House debates

Thursday, 2 March 2017

Statements by Members

Minister for Immigration and Border Protection

1:58 pm

Photo of Nick ChampionNick Champion (Wakefield, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

This is a government that is utterly consumed with the leadership of its party. That is why the ministers are out the door and the Prime Minister is in the House—they are all discussing the leadership. But you know the government is in real trouble when it is considering the member for Dickson as a leadership option. Day after day, he comes into this House and tries to remodel himself. He has a new suit and the head is buffed. He is in this chamber trying to remake himself, but we will not forget that this is a man who boycotted the apology to the stolen generation. This is a man who joked about climate change. This is a man who had Border Force in downtown Melbourne checking Australians' IDs. This is a man who was punted off the National Security Committee of cabinet by his colleagues—by this Prime Minister. This is a man who signed the Cambodian deal, which gave Hun Sen and the government of Cambodia $50 million of taxpayers' money, and got nothing back. I mean, Hun Sen only gets one Peter Dutton in a lifetime. That is the story—

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for Wakefield will resume his seat. I have cautioned members enough on using correct titles.