Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Abetz. Can the minister confirm today 39 Liberal senators and MPs, some 40 per cent of the party room and the overwhelming majority of the backbench, voted to remove the Prime Minister? Why should the Australian people have confidence in the Prime Minister when his colleagues clearly do not?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One thing that the Prime Minister of Australia knows is that he enjoys the support of his Leader of the Government in the Senate, something that a former Labor Prime Minister was not able to enjoy from Senator Wong. Let's just understand that. You ought to look behind you, Senator Wong, and see all the smiling faces. I will also say that, when Mr Shorten sought the leadership of the Australian Labor Party, the vote was 55 to 31. Why is it that 31 members of the ALP caucus were of the view that Mr Shorten was not a fit and proper person to lead the Australian Labor Party in the parliament? We could ask that question.

The reality is that the Liberal Party party room today had a ballot in relation to leadership. Sixty-one to 39 was the result of the ballot. Everybody knows that that was a result. That is a very firm endorsement of the Prime Minister, whilst also—and I say this especially to the Australian people—those 39 votes being a wake-up call for the government to ensure that it brings the Australian people with it on the very difficult task that faces it.

The difficult task that faces us is not served by the Australian Labor Party playing politics as they do. We are dedicated to the service of the nation, making the tough decisions for the future—such as getting rid of the carbon tax, getting rid of the mining tax, protecting our borders and getting free trade agreements. These were all things that we were told we could not do, yet we achieved them within the first part of this term of government. I look forward to serving the Australian people. (Time expired)

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I know this is the first day back for 2015, but senators on both sides need to be a little bit more quiet. Senators on my left, your leader is waiting for the call. Order, on my left!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the Minister representing the Prime Minister confirm that the Prime Minister bound his entire executive and his whips for this morning's vote, meaning that the overwhelming majority of Liberal backbenchers who actually had a free vote voted in favour of no confidence in the Prime Minister?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As everybody in the Liberal Party and also in the National Party party rooms know, secret ballots are conducted. There is no show and tell with factional warlords dictating how people vote. That is the big difference between the Australian Labor Party representatives in this place and those of us who have the honour of representing the coalition parties in this place. It is a secret ballot in our party room. That is the way it remains and should remain, unlike the sort of behaviour that operates within the Australian Labor Party where there has to be show and tell. Do you know why that is? It is because they cannot trust each other. Well, we do trust each other with a secret ballot because we are dedicated, unlike all those ex trade union officials opposite— (Time expired)

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. I refer to the Leader of the Government in the Senate's assertion that those on the other side trust each other. Can he advise whether or not the Prime Minister trusts Mr Turnbull? Can he advise whether the Prime Minister endorses Senator Bernardi's call for Mr Turnbull to resign from cabinet and go to the backbench?

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

After all the shouting and interjections, I have forgotten what the second question was. But the answer to the first question is yes.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, have you completed your answer?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have.