[Greens-Media] Government disarray and crude behaviour in Senate - Brown demands parliamentary and public apology

[Oquist, Ben (Sen B. Brown)]

Thursday 11 August, 2005

Government disarray and crude behaviour in Senate - Brown demands
parliamentary and public apology

A government lapse gave the Greens effective control of the Senate for
the 3 hours today when Senator Brown won leave to move a motion against
the Minister for the Environment on global warming.

The Greens demanded the minister explain his denial in the Federal Court
that global warming exists, is made worse by burning coal, or impacts on
Australia's natural environment. 

Senators Brown and Milne led an attack on the minister's incongruous
position: worrying about global warming in public (eg Senate question
time yesterday) but denying it exists in the Court, where
environmentalists are challenging his 'go-ahead' for two Queensland coal
mines with no environmental impact assessment.

"This is an example of the governments' hypocrisy on climate change -
the gap between the minister's recent public rhetoric and this ruthless
action in the Federal Court is astounding," Senator Milne said.

The government survived the ensuing division by 33 votes to 31 but then
Senator Julian McGauran, the Nationals' whip, arrogantly raised his hand
in an obscene gesture to the non-government senators. The gesture was
from the floor of the chamber in full view of all the senators, the
public gallery and the cameras. Senator Brown called on the acting chair
to report the incident to the President.

"This is the government's new contempt for the Senate. So much for the
Prime Minister's assurance there would be no government arrogance after
it took majority control on Tuesday," Senator Brown said.


 More information: Ben Oquist 62773170 or 0419 70 40 95