Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to pay my respects to those Australians around the country today who are doing it tough because of the pandemic and I would to acknowledge that this is a particularly difficult time for many Australians. I would also like to apologise, if the Prime Minister won't, on behalf of this government for its policy failure in the last 12 months. Australians are not only having to arm themselves against the anxiety of being in a pandemic and potentially getting the virus, repeated lockdowns, loss of individual freedoms, the depression that goes with these significant changes they're seeing in their lives, the loss of income and the loss of work; they are also having to arm themselves against the incompetence and stupidity of this government and against the U-turns, back flips, excuses, policy failures and lies.

It's no wonder with the mixed and conflicting information that's been out there, some of it still being peddled by coalition backbenchers, that Australians are confused, angry and anxious. It's no wonder that they are lashing out and protesting. It's no wonder some are vulnerable to misinformation in this time of fake news. It's no wonder that many won't listen to the facts and the science considering what has happened in this place in the last decade and how often this government and coalition senators have turned their backs on the science of things like climate change. Why should people listen to the government on COVID when it's actually a climate-denying government? It's no wonder. Australians are trying to get their lives back on track, and we have to do everything we can to help them.