Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It never ceases to amaze me that senators from the opposition can come in here and try to lecture the new Labor government about integrity. The previous speaker talked about learning from past leaders. Well, I can say one thing for sure—that those people on this side and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will not take any lessons from Scott Morrison, from Malcolm Turnbull or from Tony Abbott. We have set a very high standard when it comes to the ministerial Code of Conduct. We also have set out to the Australian people our plan when it comes to legislating a national anticorruption commission. We will deliver on that.

But let's not forget that the integrity of a government doesn't lie just with a ministerial code of conduct. Let's not forget the waste and rorts—and that's clearly what they were; they were rorts by the former government. So, the hypocrisy of those on that side—to come into this chamber and try to sing their virtues: 'We did nothing wrong.' Let's also talk about the dishonesty they perpetuate in this place in relation to the trillion-dollar debt they have left. This hasn't just been left to the Australian government, to the Albanese Labor government. This is a debt that has been bestowed on the Australian people. To come into this chamber, as they do, trying to say that this was all about the pandemic, is quite wrong. It is in fact a lie.

Let's also not forget the $20 billion in JobKeeper money that was paid to companies who profited. Let's not forget about the lack of integrity and honesty of those opposite when they were in government in relation to the billions of dollars spent on the French submarines—but there were no subs. What they did deliver was a blow to the French government and the relationship between the two countries. Again, because of our government's integrity, because of the leadership of the Prime Minister, we have gone about renewing and restoring that relationship. Let's also not forget—because I think this is one that will stay in the Australian psyche for such a long, long time—the $660 million car park rorts. Those opposite were going to build these car parks where there were no trains.

If you want to come in here and lecture us about integrity and standards, then I would say that people in glass houses should not throw stones. Let's also go back to—what was it?—the $100 million sports rorts. These are the same people who come into this chamber, as they did today in question time. I know there'll be a further contribution from those on the other side, but let's get real here. Do you really think that the Australian people are going to put their faith in what you say on the standards that your government set and that they would want to measure ours against those? Because they will not. They will not.

I know it takes a little while to get used to opposition. Those opposite are not very happy because today we have passed climate change—another election commitment that we took to the federal election—and so they're all a bit sore and a bit narky today. I guess it's been another long week. The former senator reminded us that we've only had three sitting weeks. Well, the reality is the Albanese Labor government is setting a standard, a very high standard, and we will work to make sure that our standards are upheld. But our standard is so much higher than anything that those opposite had when they were in government, and even that very low standard was never, ever met.