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

Let us go to the allegation that was outrageously made by Senator Ronaldson, who cannot wait to get out of the chamber. Come back, Senator Ronaldson, sit in your spot and listen to this, because maybe you ought to have read the Hansard. When Senator Abetz yesterday asked his supplementary question, this is what he said, and I quote directly from the Hansard:

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. In that case, how much will Mr Bracks be paid per day, seeing that it was not denied that he was going to be appointed?

That is out of Senator Abetz’s mouth. It was not denied by the senator that Mr Bracks was going to be appointed. Can’t you read the Hansard? That is why Senator Abetz would have been embarrassed. I made no allegation about why he is not here today, but if he were here today he probably would have pulled you up and said, ‘Don’t be stupid. Senator Carr did not mislead the chamber.’ Those were his own words. You only have to pick up the Hansard and read it to see that Senator Abetz admits in his supplementary question that Senator Carr did not deny that Mr Bracks was going to be appointed to head this review. Enough of that.

We all know—we have been around long enough to know—that, if you seriously thought that, every question would have been asked about that. It was a pathetic effort. It really goes to the integrity of this place. To accuse a minister of misleading the Senate in a question really goes pretty damn low. But, then again, it is only your first week in opposition. I know it must be difficult—