Ruth Webber (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Perhaps while Senator Ronaldson is still in the chamber, I will point out that I am also a member of the Senate Standing Committee on Economics but, unlike him, I am also a member of the Selection of Bills Committee. I suggest that he look at the full process of the way this place handles an inquiry before he embarks on such a point as he has. He is right to say that the opposition asked for the bill to be reconsidered by the Selection of Bills Committee, because when it was first on the agenda it had not been introduced anywhere and was simply entitled ‘Tax Laws Amendment (2006 Measures No. 7) Bill 2006’. No briefing was provided to the shadow minister nor had there been any discussion anywhere—nothing. How was the opposition to know what the legislation contained? Never mind whether it contained contentious matters.