Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

r FARRELL (—) (): I thank Senator Ruston. Look, we voted against your amendment because we are the government, we have put forward a bill, we have amended that bill and it reflects what we took to the Australian people at the last election. I know you are the former minister in this area, Senator Ruston, and I know you've got an attachment to the Cashless Debit Card. I know there's a reluctance on the part of the opposition—because I see it every day in question time—to accept the result of the Australian people but, like it or not, the Australian people elected an Anthony Albanese government. The Prime Minister appointed Minister Rishworth to this portfolio, and I have to say she has been doing a terrific job both in preparing this legislation and in consulting with the Australian people about the introduction of it. I know you're having trouble coming to terms with that change, and I know you think that amendments that you introduce should be supported by the government but, unfortunately, Senator Ruston, the Australian people didn't elect you as a government. They elected the Anthony Albanese government, and we're presenting our bills and our amendments to the Australian people. We're presenting it to the Senate, and we are asking the Senate to make a decision about what we have proposed.