John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am not talking about another bill. With respect, I will take a point of order. Madam Acting Deputy President, historically, many speakers in this chamber for years and years have provided this sort of context in second reading debates. It would be absolutely unprecedented to suggest that anything I am saying in relation to this bill is not utterly appropriate and consistent with longstanding practice and precedent in this chamber. I would ask you, Madam Acting Deputy President, to respect that. But I will be careful in what I say. I intend to talk about electoral laws and the context of this electoral legislation. It is critically important because the point I want to make is that all these changes make it harder for ordinary Australians to vote while, at the same time, making it easier for big business to donate to the political parties, particularly the Liberal Party, in secret. That is critical.