Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Hansard source

This is it! They're literally just playing games! If the encryption bill is not passed by the Senate and those powers are not in place for intelligence and law enforcement agencies, it is on the Labor Party's head. The legislation was passed through the House of Representatives and it's 100 per cent consistent with what was agreed through the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security. If you are moving any amendments to that bill, it is only to frustrate the efficient passage of that bill and it is only to frustrate that bill becoming law so that our intelligence and law enforcement agencies can have the powers they need.

If you're serious and you want to deal with the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Bill 2018, I suggest that you support a motion that I am prepared to move to adjourn debate on the home affairs amendment bill and we can move on to it immediately. I won't do it, because I don't want to waste any more time. I was sitting here, quite happy to move through the divisions, but I'm mindful that we do have to deal with the hours motion before 4.30. So if the opposition is not prepared to facilitate efficient passage of the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Bill 2018 through the Senate then it is on the Labor Party's head, and the Australian people will know that the Labor Party is deliberately standing in the way of our intelligence and law enforcement agencies having the powers they need.