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

Just to assist Senator Waters, on 15 November 2018, a previous bill pursuing a much more broadly framed change, seeking to separate federal electoral laws from state electoral laws, passed unanimously in the period between ten past six and a quarter past six. Unanimously! This bill before us, even without this amendment, is much more narrow in its focus. It is very explicit that there can't be any interference in any way, shape or form by federal electoral laws with state electoral laws—in the same way as we don't want to have any interference by state electoral laws with federal electoral laws. This bill in front of us is already much narrower. The amendment that I've just moved puts it beyond doubt that there is to be complete separation. The Greens previously were part of unanimous support in this chamber to implement a change of this nature, a change which is eminently sensible. For Senator Waters, the reference is page 8,430 in the Senate Hansard. It was just before quarter past six on Thursday 15 November 2018.