Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today we've seen 10 senators trying to ask a question, representing their state, and those over there have shut them down, every single time. They are doing the work to shut down question time for government senators in this place. We've also seen all of the 'noalition'—all of them filing in behind Senator Pocock to ensure that the conventions in this place were torn up yesterday. They were absolutely torn up yesterday. That is what happened.

We've just had a 3½ hour question time, and I don't think a blow was landed. I could be biased here, but, honestly, you had every opportunity. You were talking about transparency, talking about all the questions that we needed to answer, and we gave you 3½ hours. I think we saw the results of that. We saw what happened. They didn't have lots of questions to ask. Their first two questions were actually about themselves and whether or not they were going to be able to ask questions. It was absolutely unbelievable what we have just seen. There was 3½ hours of the opposition flailing about—the shambles that we know they are—and they were not able to land really anything on the government.

We've sat here for 3½ hours answering questions, and all you've done is shut down the ability—those great transparency warriors, those great warriors of, 'Oh, everyone has a voice.' Everyone has a voice in this chamber except for the voices that those, the 'noalition', want to silence. That's what has happened today, when we wanted to sit. We would have sat right through the night. We moved twice to sit through the night to keep question time going so that every question could be answered, and you voted it down. The Greens voted it down; Senator Pocock voted it down; the opposition voted it down. What has this all been about? There are all these questions we've got to answer!

Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We’re coming back on Monday!

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Smith, I will not entertain interjections.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Now look! Everyone is racing out to get their little trolley bags and head off to the Chairman's Lounge. They couldn't they believe they've been delayed. They're frustrated that they have had to sit in here—some of them who sat in here this afternoon—and they didn't land a blow. It was 3½ hours, and that was your A team that you brought today?

There were 10 senators with important questions on health, infrastructure, defence, national security and women's health—questions on behalf of their community, and what did we see? We saw a great big stitch-up. It was: 'No, no, no; you're not allowed questions. We're the only ones that are allowed questions.' Then, what did you do with it? Honestly! We said: 'Let's keep going. We're here; we can stay all night. I'm here. I've got my question time folder; I've got my helpful information. Everyone is ready to go. We're all locked in.' What did you do? You said: 'No. It's 5.30; I've got to go get my trolley bag and get out of here.' That's what we've just seen.

The biggest wet blanket that the Senate has ever had to endure just happened right now. There was all the anticipation—we're going to get government; we're going to get them; we're going to make them answer questions! Yet, here we are, and what do you do? Oh, it's 5.30. There's a nice riesling somewhere, isn't there? There is a nice riesling somewhere and some chilled wine glasses, and you don't want to do any work. Look—you couldn't get out of here quick enough!

Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Not me! I'm waiting for my turn.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Smith, I accept that you're here and that you're regularly here in an adjournment debate, as are many of our colleagues. But there was a stampede out of those doors. 'Thank god—3½ hours of question time! Thank god it is over.' The great anticipation of winding up and getting all the—'God, we're going to teach that government a lesson,' then look what happens! You couldn't even—

Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wanted to give my speech.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Smith, just be quiet please.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We saw Senator Duniam handing out bits of paper. We saw questions dating back to 2022. I think someone got the wrong draw! They got the draw from the previous parliament. What a wet blanket. I'm glad we showed up for it.