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

Madam Clerk, I also submit myself to the will of the Senate. I want to acknowledge that the reason we are doing this is that much of what happens in this place is governed by statute and by standing orders and some of it is governed by convention and habit. In this instance, we want to make the point that the crossbenchers are an important part of this chamber and that it should not be an automatic assumption that either of the major parties should simply be handed one of these positions. There are 25 Labor senators and 18 crossbenchers, the largest number of crossbenchers that there has been in this place. We believe that, as part of the increasing diversity of this place, the crossbenchers should put themselves forward—it will not always be a Green—for positions such as this.

The Clerk: Does any other senator wish to address the nominations?