Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I will begin by supporting the words of my colleague from Tasmania. Senator Nash is an extraordinary senator and an extraordinary minister. She is a great representative of New South Wales, a fine role model and an honest minister, extraordinarily hardworking and extremely competent. She is genuinely making a difference to people's lives in regional Australia. The personal targeting of Senator Nash by those opposite in the last couple of days, the last couple of question times, is nothing short of scandalous. To discuss the issue of her citizenship over and over again is little more than opportunistic at best and certainly grubby at worst. The only time, Senator Watt, that Senator Nash's citizenship is a distraction is in question time.

In fact, for the last two days we have seen incredible tactics by those opposite. Coincidentally, before today, it seemed that almost all the questions from those opposite came from female senators, which I think was scandalous—a warped schoolyard mentality that those opposite should be ashamed of. At least today, although it was disingenuous in the extreme, you used the shroud of policy to cover up your criticisms of Senator Nash. It is quite amazing that those opposite continue to discuss issues of no interest to ordinary Australians. Senator Watt came in here talking about what's important to his state, yet he continues to talk about section 44. I can assure you section 44 is of no interest to anybody in Townsville or Bundaberg or Mackay. It's of no interest to anybody in Albany or Bunbury, for Senator Sterle. It is of absolutely no interest whatsoever to anybody in Albury or Gosford or Bathurst or Orange, for Senator Cameron. It is of no interest at all to anyone in Ceduna or Whyalla, for Senator Wong. Speaking as a senator for Victoria, it is of no interest whatsoever to anybody in Ballarat or Shepparton or Wangaratta or Geelong or Warrnambool or Hamilton.

It is so frustrating for those of us on this side of the chamber to see Senator Nash, who does an extraordinary job in regional Australia, being attacked so unnecessarily. She was asked a question today on energy policy—how disingenuous was that? She was the wrong minister to ask that question of, and those opposite knew that. Senator Birmingham was the correct minister to ask, yet you pushed Senator Nash, asking her that question as a shroud to criticise her over her citizenship status. That is extraordinary. You know full well that, had you asked that question of Senator Birmingham, the most appropriate minister, you would have heard exactly how the Turnbull government is putting downward pressure on energy prices, with two million households getting better deals, transparency and clarity in comparing deals, intervention in the gas market that ensures domestic supply, abolition of limited merits reviews to stop the networks gaming the system, and of course the announcement of Snowy Hydro 2.0—a game-changing renewable energy policy. Mr Marles said the ALP knew that gas prices would rise when you opened the market to foreign exports. This has been a shameless deflection by Senator Cameron, shrouding Senator Nash's citizenship issue with energy policy questions. What extraordinary behaviour, rather than talking about what's important to Australians.

What is important to Australians? This government is dealing with exactly what is important to Australians. First of all, there is a national security issue that overrides anything else. Quite frankly, we are at a point where North Korea is displaying a level of brinkmanship that we probably haven't seen since the Cuban missile crisis, yet that did not come up even once today from this opposition. No-one asked about the security threats, about the grave danger posed by North Korea and what the Turnbull government is doing about it by committing to a path of diplomatic and economic pressure. No-one asked about the economy—extraordinary. Rather than talking about promoting investment, encouraging entrepreneurship, reducing red tape and the burdensome bureaucracy, lowering taxes and supporting more jobs, you spoke again about Senator Nash. Shame on the opposition. Tomorrow, please talk about something that matters to ordinary Australians. (Time expired)