James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm going to speak very briefly in support of the amendments that Senator Brandis and Senator Canavan are bringing. I think Senator Brandis has put it very well, and there's not much that needs to be added to what he said. This is in a sense just a symbolic act to reassure anyone who may be concerned that there will be any adverse impacts on religious liberty from this bill that they need not worry, that there is no adverse impact. As Senator Brandis put it, this amendment is to put beyond doubt that there are no negative impacts. I hope it will pass. I urge to senators to support it. I have to say, given the way Senator Brandis has described it and how modest it is, it would be a troubling thing if this did not pass, given how uncontroversial it is and how modest it is in its scope. It might give rise to some concerns if something even this reasonable were voted down, so I certainly hope it is not.