Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Hansard source

During his contribution to yesterday's matter of public importance debate, the member for Mayo said that I had told this House that I opposed the government's Infrastructure Australia Amendment Bill 2013 but that I had not sought to make any amendments during the debate on the bill in this House on Tuesday night. Madam Speaker, this is wrong, as you would well recall. The facts are these. The government gagged debate on the second reading, thereby stopping a number of opposition and government members from contributing to the debate, including the assistant minister, who did not bother to make a contribution prior to shutting down the debate. The opposition had detailed amendments in the consideration in detail stage—a fact reflected in Hansard on page 113. There I am quoted moving a motion that so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent me moving that section 9 be deleted from the bill. The government used its majority to shut down that debate. The government also stopped further amendments being made on that issue.

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