Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

It seems to me that the debate boils down to this, and I direct this also to Senator Williams and Senator Abetz: is it the case that, if this amendment fails, any provisions relating to safety that currently apply in New South Wales will no longer apply and, in the absence of occupational health and safety laws applying, there may well be some legal vacuum or hiatus? Is that what the government is saying? I would be grateful for any assistance from Senator Abetz or Senator Williams in relation to that, because I have to say that on the basis of what Senator Williams has said there are some issues of concern. I am not going to use the language that Senator Abetz used. In terms of what Senator Williams has raised, there are some concerns about the operation of those provisions in New South Wales and the impact on the New South Wales transport industry that may need—and I am putting this in fairly neutral terms—some tidying up sooner rather than later.