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

If I may finish, please. This is not a gag motion. This is a motion to close debate on a Greens amendment which has been debated now for almost three hours. Those of us who have been following the debate could not have the slightest doubt that what Senator Ludlam was engaged in was, in the most obvious way, a filibuster. As a consequence of Senator Ludlam's filibuster, and as a result of the time-management arrangements for next week which Senator Wong has foreshadowed, had the debate on Senator Ludlam's motion not been closed there would be insufficient opportunity for other parties and other senators to have their amendments considered in the committee stage. I thank the Senate for agreeing to terminate Senator Ludlam's filibuster.