Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I am sure it is like this morning, when the government was not ready with its officials to answer questions in the committee stage. We are now seeing another seven minutes wasted, all part of the filibustering that we have observed all morning in the government’s desperate attempt to cobble together something in relation to its now much questioned spending spree policy. The government controls the show. If it wants to adjourn, of course it is entitled to, but it exposes the myth and the misrepresentation by the Leader of the Government in this place last week that this legislation had to be passed by Friday last week and that it was absolutely urgent. We have had filibustering this morning, and now more time is being wasted by adjourning the Senate.