Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | Hansard source

It's important for the Australian people that this parliament is not simply deals or agreements, or the fact that the opposition has supported something doesn't in any way take away the obligation on a minister in this place to explain, and put on the Hansard, the reasons why an amendment should be supported. The fact that a speech was given on amendment No. 1 gives us no reason whatsoever to understand what the particular reasons are for amendment No. 2. My concern is that we may have a situation here right now where the minister at the table doesn't in fact know what amendment No. 2 does. It would be an outrageous slur if it were true. If you want cooperation in this place do your job and stand up and explain, for each of the amendments, why they should be supported. That's all you have to do. It is, in fact, your job to do them one at a time. Don't come in here expecting cooperation when the government offers none.

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