Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting on Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

The government will not support the amendment but we will not call a division. I think I can anticipate the way the chamber will go. The amendment proposes that the proposal from the opposition be referred to a committee, so it is not affecting the passage of the legislation, as I understand it. The one point I would make, however, is there has not been consultation with the Senate Economics References Committee about this, as I understand. I do not know what their workload is, their time frames et cetera. I just raise a practical issue that I think we should have some consideration of when we act in this way as a chamber. I appreciate Senator Xenophon attempting to guide us and make some progress in terms of legislation, but I think there is that practical issue that we should consider when considering references in this manner without consultation.