House debates Business
Suspension of Standing and Sessional Orders
Greg Hunt Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage
11:26 am
I move:
That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent notice No. 7, private Members’ business, standing in my name, being called on and proceeded with immediately and that until it is disposed of it take precedence over all other business before the House. In Particular that this House gives precedence to the Solar Hot Water Bill for the following reasons—the Government:
(1) terminated the Solar Hot Water Rebate program with no notice to families, retailers or manufacturing workers at 4.59 on 28 February 2012;
(2) did so in breach of its own mid-year budget papers of 10 February which showed $63.5m for the current financial year and $24.5m for the coming financial year commencing on 1 July 2012;
(3) has failed to provide the figures as to the number of units funded to date this financial year; and
(4) stands condemned for the hypocrisy of imposing the world’s highest and broadest carbon tax while simultaneously abandoning incentives for low cost hot water to families.
This is a government of solar frauds—
Peter Slipper Speaker
Order. The honourable member will resume his seat. I call the Leader of the House.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
11:29 am
The opposition have given no notice or request to the government, and on that basis I move:
That the member be no longer heard.
Peter Slipper Speaker
The question is that the honourable member for Flinders be no longer heard.
The honourable member's time has expired. Is the motion to suspend standing and sessional orders seconded?
Bruce Billson Dunkley, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Small Business, Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs
11:41 am
I second the motion. This is about small business hypocrites in the government. This is another smack in the chops to small business from more policy flip-flops from you guys. That is why we need to suspend standing orders.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
Mr Speaker, there is no tabling of any resolution. It is reasonable that the opposition—
Peter Slipper Speaker
The Leader of the House will advise why he is seeking the call.
Honourable members interjecting—
The member for Dunkley will withdraw the word 'hypocrite'.
Bruce Billson Dunkley, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Small Business, Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs
I withdraw. The point here is the smack in the chops to small business from another government flip-flop on policy.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House
11:42 am
I move:
That the member be no longer heard.
Peter Slipper Speaker
The question is that the honourable member for Dunkley be no longer heard.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Honourable Members:
Peter Slipper Speaker
The time for the debate expires at 11.53. It is now 11.52 and 45 seconds. The question is that the motion—
Honourable members interjecting—
You were not seeking the call. The honourable member for North Sydney now has the call.
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer
11:52 am
The Labor Party are hypocrites when it comes to small business.
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer
They do not care about small business, Mr Speaker; they never have. They are hypocrites and they are anti business.
Peter Slipper Speaker
The time allotted for this debate has expired, and the honourable member for North Sydney will not defy the chair. The Leader of the House will resume his seat. The question before the chair is that the motion—
Honourable members interjecting—
I stated the question. I was very careful to state the question because the time had not expired. The question before the chair is that the motion moved by the honourable member for Flinders be agreed to.