Rex Patrick (SA, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

I rise in my right of reply. I thank all senators for their contribution tonight. I am pleased to hear that there's a change in mood from the government in relation to this. What I heard the Nationals senators say is that there will be no cost throughout the COVID period for security—that's actually already been announced—but that they will move to a model where there is nondifferential pricing right across Australia. If you go back to my recommendations in the original Senate inquiry that we did in the last parliament, you'll find exactly that recommendation in there, where we looked at airport security from a national perspective. I'll just make the observation, because I would like this put to a vote, that politics is about positioning. It's not about policy; it's about positioning for the right policies. I think work across the last month or so, as this motion's vote came to a final point, has forced the government to do something. I think all in the chamber can take some credit for forcing a change. I will move the disallowance and ask that it be voted upon. I accept that there is an offer of future change that appears to be on the table, but the government will have to follow through with that.

Question negatived.