Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

We do need more of them. One of the unfortunate things about the government is that they have reduced the budget of the parliament. This makes it more difficult for our very excellent officers to carry out the roles that they carry out so well. Having said that, I do admire the way that the clerks and the other staff of the parliament have been prepared to look at the budget they have been given and do the best that they can with it. I certainly commend them for it. I did not want to move away from my bipartisanship, but the honourable member for Kooyong did slightly divert me. I commend this report of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs to the House. I would ask the government to give it a speedy consideration, with a view to full implementation of its recommendations as quickly as possible.

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