Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Brown, I seem to recall you did not turn up, but that is up to you. I think Senator Siewert represented the Greens at the meeting at which we all agreed—there was no dissent—that we would sit on the Friday to facilitate the remaining legislation. I admit that we did that in the knowledge that the government can do it anyway, but, as the alternative government party in the Senate, we have always attempted to deal reasonably with government legislation and arrange the sitting hours to suit senators and to facilitate proper passage. One of the things we have done as part of that is to try and move away from what we used to do when I was first here, which was to sit until three o’clock or four o’clock in the morning. We all agreed that that was a practice which did not assist good legislation or the health of senators and staff.

The point is that the extra sitting day on Friday was agreed to. It was also agreed that we would do whatever we could to assist senators in terms of pairs et cetera for those who had other engagements. And, to be fair to Senator Minchin, on this occasion he gave us plenty of warning. The government has been guilty in the past of not giving plenty of warning, but Senator Minchin did give notice during the last sitting fortnight that the government wanted to sit on Friday. So on this occasion I cannot support Senator Brown’s arguments. There has been a lot of abuse of the Senate, but this is not one of those occasions. I think it would be unwise to try and make the case when the case does not exist. There are plenty of examples of the government’s abuse of its power and of it showing contempt for the Senate and its processes. But this occasion is not one of them. I do not think your contribution was warranted, Senator Brown, and I do not think it is unreasonable for the President of the Senate to seek leave to be in Tasmania tomorrow. I also indicate that the Labor Party will cooperate in pairing with any senator who wants to attend that ceremony, and we will certainly extend the cooperation if there are Greens senators who want to be paired so as to attend tomorrow.