Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

We have a Labor senator laughing about that. I am entitled to speak on this, Senator, for 20 minutes. I will not even take half my time because I am concerned—the government actually has convinced me about this—that there is a legislative agenda to get through and that is why I have truncated my remarks. Our view on the opposition side is this: we are not opposed to welcome to country ceremonies per se, but we believe it should be a decision for each government to determine the appropriateness of the ceremonies and other things before the opening of each parliament without actually having a resolution from this Senate.