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

I am speaking in support of the amendment. Yesterday, the Prime Minister tabled a document concerning who was representing the ministers in the other place. We have significant amendments about something that has a level of bipartisan support. If the government is going to oppose all of these amendments, whoever was yesterday said to be the minister representing the minister in the other place should at least give a reason why you're opposing these amendments. What we're talking about here are people who have been dying before they get the payments. We're seeking to have a mechanism so they get some money before they're dead, after they have gone through this. We don't know if you are going to vote against it because we haven't had the vote on it yet. But, whoever on that side represents the government on this issue, if you are, give us a reason why you're opposing the amendment, or, if you're supporting it, give us a reason why you agree with it.

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