through a full term of the 43rd Parliament and the programs and reforms have been delivered from the platform of a full parliamentary term. And from this—yes—stable parliamentary platform, the statistics of the past three years are now compelling evidence for those interested in the facts. We have passed a near record amount of legislation: more than 500 pieces of legislation, many that were unable to be passed in majority parliaments in the past. Before anyone jumps to the conclusion that this means the parliament has given the green light to anything and everything—

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