Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask leave of the House to move the third reading immediately.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the motion for the third reading being moved without delay.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by the Minister for Justice be agreed to.

Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a third time.

Clare O'Neil (Hotham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor abhors crime and violence. We were very proud to support this bill in the second reading, and I wanted to say a few words because I want members on the other side of the House to understand what exactly it is that they are doing in this vote that they are having right now. We could have dealt with this bill in February, and those of us on this side of the House who have community safety as our top priority have been waiting for eight months for this bill to come back into the House so we can make a good law. But, because of the utter petulance of the minister who sits across from me in the chamber, we are sending this parliament into deadlock.

Honourable members interjecting —

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hotham will resume her seat for a second. I'm going to caution members on both sides: 94(a) applies at all times of the parliamentary day. The member for Hotham has the call.

Clare O'Neil (Hotham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have been waiting eight months for the minister on the other side of the House to bring this bill back into the chamber so we can pass good laws in this parliament that have bipartisan support. The bipartisan support comes for Labor amendments that were moved in the other place and that for the first time in this country would allow serious gun traffickers to be put away for life. They were amendments moved by Labor senators, and they were voted for by your political parties. But, because of the petulance of the minister who sits opposite me, we have not had the opportunity to pass these laws. What your minister is doing—and you can go back to your electorates and talk to your constituents about this—is inserting into this bill something he knows that Labor will not accept.

Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the question be now put.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion be put.

Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I finally moved that the bill be read a third time.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the bill be read a third time.