Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Seeing these are my amendments that are being debated, I thought it might be worth putting a couple of things on the record, particularly while we have the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate present, as I have a question I want to put to him. I am extremely grateful that the opposition has seen fit to subject amendments (1) and (2) to such an extraordinary degree of scrutiny. So far, I am taking it as a compliment. They are good amendments; several coalition senators have complimented me on the quality of the amendments while indicating that they will be voting them down.

We have approximately 20 pages worth of amendments to get through and we have been on my amendments, (1) and (2), for four or five hours, yesterday and today—not counting the time that the opposition wasted with procedural motions earlier today. I am seeking some guidance from coalition senators. When we finally vote on my amendments, whether or not they get up, Senator Birmingham is, I believe, bringing on 65 amendments, on sheet 7004. Does the coalition have any intention at all of submitting this bill to actual scrutiny, or do you intend to simply tie us down in this pointless filibuster? Several coalition senators have managed to get a pink batts reference into the debate on my amendments. Is there actually a will to debate the amendments, or are you simply going to waste our time until very late this evening?