Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister and refers to reports of her crisis caucus meeting last night and her PowerPoint presentation of five policy priorities. Will the Prime Minister confirm that her priorities did not include ending the waste, repaying the debt, stopping the big new taxes and, above all, stopping the boats—the measures that the Australian people really want? Will she admit that what this proves is that, while Labor might be in government, the Greens are in power?

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am happy to confirm for the Leader of the Opposition that Labor caucus members did meet last night to talk about our shared vision for the country. We did meet last night to talk about our strategy. We did meet last night to talk about our positive plans for the nation’s future. My recommendation to the Leader of the Opposition would be that he should try it. He should try going to a meeting and actually sitting in a chair and thinking about what he stands for, not what he opposes. He should sit for a moment or two and reflect—

Sophie Mirabella (Indi, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry and Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Show us some transparency; publish the minutes.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Indi is warned.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does he have a vision for the nation, not a list of things he is opposed to but a vision for the nation?

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Pyne interjecting

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Sturt is warned.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He should perhaps sit in a chair and sit in a meeting and think about what positive policies and plans he wants to release to the Australian electorate for their consideration. The truth is that, since this parliament first sat, the Leader of the Opposition has not released one positive policy for the nation. I am not generally charitable to him, I know, but I have to give the shadow treasurer this: at least he got out an envelope and scribbled nine points on the back of it. Since this parliament first sat, the Leader of the Opposition has not released one policy for the nation. He is a man of slogans derived from focus groups—

Luke Simpkins (Cowan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Oh, come on! That is the pot calling the kettle black.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Cowan is warned.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and they all start with words like ‘end, stop, demolish’. The Leader of the Opposition is a man who can always give you a comprehensive picture of what he is opposed to but he can never give you a picture of what he stands for. He is a prize-fighter who always keeps fighting, but he no longer knows what he is fighting for. The real damage he is doing is to the nation by putting his political interests before the national interest every day. The real damage he is doing is to the heritage and legacy of the Liberal Party because, in looking for bricks to throw at the government, he is actually getting those bricks from the foundations of the Liberal Party. Competition—they used to believe in that, now he has pulled that brick out and thrown it; markets—used to believe in that, now he has picked that brick out and thrown it; balanced or surplus budgeting—used to believe in that, now he has picked that brick out and thrown it. In doing so he is destroying the political legacy and political brand of the political party that has propelled him into the leadership position he now holds. This is a pit bull that has turned on its master, and it is time the Liberal Party woke up to it.

I understand that there are a few lonely progressives in the Liberal Party who are saying: ‘Let’s have an idea. Let’s put a positive policy. Let’s put a plan.’ Those lonely progressives need some friends before this man entirely trashes everything they have ever believed in and everything they have ever stood for. He is a man determined not only to wreck the national interest but also to destroy the legacy of his political party in this country. It is remarkable.