SENATOR PENNY WONG, LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN THE SENATE: Thanks very much for coming. The first thing I wanted to go through very clearly is what happened in the Senate at 9:30 this morning and we have copies of Senator Leyonhjelms motion here. Senator Leyonhjelm and I congratulate him for his commitment and his persistence on this matter for the second time this week moved to ensure a full debate and a vote on marriage equality. He did that by seeking both on Tuesday and this morning to amend the motion that set the hours for the Senate, set the bills for the Senate, to include marriage equality. Now the effect of that is that we would have had to have had a full debate until conclusion and we would have had to have had a vote before Senators flew home.
Now on Tuesday and again on Thursday morning the Australian Greens voted against having a full debate and vote on marriage equality. Id like you to remember that, when reading what theyre putting out now. Not once, but twice this week the Australian Greens have voted against having a full debate and a vote on marriage equality.
What we have seen since is a stunt and a gag in the Chamber from the Greens to try and cover up this undeniable fact. But stunts wont deliver marriage equality ultimately. We do know after watching not only this week but I think also Malcolm Turnbulls failure of leadership on this issue, the only way that the millions of Australians who want marriage equality in this country, the only way theyll get that outcome is if we elect a Labor Government. So I say again, not once but twice this week the Australian Greens have voted against a full debate and vote on marriage equality. So every Green, every vote, every time, but not today and not on Tuesday. Happy to take questions.
JOURNALIST: They just attempted to have a vote on it not an hour ago.
WONG: They had a stunt. They gagged a debate after 45 minutes. They gagged a debate after 45 minutes in a desperate attempt to try and give themselves cover for the fact that twice this week they voted against a full debate and a vote. And what Id say to you is this: I dont think anyone doubts my commitment to this issue. I dont think gagging the debate after 45 minutes is the way we should approach this. They had the opportunity not two hours earlier for a full debate and vote.
The true story about this is that they couldnt vote for Senator Leyonhjelms motion because the Government wouldnt let them. Thats the real story. The Australian Greens, the only vote they want on marriage equality is the one the Liberal Party will let them. What they prioritised is Senate changes, they prioritised eliminating minor parties and independents from the Senate over the elimination of discrimination against same-sex couples. Thats what theyve done this week.
JOURNALIST: As a South Australian Senator, the unemployment figures came out today and theyre showing that the unemployment rate in South Australia is hitting 7.7 per cent. The Government says its doing enough to try and create jobs, saying the Weatherill Government needs to be doing more.
WONG: Those are deeply concerning figures, for everybody, but particularly for South Australians and I have one message for Malcolm Turnbull South Australia matters and South Australian jobs matter. Now since this Coalition Government has been elected weve seen the former Treasurer Joe Hockey on the floor of the Parliament goading Holdens to leave and they did and were paying the price for that. We have seen the former Defence Minister walk away from the clear promise that the Abbott Government made when in opposition that they would build the submarines in South Australia - a clear breach, walked away from that. And since then weve seen nice words from Malcolm Turnbull, but theyre not backed up by his White Paper. So I have one message to Malcolm Turnbull stop trying to play games with this, stop trying to point the finger, youre the Prime Minister, South Australia matters and South Australian jobs matter.
JOURNALIST: How late do you expect to be here tonight, have you packed your toothbrush?
WONG: I have a toothbrush here, but thank you for enquiring. Look, this is an important debate and its a debate where we will do what we should do which is to stand up for the things we believe in, the things we think are right. And remember the Senate voting changes I think are undemocratic, theyre about giving the one in four Australians who voted for parties other than the Labor Party, the Coalition parties or the Greens no choice. And what I believe and Labor believes is that they risk delivering the Coalition a working majority in the Senate. Now I ask everybody to think back to the 2014 Budget, the cuts to pensions, the cuts to health, the cuts to education, $100,000 degrees. Do you want to give Malcolm Turnbull and the Liberal Party a working majority in the Senate to deliver those cuts that hurt working Australians and their families? Thanks very much.
