Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

As the chamber continues its consideration of this bill, I invite all honourable senators to reflect on the solemn task and great privilege given to us by the Australian people. I know all senators take their role seriously. I also know the Australian people want us to be positive and, therefore, they will not smile upon us if they get a whiff of stunts or deliberate attempts by senators to cause chaos and disrupt proceedings or lay down unrealistic ultimatums to each other.

This is the last week of parliamentary sittings, and there is a list of urgent legislation that still needs to be considered. While leaders and whips were meeting—a meeting where we seek to allow the proceedings of this place to be undertaken in an orderly fashion through the rest of the week—Labor, regrettably, pulled a stunt to bring on another bill not on the urgent list. The Australian people expect us to get on with the real business of restoring our nation's economic future fortunes; restoring the sustainability of various sectors, such as the tertiary education sector; and allowing the ACT government to proceed with remediating the issues of Mr Fluffy victims.

I also suggest to honourable senators that there should be some respect for the conventions and precedents of this chamber. A cause that people might feel passionately about does not necessarily justify the means by which it is pursued. The Senate has a range of procedures available to prosecute an issue without resorting to what some might consider a breach of trust for the benefit of a by-election in a state.