Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher

SENATOR THE HON KATY GALLAGHER, MINISTER FOR FINANCE: Okay, well, we've got a big final day in the Senate. We've put out a list of bills to try and get done, and we'll see what the Senate decides on that. We've got a really full agenda. We've got six bills through already this week – child care wages and Help to Buy – really important pieces of legislation. But obviously, we've got a lot to get through today, and we'll work with the Senate about what that looks like, and hopefully get a few more bills passed.

JOURNALIST: A lot to get through, as you mentioned. Why have you left it so late? And given there is so much to get through, should the Senate have been so distracted by Lidia Thorpe yesterday?

GALLAGHER: Well, look, we would wish that the Senate used its time productively, and that is dealing with legislation. Unfortunately, we did have some disruptions yesterday, which have resulted in Senator Thorpe being suspended. But I think, and I think the rest of the Senate thought, that we had to make a strong stand against the behaviour we saw in the Senate yesterday. We tried to deal with it as quickly as possible, but it's a minority chamber, so we don't control the time or what happens in that chamber. And we try and get as much legislation through, and we are happy to work right across the Senate about how we get as much done. It's not unusual in the final week to have a big push, the final push. Certainly, as long as I've been here, even in Opposition, that was the case. We've got a full agenda. Obviously, the Senate will pick and choose what bits it wants to deal with, that's fine. But we wanted to come and say, “this is what we want to get done,” and hand it over to the Senate.

JOURNALIST: We've got migration, social media, Future Fund, political donations, just to name a couple of them. Are you concerned that Senator Thorpe’s suspension will hinder getting some of these bills over the line today?

GALLAGHER: Well, there's certainly a consequence for not having Senator Thorpe in the chamber. That is one extra vote that we are not able to secure. But again, I think any other workplace, if you saw that behaviour happen, there would be a consequence for that behaviour. And it's been escalating, and we have tried censures, we've tried asking for behaviour to be stopped, we've asked for withdrawal of certain language, and we have, you know, that hasn't stopped the behaviour. So, I think a stronger statement – I can't recall the last time a senator was suspended. We do not use that standing order, it's used very rarely, but it had to be used yesterday. But yes, it changes the makeup of the Senate. We have one less vote, and we have to work hard to get the extra votes we need.

JOURNALIST: On migration and social media, are you confident that they will get over the line today? Have you got the support?

GALLAGHER: Look, there's certainly, the Coalition have indicated they wanted the social media ban done by the end of this sitting week. So, unless they've changed their position again on that. In relation to migration, again, they've been calling for those bills to be passed, so I would find it extraordinary if they don't agree to pass those bills. On electoral reform, we will be amending that out of the motion. We don't have the support of the chamber to deal with that Bill today. We were hoping for a deal with the Coalition, but they put forward a list of last-minute amendments that we need time to work through. So, Senator Farrell will take the summer to work through those. So, that is one that we won't be progressing today.

JOURNALIST: Which are the nations that the government will be paying to take non-citizens?

GALLAGHER: Well, this sets up the framework. I mean, that's really a matter once the legislation has passed.

JOURNALIST: But does that pass the pub test, Minister, in terms of – Parliament's going to vote on legislation about paying third countries, without the taxpayers knowing who, which countries these are? Asylum Seeker Resource Centre says they don't have to be signatories to the Refugee Convention. Is that the Australian way?

GALLAGHER: Well again, we need a response to the High Court case that we've been dealing with. The Minister for Home Affairs has been drafting legislation in response to that. That is obviously for debate on the Senate floor this afternoon. We have allowed for debate, and you know, and that is very public, [INAUDIBLE], as would any decision that flows from that legislation.

Thank you.