Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

This just shows what an absolute disgrace this whole process is that we can't even debate the TPP in the chamber today. That's what the minister is telling us: 'No, nothing to see here. You can't have any influence over it, so I'm not going to answer questions or deal with it properly in this place. Go and deal with it later in Senate estimates after the bill has passed.' No, it's not good enough, Minister.

The Australian people have a right to have these questions answered before the chamber passes this legislation. It may be that the government feels very comfortable because the Labor Party has rolled over and backed in the TPP, so they've got the numbers. That does not mean that the public and the taxpayers deserve to be treated like mugs, and yet that is precisely what the government has tried to do throughout the three days of debate on this bill so far. Senator Whish-Wilson, Senator Patrick and I have all asked specifically what happens to these 22 clauses if the US comes back to the table. If it's a hypothetical, Minister, why are they simply on ice and not deleted?