Rex Patrick (SA, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to oppose the suspension of standing orders. We are of the strong belief that the employment of a teacher is a matter based on merit and merit alone. We also do not support the discrimination of students on the basis of gender or sexuality. Nonetheless, the question being asked here is about whether the issue raised warrants the disruption of the orderly conduct of business in the Senate. We do not believe that the threshold has been met in this particular instance.