Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I simply ask for what is usual practice in this place to be continued with to ensure that the government’s legislative agenda gets dealt with in the remaining fortnight before the winter break. It is not an unreasonable request, and it is a request that this government, when in opposition, sat down and reasonably accepted from the government of the day to ensure that their legislative program was dealt with—not voted for or against but allowed to be dealt with so that votes could be taken and positions put. What the opposition are now doing is ensuring legislation remains on the Notice Paper and is not voted for or against. What they are doing is frustrating the Senate in the tactics that they are using to ensure bills are not debated, their positions remain unknown and the Senate does not have the opportunity to express views in relation to bills.