John Dardis (Progressive Democrats)

——but a cessation.

My party and I have been attacked for having the temerity to put forward our own view on this important issue and for allegedly having come to it late in the day. I have no apology to make for our intervention. It is untrue to say that we were some sort of "Johnny come lately" to the debate. We considered the issue well before some of the parties which criticise us had given any thought to the matter. We have not been among the representatives from the Government side on the Joint Committee for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, which is to be regretted, but this has been the situation since its inception. I also note there is no representation of Independent Members from either this House or the other House so it is not accurate to describe the committee's report as an all-party report, as it has been described.