Senator FAULKNER (—Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) (11.16 a.m.) —There is some substance to the arguments that have been put before the committee. The position of the opposition is clear, and that is why I will, in relatively short order, be commending opposition amendment (2) which stands in my name to delete item 2 of schedule 1. I describe this really as the National Party proposal that has been proposed by the government. I think it is possible that there are really two parties in the Commonwealth parliament that might benefit from this. The Australian Democrats is one of them, and no doubt we will hear Senator Bartlett on the Democrats' view of this. I do not believe it has been driven by the Australian Democrats, I have to say. You have to be fair about these things. I do not think it is motivated by a desire to assist the Australian Democrats, but there may be some political advantage for the Australian Democrats if item 2 of schedule 1 were accepted by the committee.

However, I note that the opposition's approach is to maintain the current provisions of the act, which have in fact worked reasonably well in this area in terms of defining who has access to the roll, as opposed to the method of its provision, and which are defensible and sensible but, more to the point—and this is the issue that is before us at the moment—non-discriminatory. I have often heard Senator Brown present arguments in the chamber—and to some extent this is right; it is silly to deny it—that there are certain advantages to being one of the larger political parties. That is true. Of course, the Labor Party, for example, has representation in all states and territories. Of course, what the government is proposing here is that, if you have five out of eight states or territories, you manage to crawl over the bar that has been raised to that height by the government.

You have to understand what this is about. I think Senator Brown and Senator Harris are taking it a little bit personally. It is not about them. It is not about Senator Bartlett's party, the Australian Democrats. This whole item 2 of schedule 1 is a bit of a sop to the National Party. Underneath it all, I have to say to you, Mr Temporary Chairman, I am quite sure that Senator Ellison, being the loyal member of the Liberal Party that he is, will not really mind if it goes down the gurgle hole of history—and let us hope it does.