Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

What a week we've had for hypocrisy from this government again! We have heard in estimates from the Australian Federal Police that not once but twice the former Minister for Jobs and Innovation and the former Minister for Justice have refused to be interviewed by the AFP. The AFP did disclose that they got a letter from the former minister, who's still a minister and sitting in the cabinet, but it was a letter—it wasn't a witness statement. Now it's been revealed that this person's office has been involved in destroying some of the evidence in relation to this. What hypocrisy from those opposite! They're not afraid to stand up in this place and use parliamentary privilege to name and shame people who are in unions and to name and shame the Leader of the Opposition, who did confront a royal commission and who did answer every question that was put to him. They use parliamentary privilege to avoid scrutiny.

What we have learnt this week in estimates is that two ministers who are under the protection of this Prime Minister continue to evade the truth. It is a case of one rule for Liberals and another rule for everyone else. They use whatever they can to demonise their political opponents and to demonise unions, but are not willing to step up and respect the rule of law. It's time this government acted and took account of this. It's time these ministers resigned. It's time— (Time expired)

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