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

Labor will be opposing this motion. Electoral regulation, particularly in the form of determining whether third parties have met the requirements to be determined as associated entities, is a matter for the Australian Electoral Commission. The AEC is an independent body, one vital for the operation of our democracy, and Labor won't be supporting any undermining of this independence. This motion comes after a long line of attacks from conservative members in this place—

Honourable senators interjecting—

some of them interjecting now—bitter that people might actually organise and campaign against their terrible decision-making. I'm not sure who Senator Bernardi is referring to when he states GetUp! sides with left-wingers, but, judging by the fact that they've previously supported his good factional friend Stephen Marshall in South Australia, Labor understands his apprehension.