Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Hansard source

Setting aside the standing orders so the Senate can take a decision about this bill is important. If the government won't recognise that this bill is friendless and withdraw it themselves, then we believe suspending standing orders in this chamber is an appropriate course of action for our chamber to take on the eve of Remembrance Day.

For every single day this bill stays as part of this parliament's consideration, veterans and their families, grandchildren and great-grandchildren would see it as a great disrespect. I think the Labor Party should do themselves a favour and vote with the rest of the chamber to suspend standing orders and discharge the bill. It's okay to admit defeat. It's okay to say you got it wrong. It's actually good leadership to be able to say, 'We should have consulted, and this is a dog of a bill.' To do it quickly, rather than to leave it here and show disrespect to our veteran community over coming days, when they will be gathering on Remembrance Day in country towns, regional capital cities and indeed on barracks, would, I think, be the right thing for the government to do. Please support the suspension motion.