Rex Patrick (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I'll speak very briefly. I am disappointed that very little notice was given for this and I do point out that we are gagged, in this debate, in a sequence of events where we are also gagged on bills—71 bills in the 37 days that Senator Birmingham has been Leader of the Government in the Senate. All of this is eating away at democracy. I will point out, on the motion that has been moved, one thing is absent that needs to be fixed—that is, the ability to test the Senate on questions of importance—and I think we need to rethink that in the context of moving forward.