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

I thank the member for Wentworth for his question. I understand that the member for Wentworth is disappointed that Independent senators—including Senator Xenophon, whom he refers to—are taking a constructive approach of thinking through information, receiving information, studying the question and endeavouring to make a decision in the national interest. They are taking a thorough and proper approach to assessing a piece of legislation before them. I understand that he is disappointed by that because it is a stark contrast to what he was advocating to them, which was wreck at all costs—in order to fit in with the opposition’s strategy, wreck at all costs.

We know that in this parliament, when it has come to considering the profound micro-economic reform of structural separation of Telstra, there have been three approaches. The government came determined to deliver this major micro-economic reform to conclude 30 years of reform work; the crossbenchers came into this parliament anxious to absorb information, think deeply about the issue and exercise votes in the national interest; and the opposition came in determined to wreck. The information has always been irrelevant to them.

The reason we never agreed with the member for Wentworth’s call for a referral to the Productivity Commission is that, just as the words came out of his mouth, he indicated that whatever the findings—whatever the Productivity Commission said—the opposition was determined to wreck. He made it absolutely apparent that, even if the Productivity Commission gave this project gold stars all over the page, the opposition would not absorb that information, that it was determined to wreck. I understand that the determination to wreck is increasingly controversial within the opposition. I understand that when the member for Wentworth sits there with a melancholy face that is because this question of just having negative approaches to everything is increasingly controversial within the opposition. I refer members of the House to an article in the Sydney Morning Herald‘Abbott assures colleagues new policies will emerge next year’. We would like to see that.

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