Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, but she came into the chamber, putting on the record a position that she expected the government to respect after she left. That is not the way this works. I will tell you something else. Senator Patrick, you might want to listen to this very carefully, because this is going to be a matter which I understand is of interest to you. As Senator Lambie was preparing to resign, because she realised that she was ineligible to sit in the chamber, she approached the government asking for the government to do a deal with her before she resigned. That was in order for us to secure her pair for this bill. You know what the government said? The government said, 'We can't negotiate with you on the basis that you have already admitted yourself that you are ineligible and that you are about to resign. We can't possibly, as a government, negotiate a vote with you in relation to that when you are no longer going to be in this chamber.'

Senator Pratt interjecting—

Opposition senators interjecting—