Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, first let me thank you for acknowledging the crossbench. There is a little bit of history there, and I think that is a very positive start to your period as President—and I congratulate you on that. On that matter, I also congratulate Senator Ferguson on being elected Deputy President. Senator Minchin, however, tempts me to comment on this so-called convention: it is nothing of the sort. It is a cosy arrangement between the two big parties and—