Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

There is a split in the coalition, an insurgent member for Warringah. And what was that unfamiliar noise we heard of drumming on the backbench?

Opposition members: They're alive!

They're alive! They really do exist! Some might say I am being too hard on this government, but—

Opposition members: No!

True! But making history in a few days is not as easy as it looks. This is the first government since Menzies to lose a majority in the House, the first government to ever vote against itself—and then call upon itself to explain its failings. And then we got an insight. Those opposite agreed to call upon their failings and explain themselves, and now I realise what it meant: that is what it feels like to be in a Liberal caucus meeting every Tuesday.

Of course, then they gagged their own double dissolution triggers—as you do. It was the master stroke and they did not want the chamber to consider it. And after the longest election called in 50 years we have been given the shortest time in parliament to deal with the most important issue in the nation—according to the government.

But the good news is, I can report to the people of Australia, that the Liberal Party have not lost their sense of humour. They got the member for Fadden to ask a question about the rule of law!

Then, of course, they got so bad at communicating their message that yesterday they got the Minister for Trade up. He was talking in morse code—'R2-D2 Ciobo' kept beeping away at the box. But when there is this chaos, who do they call?

Ms Henderson interjecting—

They do not call you, Corangamite.

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