‘I’ve never known a government that has so little legislation to debate,’ says manager of opposition business Tony Burke

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

Labor is complaining the government appears to have run out of legislation to debate, as the House of Representatives spent another afternoon hearing Oscars-style speeches by MPs thanking their families and campaign teams for hard work during last year’s election rather than debating legislation.



“I’ve never known a government that has so little legislation to debate,” said the manager of opposition business, Tony Burke.



Last week parliament passed just two relatively minor pieces of legislation and on Monday afternoon government business was taken up by members responding to the governor general’s speech opening the new parliament last November.



Normally only new members make their maiden speeches in reply to the governor general’s speech in the main House of Representatives chamber.



“After new members give their maiden speeches, the rest of those speeches usually go to the second chamber, the federation chamber, rather than the main House of Representatives chamber because that’s where legislation has to be debated,” Burke said.



Last week the House of Representatives passed just two pieces of legislation, the tax bonus for working Australians repeal bill, which makes sure no more of the 2008 global financial crisis $900 stimulus cheques are mailed out.



Last year some people getting amended assessments from the 2007-08 financial year still received the handouts, but the explanatory memorandum for the bill before parliament says the Australian Tax Office has “already ceased issuing cheques in most cases” and the new law is forecast to save $250,000 over the next four years.



The other law passed was the primary industries (excise) levies amendment (dairy produce) bill 2014, which increases a levy to pay for animal health obligations of the dairy industry from 0.058 to 0.145 cents per kilogram of milk fat.



On Monday, the only bills listed for debate were appropriations bills numbers 3 and 4, which appropriate money from consolidated revenue “for the ordinary annual services of the government”.



According to Burke, “departments always put up routine legislation … the only place a logjam could occur that leaves the parliament with so little to do is in the prime minister’s office”.



A spokesman for the manager of government business, Christopher Pyne, said the government was “going about its legislative program in a calm and methodical fashion”.



He said the government had 12 bills “at various stages” before the house and several more would be introduced on Wednesday and Thursday.