Senator CORMANN (Western Australia—Minister for Finance, Vice-President of the Executive Council and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (09:38): The government will be opposing this suspension. The matters that Senator Patrick has raised in his contribution are appropriately dealt with in the context of the debate on legislation, which is now delayed because of the steps that he has taken. This is government business time. This is a time for the government to bring on legislation. This is very important legislation. Let's remind ourselves what this is about. This is about making sure that the government of Australia has the capacity to appropriately manage risk in relation to Australians who have decided to fight as foreign terrorist fighters in overseas battle zones. The number one responsibility of the Australian government here is to keep the Australian community safe. I completely respect that as part of the consideration of this legislation there were matters that Senator Patrick raised and that the shadow Attorney-General, Mr Dreyfus, sought to pursue in the House of Representatives. Then, after the House of Representatives decided to reject his views and reject the amendments he put forward, the Labor Party voted in favour of the bill as a whole. All of these matters that Senator Patrick just raised will be appropriately dealt with in the course of the debate on the legislation. To seek to essentially procedurally derail the proper consideration of the government's agenda is not the appropriate way forward. Senator Patrick: I rise on a point of order, Madam Deputy President. The motion does not seek to delay. It seeks to have an order for the production— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: That's not a point of order, Senator Patrick. That's a debating point. Senator Patrick: I'm just correcting the basis of the motion— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I'm asking you to resume your seat. Senator CORMANN: Right now, if the procedural step that Senator Patrick just took had not been taken, we would be dealing with the second reading debate on what is a very important piece of legislation to keep the Australian community safe. We would be going into the committee stage in consideration of this bill. During that committee consideration stage, it is of course open to Senator Patrick to ask questions of the minister dealing with the legislation to satisfy himself in relation to all of the issues he's concerned about. This is not the way to deal with these matters and it is preventing the government from properly pursuing its legislative agenda consistent with its business program here in the Senate. On that basis, the government can't agree to it.