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senate vote 2018-11-27#6
Edited by
mackay staff
on
2019-01-10 13:34:00
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Title
Documents — Menindee Lakes; Order for the Production of Documents- Documents - Menindee Lakes; Order for the Production of Documents - Suspend Senator Di Natale
Description
<p class="speaker">Rachel Siewert</p><p>I ask that general business notice of motion No. 1231 standing in the name of Senator Hanson-Young for today, relating to an order for the production of documents relating to Menindee Lakes, be taken as formal.</p> <p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p>- The majority voted in favour of a [motion](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?id=2018-11-27.139.1):
- > *That [Senator Di Natale](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/victoria/richard_di_natale) be suspended from the Senate.*
- According to Senate President [Scott Ryan](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/victoria/scott_ryan):
- > *If this motion is passed, Senator Di Natale will be suspended from now until the end of the sitting day today. At any time, Senator Di Natale is able to come to the Senate and withdraw his comments and if the Senate allows the suspension will be waived.*
<p>Is there any objection to this motion being taken as formal?</p> <p class="speaker">Barry O'Sullivan</p><p>Yes.</p> <p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p><p>There is an objection to that motion being taken as formal.</p> <p class="speaker">Rachel Siewert</p><p>Pursuant to contingent notice, I move:</p><p class="italic">That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent me from moving a motion to provide for the consideration of general business notice of motion No. 1231.</p><p>This is a particularly important motion. It's an order for the production of documents. I'm absolutely shocked that Senator O'Sullivan would think it's acceptable to come into this place and yet again deny formality to a motion and disrupt, quite frankly, the orderly business of this chamber. This is a perfectly legitimate approach that Senator Hanson-Young has asked this chamber to consider. If he wants to vote no, he's got an opportunity to vote no. Senator Hanson-Young is seeking an order for the production of documents on a very important issue to do with water, to do with the Murray-Darling Basin, which has been so comprehensively mismanaged in this country. She has a perfect right to ask for these documents under an order for the production of documents, which is what she did.</p><p>The management of these lakes, as I understand it and recall from when I had this portfolio over a decade ago, is a very important part of the way that we manage water in the Murray-Darling Basin. I urge this chamber to support the suspension of standing orders so that Senator Hanson-Young can move this motion so as to ensure that the order for the production of documents is dealt with and voted on. Senator O'Sullivan and that side of the chamber can make their opinion well known to this place at that time, but at least allow us to put this motion in order to debate it.</p> <p class="speaker">Barry O'Sullivan</p><p>There is a particular reason to note. There was a references committee, co-sponsored by Senator Hanson-Young, to investigate these matters.</p> <p class="speaker">Richard Di Natale</p><p>Just vote no.</p> <p class="speaker">Barry O'Sullivan</p><p>When you are finished I'll continue. So, it was co-sponsored, a reference was put up, and we travelled all over the country to investigate these very issues. Senator Hanson-Young turned up at one committee meeting, disrupted it and made allegations that she couldn't substantiate. Notwithstanding that she's been confronted by both the Australian Labor Party and our side of politics to withdraw the allegations in this place, at the committee meeting and at private meetings of the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee, she has failed to do that. So her opportunity to be able to get every one of these documents at some prior time through the power of a references committee of this Senate has been and passed. So you can only draw one conclusion: again, there is a pure political motive behind this particular motion here today.</p><p>That aside, I love the indignation of the Greens. It is very well refined. They've been denying formality on motions in this place regularly. But, of course, when the time comes and formality is denied to their motions—and I heard Senator Anning made a contribution before that they better get used to it, and I would agree with his contribution—all we get is this false indignation from them about interfering in the course of them being able to put a question to the floor of the Senate to be voted on.</p><p>We all know how this all started. I put a question to the floor of the Senate to have it voted on, and I had formality denied—and that has been done on a number of occasions, including yesterday. So this will go on and on. It is a denial of free speech—although, in this case, of course, Senator Hanson-Young can't make that case.