Senate debates Bills

Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 2) 2014-2015, Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2014-2015, Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2014-2015; In Committee


David Leyonhjelm

David Leyonhjelm NSW, Liberal Democratic Party

7:10 pm

by leave—I move amendments (3) to (6) on sheet 7684.

(3) Schedule 2, page 11 (table), omit the table, substitute:

(4) Schedule 2, page 13 (table), omit the table, substitute:

(5) Schedule 2, page 41 (table), omit the table.

(6) Schedule 2, page 42 (table), omit the table.

I oppose clause 14 and schedule 1 in the following terms:

(1) Clause 14, page 8 (line 8) to page 9 (line 7), to be opposed.

(2) Schedule 1, page 10, to be opposed.

The purpose of these amendments is to implement what I talked about before—the tied grants. I am philosophically opposed to tied grants. They are bad practice. They amount to pork-barrelling. These amendments are the removal of those costs. It is $25,000. It is a symbolic amount, as I said, but the principle on which it is based is wrong. I commend the amendments.

Fiona Nash

Fiona Nash NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health

7:11 pm

The government is not in the terrain where we entertain line item amendments. I refer the senator to my previous comments in my summing-up speech. We will not be supporting the amendments.

Penny Wong

Penny Wong SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate

7:12 pm

I indicate to Senator Leyonhjelm that the opposition will not be supporting the amendments.

Sam Dastyari

Sam Dastyari NSW, Australian Labor Party

The question is that amendments (3) to (6) as circulated be adopted.

Question negatived.

The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN: The question is that clause 14 and schedule 1 stand as printed.

Question agreed to.

Bill agreed to.

Bill reported without amendments; report adopted.