Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

On the substantive motion referred to by the member for Sturt on the national curriculum, if and when it comes before the House, it is something that I would be inclined to support, so I would have an interest in its coming forward. I find strange things happen when I say I agree that the member for Sturt puts forward some good reasons. I know that the Australian Education Union has raised concerns about the national curriculum, and they are real concerns that do need to be explored. But I cannot support the amendment he has moved today. There is a sense of deja vu here: I recall making a similar speech to the House last week. I accept that there will be on occasions some matters that are so critically time sensitive that we will need to consider amendments such as this, but this motion has been around for some time and there has been ample opportunity to request that it be voted on. I do not know that I can speak on behalf of all of the people on the crossbench, but speaking for myself we do have an interest in there being an orderly process to ensure that private members’ bills and motions come on and are voted on in an orderly fashion. To the extent that that system works, that is a system that I would seek to support. On that basis, I indicate that I will be supporting that motion, but I cannot support the amendment.

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