Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The major problem with those opposite is that they do not realise where they sit in the Asian Century nor the opportunities that are there. And that was a great misunderstanding.

They are banging the old beat-up-the-foreigner drum loudly at the moment, which goes down like a bucket of cold sick amongst our trading neighbours around us. It is unbelievable. To sabotage the job opportunities that will come by us embracing Asia, they take the VIP off for a 20 minute conference to Sydney to say Asians are stealing our houses, Asians are stealing our land, they are towing it back to China, towing it back to wherever. It was xenophobia writ large, shameful. It belongs to the first parliament of Australia that was debating the White Australia policy rather than the 44th Parliament that should be embracing the Asian century. It was disgraceful.

Labor believes in a strong economy that delivers opportunity for all Australians and does not leave people behind. We saw how flawed the Prime Minister is. There are 39 backbenchers and a line-up of ministers that are disappointed and prepared to change. But it does not matter who they choose, whether it be the communications minister or the foreign affairs minister. It does not matter who the Labor Party is up against because we know what they stand for. We saw their Real Solutions for all Australians

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