Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that general business notice of motion No. 411 standing in my name for today, relating to the Traveston Crossing Dam and the Greens preferences in the Queensland election, be taken as a formal motion.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is there any objection to this motion being taken as formal?

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I would seek your advice about the process. We agree to formality after dealing with the amendments.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I understand, Senator Brown, that you will seek leave to move an amendment and that will be followed by Senator Macdonald seeking leave to move an amendment to your amendment. Upon leave being granted in both instances, I will put Senator Macdonald’s amendment to your amendment, then I will put your amendment, as amended—if it is amended. If it is not amended, I will then put your amendment as it stands and then I will put the motion, as amended, to the chamber.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just for clarity’s sake, I will seek formality for the amendment that—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, Senator Brown, you need to seek leave to move an amendment to the motion once it is formal. Is there any objection to the motion being taken as formal? There is no objection.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move this motion about this very important matter for Queensland:

That the Senate notes:

(a)

that the Greens political party in Queensland has allocated preferences to the Bligh Labor Government in 12 marginal seats thus heightening the chances of the Labor Government being returned to office in Queensland at the election on Saturday, 21 March 2009;

(b)

the Greens political party both in Queensland and federally claim to oppose the construction of the Traveston Crossing Dam on the Mary River in Queensland;

(c)

that the Liberal National Party in Queensland has consistently and firmly opposed the construction of the Traveston Crossing Dam;

(d)

that the Bligh Labor Government has refused to rule out construction of the Traveston Crossing Dam and has indicated it would make an application to the Federal Government for Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act approval to construct the Traveston Crossing Dam after Saturday’s election in Queensland; and

(e)

the contradictory approaches of the Greens political party to construction of the Traveston Crossing Dam.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move a very important and clarifying amendment to that motion.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I raise a point of order on clarification. There is no problem with leave being granted but I would just like to ask whether Senator Bob Brown’s motion is correct. First of all, there is no such entity as the Queensland National Liberal Party, so I am not quite sure what his amendment refers to.

Greens senators interjecting—

Well? The second question is this: does Senator Brown really mean that he moves an amendment to my original motion by ‘adding the words that’ or is he proposing that his amendment replace the original motion? That will affect how we vote on it. I assume he means that his amendment should have been ‘that the following words be added’ to the motion and then saying what he is saying.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the first question that you raise, that is not something that I need to rule on from the chair. On the second matter, it is a matter for Senator Bob Brown as to how that is intended. Again, I can only seek clarification from Senator Brown as to what his intention is.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

First, I seek leave to change it to the ‘Liberal National Party’. I note that Senator Macdonald says that the Queensland National Liberal Party does not exist, but I think he is pre-empting history by about three days.

Leave granted.

I intend to move the amendment as a consequence of Senator Macdonald’s motion by adding the words. It dovetails very nicely. I move:

At the end of the motion, add “and that, logically, the Queensland Liberal National Party, in concern for the Mary River, ought to prefer the Greens over the Australian Labor Party in assessing preference directions”.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

By adding the words—that has clarified the situation! Can we just have no-one else seeking clarification at this time.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I move this amendment to Senator Brown’s proposed amendment:

At the end of the motion, add “and that the Senate also notes that the Liberal National Party in Queensland is not recommending preferences”.

I thought it would be helpful if I read the amendment as it would be if the proposed amendment to the amendment were carried—just for clarity: ‘That, logically, the Queensland Liberal National Party, in concern for the Mary River, ought to prefer the Greens over the Australian Labor Party in assessing preference directions.’ And I would add the words but ‘that the Senate also notes that the Liberal National Party in Queensland is not recommending preferences’.

Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move an amendment to Senator Macdonald’s proposed amendment.

Leave granted.

I move:

At the end of the motion, add “and that the Senate notes that this is a waste of time”.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is not granted.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave was granted to move that amendment.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order, I did not hear you say, ‘Is leave granted to Senator Fielding to move that amendment?’

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, I did.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When we knew what the amendment was?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do not have to. Leave was granted for him to move an amendment. That leave having been granted, he then moved the amendment. We are now dealing with the amendment moved by Senator Fielding.

Question negatived.

The question now is that the amendment moved by Senator Ian Macdonald be agreed to.

Question negatived.

The question now is that the amendment moved by Senator Bob Brown be agreed to.

Question agreed to.

The question now is that the motion as amended be agreed to.