Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That—

(a) if by 8 pm on Thursday, 12 December 2013, the following bills have not been finally considered:

Clean Energy Finance Corporation (Abolition) Bill 2013

Climate Change Authority (Abolition) Bill 2013

Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013

Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013

Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Import Levy) (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2013

Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (Manufacture Levy) Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013

True-up Shortfall Levy (General) (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013

True-up Shortfall Levy (Excise) (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013

Customs Tariff Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013

Excise Tariff Amendment (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013

Clean Energy (Income Tax Rates and Other Amendments) Bill 2013

Minerals Resource Rent Tax Repeal and Other Measures Bill 2013

Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2013

Higher Education Support Amendment (Savings and Other Measures) Bill 2013,

     the Senate shall not adjourn, the routine of business from not later than 8 pm shall be government business only, and the Senate shall continue to sit until it has finally considered these bills, or a motion for the adjournment is moved by a minister, whichever is the earlier; and

(b) divisions may take place after 4.30 pm.

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

The question is that the motion moved by Senator Fifield be agreed to.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

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

Leave is granted for one minute.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Australian Labor Party and the Australian Greens have just voted together to seek to deny the will of the Australian people as expressed at the last election. There could not have been a clearer policy proposition by any party at the last election than the explicit and often repeated commitment by the coalition to abolish the carbon tax—which, as you know, Mr Deputy President, was introduced by the former government in direct breach of a solemn commitment given at an election. The plan of those opposite has been clear all week, and that has been to delay, delay, delay—to put speaker after speaker after speaker, repeating the same lines over and over again, to deny the opportunity to get all 11 bills to a vote. The Senate should sit until such time as the package of bills is dealt with. That is what this motion was for. I acknowledge Senator Xenophon sitting on the correct side of the chamber for this vote. (Time expired)

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Earlier this week we accepted on this side that we would support the government's sitting pattern. When we indicated that support, we said that we would not be inclined to accept submissions for extra hours. Over the last fortnight there has been no urgency—no request until the last minute to come in here on the Wednesday and say, 'We want to have extra hours.' The government had adequate time to put in place times to meet their requirements. They did not. We did not return to this place until very late. We had a short period. The Senate is doing what it always does: it considers the business in front of us. Every senator has the right to make a contribution on legislation. That is what the Senate does. We will continue to consider legislation as it comes before us. We will do our job. That is the role of the Senate. If there was such urgency, there should have been some discussion earlier. There was not. We do not accept the proposition for extra hours. (Time expired)