Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

I used to think that they moved a suspension of standing orders every day at 10 to three so that they could get on TV prior to Play School. But that explanation does not cut it today because they waited until 25 past three. So the only possible explanation for such a weak resolution as suspension to be moved by the opposition is that they want the opportunity to sit on the government benches, if only for a couple of minutes during the division. So desperate are they to sit on this side of the House that they come in here and move a pathetic resolution, a weak resolution, coming on the back of one of the worst question time performances—and there have been some doozies—that they have had this entire year.

We move to the end of 2011 and we know there have been 235 bills passed through this House; we know that the government have the carbon pricing through; we know that there is support for a minerals resource rent tax regime; we know that we have had the structural separation of Telstra voted for overwhelmingly by all the Telstra shareholders; we know the National Broadband Network is being rolled out; we know we had record infrastructure spending in roads and rail and ports; and we know that the government's agenda on education means that schools are being opened as a result of the Building the Education Revolution with new halls, new facilities, new computers and new sports fields. We know that the opposition are desperate about that, even though they opposed them. We know that the government's health agenda is flowing through with new GP superclinics and new hospital infrastructure across the board. We know that this is a government that is delivering.

Those opposite, as they near the end of the parliamentary year, are getting more and more desperate. Because, with the walking vuvuzela over there that parades himself as the opposition leader—all opposition and no leader—you can only believe one word he says and that is when he says 'no', because you know that that is of conviction. 'No' to action on climate change, 'no' to action on the NBN, 'no' to national hospital reform, 'no' to assistance for the steel industry, 'no' to helping problem gamblers, 'no' to higher pensions, and 'no' to lower personal business taxes.

Although they do change occasionally—such as they did on superannuation. They have read a bit of research that the walking vuvuzela is running up against reality: that those people whose attention he got in the early stages are growing tired of the fact that there is just one noise. There is no vision for Australia's future on any issue whatsoever. He is the stuntman of Australian politics where no platform is too low. The inconsistency of those opposite and the rank opportunism whereby they are prepared to oppose—even things they say they support they oppose. He is the only living Liberal leader who opposes putting a price on carbon.

Let us have a look at their resolution. They want to get the suspension of standing orders through so that they can speak on this today. This is a cracker. They quote the Prime Minister as saying:

It is … wrong to suggest that the Treasury modelling of the government's Clean Energy Future program depends on the United States putting a price on carbon …

And then the quote that they say contradicts it—the big killer blow to the Prime Minister—does not even mention the United States in their motion. It does not say a word about the United States. They know that in fact in the United States you have an economy such as California, the eighth largest economy in the world—an economy bigger than Australia's—that is taking action on climate change. They know that across the world we have action taking place but those opposite are inconsistent about this to an extraordinary degree. We should not be surprised, because the former Leader of the Opposition Malcolm Turnbull had this to say about the current Leader of the Opposition when it came to climate change:

His only redeeming virtue in this remarkable lack of conviction is that every time he announced a new position to me he would preface it with, 'Mate, mate, I know I am a bit of a weathervane on this but...'

That is what the former Leader of the Opposition had to say.

The only strategy they have is for the Manager of Opposition Business is to try and block the camera during this speech. That is what they are reduced to. You can imagine them sitting around, talking tactics: 'We'll ask a question about climate change. Yes, there's no link between what the Prime Minister said, no contradiction between that and what we allege is the big killer blow, but we won't let that worry us. We'll move a suspension motion regardless, because even though we lose it, even though it is impossible for us to get a suspension through'—and there have been more suspensions moved by this opposition this year than by any opposition in Australia's political history since Federation. When they talk it through, they say: 'At least we'll get to sit on the government benches for a couple of minutes. So, let's do it.'

What we are suffering from is the longest political dummy spit in Australia's political history. This desperate Leader of the Opposition knows that his relentless negativity is jarring against the Australian public. The 'no, no, no, no, no, no', the walking vuvuzela that is the Leader of the Opposition, is jarring against the Australian public. They know that there is nothing constructive to say, but this is the highlight of their day. I urge the counters, the deputy whips, to count slowly so that they get to sit on the government benches for an extra 30 seconds or an extra minute. It will be the highlight of the opposition's day.

They come in here and they talk only negativity. Remember when the global financial crisis, according to the Leader of the Opposition, was going to lead to massive debt and deep recession? Then in 2009 he said: 'All of the money that they are spending is not going to stop us going into recession. It's not going to stop the recession being long and deep. I would argue that the recession will be worse in the long run, because of the measures that they've taken.' That is what he had to say about the global financial crisis in 2009. But what does he actually say when he is hit with the reality of being at a serious economic debate overseas, where they know that Australian economic performance is regarded by all—including President Obama, the United States and all the European leaders—as being the envy of the world for what we were able to achieve through the economic stimulus plan? What does he say? What is his real view? It is this. He said:

This year, Australia’s economic growth is expected to be one and three quarters per cent; our unemployment rate about five and a quarter per cent; our net government debt … about 8 per cent of GDP; our collective budget deficits just under four per cent of GDP and net interest payments just under 2 per cent of government outlays.

…    …    …

On the face of this comparative performance, Australia has serious bragging rights. Compared to most developed countries, our economic circumstances are enviable.

That is what the Leader of the Opposition had to say about the Australian economy on 10 November. The shadow finance minister is so desperate to be consulted, but the only time the Leader of the Opposition will talk to him is when he sits next to him in the chamber! I would stick to trying to get a phone call about a meeting, if I were you. They are trying to drag down the Treasurer's performance today. They ask a question, forgetting the $70 billion black hole!

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