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

The government won't be supporting the amendment moved by Senator McKim. I move:

At the end of the motion, add: ", and: the Customs Tariff Amendment (Geelong Treaty Implementation) Bill 2025 not be referred to a committee;

This amendment would ensure that the Customs Tariff Amendment (Geelong Treaty Implementation) Bill not be referred to a committee. The reason for that is that the treaty has been considered by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties. They provided the recommendations of that committee to ratify the treaty on 29 October, as is practice across the parliament. We do not then normally start a Senate-only inquiry into a bill that's already been considered by a joint standing committee. So that's the reason why.

On the Fair Work Amendment (Right to Work from Home) Bill 2025, this bill was introduced yesterday. In discussions across the chamber, the position the government has put to the Greens is that we just want—it was introduced yesterday. We want to consider it before we make a decision about whether or not to refer. This is very similar to the way that the Greens approach government bills when they are for consideration for referral too. I think it's really a matter of timing. We can deal with that once we've had the appropriate time to have a look at what was introduced yesterday and take advice across government.