Who is the president of the senate 2019
2019 Election of the President of the Senate
Clerk, I remind the Senate that it should now choose one of its members to be President
I move that Senator Ryan take the chair of the Senate as President.
Are there any further nominations?
Senator Di Natale. ... moves that Senator Nick McKim from Tasmania be nominated as President of the Senate
Are there any further nominations Senators?
There being two nominations, I invite the candidates to address the Senate. Senator Ryan.
Thanks. Senator Cormann and I submit myself to the will of the Senate.
Senator McKim. Thank you very much and as
Senator Ryan has done I submit myself
To the will of the Senate but in doing so I want to make a couple of points, firstly
I've accepted this nomination to draw attention to the sticher
Between the major parties that underpins so much of how these place
operates
Make no mistake [Interjections]
and in fact
The level of interjection here is exactly why we need an a Green senator sitting in the President's chair
because this place is not a cozy club and it should not operate as a
cozy club
Where the major parties get together and stitch up so much of how this place operates just as they do
Just as they do in the other place and just as they've done historically in the Senate. Let me make a
Blindingly obvious observation the government does not have a majority in the Senate
This Senate has not been given a mandate by the Australian people to pass the government's agenda
Unaltered if that's what the people wanted
They would have put the government in a majority in this place
but they didn't they've elected a balance of power Senate and
for too long
The major parties have used their collective majority in this place
To determine how the Senate operates and you only have to have a look at the other clothes shops
This Parliament for example, the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence and Security
How that's worked in this place stitched up by the major parties. And now we've got the ABC being raided by the AFP
this cozy stitch up between the major parties is not
Serving our country and it is not serving the people of Australia. I've accepted the nomination for this
For this role on behalf of the well over a million people
Who voted for the Australian Greens at this election.
Who voted to shake up politics who voted the strong action on climate?
Who voted for strong action to address the extinction crisis facing?
this planet and I say to the major parties if you can't feel the ice cracking under you if you can't feel the
fragility of our institutions
Starting to crumble in this country. You are not paying close enough attention
The Australian Greens are here to shake up politics
We are here to shake up business as usual and we are here to shake up the way this Senate operates
And I ask all Senators
Particularly my crossbench colleagues for their support
As there are two nominees, a ballot will now be held before proceeding to ballot, the bells will be rung for four minutes.
Senators, the Senate will now proceed to ballot. Ballot papers will be distributed. Please vote on the ballot paper.
Please write on the ballot paper the name of the candidate you wish to vote for. The candidates are Senator Ryan and Senator McKim.
If all Senators have had time to vote, the ballot papers will now be collected.
I invite Senators Dean Smith and Rachel Siewert to act as scrutineers
I announce the results of the ballot as follows, Senator Gavin Marshall, one vote.
[Laughter]
Senator
[Laughter]
Senator Nick McKim
Senator Nick McKim, 10 votes, Senator the Honourable Scott Ryan,
62 votes, Senator the Honourable Scott Ryan is therefore elected President of the Senate in accordance with the Standing Orders.
[Applause]
Well, I think Senator Cormann for the nomination
I thank the Senate for the faith that it has expressed in me to continue to serve
And I will continue to serve the interests of the entire Senate and all senators as I have endeavoured to over the last
19 months and I make one final promise, which is that I will see those doors get finished eventually.
[Laughter]
So thank you all. The Senate is adjourned until, sorry one more.
Congratulations, Mr
President and in congratulating you I would like to thank the opposition for acting consistent with convention as we do in
supporting the government's nominee for President
You are in many ways. I perfect fit for the position of the President
You are trusted, your fair, your impartial, you have a deep understanding of parliamentary democracy,
Westminster traditions, the Constitution, Australian political history, and indeed you have a deep love of the Senate as a
Central institution of parliamentary democracy you have presided over our proceedings so far as our past
as well as our future president with
Good humor and the appropriate levels of independence and we wish you well in
reassuming the office
Thank you, Senator Wong. Thank You Mr
President and I rise on behalf the opposition to congratulate you on your re-election as President of the Senate
Fairness and impartiality are obviously key attributes for any person holding this position, especially in this chamber
Which is the only term in the parliament in which executive government can actually be held to account?
given the numbers in the House of Representatives
We know you recognize you hold this position on the trust of the Senate not as a partisan
We also know that you have a deep respect for principles and conventions of our democracy
Such as the separation of powers and the principle of ministerial accountability
principles which perhaps more in this Parliament might recognise
We recognize you also hold a deep respect for the role
The Senate has in Australia's democracy, and we look forward to continuing to work with you.
Senator Di Natale
Mr. President, I rise on behalf of the Australian Greens to congratulate you on your appointment
it was a close-run thing and ...
[Minor Laughter]
Clearly we are disappointed that our candidate senator McKim wasn't elected
Clearly the election of President is a gift of the Senate
It doesn't belong to either of the major parties. We think this is one of many conventions that
Don't serve the Parliament well
And we do think that having someone from the cross bench would make this a much more lively and interesting chamber
having said that we are
Assured that you will continue to do your role assiduously
independently
and as
One of the few people who
Has been booted out of this place by you
I hope that that tradition will not continue through this Parliament. Thank you. I
I thank Senators for their kind words the sitting of the Senate is suspended until the ringing of the bells.
