Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Women, Senator Payne. Yesterday the minister supported the inquiry proposed by Senator Hanson into the family law system. My question is: was the Office for Women consulted on the inquiry?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator O'Neill for her question. As we discussed in this chamber and in the other place yesterday, the announcement of this inquiry is recognition of the government's commitment to ongoing improvement of the family law system to ensure that it helps families to separate in a safe, child centred, supportive, accessible and timely way. We did move to establish a joint parliamentary committee, of both the House and the Senate, to conduct a wide-ranging inquiry into the family law system. That inquiry will be chaired by the Hon. Kevin Andrews MP, the member for Menzies, who has considerable experience, across his lengthy parliamentary career, with these issues. Indeed, the Senate passed the motion yesterday to establish the committee.

This inquiry is going to enable the members and senators who are members of the committee—

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator O'Neill, on a point of order?

Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, Mr President. I have, I think, given the minister sufficient time to come to an answer in response to my one query, which was about a particular consultation with the Office for Women. I did not ask about anything else. I would like an answer to that very specific question.

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cormann, on the point of order.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order: the question that the senator is asking about is not actually in relation to an initiative in this chamber by executive government. It was a motion moved by a backbench senator, Senator O'Sullivan, supported by Senator Chandler and Senator Bernardi. So in all of those circumstances, essentially, Senator Payne is asked to provide commentary in relation to a backbench senator's initiative.

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I wasn't going to rise, but, on the point of direct relevance, the Leader of the Government in the Senate is saying we're asking the minister to provide commentary. We're asking her to advise whether an office within her portfolio was consulted.

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order, I can't instruct the minister how to answer a question. Prior to this specific question—which I appreciate you have emphasised, Senator O'Neill—you did make an assertion about the minister's behaviour in the chamber yesterday, about supporting a particular resolution. I believe the minister is being directly relevant to that part of the question when explaining—what I am hearing as an explanation for the position she adopted. I don't mean to misattribute, but I believe that is directly relevant. Senator O'Neill, on the point of order?

Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you for your ruling, Mr President. But, if I were simply to come to the chamber to ask the question, 'Was the Office for Women consulted on the inquiry?' and did not give you the context in which I was asking that question, the minister would be incapable of answering it. I gave the context because it was required for comprehension of the question, not as an excuse for this minister to avoid answering the question. Was she consulted or was she not?

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

I can't instruct a minister how to answer a question. There is an opportunity for debating people's views of answers after question time; that goes for half an hour. It was a relatively specific question, but I believe the minister is being directly relevant to the assertion made prior to the bit that you quoted then.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr President. This is a matter which those on this side take very seriously. I don't have the full details of the government consultation process with me in the chamber this afternoon. I'll take that part of the question on notice.

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator O'Neill, a supplementary question?

Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

I do appreciate the minister taking that on notice. Did the Prime Minister inform the minister of his intention to announce the inquiry, with Senator Hanson as chair, before or after he did a deal with Senator Hanson?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't discuss my conversations with the Prime Minister or other cabinet colleagues in the Senate chamber. It's a matter of longstanding practice. But I would point out that, as I said, in fact, in my answer to which Senator O'Neill so objected, that the inquiry's being chaired by the Hon. Kevin Andrews.

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator O'Neill, a final supplementary question?

Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Was the minister's view simply ignored by the Prime Minister in his deal with Senator Hanson or is the minister siding with men's rights activists instead of supporting anti-family-violence campaigner Rosie Batty, who says this inquiry is 'completely unacceptable'?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a longstanding professional relationship with Ms Batty, who helped me immeasurably in the development of the Department of Human Services anti-domestic-violence campaign entitled 'Enough' to support both staff and customers of the Department of Human Services; and perpetrators, frankly, who had experienced, who were victims of or survivors of domestic violence. So my respect and regard for Ms Batty is well known and on the record. As the Minister for Women, in the roundtables that I have been holding since I was appointed to this role in May of this year, it has been my practice to ensure that, at any of my discussions around violence and the impact of gender based and family violence on women and children in this country, there are always survivors at the table, because they tell their story better than anyone, and I respect that enormously.