Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Every minute now wasted on procedural motions is time taken away from the time the Senate has to consider the bill. So the opposition have to make a decision whether they are seriously interested in considering the bill or are interested in wrecking and preventing consideration of the bill. That is where they are now.

It is perfectly appropriate for them to oppose on procedural grounds the motions we have moved. We have had those debates—we have had them at length. But we are now in a situation where the more we debate procedural motions the less time there is for scrutiny of the bill, and it is on the heads of the opposition whether they choose to use the time now to scrutinise the bill. We have the rest of the day and all day tomorrow under the motion carried by the Senate. It is a decision for the opposition now whether they use that time for consideration of the bill or they use it for procedural purposes.