Jason Clare (Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Home Affairs ) Share this | Hansard source

This is why standing orders should not be suspended—because these are the things we could have discussed in question time, and these are the things we will have the opportunity to discuss when the matter of public importance comes up after this debate. The Liberal Party lecturing anyone about cuts is a bit like Ralph Malph lecturing the Fonz about cool. These guys are experts when it comes to cuts. And this is why standing orders should not be suspended. A couple of weeks ago the shadow minister said that the decision of the CEO of Customs to reduce the size of the SES by 11 people could be described as 'drastic action'. I would ask the shadow minister: how does he compare that with the 12,000 people that he wants to sack from the Australian Public Service? The Leader of the Opposition has made it clear that that will happen in education, in health and in defence.

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