Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Let's talk about Wentworth. Specifically, let's talk about the most recent member for Wentworth, Malcolm Turnbull. He used to be fond of saying that we, in Australia, are the most successful multicultural nation on earth. How the times have changed. How they have changed in the Liberal Party in just a few short weeks. How they have changed in Australia thanks to the lack of leadership from the government when it comes to the issue of race.

John Howard, a former leader of the Liberal Party and a former Prime Minister of this country, knew that One Nation and its divisive and racist rhetoric was the wrong prescription for this country. He shunned them. He rejected the racist rhetoric. How times have changed. Yesterday, the Liberal Party did a complete 180. They walked into this chamber and, instead of following the lead of John Howard and of Malcolm Turnbull, they followed the lead of Pauline Hanson. They followed the lead of One Nation. They deliberately chose, knowing exactly what they were doing. Does anyone in this chamber or this country really believe that Senator Cormann and the ministers and the senators in the Liberal Party are so poorly prepared and so ill equipped to be senators and officeholders in this country that they don't know what they're voting on? They walked into this chamber and knowingly voted with white supremacist racist rhetoric, to stand with Pauline Hanson and One Nation.

We have a by-election in Wentworth this Saturday. We have a by-election in Wentworth where the Liberal Party has endorsed a Jewish candidate. He must be appalled.