Andrew Bartlett (Queensland, Australian Democrats) Share this | Hansard source

As reflected by our vote on the second reading—and as was reflected, I might say, by evidence given to the Senate committee by, amongst others, the Australia Institute—there are positive components in this legislation, and we would like to ensure that they are not lost. I suppose more time for government members to be made aware that there are also negative components in the legislation and to be convinced to support amendments to take them out of the bill would be welcome. Of course, more time for the government to consider the amendments that are put forward, whether by the Democrats, the Greens or the Labor Party, is also fine with us.

I hope that the Minister for the Environment and Heritage takes the opportunity of the extra time that he now has to examine the meritorious arguments behind some of the amendments that are being put forward and considers changing his view so that there is actually a net positive in the amendment legislation. There are a range of amendments to this legislation, and the minister’s suggestion that the bill should come on for a later hour today or tomorrow is fine either way with the Democrats. If it is not going to be amended then he can put it off until next year—and the longer he leaves it, the better.

Ordered that consideration of this bill in Committee of the Whole be made an order of the day for a later hour.