Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

We provide opportunities for private members to move bills before this House. We do that in the expectation they will actually follow them through, but the member for Sturt could not get through to have a vote. But we will offer recommittal. We support recommittal of votes, as we did in the debate on the standing orders, but the member for Sturt moved a change making it more difficult. But I indicate on behalf of the government that we would be prepared to support a suspension of standing orders in order for him to vote on that legislation, because he has pretended after the event that he never actually wanted a vote on the legislation. You would not compare him with Rocky Balboa, but it is a bit like a heavyweight championship fight where you challenge your opponent; you go on about it day after day, week after week, month after month; and then you do not turn up when the fight is on.

It was an unbelievable performance, backed up by the member for Sturt’s attempt to move that the Prime Minister be no longer heard. That was never done to former Prime Minister Howard—never. We would not even think of treating the parliament like that. But the member for Sturt has not even got the ticker to own up, to fess up to it. He should fess up. He should take Mr Costello’s advice. Mr Costello has been out there again saying that his parents always told him, ‘If you have done nothing wrong; you have nothing to fear by telling the truth.’ The member for Sturt should tell the truth, say he stuffed up this morning, say he was not fair dinkum about the BER and say that it was all a stunt. (Time expired)

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