Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I am happy at any time of the day to debate tax cuts and Labor's tax plan, which will deliver greater tax cuts to millions of Australians, significantly more than under the previous plan. I would note that the opposition have been shamed into this today because of the way that they've been conducting this debate. I have been seeking a commitment from the opposition to deal with this bill this week since Sunday—it actually may have been before Sunday—and I haven't been given that commitment. I've been given, 'We want to deal with it, we won't delay it and we won't have many speakers.' Shock, horror, we've had lots of speakers. All of the commitments that we've had from the opposition haven't been delivered upon. I've sought to engage with the Manager of Opposition Business, and I again sought commitments from them this morning about how to deal with this bill this week, allowing all of their colleagues and others to speak and then the committee stage to deal with the bill. I still haven't got a response. Then there's this motion today because the Prime Minister has, quite rightly, called them out on seeking to delay this bill.

That's what's been happening. I was told you would have few speakers. You've had about 15. That is not a few speakers.