George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Dead right, she interjects. This chamber, ever since 1948, has been elected on a proportional representation franchise and that means, as we know, that it is a rare occasion that the government has a majority. So every government whether it be Labor or whether it be Liberal has an obligation, not out of anything other than respect for the Australian people, to deal with all elements of the crossbench and in doing so—unashamedly doing so—we do not say we agree with them. There are occasions on which the government last year accepted support from the Greens. We do not have any time for the Greens either but that does not mean to say that we do not respect our constitutional obligation to respect the wishes and the decision of the Australian people.

As for you, Senator Sam Dastyari, clownishly yelling out 'shame, shame'. What were you doing last Thursday, Senator Sam Dastyari? Because I am reliably informed that you were in Senator Hanson's office trying to do deals with her. So let us not have any crocodile tears from you, Senator Sam Dastyari, because that is what I am told.