Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth) Share this | Hansard source

The opposition's second reading amendment is yet another example of the negativity that has become a consistent pattern in this parliament. The Family Law Amendment (Validation of Certain Orders and Other Measures) Bill provides for Family Court orders in regard to matters following two proclamations in the Family Law Act that were not made in 2006 and 2009. In both instances this was a departmental oversight, given that these are very rarely required proclamations under the act. Yes, it is the case that, in 2009, it happened under the Labor government and it is the case that, in 2006, it happened under the Liberal-National government. So while the opposition are trying to turn this into another pointscoring exercise, a political exercise, it is worth while for the House to bear in mind that one of the issues this bill corrects happened under the watch of the Howard government in 2006. It is important in this House that we focus on developing policies, not on trying to score political points, which is what this amendment appears to be doing.

The SPEAKER: The question is that the words proposed to be omitted—that is, Mr Keenan's amendment—stand part of the question.

In division—

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