John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

benefited the less well-off in the Australian community. They are policies that have not robbed the poor in order to further enrich the rich. Rather, they are policies that have put on display to the Australian public the commitment of this government to principles of social justice and fair treatment of all citizens. If this parliament should be debating anything of public policy importance today it ought to be debating those two issues. That is why I believe the parliament should reject the suspension of standing orders sought by the Leader of the Opposition.

As I understand the working of this House, in order to suspend standing orders you need to establish that the issue you want to discuss is of such overwhelming importance that it cannot be put on notice and that it cannot wait until another day. In repudiating that proposition, I argue that what is important to the Australian people today is whether the alternative Prime Minister—

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