Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition continues to interject, Mr Speaker, in defiance of your ruling, about wasting time. We did not come in here and move this amendment; we came in here to vote as was determined by those opposite. I ask the House to reject the Pyne amendment. I believe that next week we will be voting on the motions on mental health by Mr Dutton and on the joint select committee by Mr Turnbull, and on the other three motions I have mentioned.

The Manager of Opposition Business has had a couple of shockers when it comes to dealing with private members’ business. Perhaps the reason they have moved this amendment today is that they were concerned about votes coming on and their missing out again on having a vote. If that is the explanation, it is perhaps as credible as the explanation that was put up last week, which was that somehow the Manager of Opposition Business had determined that, after talking about the BER for a year, he did not really want to vote on it after all because he was going to lose on it. If that is the case, if that is the sort of logic they have, they will not be calling any divisions on any of the legislation that comes before the House.

This is a stunt. The government is determined to make sure this operates fairly. The government has been more than reasonable. I repeat that next week there will be five votes: four votes on issues raised by members of the coalition and only one moved by a member of the government.

See this speech in context