Nick Champion (Wakefield, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

All over this country blue collar workers are in revolt against a government that has forgotten Tony's tradies. Last week the member for Sturt told Adelaide ABC, 'I saved Whyalla, quite frankly.' Whyalla steelworkers are here in the building today and all they are asking is that this government live up to its rhetoric, that they back them in on procurement, dumping, co-investment and contracts. We have shipbuilders and submarine builders in this House today from ASC, from Victoria, from New South Wales and from WA. They had to read of their loss, last week, about their jobs going to Spain. They had to listen to Dan Tehan, the member for Wannon, on ABC radio yesterday. When he was asked about submarines he said, 'No decision has been taken yet; we just have to remain calm.' Well they do not want to remain calm in the face of a divided, dazed and confused government. It is a government that has had two prime ministers, two Treasurers, three defence ministers, a revolving door in the National Security Committee of cabinet, and 14 other ministers. This is a government led by a Womble—by Orinoco. That is who it is led by. And do you know what they say about Orinoco? They say:

Though slothful by nature, Orinoco is capable of some surprising acts of moral and physical courage.

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