Tim Hammond (Perth, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am beyond delighted, immeasurably delighted, to rise in unison with fellow members across the aisles, even the Independent crossbenchers, in support of a bill which has an awful lot of merit and makes an awful lot of sense. You can't always say that about this place. I don't pretend to have been here for a long time, but I think it's fair to say that I have been here for long enough to get a sense that the vibe in this place can be a little willing and a little torrid. What's terrific, though, is that every now and again along comes an innocuous little piece of legislation that actually brings people together. The Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Measures No. 4) Bill 2017 does that. It is refreshing. It is heartening. It does send a terrific message to those out there in the community that this isn't always a place of jousting sticks at 12 paces. It's not always a place where there is a line in the sand which neither side will cross. It is a place where occasionally we come together. What better place to come together than over the subject matter of wine.

If one had to use a few hashtags and dad-joke puns about where we find ourselves insofar as this legislation and this place goes, one might say that most of the time this place resembles The Grapes of Wrathas we slug it out in the heat, sand and wind, slowly taking ourselves from one policy position across the harsh California arid landscape in the middle of the Depression to a nirvana or promised land. Hopefully, for us, it will be over there on the government benches before too long. If we have another couple of citizenship stumbles, it could be sooner than we thought!

The other wine based saying that comes to mind in relation to this piece of legislation is 'in vino veritas' or 'in wine, there's truth'. I will tell you where the truth starts. It must be said that there are those out there who suggest that the relationship I have with the member for Riverina, who is my opposite number on the government front bench insofar as consumer affairs goes, is close and constructive. The legal term is 'close, constructive and loving', but I'm not sure—that might be overreaching! But it is certainly very close and constructive, that's for sure. I was perusing his second reading speech in relation to the introduction of this legislation. It certainly is the case that it is 'in vino veritas' because, in relation to the subject matter of wine, he was telling the truth. I had a look at a couple of his statements and I could easily adopt them. As a matter of fact, I actually might, now that I think about it. He talked in his second reading speech about the WET tax. Isn't that a fantastic name, too, by the way? Has anyone noticed that? The acronym—

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