Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

I will make a very short contribution, if I can. The government, as I indicated before, recognises the importance of the motion and the issues that Senator Thorpe is raising. They are obviously very important to Senator Thorpe, but they should be important to all senators. Our issue isn't with the content. Our issue is that we haven't seen this motion; it's only recently been circulated.

Senators on all sides of the chamber have not had an opportunity to view the very complex nature of this motion. They should be given that opportunity, particularly if there's a requirement for senators to propose amendments. That's why the government was seeking to deny leave. But we do know that there are other opportunities, particularly even this week, for Senator Thorpe to put forward a motion of this kind, and for all senators to consider the content of the motion at that time. That's for Senator Thorpe to decide, but that's something that the government will consider fully. That's not something that we can do at this time. With that, I move:

That the question be now put.

Question agreed to.