Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Fielding, I take your admonishment that I referred to your party as Independents. I accept that you do represent a party. I place on record my apologies for doing that. I think Senator Fielding’s point and the minister’s response actually reinforce the concerns that the opposition have had about this legislation and the regulations all through the process. It has been informative for us to have the opportunity to ask these questions at this stage and find that, although the impression has been given that there might be something that is going to provide an exemption, that does not necessarily exist. I agree with Senator Fielding that the government really does need to do some more work on this. I am sure that this chamber and the committee could be very well assisted by the provision of the regulations, as was done with the PBS cost recovery bill.