Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure) Share this | Hansard source

I'll respond very briefly on behalf of the government that we won't be supporting the suspension of standing orders motion moved by the member for Kennedy. We appreciate his passion for this particular area and we appreciate the seriousness of the topic which he is raising, but the question for this parliament right now is that standing orders should be suspended to prioritise this above all other matters. That's actually the issue at hand here that we would be voting on, and we will not be supporting that, because there are other mechanisms to raise these issues should the member want to raise those issues and should, indeed, the Labor Party want to raise these issues.

Today the daily program does include very important matters. The very next bill that was about to be introduced concerns the National Skills Commissioner, which is going to be a very important piece of architecture to support the reskilling of Australia, which is going to be so needed following the coronavirus crisis to enable us to get through the recovery. There is also going to be an important report coming up in relation to the National Redress Scheme, and there will be a report which the member for Newcastle will be speaking to in the not-too-distant future as well. There are also other important tax measures as well as legislation in relation to defence, health insurance et cetera. That program is outlined.

That's why we won't be supporting this motion. There is a full program to get through today. There are other mechanisms to raise these important issues, and I encourage the member for Kennedy to do so.

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