Senator BOB BROWN (Tasmania—Leader of the Australian Greens) (09:43): We will not be supporting this motion to suspend standing orders so we can debate a bill for a plebiscite. This is Tony Abbott's rocket manoeuvre. He announced his plan for a plebiscite in the tabloid press—that was blast-off; it exploded all over the sky; and now it has fallen to earth like a dead stick. It has nowhere to go, except that some days later we have the Abetz-led coalition up here in the Senate trying to give it some oxygen. It will not work. They have nowhere to go with it. Seriously, is this Senate going to set aside all the other business confronting Australia to bring forward a proposal for a plebiscite—or a proposal on any matter you like—on the run? I have just been speaking to the local government conference in Canberra. There were 900 candidates there. Senator Nash interjecting— Senator BOB BROWN: The Nationals might not like this but it is the reality. We had a good discussion there about hugely important issues, like the current furore over export of livestock overseas, like the need to find a carbon price for Australia and like the mining boom, which is bringing great hardship not just to manufacturing industries but— Senator Nash interjecting— Senator BOB BROWN: The National Party does not want to support manufacturing industries or rural and regional Australia like the Greens will— Senator Nash interjecting— Senator BOB BROWN: And the poddy calves are carrying on from the National Party benches, but they have nowhere to go. What I want to hear from them is whether they are going to support a properly constituted process for a plebiscite of the Australian people to recognise Indigenous Australians. What is their position on supporting a proper process through parliament, with consultation with the Australian people, on recognising local government? This is a coalition that does not know about process, does not honour the constitutional norms in this country and does not have respect for proper parliamentary procedure but wants to come in and carry on with a manoeuvre that has fallen flat. The major reason it has fallen flat is that, when asked about what he would do if the Australian people supported action on climate change—as I predict they would—Tony Abbott said he would not support it. 'Either the Australian people vote the way I want them to or I will reject them'—what sort of democracy is Tony Abbott talking about there? Of course, the Telegraph did not run that yesterday, did it? So we got Tony Abbott saying, 'I want to go to the Australian people but I will take no notice of them.' The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Hurley ): Order! Senator Brown, senators in this debate have started talking about 'Tony Abbott'. We should refer to members by their correct titles in this debate. Senator BOB BROWN: If the name does not suit, so be it. I think we need to modernise ourselves a little bit there, Madam Acting Deputy President. But I take your point; I will move on from references to 'Tony Abbott' and use 'Mr Abbott'. He is the same person, and it is not going to make it any easier for the National Party and the Liberal Party here to defend the indefensible. What a silly parliamentary manoeuvre this is. What a waste of this Senate's time, when we should be looking at the legislation on the agenda here, which affects families, which affects regional and rural Australia, which is aimed at dealing— Senator Nash: You would give them death duties. You want to give rural and regional people death duties. Senator BOB BROWN: The National Party senator opposite is talking about some plan they have for the death of rural and regional Australia. That is because it is the coal industry that is speaking through this National Party these days. Senator Boswell interjecting— Senator BOB BROWN: If she wants to interject, she'll cop it, because they have let down rural and regional Australia. Senator Boswell: Madam Acting Deputy President, I rise on a point of order, on honesty. My colleague Senator Nash said that the Greens wanted to bring in death duties, and that was a clear statement last night. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Boswell, do you have a point of order? Senator Boswell: Yes. The point of order is this: the statement that Senator Brown made, that the National Party wanted to bring in death duties, is completely contrary— The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Boswell, you are debating the issue at this point— Senator Boswell: No, it is completely contrary— An honourable senator: Lee Rhiannon wants to; she told us on 7.30. Senator Boswell: She didn't want death duties, and she was accusing the Greens of bringing them in. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Boswell, there is no point of order. Senator BOB BROWN: There is the National Party in action for you—they cannot even get the wording in the Senate, let alone the procedure, right. They have lost it. It is the coal-mining party and it has to deal with that. Meanwhile, the Greens are for rural Australia, are for regional Australia and are the champions of the bush. That is a different matter. We will not be supporting this motion.