Rex Patrick (SA, Centre Alliance) | Hansard source

Thank you, Madam Acting Deputy President. So, the contribution from the Labor Party was that they said that they wanted to get briefings. The government has said they're not going to give briefings. So what are you going to do? Are you going to run a private inquiry where people can contribute privately without privilege and people don't get to make submissions? Are you going to call for submissions? Is the Labor Party going to put out a call for submissions for their private deliberations on this really important issue? That's the disappointing thing—you're supposed to be a party of government. You're supposed to take these matters seriously. We're calling for an inquiry into the most important relationship this country will have over the next two, three, four decades. Long gone is the situation where we had a strategic partner and an economic partner that was the UK and the US. That has gone, and we now need to consider properly this particular relationship. And you have failed to do this. This is another failure of the Labor Party. But do you know what? Once again, I live in hope that in about two years time you might have built up the courage to take on the government in this chamber and not direct your concerns at a crossbencher. In some sense I'm flattered, but it is really not inspiring.

I'll go to the government's response. Sorry, Senator Dunnyham, everyone likes you in this chamber. I've never heard anyone speak ill of you, but I have to say your performance tonight—