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

Many on the other side would say too long; that is true, Senator Abetz. But I have never heard of a situation where a proper and full explanation has not been provided. I found it quite extraordinary that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition would make such a contribution before the Senate without firstly identifying for the chamber who the senator was who missed the division. We have not been informed about that. Secondly, we have not been informed as to why that senator did not attend the chamber.

I have a very long record in this place—as long-serving opposition senators would know—of always taking the view that the will of the Senate should be reflected in votes that are taken. I have never deviated from that principle the whole time I have been here—whether it was during the life of the Keating government, when I managed government business in this place; whether it was during the life of the Howard government, when for the vast period of that time I was Leader of the Opposition in this place—and I have not changed my mind now that the Rudd government has been elected to office. In relation to the coalition, the same principle, the same consistency, has unfortunately not applied. It has not applied and it should apply.