Matt Thistlethwaite (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Once again what we have seen from those opposite is a complete lack of leadership on a very important public policy debate in this country. We have seen a complete ignorance of the facts and of the advice of experts on a very difficult and emotive area of public policy. Unfortunately, it is becoming a bit of a habit of those opposite to ignore the facts, to ignore the advice of experts and to spread untruths in the Australian community on important public policy issues. We have seen that again today when they tried to rubbish the Treasury modelling on a carbon price. They have said that Labor's plan will not work and they have spread untruths about that. They have ignored the advice of all expert economists and expert scientists when it comes to that public policy issue, and here we see it again on a very important, very emotive and very difficult public policy issue—one on which in many countries there is bipartisan support and leadership from both opposition and government when it comes to dealing with it. They are ignoring the advice of experts.

The Leader of the Opposition was offered a briefing from departmental advisers and from no less than the head of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Andrew Metcalfe, a person who I will add that former Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs Amanda Vanstone has described as a first-class public servant—an overwhelming endorsement from a previous immigration minister. What does Tony Abbott do, upon the advice of Andrew Metcalfe? He completely ignores his advice. He completely ignores the advice in the wake of the High Court decision. The Leader of the Opposition was briefed on the ramifications of the High Court decision. The Leader of the Opposition was briefed on the fact that—