James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

It is a pleasure to speak in this matter of public importance debate and to look at the hypocrisy we have already seen in terms of mediocrity in a mere 10 minutes of this debate starting. When I think of mediocrity, I look opposite and I see a sea of mediocrity. It is something that scares me, because the Labor Party, the opposition, are the government in waiting; they are the alternative to my government. When I look at the Labor Party I am scared, I am fearful, because, if we fail to win the next election in 2½ years time, these knuckle draggers opposite, these oxygen thieves, will have their fingers on the levers of power.

To those poor people who may be listening at home, who were searching for Triple M or Triple J and accidentally wandered onto this broadcast, I say that, to understand what mediocrity is, you just have to listen to the Labor Party and watch the Labor Party. And be very, very afraid, because this is the Labor Party that is led by Bill Shorten. I am chairman of the 'Bill Shorten appreciation society', because we want Bill Shorten—