Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Nettle cannot have it both ways. She condemns us for having sat back for 11 years and not doing anything; now she condemns us for acting. No matter which way you turn in this debate, you can be assured the Australian Greens will be opposed to you. I simply say to the Australian Greens: you can have all your fancy words about process, you can have all of your fancy words about standing orders in the Senate—and I fully support them—but standing orders allow for this debate and for legislation to be rushed through in times of a national crisis, such as this is. If I have to ask myself the question, ‘What is more important, a Senate committee going on for an extra couple of weeks or trying to deal with this national crisis and looking after kids in the Northern Territory and seeking to protect women from domestic violence and abuse?’ I know where I will fall on that discussion. It will be on the side of the kids and the women.