Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

What is more important, as this vote goes to being recommitted, is that people understand that we are trying to say to the Australian people that we are not hiding behind anything and that we are quite happy for there to be an investigation into whether there is an ambiguity in the act. The Australian Government Solicitor says there is not and the ministerial statement says there is not, so this is something that should and can be dealt with. I do not see why there is political sensitivity in giving the Australian people their right to make sure that the act is unambiguous in delivering a triple bottom line. I think, in recommitting this, it is extremely important that this be shown because if it fails then those people at the demonstrations in Mildura, Shepparton and Goondiwindi will once more come back and say, ‘There was a vote on an issue that dealt with ambiguity in the act and you voted against it; you tried to hide behind the act.’ We in the coalition have nothing to hide behind; we have nothing to be ashamed of. We are quite willing—