Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (11:56): Just very quickly, I absolutely support this motion. The crossbench recognises that we need to live in a COVID-normal way and that, as a quarter of this chamber, we should have the right to have our position recorded, to have our position on legislation recognised. Now, this is not the same as last year; we are now with COVID delta, a far more contagious virus. We now have vaccines, which makes this more possible. We have a national recognition that go hard, go early lockdowns are the way to do this. I think this is worthy of discussion. I am happy that the Procedure Committee and the President are going to look at this. We do need to operate in a COVID-normal way. This Parliament does need to be able to sit, and the crossbench should have the right and the ability to have our position on legislation and on other questions acknowledged.
Fiona Patten MP
Leader of Reason
Member for Northern Metropolitan Region
Motion by Ms Ratnam 7/9/21
