Senator BIRMINGHAM (South Australia—Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) (15:01): I seek leave to move a motion relating to the Albanese Labor government as circulated in the chamber: That the Senate: Notes that: (a) Senator Farrell has demonstrated how out of touch the Albanese Labor Government is when it comes to cost-of-living pressures on Australian households and businesses when he said, "I do not follow power prices…closely". (b) Senator Farrell has demonstrated that the Albanese Labor Government has no real plan to address cost-of-living pressures on Australian households and businesses; and (c) Condemns the Albanese Labor Government for breaking its promises to Australians by: i. failing to deliver its promised $275 reduction in power bills; ii. failing to deliver its promised cheaper mortgages; iii. failing to honour its promise to not change superannuation taxes; iv. failing to honour its promise to not change taxes on franking credits; v. failing to honour its promise to deliver real wage increases; vi. failing to honour its promise to lower cost-of-living pressures; and vii. failing to categorically rule out breaking its promise to honour the legislated stage 3 tax cuts in full. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order on my left and right! Thank you, Senator Birmingham; you have sought leave, but I remind the chamber that Senator Canavan was entitled to ask his second supplementary question. Senator Canavan, do you wish to do that before I go to the question of leave? Senator Canavan interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Canavan, I'm asking you a question; when you answer I expect you to stand. Senator Canavan: I'm perfectly fine for the Leader of the Opposition to have precedence on these matters. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Canavan. Is leave granted to Senator Birmingham? Leave not granted. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order on my left! Your leader is on his feet. Leave has been denied. Senator Birmingham. Senator BIRMINGHAM: 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 as outlined before and circulated in the chamber for the consideration of a matter, namely a motion to give precedence to a motion relating to the Albanese Labor government. Most Australians know the smallgoods advertising campaign with the slogan: 'Is Don. Is good.' Sadly, this week Senator Farrell has looked and sounded more like a turkey than any sorts of tasty smallgoods, with answer after answer comprising nothing but gobbledegook, endless ums and ahs, stalling tactics, pauses and evasion tactics to get to the end of every single question and run the clock down. The PRESIDENT: Senator Birmingham, please resume your seat. A suspension of standing orders has been sought. That is what you are speaking to. You need to be explaining why we need to suspend standing orders. Senator BIRMINGHAM: President, it has been an extraordinary show this week from the Acting Leader of the Government in the Senate, so extraordinary that it does warrant consideration of an extraordinary motion that necessitates the suspension of standing orders. Senator Farrell, during the course of this week, was asked about the rate of electricity price increases in Australia. What did we get? 'Don't know.' He was asked about the rate of grocery price increases in Australia. What did we get? 'Don't know.' Senator Farrell was asked about the rate of rental rate increases in Australia. What did we get? 'Don't know.' Senator Farrell was asked about the rate of mortgage increases in Australia. And what did we get? 'Don't know.' Opposition senators interjecting— Senator BIRMINGHAM: Not only does Senator Farrell not know but, indeed, he— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order, across the chamber, but particularly on my left! Senator Birmingham, I did remind you that you have sought to suspend standing orders, and you need to be demonstrating to the chamber why you are seeking that suspension. Senator BIRMINGHAM: President, as I outlined, this has been quite an extraordinary week in the Senate that does warrant the suspension of standing orders— Senator McGrath interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator McGrath, I've just called the chamber to order. You are being incredibly disrespectful and disorderly. I would ask you to be silent. Senator Birmingham, please continue. Senator BIRMINGHAM: So extraordinary has it been, that not only has Senator Farrell indicated he doesn't know the answers to these things, but, on power prices, he admitted: 'I do not follow power prices closely.' Right around Australia, households and small businesses are opening their power bills, each and every day, under the shock of the increasing rates of electricity, with genuine concern and pressures that they are feeling, and here we have the Albanese Labor government saying it doesn't know, it doesn't follow it and, apparently, it seems, it just does not care. Senator McGrath: Out of touch; don't care. Senator BIRMINGHAM: It doesn't care. It is a government, indeed, that is out of touch. Of course, it isn't just in relation to those matters affecting the cost-of-living pressures on Australians that we've seen this remarkable performance. Even on national security matters, such as cybersecurity protections of Five Eyes partners or, indeed, in relation to giving cogent answers on the AUKUS partnership, Senator Farrell has demonstrated time and again that he and the Albanese government just don't know—don't know, don't care, are not properly in touch. Honourable senators interjecting— Senator BIRMINGHAM: Of course, it comes on the back of a government that is continuously breaking its promises. As we approach the one-year anniversary of this government, it is worth this chamber taking the step to giving special attention to debating the many broken promises of this government, because Senator Farrell— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Birmingham, please resume your seat. Once again, the disorder across the chamber— Senator Carol Brown: It's the 'no-alition'! The PRESIDENT: Senator Brown, I've just sat the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate down, to call for order. I don't expect senators to continue to call out. Senator BIRMINGHAM: As we approach the one-year anniversary of the Albanese government, it is worth this chamber taking the time to debate the extraordinary list of broken promises that have been racked up and the denial of them that is occurring on the other side. Time and again, we have sought to get the government to respond directly to their promise that they would reduce household electricity prices by $275. During the course of this week we actually asked them to acknowledge direct quotes out of their own policy document. They won't acknowledge it. We've even handed the document across the chamber with the quote highlighted. They still wouldn't acknowledge it. We even asked Senator Farrell yesterday just to say the words 'two hundred and seventy-five dollars'. He could not say them. He would not say them. They will not admit that on more than 97 occasions before Australians cast their votes they went out and promised power price reductions of $275. And then the day after the election, and not once since have they been willing to repeat that promise. Not on one single day have any of you been game to repeat that promise—nor has Prime Minister Albanese—because you knew you never had an intention of delivering it. You knew it would never happen. It was a broken promise from the moment you made it, just like your promises not to change superannuation taxes, just like your promises not to change franking credits. They're all broken promises from a government that has demonstrated just how inept it is, how committed to breaking its promises it is and, as a result, how much the Australian people are feeling the pain from a government showing so early how out of touch it is. (Time expired)