Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

I rise not only in relation to this amendment but in relation to the great many contributions which have been made. I want to start by being really clear about what this bill is about and what it is not about.

The first thing I would like to emphasise is that this bill is not about whether people in this chamber, on any side, honour and respect the service that our military personnel engage in. Frankly, I find it a little offensive that that is how some—and particularly the previous speaker—have chosen to play this debate. There is nobody in this chamber who lacks in patriotism. There is nobody—