Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

If there's no-one else, I'll speak in reply. The amendment here is a solution looking for a problem. It's the case across a range of portfolios that there are multiple people sworn in to that portfolio. For example, there are two cabinet ministers in this House sworn in to Home Affairs. There are a further two assistant ministers in this place sworn in to Home Affairs. It is the case that there is always someone sworn into the relevant portfolio who is there for this process. If those opposite have a problem with that, then I simply say this. It's a brand new sense that they have to have a problem with this.

Let me give a simple example. The member for Calare, who is now sitting on the crossbench, used to be a government assistant minister. In 2021, he turned up as an assistant minister in the Morrison government, as the Minister Assisting the Minister for Trade and Investment in this process. Who do you think the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment was who he was representing in the Federation Chamber in 2021? Could the trade minister at that time possibly now be the Manager of Opposition Business himself? The exact person right now who's in this place wanting to say, 'But you all have to turn up,' is the same person who had an assistant minister represent him in this precise process. It's not the first time that the Manager of Opposition Business has called on things and been outraged by things that were actually done by him personally.

Let me give you one more example while we're on it. You'll often hear the former minister for trade say a line used by those opposite on immigration, 'They're letting in all these yoga teachers.' You'll often hear that when the skills list comes out. Why do you think yoga teachers were added to the skills list? Because there is an agreement with India that was done under the Morrison government that said they would be added to the skills list. Who do you think was the person who announced that agreement to say that they'd be on the skills list? Once again, it was the Manager of Opposition Business. So, if you want to know what makes the Manager of Opposition Business the angriest and what really gets under his skin, it's anything he has done. So the next time he gets up and complains just know, if he's getting really upset, if he's passionate about it and if it really angers him, it's probably something that he's done.

So I'd say, members of this House, when this amendment comes up, we should defend the record of the Manager of Opposition Business. Even if he won't, we should stand strongly by it and say: 'We think you did the right thing.' Even if you're having buyer's remorse, our view is the way the Manager of Opposition Business behaved with respect to this procedure when he was in government was right and accurate. Even if you won't, we will defend you in this House and oppose this amendment.

Question negatived.

Original question agreed to.

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