Motion: Government Business Program

MOTION

‘GOVERNMENT BUSINESS PROGRAM’.

Tuesday, 30 April 2024.

Mr NEWBURY (Brighton) (12:35):
On the Government Business Program, what we are seeing in the Parliament today is the most shameful display, the most shameful abuse of this place, that I have seen in my time in this place – in my time around Parliament and involved in Parliament.

We have now got to a point where members cannot be heard in this place, where Members cannot have a proposition put, before the Government will gag them. This is a very dark day. I would put that the Government Business Program must include an opportunity – the Parliament must be provided with an opportunity – to call out what the Government has done today and for Members who are not in the Government to be provided an opportunity to voice –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Members will be removed from the Chamber if the House does not come to order. The Leader of the Opposition will come to order. The Leader of the House will come to order.

Tim Richardson: On a point of order, Speaker, from your previous rulings I think the Member for Brighton needs to come back to the Government Business Program rather than ventilating his thoughts and views on the world and universe, so bring him back to the Government Business Program.

The SPEAKER: I ask you to come back to the Government Business Program.

James NEWBURY: The Government Business Program is a debate about what is being proposed for consideration by this chamber this week, and the Coalition would put that there needs to be a debate, an opportunity, to discuss the outrageous tactics of the government to gag the opposition from speaking. It is absolutely untenable for the Opposition to not be provided any opportunity –

Michaela Settle: On a point of order, Speaker, we are discussing the Government Business Program and we are straying from it.

The SPEAKER: The Manager of Opposition Business will come back to the Government Business Program.

James NEWBURY: I am debating the Government Business Program in that the Government Business Program does not fully elaborate on what we need to consider as a Parliament. I put on record that the Coalition will not be able to agree to any single proposition that the Government puts from now on. I give notice of that.

Dylan Wight: On a point of order, Speaker, further to your ruling, the Manager of Opposition Business has not got even close to speaking about the Government Business Program so far. This is not an opportunity for the Manager of Opposition Business to pontificate –

The SPEAKER: Manager of Opposition Business, I would ask you to come back to the Government Business Program.

James NEWBURY: Part of this debate is providing a discussion around what the Parliament could be considering. For example, the Government has proposed one motion being considered this week. We would put that there need to be opportunities other than simply two Bills. We know that on a normal sitting week the Parliament will consider a minimum of three Bills. This week the Government has proposed only two, which shows that quite clearly we will have time to consider other matters. We have seen both during motions by leave during formal business and now on the Government Business Program that the Government is not providing any opportunity for the opposition to put forward their position. How can we have a Parliament where the government gags every single non-government speaker? How can that be? It is absolutely outrageous.

Mary-Anne Thomas: On a point of order, Speaker, I ask that you bring the Manager of Opposition Business back to the Government Business Program. He
has clearly strayed again from your ruling, and I ask that you ask him to focus his attention on the –

The SPEAKER: The Manager of Opposition Business has been making a point.

James NEWBURY: What has happened today is a mistake and the Government will learn from it.