Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Hansard source

A very good plan, Senator Fifield. I understand their embarrassment. I understand why they are embarrassed that he is part of their leadership team. I understand why they are embarrassed that he has put them in this position, where they have been subjected to ridicule and criticism over the abhorrent handling of this legislation and where even Mr Wilkie, the Independent member for Denison, has described the process as 'shambolic', 'too rushed' and 'half-baked'. They are words that perhaps the crossbenchers might reflect on. They are not my words as to the process being applied; they are the words of a fellow crossbencher and Independent member in this parliament, the member for Denison, who describes the process applied to these media reforms as 'shambolic', 'too rushed' and 'half-baked'.

Pass this motion and you will only add to it. Pass this motion and we will see a bad process get worse. Pass this motion and we will see bad laws pushed through this parliament. Pass this motion and we will see a further eroding of the proper principles when it comes to handling of parliamentary standards and media laws. That is why this motion should be defeated, and I urge the chamber to do so.