House debates Motions

Native Title Amendment (Indigenous Land Use Agreements) Bill 2017

Thursday, 16 February 2017 House of Representatives

Mr Tony Burke

Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance

9:31 am

I seek leave to move the following motion:

That the House:

(1) notes that:

  (a) yesterday, the Government introduced legislation amending the Native Title Act;

  (b) the Government has had six months notice that legislation of this type might be required and has taken no action until this week; and

  (c) the Leader of the House has given notice of his intention to force this bill through all stages of debate before 2 pm today;

(2) affirms the effect of the Government's approach means that Members of the House will be compelled to vote on a change to the Native Title Act without having had a chance to conduct any consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities;

(3) condemns the Prime Minister for condoning a failure to consult with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the same week where he quoted the words of Chris Sarra "Do things with us, not to us"; and

(4) calls on the Government to abandon this approach and allow time for proper consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Leave not granted.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

Before I call the Manager of Opposition Business to restate the motion, I say to the member for Dawson, the member for Corangamite, and members on my left and right: it is Thursday. It is the start of the day, but I am going to treat this no differently to question time. We are expecting some divisions soon. I would think about whether you want to be here for them.

Mr Tony Burke

Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance

I move:

That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Manager of Opposition Business from moving the following motion forthwith:

That the House:

(1) notes that:

  (a) yesterday, the Government introduced legislation amending the Native Title Act;

  (b) the Government has had six months notice that legislation of this type might be required and has taken no action until this week; and

  (c) the Leader of the House has given notice of his intention to force this bill through all stages of debate before 2 pm today;

(2) affirms the effect of the Government's approach means that Members of the House will be compelled to vote on a change to the Native Title Act without having had a chance to conduct any consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities;

(3) condemns the Prime Minister for condoning a failure to consult with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the same week where he quoted the words of Chris Sarra "Do things with us, not to us"; and

(4) calls on the Government to abandon this approach and allow time for proper consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

When the Native Title Bill came to this parliament originally, there were—

Christopher Pyne

Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House

9:34 am

I move:

That the member be no longer heard.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

Order! The question is that the Manager of Opposition Business be no further heard.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

9:43 am

Is the motion seconded? The member for Barton.

Linda Burney

Linda Burney Barton, Australian Labor Party

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I second the motion.

Christopher Pyne

Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House

I move:

That the member be no longer heard.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

9:42 am

The question is that the member for Barton be no further heard.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

9:46 am

The question now is that the motion moved by the Manager of Opposition Business be agreed to.

Christopher Pyne

Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House

I move:

That the motion be put.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

The Leader of the House has moved that the question be put.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

9:49 am

The question now is that the motion moved by the Manager of Opposition Business be agreed to.