George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I know it is a little unusual, on a non-controversial item of business, to have a third reading debate. But I did want to take the opportunity to make two observations which follow on from Senator Farrell's second reading speech. First of all, it is true, Senator Farrell—and I, representing the conservative side of politics, would embrace your view—that these things should not be rushed. But heavens above, Senator Farrell! This started within months, if not weeks, of the election of your government at the beginning of 2008. We are now weeks away from the end of the parliament after that. So you have certainly not been rushing this.

The more substantive point I want to make is about the three things to which Senator Farrell pointed as his government's record of achievement in relation to the federal judiciary. First of all, the introduction of the Military Court of Australia was an initiative forced upon the government by a decision of the High Court which struck down the pre-existing military court. It was legislation developed in collaboration with the opposition and in a bipartisan fashion. The second legislative achievement he points to—that is, the reconstitution of the Federal Magistrates Court as the Federal Circuit Court of Australia—was the opposition's plan which we took to the 2010 election and which the government vigorously opposed throughout the life of the last parliament, only to do a complete U-turn about a year ago. The third proposal he pointed to—that is, the judicial complaints procedure—was a bill introduced into the Senate by me.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a third time.