Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

He purports to take the moral high ground yet contradicts himself in his very next breath. While Venezuela is neither a major trading partner nor rates highly in Australia’s political consciousness, this does not give the Treasurer licence to insult the democratically elected leader of a sovereign nation—the very thing he accuses Chavez of. By doing this, he gravely risks jeopardising our international relationship, all in the name of cheap political point-scoring. I suppose the Treasurer could always google the phrase ‘the pot calling the kettle black’.

These half-baked, internet researched, politically opportunistic attacks demean us in the eyes of the world. Instead of focusing on some of the world’s most brutal regimes and the systems which prop them up, or having a discussion around how we can promote peace and prosperity, our Treasurer gets on the internet for a surf.

I ask the Treasurer and the Foreign Minister: have there been any diplomatic repercussions from this? Has the government received any protests from the representatives of the democratic nation of Venezuela? I suspect I will not get an answer, given that the Treasurer will not want to face up to the consequences of his remarks. It is also unlikely that I will get an answer given the short attention span of this government and its lack of attention to detail—details like public policy and how it affects people’s lives.

This experience also shows how the media will go along with anything that is put in the public sphere, often without challenge. Of all the journalists who mentioned the Treasurer’s commentary, only one—Misha Schubert of the Agehad the professionalism to contact my office in an attempt to verify the facts of the matter. All the other media outlets just ran it verbatim.

We all know that John Howard has been very successful in staying at the top, and keeping Peter Costello’s ambitions well in check. In turn, Peter Costello has sought to outdo the Prime Minister in all areas political. Well, I offer the Treasurer a small tip: when it comes to a lack of research and ignorant commentary, you do not have to try and outdo the Prime Minister. Just because the Prime Minister put his foot in his mouth over his unwavering support for George W Bush and the Iraq invasion, that does not mean that you, Treasurer, have to immediately come up with your own ill-informed commentary on Venezuela. Just because the Prime Minister can go without research or consultation on his major policies does not mean that you have to as well.

It may just be the Treasurer’s competitive streak. It may be peer pressure. Whatever it is, it is not an excuse. This government has become ignorant and arrogant. It treats the people, the parliament and now even leaders of sovereign democratic nations with contempt. And I personally cannot wait until the men and women of Australia get to return the favour.