Robert Ray (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Some months ago Senator Minchin, by way of correspondence, announced the execution of the Senate committee system as we know it. What we are doing today is reading out the will. And it has to be understood that our cooperation on the Senate Standing Committee on Procedure is based on trying to maximise the best position for this chamber within the constraints that the government has placed on it.

We have heard from the Manager of Government Business in the Senate today. He has adopted a very sound political technique: if the matter has a bit of heat in it, take all the oxygen out of the debate—Mogadon it. And that is precisely what he has done in his contribution today. I mean, talk about intellectual sloth! There is hardly any passion or any argument that he can put forward, other than to read out a few platitudes that he in his heart of hearts knows are wrong. I must say, though, what a big improvement he is on the previous manager. There are no temper tantrums from this minister, no petulance, no puerile accusations.