Labor plans Welcome Party for new Greens comrades
23rd November, 2010
The Gillard Government has proposed a rare July sitting of Parliament next year, just so it can provide a week of welcome to incoming Greens’ senators.The Leader of The Nationals, Warren Truss, said he accepted the Greens were running Labor’s political and policy agenda these days, but scheduling this unexpected week of parliamentary sittings seemed totally subservient.
“Labor has been paralysed as The Greens have eaten into their support base,” Mr Truss said. “The Greens have one Federal seat and threaten many more at state level, but still give a weakened Labor enough support to govern.
“The first half of the sitting program for 2011 is dominated by two six-week breaks. There will only be four sitting weeks before the Budget in May.
“After the Greens senators take their seats in July, nine weeks of sittings are scheduled for the remainder of the year.
“More Greens’ senators elected last August will take their places next year, bringing with them the balance of power in the Senate and a new era of concern about Australia’s economic, social and environmental future.
“I have never seen a July sitting in my 20 years in Parliament – usually it does not resume from the winter break until mid-August.
“There is no apparent reason for the solitary week being scheduled in July in 2011 rather than later in August, except it allows Labor and The Greens to start their Senate party a month ahead of schedule.
“Labor has still not found its way, but The Greens have found theirs inside the Gillard Government,” Mr Truss said.
