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

The Australian Greens have sought the view of the coalition. The coalition view is to support this motion. It will be noted by the Australian Greens that there is no guillotine attached to this motion. And, before the Greens get high and mighty and talk about community opposition to certain legislation, and the need to discuss these things, they might care to reflect on the carbon tax and the guillotine and some bills that we opposed—which, in fact, did not have any time for debate, with the Labor-Greens alliance guillotining 125 bills through this place. So, please, none of this cant, none of this hypocrisy, none of this suggestion that somehow the Greens are concerned that the government's agenda is in disarray and that it chops and changes. That is something we have come to recognise. Usually when it has to chop and change it is because there are problems within the Greens-ALP alliance in this place.

But we have given our indication that we will cooperate with the government's agenda on those issues that are important. We believe those three bills are. We do not support a guillotine, unlike the Australian Greens, and if it means sitting late then that will be our legislative duty.