Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

If ever there was an example of overreach in a government behaving as though they are in opposition, it is what we are seeing right now. Sorry, do not expect me to get really angry about a stunt like this. This is silly, from the Leader of the House—really silly. A large number of things was said yesterday. The Leader of the House has not been willing to give me a copy of this in advance. If one of the details that is referred to is whether this happened under Leo McLeay, and if that occurred and if that detail is true—he has given me no evidence he has allowed me to read—then I am sorry that that particular statement was made. Of course I am. Of course I am willing to say I am sorry for that statement if it is inaccurate. Of course I am. But the Leader of the House waited until the end of question time and said, 'Here's the gotcha moment,' read it out, did not provide the material across the chamber and did not acknowledge the critical point: the then opposition, following that, called for the resignation of Leo McLeay and ultimately—

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