David Gillespie (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

This matter of public importance is important, because integrity, accountability, responsibility and acting in the public interest in Australia's political system is a case in point. When I go home to my electorate and I have coffee or a Friday afternoon chat with my colleagues at Finnian's, they often talk about disengagement with the political system. Let's talk about that. One of the biggest criticisms that is levelled at me when I meet with people across the electorate—the entire spectrum of the electorate; young and old—is their disengagement. They all refer to the behaviour in question time. No wonder they are disengaged. Scuttlebutt, firing arrows across the chamber, snide remarks—you name it, we see it in question time. Thank goodness the MPI is not being broadcast as well, because it is at about the same level.

For goodness sake, it is so transparent: Christmas is coming and those opposite want an early Christmas present. They are like little kids. In terms of tactics, Mr Deputy Speaker, you just have to connect the dots. They are looking for a scalp. Hallelujah! It is so obvious. We are not getting policies. We are not getting good government. We are just looking for a scalp. So, in terms of tactics, my humble recommendation to my colleagues on the other side is that, instead of this tactic, which seems to be going up a blind alley, maybe you should address the creeping advancement of your political 'frenemies', the Greens, who seem to be keen to do a deal with the government at any opportunity so that they are seen as the responsible ones in this place rather than what was traditionally the position that the major party in opposition occupied. A suggestion, humble though it may be from a backbencher who has only been here a little while, is: trust me; they are doing it.

Maybe this MPI is also a distraction by those opposite, because they are moving away from any issue of substance. A couple of wise sayings come to mind. 'People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones' is the first one. I do not rely on scuttlebutt. When I was asked to speak on this MPI, I took the time to look up court cases. There were some cases a couple of years ago. Did something go wrong with justice in Australia? No-one was charged or anything like that then. The quote I have from the full bench on appeal is that Justice Rares had 'no basis to conclude that Brough was part of any combination with anyone in respect to the commencement of these proceedings with the predominant purpose of damaging Slipper in the way alleged or at all'. They are not my words. They are the words of the decision of the full bench. So, rather than following this tactic, which, as I said, seems to be going down a blind alley, maybe those opposite should use something else to get the attention of the Australian public.

We have had various members who have had selective memory loss—the member for Dobell in the last parliament—about all sorts of things. We have the member for Grayndler, who, every now and then, appears at places like William de Groot—the man on the horse, who turned up at the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge because he wanted to open it! I have often advised the Deputy Prime Minister that, at the next opening he attends, he should watch out for any horses, because the member for Grayndler might be on it, with his sabre. We, instead, have been focusing on delivering things like getting roads and bridges built—the Pacific Highway. There are three bridges in the Lyne electorate. We have fixed wireless towers. We have fibre-to-the premises in the Manning. The CBD of Taree is now being wired up. We have the Skymaster satellites. We have unemployment down. We have pensions up. We have Work for the Dole rolling out. We have three trade agreements. We have funding for two bridges in the Bucketts Way. The Pacific Highway is delivering 900 direct jobs. (Time expired)

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