ABC News Radio

SUBJECTS: Parliamentary Votes on the Carbon Tax and Malaysia Solution; Gay Marriage; Labor Leadership

E&OE… 

Marius Benson: Christopher Pyne, the carbon tax bills are coming in tomorrow, a vote on Wednesday.  Nobody gives you any chance of holding up the Government on that?  Are you holding out hope of winning over some numbers? 

Christopher Pyne: Well, the Government has gagged the debate on the carbon tax bills, as we know, giving Members one minute per bill to debate the most important change to our economy since Federation.  So it’s very disappointing that they have got the support of the cross benchers to gag the debate.  We’ll give the cross benchers the opportunity to undo that if they wish to support us. 

Benson: On Thursday there will be a vote on the Malaysian people swap legislation the Government is putting forward and there seems to be a great deal of uncertainty.  It all seems to pivot on the vote of Tony Crook the independent National from WA.  Do you believe you’ll win him over? 

Pyne: The Government is talking big about how they have the numbers for the migration bill changes.  These are the ones that would implement the hideous Malaysian Solution.  We will amend that.  I believe that our amendment will be successful.  I believe the Government’s bill will fail, but the Government claims it has the numbers.  I always live by the adage that you never count your chickens before they hatch. 

Benson: Thursday’s exercise in the Lower House on the Malaysian people swap legislation is something of an empty exercise because it will be defeated in the Senate subsequently even if it gets through there.  But if it is defeated in the House, will you be then claiming that it shows no confidence in the House in the Government and that it’s time for an election?  Will that be your argument? 

Pyne: Well, a defeat on such an important piece of legislation, which the Prime Minister herself nominated as one of the three areas that she would fix being border protection would in my view give any government that had any integrity the message that they should be going to the people an giving the people a say on not just border protection, but also the carbon tax, the mining tax and the general direction of the country.  

Benson: Can I go to one other issue which is gay marriage.  Mike Rann, the South Australian Premier, the Labor Premier, has said that he is in favour of legalisation of gay marriage.  You have spoken out against that in the past.  But what about the idea of a conscience vote on that?  Would the Coalition allow its members a conscience vote on gay marriage in the Parliament? 

Pyne: Well, that’s a matter for the Leadership to decide when the Government even introduces a bill.  Let’s not jump the gun.  The Labor Party is yet to even debate this matter at their national conference.  We might have an election by then, and Kevin Rudd could well be Prime Minister by then and the whole situation could have changed.  So we’re certainly not going to be pre-empting the Government’s bill.  I think there is quite a bit of support for civil unions in Australia, but much less support for gay marriage and I don’t think the general public regard this as a major priority.  But let’s wait for the Government to actually produce something rather than just talk in hypotheticals.

Benson: Is the opposition now preparing in the expectation of an early election and possibly a change of leadership in the Labor Party? 

Pyne: I'm always ready for an election and I think the Australian public want an election and my view is that Kevin Rudd is limbering up for a challenge to Julia Gillard and I think it’s highly likely that it’ll be successful and I assume we’ll be facing Kevin Rudd at the next election and that Tony Abbott will beat him for the second time.  He’s already removed him once and my view is that if the Australian people had a chance to have a say on the carbon tax, border protection, the mining tax and cost of living they would go with a Coalition Government. 

Benson: And how likely do you think that would be an early election? 

Pyne: I think it’s highly likely.  I think it’s very likely that a new Prime Minister in Kevin Rudd would seek a mandate, as he should, from the Australian public on his own Prime Ministership rather than relying on the negation cobbled together after the last election, which has caused so much misery. 

Benson: And what’s a likely timetable if that happens as you’re describing there’s a change of leadership in the Labor Party and an early election? 

Pyne: I don’t know when the Rudd backers will move against Julia Gillard, but I assume it will be very soon. 

Benson: And that would mean an early election early next year?

Pyne: No, I think it could be as early as the end of this year. 

Benson: And you’re prepared for that? 

Pyne: Of course. 

Benson: Christopher Pyne, thank you very much. 

Pyne: Pleasure Marius, thank you. 

ENDS