Julian McGauran (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

This week marks three years in office for Labor. Those in government usually take the opportunities available to them in all the different forums of the Senate to mark the occasion, but we have seen nothing of the sort from Labor. In fact, they seem to be avoiding the occasion. Only the previous speaker, who laboriously read from a script, has made any attempt to mark what Labor have done in the past three years. The government are so deep in the mire of their problems that they really do not want to know about their three years in government. They are not in the mood to celebrate, self-reflect or even offer some gratitude for the time they have had in government. It is a great privilege to be in government; it is the golden era of any parliamentarian, and they ought to treat it like that. Instead, they come in here with long faces. They are unhappy. The government is fracturing. We notice it from this side of the chamber.

I have taken the trouble to do a report card for the Labor government’s three years. Firstly, in their first three years they have had two prime ministers. If you liked Kevin Rudd you will certainly love Julia Gillard.