Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

As I said earlier, when I was presented with their queries after I entered the chamber at 11.45 am, I made some queries, as I promised the chamber I would. With respect to the first two, orders for the production of documents regarding the CSIRO, they were provided to the chamber earlier this afternoon. With respect to the third request from Senator Collins, I have made it clear that officials are finalising that proposal and they will be presented shortly. I take Senator Collin's comments that 'shortly' can have an elastic meaning. Indeed, when I was sitting on the other side of the chamber I do recall it having quite an elastic meaning. I understand that 'shortly' will be in the common use of that terminology, as in 'sometime soon'.

I know that those opposite's spiritual political cousins in the US are the Democratic Party, but their attempts at Strom-Thurmond- and Richard-Russell-like filibustering over the course of this bill over the course of the last few days have brought this chamber, quite frankly, to a new level. I have never, in my nearly eight years in this place, seen a debate that went for more than a day on a message from the House of Representatives. At every single opportunity that has been presented to this chamber, those opposite have sought to prevent deliberation on this bill. They have sought to prevent debate on this bill. And I say particularly 'those opposite', because the filibustering, Senator Day, in response to yours, was driven by those opposite. The point is that this is a bill that reflects the findings of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters and it reflects those findings that were signed off by the Labor Party and indeed submitted by the Labor Party.