Mr MELHAM (5:58 PM) —I am concerned about the practice that has crept into the House of selective quoting of public documents and public records. That occurred today in question time when the minister selectively quoted a selective quote that was used on 29 May 1997 in terms of something that I said in relation to the stolen generations.

The other thing that concerns me is that a practice might come into this House whereby public documents that have been circulated by ministers are marked `Confidential' with the intent to selectively quote and use the marking of `Confidential' on a public document, perhaps circulated by the Attorney-General, in an attempt not to have that document tabled so that it is not taken in full context.

Mr Speaker, I would implore you to look at this practice so that we do not have a repeat of today's situation. If this House is to be held in standing, there are certain rules. What is happening here is that we are all being brought into disrepute.

Also, I was ashamed when I was sitting in the High Court during the challenge to the Hindmarsh Island bridge case to hear the Commonwealth government's legal representatives say to the court and submit to the court that the constitution was an inherently racist document and that the 1967 referendum meant that the whole of the constitution now has the value system of 1901. I was disturbed.

I am pleased that the High Court did not buy that argument and that two judges of the High Court yesterday ruled that the races power could not be used to the detriment of Aboriginal people. There were two judges who said that it could be used to the positive or the negative but it was qualified and that it might be an abuse of the power and reserved the definition of what abuse of power was, and there were two judges did not comment. Fortunately, the government submission was not picked up by any of the judges of the High Court. But I do implore you, Mr Speaker, to look at what happened in question time today and probably come back to the House to improve the standards so it cannot be repeated.

Mr SPEAKER —Order! It being 6 p.m., the debate is interrupted.

Mr Abbott —Mr Speaker, I require that the debate be extended.

Mr SPEAKER —The debate may continue.