Senator HARRADINE (1:34 PM) —I note that we do not have a quorum; Mr Acting Deputy President, I ask that you note that as well. I thought that this period was for non-controversial legislation. This is the second time during this period that there have been amendments proposed to the legislation. The response from the government to the first one from Senator Murray was that they were opposed to it; the response from the opposition was that they really needed more time for consideration and that this matter ought to be able to be sorted out between the opposition and the Democrats at some future time. That is a nice cosy arrangement.

I do not know what has happened between the opposition and the Democrats in this particular case. It certainly has not happened to me—I did not know anything about this being proposed during the non-controversial time, unless of course Senator Bishop's amendment is non-controversial. Senator Allison opposes some of it so presumably it is not non-controversial. It should be made very clear that everybody ought to be brought into the ring. We all ought to be in the joke if there is one. I certainly was not brought into the circle.

I will not call a quorum but I do ask that in future we all be brought into the ring. I see no problem about what has happened, so long as you know beforehand in case you wish to make some contribution to what is, no doubt in the mind of the opposition, an extremely good amendment. It probably is, but I am not in the inner circle. Serves me right—I do not want to be in the inner circle most of the time—but I do represent people and I would be grateful if I were brought into the circle at some stage.