Julie Owens (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business) Share this | Hansard source

I am actually quite delighted to see the Personal Property Securities Amendment (Deregulatory Measures) Bill 2014 before the House today, although I preface my speech by saying that, when I did see it on the Notice Paper for today, I was a bit confused and surprised because, quite frankly, I thought I had spoken on it before. I remember going through the detail. I remember refreshing my memory of what we did back in 2009 when we brought together over 70 pieces of legislation to create a single way of dealing with personal property securities. I remember the Labor Party's work on that, and I remember these amendments being put forward by the government. I remember preparing to speak on it. I remember it.

I thought I am sure I have spoken on it, so I went back through my old speech notes to see. I had to go back to May last year to find where I had prepared for this speech because this bill was introduced to parliament a year ago. It was scheduled for debate on and off a couple of times and then disappeared into the aether, so I have not spoken on it before. I prepared to speak on it. I prepared to say, 'The Labor Party supports this, this is good and this is good. Small pieces of reform build on a lot of hard work—really good. It will help a number of small businesses. Let's do it. Let's go for it.' I remember preparing that speech and I never got to give it. A year later, I do get to give it and I am in fact making that speech. I would say to you—

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