The move by the Coalition and Labor to permanently axe Senate motions is an attack on transparency and democracy that entrenches the big parties’ cosy duopoly, say the Greens.

Lines attributable to Greens deputy leader and leader in the Senate Larissa Waters:

“This is yet more Senate bastardry from the big parties. Today they gave the Senate late verbal notice that tomorrow they’ll gang up to permanently remove the rights of Senators to move and get a vote on motions.

I am pleased the Parliament will sit again. In a crisis we need more democracy, not less, and the Greens opposed the initial agreement between Liberal and Labor to cancel sitting weeks.

We have been consistently calling for the government to explore how Parliament could be held consistent with health restrictions, including virtually, so Parliament can ensure that no one is forgotten in the government's response to the health and economic crisis. For everyone else in the country, 2020 has been a year of workarounds and online meetings, and politicians shouldn’t be exempt.