Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Of course! The member for Riverina! All I could think was 'Wagga'. I want to pick up on that. I do want to specifically mention the member for Riverina when I talk about the Newcastle Airport because, in achieving the Newcastle Airport becoming an international airport, I do have to a debt of gratitude to the member for Riverina because he was most helpful. And that underlines what I said a moment ago: there are good people in this place, from all sides, who come here to make a real difference. We can work together, and we do work together, to make things better. I do cite that important example of making the Newcastle Airport an international airport, and I thank the member for Riverina for helping me do that in my previous term, when I was in opposition and he was in government. It is pretty amazing when you can get those things across the line.

However, there are a few in this place—and thankfully only a few—who take the opportunity to enhance themselves before their community and forget the role we are here to perform as elected representatives. The backroom manoeuvring, the shady number deals, the promises of promotion become the focus of these Machiavellian imposters. Sadly, we did see our former Prime Minister move his way into his party by killing off his local opponent in a preselection in one of the most unethical ways that many people said they'd ever seen. We saw him make his way to the ministry, wreaking havoc through human services and terrorising the immigration sector. He made his way into the powerful role of Treasurer. And we all remember the member for Cook putting his arm around the then Prime Minister, the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull, and stating that he was 'ambitious for him'. We all know how that turned out.

We also know that no one man can find himself in the Prime Minister's office without the support of his colleagues. Some of the faithful servants of the previous Prime Minister remain in this place. The former member for Tangney was not so fortunate to remain in this place. He paid the ultimate price. The people of Tangney had had enough. The problem for the member for Cook is that the former member of Tangney will continue to be one of his closest allies. Some of the people that remain in this House must still have some mistrust. Sadly, when you appoint yourself to multiple roles under the cover of darkness that is what really causes distrust.

Sadly, the Morrison government was all about the lights, the clicks, the stunts. It is novel, but, let me tell you, this place isn't a game. Whilst we all occasionally ham it up for the cameras, and we all take social media to the next level, this is a serious business and it should be treated as such. The lives of Australians deserve the same gravitas that we like to think we give ourselves in this place. Each and every one of us makes decisions, creates policies, votes on legislation and takes on responsibilities that affect the lives of the Australian people. That is what we are here for and it is what we should be doing. Good government is what is expected by the Australian people, and when the government is failing them all the social media in the world means nought when your people are hurting.

It is often said that governments lose elections and oppositions do not win. That certainly has credibility. The last election came down to trust, and the people made it clear that they could no longer trust Mr Morrison. He had lied to them once too often, promised a future that only served a few and was embarrassing our nation across the world. When the President of France confirmed that the former Prime Minister lied to him, and that he knew it, there was no doubt that Australia was no longer a country that could be relied upon. There was no trust. That is a terrible indictment on us.

The now elected Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, I'm pleased to say, is the opposite. No matter how busy his schedule, he is back home in Grayndler as much as he can be. He knows what's happening in his patch, and he is always working for it. He has a strong sense of loyalty and is a man of his word. He's articulate. He's not a code-hopper; he's backed the same team all his life. He never forgets why he is here and why we are all here. He is a man of integrity, and his leadership team—the Deputy Minister, Richard Marles, and the Senate team, led by Penny Wong and Don Farrell—are people of integrity. Our Treasurer is an experienced economist, with the credentials to back it up. The Attorney-General—well, let's just say: national integrity commission, done!

As I stated before, this is a tough business. They say, 'If you want a friend in politics, get a dog.' This hasn't been my experience in the Labor caucus. I've forged real friendships based on mutual interest and respect, and I know my leader is always honest with me. I don't know how you do this job when you can't trust your boss to be frank with you. The remaining members of the coalition that now sit opposite me could not trust their boss. Rumours of bullying and deception travelled these corridors on a daily basis. The country was not being governed; it was barely being managed, to be frank with you. The icing on the cake, the finding of the Solicitor-General, made it clear that an inquiry into the member for Cook's conduct was overdue. Let me repeat that—an inquiry into the former Prime Minister's conduct. It was an extraordinary time.

The advice of the Solicitor-General was damning. Between March 2020 and May 2021, the member was Cook was appointed by the Governor-General to administer no less than five departments: Health; Finance; Industry, Science, Energy and Resources; Treasury; and Home Affairs. These are your big-ticket items here in parliament, and the actual ministers appointed had no idea—not a clue. His cabinet had no idea. It turns out the former member for Tangney knew; he got the secret prize of Home Affairs. Who else that remains in this place knew that the leader of the coalition was misleading his cabinet, misleading his party room and, most importantly, misleading the Australian people? He said that it was because of the extraordinary times and that the pandemic created the obstacles where, indeed, this was justified. I say to you: there are no circumstances that justify deception. They were indeed extraordinary times, and if indeed it was so necessary for him to take on those additional roles the people of Australia would have understood. He should have been straight with us. He should have been straight with his own people. Sadly, that was not the case.

Debate adjourned.

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