Laura Smyth (La Trobe, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Truly extraordinary stuff, member for Moreton. So, for an archaic grievance debate we have quite the archaic set of circumstances presented by conservative governments around the country. Not so many weeks ago they were all very loud on the topic of free speech—very loud indeed. But how things change. What was old has become new again and I do not doubt that precisely the same attitude would be revealed very early under a coalition government were they to be elected.

I am speaking today about concerns that I have in relation to my own state government in Victoria, concerns in relation to the Queensland government and concerns relating to conservative governments right around Australia. They are the stories about housing and what this government has done and is doing in relation to housing, and the apparent lack of housing policy at a state level, that obviously people in conservative parties around the country do not want to be discussed within community settings or do not want to be discussed by not-for-profit organisations.

It is the same with our policies on education. They do not want us to talk to schools; they do not want us to talk to parents; they do not want us out there in the community speaking to people about progressive, future-looking policies that are in the best interests of this nation. And rather than rebut them, rather than debate them on their merits, they scurry away and deny people the opportunity to debate. On that note, I must put on the record that I look forward to the opportunity to have a debate with the representative of the Liberal Party who is contesting the electorate of La Trobe. I am yet to have the opportunity to have that debate and it is regrettable.

See this speech in context