Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am motivated to make a contribution to this debate because I do think it is wholly improper to be contemplating the suspension of standing orders on the spurious grounds that Senator Wong has put forward. I do so because, like many in this chamber, I have a very long memory. What goes around tends to come around, on occasion, and we should be mindful of that in considering things. I recall that significant debates on substantive issues have been truncated or stopped in this place. Something like 23 or 24 bills were guillotined immediately—or 'time managed', which is the euphemism in this place—where there was no ability for anyone to really make a contribution to a debate.

I thought it was wrong then, but now we are contemplating the fact that the government wants to persist and continue with the address-in-reply—it is entirely appropriate that senators have their say on the reopening of the parliament by His Excellency the Governor-General—to explore substantive matters. Some people have had the opportunity to raise issues that they believe are important. Many on the Labor side have done that, and we have had some contributions from the Greens and the coalition.

I think it is entirely appropriate to give everyone the same opportunity. Maybe that is just the innate fairness that I have within me! Perhaps there is less selfishness on this side of the chamber than on the other side, who demand that their immediate needs be met and satisfied rather than consider the health and wellbeing of the whole. If fairness is a crime, then those on this side of the chamber stand guilty of fairness—guilty as charged. We will stand against injustice on all occasions, I have no doubt about that. Senator Wong brings such strong and powerful emotions to her argument. She does it very effectively, I have to say. Senator Wong's prime motive is anything other than stifling the government's agenda. It is a political ploy; it is a political stunt. I think the Australian people will see through that very clearly. We have a circumstance where the government, quite rightly, has recalled the parliament to deal with some substantive issues that are necessary for the Australian people to determine.