Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Well, we will see. You need a bit of practical realism in all of this, Senator Conroy. You have an opportunity to make this work. You know it is going to go through. You have an opportunity, as I had, to speak to the minister and say, ‘This will not work; this is silly. Why don’t you try this?’ That is what I think we are here for—to try and understand the realities.

Senator Murray made the point that we put a lot of faith in the minister. Yes, Senator Murray, we do. I am afraid that is how it has got to be. This communications package is one that our government has been to several elections on. It has been known in the broad for a long, long time. You do have to put a lot of faith in the minister, and I do. We do need to look at the things that we know are going to happen and try and make them happen in the right way. That is my role here today and that is what I want to do. I direct those questions to the minister for her to answer at an appropriate time.