Senator Eric Abetz

ABETZ, Senator Eric, Tasmania29.55 amAbetz, Sen EricN26TasmaniaLP00Senator ABETZ (Tasmania) (9.55 am)If ever the Australian people needed a reason why the Greens should not be given the balance of power in this Senate or indeed in the Tasmanian parliament, we have a clear example of that here today. Sure, there is no doubt that the issues raised in the EPBC Amendment (Prohibition of Support for Whaling) Bill 2010 are important, but the issue is of balance and common sense. With the Greens everything they do is vitalit is the most important thing for the day, it is absolutely important. I still remember the passion with which Senator Brown spoke in this place about whether senators had to wear jackets or not. It is the same sort of passion that he uses to speak about whales. There is no sense of balance. There is no sense of priority. I remind the Australian people and the Australian Greens

Brown, Sen Bob Senator Bob BrownMr Acting Deputy President Hutchins, I raise a point of order. Senator Abetz is straying from the matter to talk about a debate on jackets. I would remind him that that was a successful debate and made a very important and innovative change for the Senate.

Hutchins, Sen Steve (The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT)1The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT (Senator Hutchins)Order! There is no point of order.

Abetz, Sen EricSenator ABETZIf the Australian people needed another example of why the Greens should never be allowed to control the Senate or the Tasmanian parliament, it was that interjection and alleged point of order by Senator Brown. I remind the Australian people and the Australian Greens that, when an issue of genuine importance came up before this place in August 2009 when my very good friend and very capable colleague, Senator Bernardi, sought precedence for the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Enhanced Child Protection from Predatory Tourism Offences) Bill 2008, Senator Brown voted against giving it precedence. Here we have today in the Senate an example that the Australian Greens would seek to protect whales as a more important issue than protecting children from predatory tourism. That is their sense of community consciousness. That is how warped their priorities are. If it is not their idea, it is not good and it does not deserve precedence. But if it is about jackets, if it is about whales or whatever, if it is their thought, then of course it deserves precedence and everything else has to be swept aside.

The Australian people should look very carefully at the exercise we are witnessing today. I support the general thrust of the bill. Indeed, as Senator Brown indicated, it bears my name. But I then have to ask the question: is the provision of supplies and support to whaling vessels and I abhor whaling a more important burning issue than protecting innocent young children from the abhorrent practice of so-called child sex tourism? What a terrible sense of priorities the Australian Greens have brought into this place today. They are on the record as opposing precedence for Senator Cory Bernardis request that young children, especially in Asia, be protected from those abhorrent criminals that seek to use them and destroy their lives.

But the Australian Greens say no, that is okay, sweep the kids aside. We want our five minutes in the sunshine to pull a stunt on whales and show people how warm-hearted we are. These mammals, I think Senator Brown said, have warm blood flowing through them. Can I tell you, Senator Brown, so do the kids in South-East Asia. But you thought they were of no consequence.

We in the coalition approach all these things with a sense of balance. We say that a bill moved by Senator Siewert is a good bill, and we do support it in general terms. But the question is: where should it fit into the scheme of priorities? I make no apologies on behalf of the coalition in saying that if there is a choice of bringing precedence to a piece of legislation that seeks to protect children from the evil of so-called child sex tourism, or supporting whaling vessels, it will be the children that win each and every day, and heaven help this country if the Greens ever got control of this place or the Tasmanian parliament. (Time expired)