Dan Boyle (Green Party)

In answer to Senator Bacik's request for debates this week, the Leader of the House will respond to the status of the motion relating to Íngrid Betancourt and I will take responsibility for responding to Senator Bacik's Private Members' Bill on targets for climate change. Contrary to what is being said elsewhere, in particular by Friends of the Earth in current e-mails, it was not a promise made by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government but rather a promise made by me as Deputy Leader in this House. It was a question of awaiting the results of the Bali conference which, while encouraging, have not been what many of us had hoped for. There was still a hope we could address the issue this week. I made this promise not fully realising the legislative pressure that would be made on the House this week. The Leader has said there is a slim possibility of having statements on the Bali conference but it is more likely the House will need to address this issue at the first opportunity in the new year. I have explained to the Senator the technical difficulty in that Standing Orders do not allow anyone to speak more than once on Second Stage.