40   SUSPENSION OF STANDING AND SESSIONAL ORDERS MOVED

Mr Abbott (Leader of the Opposition) moved—That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Leader of the Opposition from moving the following motion forthwith—That this House calls on the Prime Minister to immediately explain to the Parliament how a Government that has lost its way has suddenly found it despite the evidence to the contrary, and in particular for:

(1)    treading water when it comes to policy reform;

(2)    being forced to admit to a secret plan to introduce a carbon tax despite her election promise not to;

(3)    failing to protect Australia’s borders with the arrival of three more boats over the weekend, making it 53 boats and 2,750 people since she became Prime Minister;

(4)    being distracted by issues such as gay-marriage and euthanasia when millions of Australian households are struggling to make ends meet with soaring power bills and cost of living pressures;

(5)    continuing to borrow $100 million dollars a day putting pressure on interest rates;

(6)    a back-stabbing, in-fighting style of Government that is all about factional control and not the good Government that Australians need and deserve;

(7)    pandering to the Greens with an agenda that is more about staying in power than delivering good and competent Government; and

(8)    the wasting of taxpayer dollars typified by its refusal to submit the $50 billion NBN Network to a full and transparent cost benefit analysis by the Productivity Commission which has the support of this Opposition, business leaders and the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, Mr Glenn Stevens.

Debate ensued.

The time allowed by standing order 1 for debate on the motion having expired—

Question—put.

*36

The House divided (the Speaker, Mr Jenkins, in the Chair)—

AYES, 55

NOES, 56

* Tellers

Pairs

Mr Crean                        Mr Ruddock

Mr Marles                      Mr Keenan

Ms Plibersek                  Mr Schultz

Ms Parke                        Mr Dutton

Ms Grierson                   Mr Tehan

Ms Owens                      Mr Hawke

Mr C. R. Thomson         Mr Robert

Mr Gray                         Mrs Gash

Ms King                         Mrs B. K. Bishop

Ms Collins                      Ms Marino

Ms A. E. Burke              Mrs Mirabella

Mrs D’Ath                     Mr Haase

Mrs Elliot                       Mr Randall

Ms Saffin                       Mr Ciobo

Mr Cheeseman               Ms O’Dwyer

Dr Leigh                         Mr Somlyay

Mr S. F. Smith               Ms J. Bishop

And so it was negatived.