Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

The opposition senators laugh, but this is a serious matter. If the government and the Attorney-General say they will brook no amendment to this piece of legislation, they will hold it off, resulting in the grave consequences of that process that you yourselves have outlined. So how is it that you can meekly go along and accept an assurance that another piece of legislation, the access to justice bill, will be passed? It is equally important; it delivers justice to Australians. The second reading speech quoted Dickens, that people who have money have the power, and that bill is to redress that imbalance. This bill is very important for the delivery of justice and it deals with the Federal Court. What are the opposition going to say if there is an amendment there to save the registrar being lost from Hobart and the government says, ‘This is hugely important legislation but we will hold it up if you persist with that amendment’? It is the same thing as they are saying to you tonight, and I—