Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, Senator Abetz; as I recall, you said something to the effect of: ‘If this was so simple, was your election policy, why do you have 24 amendments?’ That might be a bit of a summary of the position that you put to the chamber, but that is my recollection of it. As I said in the second reading speech, we are a government that is prepared to consult and consider issues put to us. I am advised these are primarily technical amendments and, as I said at the outset, we are very happy to provide advice to the chamber as to their effect so senators can consider them. I again make the point that they pale into insignificance when you consider the 334 amendments that Senator Abetz introduced during the debate on Work Choices.