Andrew Robb (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Chairman of the Coalition Policy Development Committee) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. My point simply is that we are asked to accept amendments at the eleventh hour. There was a briefing yesterday—not a word of any of this. This is symptomatic of a government, time and time again, incapable of completing legislation on time in an orderly manner. Yet they have the hide to stand up here and make assertions and pillory what we might do in government. Why don't they get down and do the business of government? Here we are with a core issue at the heart of this amendment—it relates to extending additional powers to the Treasurer—yet yesterday at the substantive briefing there was not one word of it, not one whit of it. This is happening again and again. The haphazard approach to legislation has got to stop if we are going to get some confidence back into the community and the business sector.

In some cases we have even had ministers moving amendments to their own amendments. It is not good enough. The coalition is required to take on good faith so much of what comes through this place. So much of it now is overarching legislation without regulations. Again we have to take on good faith that how these things will operate will be properly put in place by regulation where we have no influence. It is unacceptable the way this process has taken place. We will support this amendment but I make the point, in doing so, that this is symptomatic of a government that has lost the confidence of people and lost the confidence of the business sector. Again, I fear that they will create an almighty mess and we will be expected to come in and clean it up.

Question agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

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