TELSTRA (TRANSITION TO FULL PRIVATE OWNERSHIP) BILL 2005
TELECOMMUNICATIONS LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (COMPETITION AND CONSUMER ISSUES) BILL 2005
TELECOMMUNICATIONS LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (FUTURE PROOFING AND OTHER MEASURES) BILL 2005
TELECOMMUNICATIONS (CARRIER LICENCE CHARGES) AMENDMENT (INDUSTRY PLANS AND CONSUMER CODES) BILL 2005
APPROPRIATION (REGIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES) BILL 2005-2006
Second Reading

Speech

Senator JOYCE (Queensland) (11.10 a.m.)—Thank you very much, and I welcome the good honourable gentleman to our side of the chamber—

Interjection
Senator Stott Despoja—Acting Deputy President Hutchins, on a point of order: I am next on the speakers list. Senator Joyce is not on the list. Will we stick to the speakers list or have we gagged that too?

Interjection
Senator Hill—It is a longstanding practice: one side of the chamber then the other side of the chamber. The Democrats have chosen to sit on the Labor side of the chamber, so they are part of that speaking contingent.

Interjection
Senator George Campbell interjecting—

Interjection
Senator Hill—How many speeches has the government had on this bill? How many opportunities? Very few.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Interjection
Senator Hill—In fact the Labor spokesman damned the government for not allowing Senator Joyce to speak. Then, when Senator Joyce rises, the Labor Party wants to gag him. They cannot have it both ways.

Interjection
Senator Chris Evans—Mr Acting Deputy President, on a point of order: I would welcome Senator Joyce’s contribution to the debate but, unfortunately, we are faced with a situation where the government and Senator Joyce have voted for a gag that ends the debate at 11.30 am. I am happy for the government to move a motion extending the time for the debate. Senator Joyce is a victim of his own party discipline. He voted for a resolution that stifled the debate. Now he wishes to jump on the speakers list. The speakers list is agreed between the parties and circulated in the chamber. The speakers list shows McEwen, Stott Despoja and Fielding. If Senator Joyce is to jump in and speak, then he denies Senator Stott Despoja and Senator Fielding their opportunities.

Interjection
Senator Hill—Not necessarily. You’re wasting speaking time now.

Interjection
Senator Chris Evans—My point of order, Mr Acting Deputy President, is that the government have overturned all the Senate procedures and this is another one—a distributed formal agreement between the parties, the speakers list, which is given to the chair. They are going to break that convention as well. According to the list, Senator Stott Despoja has the call and she ought to be given the call.

Interjection
Senator Bob Brown—On the point of order: it is totally outrageous that the speakers order now be broken to convenience government members who have not had the gumption to get up to speak until now. I move, according to contingent orders:

That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent Senator Stott Despoja being heard next.

Interjection
The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT (Senator Hutchins)—I have been advised that you cannot move that because there is a point of order before the chair.

Interjection
Senator Bob Brown—I will move it immediately afterwards.

Interjection
The PRESIDENT—I believe there is a point of order before the chair. As everybody knows, it has always been the practice to take one speaker from one side and then one from the other. The order of speaking is decided by the whips. I call Senator Joyce.

Interjection
Senator Bob Brown—Mr President, you have an obligation in this place to recognise that there is a crossbench. It is not one side or the other; there are three sides. Senator Stott Despoja is on the speaking list and Senator Joyce is not. It is totally contrary to all practice in this place that you suddenly come in here and give favour to a government member over a crossbench member who, according to the whips’ arrangements—

Interjection
The PRESIDENT—Senator, you have made a point of order. I am ruling on that point of order. It is always the custom of the chair to take one speaker from one side and then one from the other. The last speaker was Senator McEwen on my left. I propose to take a speaker from my right, and I call Senator Joyce. I ask you to resume your seat, Senator Brown. I have ruled on the point of order. I call Senator Joyce.

Continue
Senator JOYCE—Thank you very much, Mr President. There have been a number of calls from the other side of the house that I had been gagged, so it is very important—

Interjection
Senator Fielding—Mr President, I rise on a point of order. You were saying that you go from one side of the chamber to the other. I happen to be on the other side of the chamber to the previous speaker and I happen to be on the speakers list. I think it would be more than appropriate for Family First to have their say in the second reading debate on this legislation.

Interjection
The PRESIDENT—There has been a lot of time wasted this morning and, Senator, I am sure that you will get the opportunity, either now or in the committee stage. I call Senator Joyce.

Continue
Senator JOYCE—Thank you very much, Mr President. It is important that we get it on the record today that the decision—

Interjection
Senator Bob Brown—Mr President, I dissent from your ruling that Senator Joyce be heard ahead of the other senators who are listed.

Interjection
The PRESIDENT—It is not a ruling. It is the right of the chair to call from one side or the other. I ask you to resume your seat, Senator Brown.

Interjection
Senator Bob Brown interjecting—

Interjection
The PRESIDENT—We are not going to have a debate on standing orders. I have called Senator Joyce and I ask him to continue with his—

Interjection
Senator Chris Evans—Mr President, I seek leave to move a motion that the Senate allow Senators Stott Despoja, Joyce and Fielding to give speeches in the second reading debate on the Telstra bills.

Interjection
The PRESIDENT—We are now under the rules of urgency and I have no alternative but to call Senator Joyce.

Interjection
Senator Chris Evans—Is leave granted or is leave denied?

Leave not granted.

Continue
Senator JOYCE—I think it is very important to get on the record what the National Party wished to extract from the Telstra legislation and what we have extracted, what we have done in the last week and how the process goes on. It is very important for people to know exactly what the resolutions were that we came down to this chamber with. In Queensland we had two resolutions that were given to us. One resolution was to not sell Telstra at all, and from the 350 or so delegates at the National Party state conference it managed to attract two votes, because the people in Queensland realise the political dynamics that we have to work with and the fact that we have to go out and do the very best deal we possibly can. As such, and realising that