Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

The same standing orders operate in the Senate and have operated in the Senate on Thursday nights over many years. It is the same way that the Main Committee operates day after day—no quorums, no divisions. It is a common-sense approach. We know how bad the opposition’s frontbench are; no wonder they do not want their backbench to have an option of coming into the parliament and putting forward views.

I say to the opposition: if you think tomorrow is not real parliament, do not come. Stay home. We will fill the void. We have a backbench full of ideas about the future of the nation, and they will take up every speaking spot tomorrow from nine to two. Just do not come if you do not think it is such a good idea. The fact is that this is an opposition that has completely lost its way. This is an opposition that does not have confidence in its own backbench. This is an opposition that thinks it is going to get back on these benches by railing about standing orders and being disruptive of the parliament because it has got absolutely nothing else to say to the Australian public.

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