Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Seniors) Share this | Hansard source

Through you, Mr Speaker, if the government simply wants to stonewall and not find a solution to this problem and its own proposition is that only changes should be made affecting people between the age of 70 and 75, it will do nothing about removing the absolute age discrimination of 75. If we are to be truly inclusive in this country, if the government establishing a commissioner against ageism is to have any meaning, then this bill needs to go forward. I say to the crossbenchers, to the people who are independent: you are at a critical time. You have the opportunity to say that you want ageism to be as unacceptable as sexism and racism. Then you have the opportunity to give this bill a second reading.

In speaking on the suspension motion, we are at a crossroads as to whether or not the government is fair dinkum about wanting to end ageism. We on this side of the House certainly are. It is a strong and principled bill and I would seek the government to either allow it to pass or seek the solution to their difficulty as they see it that I have put forward.

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