DOCUMENTS

Senator McKENZIE (Victoria—Leader of the Nationals in the Senate) (09:25): I just have a brief contribution to make on the motion and the amendments before the chamber. Last week, we had an unprecedented moment in the Senate where all non-government senators chose to hold executive power to account. The juvenile response by the government, in response to the order of the Senate in question time last week and in their tactics again yesterday, showed that they were in no mood to actually respect the decision of the Senate.

So I welcome a resolution to the request of the Senate for this document to be released—for the government to keep its word and, more importantly, comply with an order of the Australian Senate. For all the shouting outside of parliament about the lack of transparency and the lack of trust in our institutions, it behoves all of us here to sometimes put our own political purposes and benefits aside and act in the national interest, and this chamber was purposefully set up under our Constitution to hold executive power to account.

Serious and significant powers are vested in what we do here in order to hold governments of all persuasions to account on behalf of the Australian people. Last week we started a process by which that can happen. I recalled, as I was listening to Senator Hanson-Young's contribution and the sideswipe at the major parties about—insert Greens outrage— Senator Hanson-Young: You're not a major party anymore!

The PRESIDENT: Senator Hanson-Young! Senator McKENZIE: Thank you, Madam President. I appreciate your protection there from the sidelines.

There was a motion before the Senate to bring Alan Joyce before a Senate committee, and the Greens voted against it over and over again. That also was in the national interest. I think it's just useful to remind people who are listening to this debate that actions, and consistency of actions, speak louder than words.

What we've all been beneficiaries of today is this chamber behaving as our constitutional authors sought and a making a resolution that will be in the interests of the Australian people and transparency. The Nationals will obviously be supporting the opposition's amendments. The PRESIDENT: The question is that the amendment, as moved by Senator David Pocock, to the opposition's amendment be agreed to.