MEDIA RELEASE: GOVERNMENT’S REASON FOR CANCELLING PARLIAMENT BLOWN OUT OF WATER

As had been expected, the Senate has now passed a bill for marriage equality today.
 
With the Senate passing the bill, the Government’s reason for cancelling a whole week of sittings for the House of Representatives has been blown out of the water.
 
On the day the Government announced it was cancelling a week of Parliament, the Leader of the House Christopher Pyne said:
 
“The Senate has set a timeline that means it is unlikely to finish debating the marriage equality bill until 30 November. On that basis, and as the House is not currently sitting, the Prime Minister and I have consulted the Speaker and asked that he set an alternative day for the next meeting of the House, in accordance with the Standing Orders.”
 
(PYNE – MEDIA RELEASE – 20 NOVEMBER 2017)
 
If the Prime Minister had not cancelled a week of Parliament, the House of Representatives could be debating the bill for marriage equality today and into tomorrow.
 
The Senate has done its job, if the Prime Minister had turned up for work the House of Representatives could be doing its job right now.
 
From the very beginning it was clear that the real reason the Government had cancelled a week of Parliament was because Mr Turnbull was afraid of what his backbench would do.
 
But today, the excuses offered by the Government have been exposed as a sham.
 
WEDNESDAY, 29 NOVEMBER 2017