Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

What a long and winding road it has been to get to this point we are at tonight. It does not give me great pleasure to speak about some of the misfortunes that have taken place in getting this bill to where we have it tonight. When this bill was first introduced into this House—I think it was 15 February, if I am not mistaken—I was ready to talk then. When it came back the following day, I was ready to talk again, yet the government simply gagged debate at that point. They were not happy at all to have this discussion then and there. I know it something of an inconvenience for the ministers now to have to sit here and listen to some of the debate going on tonight.

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