Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

That is not the case at all, Senator Minchin. The act providing for switch-over dates, written by the previous government, does not have readiness criteria. Let us be clear about this. What Senator Minchin is now advocating is not something he advocated in government. Again, we should see the arguments being put forward for what they are. It is cheap political point-scoring, playing both sides of the street—not something unusual for this opposition. But we should understand that Senator Minchin is not genuine, because, if he was genuine, he would have done it when he was in government, and he did not.