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senate vote 2020-09-03#5
Edited by
mackay staff
on
2020-11-06 13:51:06
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Title
Committees — Selection of Bills Committee; Report- Committees - Selection of Bills Committee; Report - National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention Bill 2020 and another
Description
<p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p><p>Before I put the next amendment, I understand that Senator Hanson would like to speak to the debate.</p> <p class="speaker">Pauline Hanson</p>- The same number of senators voted for and against a [motion](https://www.openaustralia.org.au/senate/?gid=2020-09-03.35.1) introduced by Tasmanian Senator [Jonathon Duniam](https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/tasmania/jonathon_duniam) (Liberal), which means it failed.
- ### Motion text
- > *At the end of the motion, add "and, in respect of the provisions of the [National Commissioner for Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention Bill 2020](https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r6587) and a related bill, the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation report on 30 November 2020.".*
<p>[by video link] In relation to the amendment that was put up by the government, I want to clarify that the reporting date for the inquiry moved to 30 November. It is not in one month. As Jacqui Lambie was saying, it was only going to be in one month.</p><p>I do support the government to move the reporting date to 30 November. I have heard from a lot of people who are fed up with inquiries into suicides. A lot of people are calling for a royal commission into it—that is true—but the government have made a commitment to put a commissioner in place. They have given an undertaking that who that commissioner will be will be announced almost immediately. I believe that the commissioner should be given the opportunity to start his work. If we hold this up with another inquiry, that means the interim commissioner cannot do anything and cannot do their job.</p><p>People have had enough with inquiries. I think there have been about 17 or 18 inquiries into this. I understand Jacqui Lambie's passion about this. I understand that she's frustrated at the answers hardly met, but we need to give the commissioner the opportunity to start investigating—and it's not about future deaths; it's about deaths in the past—those over 500 deaths have occurred in our Defence Force, and I fully understand that.</p><p>I do support Jacqui Lambie having her inquiry. But I think to extend that inquiry out for a year—which was initially until 27 August next year—was not reasonable. Even now, in taking it out to April, I think it needs to be a shorter period of time. As I explained to Jacqui Lambie, we need to get the commissioner working and to start working on this. Therefore I cannot support Jacqui Lambie's amendment—</p> <p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p><p>Senator Bilyk, on a point of order?</p> <p class="speaker">Catryna Bilyk</p><p>That's the first time I've heard Senator Hanson refer to Senator Lambie as 'Jacqui Lambie'. It's 'Senator Lambie', and that's how she should be referred to.</p> <p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p><p>This debate has been characterised by a little bit of dancing around the standing orders. It is a matter of some passion. I was going to draw senators' attention to the use of correct titles and addressing comments to other senators through the chair at the end. But I take your point of order; people should refer to others by their appropriate titles.</p> <p class="speaker">Pauline Hanson</p><p>I do apologise to Senator Lambie. I am very passionate as well about the suicides that have happened in the Defence Force. Answers need to be had. But, to extend an inquiry out—and it was regarded to the terms of reference to a royal commission—there has to be no undertaking that the government will have a royal commission. What I have suggested to the government and to Senator Lambie is to let the commissioner do his job. He will be independent of the government and will do investigations into previous deaths that have happened. Let him come down with his findings. If that is not the case then the Senate can review that, look at how we will proceed with this and then possibly take it to a royal commission. But to have a commissioner in this position has never happened, and I believe that we need to actually move forward with this.</p><p>Senator Lambie, you have the opportunity now—a commissioner has been appointed and will be named—for a three-month period to have your inquiry, as you wished, and it's been referred to foreign affairs, defence and trade. So I would suggest that you've got an opportunity now to have that inquiry. I support the government's amendment to this.</p> <p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p><p>The question is that the government amendment that has a reporting date for these bills of 30 November 2020 be agreed to. Those of that opinion say aye; to the contrary, no. The ayes have it.</p> <p class="speaker">Jacqui Lambie</p><p>The noes have it!</p> <p class="speaker">Scott Ryan</p><p>I heard only one voice there. I will do Senator Lambie the courtesy of doing it again; however, I will point out that that will mean the bill will not be referred to a committee if the noes have this motion. So I'll put the motion again. The question is that the motion moved by Senator Duniam be agreed to.</p>
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