Federal Labor denies Parliament right to vote on Maclean bats bill

November 25, 2010

The Gillard Government has denied Federal Parliament the right to vote on Federal Member for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker’s Maclean bats private member’s bill.

The bill was debated in the House of Representatives on Monday and scheduled to be voted on today (Thursday).

However, this morning Labor’s Leader of the House, Anthony Albanese, reneged on a commitment he gave in Parliament last week when he agreed to have the bats bill voted on today.

“This is Federal Labor politics at its worst,” Mr Hartsuyker said.

“Janelle Saffin and her Federal Labor colleagues are now denying the Parliament the right to vote on an issue which is causing great concern in the lower Clarence.

“Federal Labor should hang their head in shame.  This bill would have removed all Federal obstacles which are preventing the Maclean bats being removed. The only reason a Parliamentarian would not support this bill is because they don’t support Maclean High School.

“Everyone knows the Federal Department and Federal Labor have been responsible for delaying relocation. Today’s cynical political exercise only confirms what we already knew.”

Mr Hartsuyker Federal Labor and the Federal environment department had always treated lower Clarence residents with contempt.

“It is more than five months since a petition with 4,300 signatures was tabled in the Federal Parliament calling for the bats to be removed. Parliamentary convention is that the Minister will respond within 90 days, but Labor has simply snubbed its nose at the people of the lower Clarence and remained silent.

“Today’s petty behaviour is just a reminder that Federal Labor has no interest in listening to the voice of the people.  The recent approval of a licence to remove some of the bats only partially resolves the issue. I will continue to fight to have the bats removed and if that means relaunching a public campaign, so be it.”