Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Lyons for asking an excellent question. It's fair to say that I like this parliament better—significantly better. One of the things that I'll say we've had, particularly if you look at the debate that happened this morning, is: how long is it in this parliament since we've had a situation where the crossbench move an amendment, the minister listens to the speech and the parliament then makes a decision based on the debate? For nine years the debate didn't even occur. For nine years the amendments weren't even allowed to be moved. And today what I saw in the parliament was a situation, finally, where different members of parliament—regardless of where they are in the chamber—brought forward their ideas, the debate mattered for the outcomes, and the parliament voted. I note there were no amendments from those opposite—no amendments from those opposite at all. As well as there being no amendments, even when they were voting 'no', there was not even any enthusiasm. It was not even as if they wanted to be here. But the procedures that have allowed us to be able to do this have changed what's possible in the parliament.

First of all, I'll pay credit. From the 35 new members, we have had 24 first speeches now, from members on this side, that side and the crossbench. It is good to have those first speeches so early in the new parliament. But what we have also achieved, against those opposite saying it would be the end of democracy, are new procedures which have allowed people to debate. For the last two nights, where previously the process would have been—

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