Penny Allman-Payne (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I'm pleased to accept this nomination to highlight that this place should not be a cosy club where the two major parties get together and stitch up how the chamber operates. The government needs to be reminded that, while it has a majority in the House of Representatives, it doesn't have a majority here in the Senate. The government has just over a third of senators in this place; the opposition also has just over a third and the crossbench just under a third. This Senate has been given a mandate by the Australian people to carefully scrutinise legislation, not to provide a tick and flick to the government.

This election continued the long-term trend of a collapse in support for the major parties. At this election, like the one before it, people elected a balance-of-power Senate. For too long, the major parties have used their collective majority in this place to determine how the Senate operates. This cosy stitch-up between the major parties is not serving our country, and it is not serving the people of Australia.

One thing that I would note is that the Senate takes pride in its role as a house of review. A president that is not drawn from the ranks of the major parties can act truly without fear or favour and would be an asset to this place. I will also say that, given the behaviour in this place at certain times, it wouldn't hurt to have someone in the chair who brings almost 30 years of experience as a high school teacher!

I'm accepting this nomination to make sure that the almost two million people who voted for the Australian Greens at the election get their voices heard and that the third of the country who voted for someone besides the major parties get their voices heard. I accept this nomination and ask all senators, particularly my crossbench colleagues, for their support. I submit myself to the will of the Senate.