Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I need to respond to two matters in that. Firstly, we gave the courtesy to Senator Sherry of enabling that vote to be put again. Otherwise, it would have been clearly in our favour without any question. That was the first issue. The second issue is that Senator Fielding was not in the chamber and there was no division—I say through you, Chair, to the Leader of the Government in the Senate—so we did not know the will of the chamber. It was carried on the voices, and clearly Senator Fielding was not in the chamber at the time, so that could not have exposed the will of the chamber without a division. Our intention was to call a division. We were distracted (a) because of Senator Sherry calling it incorrectly and (b) because of the interruption of Senator Xenophon, and the chair indicated that the vote had been put. So I think it is quite clear that we were very tolerant at the time. All we are asking now is to test the floor of the Senate on that particular amendment.