Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—Mr President, the opposition is not denying this bill a first reading. The opposition is only responding to the motion that the bill 'may proceed without formalities'. That is what we wish to vote against. The effect of that, as the minister knows, is that this bill can then be debated in the next session. If the minister is so concerned about adhering to what he has put to us, the opposition's position is entirely consistent with the procedure you have outlined, and I wonder why the government is opposing it.