Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—Committing Australia to war is perhaps one of the most serious decisions the government of the day can make. The opposition agrees with what the government has just said. General business notices of motion are not really the appropriate way to deal with such serious issues. Any requirement that the government should obtain the permission of the parliament before committing Australia to war is an issue that should be the subject of substantial and considered debate. Certainly, the opposition would say that these sorts of matters are best dealt with by processes other than simply putting up a general business notice of motion.

As Senator Faulkner has pointed out, from time to time through this process we have touched on issues such as the death penalty and other matters of equal severity and we have indicated on those occasions that we do not believe it is appropriate that they be dealt with in this way. In no way does that mean that the opposition understates or underestimates the importance of the issue; it is the very importance of this matter that requires it to be dealt with by way of substantial and considered debate. I think that this issue should not be dealt with by way of a general business notice of motion.