Parliament was sitting. That is why the legislation was tabled at 10pm at night, passed and signed off by the governor. What was left of the LNP wanted to defer it and amend it giving time for Palmer in Qld to apply to Qld courts the next morning to prevent the legislation.
It was a well planned execution that had been devised over a number of months and delivered with the drop of a guillotine. It was not restrospective and came into force at 12.01am the next day.
