Senate debates

Thursday, 24 November 2022

Bills

Restoring Territory Rights Bill 2022; In Committee

9:41 am

Photo of Larissa WatersLarissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I want to put the position of the Australian Greens on the record. This is a crucial bill that has been 20-odd years in the making. We were very pleased to see the vote just now allowing territories to make decisions about their own issues. That is a crucial point of democracy.

But we're now in a highly unusual situation where we're in a committee stage with no amendment before the chair. It's not like we didn't know this bill was listed and it was coming on. We feel that it's highly procedurally unusual to now be asked for the stage to be talked out whilst amendments get drafted. If you're not well enough organised to deal with something that was scheduled on the program, I don't think you should really be getting any favours. We are ready to vote and pass this bill. It's been 20 years in the making. We will now sit down and not make further contributions, with the idea of getting it done.

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