Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Several months ago I spoke in this chamber about the opposition's slide towards Tea Party style tactics. I cited evidence showing that this development has distorted the coalition's decision-making on policies of national importance and led to a limitless strategy of obstructionism and defiance. In deciding to fight every day in Tea Party mode no tactic has been deemed too petty or excessive. This week the coalition reached a new low by denying a pair to a mother, Michelle Rowland, who was trying to return home and care for a sick 14-month-old child. Like the rest of Australia I was stunned that the coalition had sunk this low.

It is not just the coalition's stance on key issues or mean-spirited political tactics that we should be concerned about. It is something even more fundamental: the denigration of political debate in Australia that is being driven by the opposition leader and his team.

In America, this sort of shrill, fear-driven campaigning led to the tragic shooting of United States congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. How much further will the opposition leader go until his tactics lead to a similar disaster occurring in Australia? Already the political narrative, relentlessly pursued by the opposition leader and shadow Treasurer, has unleashed responses in some sections of the public that are honestly quite frightening. This can be largely attributed to the fact that coalition politicians are free to associate themselves with Tea Party style protests which place a premium on ignorance, and disregard informed decision or discussion of policy or leadership. We should never forget Tony Abbott's call for a 'people's revolt', which saw a series of aggressive demonstrations and a new type of political extremism in Australia. The alternative leader of this country was standing proudly in front of 'ditch the witch' placards at a time when death threats were sent to Independent MPs. That is the calibre of the opposition.

At one anti carbon price rally in July 2011, some participants suggested to the shadow Treasurer that Australians should 'take up arms against the government'. What sort of hysterical, pitchfork-carrying nonsense is this? The look on Joe Hockey's face was one of alarm at just what his party has unleashed in Australia. Now it is out of control and these voices are growing louder. We saw it when the protesters swarmed outside Minister Albanese's electorate office in Sydney and hurled abuse at him, calling him 'a maggot', amongst other things. Members of the coalition, including the member for Indi, Sophie Mirabella, were right there next to the protestors carrying placards that read, 'Tolerance is our demise,' and 'Carbon dioxide is not pollution'.

Perhaps the worst offender has to be the Consumers and Taxpayers Association, CATA—the group responsible for many of these hate filled public events in recent times. This includes the protests featuring the infamous 'ditch the witch' placards I mentioned a moment ago. Although Tony Abbott has since distanced himself slightly, in March this year we still had Barnaby Joyce and Liberal member for Hughes, Craig Kelly—