Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is great pleasure that I rise to speak on these repeal provisions. Upon reading them a phrase sprung to mind, which is one of those few lovely phrases from Latin at creeps into the law and that you actually remember. The phrase is: 'de minimis non curat lex', which means, in effect, that the law does not concern itself with trifles. In legal principle it essentially means that the law will not usually remedy the injury of an immensely minor type, nor will it make continuous judgements in respect of what are contextually very minor issues. That is a particularly helpful principle to govern the conduct of the law, but it is a terrible principle to govern the conduct of economies.

Having watched this debate occur twice now on two separate repeal days, I must say I have been somewhat surprised by the very strident negative approach taken by members opposite.

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