Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

As I was saying, such a good and successful shadow minister, a member of this House with such experience, deserves the support of his leader. And he did not get it, despite the fact that his leader thought he was outstanding. Either he said he was outstanding but did not mean it, which is why he did not support him, or he did not think he was outstanding at all but thought he may as well say it. It is either one or the other. Those are certainly not the words of a strong man and a true leader.

So, as his colleagues are taken away one by one to political execution, the Leader of the Opposition washes his hands like Pontius Pilate and just allows them to be taken away. ‘It’s nothing to do with me, Officer,’ I suppose is his message.

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