Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment Participation, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Hansard source

The coalition agree with the comments that have just been made. It is a real nuisance for people, whenever they buy a new mobile phone, that they have to buy a new phone charger. I am sure that people across Australia would agree with those of us who have had that experience and who have got 20 or 30 phone chargers in the bottom drawer that cannot be used. The coalition’s view is that legislation should not be the first step. The heavy hand of government should not be the first response in terms of enforcing legislation. However, common sense should prevail, and government and industry should have a process in place where they examine the feasibility of harmonising phone chargers. It is a matter of taking a common-sense approach. I am somewhat surprised that the government would have difficulty with the proposition of examining the possibility of harmonising mobile phone chargers, because if such harmonisation were able to happen it certainly would address a lot of inconvenience for people right across Australia. We would like to think that the government is going to reconsider the attitude here in the chamber and assume that it is based on a lack of proper communication perhaps in the face of an adjusted and amended motion. We would like the government to reconsider the position that they have just adopted.