Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I guess we have had a contribution from every member of the National Party present, the Liberal Party spokesman on agriculture, and a Liberal Party senator from Western Australia, all talking about why they are going to vote for this motion and disallow this particular regulation. There is a lot that could be said in this debate, but we have limited time in which to conclude it and if it is not concluded by 6.50 pm the regulation is automatically disallowed. That is a point of contention as far as I am concerned. So much time has been taken up in this debate by those speakers that it will limit the way that the debate can be concluded, because we now have 18 minutes to conclude the debate. So I really take exception to the use of that time by senators opposite given that their spokesman is here to speak to it. I do not object to the National Party making a contribution, but when every member of the National Party makes a contribution, and Senator Back makes a contribution as well, that really does put pressure on the way that this matter can be dealt with and, with respect, we have had plenty of opportunities to address this, and here we are going to have more time taken.