Gallagher, Sen Katy

Senator GALLAGHER (Australian Capital Territory—Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) (12:11): I seek leave to make a short statement. Leave granted. Senator GALLAGHER: Mr President, this is a difficult one for us in the sense that we acknowledge and support your ruling on the matter but we have voted consistently with the Greens to allow for this legislation to be introduced. That doesn't indicate our position on the bill but we believe, Senator Waters, that you do have the right to introduce legislation and we have supported you throughout. But in light of the fact that you have made a ruling, Mr President, it is important for us to indicate our support for your ruling, acknowledging that our preference would have been that Senator Waters would and should have been allowed to introduce her legislation in accordance with the convention of this place several times this week. The PRESIDENT: I appreciate the expression of support. I should clarify. I wouldn't consider this to be a dissent from my ruling at all. This is not a matter of supporting my ruling or otherwise; this is the appropriate mechanism to suspend the standing order upon which I am basing my ruling. So this is not the same as moving a dissent in the chair's ruling at all. It's merely saying this rule shouldn't apply for this matter, and that is entirely appropriate for consideration by the Senate. But it is dealt with without debate under the provisions we have adopted. So I appreciate the support but I wouldn't take it as a dissent from my ruling, if this motion was supported.