MOTIONS › Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians
Senator CORMANN (Western Australia—Leader of the Government in the Senate, Minister for Finance and Vice-President of the Executive Council) (15:47): I seek leave to make a two-minute statement. The PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for two minutes. Senator CORMANN: Our government takes ministerial accountability and responsibility very seriously—very seriously indeed. Senator Colbeck has been answering questions all week. I think he's fielded every Labor question in the chamber this week. He has done his absolute best to provide the information that was sought of him. He is dealing with a very difficult challenge and a very difficult circumstance. In Victoria—in Melbourne, I should say—there is a very significant outbreak of a terrible virus. There is a significant increase in infections, which inevitably, sadly, exposes those most vulnerable in the community the most. That sadly includes residents in aged-care facilities. Of course we all are focused on doing the absolute best we can to make sure we get on top of that very challenging and tragic situation as swiftly as possible. The minister is being accountable. We absolutely think it is appropriate in these circumstances, if the chamber seeks the attendance of a minister, for the minister to attend and for the Senate to take note in relation to the minister's explanation. That is not something we have a problem with. We do have a problem with paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) because they seek to provide unprecedented power to Senator Wong to move without notice a motion and to have the motion dealt with without amendment. It actually says so in the motion. The PRESIDENT: Senator Wong, on a point of order. Senator Wong: Yes, a point of order. The Leader of the Government is misleading: it is not unprecedented; it is like a suspension of standing orders to move a motion. It is not unprecedented— The PRESIDENT: Senator Wong, I'm afraid that— Senator Cormann interjecting— Senator Wong: Don't lie! The PRESIDENT: Senator Wong, I ask you to withdraw that term. Senator Wong: I withdraw. Senator Cormann interjecting— Senator Wong: Don't mislead; it is not— The PRESIDENT: It is not a point of order, I'm afraid, Senator Wong. Please cease interjecting. Senator Cormann. Senator CORMANN: I'm reading directly from the motion. Senator Wong is seeking the power to move a motion without notice relating to the explanation of the conduct of the minister. For that motion to be moved under paragraph (b) it may not be amended. If Senator Wong wants to move motions in relation to the minister she should follow the normal processes of the parliament. This is just an extension of Labor's attempts to play politics with what is a very serious issue. The PRESIDENT: The question is—and I have separated the motion pursuant to the request of the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate—that clause (a) of motion 744 be agreed to. Question agreed to. The PRESIDENT: The question now is that clauses (b), (c) and (d) of motion 744 be agreed to.