Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

During the division, one of my colleagues asked me whether Senator Sherry’s assertion that I had not discussed my amendments with the government was true. I want to put that into some context. With respect to Senator Sherry, I think his advice may be wrong. The amendments that have been circulated, which I am not seeking to move at this stage, were foreshadowed in my second reading debate speech. The substance and the elements of these amendments have been discussed with the government. I just want to put that in perspective. I am not criticising Senator Sherry as such. There may be a misunderstanding such that, technically, the amendments themselves were not shown to the government before they were circulated, but the government is well aware of the substance of the amendments. Any suggestion that the government is surprised at the direction I am going in or the intent and substance of these amendments is erroneous.