Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Could I clarify a couple of comments made by Senator Brown and indicate the reasons. This matter was listed for tomorrow, and there was some suggestion that we would be taking up time tomorrow, an hour and a half of government time, although we were giving it back at the end of the week. If we did not debate this tonight or tomorrow, the matter would not have an opportunity to go to the House of Representatives and then be returned to us. There would not be time for the House of Representatives to consider the matter.

In relation to Senator Brown’s specific matters about lack of consultation, we did not realise this course of action was going to be open to us until just after question time. I did phone Senator Siewert. I understood that you were all in the party room. I was directed from Senator Siewert’s office to Senator Ludlam’s office. I spoke to Senator Ludlam’s office and got provisional agreement. I then spoke with Senator Ludlam when he arrived in the chamber a while ago. Senator Ludlam, in fairness, indicated he was not supportive of this taking place in any event but if it was a matter that was going to take place he would wish to speak to the motion. This is the only way we can fit this in this week and that is why we have done this. We gave the Greens as much advance warning as we gave the government and as we had ourselves. You will probably see that I have just hastily written out the notice of motion that I have just read to the chamber. With those words, we are assisting the government to facilitate their business time during the week and we want this to be debated. We understand that the Greens do not want it to be debated, but we gave them as much notice as possible about the intention to debate this matter this evening.