Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to his answers in question time yesterday. When asked last night if she had any idea at all why the government got rid of Malcolm Turnbull, the Deputy Leader of the National Party said, 'No.' Given the Prime Minister failed to answer this same question yesterday, can the Prime Minister now tell the Australian people and his colleagues why the government got rid of Malcolm Turnbull?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I didn't come to the leadership seeking to change it. There's someone else in this chamber who knows all about rolling leaders and putting knives in their backs, and that's the Leader of the Opposition. There is a litany of victims at the hands of the Leader of the Opposition, and they don't just extend to this place here; they extend to the workers he said he used to represent. This Leader of the Opposition is union-bred, union-fed and union-led. That's the Leader of the Opposition, who now wants to run this country like a union. That's what he proudly proclaims.

I came to this position of leadership not seeking it, in support of the previous Prime Minister. My colleagues chose me to lead the party, to take charge when placed in command, and ensure that Australia continues to build an even stronger Australia under this government. This is a government, since we were elected five years ago under the member for Warringah and under the former member for Wentworth, that has been delivering for Australians. A new generation of leadership is taking up that mantle for the Liberal Party, and we are putting the bitterness of the past behind us. The Leader of the Opposition, the Leader of the Labor Party, has been bred, fed and led in a culture of union militancy that he wants to impose on the Australian people. He knows all about those issues. He's been running those sorts of shonky shows for years.

Mr Husic interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Chifley!