Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

I cannot help but give a wry smile at Senator Cormann's anticipation of the potential outcomes here, given the detailed study of such matters and the government's capacity to predict other things! It is amazing how easily you are confident on occasions, Minister.

The opposition will support Senator Day's amendments, which have the effect of preserving aspects of the current system of above-the-line voting and related vote savings provisions. Senator Day's amendments will help ameliorate some of the worst elements of the bill that is currently before the Senate. The bill currently before the Senate is a disastrous piece of public policy, where both the government and the Greens—for what I suspect are quite different reasons—remain in denial about what will be lawful conduct. But, if it does proceed, as I said, it will be a measure better if Senator Day's amendments are adopted. Accordingly, Labor will support the amendments.

In line with my earlier comments regarding Senator Muir, I would like to also thank Senator Day for engaging in consideration of this legislation in good faith, in stark contrast to the denial and the selling-out that we have seen occur elsewhere in this debate.