Richard Di Natale Victoria, Australian Greens
4:17 pm
I ask that general business notice of motion No. 412 standing in my name for today, relating to the prohibition of nuclear weapons, be taken as a formal motion.
Stephen Parry President
Is there any objection to this motion being taken as formal?
James McGrath Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister
Yes.
Richard Di Natale Victoria, Australian Greens
In lieu of suspending standing orders, I seek leave to make a short statement.
Richard Di Natale Victoria, Australian Greens
This is absolutely remarkable! This is as predictable as it is pathetic. We have the Liberal government—joined, it must be said, by the Labor Party, on a unity ticket when it comes to foreign policy—at a time when the world is on the brink of nuclear war, saying, 'We do not support the United Nations, who have overwhelmingly adopted a treaty banning nuclear weapons.' We've got 122 countries standing up to nuclear weapons states. At no time in human history has it been more important to disarm ourselves of these weapons of mass destruction. Yet Australia is missing in action. And it has to be said, while the opposition urges the government to participate in talks, it won't commit to signing the treaty on nuclear weapons. Now is the time for de-escalation, for disarmament, and this treaty is the pathway to get there.
James McGrath Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister
4:18 pm
I seek leave to make a short statement.
James McGrath Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister
In line with the government's longstanding view, motions that cannot be debated or amended should not deal with complex foreign policy matters.