House debates Motions

Mouse Plague

Wednesday, 2 June 2021 House of Representatives

Julie Collins

Julie Collins Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture

9:40 am

I seek leave to move the following motion:

That the House:

(1) notes

(a) the devastating mouse plague is ravaging farms across four Australian states;

(b) the Federal Government has no national response plan for this unfolding disaster;

(c) state Agriculture Ministers, some from the Agriculture Minister's own party, have expressed their frustration at the complete lack of action from the Federal Government; and

(d) farmers and their rural communities, who have just recovered from drought, need to see action from the Prime Minister and the National Party as a matter of urgency; and

(2) therefore, calls on the Prime Minister to attend the chamber and explain what his Government plans to do to stop the devastating mouse plague before further damage is done.

Mr Littleproud interjecting

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

The minister for agriculture is warned.

Leave not granted.

Julie Collins

Julie Collins Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture

I move:

That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent the member for Franklin from moving the following motion immediately:

That the House:

(1) notes

(a) the devastating mouse plague is ravaging farms across four Australian states;

(b) the Federal Government has no national response plan for this unfolding disaster;

(c) state Agriculture Ministers, some from the Agriculture Minister's own party, have expressed their frustration at the complete lack of action from the Federal Government; and

(d) farmers and their rural communities, who have just recovered from drought, need to see action from the Prime Minister and the National Party as a matter of urgency; and

(2) therefore, calls on the Prime Minister to attend the chamber and explain what his Government plans to do to stop the devastating mouse plague before further damage is done.

Farmers across Australia are calling out for action from this federal government. This mouse plague is now across four Australian states—

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

The member for Franklin will resume her seat.

Michael Sukkar

Michael Sukkar Deakin, Liberal Party, Assistant Treasurer

9:42 am

I move:

That the Member be no longer heard.

Ms Madeleine King interjecting

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

I remind the member for Brand that standing order 94(a) applies all day. The question is the member for Franklin be no longer heard.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

9:47 am

Is the motion seconded?

Meryl Swanson

Meryl Swanson Paterson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence

I second the motion. This is a plague on your house. Not only will—

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

The member for Paterson will resume her seat. The Assistant Treasurer has the call.

Michael Sukkar

Michael Sukkar Deakin, Liberal Party, Assistant Treasurer

9:48 am

I move:

That the Member be no longer heard.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

The Assistant Treasurer has moved the member for Paterson be no longer heard.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

9:50 am

The question now is that the motion moved by the member for Franklin be disagreed to.