Gavan O'Connor (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries) Share this | Hansard source

I withdraw that comment. Once again my anger is rising. What a contrast between the attitudes of the member for O’Connor and Senator Bill Heffernan! I have on occasions agreed with Senator Heffernan and I have worked with him to get agendas up in the Senate and to get some scrutiny on ministerial decisions. But what did Senator Heffernan say tonight? He said, ‘Let us all just move on.’ Let us all just forget about the damage to Australia’s trading reputation, the damage to farm families and the damage to Australia’s great wheat industry. Let us all move on from a catastrophe courtesy of the Liberal and National parties. The honourable member for Hume was here. He did not participate in this debate, but I know he is a straight shooter and I know what he thinks of the National Party, and it is not too far removed from the views that have been expressed by the member for O’Connor.

In conclusion, what is at stake here? It is the future of democratic practice in this country and the great doctrine of ministerial responsibility under the Westminster system that lies at the core of our parliamentary system. What breathtaking hypocrisy that we should commit Australian blood and Australian lives to a conflict on the basis that we need to engender democratic practice and systems in those countries, and yet we have to suffer what we have seen in the last 24 hours, supposedly in a jewel in democracy’s crown, this great Australian nation. All of us have been betrayed by this government—all of us on all sides of the political fence who believe passionately in the democracy that has made Australia great. The betrayal is felt not just by farm families, and I say to them tonight: we feel your pain and we feel your sense of betrayal, because this Prime Minister and his government have betrayed us as well. They have trashed our trading reputation. Australia’s international political reputation is now at stake. Australia’s wheat industry’s reputation has been compromised, and down on the farm all they can do is look in dismay at the betrayal of the Howard government.

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