Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It may have escaped the attention of Labor senators in this place—it might have even escaped the attention of Mr Bill Shorten, the Leader of the Opposition—but time is running out for the Australian Labor Party. This year, 2015, was meant to be the year of big ideas for the Australian Labor Party.

Senator Gallacher interjecting—

I know that you are not inclined to trust things from a coalition senator, but it is now the end of November and tomorrow is the beginning of December. Time is running out. We thought that this was going to be the year of big ideas, but what did we get in today's question time in the Australian Senate? We had a lame question from Senator Collins with respect to the so-called James Ashby affair and we had a lame question from Senator Gallacher.

Senator Gallacher interjecting—

I will specifically address your question in a moment, Senator Gallacher, because the way that you presented the submarine issue was not entirely accurate. This is where we are up to on 30 November, with one more month and just a few sitting days to go, in Labor's year of big ideas. You would think that, having announced a big idea on the weekend—a big idea that is going to cost Australian families and Australian businesses—and announcing his climate change targets, Bill Shorten might have instructed his Labor senators to come into the Australian Senate and argue—