Page 2490 - Week 06 - Thursday, 23 June 2011
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MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Speak to the subject of the amendments, Mrs Dunne.
MRS DUNNE: These amendments which are being put forward here tonight show that there is deep and close collusion between the Greens. When this all goes pear-shaped, as it will, it will be down to the Greens and the Labor Party.
Mr Hargreaves interjecting—
Members interjecting—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Are we having a conversation across the chamber?
Mr Hargreaves: Madam Deputy Speaker, I withdraw my comments about Mrs Dunne.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr Hargreaves.
Members interjecting—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, members! Mrs Dunne has the floor.
Members interjecting—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Hargreaves! Mr Coe and Mr Hargreaves, will you stop arguing across the chamber.
MRS DUNNE: Madam Assistant Speaker, what this boils down to is that this government and their coalition colleagues are deeply embarrassed and deeply mortified by the situation that they have got themselves into. In the week where Katy Gallagher says, “I am Mrs Open and Accountability, I am Mrs Competence and I am Mrs Honesty,” she has failed the first test: a major piece of legislation which is being rushed through with no scrutiny and where—I will take my second 10 minutes, if I could, Mr Speaker. (Second speaking period taken.)
I will not take all of my 10 minutes, but I will take the opportunity to speak now while I am on my feet. This has been rushed through, and they are embarrassed by the fact that they have been brought to book on this. They just want to get it through. We do not care. The Treasurer stands here and says, “We’ve been working on this for two years. Don’t you understand how much time and effort we have put into it?” If you have been working on it for two years, you can get it right. If you have been working on it for two years, you do not introduce 17 pages and 25 amendments at 11.36 this morning and expect to vote on it at 9 o’clock. In fact, they expected to vote on it at half past 7 and they have not got their way. You do not bring it in and then try and do this without scrutiny.
These are major changes to definitions, major changes to the way this operates. If we were really adhering to the Latimer House principles that Ms Hunter likes to talk
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