Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I will defer only to you, Senator. I have never heard them raise these subjects or these concerns before. But we do not expect them to support anything the government does. In the 387 divisions that have occurred in this Senate during the term of this government, the Greens have voted with the government on 13 occasions. Let me say that one more time: out of almost 400 divisions, they have voted with the government on 13 occasions. I was present on one of those occasions, when it was accidental—they simply were not quick enough to get up and get across the chamber. So when their contribution attacks the government it is expected, because everything—every contribution they make to every single debate in this place—is antigovernment. They should go home and crawl into bed with Senator Lambie because, between them, they are determined never to support an initiative of the government. They do not allow any of the facts—facts on the public record—to intimidate them with respect to their presentations. It is a shame—an absolute shame.

When we come to those opposite, who have been critical of some of the outcomes in this space, it is a matter of public record that when they are referring to Closing the Gap outcomes that have been published, they refer to those from their term of government. They refer back to their own failures. This government is determined, and this has been expressed many, many times, to produce outcomes in the areas of getting people to work in our Indigenous communities; producing a safer environment, where acts of violence are not multiples of 10 times more likely to occur, particularly to women and children in those communities, than they are in mainstream Australia; providing access to education; and providing a safe environment where people have access to meaningful work.

Senator Wright interjecting—

You may disagree with it, Senator, but you should—