</p><p class="italic">Senator Di Natale interjecting—</p><p>Simply because she had a complete references committee where she could have asked every one of these questions and asked for every one of these documents, but she didn't turn up. She didn't turn up. She didn't front. It was her inquiry, co-sponsored with the Australian Labor Party, and she didn't turn up. There's a bit of Nick Xenophon in her—and I don't mean that to be a double reference. But there's a bit of Xenophon in her—references committees and not attending.</p><p class="italic">Senator Di Natale interjecting—</p> <p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p><p>Order! Senator O'Sullivan, I ask you to withdraw the comment for the comity of the Senate.</p> <p class="speaker">Barry O'Sullivan</p><p>I withdraw it. There was no intention to offend anyone, guys.</p> <p class="speaker">Richard Di Natale</p><p>He's a pig!</p> <p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p><p>Senator Di Natale!</p> <p class="speaker">Richard Di Natale</p><p>He's an absolute pig. He should be booted out. He's a disgrace!</p> <p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p><p>Senator Di Natale, I asked the senator to withdraw. I am going to ask him to withdraw unconditionally, to make it clear. Senator O'Sullivan, I ask you to withdraw unconditionally.</p> <p class="speaker">Barry O'Sullivan</p><p>I am more than happy to withdraw unconditionally, because there was no intent.</p> <p class="speaker">Richard Di Natale</p><p>You grub!</p><p class="italic">Senator Steele-John interjecting—</p> <p class="speaker">David Leyonhjelm</p><p>Mr President, Senator Di Natale and Senator Steele-John have both insulted and used unparliamentary language in relation to Senator O'Sullivan as well. They called him a pig and used other words which I am not going to repeat. I ask you to invite them to withdraw as well.</p> <p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p><p>I did not hear any comment from Senator Steele-John. Senator Steele-John, if you made an unparliamentary comment, I ask you to withdraw it.</p> <p class="speaker">Jordon Steele-John</p><p>I withdraw.</p> <p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p><p>Senator Di Natale, I ask you to withdraw your comments.</p> <p class="speaker">Richard Di Natale</p><p>I will not withdraw.</p> <p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p><p>Senator Di Natale, I ask you to withdraw your comments.</p> <p class="speaker">Richard Di Natale</p><p>I will not withdraw.</p> <p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p><p>Senator Di Natale, I'm asking you to withdraw your comments.</p> <p class="speaker">Richard Di Natale</p><p>I will not withdraw.</p> <p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p><p>I called Senator O'Sullivan to order and asked him to withdraw. Senator O'Sullivan has unconditionally withdrawn. That sort of language is not appropriate in the Senate. I ask you to reflect upon that and I ask you withdraw to facilitate the operation of this debate and for the comity of the Senate. You have an opportunity to address this debate and, if you wish to address the behaviour of another senator, there are other opportunities to do that. I ask you to withdraw.</p> <p class="speaker">Richard Di Natale</p><p>Mr President, we have endured, on this side, days of sexist filth coming from that man.</p> <p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p><p>Senator Di Natale, do not—</p> <p class="speaker">Richard Di Natale</p><p>He is a pig and he should consider and reflect on the standards he is adopting in this chamber—</p> <p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p><p>Senator Di Natale, resume your seat. You are leaving me with no option, Senator Di Natale, I give you one last opportunity to reflect upon that and to withdraw your comments. If not, I'll ask you to stand in your place and either explain your comments or apologise to the Senate and leave it to another senator to take the matter into the hands of the Senate. There are other opportunities to address the behaviour of senators, Senator Di Natale. If the Senate wishes to allow that behaviour to go unremarked, then we will move on.</p> <p class="speaker">Anne Ruston</p><p>I move:</p><p class="italic">That Senator Di Natale be suspended from the Senate.</p> <p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p><p>The question is that Senator Di Natale be suspended from the sitting of the Senate. If this motion is passed, Senator Di Natale will be suspended from now until the end of the sitting day today. At any time, Senator Di Natale is able to come to the Senate and withdraw his comments and if the Senate allows the suspension will be waived. If Senator Di Natale doesn't wish to take that opportunity, I will put the motion.</p>
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