Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

I will place on record the opposition's voting position. Senator Patrick did me the courtesy of coming to speak to me about his proposal, and I thank the senator for doing so. As has just been made clear, the government will not accept this amendment here and, I gather, did not accept it in the other place. These bills are vital. As I said earlier, these initiatives are well overdue. I was part of the PJCIS committee process that examined fuel security. It came to the conclusion in early 2018 that arrangements were entirely inadequate and requested that the government undertake a review of the adequacy of our fuel supplies. But, for the sake of Australia's fuel security and the workers at our two remaining refineries, we will not support this amendment, so as to facilitate the passage of these bills.

It is unfortunate, I observe, that the government's incompetent management of its own legislative agenda means the Senate cannot amend legislation in the usual way, because the government has chosen to bring this right up against its own deadlines.