Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

What we have here is the clear evidence Mr Antony Green and Dr Bonham has again solidly demolished the last argument that Labor have for why they are not supporting this legislation. Their big winning point has been the supposed exhausted votes, that they would be this 23 or 25 per cent—or, when Senator Conroy is in full flight, 80 per cent—of votes exhausted. That has been demolished. We will get a solid education program from the AEC, we will have clear instructions on the ballot paper, we have the example from the ACT and we can have a very democratic electoral system with that simple change to allow the voters to determine their preferences. Remember, that is what Labor is fighting against. How extraordinary! That is where this is at. That is what they are fighting about. Let's get into the issues before us. At the moment, for those listening, what is going is Labor using every attempt to avoid getting into the main issues that we should be dealing with in the committee stage. There have been barely any solid points that you have raised at all.