Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Hansard source

I will be very brief, because we want to get on with the debate of this bill. I remind the Senate that we have had a Senate committee report in relation to these bills—there was three weeks of deliberation in relation to these bills—and that there has been adequate scrutiny of this process. We have also had extended debates on the second reading speech as well.

There has been some comment in relation to the Family First senator, Senator Fielding. In fairness, I must rise to his defence. When you only have one senator, it is very difficult to become involved in every process of the Senate. It is much easier when you have parties where you have a number of senators to draw on.