Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Sorry, Senator McDonald, but you know that is the case. Why did your Prime Minister sign off on a submission to the Fair Work Commission? Why?

I will go back to the point that we are discussing today, which is forestry. It's an area of policy that is very close to my heart. Senator Green knows I've spoken about forestry many times, and Senator Rice also knows that it's an area we have spoken about many times in this place. We might have slightly different views, but we do have a view that we need to protect the environment and also protect the sustainability of the industries going forward so we can enjoy both worlds. I think it's very important that we actually do work together on these very sensitive but important areas of policy.

But, Acting Deputy President Sterle—good to see you, Acting Deputy President, and congratulations on your swearing in early last week—I also just want to make this point before I finish off my contributions: those opposite, in considering how to use their senators' precious time in this place, in the future ought to perhaps focus on bringing forth bills that actually have importance to the problems that we are all seeking to solve. After 9½ years of inaction, let's try and work together. Let's try and work together rather than have this nonsense that we keep seeing from those opposite. I really do hope that we don't start off on a bad foot here, with the opposition bringing forward bills in private senators' time that don't have any practical impact on the lives of working people. That is something that I really do implore of those opposite, and I really do ask them: if they are very serious about changing the lives of working people, maybe they can start by bringing forward a list of senators who can actually participate in our committee system, because I think it's very important that we start doing the important work that this Senate is meant to do, which is to scrutinise legislation and deliver for working people.