Allegra Spender (Wentworth, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

In the last few days, the Prime Minister has used a particular phase in relation to China. He's often said, 'We should cooperate where we can, and we should disagree where we must.' I think this is a perfect opportunity, in this parliament, in this moment, to take those words into account and actually act on this.

I am a new member of parliament, and, when I ask people what they think of parliament, they think that this is game-playing. They think that we don't come together and focus on the needs of the Australian people. They think that we come here and focus on our own needs and on the political wins that we can have. I think that's why it is so important that we do debate and pass these bills.

This is important because it has a real impact on people's lives, and in very difficult economic times when businesses are starting to fail the protections for people that this particular bill affords are absolutely critical and should be brought in as soon as possible. I don't think anyone in this parliament disagrees that these are protections that are vital and, therefore, we should bring them in.

While politics normally plays these omnibus bills—we put every possible thing in to wedge the other side—I genuinely think that's not what the community asks of us. I think the community asks for us to be sensible, to work together where we can, and where we have to absolutely disagree to do that respectfully and make the strong case of why that is not appropriate.

Simply, I think that these changes are not controversial, that they would help people right now—that is why they are urgent—and otherwise the broader bill has an uncertain future. We're not going to be dealing with it in the other place until at least February, and there are already a number of bills that have reached that place and gone no further. I think the protections that this bill in particular would afford are really important and we should take action on them now.

I commend those in the other place, particularly Senator Lambie and Senator Pocock, for standing up and saying this is the sort of sensible reform that the government should pass and the parliament should pass today. Thank you.

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