Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

Mr President, this is a difficult one for us in the sense that we acknowledge and support your ruling on the matter but we have voted consistently with the Greens to allow for this legislation to be introduced. That doesn't indicate our position on the bill but we believe, Senator Waters, that you do have the right to introduce legislation and we have supported you throughout. But in light of the fact that you have made a ruling, Mr President, it is important for us to indicate our support for your ruling, acknowledging that our preference would have been that Senator Waters would and should have been allowed to introduce her legislation in accordance with the convention of this place several times this week.