Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business (House)) Share this | Hansard source

I raise one final point, Mr Speaker. Because of the way the Australian Electoral Commission have written to you and the arguments they have put, and because of the initial delay in waiting for their letters, communities around Australia that could have a representative on 16 June, had the writs been issued immediately, instead will not be represented in this place. What was allowed to happen in the other by-elections, including of members on that side, now means there will be a delay in parliamentary representation which could have been avoided and would not occur in the circumstances of a general election.

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