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

To sum up on this amendment, it is now quite clear—out of the minister’s own mouth—that the minister has no explanation to offer, as has been his wont throughout this debate. Whenever he does not have arguments he takes a little excursion to the graveyard to kick around a corpse. But that does not obviate the need for him to explain to this parliament why Ms Gillard made the promise that he now clearly does not support and will not be voting for. It was a silly promise to have made in the first place, I agree. But what we are doing here is testing Labor. I think we will know by their votes—and I can indicate that we are happy to do it on the voices. But we will be listening to hear whether there are any voices from the Labor side saying no, because those voices that say no will be repudiating Ms Gillard’s promise to the Australian people before the last—