Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Abetz, you have, if you have the moral and political courage, the opportunity to vote on the government’s budget this fortnight. It is your chance to put up or shut up. You can hide behind process, but you will be found. There is nowhere for you to hide. Your political position now is to say, ‘Let’s defer it and hope the Greens and the Independents make the right decision.’ That is your political decision. I have never seen anything as cowardly in all my time in the Senate. You have the chance to deal with the legislation. Senator Minchin invited me to come to him and work with the opposition on the passage of legislation through this place. I have made that point to my colleagues. That ought to be one of the things we first look at. Well, here is your chance. Here is your chance to support the right of a government to deliver on its budget. Here is your chance to ensure that the budget strategy of the government is not undermined. Take your opportunity, Senator Abetz and the opposition, and show you have some political courage. Do not try and hide behind process, because you have been exposed.