Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I'd make three points very briefly, and then I will move that the motion be put. The first—which I'm sure you anticipated, Senator Duniam—is that those questions will still be able to be asked and answered in estimates. The second is that the coalition didn't oppose this change earlier in the day but now is feigning outrage. The third point is this, to the leadership of the coalition in this chamber: for many years I was the Senate leader in opposition. I remember it very clearly. And I consistently supported the government of the day in their parliamentary sitting pattern because that was the convention.