FEDERAL SENATE BOYCOTTED

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26117, 20 May 1950, Page 7

FEDERAL SENATE BOYCOTTED

Labour Members Sta; Outside Chamber GOVERNMENT ALLEGE: OBSTRUCTION

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 9 p.m.) CANBERRA, May 19.1 Labour senators,vwho are in a majority, boycotted a- sitting of the Senate', called for to-day. The Government’ was unable tp secure a‘ quorum anjcLthe.' sitting was adjourned WedS nesday, .

When the bells, rang, • Labour^mem- 1 bers assembled ihitfefegloßbies outside* the Senate chanjber.twtfdid not. eritejv Such a collapse i£ ,unprecedented' in Australian parliamentary history. ■... » bour arid r Government 5 senators' lasV night., t The jsecr.’ ond reading of the..Bank/Bill -.carried’ last night, but 'Labour.'members forced the adjournment. „?The*Leader of the Government (Senator Neil O’Sullivan) then Senate would sit to-day, thougfi.Jtnbrmally .it would have adjourned uh til Wednesday. The Deputy-Opposition Leader (Senator Nicholas McKenna) said that senators’ transport arrangements would be upset if the Senate sat to-day. Others accused the Government of trying to achieve legislation by exhaustion.

There are likely to be serious repercussions in the Government parties, because for the Senate to lapse for lack of a quorum is recognised as a “loss of face,” seriously damaging the Government’s prestige. The quorum for the Senate is 20, and the Government has 24 members; but it could- muster only 15. Opposition Leader Comments In a statement to-day, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate (Senator W. P. Ashley) said: “The fact that the Senate was counted out was due entirely to the failure of the Government Leader to co-operate with members of the Opposition and to inform them as to the Government’s intentions regarding to-day’s sittings. It is an established practice for the Leaders of the Houses to consult together as to the times of sitting. Senator O’Sullivan failed to observe this practice. The proof of this is shown by the attendance in the Senate this morning of Government senators—only 15 out of 24 being present. Apparently even Government senators were not informed of the intention' to sit to-day. The Opposition was not officially informed of the Government’s decision to sit today until late last night. By that time not only Opposition senators, but a number of Government senators had made plans to keep week-end engagements.”

Senator O’Sullivan said he deplored the “petulant, obstructive tactics* practised by the Labour majority in denying the Senate a quorum for the con-

duct of business.” He said that the act was premeditated and added: “Each day this week the determination of Labour to frustrate the passage of Government legislation has been made more apparent. Last week I notified the Opposition Leader to be prepared to sit this Friday.” The Federal Prime Minister (Mr Menzies) also said that the Opposition tactics were childish and that eventually a stage might be reached when in any sensible judgment it was clear that, the Senate had no intention of passing legislation.