Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Hansard source

The opposition will not be supporting Senator Xenophon’s amendments. We do not believe they add to the bill’s workability or to how it will function. There is also the fact that the government is seeking to excise a large swathe from the amendment and simply again leave behind parts, similar to those we have discussed previously, that may add to the process undertaken but do not add to the strength of conditions upon the minister or the government. Therefore we do not see that it is worthwhile supporting this amendment; it will not give a meaningful enhancement to the bill. And, as mentioned, the government itself is choosing to excise a large part of what Senator Xenophon is proposing.