Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment) Share this | Hansard source

Today is a sad day because we have seen a great Australian, a good Australian, a good man, a good senator and a good minister step aside from his duties. That is unfortunate. As I said in this place yesterday, I am proud to call Senator Arthur Sinodinos a colleague; I am proud to call him a friend. He is someone who has made an outstanding contribution to public life in Australia and someone who I am confident will continue to make an outstanding contribution to public life in Australia.

We have seen in this place over the last couple of days an unfortunate, regrettable and terrible smear campaign waged by those opposite, who have attempted to turn this fine institution, the Australian Senate, into nothing more than a kangaroo court where they have ignored any sense of proper processes; where they have ignored any sense of fair process; where they have simply, for their own base, political ends, sought to smear and bring down the reputation of a good Australian, a good senator and a good minister. They have lost all sense of perspective in this matter. When challenged to identify what the specific wrongdoings or allegations are against Senator Sinodinos, they have been found wanting.