Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

We have heard day in, day out from Senator Wong and Senator Conroy about what they state to be the management capacity of those on this side of the chamber. The reality is that those opposite have given up any of the basic courtesies or protocols or understandings in this place that make it work. Even the worst opposition—which I think those opposite are—usually can find it within themselves to recognise that there is a public interest greater than themselves to be served in this place through agreement on certain pieces of legislation and on when the Senate will sit.

I have seen a few things that I have never seen before this week. Today, there was a first, and that was seeing the Selection of Bills Committee report adoption motion filibustered. That is a new one. I have not seen that before. Even when the government indicated that we were not going to seek to divide on an amendment to that report which those opposite were moving, they filibustered the selection of bills committee report adoption. That is a new one.

Senator Wong interjecting—