Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Before voting later this evening each member of the Liberal Party should consult some people in their electorate. They should ask them whether or not they believe the Liberal Party should vote in favour of jobs in these difficult days. They should ask them whether they think the Liberal Party should vote in favour of nation building in these difficult days. They should ring a business person and ask them what they think about the contemporary economic situation and the need for fiscal stimulus and, having got that feedback from the outside world, later tonight they should come into this parliament and do what they ought to have done last week and vote for these bills. Do not seek to evade the political responsibility of what your leader committed you to. You are at the logical end point of that. If you want to deny the nation this stimulus package, take the political responsibility for it. But I suggest to every member of the opposition that they consult someone in their electorate and they will get a very different view.

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