Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister to the Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Rankin for that five-minute presentation, which, really, amounted to a series of abuses against the Assistant Treasurer. There was no comment about the bill or the impacts of the bill, which, I understand, the Labor Party is completely supporting, as it is the government's amendments. I understand the opposition supports every objective of the government in this important area—the Corporations Amendment (Life Insurance Remuneration Arrangements) Bill 2016. Not only does the opposition support the government's intention, but they also support the government's legislation and processes and, indeed, they have spoken so in the House.

The member for Rankin asked me a question in relation to the operation of the Liberal Party in Australia. I will give him an answer, because I think it deserves an answer. In the Liberal Party, disagreement is not division. If you have a different opinion on something, you are allowed to disagree. Let us contrast that with what happens in the Labor Party. If you disagree on something—if you are Joe Bullock and you believe that marriage is between a man and a woman—you are forced to resign from your own party. You are forced to resign from parliament because you disagree. That is what the modern Labor Party has come to. We handle disagreement well. You are allowed to disagree on policy. It is a genuinely liberal party.

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