Rebekha Sharkie (Mayo, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

There was a time in this place when speeches were not timed. Then, when the timing came in, there were many members present at the time who were deeply concerned. We're in a position today where we have this piece of legislation that's more than 260 pages long. A draft bill was not circulated to the crossbench and, I assume, also not to the opposition, and yet many of us we will get just get five minutes in this place to discuss this piece of legislation, the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill 2022. Over and over again this year we've heard that it's so urgent. We're being told that the urgency of the legislation is more important than the scrutiny of the legislation. Well, when you rush things through, you make mistakes. The point of this place is it's supposed to be the contest of ideas. It's supposed to be the place where you rigorously debate, and, if the government believe in their legislation, they should be open for that debate and they should allow that debate to be free-flowing. But that's not what we are seeing with this motion.

This is a gag motion by any other name, and we're seeing it over and over again with every piece of legislation. I think that that thwarts the good work that we should be doing in this place, and ultimately it thwarts democracy. I would urge the government: please reconsider your position with this. Again, I think this motion shows contempt for all of us and the work we're supposed to be doing in here. I think we can be much better. In the last parliament all of us were upset when the then government would gag debate, especially the now Leader of the House. Yet, to me, this motion is really very little different.

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