Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to take note of the motion moved by Senator Singh. What the opposition have demonstrated with the presentation that Senator Singh just made is that they are prepared to just make it up as they go along. Senator Singh characterises the policy around 18C as Senator Brandis's signature policy. It was a policy that the government took to the last election. I think quite rightly and quite genuinely Senator Brandis put out a consultation paper to the community to allow community consultation and comment, yet now Senator Singh wants to complain that the government actually took notice of that consultation process. Senator Singh put statistics on the table about the reaction to it. I think a good government will take note of community consultation. It will take note of current circumstances that exist when proposing pieces of legislation.