Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

A range of amendments are before the chamber. As I have indicated, we have not had a lot of time to analyse the amendments. As I understand it, you want to put them forward in two batches. Is that correct? Could you just explain how you want to—

The CHAIRMAN: The amendments before the chair at present are government amendments (1) to (7), which have been moved by leave together. But it necessitates two separate questions to deliver those seven amendments, so I will be putting those questions when we get to that point. But all of the government amendments are before the chair at the moment.

As I indicated earlier, the opposition is mindful of the issues that have been raised, and the unintended consequences that have arisen as a result of the Federal Court decision. I am sure the government, like the opposition, is keen to have some certainty in terms of how the act will work. We support that. We are inclined to support the amendments that are before the chair. We just would like this issue not to drag on indefinitely, because we are very concerned that the prospective claims are still uncertain, and the prospective claims are the ones that will be important to people in the future. This industry is quite a dangerous one. It is one that has had more than its fair share of deaths, so we are inclined to be supportive. But can you give us today any idea as to a time frame for the analysis of the review. Do you have any idea of the time frames within which you want to deal with it?