Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Corporate Governance and Responsibility) Share this | Hansard source

I want to make a number of comments in relation to the three amendments being discussed at the moment, which essentially relate to journey accidents. Firstly, we are seeing yet again the government having to put forward some amendments at a reasonably late stage in the debate. I accept the minister’s indication that some of these matters were raised in the Senate committee inquiry. We have a number of amendments and I will comment on these when they are moved, particularly item (7) which deals with changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Yet again we are seeing amendments being moved by the government in relation to a number of issues at a very late stage in the debate. I think these amendments were circulated just after midday. We raise again our concerns in relation to the process by which making legislation is undertaken in this chamber. It appears that, as the government has a majority, some of the good practice associated with making laws has been jettisoned out the window.