Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

So let's be clear here. The government just won the second reading vote here because Centre Alliance didn't turn up. I'm naming it. Centre Alliance did not turn up for the vote, folks. For those people listening to this debate—and I know there are many of them—we could have ended this five minutes ago with that vote. Centre Alliance didn't even have the guts to come in here and vote with the government; they just did not turn up. So why is the government circulating these amendments? It is because you've done a deal with Centre Alliance, haven't you? That's because you know that you won't win on the third vote unless you make these amendments—which, make no mistake, keep the cashless debit card running. All those people listening tonight, thinking they were going to be off this card because Centre Alliance had said they didn't support it, are now hugely disappointed. And the person who made that decision didn't even have the guts to turn up here and face this Senate. So why, Minister, are you moving these amendments? Please name it.