Lisa Singh (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that general business notice of motion No. 475 standing in my name and the name of Senator Watt for today, relating tot the Rohingya Muslims and Myanmar's Rakine State, be taken as a formal motion.

Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is there any objection to the motion being taken as formal?

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Singh, are you amending this motion?

Lisa Singh (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No. Are you?

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No. In that case, formality is denied.

Lisa Singh (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Lisa Singh (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The opposition accepts the government's right to deny formality to this motion, but we regret that this important issue could not be subject to a vote in the Senate today. The opposition accepted a number of amendments proposed by the government to this motion in order to make it acceptable. However, having suggested the amendments, the government is now not prepared to move them. The opposition hopes the Senate will be able to vote in the future on a motion to express our concern about the conflict among Rohingya Muslims, ethnic Rakine and security forces in Myanmar's Rakine state.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My understanding is that the government sought to work with the opposition to correct a number of factual errors in the motion that were in its original form. Because those errors were not going to be amended, the government cannot accept the motion as it stands.