Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

As I've already indicated, this is a decision of government. I might also return to the preliminary comments, or preamble, that Senator Paterson engaged in and would suggest to him that what would ruin the bipartisan approach that has traditionally been taken to matters of national security would be for the opposition to vote these changes down, to vote down a national security bill. I remember all the times when we were in opposition and we were accused of all sorts of things whenever we raised questions about national security bills, but we seem to be in a position where the opposition is threatening to vote down a national security bill. That would be a greater risk to bipartisanship than anything being proposed.