Senator RONALDSON (Victoria) (18:44): Mr President, I seek leave to take note of the ruling that you made prior to the last division. The PRESIDENT: Are you referring to the question that Senator Macdonald asked? Senator RONALDSON: Yes, and your response to it. The PRESIDENT: I did not think it was a ruling as such. Senator RONALDSON: Then I seek leave to take note of your statement in response to the question from Senator Macdonald. Leave not granted. Senator RONALDSON: I move: That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent me moving a motion to take note of the matter clarified by the President. I note with some interest that Senator Brown is here. I think the fact that he has used the gag in conjunction with the Labor Party to stop him explaining himself is quite remarkable. It has been a quite a remarkable and disgraceful day in this chamber. But it is not quite as disgraceful as some of the other people involved in this debate, or their lack of involvement in this debate. Senator Birmingham went through some of the Labor Party members who had spoken on this debate and some who had not. There was another glaring example of someone who did not have the intestinal fortitude to enter this debate—some would say lack of guts; I would not use that language—that is, the member for Corangamite, Mr Cheeseman. Mr Cheeseman refused to speak in this debate. It is interesting because there were some 37.5 hours of debate over 30 calendar days, to quote the Leader of the House in the other place. Where was the absent member for Corangamite in relation to this debate? He was missing in action. I looked through those who did speak from regional Victoria. The retiring member for Bendigo, Mr Gibbons, spoke on 15 September. On 20 September the member for Ballarat, Catherine King, spoke in relation to this matter. On 11 October the member for Corio, Mr Marles, spoke in relation to this matter. Where was Mr Cheeseman? This is the same Mr Cheeseman who last year posted a very interesting speech on his website. The interesting part was that it actually was not the speech that he gave, but he still posted it. I will go through the speech. This is the Noah of Geelong. I will read what Mr Cheeseman said on his website: The Great Ocean Road Mr. Speaker, an icon of Australia and the engine room of our local tourism economy, will be largely destroyed. It will be breached in place after place, if sea level rise is as expected. Huge swathes— Senator Ludwig: Mr Acting Deputy President, on a point of order: I know there is a broad latitude allowed in these debates; however, I think, and the Senate may agree, that Senator Ronaldson has certainly gone way past the latitude of the debate we are in at the moment. I would ask you, Mr Acting Deputy President, to at least confine him to the point. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Mark Bishop ): The point of order is upheld. Senator Ronaldson, you are speaking very widely and away from the matter before the chair. I would ask you to confine your remarks to the matter before the chair. Senator RONALDSON: The member for Corangamite used the same sort of language that Senator Brown uses about sea level rises. That is why Senator Macdonald wanted him to come in here and explain his actions today. I am sure that Senator Brown would probably say these sorts of things as well: It will be breached in place after place, if sea level rise is as expected. Huge swathes of the Bellarine Peninsula will be inundated. Current areas of the mainland will be cut off and become islands. Queenscliffe will become an island. The area from Barwon Heads to Breamlea will become an island. This is from the man who did not have the intestinal fortitude to come in to the other place in 37.5 hours of debate and explain why he is supporting the carbon tax. This is the man who bragged about putting in place the current Prime Minister, the soon-to-be-deposed Prime Minister, Ms Gillard. Why did he not come in and explain to the constituents of Corangamite why he is supporting this tax? In the time left to me I will read out some of the comments of the City of Greater Geelong in relation to this toxic carbon tax: 'Geelong has a large percentage of trade exposed and emissions intensive industries. While we accept the need for Australia to contribute to a global reduction of carbon emissions, it is vital that the Geelong region is not unfairly disadvantaged. Manufacturing remains one of the primary industry sectors in Geelong.' It goes on: 'Local industries must be supported so they can remain competitive and that local jobs are not put in jeopardy. If products that are currently manufactured in Geelong are forced offshore, the effect will be self-defeating in terms of global carbon emissions.' This is the City of Greater Geelong that has made it quite clear they are desperately concerned about this toxic carbon tax. Where is the absent member for Corangamite in relation to this debate? He is a disgrace. He has abrogated his responsibilities to his electorate to say why he supports this toxic carbon tax. Senator Abetz: But he voted for it. Senator RONALDSON: As the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate said, he voted for it, but he did not have the intestinal fortitude to come in and speak on it. The member for Bendigo did. The member for Ballarat did. The member for Corio did. But the absent member for Corangamite, who will be judged on this action amongst others, did not have the guts to explain to his electorate why he supports this job-destroying tax.