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

(—) (): In answer to that question, Mr President, my first response to Senator Milne was to answer that question and say I did not have any advice on the scenario she painted. I do not have that advice, so I cannot respond to the various propositions that she has put. I did say how this government is intending to handle that matter and allow all parliamentarians the chance to make their views known. I am interested to know that the Greens are now wanting to argue a states rights proposition. The suggestion that this is designed to get the matter off the federal agenda is (1) wrong and (2) given that the Greens are sponsors of one or two of the bills currently before the parliament, a very odd position to take when we have been under pressure from the Greens to bring these debates on. So I do not quite understand the point the senator makes. (Time expired)