Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I take these issues very seriously. The government takes these issues very seriously. But at a time when we have economic volatility in Europe and a time when Australia is on the cusp of fantastic opportunities, what are those opposite doing in the parliament? They are getting out the mud bucket! That is what they are doing! They are not in here talking about the big issues that Australians want them to talk about. This Leader of the Opposition has got the mud bucket out, because this Leader of the Opposition is always about confrontation. For him, his leadership is the political equivalent of 'bringing back the biff'. The problem with that is that when you bring back the biff, people get hurt. We understand on this side of the House how important it is to respect the separation of powers, to respect the fact that when people have a charge against them they are entitled to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. But not in the modern Liberal Party. They have taken the wrecking ball to any convention— (Time expired)

Ms Julie Bishop interjecting—

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