Senator ABETZ (3:56 PM) —I do not wish to detain the Senate for any great length of time but, given what we have heard, as a government we should be putting our point of view across as to why we are opposed to the suspension of standing orders. As I understand it, a very similar motion to this was carried yesterday by the Senate, and we supported that as a government.

Senator Brown —Madam Deputy President, I raise a point of order. I would make it clear that the motion moved yesterday was very different from the motion we are considering now.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT —There is no point of order.

Senator ABETZ —I think that intervention by Senator Brown shows the lack of sincerity in which this matter is being approached by him. A very similar motion was considered by this Senate yesterday and, as I understand it, had the unanimous support of this chamber. We are now getting a revamped version with Senator Brown's motion, and he is then asking for the suspension of standing orders when we have basically dealt with the matter yesterday.

Senator Brown —That is not true, and you know it is not true.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT —Order! Senator Brown, you were heard in silence. Please allow Senator Abetz to be heard in silence.

Senator ABETZ —The government has no difficulties with the first two sections of Senator Brown's motion that deal with the profound regret and sympathy in the wake of the recent personal tragedy of the leader of the opposition on the death of her husband. We also note the reports of the ongoing nationwide tragedy of the people in Burma.

However, Senator Brown's motion goes on to suggest that we should call on the Australian government to suspend trade and investment in Burma, which is something that we as a government do not believe should necessarily occur at this stage. What often happens when one does that is that it is the people who suffer while, unfortunately, the junta and the government continue. We are not sure that the suggestion being made by Senator Brown is of real benefit to those that I am sure all of us in this chamber are wanting to support and to whom we would all wish to send our very best wishes and best hopes for the future.

It is a tragic situation that confronts the Burmese people. It is a matter of deep regret that even though the leader of the opposition would have been allowed out of the country to visit her ailing husband, the reality is she would never have been allowed back in. I think that is why she made a very tough decision not to visit her husband before his death. Those sorts of circumstances are not supported by anybody in this chamber. We have expressed our views on that yesterday. We as a government believe the Senate would be better placed spending its time moving on to an issue beside the one we have already dealt with yesterday.