House debates Motions

Prime Minister

Thursday, 6 February 2020 House of Representatives

Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition

3:04 pm

I seek leave to move the following motion:

That the House:

(1) notes the Prime Minister:

  (a) is incapable of expressing regret and admitting when he is wrong;

  (b ) blames others and attempts to cover up his failings with false or misleading claims, including but in no way limited to the Prime Minister's:

     (i) claim the response to the national bushfire crisis was a matter for the states and territories;

     (ii) claim volunteer firefighters didn't need compensation because they wanted to be there;

     (iii) statement that he didn't hold a hose when Australians were looking to him for national leadership in an unprecedented bushfire crisis; and

     (iv) claim he had a conversation with a bushfire survivor who had lost everything when he instead forced her to shake his hand only to turn his back when she asked for help; and

  (c) can't learn from his mistakes if he never admits them; and

(2) therefore, calls on the Prime Minister to put the national interest ahead of his political interest.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Leader of the Opposition from moving the following motion immediately—That the House:

(1) notes the Prime Minister:

  (a) is incapable of expressing regret and admitting when he is wrong;

  (b )blames others and attempts to cover up his failings with false or misleading claims, including but in no way limited to the Prime Minister's:

     (i) claim the response to the national bushfire crisis was a matter for the states and territories;

     (ii) claim volunteer firefighters didn't need compensation because they wanted to be there;

     (iii) statement that he didn't hold a hose when Australians were looking to him for national leadership in an unprecedented bushfire crisis; and

     (iv) claim he had a conversation with a bushfire survivor who had lost everything when he instead forced her to shake his hand only to turn his back when she asked for help; and

  (c) can't learn from his mistakes if he never admits them; and

(2) therefore, calls on the Prime Minister to put the national interest ahead of his political interest.

The fact is that this government has just been—

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. The Leader of the House has the call.

Christian Porter

Christian Porter Pearce, Liberal Party, Attorney-General

3:07 pm

I move:

That the Member be no longer heard.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

The question is that the Leader of the Opposition be no further heard.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

3:13 pm

Is the motion seconded?

Mr Tony Burke

Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts

I second the motion. We saw the Prime Minister's character on full display: stubborn, all about marketing—

Christian Porter

Christian Porter Pearce, Liberal Party, Attorney-General

I move:

That the Member be no longer heard.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

The Leader of the House has moved that the Manager of Opposition Business be no further heard.

Richard Marles

Richard Marles Corio, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Defence

3:16 pm

Arrogance and cowardice are what characterise this man—

Christian Porter

Christian Porter Pearce, Liberal Party, Attorney-General

I move:

That the question be now put.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

The Leader of the House has moved that the question be put.

The question is that the motion moved by the Leader of the Opposition be agreed to.