Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I just urge Labor Party senators to think of their own colleagues and colleagues across the chamber who organise their times and their meetings with a purpose. This sort of new arrangement is, as I say, something the Greens have started on. If there is a Labor Party and Greens combined strategy following their six years in coalition government together, that is fine—but just let the rest of us know so that we can tell the minister who is busy and tell senators who are doing serious committee work when they should have their meetings. That is all I am saying.

I will conclude now after nine minutes and not the 20 minutes that Labor senators used to filibuster, repeating endlessly things they have said twice or thrice before. It was pure filibustering and not a contribution to the debate in the chamber. I want to conclude in record-quick time in this debate by saying that, while I cannot speak for them, I know that Minister Nash and Minister Ley are two of the most assiduous ministers in the government. They will be doing everything possible to deal with questions placed on notice or taken here at the earliest possible time. They both deserve a lot of credit and a lot of praise. I will certainly give that to them because they are two of the best ministers in the health area that I have seen in my long time in this parliament.

Question agreed to.