Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Acting Deputy President, you can always tell when Senator Carr’s arguments are either spurious or based on irrelevancies because the volume always increases massively. You could tell that by the end of that little 15-minute spray Senator Carr was going hoarse. That, if you need to measure the depth or quality of his arguments, is the ultimate test. When he is hoarse at the end of 15 minutes you know that the arguments are so hollow that he is either misleading you about it or seeking to exaggerate. The voice gets louder and louder and ultimately he ends up hoarse.

In the time available to me I will make a couple of points. I am pleased to see on the list that Senator Brandis and Senator Scullion will be supporting the government’s case in relation to the motion that Senator Carr has moved. I am sure that Senator Brandis will address some of the legal issues. Senator Carr, in his normal way, has moved a motion against a minister and then wandered out of the chamber in his arrogant style, not prepared to listen to the argument. I think Senator Kemp actually put that to us earlier. He said that Senator Carr will always attack you if you are not in the chamber. Now he moves an attack, says that I should not have this job, and then wanders out of this chamber.