Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move a motion relating to the consideration of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Domestic Reserve) Bill 2026 during the time for private senators' bills today.

Leave not granted.

Pursuant to contingent notice of motion standing in my name, I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me moving a motion to provide for the consideration of a matter, namely a motion relating to the consideration of a bill during the time for private senators' bills today.

This is very important. It's a matter of urgency that this motion be moved today in the parliament. We actually have a crisis at the moment about fuel. We need to have gas brought into the country. Well, we've got plenty of gas, but we're denied the use of the gas.

My motion is very important. I moved this because One Nation can only twice a year move private senators' bills, and the debate on this has been shut down. The importance of this is seen in the fuel crisis at the moment, and it's more important to discuss the 15 per cent domestic gas reserve. Gas is abundant in this country, and we could actually turn it into petrol. That's how important it is. That's why it's urgent to deal with this.

There's a crisis that's happening at the moment, and we don't know how long the war in Iran is going to go on. We need to urgently look at this bill, the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Amendment (Domestic Reserve) Bill 2026, and discuss it today. It doesn't surprise me that Labor aren't interested in discussing this. They are probably going to come out with their own gas bill in the future—who knows? Are you going to pass what I'm trying to do here in this Senate? I'm trying to look after the Australian people by using our gas here. So it is very urgent that One Nation get the time to debate what is urgent to us.

The Australian people are destitute out there. Our farmers, businesses and truckies—everyone—are desperate at the moment, and yet today you want to shut down debate to discuss it. Why? I think the way this chamber treats One Nation is deplorable when it comes to private senators' bills, motions and everything that happens here. You do not consider this at all. That you're not prepared to actually discuss this bill today tells me you don't give a damn about the people out there.

Where is your concern about the fuel security that we have in this nation. You should listen to what is in our private senators' bills because half the time you don't have the answers to run this country. You are poor economic managers. You have never been in the real world, so you don't understand how grassroots Australians are doing it tough out there. It just shows your incompetence that you're not prepared to listen to what needs to be done in the country.

Of course, the Greens are onside with the Labor Party on this because you don't want to use the resources that we have. You don't want to see that Qatar exports more gas we do, or about the same amount, and makes $26 billion a year for the gas it exports; we make next to nothing. You've really done nothing about that. On top of it, you export our gas overseas. Australians don't have the gas that we need. We're selling it cheaper overseas and then we're buying it back. We're importing our own gas! That's how stupid the whole lot is. It's absolute madness. You're not economic managers; you're not business minded and you have no idea how to run the country. It's all about you, and you don't worry about the Australian people out there. That's why we need to discuss this, the urgency of debating this bill, on the floor of parliament today. We will keep pushing for it.

As I said to the people out there, One Nation can only introduce private senators' bills twice a year. This is not the first time you've tried to shut me down, on introducing bills into the parliament. You're totally against it and you head down the path of this climate change BS that's going on. You say it's going to save us and save the planet, but it's destroying economies and people out there. The cost of living is rising constantly. You've got no answers to it whatsoever.

I really think that you understand the gas reservation and that you're going to bring in your own bill on gas. But it won't go anywhere near what One Nation will do for this country: a 15 per cent domestic gas supply on the east coast and the gas that we need, not only onshore but at the North West Shelf. You have failed this nation miserably, and you are failing now in delivering the fuel that this nation needs. You want to shut down debate on it. Don't tell me it's a stunt; it's Labor that pulls the most stunts in this parliament.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government will be opposing this motion from Senator Hanson. As Senator Hanson, One Nation and the opposition well know, it is not the convention and custom of this place that bills be debated in the same week that they are introduced. There hasn't been an opportunity for us to properly consider this bill. We haven't had an opportunity to take it to our party room. That is why the convention in this place is that bills don't get passed and debated in the same week that they are introduced. We'd be happy to work with Senator Hanson and One Nation on a motion regarding this topic, but we will be following the usual convention and not supporting the passage of this bill today. On that basis, I move:

That the question be now put.

Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie, a point of order?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On precedence, previous rulings have made it clear that the leader of the opposition would take precedence over a minister in the case of an equal jump. I'd like you to actually rule on your call earlier.

Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I recognise that you were dealing with matters at the end of my remarks. I actually moved, before Senator McKenzie's point of order, that the question be put.

Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senators, as I understood from the clerk—I sought advice just before—the minister that is leading for the government takes precedence over the leader of the opposition. Having said that, I'm happy to refer the matter to the President for review. On that matter, I do have a question before the chair that the question now be put.

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

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

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

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