Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

I appreciate leave and thank the Senate. I think that's just belled the cat, hasn't it? The shenanigans we've been through have been aided and abetted by Centre Alliance, who, contrary to their indication that they would support LGBTIQ kids, have walked in here and helped Senator Cormann put off a vote on a bill they reckon they support. And this is a bill that Mr Morrison supports. Let us be clear. The only reason why we have had the shenanigans we have just seen—no notice, coming in and upending the Senate, overturning the previous agreement of this Senate to vote on this legislation for which there was broad support in this chamber by 10 to two—the only reason Minister Cormann had to suspend standing orders and pervert the process of the Senate is because he's worried about the House of Representatives. He's worried about the survival of the government on the floor of the House of Representatives. He's lost control. This is an indication of the chaos that is the Morrison government. They upend the Senate to not vote on protecting LGBTIQ kids because they're so worried about the lack of control they have of the House of Representatives. Do you know what the decent thing to do would be? Call an election. Call an election, and stop perverting the processes of the Senate by voting against the position the Prime Minister had and trying to desperately avoid a vote in the House. Call an election instead of lying the way that you have about this issue through the Wentworth by-election and through this week. And shame on you, Senator Patrick, for doing this and aiding and abetting it.