Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

But with much less speed towards taking refugees from that country. We do not have, at the moment, in this parliament an opportunity for full debates about decisions about how to respond to this unfolding crisis. We do not have the opportunities that they have in the United Kingdom parliaments, for example, or in the German parliaments or in the US, where these issues will be fully debated and parliamentary approval is necessary. That is why suspension of standing orders is necessary today—because we could well be in a situation where a decision is made to bomb a country before a decision is made to take refugees from there, because we do not have the opportunity to debate these matters in parliament. It is a significant step that the member for Denison has taken, but it is a right one, because events are moving very, very quickly, and people are seeing what is happening and they want the parliament to respond just as quickly. That is why this step is being taken.

Question negatived.

See this speech in context