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

Just very briefly, I understand the position that both the minister and the shadow minister have taken. I think that Senator Johnston’s contribution and reasons are somewhat at odds with the reasons given by a range of other ministers on various other similar amendments around the place. But that is neither here nor there. The bottom line is that the government are not going to do it. I think it is pretty clear what the other reasons are as to why the government are not going to do it. We all know they could have done it years ago. They did, eventually, after a lot of pressure from the Democrats, do at least part of it some years ago in regard to superannuation. They could have done it a long time ago if they wanted to do it; they have not. That is obviously clear.

With regard to Labor’s position, again, I understand it. I appreciate the desirability of costings. I do think it is a bit of a problematic argument to use in the sense that this measure of $400-plus million that we are about to pass was not on the table yesterday. It is suddenly there now. Money can appear pretty quickly when the political desire is there. I am wary of the principle of whether or not you can afford to remove discrimination, particularly in the current fiscal environment where you obviously could afford it. It is saying: ‘We would like to remove discrimination, but we cannot actually afford it.’ I understand it on principle, but I think that, in a practical sense, it has its problems. Either way, we shall persevere and one day we shall succeed.

Question negatived.

Bill agreed to.

Bill reported without amendment; report adopted.