Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

In a month's time I will have been in this place for some 16 years. One thing I learnt in my very earliest days here was that, when the leader of your party is on his or her feet, it is a good idea to get yourself into the chamber to listen to what he or she might have to say—and, of course, it is one of the roles of the whip to make sure people are aware that he or she is on his or her feet, and people usually dutifully race in to support their leader.

But I was intrigued by what took place here this afternoon, and I think it reflects the feeling of many who sit on the opposition back benches towards the Leader of the Opposition's tactics with this motion, and indeed whether he is right to be playing this political game with what is very much an independent inquiry. One minute into his speech, seven members of the opposition were in here to support their leader—

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