Ursula Stephens (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the report from the committee be adopted.

I want to make some very short comments about this. The cataract amendment proposed by the opposition and amendments (1) and (10), on which the opposition is now insisting, are not related to the compliance bill to which they have been attached. They have no substantial relationship to the Health Insurance Amendment (Compliance) Bill 2009 and this is clearly a political stunt. We have seen that from this morning’s efforts.

The government has engaged with the opposition in good faith on the amendments that are actually related to the compliance bill and has been happy to support those amendments that have arisen from the negotiations that have taken place. The government, however, will not be supporting this political stunt from the opposition, pretending to the Australian public that they are in a position to cover up their reckless acts in the Senate. The government stands by its argument that it has a fiscal responsibility to manage the budget in a sustainable way that provides the best outcome for the taxpayer.

Question agreed to.

Report adopted.