Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

After almost 18 months, and through this amendment, we say to the government: let's end the uncertainty today. It has gone on for too long. I know there is a lot of support on the government benches for an approach like this. Let's not forget that two weeks ago this legislation was so urgent that the government gagged debate on it in the House of Representatives. It is quite a significant move to gag debate, but the government obviously believed that this bill was so pressing and so crucial to deal with that we could not even have the full debate in the other place.

It is worth noting what some government members in the other place said about this bill when they were dealing with the legislation. Mr Broad, the member for Mallee, asked the shadow minister for agriculture:

… if you could, please ask your senators not to hold this up any longer than it needs to be because it is important that not only is it done and dusted by Christmas but that it is well communicated so that those backpackers continue to come.

We agree with those comments, which is why we are urging that these bills be brought on in the Senate today. Mr Christensen, the member for Dawson, said:

… there is no justification for any further delay.

Ms Marino, the member for Forrest, demanded that we:

… step up to the plate and get this through the parliament and into practice. Our regional economies are relying on it.

Mr Wilson, the member for O'Connor, said:

Deferring this legislation simply creates more uncertainty for both potential working holiday makers and our regional economies.

Mr Drum, the member for Murray, said:

What we need to do is put the message out there very clearly to the Senate that this is time critical—

I repeat: the member for Murray said that 'the Senate needs to get the message that this is time critical'—

and there are going to be an awful lot of mum-and-dad—

Government senators interjecting—