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Tuesday, 23 August 2011
Page: 5168

Senator FARRELL (South Australia—Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water) (13:23): I thank Senator Nash for her statement. It is important to point out that I was not saying there was no impact on families. As I indicated, the particular figure was that 95 per cent, or 759,000 families, will not reach the reduced annual cap in the year 2011-2012 and therefore will not be affected by this change. As to your question, Senator Nash, about who we consulted with, of course this was our policy that we took to the last election. So, if you like to look at it that way, we consulted with the Australian people before the last election. We took our policy to them. The opposition is always criticising this government for not taking our policies to the people. Well, we took this policy to the electorate before the last election. We consulted with the Australian people. The Australian people decided that they would re-elect this government and, as a result, we are coming forward with the legislation that we took to them at the last election. So we have consulted with all Australians about this matter and, of course, we were re-elected. In terms of particular organisations that we may or may not have spoken with, I happen to know the minister and I know that she regularly consults with people in this—

Opposition senators interjecting—

Senator FARRELL: She might do that as well. But I happen to know that she regularly consults with organisations in the sector that she is responsible for. This is her sector and I feel sure that she makes it a practice to consult with all of those organisations. That does not mean that just because you consult with organisations you do what they want you to do or you accept their positions, because as a government we have to make decisions. But we took this policy to the last election, we have consulted with the Australian people about that and they have re-elected us.

Senator Bernardi interjecting—

Senator FARRELL: They have re-elected us, Senator Bernardi. You may not like that but they have re-elected us and we are now proceeding with the policy that we took to the last election. We have explained it exhaustively. I do not think I can explain it any more clearly to you than how I have explained it to you already, Senator Nash. We have consulted with the Australian people. We regularly consult with organisa­tions in this sector. That does not necessarily mean that we always do what they want us to do.